Category Archives: books

What I’ve been listening to in the studio

Posted on February 28, 2021 | 2 comments

It’s no great secret to anyone who knows me that I read…a lot! But I also spend a lot of time in the studio. I listen to the radio, mostly NPR or music. Play some favorite CDs. Yes, I’m of that age.

But one of my favorite things to do is to listen to recorded books. And my particular favorites are biographies or tales of heroic deeds or periods of history.

We don’t have the high speed internet to listen to podcasts, and audio books take awhile to download. But we are blessed with a fabulous library with an extensive recorded book collection.

Listening to these recorded books doesn’t seem to interfere with my painting. However, I often recall the book that I was listening to as I painted a particular painting.

I got into the habit of listening to recorded books when I had a fifty mile commute. Also, they are very enjoyable while driving on vacation. Although once the family was enjoying the audio version of The Green Mile when we discovered that I’d only taken out the first volume. Very disappointing.

So, these are a few of my favorite recorded books for the past year, mostly biographies or historical. I listen to fiction as well but this is the short list. And I don’t hesitate to stop listening to a recorded book if I don’t like it. Life is short and there are just too many other choices.

The boys in the boat [sound recording] : nine Americans and their epic quest for gold at the 1936 Olympics (2013) By Brown, Daniel, 1951- I found this true story of a bunch of working class and farmer’s kids who competed in the rowing competition in the 1936 German Olympics fascinating. They didn’t know anything about rowing and were one of the least-likely teams to reach this status and to go on to represent the United States. From the University of Washington, to winning the national competition, to Germany and back home to pre-war America, this is a story you’ll not forget soon.

Benjamin Franklin [sound recording] : an American life (2004) By Isaacson, Walter. This twenty-plus set of CDs is a daunting project but worth it. Franklin was so intelligent, industrious, and sociable. His influence on a nation in infancy cannot be overestimated. He lived a very long time which is why the recording is so long.

Steve Jobs [sound recording] (2011) By Isaacson, Walter. I had wanted to read this book for a long time but didn’t have the time or patience to do so. Actually, I really just wanted to know more about what made Steve Jobs tick. Frankly, I didn’t care for him very much by the time I finished the audio but it was interesting to learn about the early days of the digital tidal wave.

Cronkite [sound recording] (2012) By Brinkley, Douglas. Walter Cronkite was a television news staple to those of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s. People trusted him. I was too young to remember when our family first began watching the nightly news but I certainly remember him for many significant moments. News stories dealing with a man landing on the moon, the Vietnam war, civil unrest and so on. As Lyndon Johnson said, “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost Middle America.”

Becoming [sound recording] (2018) By Obama, Michelle, 1964- I wasn’t sure how I would like this but it was very refreshing. Read by the author herself, she was pretty open about not wanting to get involved in politics but followed her husband in his dreams. What I really enjoyed was learning about the security details and life behind the scenes in the White House. How does one actually raise a family in this environment? Very commendable.

Educated [sound recording] : a memoir (2018) By Westover, Tara I didn’t really know much about this book but had noticed it on the best seller list for a long time. Written and narrated by the author, it presented a lifestyle that I had never really considered. Very isolated, home-schooled by parents with some “eccentric” beliefs, the author managed to gain an outstanding education eventually. I later watched an interview with Westover. We should expect to hear more from her in the future.

This is just a short list of my favorites and recommendations of recorded books from the past year. If you’re still stuck at home, or if you have some long trips planned, you might wish to check out these options.

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Tagged recorded books, studio

The Cultural Center, Part II – The New Library Is Open!

Posted on February 7, 2021 | 2 comments

The new Thyen Clark Cultural Center is now open to the public.

Finally, the new library is open at the cultural center. And, boy, is it magnificent! Better than anything I could have imagined, even when I was working on the project!

As mentioned earlier, this is a joint project combining the Jasper-Dubois County Public Library and the Jasper Arts Department (excluding the performing arts center). I posted photos of the new galleries earlier. I’ll add the classrooms, studio spaces, and the black box theater later.

Cultural Center front, east wing holding the library.

Today’s photos feature the new library. After nearly two decades of planning, votes, fundraising, the doors were open this week. I took my granddaughter for our first visit afterschool on Tuesday. Then went back alone for a more thorough visit on Wednesday.

This is the beautiful atrium which separates the arts side from the library. It has a full catering kitchen for special events and will seat 150 at table. I think this will become very popular for families looking to get out of the house in the winter with the kids…once we’re allowed to get together again.

