Good Book Alert: FLIGHT, V.Bonta

[Lex Systems <lex@LINK.CA>]

This is not a message for posting, unless you feel there is some
merit in doing so AFTER investigating.

I got this interesting email today.  I don't know the person
"John G. Desmond", and don't recall the source. He does call
me by my first name, but by admission doesn't know me at all.

He quotes Library / Teachers Listserve. LM_NET is the listserve I
belong to that is for teacher librarians.  Teacher librarians don't
generally refer to themselves as "Library /Teachers".

I have a suscpicion that this person is also doing commercial promotion
while making it seem like "a fellow librarian passing on a recommendation."

What do you think?  Have others received this message?

I admit that while I am a coordinator of school librarians,  I also have
a commercial interest in library automation.  When mailing
individuals personally I always let them know if my message has a
commercial intent, eg. "I am involved in selling a product called...etc."

If the message below is NOT commercial, why did it come to me personally,
rather than from a listserve?  IF this message IS commercial, it is
disguising its intent.

I have emailed John, and asked how he managed to send this to me by
my name, when the letter seems to be mass produced.  Will inform you
if I discover anything of interest.

Sorry if I am too much the skeptic.

Jim Bruce

>From: HighBeam4U@aol.com
>Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 20:15:37 -0400
>To: lex@the.link.ca
>Subject: Good Book Alert: FLIGHT, V.Bonta
>
>Dear Jim,
>
>
>We have not met personally, but belong to the Library / Teachers Listserve
>group.
>
>This summer, I read a review in ALA Booklist (June) about a new release,
>FLIGHT: a quantum fiction novel  by Vanna Bonta. Words in the ALA review such
>as "auspicious", "genre-bending", and "inspiring romantic adventure" peaked
>my interest. Partly out of curiosity, since the novel sounded so original and
>unique, I picked up a copy. I avoid cliche`s, but did not want to put this
>book down.
>
>In the process of wondering if my opinion was shared by others (as I had
>never heard of the title or author), I did some checking. It turned out this
>novel is creating quite a buzz in other circles. Subsequently, an excellent
>review appeared in Publisher's Weekly (June 26). I've since discovered that
>hundreds of libraries were ordering FLIGHT and that School Library Journal
>was reviewing it as recommended young adult crossover reading.  I and an
>associate introduced it as a Modern Lit required reading selection for young
>adults. Our students are reading it eagerly and with enthusiasm, and she
>reported that even her more recalcitrant and "toughened" students are moved
>and engrossed by this novel. She was amused to relay that one commented, "It
>isn't even like reading."
>
>You may have heard about it by now, but I felt it important to express my
>views with my associates.  Aside from it being of interest as a hybrid genre,
>it addresses some crucial and critical issues of our times, i.e. love,
>substance abuse, social awareness, survival, and responsibility, with an
>impassioned, refreshing voice.  This novel is demonstrating responses we have
>always felt literature should elicit, and this is something our community
>should be up-to-date on.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>John G. Desmond
>
>
>
>
>