Volume IV, Issue 3 -- August, 2003
Volume IV, Issue 3 -- August, 2003
Why did we review that ?
Some insight into why and how
these books were chosen for review
There are far more books published daily than we at the complete review could possibly read and/or review -- and since we're also willing to consider older titles for review the possibilities are absolutely overwhelming. As is we manage to review about three to five books a week -- barely a smattering of the many books we could review (theoretically, not realistically).
So how do we decide what to review ? First and foremost -- by far -- is the question of accessibility. A book must be readily (and cheaply) available -- to us. That doesn't preclude obscure titles finding their way onto our site (as readers may have noticed) -- such books often do fall into our hands, found at used bookstores and the like. (That doesn't meant they'll then be readily and cheaply available to our users, of course.) But in-print, widely circulating titles obviously have an overwhelming edge (which explains the easy dominance of brand new titles, which eager publishers foist on us (or at least grudgingly send us if we pester them enough)).
Besides accessibility books must also be of interest to us, and that's where subjectivity takes over. Fiction that's generally considered to be of the more literary sort (don't ask us what that means, but it's what we've been told), some drama, some poetry. Science, some philosophy, law, a bit of biography, and other odds and ends. But literature is the main focus -- and here the tastes and expectations of the editors take over (and pull us under).
There's a big edge for writers we've read (and whose works we've enjoyed) before -- we'd (almost) kill for the next Harry Mulisch, Tom Stoppard, Paul Theroux, or A.S.Byatt (among others). A few publishers lists also always attract our attention -- what's Faber putting out ? what has the Dalkey Archive Press unearthed for the coming season ? what's Suhrkamp doing ? -- but there's no book that we'd pick up solely because of who the publisher is (though years ago we might have -- the older Faber list was entirely reliable, and Picador in its heyday also seldom let us down).
Even after all this is factored in the possibilities remain close to endless and the number of books actually reviewed remains very limited. For most of the titles it's impossible to pin down why exactly one was chosen over the many others, but below we offer a list of fifty recently reviewed titles and some information about how they came to be reviewed. Possibly it offers some guidance as to how and why we select as we do.
(Of course, much more should be explained -- what books were set aside, for example, which ones didn't make the cut and for what specific (or -- as is more often the case -- vague) reasons, etc. etc. etc.)
One fact that does emerge should be of particular interest to all the many authors wishing to submit books for review: unsolicited books stand almost no chance of getting reviewed. There are exceptions (and we're always eager to hear about new titles), but for the most part books that we've been made aware of by authors directly are almost never reviewed.
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The information about each title given should be fairly self-explanatory.
The cost is the cost to us of acquiring or obtaining the book. (As we've said, this is a significant factor in what books we can and do review, hence also the emphasis here.)
The reasons for requesting and/or reviewing the title should give some general sense of why these titles were reviewed.
The question of How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it is meant to suggest what it says -- sometimes a book falls into our lap, as it were, but that fails to convey how desperately and eagerly we would have done almost anything to review it. The amount of effort we would have been willing to put in is perhaps the best measure of how important a book was to us before we got our hands on it. Since most books are provided to us by publishers with only minimal effort on our part this is the criterion which differentiates between books that are reviewed because they are accessible as opposed to those we really wanted to review.
Book: The Absolute Perfection of Crime
Author: Tanguy Viel
Acquired: bought galley at used bookstore
Cost: $ 1.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Barely any
- Intriguing title and subject
- New Press title -- usually of interest
- Always interested in covering more contemporary French fiction
Book: The Afterword
Author: Mike Bryan
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: interested in another new Pantheon title (James Gleick's Newton), saw this in catalogue and requested it at the same time
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Little
- It's the sort of idea we have a weakness for (an afterword to a non-existant novel)
- Always up for some theological debate
Book: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Author: Dai Sijie
Acquired: used bookstore
Cost: $ 3.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Considerable
- It's a title we've long had our eye on but never managed to obtain a free or cheap copy until now
- About literature (or so it seemed)
- Dai Sijie sounded like an interesting author (Chinese, French, filmmaker)
Books: The City Trilogy
Author: Chang Hsi-Kuo
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: saw on online catalogue, sounded interesting
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Barely any
- Little coverage of such works available elsewhere
- Columbia University Press has an interesting line of Far Eastern books
Book: Dark Star Safari
Author: Paul Theroux
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: will read any- and everything by Theroux
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: At all costs
- Have previously reviewed two Theroux titles, and are eager to review any of his new titles
Books: The Deadly Percheron, Devil Take the Blue-Tail Fly, and The Last of Philip Banter
Author: John Franklin Bardin
Acquired: bought Omnibus edition at used bookstore
Cost: US $ 4.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: None
- Sounded interesting
- Neglected author about whom little information is available
Book: Dear Mrs. Strigl
Author: H.F.Broch de Rothermann
Acquired: bought directly from publisher, after being made aware of it in the translator-credits for Hermann Broch's Geist and Zeitgeist
Cost: $ 5.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Very great
- Always interested in anything by or about Hermann Broch
- Have several Broch titles under review
Book: The Embroidered Couch
Author: Lü Tiancheng
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: saw it in publisher's catalogue, always interested in classical Chinese erotica
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Looking to build up coverage of classical Chinese literature
- Always good to have some erotica under review
Book: Exiling the Poets
Author: Ramona A. Nadaff
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: saw advert for it, sounded interesting
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Considerable
- Very interesting subject
- Would like to build up coverage of classical Greek literature and philosophy
Book: Framing a Novelist
Author: Robert Weninger
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: came across book on Camden House site (looking for a Hermann Broch collection), always interested in anything to do with Arno Schmidt
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Considerable
- Arno Schmidt !
- A look at literary criticism and reviews of Schmidt's work -- right up our alley !
Books: The Game and The Shadow of the Sun
Author: A.S.Byatt
Acquired: used bookstore and borrowed from library
Cost: US $ 4.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Considerable
- Eager to review more Byatt titles
Book: Geist and Zeitgeist
Author: Hermann Broch
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: had been on our wishlist since we heard this volume was in the works
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Very great
- Broch is one of our literary idols and we're always eager to offer additional information about him and his works to our users
Book: The Girl from the Fiction Department
Author: Hilary Spurling
Acquired: bought galley at used bookstore
Cost: $ 1.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: None
- Some interest in Orwell (more George than Sonia)
- Fits in well with reviews of, for example, Diana Athill's Stet
Book: His Dark Materials trilogy (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass)
Author: Philip Pullman
Acquired: borrowed from library
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Fell for all the talk of it being a better sort of fantasy
- Harry Potter-mania -- but couldn't bring ourselves to tackle those books
Book: How Democratic Is the American Constitution ?
Author: Robert A. Dahl
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: Read a review of it (TLS, 14 March), recalled earlier reviews, sounded interesting
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Interesting book on an important subject
Books: In Times of Siege and The Ghosts of Vasu Master
Author: Githa Hariharan
Acquired: bought at used bookstores (on separate occasions) -- Penguin India editions hard to come by in US, and always interested in contemporary Indian fiction so bought them without examining them too closely -- though both sounded intriguing
Cost: US $ 6.00 ($ 1.00 + $ 5.00)
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Extensive Indian press coverage and imminent US publication of In Times of Siege (otherwise probably would have put off reviewing them for a few more months)
Book: Intimate Exchanges
Author: Alan Ayckbourn
Acquired: bought at used bookstore
Cost: $ 8.00 (two volumes)
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Very great
- Always enjoy Ayckbourn and have many of his titles under review
- Harder to obtain title -- haven't previously seen it available anywhere
- Mega-drama that sounded too good to pass up
Book: Instant Karma
Author: Mark Swartz
Acquired: bought galley at used bookstore
Cost: $ 1.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Intriguing enough idea
- City Lights book, usually interesting
Book: Isaac Newton
Author: James Gleick
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: would consider pretty much any new book about Netwon
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Considerable
- Have some books about Newton under review and always looking for more
- Previous Gleick titles have not disappointed
Book: Krakatoa
Author: Simon Winchester
