I find product reviews very helpful when I am buying a toaster or a printer, but less so when I am looking for a book to read. There are so many crappy books out there with glowing reviews by Amazon users. Why would I be convinced by a review from someone I don't know? I don't think I've ever bought a book because of reader reviews on Amazon. And while Susan may admirably avoid reviewing books by people she knows well, I am quite certain that countless reviewers do not share her scruples. Many reviews you will find are by close friends, family members, or even the author, not to mention colleagues and friends from critique groups. At times the same friendly reviewer may review the book more than once, using different sign-ins. While it is indeed gratifying for an author to have ositive reviews accompany his listing, I'm not convinced it is an effective sales tool. Though, as usual, it should go without saying that I may be wrong.
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