The Risk Of Review

To put a book out for review is a risk. One may be placing it in good hands, or one may be placing it in the hands of lunatics. One reviewer charged that my electronics book 6 or less was "madness" as it was published "without any form of testing or poof-reading" (that should read "proof-reading"). In fact the book is an anthology of previously published projects. That is, all of the projects were scrutinised by leading technical editors, then published (most of them worldwide), presumably constructed by readers, and all feedback forwarded to me. All of the circuits were scrutinised once more by electronics writers and designers before the anthology went to press. Each circuit was built and tested by me, too, as a minimum on a nickel breadboard. A prominent electronics editor commented on the above review last week: "[The reviewer] is one of THOSE. I have never seen such a rant or hatchet job." Thankfully, the book has also received what I think to be careful, balanced (and truthful) reviews, some of which are quoted in promotional material. OBSERVATION: It is a sobering reminder to check who one is handing free copies to for review. However, one can only be so careful, and even then one cannot prevent a "hatchet job". The book is: 6 or less: How To Really Do Something With Six Components (or less). The "hatchet job" was done on the previous, fourth edition.