A non-review of Father's Touch...

by morrisamb 6 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

• 

  morrisamb

  Hi gang, I know many of you haven't read my autobiography, but I received this from a female reviewer in the US today...I'm a tough cookie, so don't worry, my feelings were not hurt in the slightest...I just don't get it...I could understand better if she said, "your book isn't well written," or some other critique of the writing, but why would she say of a true story memoir, "doesn't fit up to my standards of good fiction."

  I was just saying to a good friend yesterday, there are benefits to having to survive "something"...survivors have been through the mill already. There comes a point where what someone else thinks is not MORE important than what I think myself.

  I wrote this reviewer back a short note: Dear ___________ Thank you for email and comments. I appreciate your honesty. Thanks also for sending my autobiography to ___________. Sincerely, Donald D'Haene

  Dear Donald:
  Father's Touch has finally reached the top of my to-be-reviewed pile. During the first 100 pages, I thought that this was one of the best written, self-publish books that had landed on my desk in a number of years. However, after reaching page 200, I just could not bring myself to read anymore. See below for more information.
  I find that I cannot give your book a favorable review. I don't write/publish bad reviews because all critics do not think alike and there may be others out there who would enjoy your book. While I do feel it is my obligation to warn readers before they invest their hard-earned dollars, at the same time, it is more prudent of me to limit my bad reviews (especially the companies who are making lots of dollars on a poorly written book and a best-selling name).
  The book isn't bad; it just doesn't fit up to my standards of good fiction. I am declining to review your book based on the following reason:
  *While I could empathize with you, I did not feel any sympathy toward your plight.
  *I didn't feel that the book had a plot other than the abuse and it's affects.
  * I didn't understand where the other passages (i.e. where those by Daniel D'Haene were derived).
  *Maybe it's just me, but I couldn't get into vignette after vignette of the abuse.
  I'm sorry the results weren't more favorable. Father's Touch has been donated .........

  _________send their regards and thanks for the book.
  
  Sincerely,
  _________________
• 

  wednesday

  Donald,

  this woman does not sound too bright. apparently she does not knowit is non-fiction. I felt hurt just reading what she said. The nerve of her. I believer oprah would be interested in your book. also, u might try sending a copy to O"Reily, he is firmly in the victims corner.

  Best wishes to u.

  weds
• 

  RAYZORBLADE

  FICTION?

  That was the give-away there.

  Obviously the reviewer for some odd reason may have either found it too hard to believe, thus rendering it fiction, or believed it was fiction: it wasn't - very odd.

  Any recourse Morrisamb ?

  I hope she'll reconsider this once she re-reads what he/she wrote to you.

  Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

  Best of luck. Keep us posted of any reply from this reviewer, would you? Thanks.
• 

  Big Tex

  So how does this woman generate enough brain power to function? Okay, let me just put aside my personal feelings for a moment and let's take this "review" point by point.

  "The book isn't bad; it just doesn't fit up to my standards of good fiction."

  Fiction?!! Does this woman not understand the difference between fiction and autobiography? And what exactly are her standards of good fiction anyway? Does she realize that reviewing a book actually requires one to READ the *#@!! book? Her statement is so amazingly stupid it leaves me open mouthed in shock.

  *While I could empathize with you, I did not feel any sympathy toward your plight.

  Excuse me for a moment, but she cannot feel any sympathy towards children being sexually assaulted? So not only is she a brain dead bowhead, she's also an unfeeling monster. And while I'm on this subject, may I say that it is clear (at least if you READ the book) that Donald is not trying to ask for sympathy or pity. He painstakingly points out flaws in everyone, himself included, which adds credibility to the story. How does this woman have a job?

  *I didn't feel that the book had a plot other than the abuse and it's affects.

  Clearly one can begin to see her incisive intellect as she displays her spelling prowess. What other plot does she want? If you're reading an autobiography, what other plot is there? Isn't autobiograph the story of the author as told by the author? "Abuse and its affects", Good Lord woman this ain't Dashiel Hammett meets Margaret Mitchell! This is a *##!#@!! story of the impact abuse has on one family. Actually there are several sub-plots, one involving Jehovah's Witnesses, but clearly the concept of "sub-plot" exceeds her limited capacity for understanding. Does this woman have pictures of the publisher?

  * I didn't understand where the other passages (i.e. where those by Daniel D'Haene were derived).

  Okay, now I wish I had a copy of the book here. My memory is not the best in the world, and after all I'm only a man, but it seems to this feebled brain that Donald very clearly indicated these were copied from Daniel's own self-congratulatory book. Has this woman ever heard of the word "irony"? Okay lady, quit eating pizza, drinking red wine and watching the latest episode of "Friends" long enough to actually read the book you are reviewing!! She's gotta be Forrest Gump's twin sister.

  *Maybe it's just me, but I couldn't get into vignette after vignette of the abuse.

  Amazingly, this is the most accurate and intelligent statement she has written. And yes dear, it is just you.

  Okay, who is she affiliated with? USA Today? Not exactly noted for cutting edge journalism are they? She reminds me of a reviewer of the movie "Titanic", whose biggest complaint was that James Cameron should not have show the audience the shipwreck of the ship in the first few minutes since that "would spoil the surprise when the ship hit the iceberg".

  There are some people in this world that you truly do have to just shake your head in amazement at since they are so clueless they don't even realize how they look or sound. Seriously, she's got to have pictures or video on someone to keep that job, dont' you think?

  "You're the type of person who would solve world hunger by ordering out. Preferably at a good Chinese restaurant." -- Alan Alda, California Suite

  
  
• 

  morrisamb

  You guys are amazing...and Big Tex, you went to town...of course, you are all right!!!

  Hee hee, don't tell anyone I said this (especially her) but she sounds like a Witness! Oh my god, no, like an ELDER!!! hahahahahha
• 

  Big Tex

  Well morrisamb, you took that a lot better than I would have. I just have a low boiling point for stupidity. Ignorance is one thing, but she is just flat out stupid. You think she acted like a Witness, I think she acted like something else. Yeesh!
• 

  cruzanheart

  she sounds like a Witness! Oh my god, no, like an ELDER!!!

  Ha! You took the words out of my mouth! I told BT she sounded like one of the guys they have working in Customer Service at Bethel, you know, those compassionate chappies who answer our letters.

  Nina