An evening with Daniel Peterson

[_moksha]

You've mocked the man, now let's see you show a flaw in his DNA argument.

Theologically we do not believe the Icelanders were created Ex Nihilo 150 years ago, so they might be of recent Enish-go-on-Dosh origin. ¿És possible?

[_silentkid]

The Maxwell Institute doesn't "avoid distribution through Amazon."

Sorry for using the word "avoid". I should have said something along the lines of "doesn't deal with Amazon" or some such. Semantics, semantics. Doesn't matter. Since the posting is on Amazon, and since there isn't any picture or description, do you think it would be beneficial to upload that information? I'm sensing that this doesn't matter a whole lot to you. If I was the editor of a book and that book ended up on Amazon by some means (and I knew it was there), I'd probably want it presented in the best way possible. But, whatever works.

[_Mister Scratch]

The Maxwell Institute doesn't "avoid distribution through Amazon."

Sorry for using the word "avoid". I should have said something along the lines of "doesn't deal with Amazon" or some such. Semantics, semantics. Doesn't matter. Since the posting is on Amazon, and since there isn't any picture or description, do you think it would be beneficial to upload that information? I'm sensing that this doesn't matter a whole lot to you. If I was the editor of a book and that book ended up on Amazon by some means (and I knew it was there), I'd probably want it presented in the best way possible. But, whatever works.

Yes, I agree that there is a certain amount of funniness underlying Dr. Peterson's seemingly blase attitude about all of this. After all, we have all read rather vicious "reviews" of Chapel Mormon publications, in which the apologists blast the authors for "amateurish" production values, and what have you.

[_Daniel Peterson]

The Maxwell Institute doesn't "avoid distribution through Amazon."

Sorry for using the word "avoid". I should have said something along the lines of "doesn't deal with Amazon" or some such. Semantics, semantics. Doesn't matter. Since the posting is on Amazon, and since there isn't any picture or description, do you think it would be beneficial to upload that information? I'm sensing that this doesn't matter a whole lot to you. If I was the editor of a book and that book ended up on Amazon by some means (and I knew it was there), I'd probably want it presented in the best way possible. But, whatever works.

It doesn't matter hugely to me, but I was, I admit, a little surprised to discover (at just about the time you did) that there was no image there, and I do definitely think that it would be better if there were.

I've never dealt with marketing -- our director of publications does that -- and I don't know how or whether one interacts with Amazon on such a question. If I happen to run into her sometime soon and remember it, I'll mention the matter to our DoP.

[_LifeOnaPlate]

Good on you, The Dude.

[_wenglund]

I'm not sure that there are credibility issues associated with selling a product on Amazon, but I may have missed your point. Do you have any specific examples.

My brother, a Harvard MBA and former associate a Mitt Romney's Bain Capital, has been tryng to publish several books, and when I suggested that he self-publish through Amazon, he informed me that to do so would be an anathema in later getting published through reputible publishing houses.

That is as much as I am aware of.

Besides, it stands to reason that a scholarly worked publish by Oxford would care somewhat more credibility that were it self-published through Amazon. Don't you think?

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[_Yoda]

My brother, a Harvard MBA and former associate a Mitt Romney's Bain Capital, has been tryng to publish several books, and when I suggested that he self-publish through Amazon, he informed me that to do so would be an anathema in later getting published through reputible publishing houses.

That is as much as I am aware of.

Besides, it stands to reason that a scholarly worked publish by Oxford would care somewhat more credibility that were it self-published through Amazon. Don't you think?

There is a difference, though, between publishing through Amazon, and selling through Amazon.

There are plenty of scholarly works that are sold through Amazon. They are published by a variety of different publishers.

Selling through Amazon is smart. It gives more people exposure to your product.

I just recently bought a book on Amazon that I had seen at Borders. It had retailed at Borders Books for $40. I purchased it on Amazon for $26.

[_Scottie]

The problem for LDS seems to be that, as we learn more about the ancient Americas, the Book of Mormon story, as described and taught by Joseph Smith, has become less and less plausible, and the theory has instead grown up in apologetic circles, that we were never actually meant to have any proof of the Book of Mormon, because then we wouldn't have to have faith.

What I find amusing is the Chapel Mormons who swear that they are finding more proof every day.

I'm still not quite sure who "they" are? Maybe the same people who sucker people into taking Book of Mormon tours??

[_wenglund]

There is a difference, though, between publishing through Amazon, and selling through Amazon.

There are plenty of scholarly works that are sold through Amazon. They are published by a variety of different publishers.

Selling through Amazon is smart. It gives more people exposure to your product.

I just recently bought a book on Amazon that I had seen at Borders. It had retailed at Borders Books for $40. I purchased it on Amazon for $26.

The publish/sell distinction is an important one to make--though my last point only related to publishing.

And, while the Amazon pricing is attractive to the buyer, it may not be all that profitable to the seller, which can be off-putting to certain publishers (which is what DCP intimated may be the case with FARMS DoP).

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[_wenglund]

The problem for LDS seems to be that, as we learn more about the ancient Americas, the Book of Mormon story, as described and taught by Joseph Smith, has become less and less plausible, and the theory has instead grown up in apologetic circles, that we were never actually meant to have any proof of the Book of Mormon, because then we wouldn't have to have faith.

What I find amusing is the Chapel Mormons who swear that they are finding more proof every day.

I'm still not quite sure who "they" are? Maybe the same people who sucker people into taking Book of Mormon tours??

I am not sure who the "Chapel Mormons" are supposedly either. I honestly answered Shade's test questions online and scored as a "Chapel Mormon", and yet I haven't sworn once during the last decade to having found more proof, let alone "every day". So much for stereotypes. Go figure.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-