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   Philip Cardella (philip_cardella@historians.social)'s status on Saturday, 16-Nov-2024 08:59:05 JST Philip Cardella

   I can't emphasize this enough, if someone is publishing a non fiction non memoir book that wasn't published by a university press you should examine it extra closely.

   Why? First, because there's plenty of shit published by university presses that should never have been published--and university presses, in theory, have many people deciding if it meets the accuracy requirements for publication.

   A non university press book, or trade press, book, *might* only care about sales. 1/3

   • Embed this notice
     Philip Cardella (philip_cardella@historians.social)'s status on Saturday, 16-Nov-2024 08:59:04 JST Philip Cardella

     in reply to

     Am I saying don't by trade press books? OF COURSE NOT. I'm just saying be MORE cautious.

     And if Oprah says it's good, I'm truly sorry to say, be even more skeptical. This means the trade press used an agent to get it in her hands so *selling* books is likely the priority over accuracy.

     What if a well know historian publishes in a trade press--like Heather Cox Richardson has for her last few books?

     Yes! Be MORE skeptical of those books. But 2/3

     HistoPol (#HP) 🏴 🇺🇸 🏴 repeated this.
   • Embed this notice
     Philip Cardella (philip_cardella@historians.social)'s status on Saturday, 16-Nov-2024 08:59:04 JST Philip Cardella

     in reply to

     Also keep in mind Heather Cox Richardson earned your trust so it's ok to not be as skeptical.

     And here's a fun thing: Richardson's most recent books are not presenting new research. They're essentially opinion books based on her encyclopedic knowledge.

     I own ALL of her books. I use her as an example because I love her and I'm saying, yes, still question her non up books more.

     btw those books aren't formally peer reviewed... But she does have them informally peer reviewed. 3/3.