The Blog's the Thing
April 6, 2010 10:14 PM Subscribe
Family of four maintains a book review blog as hobby A New York Times story of family spending time together via blogging their book reviews. So far, 600 followers and media credentials for the 2010 BookExpo America. Oh yeah, and book reports are easier.
Jesus, a dozen books a day? My to-read pile is big enough! That sounds nightmarish.
posted by Kattullus at 2:10 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by Kattullus at 2:10 AM on April 7, 2010
the Lateiners have reviewed 27 books and attracted nearly 600 followers
Free books from major publishing houses after just 27 reviews? I smell propaganda from the book industry, and an underresearched story.
As a book logging veteran, be it in another language, I must add, yes, once your book reviews get known publishers will offer to send you free copies -- but hardly ever of books you'd like to read. People'll even send you their unreadable manuscripts, and start to e-mail you threateningly, if you don't response fast enough to their liking.
Newspapers and magazines will offer you reviewing jobs, but don't want to pay you much or pay you at all, since you would have done it anyway, isn't it?
This morning I had a German bookseller ordering 10 books of a writer, just because my boeklog ranked highest on Google when it came to that title. And he isn't the only one doing such remarkable stupid things. Today I wonder again if it really is worth all the trouble.
posted by ijsbrand at 2:22 AM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Free books from major publishing houses after just 27 reviews? I smell propaganda from the book industry, and an underresearched story.
As a book logging veteran, be it in another language, I must add, yes, once your book reviews get known publishers will offer to send you free copies -- but hardly ever of books you'd like to read. People'll even send you their unreadable manuscripts, and start to e-mail you threateningly, if you don't response fast enough to their liking.
Newspapers and magazines will offer you reviewing jobs, but don't want to pay you much or pay you at all, since you would have done it anyway, isn't it?
This morning I had a German bookseller ordering 10 books of a writer, just because my boeklog ranked highest on Google when it came to that title. And he isn't the only one doing such remarkable stupid things. Today I wonder again if it really is worth all the trouble.
posted by ijsbrand at 2:22 AM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
The Lateiners work at attracting followers through frequent contests in which they give away a signed book or a Nook e-book reader.
How can they afford this?
posted by djgh at 4:50 AM on April 7, 2010
How can they afford this?
posted by djgh at 4:50 AM on April 7, 2010
The Nook is less than $300 and they probably pull in some income from the blog itself. As far as hobbies go, I'm sure you could find some more expensive ones. Some families have "frequent" ski vacations.
posted by ODiV at 8:11 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by ODiV at 8:11 AM on April 7, 2010
too much purple.
posted by whimsicalnymph at 11:23 AM on April 7, 2010
posted by whimsicalnymph at 11:23 AM on April 7, 2010
27 books since July? Ree-a-ally. Whoop-dee-doo. These people are nowhere on my book-blog radar, nor do I think they will be making any future appearances there. Compared to people like Betsy Bird* and similar crew, these folks are hobbyists. I applaud their family fun and I think it's a great idea, but there's absolutely no cause for NYT breathiness.
(*Yes, Ms.Bird is paid now, but as the article states, she was blogging independently for two years before that started.)
posted by redsparkler at 11:58 AM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
(*Yes, Ms.Bird is paid now, but as the article states, she was blogging independently for two years before that started.)
posted by redsparkler at 11:58 AM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
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BRB, starting a book review blog.
posted by sallybrown at 10:20 PM on April 6, 2010 [1 favorite]