I just tried to post a review for "An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth," and Amazon wouldn't publish it. I have no idea why.
They said to check the review guidelines, but I did, and I can't see what policy I violated. Can you tell me what I did wrong?
Title: I wanted to like this book, but...
Body: I had a hard time reading this book for two reasons:
1) He skips
all the good stuff: Just when he might get specific and tell us
something interesting, he trails off in generalities. For instance, he
writes "A certain personality type that was perfectly acceptable, even
stereotypical, in the past--the real hard ass, say--is not wanted on the
voyage when it is going to be a long one." (40) End of section. I would
love to know what type of person IS wanted on the voyage--what they're
looking for, what personality tests are given. But no. That's all we
get. He does it again five pages later: "You'll need to master a lot of
skills that seem arcane, or that you might never even get to use, or
both." However, no specific skills are listed. This book is filled with
generalities.
2) His words of wisdom are mundane: I thought this
book might have some amazing insights from a man who has had some
amazing experiences. Instead, I get flat platitudes that could come from
any self-help book at Auntie's Bookstore. "Anticipating problems and
figuring out how to solve them is actually the opposite of worrying;
it's productive. Likewise, coming up with a plan of action isn't a waste
of time if it gives you peace of mind." (72) Another gem: "If you need
to make a strong criticism, it's a bad idea to lash out wildly; be
surgical, pinpoint the problem rather that attack the person. Never
ridicule a colleague, even with an offhand remark, not matter how
tempting it is or how hilarious the laugh line. The more senior you are,
the greater the impact your flippant comment will have. Don't snap at
the people who work with you. When you see red, count to 10." (111)
That's not bad advice. Not at all. But I could get that same advice from
Bob in personnel. There are few if any deep insights here.
*****
WTF? Did they not accept my review because it was negative? Are they trying to keep negative reviews off Amazon so they can sell more books? I'm truly confused.
POSTSCRIPT (Nov. 17): They reviewed it and accepted it with no explanation as to why it was rejected the first time. I'm still confused.
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