Coming up for air

I haven’t posted anything for just over a week, so I thought I’d give you a blog/behind-the-blog report and to be frank, myself a break from the monotony of exam revision.

I still have drafts in the work for the last two in the much belated “Atheism and Theory of Justification” series, a draft of the “The Political Correctness Conspiracy” post and a very skeletal “A Priori Concept of Harm” draft, all of which I hope to spit and polish up for release in July.

Following somewhat of a faux pas on my part, I have agreed to write a review a copy of Greater Than You Think by Thomas D Williams. Given that it’s being released this Monday, I’ll have to be quick off the mark with a review to catch the first wave, but no so quick as to be careless.

I want to do a good job of it, so I’ve also bought my own copy of God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens (which I have read albeit quickly) and The Little Red Writing book by Mark Tredinnick. The latter, after a suggestion by Ninglun, will be for my prose (and my enjoyment as well as a bit of guidance on some short fiction I’m writing.) The former for a bit of background given the play on words in the titles.

The review will come first, as quickly as can be done with due care after either my last exam (next week) or after receiving the book, whichever comes second. I will follow up with an essay (which I will append to the review) to deal with points of contention, and a deeper critical analysis than can be provided in a single review.

As for some of the few people witnessing my first thoughts on the topic of Greater Than You Think, said faux pas not withstanding, consideration as to the role of the question mark in the title in addition to a lack of conclusing statements really needs to be addressed in their criticisms. How can I be accused of prejudging if I haven’t come to a conclusion?

“By the title you applied to your post one might think you actuallyread (sic) the book, but you indicate you are unwiulling (sic) to look. You simply trash the author.”

(”Jack Picknell“, 2008 )

Firstly, one needn’t necessarily assume from the title that I had read the book. The title (”Greater Than You Think, not so great?”) posed a question about a book that hadn’t yet been released, an airing of suspicions, it was not a statement. Secondly, I didn’t “trash” the author and thirdly, I hadn’t ruled out the option of reading/reviewing the book and I had actually agreed to do so by the time “Jack” had made his comment.

Then there was this rubbish…

““My gut reaction is meh…BS” If that’s not a biased opinion before even reading the book, I don’t know what is. I chanced upon this site just cause I wanted to know what the reviews were on the book, and yes the Jack dude was right on the mark – the title DOES lead one to believe that you actually read the book… But I digress, I’m going back to search for reviews and not waste time on biased opinions.” – Emphasis added.

(JP , 2008 )

Except, it wasn’t me who said “My gut reaction is meh…BS”. That was Mojoey, and he had already received the book, so one can’t simply assume that his gut reaction was prior to any reading. On the other hand, I only made an exploration of the background of the book, I didn’t pass judgement. As for the title, AV sums it up well.

“”If you’re claiming that Bruce deliberately set out to mislead, then you ought to provide sufficient evidence. (And no, the fact that the expectations of Jack Picknell and JP were not met does not constitute sufficient evidence of Bruce’s evil intentions. OTOH, the fact that Bruce in the very same post explains his misgivings about reviewing the book, coupled with that question mark in the title, is ample counterevdence.)”

(AV, 2008 )

Their expectations being a rather pertinent point. JP was out looking for reviews and mistakenly though mine was a review, which it was not nor pretended to be. Somehow, I’m to blame for this error. This is ironic. JP prejudges the content of my post, then has the gaul to call me biased when their preconceptions aren’t met.

The fact that “Jack” made the same error is no more basis for accusation either.

Makes you wonder what it’s going to be like when I write the actual review, doesn’t it?

~ Bruce