July 1, 2009
And you're ugly, too
by Dennis Johnson
Alain de Botton
Another author upset about a negative review of his book has left an unfortunately revealing sample of their unedited prose out there for all the world to see on the internet: Alain de Botton, after getting a bad review for his newest, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, from Caleb Crain in the New York Times Book Review, decided to go to Crain’s blog and tell him a thing or two in the comments section.
“I will hate you till the day I die and wish you nothing but ill will in every career move you make,” writes de Botton. Also, “You have now killed my book in the United States, nothing short of that. So that’s two years of work down the drain in one miserable 900 word review.”
Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.
Wes Anderson is making book trailers now? 
“A complex page-turning plot … a commentary on power, sex, corruption and poverty.” — Verve 
“I WOULD PREFER NOT TO” T-SHIRTS 
Check out some new titles from our 2012 summer catalog … 
18 Comments
Oh dear.
Mr de Botton has past form, I fear, in allowing bad reviews to get under his skin. Here’s another example – http://www.cinestatic.com/infinitethought/2009/02/that-itde-botton-correspondence-in-full.asp
To be fair, the review was pretty ad hominem…
Oh dear.
Mr de Botton has past form, I fear, in allowing bad reviews to get under his skin. Here’s another example – http://www.cinestatic.com/infinitethought/2009/02/that-itde-botton-correspondence-in-full.asp
To be fair, the review was pretty ad hominem…
The reporting on Alain de Botton’s outburts is entirely biased. Firstly, it wasn’t meant for the whole world to see . Secondly, why can’t authors occasionally let off the steam. What’s this business about forgiving all the time!
The reporting on Alain de Botton’s outburts is entirely biased. Firstly, it wasn’t meant for the whole world to see . Secondly, why can’t authors occasionally let off the steam. What’s this business about forgiving all the time!
Like a lot of published material, there’s lot of questions that go unanswered, such as:
Does Crain have it in for Bottom?
Is the review correct – after all it’s only an opinion?
Is there anything in the book anti-American? Could this be an shock and awe tactic to destroy Bottom book!
Is it confirmed that Bottom posted the comments?
Even bad publicity sells – is this a put up job with Crain and Bottom in collusion?
Food for thought.
I’d be interested in buying the book to find out for myself.
Like a lot of published material, there’s lot of questions that go unanswered, such as:
Does Crain have it in for Bottom?
Is the review correct – after all it’s only an opinion?
Is there anything in the book anti-American? Could this be an shock and awe tactic to destroy Bottom book!
Is it confirmed that Bottom posted the comments?
Even bad publicity sells – is this a put up job with Crain and Bottom in collusion?
Food for thought.
I’d be interested in buying the book to find out for myself.
One mans review would not kill a book for me but I do think that people who review books could be a little more sensitive rather than egotistical.
One mans review would not kill a book for me but I do think that people who review books could be a little more sensitive rather than egotistical.
Andrew Christie: I contacted Alain de Botton. It was indeed him.
Andrew Christie: I contacted Alain de Botton. It was indeed him.
Andrew, his last name is de Botton, not “Bottom”. Yeesh.
Andrew, his last name is de Botton, not “Bottom”. Yeesh.
Jason, de Botton’s “outburst” was left in a comment thread on a blog!! Sorry, but if he didn;t realise that’s public – given the visibility of the comments before his – maybe he should try mingling a bit more.
Actually I didn’t think the review was ad hominem. As the Literary Saloon points out, there was ample meat in de Botton’s “super-privileged” background, which Crain completely leaves out of his considerations. He talks only about what he has read inth e book and how it strikes him: by definition, not ad hominem.
As to authors not “letting off steam.” well, they are perfectly free to do so. There have been notorious feuds between writers and their reviewers. But is is bad form, because it is petulant and unprofessional, and I think that is a correct state of affairs. Once you’ve written the book it is in the public domain for people to react to as they may. If you think they’ve missed the point, they may equally think you’ve missed the point of what they’ve written about it. By all means be annoyed; but if you behave like a kid in a sandpit it will reflect badly on you, not them. Especially if you are a writer on the consolations of philosophy and the pursuit of happiness.
Jason, de Botton’s “outburst” was left in a comment thread on a blog!! Sorry, but if he didn;t realise that’s public – given the visibility of the comments before his – maybe he should try mingling a bit more.
Actually I didn’t think the review was ad hominem. As the Literary Saloon points out, there was ample meat in de Botton’s “super-privileged” background, which Crain completely leaves out of his considerations. He talks only about what he has read inth e book and how it strikes him: by definition, not ad hominem.
As to authors not “letting off steam.” well, they are perfectly free to do so. There have been notorious feuds between writers and their reviewers. But is is bad form, because it is petulant and unprofessional, and I think that is a correct state of affairs. Once you’ve written the book it is in the public domain for people to react to as they may. If you think they’ve missed the point, they may equally think you’ve missed the point of what they’ve written about it. By all means be annoyed; but if you behave like a kid in a sandpit it will reflect badly on you, not them. Especially if you are a writer on the consolations of philosophy and the pursuit of happiness.
When an author publishes, reviews negative and positive should be expected. Yes, as an author I understand that, but it goes with the territory. The one thing that drives me nuts with reviews is when the reviewer gives away not only the whole plot but the ending of the story. That’s almost as bad as a bad review. Who wants to read a thriller when you already know who the bad guys are or the result of the plot.
Lyn LeJeune
When an author publishes, reviews negative and positive should be expected. Yes, as an author I understand that, but it goes with the territory. The one thing that drives me nuts with reviews is when the reviewer gives away not only the whole plot but the ending of the story. That’s almost as bad as a bad review. Who wants to read a thriller when you already know who the bad guys are or the result of the plot.
Lyn LeJeune
@Ms Baroque – I was referring to de Button’s previous public outburst as a response to an ad hominem review. I should have been clearer…
@Ms Baroque – I was referring to de Button’s previous public outburst as a response to an ad hominem review. I should have been clearer…