Of all the impressive things in this post, you got me with this:
Moby Dick (required reading in grade school) - in grade school? What kind of school did you attend, college for kids? That one was over my head, even in college, and when the professor explained what was really going on, I wondered how I ever got the idea to major in English. (I did get better. But I still haven't learned to love James Joyce and other challenging authors.)
I read a book or two a week. Had a thousand book reviews purged by Amazon due to some alleged violation of Friends and Family policy. Authors must build a social media platform. Readers follow on Twitter, Facebook, etc, and the spy bots know if you've (gasp!) dared to exchange emails with an author. Busted. That makes us FRIENDS and it means I have no objectivity. I understand that an epidemic of Indie Authors exploited the 5-star review system to sell books, but I WAS NOT ONE OF THOSE.
No matter. To this day Amazon has not restored those purged reviews. And, stupidly, inexplicably, I continue to post book reviews there, now that my reviewing "privileges" have been restored. Call me an unprincipled idiot.
I read in the car, in the doctor's office, even in long lines at the checkout... Kindle everywhere....
Looks like you're still a fan of paper copies. I had to quit. 3,000 or more books in this house....
Thanks for the inspiration to others to READ MORE. :)
I know, right? What made it even more ridiculous is that while some of us were assigned Moby Dick, some of the class were assigned The Little Prince. Where's the justice? Why not assign The Little Prince for the whole class?! 🤦♀️
Anyway, I didn't know Amazon did that! I don't shop from them so I have no clue but what a waste of good reviews. I love reading reviews as much as I love reading the books themselves because I also want to know what other people think.
And 3000 books?! 😱 Wow. Goals 🙌🙌🙌 I love print and digital copies equally because they each have their own strengths but would love to see my physical book collection grow 😍
Thanks for the comment! I appreciate it
You're right, print and digital books have their own strengths (like, no need to re-charge the paperback). I love the built-in night light of a Kindle. I used to have an awkward little lamp to attach to paperbacks when I wanted to read in bed. (Bad habit, yes, but not gonna give it up.)
Most of my books are second-hand, 50 cents to a dollar at library book sales. Some books, I paid $200 (textbooks, ugh! college is too expensive as it is). Now they're worthless, out of date.
Yes, my reviews were purged, and none were ever restored, yet I continue to give Amazon my business. Shame on me!! Where are my principles??? Trouble is, every author sells via Amazon, and most Indies sell there exclusively (KDP, something like that).
I love reviews too! I want to talk about the characters as if they were my neighbors and co-workers. Gossip, after all, originated as a way of sharing our concerns about fellow villagers...