In speaking with the library director, she said that people have commented on all the new books. She’s replied, they haven’t added any new volumes; the old library was just that over-crowded. Now it has plenty of room for technology, including a maker space, a teen zone, genealogy room, lots of quiet nooks and meeting spaces. Plus…the books books books. It even has an outdoor balcony for those who like some fresh air while they read.

For now, the entire Cultural Center is open six days a week with plans to expand to seven days a week sometime later. If you come for a visit, don’t forget to save time to visit the nearby Schaeffer Barn, the old school house, the mill and the train depot, all set along the scenic Patoka River in downtown Jasper. Admission is free.

The view from the library entrance from the atrium.

Lots of current magazines and newspapers to read and plenty of reading nooks for everybody.

One of many work spaces for patrons. Most of the tables have charger stations, too.

The beautiful wall art by Romy and Clare Designs. The upper level holds offices, the genealogy room and an outdoor patio/balcony.

One of the little reading nooks in the children’s section. Each has its own reading light, too. Of course, I had to try one out.

A view of the children’s section with child-sized furniture, shelves and family-friendly activities.

Another inviting lounge area. The teen zone and maker space are in the glass-walled areas behind. Recorded books and digital media and music to the rear right.

The money shot from the balcony area. Such a beautiful design for all.

Parking at the rear of the center shows our neighbors, Schaeffer barn and a one-room school house which was recently moved in. To the rear of that is the famous Riverwalk. And across the street from the center is the Jasper Train Depot and the old restored mill. This will be a great place to bring kids for field trips.

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Posted in art, books, Uncategorized

Tagged cultural center, jasper community arts, Jasper Dubois County Public Library, Jasper Indiana, library, Thyen-Clark Cultural Center

Rereading favorite books

Posted on January 26, 2020 | 5 comments

Just a small portion of my personal book addiction. I should also mention that I have library cards from two counties!

Winter is a time of forced indoor activities, or at least, that’s my excuse.

I’ve been culling some of my many books for donation and have come across some of my favorites, probably too tattered to donate. I was thinking about if I could only have ten books to read, maybe on that proverbial deserted island, what would they be? That actually led me to contemplating rereading some of my favorites. Books that may (or probably not) end up in the donation pile.

These are just some of my favorites, most read many times but at least twice…or more. These days I cheat a little and will get the recorded book from the library to listen to while I’m in my studio, but they’re still on my list.

In no particular order:

Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams and The Bean Trees. Plus, just about anything else she has written. I love her observations and narrative. She has introduced me to different ways of life, different ways of living, that I never knew existed.

Louisa May Alcott, Little Women and Little Men. I always thought Laurie was a sap and Amy was a spoiled brat. But I actually like Little Men much better. I haven’t seen any of the recent movie remakes but will probably catch them on TV later. My imagination is always better than the movie.

Robert McCammon, Boy’s Life. This was a gift from my father many years ago and has nothing to do with the magazine of that name. It’s a delightful coming of age tale with so many twists and plot threads that it’s often difficult to keep up with. I’ve read it several times including once aloud to my sons when they were young. One of them recently borrowed it again.

Jean M. Auel, Clan of the Cave Bear and Valley of Horses. I’ve read these several times and recently pulled them off the shelves again. I even read them to the boys, skipping the juicy parts, and they have borrowed them again. I didn’t care for some of the later books in the series but these were still thought-provoking.

Niven and Pournelle, Lucifer’s Hammer. I first read this on vacation in Florida many years ago and it has been a hit with the family since then.

Shel Silverstein, all. Love every book of his and am now reading them to the grandchildren. Just the irreverent attitude and silly poems and puns. And who doesn’t love The Giving Tree?

Raymond Jones, The Alien. First read this back in high school when I was in my aliens and outer space period and a few times since. Might have to reread this again.

Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking. I read this when I was very young and I think it has an effect on my life ever since. It gave me the idea that with enough effort, I could pretty much be whatever I wanted to be. Looking back now, it seems a little simplistic, but it was a good push at a young age.

Robert Henri, The Art Spirit. A major inspiration for artists and probably on lots of studio bookshelves.

Bayles and Orland, Art and Fear. I reviewed this book not long ago and have read it several times. I find something new in it every single time. Another great inspiration.

David Lynch, Catching the Big Fish. This book has prompted me to look at life with new eyes and an open attitude. Another inspirational book for artists, writers and any creative person.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow and Creativity. I particularly liked his research on flow, that feeling of being one with whatever you’re doing, whether that is painting, gardening, biking, whatever. You get so involved with what you’re doing that you just go away in your head for awhile and return to the results a few hours later. This really works for me and other people that I’ve talked to. It might be likened to a creative meditation trance. For me, at least.

