The Art of the Book Review

This is about why I write book reviews...

I am Cliff-Noting* a book for future review when I notice the Copyright date is 2003.  For a nanosecond I think, "Gee Dave, you aren't very hip, are you?"  The fact is, I do not write here to be hip...though I'm not sure I could be even if I tried.  For me this is all about the journey towards self learning.  Reading and subsequent book reviews are foot steps on the road to personal clarification. 

Before proceeding to more about the why...

It has been mentioned that my writing is not very critical or deep in meaning.  Even though I've no desire to be critical, (in the context of severe judgment), I have no time for it.  My mission is to glean stuff that I connect with, not extract points of contention and then debate it, or to show folks how smart I am by thinking up ways to demonstrate opposing views (which I'm not).  As for meaning, my writing means something to me.  If it is judged shallow, so be it.

One must know their audience and write for it...

My point is I must know myself, write, and then if an audience develops, that's just icing on the cake.  To be sure, I yearn for conversation with like-minded folks.  Unless I am authentic however, we will never connect.  So the only way I can write is to write for myself and hope to connect.

Back to why...

There are two reasons why I like books:

• I like that.  I'm like that.
• I like that.  I want it to be like that.

The first point is directly out of Virginia Postrel's book, The Substance of Style.  Virginia uses this phrase within the framework of aesthetic identity and design.  Although I absolutely sync with Virginia's definition, for me it is a connection point with a book's author.  The second point is the author speaking about something that I yearn for.   One example years ago that pierced my psyche with such impact that my grandchildren's children will oneday feel was Marcus Buckingham's book, First, Break all the Rules.  Marcus's teachings were universes away from the toxic environment of command and control of which I was immersed.

So, consequently:

• I like that.  I want to write about that.

...and it really isn't any more deep than that.

So, to know Dave is to know what he reads.  Here is what he reads.

*I copped the term and technique of Cliff Noting from Tim Sanders who describes the process in his book, Love is the Killer App.

Comments

[Verna Wilder]

Ah, Dave, I like you exactly as you are (didn't Mr. Rogers have a song about that?) and I like the way the write and the way you write makes me like you more and want to read your blog. So. There we go. Keep on writing your reviews your way, my friend. They're a pleasure to read.

[dave]

Thank you soooo much Verna!!