http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/05/17/greedy-hippies/ Behind the Book Reviews--The Official Blog of Booklist Online Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:53:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/05/17/greedy-hippies/#comment-229 Likely Stories » Blog Archive » The Problematization of Plot Tue, 22 Aug 2006 20:41:37 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/05/17/greedy-hippies/#comment-229 [...] While I was writing (that is, “blogging”) about Robert Ward’s Four Kinds of Rain yesterday, I was trying to make sure I didn’t say too much about what actually happens in the story, which is also a key consideration when writing a review. One of the frustrating things about being a book reviewer is that, if I don’t want to be the jerk who spoils it for everyone - I might sometimes want to be another kind of jerk, but definitely not that kind - I can’t get too specific about things. Using specific examples is essential to good expository writing, but book reviews must balance the sometimes competing imperatives of making an argument and piquing readers’ interest. And if readers know what’s going to happen, they’re less likely to pick up the book. [...] […] While I was writing (that is, “blogging”) about Robert Ward’s Four Kinds of Rain yesterday, I was trying to make sure I didn’t say too much about what actually happens in the story, which is also a key consideration when writing a review. One of the frustrating things about being a book reviewer is that, if I don’t want to be the jerk who spoils it for everyone - I might sometimes want to be another kind of jerk, but definitely not that kind - I can’t get too specific about things. Using specific examples is essential to good expository writing, but book reviews must balance the sometimes competing imperatives of making an argument and piquing readers’ interest. And if readers know what’s going to happen, they’re less likely to pick up the book. […]

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