Misleading blurbs to be crime

Jay Mandal

Jay Mandal

Something I came across today.

'Misleading Critical Blurbs Soon to Be a Crime in England

'London's The Stage reports that starting in 2008, advertisements that misleadingly quote critical reviews could subject producers to criminal penalties. The European Union's new Unfair Commercial Practices Directive goes into effect in England, and it could apply to theater advertisements, according to one local solicitor.

'But will this law result in any prosecutions? Or is this much ado about nothing? ("We are … amused," raves Queen Elizabeth I!) Reportedly, the relevant British government office will be looking for a test case come the end of the year; in order to be punishable, manipulated quotes would be violations if they influence consumer behavior and if they do not meet the "standard of care reasonably expected of a producer."'

dorothyd

this could be interesting ...

Stirling

I've yet to come across a blurb that accurately portrays the book.  Most of the time the blurbs are better than the books, and the stories unrecognisable.

Jay Mandal

Stephen Fry's letter to me, after I sent him a copy of 'The Dandelion Clock, read as follows:

"Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to read your manuscript. Many congratulations - I know what hard work it is and I wish your future well."

He was one of the first people to write to me. I must admit I used excerpts of his letter to encourage other people to read my work.

Stirling

Now that's cool.

Jay Mandal

Well, I'm not sure he actually read my book, if you see what I'm getting at ...

Tessa Tangent

If that's the case, then surely much advertising could be tried in the same court!  Why, for instance, does my friend's car not turn into a robot? 

But a great point made.  Let's face it, many authors have a say in the blurb.  And they want to sell it; whether it lives up to expectations or not!  Maybe they (er, that's like me, then) see it one way, say: exciting, tense, hilarious.
And some dull so and so with nothing to do but write letters to the Times on a daily basis (probably keeps a window in his/her diary for that) decides to bring it up and they shove in an article about it.  Next thing, we're up the law courts.

I think I shall write, "only buy this book if you are prepared to laugh at yourself and cry with your friends".  Just to keep on the safe side, you understand.

Tessa Tangent

There's a good point, though, about those quotes hailed in glorious technicolour outside theatres.  I mean, a quote like "fantastic entertainment" could have come from a review saying something along the lines of "Amongst the fantastic entertainment I've had at my newspaper's expense this year was this play called "Blah".  I hated it."

Carol

That was revealed on tv recently, a newspaper had done a review, and there was only one positive point in the whole review, the rest was bad, but the good bit was quoted so it appeared stunning.

Tessa Tangent

Just what I'm saying, Carol, and I would feel ripped off if only going by the neon-lit quotes outside a theatre.  Sometimes, I do sit inside wondering if the person who quoted was in their right mind at the time.

Carol

I find reviews for the latest films very misleading too. Often those that have a bad review are okay, even quite good; and vice versa. So if I'm interested in the film I'll make my own judgement.
I'd be very miffed if a supposedly good film was awful.