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When Reviewing A Book That Cannot Be Recommended
One of the questions I'm occasionally asked by the men and women who are volunteer reviewers for the Midwest Book Review is what to do when they cannot recommended their assigned book to its intended readership. Here is my perennial response which I would like to share with you as an author, a publisher, or a publicist.
When you run into a book that you cannot understand or are not able in good conscious to recommended to its intended readership then all you are required to do is to provide the author, publisher, or publicist with a letter (email) of explanation clearly citing your reasons why.
Then conclude such letters with an invitation to take the matter up with me (as your editor) if they wish to do so.
We do not guarantee a positive review -- only an honest one.
In my opinion this standard should be followed by all reviewers in whatever medium they work. Furthermore I'm pleased to report that, later on, authors have been known to send thank you follow-ups when the feedback from a reviewer has helped them to rectify a problem thereby improving the quality of their books with respect to their intended audience.
Jim Cox
Midwest Book Review
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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