# Are book reviews any good?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-book-reviews-any-good/785862>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [May 4, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-book-reviews-any-good/785862 "2017-05-04T16:46:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Machinaforce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Machinaforce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machinaforce)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-book-reviews-any-good/785862/21 "2017-05-05T20:17:59Z")

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> [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](#):
>
> Please tell us more! When was the last time you wrote a book report?

Grade school. But when it comes to fiction it doesn’t seem like reviews are that big a deal. You really just need enough of a plot summary to entice and that’s it.

For nonfiction, in this case philosophy or self help, it’s different. Using the excuse that people who disagree with you are foolish, don’t get it, are just scared, or are being egoic are just trying to easily deflect criticism of their work without being challenged. It’s the same line of reasoning religion uses.

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-book-reviews-any-good/785862/22 "2017-05-05T20:32:28Z")

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Of course book reviews are good. I can’t imagine anyone having a different opinion of a book than I do, and all of provide every important detail in a book so I have nothing left to find out when I read it.

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