11 Comments

This is broadly excellent but I worry that it will encourage a society in which people will give less importance of place to critics.

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Chris, if I can contribute to just one person losing paid employment, I will have made a difference.

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Aug 3, 2023Liked by Jamie Freestone

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH, Jamie. I recently wrote about a similar thing, namely the perpetual disappointment that circulates around the 'poor' quality of reviews because non-experts seem to be writing them: https://www.griffithreview.com/articles/reading-the-room/.

The idea of some conformist, authoritarian approach to reviewing really bugs me, precisely because it pretends we don't (or shouldn't) respond to texts in any individual (and non-intellectual) way. I'm supposed to be writing something now about censorship of literature, and this line probably sums it up: 'The power of words isn’t magical: merely printing them doesn’t cause their message to be influential, to change minds and actions.' I've been freaking out about my take. It's keeping me up at night. So reading those words brought me some comfort. (And I just recommended this newsletter to an artist friend who's researching AI and EMS-enabled tech.)

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Amber! Thank you, I’m glad we’re on the same page. I wish I’d read your piece before I wrote this. You’ve considered this from more angles. You’re exactly right: the reader disappears before a “sound” or “correct” review. Is the censorship piece for GR as well? I’ll look out for it. And thanks for spruiking my newsletter!

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Brilliant.

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Honestly, I paid money for this?

Another why should I not cancel my subscription?

Here is a review. Simply quit restating whatever wandering point you were trying to make. Sheesh!

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This is a free newsletter, so I hope you didn’t pay for it. I do thank you for the feedback, friend, brusque as it is. Please unsubscribe if you don’t enjoy it. I’d hate to waste anyone’s time.

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Sorry, I didn't mean to be so harsh. I read something previously per The Stark Way, liked it and subscribed. I did confuse the source of this article on reviewing reviews and reviewers as a paid subscription from another provider. Unfortunately, I did not see the value in this article.I would want when making a commitment of time and or money for options I currently subscribe to on Substack.

Please accept my apologies regarding my earlier reply.

RV

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Great post. I especially appreciate this: "This happens for all genres but is rife in nonfiction book reviews, which often spend the majority of their words on what a book left out. This is profoundly idiotic. Putting to one side glaring omissions of subject matter, any book necessarily leaves out almost everything. Focus on what is in the book."

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Nice, Jamie. I’ve always been overly-analytical in my approach to art forms, particularly music, but in the end I’m attempting to relate to others how I felt about a certain work: Why did I like it and how did the author bring my emotional response into action? Thelonius Monk, for example, is a jazz artist I admire, and I spent a considerable amount of time translating his compositions and playing style into my own creations, much as I’ve done with writers like Steinbeck and McCarthy. The same goes for when I share my opinion about a book, film, or piece of music. No matter how academic I approach the subject of criticism, it’s about relating my experience to others, or synthesizing it my own work.

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A interesting set of reviews, here. But that's only MY consideed opinion. Peace, Maurice

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