In somewhat amazing news, Cordite Poetry Review has just published a double review of We Will Disappear and MTC Cronin’s book (we recently also published a single review of Barry Hill’s book).
I should point out that the review was not commissioned, edited or posted by me but by our reviews editor, Ali Alizadeh.
Further, the review itself was written by Ryan Scott, a Czech-Republic based poet whom I have never met or corresponded with. Still, I feel a slight twinge of discomfort and potential embarrassment to see a review of my own book in a journal of which I am the Managing Editor.
While it’s not quite in the same league as Walt Whitman writing reviews of his own book, Leaves of Grass, under false names and then using these reviews to create testimonials, it’s still, well, a bit strange.
What do you think?
didi says:
That is a good question. I have an unwritten law somewhere in MiPOesias about this. It is understood that we do not review each other on the actual magazine. Now this is easier for an operation that may have only a few staff members in place but you take into account the people behind miporadio, OCHO and MiPOesias then you run into a little problem and have to step up to the plate and just say No. So instead I write about them to my heart’s content on my personal blogs. Ha.
Didi Menendez
24 September 2007 — 13:21
davey says:
Hi Didi!
Thanks for stopping by … I take your point, but should also stress that the review wasn’t written by Ali himself but by a guy I’ve never met, who lives in the Czech Republic. Not sure if that’s splitting hairs but anyway, it is an interesting ethical issue. What do other people think?
24 September 2007 — 13:32
Tim Hamilton says:
My understanding of the ethics of publications is a little vague but, as an outsider, I can’t see much problem with it.
From what I’ve read, you haven’t interfered (positively or negatively) with the review, it’s writing, editing or it’s inclusion in Cordite. It’s a little odd, I guess, but I don’t see a problem with how you’ve handled it.
24 September 2007 — 15:01
davey says:
Thanks Tim,
… and yes, it is a little odd.
24 September 2007 — 15:02
Chris says:
Hi David,
I don’t see any problem with it at all. cordite published reviews of the first Soi 3 series. Here we have the second series, and, when the third arrives, there’s a fair chance cordite will cover that too. I can understand your concerns as poet/editor but from a reader’s p.o.v., I’ll trust the editors and contributors alike.
26 September 2007 — 04:53
davey says:
Thanks Chris,
that makes me feel somewhat better.
26 September 2007 — 14:17