Johanna Spyri, Heidi. And her other books. I’ll admit that I read this many times when I was young but when I tried to read it to my granddaughter, it just wasn’t the same. Probably dated, by now.

Anna Sewell, Black Beauty. Another children’s book that is getting pretty dated now, but still, most girls love horses, so there’s that.

Agatha Christie, any, all. I think I have the complete works of Agatha Christie in various book forms. Used to love these books and would reread them endlessly. I loved the England of the era of Miss Marple but those days are gone now. Might be time to donate this collection.

I remember the time when my best friend Mary and I would always have a mystery or sci-fi book tucked into our purses for those moments when we had to wait after school for someone to pick us up, or on road trips or vacations. I wonder if teens still do this? I know my granddaughter is happy to take a bag of reading material with her on vacation. I still do. But I also am as likely to read a book on my phone at the hairdresser or while waiting for a meeting to begin as with a physical books.

What do you think? What favorites have you reread or are still rereading? Are any of these books on your list, too?

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Tagged books, classic books, favorite books, kit miracle

Art and Fear

Posted on September 15, 2019 | 2 comments

Art and Fear, a small book with a powerful message.

The only work really worth doing – the only work you can do convincingly – is the work that focuses on the things you care about. To not focus on those issues is to deny the constants in your life.

I just finished reading for the umpteenth time one of my very favorite inspirational art books, Art and Fear: Observations On The Perils (and Rewards) of ARTMAKING by David Bayles and Ted Orland. This small but mighty book has been in print since it was first published in 1994. It always ranks high on the lists of books on art making. So why is it so difficult to describe, except to say read it?

I think it’s because the authors address the secret, deep down challenges of art making. Whether you are a visual artist or musician, writer or dancer, they seem to be able to tap into those questions that we raise in our souls. What are we doing? Are we any good? Who says? Does anyone really care but us? What makes a serious artist? Do we actually need talent or is just plain perseverance and hard work enough?

The authors portend that these questions only really have arisen in the past couple of centuries. Before that, artists knew their role and their expected work, whether working for the church or their clan. Few artists had the luxury of just creating for themselves. You joined the guild that your father belonged to and that was that. You accepted that you would carve stone for the rest of your life, doing the best that you could.

Now we have so many options available, that we’re often left blowing in the wind, twisting from one attraction to another. If you do settle on one or two outlets for your creative efforts, you will still probably be working alone (excepting for those artists who are part of larger group projects.) Maybe even after you’ve put hours, days, weeks, years into your project, you are still faced with the fact that no matter how skilled you may be, someone will come along, probably younger and glitzier, who will garner all the accolades for the next new thing. Maybe they whip up a frenzy over their spray painted graffiti turned art or that they’ve stuck a bunch of miscellaneous objects together with snot and string (and I’m not saying that those things aren’t art), and you’re looking at your studio stocked full of precision master drawings or paintings, and wondering, Was all my effort worth it? Doesn’t anyone appreciate real art?

In the end, art is hard work. You have to keep after it, often (usually) for very little reward. You work long hours, usually alone, for …what?

That ultimately is the question that this book – answers is not the right word, maybe explores. It will make you think. There are so many quotable quotes in this small tome. The battered, used copy that I purchased years ago has underlines from at least two other readers (who the heck uses red for underlining?), plus a name label in the front. Plus my own stars and underlines. What the other readers thought was important may not be what I focus on. Or maybe I do now at a different time of my life.

Whatever your art making form and wherever you are in your art making journey, I highly recommend this book as a great prompt for deep thoughts that you will want to return to often.

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Posted in art, books

Tagged art, art making, books, ceativity, philosophy

A sad day for arts magazines

Posted on March 27, 2019 | 2 comments

I love arts magazines. Looking at all those gorgeous photos of the artwork of other artists is so inspiring. I’ve learned so much over the years. But there is a downside to all the magazines, and that is that I never wanted to throw them away. I know, I know, they’re just meant to be temporary but most artists I know feel this way. We always think we’ll come back to them but we don’t. That still doesn’t change the allure these shiny missives of creativity.

