You know, when a guy who hates me so much that he stalked out of FtB in a huff to found his own rival blog network, and then stocked it with a diverse collection of third-raters whose primary qualification seems to be that they despise me & FtB, I’ll take a review that’s worst accusation is that the book is exactly what I said it would be to be the highest recommendation.
Anthony Ksays
You know, when a guy who hates me so much that he stalked out of FtB in a huff to found his own rival blog network, and then stocked it with a diverse collection of third-raters whose primary criterion seems to be that they despise me & FtB, I’ll take a review that’s worst accusation is that the book is exactly what I said it would be to be the highest recommendation.
Even if the material is available elsewhere, one star?
Is Loftus one of those purists who hate “Best of” collections because “Brilliant Disguise” just isn’t the same unless it’s bookended by a hearing of “Two Faces” and “One Step Up”?
ImaginesABeachsays
I pre-ordered months ago. Last week I got an e-mail from Barnes and Noble suggesting this might be a book I would like. Fancy algorithm they got there.
chigau (meh)says
There’s an orb on the thumbnail.
Silisays
Why is the Kindle edition expensiver than the hardcover?
Not that I’m complaining.
Unfortunately it’ll take my shopping cart over £200 …
I really need to stop buying books.
Ogvorbis: Purveyor of Mediocre Humours!says
So, if I get one that is autographed, do I get a discount?
Congrats, PZ. That’s a lovely, simple cover. It is happy-making. I will order. I haven’t checked yet to see if an iBook version is available for me to buy for my progeny, (progeny being totally into reading books on their iPads).
Stacysays
One of Loftus’s main objections: the book doesn’t have footnotes.
ell oh ell
Stacysays
Can’t wait to get my copy and have it autographed by PZ in person at CFI-Los Angeles (hint, hint).
chigau (meh)says
How does one autograph an e-book?
Anthony Ksays
One of Loftus’s main objections: the book doesn’t have footnotes.
Neither does Community Coffee Ground Coffee, Signature Dark Roast, 12 Ounce Bag (Pack of 2), and he gave that four stars.
Anthony Ksays
How does one autograph an e-book?
Probably much the same way emails have signatures.
chigau (meh)says
John Loftus still doesn’t have a Pfft page.
gilltsays
I’ve written a good many negative/critical book reviews (fiction) and can say you definitely want to avoid doing what John Loftus’s Amazon “Vine Voice” review does if you don’t want to make it seem as if you are writing all about you and your personal grievances.
speculating your way to character assassination:
A publisher would most definitely want to know. They surely paid him a huge advance, probably in the tens of thousands of dollars. Did they know?
Pretending the author had written a different book that then failed to meet your irrelevant standards:
Second, this is not what I would call a researched book…He’s not writing anything that scholars would be interested in reading.
Basing your critique on contrived trivialities instead of dealing with what is written:
Third, not very many of his chapters are within his area of expertise…PZ however, writes about, well, nearly anything he finds ridiculous.
Twisting positives into negatives to make a point, desperately.
“The Courtier’s Reply…It’s nothing more than his most famous blog post
(It would be odd if a writer didn’t include his most famous essay in a book of essays)
Exposing your unfamiliarity with the style and genre under review:
Fifth, this book isn’t organized in any meaningful way, just one disjointed chapter after another.
Irrelevant and oblivious advice for how to improve what’s already been published:
So I got to wondering who would want to buy his book. Not any scholars or believers, that’s for sure.
Criticizing the author for ridiculing his audience then ridiculing your own audience:
It’s pretty clear to me he’s not trying to reason with believers. Instead he’s holding them up for ridicule to the watching atheist crowd. Why would they buy it? I can’t think of a good reason….PZ is reaching a demographic that is somewhat of an uninformed one, an impressionable one, a largely angry one. This demographic will usually, more often than not, accept what an authority figure says if he says it with a cocksure attitude of certainty and humor.
As we can see, Loftus didn’t write a book review. Loftus instead chose to write about something far more important to Loftus:
@18 Stacy…
My google-fu is defunct and PZ’s calendar is apparently unreachable at this time….is/was there an announced date for the CFI-LA event with PZ?
Thx.
Randomfactorsays
Pre-ordered one copy, but of course the subliminal instruction triggered by the lens flare hasn’t quite kicked in yet…
Ah, THERE it is…
brive1987says
I don’t see why PZ shouldn’t be allowed to publish a personal anthology of his online work. The precedent has already been set by Skeptoid, it is a great way to publicise info to a new audience (and maybe make some money).
JL’s complaint would make more sense if PZ had claimed to be ‘writing’ a new piece of work rather than compiling extant posts.
Anthony Ksays
Well, brive1987, if you read the thread, you’ll see that PZ is one of the #FTBullies, and therefore it’s the duty of every freedom loving patriot atheist to put a stop to his evil machinations.
