She Treads Softly: Becoming a Follower

Monday, July 19, 2010

Becoming a Follower

I've done it. I've made commitments.
If you are visiting me because I've recently become a follower of your blog please note two things:

I've likely been privately following your blog for a very long time.

I just decided to publicly follow many of the blogs I try to check on a regular basis.

6 comments:

Donna said...: Thanks for following me! I like your blog, btw! It's nice that it goes right across the page instead of just down the middle (like mine!).; July 19, 2010 at 5:34 PM
Lori L said...: Thanks, Myckyee!; July 19, 2010 at 6:08 PM
Unknown said...: Hi Lori -
Thanks for becoming a live reader on Layers of Thought.

Now I have your lovely blog on my tbr list. And unlike you I read a bunch at a time.
Cheers!
Shellie; July 19, 2010 at 6:53 PM
Lori L said...: You're welcome, Shellie! (Honestly, I really do only read one book at a time.); July 19, 2010 at 10:49 PM
Suey said...: I noticed! Thanks. :); July 20, 2010 at 6:17 PM
Lori L said...: You're welcome, Suey!; July 20, 2010 at 11:53 PM

John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.