[PADG:1280] Re: Richard Cox takes on Nicholson Baker--live!

[Lorraine Olley <l-olley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Although I haven't read the book yet, I have read Baker's New Yorker 
article, several book reviews, and some of the responses that have been 
posted on the web.  For an exposure of some of Baker's own faulty arguments 
and misleading rhetorical devises, please see Robert Darton's review in the 
New York Review of Books.

In my humble opinion, I think that Cox is a good choice for debater, 
because he attempts to understand Baker's arguments and popular appeal in a 
context--the collectibles culture of which eBay, Martha Stewart and Bombay 
instant collectibles, and the Antique Roadshow are also 
manifestations--more appropriate for his allegations and assertions than 
the field of librarianship.  I think the debate will be enlightning for all.


At 07:56 AM 04/24/2001 -0400, Walter Cybulski wrote:
>Ellen:
>
>A candid comment, well worth every e-penny!  Of those who have spoken thus 
>far in response to Baker's book, whose arguments are less faulty?  Who 
>should be debating Baker?
>
>Walter
>
> >>> abbeypub@xxxxxxxxx 04/23/01 11:07AM >>>
>Lorraine - I read Cox's reply to Baker on FirstMonday, and so did Gary
>Frost, who commented on Cox's debating skill in his own website.  He and I
>agreed that Cox is not a good debater, because his arguments are faulty.
>
>So I don't think either party will bring much light to be shed on the
>topic.  I would say they deserve each other.  But thanks for letting me
>know.
>
>Ellen
>
>
>
> >At the Center for Research Libraries meeting on Friday, there was a
> >thoughtful and witty presentation by Archivist Richard Cox responding to
> >Nicholson Baker's allegations about newspapers and their
> >preservation.   Cox mentioned that he will be debating Baker at Simmons on
> >May 16.  The announcement for the event is at
> >http://www.simmons.edu/gslis/alumni/alumnday01.html.  I don't know if this
> >has been widely publicized, but I do hope that my east coast colleagues
> >will be able to attend "The Great Paper Debate" and cheer for our guy.
> >
> >You may read Cox's response to Baker's New Yorker article on newspapers in
> >First Monday http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue5_12/cox/.
> >
> >
> >__________________________
> >
> >Lorraine Olley
> >Head, Preservation Department
> >Northwestern University Library
> >1935 Sheridan Road
> >Evanston, IL 60208
> >USA
> >847-491-4672 v
> >847-491-8306 f
> >l-olley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



__________________________

Lorraine Olley
Head, Preservation Department
Northwestern University Library
1935 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
USA
847-491-4672 v
847-491-8306 f
l-olley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx