The Role of the Amateur ReviewerBy Megan Finnerty

Is Everyone’s Opinion Worth the Same? The Guardian would argue no. “It is wonderful that there are so many

blogs and web sites devoted to books, but to be a critic is to be importantly different than those sharing their own taste…not everyone’s opinion is worth the same…the citizen journalist’s review is not the same as the professional critic’s”

Is Everyone’s Opinion Worth the Same? The process for formal, professional

reviews is different than the process for amateur reviews.

Professional reviews run between 500 and 1500 words, are subedited, signed and paid for.

Most importantly, these reviews are not anonymous.

Is Everyone’s Opinion Worth the Same? They concede that the process itself

doesn’t guarantee objective, non-partisan reviews that are free of ad hominem arguments, simply that it’s more likely.

So, then, if amateur reviews are not as worthy and important as professional ones, why did Amazon purchase Goodreads?

Amazon Buys Goodreads and Then Goes Totally Hip Is this acquisition just part of Amazon’s

plan for world domination? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

cPh1wjyz258

Backlash to the Purchase Amazon’s purchase of Goodreads gives

them access to users’ personal information, making members easy targets for Amazon’s marketing.

“It was great to have other readers recommending me books, but I don’t need Amazon using my information to sell me books.”

A Legitimate Business Decision This acquisition is less about mining for

personal information, and more about the power of amateur reviewers.

A Legitimate Business Decision

Attack Reviews While positive reviews and

recommendations can turn a book into a bestseller, negative reviews, or “attack reviews” can do just the opposite.

“Books used to die by being ignored, but now they can be killed — and perhaps unjustly killed. In theory, a very good book could be killed by a group of people for malicious reasons.”

Attack Reviews Untouchable: The Strange Life and

Tragic Death of Michael Jackson Historian Orlando Figes and crime writer

R.J. Ellory One star reviews for high ebook prices

What is the Role of Amateur Reviewers? As of right now, it’s undefined. The only certain thing is that amateur

reviewers hold an unprecedented amount of power in the bookselling industry, and need to decide on the ethics of wielding such influence.

Works Cited McCrum, Robert. “Are Professional Book Reviewers Better Than

Amateurs?” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Ltd. 1 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 April 2013.

Charles, Ron. “Amazon Buys Goodreads- and then Goes Totally Hip.” The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. 8 April 2013. Web. 12 April 2013.

Bensinger, Greg, and Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg. “Amazon’s Goodreads Acquisition Triggers Backlash.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones and Co. 3 April 2013. Web. 12 April 2013.

Klein, Ezra. “Why Amazon Purchased Goodreads.” The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. 2 April 2013. Web. 12 April 2013.

Streitfeld, David. “Swarming a Book Online.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 20 Jan. 2013. Web. 12 April 2013.

Page, Benedicte. “Stars Fall in Amazon Protest About Ebook Prices.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Ltd. 3 Nov. 2010. Web. 12 April 2013.