Huh. Apparently I should give that Doctor Who Series 7 DVD box set I have pre-ordered a one-star review because it’s merely a compilation of episodes that I can download for free off the internet. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Mr. Loftus, whoever you are!
Sili, where did you see Kindle pricing? Amazon is telling me there’s no Kindle version available.
Wowbagger, Designated Snarkersays
Hmm, I got a bookstore gift card for my birthday; I think I know what I’ll be using it to purchase – in a month or so when it comes out here.
triskelethecatsays
@Roberthuckabee: Weird, because I have the pre-order on m Nook and just checked, I should have it 8/15. Given others saying there is no Kindle version while still others have ordered it, you have to wonder what’s going on. Did the publishers maybe hide the ebook versions?
Stacysays
@26 Seeker of Reason and Amusement and Beer
My google-fu is defunct and PZ’s calendar is apparently unreachable at this time….is/was there an announced date for the CFI-LA event with PZ?
No, there’s no date set yet–sorry for giving that impression. I know they’ve talked about it–it’s about time they set a date!
Seeker of Reason and Amusement and Beersays
@35 Stacy…..
Minor bummer, thanks for the follow-up. Will keep an eager eye out so I can sneak over from AZ when/if such an event occurs. Have also tried to console myself by getting properly added to the CFI-LA mailing list.
Congrats PZ! Looks great! I pre-ordered a whole stack of them when you originally announced it, to aid my evangelization efforts on behalf of my Tentacled Overlord. If it’s based entirely on your blog posts, I can review it right now: FIVE STARS. Take that, John Loftus, whoever the fuck you are.
The Happy Atheist by Myers, Pz (Aug 13, 2013)
Formats Price
Kindle Edition $12.99
Hardcover $24.00$16.39
cicely (Context-stripped and hating it.)says
Yes, Master!
Wait….
Out of Cash Error.
:(
Guess I’ll have to hope you bring plenty of copies to Skepticon, and save up to buy it then. Oooh! And get it signed!
:)
–
Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trollssays
I found the iBook version from my iPad for the same price as the Kindle version. Now, which is easier to read based on limited data….
magistramarlasays
This just caused a flashback:
I remember reading “The Happy Hooker” one weekend while staying at a lady’s home while my mother babysat. Mother was so clueless that she just made some sort of comment about “You girls must be interested in the same books.” It was educational for my 14 year old self, to say the least!
We have a nice B&N gift card from the son and daughter-in-law. We will obey PZ and buy this.
robstersays
Subtle but effective.
carliesays
I have to wait to buy it until my pay goes back up at the end of September, so I guess I’ll be part of the later upward spiral. Continual sales ftw!
sirbedeveresays
I’ll buy a copy immediately!
But then, you have to promise that you’ll buy a copy of the Photoshop textbook I’m currently writing (right now). From the looks of that cheesy lens flare you need it. :)
I’ve had this shit pre-ordered for so long (and there were so many changes to the release date) that Amazon is giving me overnight shipping for free. Boo yeah.
@PZ – I get being upset at Loftus and a lot of other bloggers over there, but I’d avoid sweeping statements like that. Jonathan Pearce and Stephen Law write over there and do good work and from what I can see aren’t involved in the constant back and forth animosity with FtB.
John Moralessays
[meta]
Counter Apologist:
[…] but I’d avoid sweeping statements like that.
Sweeping statements like what?
(Me, I don’t see where PZ is the least upset with Loftus, so whence you get what you get is beyond me)
echidnasays
John,
I think Counter Apologist is referring to the “third raters” comment at comment 10.
David Marjanovićsays
“The Courtier’s Reply…It’s nothing more than his most famous blog post
(It would be odd if a writer didn’t include his most famous essay in a book of essays)
Do keep the context in:
“Fourth, he didn’t expand on his original posts even when they required it. Take for instance his chapter on ‘The Courtier’s Reply.’ It’s nothing more than his most famous blog post. The amazing thing is that his post has received an immense amount of commentary. This would have been the perfect time to deal with his detractors, and yet he chose to do little more than merely copy his original blog post.”
Who the hell is John Loftus?
A silly black hat?
Sweeping statements like what?
The “he stalked out of FtB in a huff to found his own rival blog network, and then stocked it with a diverse collection of third-raters whose primary qualification seems to be that they despise me & FtB” part can be interpreted that way.
TonyJsays
Is there an audio book version in the works? Will you do the reading yourself?
gilltsays
Do keep the context in
Why? My commentary refers to the “merely” part of the sentence. Arguably, this is more of Loftus’s complaint about the sin of copy-and-pasting blog posts into a book and receiving untold thousands in advances. Therefore, addressing critiques of the Courtier’s Reply would have PZ doing exactly what Loftus criticizes: recycling more blog posts.
blfsays
What is this “PZ Myers” (who is apparently the authourplagiarist)?
