Comments on: Are Publishers’ Reading Group Guides Deceptive? Quote of the Day (Gail Pool) http://oneminutebookreviews.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/are-publishers%e2%80%99-reading-group-guides-deceptive-quote-of-the-day-gail-pool/ Janice Harayda Reviews Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry for Adults and Children Thu, 16 May 2013 19:28:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: 1minutebookreviewswordpresscom http://oneminutebookreviews.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/are-publishers%e2%80%99-reading-group-guides-deceptive-quote-of-the-day-gail-pool/#comment-5645 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 05:03:10 +0000 http://oneminutebookreviews.wordpress.com/?p=799#comment-5645 That’s an interesting parallel. The possible connection between readers’ guides and teachers’ notes hadn’t occurred to me. I agree that lot of mediocre books are taught in schools and that some of those supposedly objective “notes” don’t help.

The publishers’ guides, though, seem to be in a class by themselves. Many teachers at least choose the books they teach and believe they’re good. Publishers’ guides are often written by freelancers who may not even have that level of commitment.

]]> By: knightofswords http://oneminutebookreviews.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/are-publishers%e2%80%99-reading-group-guides-deceptive-quote-of-the-day-gail-pool/#comment-5640 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:12:51 +0000 http://oneminutebookreviews.wordpress.com/?p=799#comment-5640 I wonder if the guides started out simply as extensions of the kinds of notes a teacher might have for the books of “the canon” that we studied in school. My volatile opinion, long before I knew any better, was that some of the stuff we were reading wasn’t as good as other stuff. Wrong. I just didn’t understand it yet. Suffice it to say, we weren’t there to bash the canon even though I felt like doing it. If the guides begin with the assumption that the book isn’t be taught in a school class if it’s not good, then, they won’t do any bashing either. Somehow, though, the guides seem to have crossed the line and have become gushy as in, say, five thumbs up or you’ll laugh till you pee.

Malcolm

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