But I noticed something the last time I went to a bookstore. You know that I live in a really rural area so visiting a brick and mortar bookstore is a treat for me. I love the smell of new print, fondling volumes of wonderful possibilities, smelling the coffee and just hanging around with other book-lovers. But the last time I visited my favorite big name bookstore, I headed to the magazine rack at the end of my visit to peruse the latest offerings in art magazines and to snag a couple for home reading. After digging through the layers, looking behind the home decorating and wrestling mags, I couldn’t find some of my favorites. I thought that maybe it was the end of the month and the new editions hadn’t been put out yet.

So I was dismayed to read one of my favorite blogs by artist James Gurney (Gurney Journey) yesterday and to learn that F & W Publications, Inc., the company that produces The Artists Magazine has filed for bankruptcy. What!?! This magazine has been a staple for artists across the country for decades. When I purchased a copy, I would read it from cover to cover. Even the ads in the back listed announcements of exhibits and other great information. Sigh. This will make my next visit to the bookstore a little dimmer. Yes, there are some other fine art magazines out there but they have a different mission and flavor than The Artists Magazine. Oh, and Writers Digest, Pastel Journal, Watercolor Artist, and Interweave Knits are going, too.

Winter reading – artists’ biographies

Posted on February 10, 2019 | Comments Off

I love reading biographies, particularly autobiographies, particularly artists’ autobiographies. Winter is a great time to snuggle inside with a book or two or ten. These are a few of my current recommendations. You may be surprised that I don’t just read books about painters or even about artists who work in the same style as I do; I am more interested in their motivations, how they became who they became, and what obstacles they had to overcome.

Alexander Calder, an Autobiography with Pictures. 1965. In this autobiography, Calder dictates over a period of several months, his life and career as an artist. From a struggling student in engineering to the famous artist he became, this is a fascinating tour of his life. He doesn’t always delve into the why of the works he created, but it’s amazing to see how his career grew. And I couldn’t believe just how much he and his wife Louisa traveled, not only between the US and France, but all over the world. They moved frequently and were undaunted to tackle any old derelict of a farmhouse, apartment or barn. Personally, I would not be able to remember all the details about my life as he relays in this account of his. Full of photos in both black and white, this is a page-turner.

Chuck Close, A Life by Christopher Finch (2010) Chuck Close is a brilliant artist known for his gigantic portraits but he also faced many struggles in his career. A poor student, he probably suffered from dyslexia, but he overcame the naysayers to garner acceptance into Yale. His early successes established him as a leader in the art world. I loved reading about his years in a loft apartment in the Village, and the name-dropping of other famous contemporaries. His spinal stroke in mid-career set him on a new trajectory that would have sidelined many lesser individuals. Close didn’t discover until late in life that he actually suffered from prosopagnosia, i.e., he is unable to recognize faces, even of those whom he knows well. This probably set him on the path to focusing on the giant portraits.

Renoir, My Father by Jean Renoir (1959) It was interesting to read this biography of such a famous artist by his own son. I always admire the early impressionists (although they didn’t call themselves that at the time) and to read such a personal account by an eyewitness of the day is fascinating. I learned a lot about Renoir and in the end, didn’t really care for him as much as a person. But this is still a great you were there account which gives the true flavor of what it was to be a painter at this critical period in France.

Van Gogh by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith (2011) Nearly everyone holds some ideas about Van Gogh but many of those ideas are shallow characterizations. He was much deeper than cutting off his ear. He painted to celebrate his love of God and God’s world. The fact that he was able to create in the face of so much ridicule and drive himself to continue to paint is inspiring. This book is not for the faint of heart as it is over 900 pages, but it is very thorough.

Edward Willis Redfield, An American Impressionist and His Paintings and the Man Behind the Palette by J.M.W. FLETCHER (1996) I am a huge admirer of Redfield and his work. He was such a dogged master painter and had some of the best working habits of any artist that I’ve read about. Redfield doesn’t get as much attention as he did during his lifetime but take a look at his work if you happen to visit a museum. What I love most is the sheer energy that he put into his paintings. You can tell by the bold and sure strokes. He was a big man and usually painted large canvases….on location. No matter the season, winter or summer, he would wade through snow and ice to get what he wanted. This book is a personal labor of love by the author who researched it about as thoroughly as anyone could. It contains just about every detail of Redfield’s life and career as he could round up. I feel that some of the photos that the author took could have been done a little better, but overall, this is an amazing portrait of an American Impressionist.

Willard Metcalf, Yankee Impressionist Spanierman Gallery, LLC. (2003) I fell in love with Metcalf when I first viewed his painting The North Country in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It became an annual pilgrimage to visit this painting on my many trips to the city. The delicacy of the colors of the painting cannot be done justice in any reproduction compared to the real painting. Metcalf was prolific and had many successes early in his career. However, he was not so lucky in his relationships and had a problem with alcohol. The book is filled with many beautiful plates and is certainly a good depiction of a lesser-known American artist.

