Three pieces of note

Off to a great start. My mission in 2013 is to read and review as many e-books as possible. My aim is to target self-published work from generally unknown authors. For absolute preference I hunt for the newest published work that had no previous online reviews, essentially to try and prospect for literary gold in the masses of e-dirt. There are a lot of e-books to choose from and I have decided not to be fussy about genre. If it is newly published and free to download then it is on my radar. One of the first to catch my eye was Jeffrey von Stetter’s “I’m Just Saying…Think it Through”. This was essentially a vehicle to spout the author’s polemic about perceived value and the likely lack of quality in the 99 cent e-book market. Firstly, I get it! It makes perfect sense that we should not anticipate gold when we are digging in the e-dirt cheap pile. The author makes this point enduringly throughout this work and continuously points out that these 99 cent books will take an hour out of your life. Agreeing with von Stetten's main arguments as I did, it was no doubt the intended irony that this piece could be downloaded for free and took less than an hour of my life to go through. The main theme of "Just Saying", that readers ought not to labor under the misconception or consideration that anything costing less than a dollar should be expected to have value, is repeated seemingly endlessly. Missing was the counterpoint that in a free market economy the market will decide. Author's will decide if it is worth their time preparing these pieces and purchasers will decide if it is worth their time and just less than a dollar. If there is a market then there will be 'entrepreneurs' and these will have a range of talents and enjoy various degrees of success. The introduction to “Just Saying” spoke of laughs, but those that were there were the cruel laughs of the bully. It is, however, a decent and sober reflection on the current trend and cautions would be self-publishers to take the time to consider to whom they wish to sell. There is a certain magic to perceived value, one is reminded of moisturizers and perfumes. Let us see what the invisible hand of the market will do about the 99 cent book. Having been frustrated with arrogance I was exceedingly happy with Jim Cuthbert’s: “Buckets of Steam. A Year in the life of a research technician.” This is a splendid work from one end to the other and if I had any way of doing so I would recommend it to the broadest possible audience. Of course I am biased by my time spent in University chemistry laboratories as undergraduate, postgraduate and beyond. Reading “Buckets of Steam” I was immediately returned to those days in the lab and my days in the Universities of my education. This is a fast moving read that is punctuated with interesting personalities and clever tales. It does, though, highlight the cruelties and stupidities of University life and the sheltered inhabitants resident therein and Jim Cuthbert does not hold back. It would be no fun to be in the spotlight of one of the author's character assassinations but sadly human nature dictates that the outcome had me rolling around with laughter, and yes also when I was on the train, much to the dismay of my fellow commuters. This is a book to be read by anyone who has spent any time in a University lab. Certainly to be recommended broadly. Jim’s writing style was very easy to follow and the story moved at a good pace. I will look out for future Cuthberts, I hope that this does not prove to be a one off. The last ebook that I will review in this short essay is “My Manic Mind” by J.M. Price. This is a courageous work by an author who has something useful to share. J.M. Price suffers from bipolar and talks us through the history of his own struggle and the challenges that he continues to face. Importantly, he describes how he came through to a point of control. This is an educational insight into a seemingly much misunderstood subject. Before I read this piece I had no direct knowledge of bipolar and now the struggles and trials of this affliction are brought to life. The author's own struggle to gain control through self-awareness, lifestyle and a heck of an effort is splendidly communicated. There are no soft edges to the hard truths. I am reminded of William Earnest Henry's "Invictus" and the closing sentiment "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." The author's diatribe against the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession was too harsh but understandable. Read this book and take time to learn about the significant challenge that bipolar is for the person, not only in terms of the disease itself but also the manufactured stigma that there is, as is so often the case, to a misunderstood subject.

Even with these three pieces it is very clear to me that self-published works have every right to be as good or as bad as anything from a major publisher. It is true that most self-publishers will not have access to the editorial, graphic design or marketing facilities that might make them fully polished and highly successful. True again that there are typographical errors and grammatical slips here and there. What is important, to me at least, is that there is a passion and a message in the work. I have read many paperbacks that contain glaring errors of spelling or continuity so I would not begrudge the odd slip here and there in a work that has been a labor of love.  It would be delightful to see a Cuthbert or a Price rise from obscurity to fame, if only to prove that Stetter’s own work was self-indulgent nonsense. In January I have spent no money on downloading ebooks, yet I have read many and found that there are indeed authors who are unknown who have something funny or insightful to share. Whilst two out of the three works I have reviewed will leave a lasting positive impression, it is important to know that all of the works have, in their own right, been worthwhile. Not all e-dirt is gold, but from the dirt grows the most wonderful flora if given the right conditions!