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Reclaiming History - The Amazon reviews

Monza

Alta Viro
Monza
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
Messages
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I was just checking out the customer reviews on Amazon.com for Vincent Bugliosi's opus on the assasination of President Kennedy. It is interesting that out of the 12 reviews posted thus far, with only one exception they are either one star (minimum) or five stars (maximum). Considering the length of the book (1600 pages) and its recent release date (May 15), I think it is safe to say that most have not finished reading the book.

I shouldn't be surprised, but the reviews are strictly based on the reviewer's belief or disbelief of a consiracy theory. Actually, one reviewer (a JFK researcher) did base his review on the content and quality of the book, and I thank him. But the rest have virtually nothing to say about the book itself. For what it's worth, I have read books that have been well written, entertaining and yet I disagreed with its conclusions. I was hoping to find such reviews; was it a dry dissertation of the facts, did it contain new evidence, was it delivered in a clear logical order, etc.?

Now I have enjoyed Bugliosi's earlier books and will purchase this one. But for those of you who may have started or finished reading Reclaiming History, I would be interested in your thoughts on the quality of the research, readability, etc. in addition to your opinions of the case itself.
 
I think my step-Dad is getting this book. If so I'll borrow it and let you know.
 
I'm holding a copy in my ignorant, sheepish hands as we speak.

Bugliosi was right about O.J.

It's a separate issue, but he's right about JFK, as well.

I hear that writing it nearly wrecked his health.

Good man, although he's wrong about drug policy.

As I get into it, I'd be happy to repeat his arguments, though I have nothing original to say on the subject myself--I think Oswald acted alone.

eta: oh, and the reviews on Amazon prove, once again, that it is every American's God-given right to be stupid, and to have a novel, wrong-headed opinion.
 
Last edited:
calebprime said:
eta: oh, and the reviews on Amazon prove, once again, that it is every American's God-given right to be stupid, and to have a novel, wrong-headed opinion.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the derail, but it's one of the only talents I have.


"Fun" with Amazon:

Pick a book, any book; look it up on Amazon. Scroll down to the customer reviews and click on "See All ### Reviews. In the pull-down box, choose "Show Lowest-Rated First".

In almost every single case you can think of, whether it's Socrates or Sagan, Dostoevsky or Dilbert, you will find numerous examples of two types of review:

* the middle- or high-school student who is upset because the book was required reading

* the know-it-all who "reluctantly" gives (for example) Thoreau three stars, because "the prose fails in so many ways". This person invariably has written dozens of customer reviews on Amazon, all of which exude that same "I'm The Sharpest Literary Mind Who Ever Lived; Some Day They Will Build A Monument To Me" attitude that reminds me why I never pay attention to critics in the first place.
 
So far:

Organization: Excellent. He even has summaries, including one section listing the 50+ reasons Oswald is guilty.

Readability: Very good. He's not a great prose stylist, but he's clear enough.
He comes at issues from a variety of vantage points. He doesn't neglect common sense, or the psychology of the conspiracy theorists. He doesn't need convoluted reasoning, because reality is on his side. He never gets bogged down--skipping around, I've yet to find a stretch that I just plain wanted to skip.

Scholarship: Definitive, I think. He knows the case inside and out, having prosecuted it in a made-for-TV "trial", and he's read much of the conspiracy literature.


The only problem, for me: Oswald did it. Not much suspense. Oh, and surprise: Oswald did it. Further, no one else did it. Oswald did it.
 
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