Best books? Says who? - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T05:37:43Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/best-books-says-who?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A219465&feed=yes&xn_auth=noBetcha they never read my boo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-16:537324:Comment:2199732009-11-16T15:44:25.553ZB.R.Statehamhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/BRStateham
Betcha they never read my book. Trying to create the illusion they've picked the 100 Best Books kinda sounds arrogant to me.
Betcha they never read my book. Trying to create the illusion they've picked the 100 Best Books kinda sounds arrogant to me. Well, if there's a certain am…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-16:537324:Comment:2199692009-11-16T14:42:00.441ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Well, if there's a certain amount of unanymity, you may want to check it out, right?<br />
<br />
And I like all things that end up selling books.
Well, if there's a certain amount of unanymity, you may want to check it out, right?<br />
<br />
And I like all things that end up selling books. Some would argue that the rea…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-16:537324:Comment:2198662009-11-16T00:19:49.685ZSandra Parshallhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/SandraParshall
Some would argue that the real "best" list is the list of the year's top sellers. But one look at some of the books that sell a huge number of copies is enough to scratch that notion. I can read and thoroughly enjoy junk, but I know it's junk and I know that a few months from now I won't remember a thing about it. The great books are the ones that make us feel and think, the ones that stay with us. Of all the books I've read this year, Kathryn Stockett's THE HELP is the one I know I'll remember…
Some would argue that the real "best" list is the list of the year's top sellers. But one look at some of the books that sell a huge number of copies is enough to scratch that notion. I can read and thoroughly enjoy junk, but I know it's junk and I know that a few months from now I won't remember a thing about it. The great books are the ones that make us feel and think, the ones that stay with us. Of all the books I've read this year, Kathryn Stockett's THE HELP is the one I know I'll remember years from now. And no, it's not a mystery. It's also not on PW's list. Everybody makes lists.
Exact…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-15:537324:Comment:2198572009-11-15T22:41:26.088ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
<i>Everybody makes lists.</i><br />
<br />
Exactly. And it's nice to be on them. Otherwise I'm not sure what good they are, ultimately, except as attention-getters for the outfits that generate them. there's certainly no objective truth to them, otherwise they'd all be pretty much the same, no?
<i>Everybody makes lists.</i><br />
<br />
Exactly. And it's nice to be on them. Otherwise I'm not sure what good they are, ultimately, except as attention-getters for the outfits that generate them. there's certainly no objective truth to them, otherwise they'd all be pretty much the same, no? Oh, come on. Everybody makes…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-15:537324:Comment:2198552009-11-15T22:21:34.480ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Oh, come on. Everybody makes lists. They are as qualified as most, and more so.
Oh, come on. Everybody makes lists. They are as qualified as most, and more so. The idea that PW or anyone el…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-15:537324:Comment:2198472009-11-15T20:27:36.216ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
The idea that PW or anyone else is really going to arrive at a list of the ten best books in a given year with which all reasonable persons can agree is just silly. In attempting to do so what they're really doing is publicizing themselves, and trying to stimulate debate and discussion around their particular list (so more eyeballs on their website, etc.). It's a reasonable strategy in that sense, but the odds that any such process (whatever it is--they don't tell us much) is going to actually…
The idea that PW or anyone else is really going to arrive at a list of the ten best books in a given year with which all reasonable persons can agree is just silly. In attempting to do so what they're really doing is publicizing themselves, and trying to stimulate debate and discussion around their particular list (so more eyeballs on their website, etc.). It's a reasonable strategy in that sense, but the odds that any such process (whatever it is--they don't tell us much) is going to actually generate a useful list (if there even is such a thing) would be astronomical, IMO. I agree that categories shoul…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-15:537324:Comment:2198312009-11-15T18:15:41.631ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
I agree that categories should have been observed. Different categories have different criteria.<br />
<br />
Not sure about ballot boxes. Favorite books isn't quite the same as best books. And are we going to control how many ballots a person can cast?
I agree that categories should have been observed. Different categories have different criteria.<br />
<br />
Not sure about ballot boxes. Favorite books isn't quite the same as best books. And are we going to control how many ballots a person can cast? I wish PW would say who the "…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-15:537324:Comment:2198202009-11-15T14:49:17.926ZSandra Parshallhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/SandraParshall
I wish PW would say who the "judges" are. Editors? Regular PW reviewers?<br />
<br />
The intro to the list states they chose the best out of 50,000 books published this year, but no one can possibly believe every judge read 50,000 books.<br />
<br />
We also have the question of whether genre fiction should be judged against literary and mainstream. Perhaps the "best" books list should be the #1 books in various categories. That doesn't address the gender issue directly, but my bet is it would increase the chances of…
I wish PW would say who the "judges" are. Editors? Regular PW reviewers?<br />
<br />
The intro to the list states they chose the best out of 50,000 books published this year, but no one can possibly believe every judge read 50,000 books.<br />
<br />
We also have the question of whether genre fiction should be judged against literary and mainstream. Perhaps the "best" books list should be the #1 books in various categories. That doesn't address the gender issue directly, but my bet is it would increase the chances of books by women being included. The judges need experience an…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-15:537324:Comment:2198172009-11-15T14:41:25.027ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
The judges need experience and education, preferably in literature. The criteria exist. They need to be applied. And gender of the author (or anything else about the author) doesn't enter into this. People are too quick to scream discrimination. There was a time when I thought the Edgars panels were loaded with women's libbers set to level the playing field any way they could.<br />
<br />
My guess is that PW judges bring the experience of having read an enormous number of books to their chore. That should…
The judges need experience and education, preferably in literature. The criteria exist. They need to be applied. And gender of the author (or anything else about the author) doesn't enter into this. People are too quick to scream discrimination. There was a time when I thought the Edgars panels were loaded with women's libbers set to level the playing field any way they could.<br />
<br />
My guess is that PW judges bring the experience of having read an enormous number of books to their chore. That should count for a lot. Conversely, your children may…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-11-12:537324:Comment:2196022009-11-12T21:45:10.220ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Conversely, your children may be faced with that form of testing.<br />
<br />
(Arrgh! This was for Jon's post.)
Conversely, your children may be faced with that form of testing.<br />
<br />
(Arrgh! This was for Jon's post.)