I thought the book was supposed to be by Poopyhead Zed “Spawn of Kraken” Meyers.
(The lens flare does make the book cover look sniny.)
Yes, I added the lens flare in photoshop. Seemed appropriate.
I gotta have more lens flare!
ACK Lens flare blinded me, can anyone tell me what I feel compelled to buy now?
Eesh. I see John Loftus already gave it a 1 star review.
Lens flare is the new cowbell.
Yes, he is complaining that parts of the book are from PZ’s previous blogs. Something which shouldn’t surprise him, since PZ has said so previously.
I have it on pre-order, B&N has it listed as available on August 13th. I’ll have you know I’ll be buying three. One paper, 2 digital.
That’s some review thread.
Does it come in braille now that our eyes are permanently seared?
You know, when a guy who hates me so much that he stalked out of FtB in a huff to found his own rival blog network, and then stocked it with a diverse collection of third-raters whose primary qualification seems to be that they despise me & FtB, I’ll take a review that’s worst accusation is that the book is exactly what I said it would be to be the highest recommendation.
Even if the material is available elsewhere, one star?
Is Loftus one of those purists who hate “Best of” collections because “Brilliant Disguise” just isn’t the same unless it’s bookended by a hearing of “Two Faces” and “One Step Up”?
I pre-ordered months ago. Last week I got an e-mail from Barnes and Noble suggesting this might be a book I would like. Fancy algorithm they got there.
There’s an orb on the thumbnail.
Why is the Kindle edition expensiver than the hardcover?
Not that I’m complaining.
Unfortunately it’ll take my shopping cart over £200 …
I really need to stop buying books.
So, if I get one that is autographed, do I get a discount?
Congrats, PZ. That’s a lovely, simple cover. It is happy-making. I will order. I haven’t checked yet to see if an iBook version is available for me to buy for my progeny, (progeny being totally into reading books on their iPads).
One of Loftus’s main objections: the book doesn’t have footnotes.
ell oh ell
Can’t wait to get my copy and have it autographed by PZ in person at CFI-Los Angeles (hint, hint).
How does one autograph an e-book?
Neither does Community Coffee Ground Coffee, Signature Dark Roast, 12 Ounce Bag (Pack of 2), and he gave that four stars.
Probably much the same way emails have signatures.
John Loftus still doesn’t have a Pfft page.
I’ve written a good many negative/critical book reviews (fiction) and can say you definitely want to avoid doing what John Loftus’s Amazon “Vine Voice” review does if you don’t want to make it seem as if you are writing all about you and your personal grievances.
speculating your way to character assassination:
Pretending the author had written a different book that then failed to meet your irrelevant standards:
Basing your critique on contrived trivialities instead of dealing with what is written:
Twisting positives into negatives to make a point, desperately.
(It would be odd if a writer didn’t include his most famous essay in a book of essays)
Exposing your unfamiliarity with the style and genre under review:
Irrelevant and oblivious advice for how to improve what’s already been published:
Criticizing the author for ridiculing his audience then ridiculing your own audience:
As we can see, Loftus didn’t write a book review. Loftus instead chose to write about something far more important to Loftus:
Darn it. No NOOK version.
As you order. Thy will shall be done.
@18 Stacy…
My google-fu is defunct and PZ’s calendar is apparently unreachable at this time….is/was there an announced date for the CFI-LA event with PZ?
Thx.
Pre-ordered one copy, but of course the subliminal instruction triggered by the lens flare hasn’t quite kicked in yet…
Ah, THERE it is…
I don’t see why PZ shouldn’t be allowed to publish a personal anthology of his online work. The precedent has already been set by Skeptoid, it is a great way to publicise info to a new audience (and maybe make some money).
JL’s complaint would make more sense if PZ had claimed to be ‘writing’ a new piece of work rather than compiling extant posts.
Well, brive1987, if you read the thread, you’ll see that PZ is one of the #FTBullies, and therefore it’s the duty of every freedom loving patriot atheist to put a stop to his evil machinations.
I think I’ll wait for PZ’s review before I decide to buy a copy.
Huh. Apparently I should give that Doctor Who Series 7 DVD box set I have pre-ordered a one-star review because it’s merely a compilation of episodes that I can download for free off the internet. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Mr. Loftus, whoever you are!
Sili, where did you see Kindle pricing? Amazon is telling me there’s no Kindle version available.
Hmm, I got a bookstore gift card for my birthday; I think I know what I’ll be using it to purchase – in a month or so when it comes out here.
