New York Times
"Close observers of Amazon.com noticed something peculiar this week: the company's Canadian site had suddenly revealed the identities of thousands of people who had anonymously posted book reviews on the United States site under signatures like 'a reader from New York.'
The weeklong glitch, which Amazon fixed after outed reviewers complained, provided a rare glimpse at how writers and readers are wielding the online reviews as a tool to promote or pan a book — when they think no one is watching.
John Rechy, author of the best-selling 1963 novel 'City of Night' and winner of the PEN-USA West lifetime achievement award, is one of several prominent authors who have apparently pseudonymously written themselves five-star reviews, Amazon's highest rating. Mr. Rechy, who laughed about it when approached, sees it as a means to survival when online stars mean sales."
You can trust me when I say that this site's authors will never succumb to such self-flattery, even if we're certain we can totally get away with it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Blog Archive
-
▼
2004
(473)
-
▼
February
(75)
- Book review
- 3000 Hits
- "Massachusetts Supreme Court Orders All Citizens t...
- Jack Ryan for Senator (?)
- Enforcement problems?
- Deference
- Milton Friedman: My Hero
- The Great Airport Outlet Search
- "Please Ralph, Not This Year"
- One view of the Constitution
- Welcome Perverts!
- Chess
- My take on Adbusters
- "Links To This Post" Feature
- GWB barbs back
- Posner's Spawn
- Globalization and rising standards of living
- I have returned.
- Blunt and Influential, Kerry's Wife Is an X Factor
- Places I've Been
- Japanese Law Schools
- Internet Cell Phone Access UPDATE
- U.S. Students Still Getting the Paddle
- Democrats United in Asking That Nader Not Enter Race
- Election Law Robs TV Soap of Biggest Star
- Bill Pryor Recess Appointment
- Private Bush Meeting Gets Blogged
- Internet Cell Phone Access
- In Japan, A Wireless Vision of Future for U.S.
- 13.5.1 Strikes Back!
- Bedtime Reading
- Pomona Controversy Over Photograph Hunt
- Dean To End His Campaign
- Thinking About Class Actions Differently
- Triumph strikes Canada!
- "Whites only scholarship"
- College Football and the Law
- Bestsellers of the 20th Century
- Is limited liability necessary?
- Amazon Glitch Unmasks War of Reviewers
- Greece Struggles to Reach Olympics' Finish Line
- Bay Street?
- Kerry Concerns
- The Guest
- Peanut Butter Squares...
- Fischel tells Kerkorian to "shut up"
- A host with a lisp.
- College-Sponsored Student Sex Magazines
- Wesley Clark Drops Out of the Race
- Announcing A Guest Blogger
- Wonder of wonders!
- A Sign that Clark Will Not Be The Nominee
- Excellent O'Connor editorial
- Another Reader Challenge: Most Extensive Education
- Separated at birth?
- Kerry's Special Friends, by David Brooks
- Homosexual animals...
- Hyperlink Technology
- Interesting Artifact
- Woman Charged with Lying About Gang Rape
- PBS Fans - Prepare your TiVos
- "Ironical"?
- "Mr Class Action"
- Practice LSAT
- The Kennewick Man's Not-So-Speedy Trial
- The best part of antitrust
- Two arrested in robbery spree
- Gays Have Full Marriage Rights, Massachusetts Cour...
- 20 (fake) Questions
- A Super Tuesday . . . for Some
- Great Star Trek: TNG Scene
- As Ben said . . .
- TiVo tracking....
- Blogging the Super Bowl
- U of C Economist Wins Clark Medal
-
▼
February
(75)
No comments:
Post a Comment