This is just a small list of some of the artist biographies that I have enjoyed. Check them out and be inspired. I’ll post links to my favorite women artists another time.

Links to the books:

Calder – Autobiography with Pictures

Chuck Close – Life

Renoir, My Father

Edward Willis Redfield

Willard Metcalf

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Posted in art, books, Uncategorized

Tagged art, biographies, books

What are you reading?

Posted on July 18, 2018 | Comments Off

Books, my not-so-secret addiction

What are you reading these days? This is a question I am frequently asked as most people who know me, also know that I am a true bibliophile (lover of books.) I covet books. I love the smell, the feel, the heft. Just opening a new book gives me chills of anticipation.

So, most friends are also surprised when I reply with several titles. How can you read more than one book at a time? they ask. Well, you can watch more than one television series at a time, can’t you? You watch an episode and then come back the next week to watch the next one. Then I can see the light dawn as they get what I’m saying.

I like a variety of books and subjects to read and switch off during the week. Quiet morning time is often reserved for more contemplative, deeper non-fiction. Later in the day, I escape with some fiction (many genres). And bedtime reading is, let’s just say, a wee bit boring, or at least nothing that’s going to keep me awake all night.

So this is my current reading stack.

Bronnie Ware’s The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. Since I already have more years behind me than I have before me, I mostly want to see how my life compares with others who have reached the end of theirs. There are some interesting concepts but I do find that the author wanders around a bit.

John Muir’s A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf. This is more of a journal than a bonafide book. It is scanned and has all the errors that some scanned books have. But I always find Muir a fascinating and awesome writer and person. It’s nearly incomprehensible some of the treks and adventures he made with very little in the way of supplies or equipment. Bedtime reading, for sure.

Dr. Michael Mosely The Fast Diet. The author discusses some of the science behind intermittent fasting and the research for better health and longevity. I think I like’d Dr. Jason Fung’s The Obesity Code better but this book is very readable.

James H. Rubin How to Read Impressionism: Ways of Looking. I’ve read so many books about impressionism, the period, the specific artists of the era, that I doubted there would be anything new here. However, the author approaches the subject by grouping the artists and paintings by location and subject matter more than chronologically. It’s an interesting read but I have noticed that his conclusions do not always agree with other authors. It’s loaded with color pictures and is a good reference.

Then this past weekend I indulged a guilty pleasure of zipping through two sci-fi dystopian books by Dima Zales, The Thought Readers and The Thought Persuaders. Not deep but good entertainment.

So, this is what is on my reading table these days. What is on yours?

So many books; so little time. – Frank Zappa

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Posted in books, opinion

Tagged books, bronnie ware, impressionism, john muir

Your Legacy

Posted on April 8, 2018 | 2 comments

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. (Kahlil Gibran)

I was in my studio yesterday, finishing up a large painting that I’ve been working on for the past couple of weeks. Then I started another one…and finished it.

My mind often wanders when I’m working as I’m zoning out in the painting process. I’ve been spending the past month redesigning my website from the ground up. I put up some work in the archives which one of my sons remarked he had never seen. (Before you were born, sweetie.) That led me to thinking about all the art I’ve created over thirty-five years plus. A lot!

And then that led me to think about where it all is now. I did my first art fair in the early 80s and have been selling my work ever since. I’m embarrassed when I visit relatives and see all the paintings I’ve given them over the years. It looks like a Kit Miracle art gallery.

Several years ago I received a call on my business land line phone…when I had a land line. It was from a woman in Florida who had purchased one of my small paintings in a resale shop. It had my information stamped on the back. We chatted for a while.

That led me to thinking about where all my paintings are now. I’ve traveled a lot. Shipped a lot. And now, with online marketing, have sold work all over the place. It’s a little bit of me scattered all over the world. That’s my legacy.

I’ve never been a person who longs for fame, but it’s always pleasant to think about all the places where my paintings live now. Maybe they’ll end up in a jumble sale; maybe they’ll be treasured family heirlooms. But they’re like my children, scattered to the winds.

Which led me back to one of my favorite poets, Kahlil Gibran and his exemplary work The Prophet. The section of the poem above is from the part of the work where he discusses Children. My art is like my children.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The Archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

We are the bows. We send our children….or our creations…out into the world. That is our legacy.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of The Prophet lately, check it out soon. I’m sure you’ve got an old copy from high school or college lying about. Or you can check it out of the library. Or purchase a used copy. You won’t be sorry and you’ll have plenty to think about when your mind takes a walk.

