Comments on: 1st Look BOOK REVIEW: “Here Comes Everybody” Is Muck.

By: Christine Cavalier

Christine Cavalier — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:30:10 +0000

OH and look at this: http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2009/03/newspapers-and-thinking-the-unthinkable/

It’s the latest essay at Mr. Shirky’s weblog and it is totally readable and comprehensible. He can write for the public when he wants to.

By: PurpleCar

PurpleCar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:44:08 +0000

Karina,

zOMG I KNOW! "Here Comes Everybody" was ridiculous to read. It's as if Clay Shirky just intimidated any editor into making even one suggestion! I find the writing style to be unconscionable. It's alienating purposefully, and I find it mean-spirited. I've read philosophy, thick educational theory, Freud, etc. I can read, understand, and deconstruct graduate-level prose. I'm a peer reviewer for an academic journal! Believe me, I'm not unfamiliar with the style. Unfortunately, Mr. Shirky's attempt to write in theoretical style and the clear lack of editorial input resulted in disaster. Good theory may use advanced language but in the end it is readable. Mr. Shirky relies on buzzwords and run-on sentences in a mockery of true academic theory. It was so disappointing.

Unfortunately, I gave up reading the book. My Part II just explains that in his footnotes, Mr. Shirky has concise and clear writing; I wondered why the entire book couldn't be like that (he probably didn't write the footnotes, as I've heard rumors that he speaks in this psuedo-academic style when he presents). I really meant to wade through the whole thing but I just couldn't waste any more time on it. I'm sure Mr. Shirky's a smart man but something went very, very wrong in the editing process. I suggest that in your translation, you take the license to do the dreadfully needed editing and then translate. There's no reason to alienate other cultures as well.

Thanks for chiming in! I'm glad someone can see what I did!

-Christine

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By: Karina

Karina — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:15:47 +0000

Oh my God, I'm SO glad to have found this review. I've been trying to wade through this book with someone who's engaged in a translation of it, and it's driving me (and the translator) crazy! I'm an editor, and it makes me wonder, as you did, how his prose could have even passed by copy editors without coming out at least a bit more concise and readable.

I'm really glad to know it's not just me! I'm about to check out Part II.

By: PurpleCar

PurpleCar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:44:08 +0000

By: Karina

Karina — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:15:47 +0000

I'm really glad to know it's not just me! I'm about to check out Part II.

By: PurpleCar

PurpleCar — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:44:07 +0000

Thanks, Troy, for commiserating. I actually should update this post. I gave up on Clay Shirky's "Here Comes Everybody." There isn't enough time in my day to trudge through it. I guess I should have read the last two pages. Can you sum them up for us? (This was a library book that has since been returned.)

Plus, what class do you have? What are you majoring in? I'm curious to know what kind of class would have this book on the syllabus.

Thanks!

-CCP

By: Troy

Troy — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:20:43 +0000

I fully agree. I was assigned to read the first chapters and my professor even told me that Chapter 2 is quite lengthy, confusing, and stated to simply move forwards towards the last two pages where he actually makes his point. I had to read the “Birthday Paradox” over a few times because of the use of negatives and attempted to decide who would metaphorically earn the 50 dollars. Crazy.

By: A Clay Shirky Adventure. Part II: SHOCK!

A Clay Shirky Adventure. Part II: SHOCK! — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:55:15 +0000

[...] may have seen my ‘first look’ review of “Here Comes Everybody” by Clay Shirky. To sum up: I was pretty insulted and [...]

By: PurpleCar

PurpleCar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 01:39:06 +0000

I have NO problem making up words. In fact, I'm all for it; Here in the PurpleCar household we make up words (and song lyrics) on an hourly basis. But some basic standard of communication must be followed if, as an author, you want people to buy your book. It is far harder to be concise and clear than to communicate without
plan or filter. Editors used to nuance this keen skill of clarity out
of authors. Editors like that don't exist anymore. It's a shame.

As for Clay's word, amateurization, the '-ization' on the end of the word just complicates things. '-izing' would be better, if we must make up passive verb forms. I still think the word 'amateurization' will make only vague sense at best to the majority of people, and the minority that understands it will have to pause to parse it out (which is bad and exactly what you DON'T want when you are making up terms). That word, in combination with all the other buzzwords in Clay's first two chapters, adds up to the 'literary equivalent of celery' of which you speak, Rick Wolff. Sorry to hear that the rest of the book is pretty much the same. Once I get it back from the library, I'll let you know. (No, I didn't buy the book).

As always, Mr. Wolff, I love your wisdom. You are welcome anytime at PurpleCar!

By: Rick Wolff

Rick Wolff — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:48:04 +0000

I also read this — or, as I'm wont to do with nonfiction books with one main point, I read enough to get as much of the point as I care to, meaning I left the last three or four chapters. There did seem to be a low calorie content in his paragraphs, the literary equivalent of celery. I will, however, defend his right, and the general utility, in his inventing the word “amateurization.” It fits like a glove, it's the whole boobyhatch of the book, and no other single word or set of words fits the bill as well.
In the debut of my ill-fated calligraphy tutorial TV show, I was going to read a paragraph from this book, about the demise of the scribe with the advent of movable type, where he describes calligraphy. I had the feeling at the time that these observations were being made by dozens of other authors, and that anyone reading them in some other book might see a little tedium in the Shirky work. (Shirky work? Wonder if Shirky is lurking on Plurk.)
His keynote speech for the Reilly Web 2.0 show was a lot more thrill-packed. Maybe he should stick to public speaking. (Although, of course you realize, he got the speaking gig because of the book.)