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An over-reaction here

February 6, 2009 by Fred Bortz, 41 weeks 5 days ago
Comment: 34324

Laurele,

You are overreacting to a summary of a book review. That's two steps removed from the source, namely the book itself.

(1) It's full of good humor, which you unfortunately seem to lack, at least on this issue

(2) It doesn't say that Plutophiles are restricted to the U.S.A., but they are peculiarly prominent here (see next point)

(3) The argument over Pluto's status is more a "pop culture" phenomenon in the U.S. than elsewhere.

(4) Tyson relishes good scientific argumentation. To quote the end of my review:

Scientists love science far more for the quest--its open questions and the uncharted path to discovery--than for the facts that ultimately end up in scholarly journals, popular books, and museum exhibits. The Pluto Files, with its eclectic approach and informal tone, captures that spirit better than any book in recent memory.

Your Pluto-passion is a good thing. But it needs a little humor for leavening.

If you're writing a book for the popular market, that's an important consideration. If you succeed in getting it published, I'd be glad to look at it for review purposes. Tell your publisher that I have a much better chance of selling a review if I get an advance reading copy. I usually pitch my reviews to newspapers about two months before the book is due to appear.

Fred Bortz
Children's Science Books
Science Book Reviews

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