Originally Posted by
WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance
I have not bought the book yet, so I know this is premature, but some of the comments so far struck a chord with me about some of these books. I've bought quite a few books on Motown and the thing I've found is that there are a couple that call to mind the term "Vanity Press". These are books that seem to be written completely by someone who doesn't really have a grasp for how to write in detail, depth and with no real sense of narrative. These books are nothing more than very, VERY short sentences strung together as opposed to paragraphs that give context, detail and a sense of some kind of drama that makes us want to read on. The major publishing houses would pass on them in a second, but it's fairly easy to get anything published- if you pay them enough.
I don't know if the person[[s) writing these types of books are working with professional editors or not. Someone who could prod the subject to really get into something with "meat on its bones" to grip the reader's attention. Instead, we get not much more than heavily sanitized anecdotes that give no real background or motive for why this or that happened, why this or that turned out as it did. Some of these books read like nothing short of Dear Diary entries strung together.
I'd have to say, for better or worse, Mary Wilson's books were very involving and interesting reading. I'm not talking about accuracy here or whether or not you like the woman, but I'm dealing with the art of writing in a way that draws someone in. If the book angers you, fine. At least it elicited some kind of emotional response. Some of the books I've purchased from former Motowners are so poorly written and short on detail, they don't even get me mad or happy. Just yawning with the sense of not learning anything new.
If Lamont was astute enough to get an editor who was smart enough to encourage him not to try to make himself out a flawless, saintly human, maybe we'll get something that will make us jump up and down.
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