Sorry, but I’m still struggling to see the “other side” here — you talk a lot about Silman’s supposed lack of professionalism, but you don’t seem to get just how irresponsible (and potentially dangerous) posting someone’s contact details online without their consent can be. I’d respectfully suggest that if someone at Hoffman’s publisher or agent’s did the same to her, there would be hell to pay — with compound interest. And quite rightly so.

Again …
To me, a professional reviewer has some sort of degree in English Lit. and is held to a higher standard of critical analysis than an amateur reviewer (like book bloggers). While I’ve argued many times that there is a place for both sorts, it is interesting to watch how the internet is changing everything about publishing, including reviews.

I see Hoffman did the right thing today and I hope Ms. Silman will lay her rightful anger aside and consider how spoiling a story for the reader might not be the best way to professionally review a book in the future.

So it’s okay for an author who doesn’t like a review to post the reviewer’s home phone number and encourage her fans to call and complain? Give me a fucking break. Alice Hoffman is a bestselling writer who, despite ever-dwindling review coverage, still gets reviewed in the major papers. She’s in that extraordinarily rare company of writers who can earn money off their writing. If she wants to spout off about a negative review, fine, she can go right ahead, even though it usually makes the author look like a baby…but to post the reviewer’s home phone and encourage her readers to call and complain is prideful at best and harassment at worst. If her ego is so fragile, she shouldn’t work in a medium that puts her work out for public criticism. But since you’re okay with Hoffman’s tactics, Mary S., perhaps your phone number should be posted so that those who disagree with you can call and harass you as well. Would you welcome that abuse? I doubt it.

Suggesting that Roberta Silman is somehow unprofessional is just bizarre–she’s a very distinguished writer with a career at least as long as Hoffman’s.

Now, there may be some validity to the charge of condescension; I think it’s often a poor idea to assign mainstream fiction to literary fiction writers for review for just that reason. But unprofessionalism really isn’t on.

It looks as if Hoffman’s Twitter page is down or taken off,due to this and if it goes back up,I hope Ms. Hoffman issues an apology.

I am a Hoffman reader, having read almost everything she’s written, and was very disappointed that Silman’s review did not warn me of spoilers ahead (as many reviewers will warn). I have not read The Story Sisters yet, though I just purchased it last week, and now know that a major character dies and this motivates the plot direction.

If professional critics/reviewers are going to continue publishing paid reviews for news organizations, they are going to have to be held to a higher standard than we blog reviewers. And while I think there is a place for both amateur blog reviewers and professional critics, Silman’s review does wander toward a “book report” format as Hoffman so ineffectively ranted.

Two rights = Wrong situation (and now I am spoiled for my weekend read!)

Does that mean it is slightly nasty or vicious?

I followed your link and read the review, and although I would not call it nasty, it does have a rather condescending tone and I thought the last paragraph read as a not too subtle shot at Hoffman’s readers for enjoying her work in general- whether it was intended that way or not.

I have not actually read her work before, but this book was on my list to read, and remains there, regardless of the review.