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Posted in books, opinion

Tagged books, legacy, poetry

The Demise of Art Supply Stores and Bookstores

Posted on March 14, 2018 | 2 comments

Just a small part of my secret addiction.

Two of my favorite hangouts when I go shopping are bookstores and art supply stores. For some reason, these marvelous emporiums of possibilities grab me and hold on until I manage to escape some hours later. Usually lighter of wallet, too.

Last week I made a foray to the “city” of Evansville and, as usual, stopped by Dick Blick’s art supply store. I had my list in hand, had checked out online prices, and was prepared to spend some money. I milled around a bit, filling my basket with some “necessary” studio items, and proceeded to the checkout. The clerk couldn’t tell me if the in-store prices matched the online ones or not. What the heck. I was there already so I checked out anyway. It seemed like a lot but when I got home and checked the online prices, they were the same. That’s good for my budget.

And I’m afraid that I do the same thing at bookstores. Spend hours perusing my favorite sections, surreptitiously check prices with Amazon and Bookfinder, and see if the book I desire is the latest edition. It’s just so easy so shop from home and have my heart’s desire delivered to my doorstep.

But the past several years, I’ve made a concerted effort to actually buy something in these stores, even if the price is a little more. I think we need to support our local merchants for more than just a cappuccino and to read magazines for free. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be enough.

Yesterday I received an e-mail notification that Dick Blick’s in Evansville will be closing later this month. I am so sad. This was one of my favorite stops every time I went down there. Shopping online just doesn’t supply the same adrenaline rush of actually fondling new pens and paints, checking out new authors, just looking around to see what is available.

Over the past several years I’ve seen Border’s flagship bookstore in Ann Arbor bite the dust. As well as Hawley-Cooke in Louisville. These stores had knowledgeable staff, enormous selections, and were just comforting places to hang out.

Lee’s Art Shop in New York closed its door last year. Dang, that is where I bought my Lamy fountain pen (in dayglow green). And the awesome Rizolli’s Bookstore in upper Midtown was a store right out of casting central – beautiful carved stone exterior, well-worn wood inside, nooks and crannies to find some amazing tome.

Sigh. I know. Things change. And we’re all guilty of bottom price shopping. But where are people going to shop, to hang out, to fondle the plants at the nursery or the special pens and crayons at the art store? To find out what is new and amazing? Are we all going to sit in our isolated armchairs and just punch buttons to order things? It is fantastic to be able to find that something special online but it doesn’t quite replace the in-person experience of ogling something new in person. It’s so sad but I await to see what’s next.

What are your thoughts? Have any of your favorite stores closed?

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Tagged art, books

What’s with that?

Posted on October 16, 2016 | 2 comments

Since this blog is about art, books, and country living, today’s post is about books. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m an Amazon Vine reviewer. They offer me a limited number of books and merchandise to choose from which continuously changes. I get to keep the items and all I have to do is write an honest review of the product. No where does Amazon require that I write a good review if I don’t think the product is any good. I do try to justify my review with specifics thinking of the readers who rely on reviews. In fact, I often find the negative reviews to be more enlightening but that is just me.

I’m not quite sure how Amazon selected me for this program. Probably because I buy a lot of books and other merchandise through them. I also write reviews even on the non-free items that I order, some of which have received high ratings.

But a few months ago I wrote a negative review on a book that I’d ordered several months ago. It was an art book and I felt the author was a fraud and didn’t have any skills except self-promotion. I realize that anyone can write a book and publish it. That is not the point. The point is that other people rely on the reviews when they make their purchases and would be wasting their money if they purchased the book thinking it was one thing when it wasn’t (in my opinion). So I wrote the review and even had several photos that I’d scanned from the book to prove my point. However, for whatever reason, I wasn’t able to upload the photos. But the review received several positive votes.

The surprise was when I recently revisited the review to see if I would be able to upload the photos now, the review wasn’t there anymore. Hummm…. A little internet research revealed that Amazon is now taking down some reviews. There’s some internet chat about the reasoning behind their decision, but the fact that they do makes me pretty skeptical about the entire review process.

The point here is, you ought to be wary of the review system, too. How do we know we’re getting honest opinions? I don’t know the answer to that question but I do know that I’m going to go back and re-review that book. Hopefully I’ll be able to upload the photos now.