24 January 2014

how to rate a book: fiction

Now that I've figured out how consistently to rate non-fiction books, I admit that, on occasion, I've furtively read a novel. Or two.

Expertise and voice meant a lot in non-fiction. Voice, narrative, or storytelling is here the most important element. Along with character and plot. The classic fiction tools. 

"And then he woke up": Obviously the author didn't care enough to tell a story and fill it with characters. A nightmare of a book.

★★ Everyone has one good novel in them, right? Or so the saying goes, and this author just squeezed out a comprehensible plot and some almost believable characters. Just.

★★★ WYSIWYG: Standard, comfortable fare - tasty now, but will you remember it next year? (This is where the franchise authors live: Clancy, Patterson, Sparks, Grisham.)

★★★★ There goes my subway stop: An engrossing narrative moved along by real people. Escapism in the best sense of the word.

★★★★★ My life will never be the same: A story etched into your memory, filled with characters who will become your best friends for life, speaking in utterly memorable language. Tears are acceptable.

16 January 2014

how to rate a book: non-fiction

Five-star ranking systems are popular among book readers. But what does a star mean? That you like a book? Through a year, how can you be sure that the two-stars you gave in January means the same as two-stars in July?

So, thinking about topic expertise and quality of writing, let's set out stars we can stick with.

 How did I reach the end: Somehow the author found a publisher who overlooked their ignorance of the subject, and an editor who helped them string together sentences. At least they can spell.

★★ My mum said if you have nothing nice to say: Well, the author does sound like they know what they're talking about and can talk well. Albeit in a monotone.

★★★ Worth the time: Now you've got a decent chance of learning something new from an experienced researcher whose writing gets out of the way. Standard issue.

★★★★ Tell your friends: You're reading an expert in the field with something intelligent and original to say, who can explain it to the layman. Confidently recommend it.

★★★★★ Make room on your shelf: An outstanding book that challenges your thinking with memorable writing. Buy the hardcover and never let it go.

On occasion, you may be permitted to give a bonus star.

11 January 2014

yes, I listen to music sometimes. a review.



Lacking expertise in music or audio equipment, I offer only a casual listener's praise of Bose's SoundLink Mini.

It appeared at Christmas. It's quite unprepossessing. And portable yet of solid metal build. But turning up the volume will vibrate your table.

Now, when people talk about speakers, they always seem to say, "Check out the bass man!" Sorry, just can't hear it. Your modern music isn't complicated enough.

But run some Palestrina through this thing. Or eight-part Russian Orthodox chant. You'll hear parts you never knew existed. Glorious.

9 January 2014

lazy thinking. and you can't own customers.

At the book office today, I read this headline:
I've no love for Amazon and, yes, they play hard. But let's avoid assumptions and sloppy thinking (except my own).

So, Amazon set up a marketing kiosk outside a university bookstore. Maybe campus bookstores are different in America, but I wouldn't call them indies and the virtuous hardships that label often implies. A fairly captive audience, mark-ups on academic titles, and high margin paraphernalia with the school logo.

But my bigger problem is the phrase "steal customers". You can't steal customers. They aren't serfs. They aren't indentured purchasers. You can compete for customers. You can encourage them to shop with you. But, they're free. In the market.

Once you start feeling entitled to your customers, it's unsurprising you complain about the competition instead of taking the fight to them.

3 January 2014

how much does a child cost (in books)?

Every so often, another report releases that proposes the cost of raising children. Forget these. I can tell you exactly how much it costs.

In books.

Thanks to goodreads stats, I know that I read 101 books in 2012. That dropped to 80 in 2013 after our daughter was born. That's a 21% decline. Because she was born in late June, almost exactly midway through the year, I should have read 50% of my books on either side. Well, my reading rate slowed (though not dramatically) because I finished only 47% of my books in the second half of the year.

But the shocking statistic is the page count. 34,385 in 2012. 24,476 in 2013. That's a 29% drop! So I read a lot of thin books.

Where did all the time gained from not reading go?

Sleeping commutes instead of reading commutes.

No more reading in bed. Manically do chores after baby goes to sleep.

Oh, and no more lazy Sunday afternoon reading.

But, we did read The Very Hungry Caterpillar together about fifty times. And that has to count as time well spent.

2 January 2014

a medieval date.

It's the new year. Except maybe it isn't. In the middle ages, it would still have been 2013. And we know this thanks to C.R. Cheney's classic Handbook of Dates for Students of British History.



Because the medieval year often began on March 25. The feast of the Annunciation.

Or on Christmas Day.

Or even on Easter. Which moves every year.

So what year are we in? Well, we would say 2014 anno domini but our medieval forebears would say anno gratiae. Remembering that they're looking forward to a party on March 24 because it's still 2013.

Or we could date by event and say, for example, that we're in the first year of the pontificate of Pope Francis. His pontifical year not beginning until March 13 when he was elected.

And though the calendar has moved forward to 2014, it remains the 62nd regnal year of Queen Elizabeth II. She didn't become queen until February 6. And that's only because we date from her ascension to the throne instead of her coronation.

All clear now?

By the way, according to the Romans today is IV pr. non. Ian in the year 2,767 ab urbe condita.

1 January 2014

new year. new books. and some old ones.

Talk at the book office this week was about our goodreads 2013 reading challenges. And, of course, our 2014 goals, when I shamefacedly admitted to a smaller goal in 2014.

A simple 52 books, one for each week of the year.

Why?

I spent too much time last year charging through three-hundred pagers for work. Time to set aside commutes for longer reads like those thick histories I've owned for ten years but never opened.

Which includes continuing starting (it never really got going this year) a medieval reading project. I cannot resist buying those old paperback Penguin Classics. Never read them though. Too indecisive. So I took the decision out of it by simply heading to the beginning of the medieval section - Abelard and Heloise - and planning to read the shelf from left to right. It's like a school uniform: with no choice in clothing, you just got up and got going. Problem solved.

So, longer denser books. Medieval texts. That's a happy new year.