@Roberthuckabee: Weird, because I have the pre-order on m Nook and just checked, I should have it 8/15. Given others saying there is no Kindle version while still others have ordered it, you have to wonder what’s going on. Did the publishers maybe hide the ebook versions?
@26 Seeker of Reason and Amusement and Beer
No, there’s no date set yet–sorry for giving that impression. I know they’ve talked about it–it’s about time they set a date!
@35 Stacy…..
Minor bummer, thanks for the follow-up. Will keep an eager eye out so I can sneak over from AZ when/if such an event occurs. Have also tried to console myself by getting properly added to the CFI-LA mailing list.
Congrats PZ! Looks great! I pre-ordered a whole stack of them when you originally announced it, to aid my evangelization efforts on behalf of my Tentacled Overlord. If it’s based entirely on your blog posts, I can review it right now: FIVE STARS. Take that, John Loftus, whoever the fuck you are.
(hi brive!)
No no, the proper pitch is BUY MY BOOK!
I find the Kindle version at $12.99. Haven’t checked iBooks yet.
re Sili @14:
Huh?
according to Amazon:
Yes, Master!
Wait….
Out of Cash Error.
:(
Guess I’ll have to hope you bring plenty of copies to Skepticon, and save up to buy it then. Oooh! And get it signed!
:)
–
I found the iBook version from my iPad for the same price as the Kindle version. Now, which is easier to read based on limited data….
This just caused a flashback:
I remember reading “The Happy Hooker” one weekend while staying at a lady’s home while my mother babysat. Mother was so clueless that she just made some sort of comment about “You girls must be interested in the same books.” It was educational for my 14 year old self, to say the least!
We have a nice B&N gift card from the son and daughter-in-law. We will obey PZ and buy this.
Subtle but effective.
I have to wait to buy it until my pay goes back up at the end of September, so I guess I’ll be part of the later upward spiral. Continual sales ftw!
I’ll buy a copy immediately!
But then, you have to promise that you’ll buy a copy of the Photoshop textbook I’m currently writing (right now). From the looks of that cheesy lens flare you need it. :)
Yay!
That is all.
Doesn’t look like the Kindle version is available in Australia at the moment, I will buy it when it is.
@24:
Um, yes there is, and it’s available for pre-ordering.
I was going to buy a copy, but that lens flare is oppressing my religious beliefs and masculinity. How dare you bully me like that.
Caine:
Amazon, too.
I’ve had this shit pre-ordered for so long (and there were so many changes to the release date) that Amazon is giving me overnight shipping for free. Boo yeah.
Who the hell is John Loftus?
Based on the lens flare I thought it was an advert for the latest Star Trek movie.
Sweet! I was wondering what to spend my birthday $$$ on!
Congrats, PZ!!!
I was lucky to read the book before it went to press and absolutely loved it. You will definitely recognize PZ’s brand of humor!
@40 stevem
Interesting, the Amazon link gives me:
Formats
Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition — $16.67 —
Hardcover $16.39 $16.39
So why is the kindle version more expensive than the hardcover?
stevem, Michael,
I get Kindle Edition $18.74 and Hardcover $16.39.
I have been a happy atheist for 25 years, so what’s the big deal?
@PZ – I get being upset at Loftus and a lot of other bloggers over there, but I’d avoid sweeping statements like that. Jonathan Pearce and Stephen Law write over there and do good work and from what I can see aren’t involved in the constant back and forth animosity with FtB.
[meta]
Counter Apologist:
Sweeping statements like what?
(Me, I don’t see where PZ is the least upset with Loftus, so whence you get what you get is beyond me)
John,
I think Counter Apologist is referring to the “third raters” comment at comment 10.
Do keep the context in:
“Fourth, he didn’t expand on his original posts even when they required it. Take for instance his chapter on ‘The Courtier’s Reply.’ It’s nothing more than his most famous blog post. The amazing thing is that his post has received an immense amount of commentary. This would have been the perfect time to deal with his detractors, and yet he chose to do little more than merely copy his original blog post.”
A silly black hat?
The “he stalked out of FtB in a huff to found his own rival blog network, and then stocked it with a diverse collection of third-raters whose primary qualification seems to be that they despise me & FtB” part can be interpreted that way.
Is there an audio book version in the works? Will you do the reading yourself?
Why? My commentary refers to the “merely” part of the sentence. Arguably, this is more of Loftus’s complaint about the sin of copy-and-pasting blog posts into a book and receiving untold thousands in advances. Therefore, addressing critiques of the Courtier’s Reply would have PZ doing exactly what Loftus criticizes: recycling more blog posts.
What is this “PZ Myers” (who is apparently the
authourplagiarist)?I thought the book was supposed to be by Poopyhead Zed “Spawn of Kraken” Meyers.
(The lens flare does make the book cover look sniny.)