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: made aware of it through reviews and publicity, sounded interesting
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Have another Winchester title under review
- Interesting subject matter
Book: The Light of Day
Author: Graham Swift
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: have enjoyed previous Swift titles
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Always interested in Swift's fiction
- Much-reviewed and discussed elsewhere
Book: Lolita
Author: Edward Albee
Acquired: bought at used bookstore
Cost: $ 1.98
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Considerable
- We'll review any Lolita-variation
- Our managing editor even saw this way back when on Broadway
Book: 9/12
Author: Eliot Weinberger
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: made aware of it by an advert, have all of Weinberger's books under review
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Very great
- Will review any- and everything by Weinberger
- Interesting subject matter
Book: The North of England Home Service
Author: Gordon Burn
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: made aware of it by British press coverage
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- impressed by Burn's earlier books
- one title already unde review
Book: On Wooden Tablets: Apronenia Avitia
Author: Pascal Quignard
Acquired: bought at used bookstore
Cost: US $ 4.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Quignard has been mentioned to us several times as an author we should cover
- Intriguing idea, looked interesting
Book: Perdido Street Station and The Scar
Author: China Miéville
Acquired: borrowed from library
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Considerable
- One of the authors often recommended to us
- Have read much critical praise, making us curious
- Sounded intriguing
Book: Persepolis, vol. 3
Author: Marjane Satrapi
Acquired: present
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Reviewed first instalment (volumes 1 and 2)
- Assume there will be considerable user-interest in it
Book: Politics
Author: Adam Thirlwell
Acquired: galley, bought at used bookstore
Cost: $ 1.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Arresting cover, cool title (hey, we're easily impressed)
- Thirlwell one of these much-discussed Granta top-40 under-40 hot shits -- pardon, shots -- so hard to pass up
- Nobody seems to have reviewed him yet and we like being the first on the block
Book: Pot Pourri
Author: Eugenio Cambaceres
Acquired: bought galley at used bookstore
Cost: $ 1.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Very little
- Sounded interesting enough
- Area of interest which we don't have a great deal of coverage of (19th century South American fiction)
- Oxford University Press publication -- usually reliable publisher
Book: Revolt of the Masscult
Author: Chris Lehmann
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: requested another title from publisher, and looking through catalogue found this interesting-sounding title as well
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Little
- Prickly Paradigm has an interesting line of book
- Subject matter of interest
Book: Ring
Author: Suzuki Koji
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: saw description in publisher's online catalogue, had heard of movie versions (though haven't seen either), always intrigued by best-selling Japanese fiction
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Barely any
- Bestselling Japanese book with movie tie-in should be of interest to users
- Rare contemporary Japanese bestseller available in English
Book: The Speckled People
Author: Hugo Hamilton
Acquired: bought galley at used bookstore
Cost: US $ 1.00
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Barely any
- Have previously reviewed two Hamilton titles
- Sounded somewhat interesting (and British reviews we'd seen had been very positive)
- Don't generally bother with Irish memoirs but ultimately sufficiently intrigued by Hamilton's unusual background
Book: Style and Faith
Author: Geoffrey Hill
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: want to review any and all Geoffrey Hill titles
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Very great
- Have most of Hill's works under review
- Interesting subjects covered
Book: Talk of the Devil
Author: Riccardo Orizio
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: Saw the book in a bookstore and was intrigued by the encounters with dictators such as Idi Amin and Mengistu
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Sounded interesting
- Have numerous Idi Amin novels and other dictator-related works under review
Book: Thank You for Not Reading
Author: Dubravka Ugresic
Acquired: galley provided (unsolicited) by publisher -- though we would have requested it as soon as we were made aware of its existence
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Very great
- Have previously read and reviewed numerous Ugresic titles
- Have always found her work intriguing
- Would very likely review any Ugresic title we came across
Book: Unrequited Love
Author: Gregory dart
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: Small Books puts out interesting titles, this was one of several we saw (and that sounded interesting) at their web site when we decided to request some
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Little
- Interesting subject matter
Book: Warum schriftlos leben ?
Author: Durs Grünbein
Acquired: from publisher, in response to our request
Reason for requesting book: have numerous Grünbein-titles under review, want to keep up with his new work
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some (if it had been a poetry-collection: considerable)
- We're Grünbein-fans, with much of his work under review
Book: What Liberal Media ?
Author: Eric Alterman
Acquired: offered to us by a publicist
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Considerable
- Certainly a subject of interest
- Lot's of media coverage from all ends of the spectrum making for lively debate which we don't mind getting in the middle of -- and makes for many good link-opportunities
Book: White Mughals
Author: William Dalrymple
Acquired: borrowed from library
Cost: 0
Reason reviewed:How much of an effort would we have made to get and review it: Some
- Much-praised book
- Have numerous titles under review dealing with the same period
- Sounded interesting
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