At 12:40 PM, Saturday, 11/2/02, Marc A. Schindler wrote:
That would be appropriate for a technical text, but Diamond's book was meant asI am actually enjoying the book quite a lot. Most of it makes assumptions that I think are false, but for some reason that doesn't really detract from my enjoyment. I do think that
an introduction for a lay audience. The scope of what he discusses is too broad
for this kind of approach -- there would simply be too many footnotes. That's why
authors who find themselves in this situation give recommended reading lists so
people can zero in on areas of interest and do further research. Our RS/PH
manuals use footnotes because they are explicitly teaching from the teachings of
an individual. Diamond isn't doing that -- he's painting with a much broader
brush. If you are uncomfortable with his conclusions, check out the recommended
reading and do further reading to see if he's talking through his hat or not.
Diamond is making an awful lot of assumptions, so many that the whole book seems like one big assumption. At least half the book is stuff that Diamond couldn't possibly know. Where is the line between fiction and nonfiction? I think he really comes close to that line.
John W. Redelfs [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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"It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to
laugh at that man." --Jack Handy
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All my opinions are tentative pending further data. --JWR
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