The word moot is an archaic term meaning "argue, debate, discuss." In early English history, a moot was a meeting to discuss local affairs. Moot comes from the Old English gemot, meaning "meeting."
It seems a lot of attention is being paid to what people think of books -- now Simon & Schuster lets people vote on whether or not they think a book will sell, in order to guide S&S/Penguin Putnam in their choices on that matter. I daresay book discussion groups and word of mouth existed before Amazon; if people didn't LIKE a book, they wouldn't buy it... it's all so very surreal now that people expect that what is written online is gospel truth... Unless they don't. On the vastly opposing side of that spectrum are those who look at what is online as the most frivolous nonsense and worth nothing. Can't win, here!
I think the Amazon reviews are interesting in that they offer opinions from regular folks (and sometimes PR people.) They are helpful only up to a point. If you have ever checked out reviews for kitchen gadgets or technology items you know half the people will express their enthusiasm and the other half detest the item. So in the end I often end up as confused as I was before.
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It seems a lot of attention is being paid to what people think of books -- now Simon & Schuster lets people vote on whether or not they think a book will sell, in order to guide S&S/Penguin Putnam in their choices on that matter. I daresay book discussion groups and word of mouth existed before Amazon; if people didn't LIKE a book, they wouldn't buy it... it's all so very surreal now that people expect that what is written online is gospel truth... Unless they don't. On the vastly opposing side of that spectrum are those who look at what is online as the most frivolous nonsense and worth nothing. Can't win, here!
Are Amazon reviews true, though? Or are they like listening to the loudest kid in the class, rather than the class as a whole?
I think the Amazon reviews are interesting in that they offer opinions from regular folks (and sometimes PR people.) They are helpful only up to a point. If you have ever checked out reviews for kitchen gadgets or technology items you know half the people will express their enthusiasm and the other half detest the item. So in the end I often end up as confused as I was before.
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