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Apparently, Thomas E. Woods Jr., the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History, did not like the review I wrote of his book for Amazon and had it removed. I worked very hard on this review and was very disappointed that he took such measures, so I am posting it here. Because I believe in being fair and balanced I am also posting the email he sent me taking exception to my review so that you can see an opposing point of view. However, I stand by my review as written.
The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History by Thomas E. Woods Jr.
Reviewer: Jon Swift - See all my reviews
I prefer history that is correct, January 17, 2006
I have not actually read this book but I don't understand why someone would write a book of history that is incorrect. I think we have enough problems nowadays getting young people to learn the correct dates when something happened and the correct names of our Presidents that filling their heads with more incorrect information doesn't make any sense at all.
Thomas E. Woods Jr.'s Response:
17 Jan 2006 22:36:59 -0800
Do you not understand the term "politically incorrect"?? It doesn't mean FACTUALLY incorrect. Have you never heard of political correctness? And you're going to denounce a book you've never read on the basis of your own ignorance? What's the matter with you?
Jon Swift, Book, Books, Amazon, Politics, Thomas Woods, History, History Carnival 28
23 comments:
oh that made me laugh outloud! Thanks!
Classic...I just found your blog today and really enjoy it. Keep up the great work!
Why is Mr. Wood so sensitive? I don't understand why he is so hostile. You made a completely valid point about the size of the "incorrect" book. Jeez - some people are so touchy. He is the one who named it incorrect & even though you hadn't read the book, you were just stating the obvious.
I support you.
Oh, that guy writes on the Mises blog. They don't have much of a sense of humor over there. And I say that as a guy who likes the Mises stuff.
I aagree with the author. If your going to call what you write for Amazon.com a review then take the time to read the book otherwise just call it an opinion. If you're making a joke about someone elses life blood go on be open about it.
Woods' response is priceless. A rare gem of naivety slash self-righteousness.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0895260476/ref=cm_rev_sort/102-3695800-0893753?customer-reviews.sort_by=%2BOverallRating&x=9&y=13&s=books
I just posted a review on Amazon. Support it and move it to the top.
My wife and I just went to Amazon and voted NO to all the 5 star reviews and YES to all the one star reviews.
Everyone do the same.
Free Speech rules.
The author wrote me this. All right, Swift, tell us the truth. Did you take it down? Give us the scoop.
"You moron, Swift took the review down himself. How could I get the review taken down? How? Ask Amazon? You think they take reviews down because authors ask them to? What kind of idiot are you?"
At any rate, I don't like his books, but bash them I will. Burn them I won't. (I know he'd burn mine if I wrote them).
I love Fox News. Rush Limbaugh is a favorite. And Radio news is soooooo cooooool.
But that author is a jerk.
come on Swift. Give it to us straight.
It's soooooooooooooo cooooooooooooool to be cooooooooooonservative.
...but fre speech is where it's at.
I read all the reviews and figure I now know more about the book than I want to.
Apparently, the author's idea of "politically incorrect" is what was "politically correct" pre-1975 or so, because it's exactly the crap I was taught in school--the Pilgrims were a boatload of nuns who came to help the Indians shoot turkeys, the Civil War had nothing to do with slavery, the colonists were all Englishmen who came to America to work hard and make a City on the Hill out of a barren wilderness, and the like, the civic pieties that look silly once you start reading a few primary sources, which is what history grad students are supposed to do.
American history is fascinating, but I guess some people can't cope with inconvenient facts that don't fit the story line. Maybe being "conservative" is swallowing hook, line, and sinker one's first simplified exposure to American history in fourth grade and refusing to accept any contradictions from colonists' letters, 19th-century newspapers, or documents from state legislature archives that deviates from one's image of what ought to be, all that reality-based stuff some people like to ignore in favor of a vision.
This is crazy, woods reply was not 'naive self-righteosness' he was being very sane. How can you throw random assumptions at a book you've never read. His reply was correct, his book is meant to be politically incorrect, not historically incorrect. Saying it must be historically incorrect is not 'just stating the obvious'. It may be, but you can't honestly say that without reading it first. I must seriously ask, is this website a joke, im desperately looking for a disclaimer stating that this whole blog is a huge elaborate spoof of the mind of a conservative steriotype.
I have the sneaking suspicion that Mr. Woods also goes by the name of Mark Gordon.
Absolutely asinine to review a book that one hasn't read!
I haven't actually read your blog, but it appears to be a few bricks shy of a load...
This comment thread has to rank right up there with the all-time funniest.
When I grow up, I wanna get my tongue stuck in my cheek and have nobody notice, too! Jon's my hero.
I can't speak to the book itself -- I haven't read it, so I'm not qualified to comment. As far as reviews go, author's can't take them down. There's a very lengthy route you can go through to complain to Amazon about a specific review, and in some cases they will remove them. Not having actually read the book is one of the few grounds for which they'll remove one. Negative reviews aren't.
Yah! ut is really incorrect guide. They need to correct it
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