I got a bad review…It was bound to happen. To be honest, and after the primal gut reaction faded (which took some time, I’ll admit), I’m kind of glad it happened. It still doesn’t feel good from an emotional level, but rather I realize, from a rational level, its necessity. Here it is:
“On Giant’s Shoulders:
Those in the know will appreciate that Newton’s famous quip was intended as an insult first and a pithy saying second. It applies only in the first case to this self-regarding nonsense. Far from providing a ‘rational’ guide to anything the book merely trots out old knowledge without so much as a smattering of original insight, commentary, or critical thought to be seen. The result is little more than another purposeless blog transferred to ‘paper’ with no obvious justification and little to recommend it. Save your money for a book considerably less random and more rational.“
Pretty hard-hitting. Upon reading it, I had 2 options. Ignore it and pretend all was dandy dory, and in time hopefully forgetting it was ever there, or learn from it. I chose, as hard as it is, to learn from it (or try very hard to with all my biases).
So, if anyone has read my book — all 7 of you — I’d like to ask a favour: tell me what you disliked about it. Either as a comment here, or as a proper review on Amazon (if it’s especially hard-hitting and you feel I might delete your comment — which I won’t, I promise, but the choice is yours). It can be as hard-hitting or soft natured as you like; use a pseudonym, or not; whether you are my friend, offline or online, or not, please tell me what you disliked, perhaps even hated, about Random Rationality: Expanded. (No comments about the 1st edition: I hate it just as much as you do! Trust me.)
I want to learn, even if that means getting my ego bruised, battered, and burned at the public stake in the short-term: indulge thyself at my expense.
Random Rationality 