I think I've found a new hero, and in a fairly unlikely place. Not at the comic book shop, or on some link posted on Facebook, but in the pages of the journal Evolutionary Anthropology. I realize that this is nerdy even for me.
I read a lot of book reviews. The ones at the back of academic journals are often stiff and dull. Scope and intended audience trump all else. There is a level of extreme formal impartiality that does not make for easy reading. It is as if the reviewers are trying not to have opinions - which is ridiculous. A book review is an opinion. I understand the need to be professional, but to take emotion and personality out of it is a disservice to the readers.
Last week, in the midst of such starched politeness, I read a review that made me laugh so much I nearly fell off my chair.
"This book is, without doubt, the most shallow, poorly written, and deliberately insulting pieces of work I have ever read by a fellow academic."
Other highlights:
- "In it, you will learn nothing new about the topic .... You will, however, learn much about the likes, dislikes, history, and lifestyle of the author, as well as get to read a bunch of her email!"
- " While I cannot believe that this book was peer reviewed, it appears also to have missed the copy-editing stage."
The review is replete with footnotes and specifics. The title alone was appealing enough to make me curious about the book. Now I know I need never buy it. So, thank you, Dr. Bray for your wonderful review. You are my new book review hero.
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