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back to article None of your Bezos: Jeff's wife gives one star to journo's Amazon tome

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' wife has stuck up for him on the site, claiming in a review that a book about the business and Jeff is a "lopsided and misleading portrait". Mackenzie Bezos gave The Everything Store one star in a review that blasted its author, technology journalist Brad Stone. She wrote: "Everywhere I can fact …

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  1. Lord Elpuss Silver badge
    WTF?

    Bias

    "I am less biased than Jeff's own wife"

    No you're not, you wrote the damn book. Therefore in this context you have a greater vested interest (you need the book to succeed) than Jeff's wife, who probably couldn't give a shit about whether your book lives or dies.

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    1. Matt 21
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      Re: Bias

      Apparently she could... hence her review.

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      1. Lord Elpuss Silver badge
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        Re: Bias

        @Matt 21

        I write reviews with a star rating on books I've bought from Amazon all the time. My review is an indication of my satisfaction (or otherwise); it doesn't mean I care whether the book is a success or not.

        Writing a book review is a cathartic experience between a reader and a (typically remote and unreachable) author; it gives us a sense of participation. Which is odd, because the event in which we believe we're 'participating' is already finalised. Our review is therefore egocentric in the sense that we're doing it largely for our own benefit; the author won't care unless it represents or influences a trend.

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        1. Matt 21
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          Re: Bias

          Well, your Lordship, I imagine different people write book reviews for different reasons. Clearly there are many who do so in the hope that a books success will be effected one way or another. The person concerned may be a fan boy of some sort who sees the review as a way of promoting their idle, or someone dedicated to some political idea.......

          In this case, judging by the tone of her comments, it seems fairly clear that the gentleman's wife would be happiest if the book sold poorly as she feels it reflects badly on her husband.

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    2. sabroni Silver badge
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      Re: Bias

      Couldn't give a shit? Massive Amazon reviews don't write themselves. It's clear she gives a massive shit. And why does a desire for a book to succeed equate to bias towards it's subject?

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  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Vested interests

    OTOH, Bezos' wife definitely has a BIG interest in maintaining and (if possible) improving her husband's reputation. So the fate of the book would not be one of her concerns. Indeed, if she could prevent anyone from buying it, she would no doubt be content.

    I suppose it would be unconscionable to rule out reviews by close family members - but I wouldn't expect Mrs Bezos' review to be objective. (Anyone who has been married, or in a similar relationship, is keenly aware that objectivity about your nearest and dearest is not one of the greatest assets you can contribute).

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    1. Cliff
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      Re: Vested interests

      Yes, maybe, although she also wins from selling more copies of a controversial work. Irony can be mean like that.

      However, if you write a book about me claiming to know what I was thinking on a moment by moment basis, it'll be bollocks. By extension I have to cry foul on using literary devices from poor teen fiction ('he thought...') and ad hom attacks on people who don't agree with your presupposed position ('robots', originally meaning 'slaves') in a supposed bio. If nothing else, it's just lame.

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bias maybe...

    but it doesn't necessarily mean she is wrong either...

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  4. MrMur

    Obviously the author should of interviewed Bezo's wife for the book.

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    1. Hieronymus Howerd
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      Firstly, both she and Jeff declined to be interviewed, that's basically the point here, and secondly it's "should have". Obviously.

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    2. Lord Elpuss Silver badge
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      Could be wrong here (punctuation was never my strong suit) but isn't it also Bezos' wife, not Bezo's?

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  5. Just_this_guy

    Her prose sounds better than his.

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  6. DrXym

    Perhaps she is biased

    But I think it is fair criticism to wonder why an author use phrases that suggests he is privy to Bezos' frame of mind when it is clear that he wasn't.

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  7. James Pickett

    "even though Jeff wouldn't be interviewed for the book"

    Is that a clue?

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  8. GeezaGaz

    So what

    Has it got the bit where young jeffrey asks Mummy and Daddy for $200,000???

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  9. hi_robb

    How lovely.

    It sounds like Jeff and his Wife's romance is doing well and they won't have to rekindle their relationship....

    /Gets coat

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