"Hi there-
This is my 1st official ""thread,"" so bear w/me! I work at McGraw-Hill and we have just published a great bike builder's book: Atomic Zombie's Bicycle Builder's Bonanza by Brad Graham and Kathy McGowan. If there are any among you who would like to review our book for your bulletin, I will be happy to send you a review copy. (First come, first served -- include complete mailing address.) Have mercy on me with your emails though since I have posted my work e-dress. For more info about this title or others, visit: books.mcgraw-hill.com (I can also send an electronic cover image of the book and naturally if your club ever wants to purchase in bulk, we have discounts available.) Happy holidays to all and be careful -- it's still a little slippery out there! (Did I do this right?)"
Reviewer needed for great bike builder book from McGraw-Hill!
"Richard, as usual you raise a thoughtful point. However, when I saw the post I didn't think of it as commercial.
As a prospective book reviewer, I momentarily considered Cathy's offer, deciding against it only because I know absolutely nothing about building bikes. I saw it as a nice opportunity for club members to get a free book and to try to get something published -- in our bulletin or elsewhere.
I think it's not likely that Cathy stands to make any money off this exchange. (Apart from doing her job, which is to inform audiences of something of interest to them, and of course to tell them how ""great"" it is!) Once you get the book in hand, of course, you are free to give your own opinion.
I agree with you that the use of this MB to hawk merchandise is unpalatable. However, I don't think that's what's happened here. [edited--sorry I didn't make this point clearer before]
"
"OK, off w/my work hat ... No wonder I've never done this before, yeesh!
(Hi Richard, it's been a while.)
Here's the skinny: as a NYC bike rider I know about your group, went to the site(while looking at bike sites to spread the word about our book), saw a thread of conversation, randomly chose a member-threader (whatever) as well as the general site contact e-dress to put the idea out there (as in win/win). I heard back from Bill Vojtech who wrote: ""Basically, any member could read the book, write a review and submit it to the bulletin. You could, I suppose post a notice on the message board requesting a reveiwer."" Then I posted the query! I also heard back from a bike enthusiast who is very much looking forward to reading and reviewing the book. If the reviewer likes the book, I hope that your members will be able to have fun with it and enhance their skills. OK? Back to work. (I'm afraid to check back in for the next round!)
"
"With apologies to the original heartrending motto (""He ain't heavy Father, he's my brother"") that used to headline all the fund raising appeals for the Boys Town, Nebraska orphanage....
It if applies to bicycling, it ain't spam, it's a concern and passion of ours. If we had the authors down to the club to talk to us, we would surely be helping to promote their book, and yet many in the audience would listen with rapt attention, and the program would probably earn considerable praise. In fact, virtually every speaker to the club has been promoting something or other. So what, provided we learn something useful from them?
One of the (good) things our website ought to be doing is paying attention to the literature that's about us and/or our concerns. With due respect for Richard Rosenthal, a man of clear and usually more-than-sensible opinions, if a post teaches us something about bicycling, or what's good or bad about a book on bicycling before we spend our money on it, that's good. Like Carol, I would gladly review the book myself if I knew more than diddley squat about frame building. But I don't.
Oh my gosh, this is my second post in six weeks. My Webaholics Anonymous sponsor is surely going to chide me. Sorry, uh....oh, I can't mention your name.
"
"I believe Peter misunderstood me. After all, it was I who suggested (in a post I removed as I sought to quell this entire thread) a program be built around the book in question with its author or authors speaking at a meeting. I likened it to the appearance of Peter Nye, author of ""Hearts of Lions: A History of U.S. Bicycle Racing,"" at which his book was offered for sale at a 40% discount.
As I wrote, my dyspepsia was strictly one of process, that a sale be incidental to instructing, informing, or entertaining the members, not the moving, driving, primary force set in motion by a commercial entity.
...And, specifically, that a book review should be assigned by the Bulletin editor or be submitted by a member who is not acting as go-between for a sales/marketing department.
In fact, don't I recall that the Bulletin has had book reviews. I have a faint recollection that perhaps Alfredo Garcia may have published one, unless I 'm conflating it with his piece on Major Taylor (that, as it happens, also ran near concurrently in a slightly modified form in Bicycle Habitat's newsletter). And I think I recall correctly that NYCCer Michael Allison proposed to submit a review of Lance's book and may have.
As for posting cycling-related thoughts, opinions, information, or jokes on the message board, of course! How could anyone oppose that? I certainly didn't and wouldn't. That's PRECISELY the purpose of the board.
Richard"
Peter Hochstein wrote:
One of the (good) things our website ought to be doing is paying attention to the literature that's about us and/or our concerns.
This is an excellent idea, for publication either on a Web page and/or in the bulletin.
Publishers give away free review copies of their books--why not have club members review them on a regular basis?
As far as product reviews go, considering all of the gearheads in our ranks, we need to make up for lost time. I nominate Evan Marks as editor of product reviews. :)
My apologies to Richard Rosenthal. I didn't see the posts he removed, and made some incorrect assumptions about what he must have posted.
I agree, but only partly, with Carol's post. I do believe that people ought to be posting reviews. But I don't think we need or should have an editor.
The power of this board comes from the give-and-take, some of it enlightening, some of it funny, even the part of it that's vituperative, that makes it interesting, lively and exciting to read. That's also why print publications, though I love many of them (including our printed club Bulletin) can never have the vitality of a message board.
Anyone should be able to post a review, even an unapologetic PR flack. And anyone else should be able to challenge the post. We're all reasonably bright boys and girls here. Given enough points-of-view, we should be able to sort out the brilliance from the baloney.
Okay, I've had my say, and for a second time at that. Any moment now, I expect an angry private e-mail blast from my sponsor at Webaholics Anonymous. I'm outta here on this subject -- long term, I hope.
