Re: Fwd: [CR] Re: Using images; Was: Whining about Campagnolo:75Years of Cycling Passion

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From: "Dr. Paul Williams" <castell5@sympatico.ca>
To: "Classic Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <569664.15209.qm@web82205.mail.mud.yahoo.com> <a062309e0c52a8e3346d2@192.168.1.34> <8CB065AA8F2A421-AA4-4AE@MBLK-M08.sysops.aol.com> <58dbc8400810271000n2c25d60ahb318b47edc7755c5@mail.gmail.com> <58dbc8400810271054t6d781610l26ced71c1ec9735f@mail.gmail.com> <a062309f8c52bd47e6c59@[192.168.1.34]>
Subject: Re: Fwd: [CR] Re: Using images; Was: Whining about Campagnolo:75Years of Cycling Passion
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:37:24 -0400
reply-type=response

I never write reviews without having read a book, nor do I usually wade into areas in which I am not an expert, so this is an exception.

As I am sure Jan would concur from his experience with BQ and with his two superb tomes, there is difference between the publication of matters which are still up for debate (and are, thus, a cause for differing opinion) and those which are a matter of record I am sure there are those whose opinions differ from those which Jan presents in his publications - we have had evidence of such disagreements on this list from time to time. That is part of healthy research and debate.

On the other hand, the misrepresentation of facts in the book in question is what seems to be most troubling. Regardless of its apparent usefulness in providing pictorial and historical details of 75 years of Campagnolo history in one place, this book has the potential of becoming THE definitive history of Campagnolo; the standard reference book, for some at least, on this matter for years to come. It is, after all, in print! Moreover, the reality is that few if any of us has the energy or time to produce an alternative.

Nevertheless, with so many resources at the fingertips of the authors (including the collective widsom on this forum), it is difficult to accept that such a book could make it to the printing stage without getting all of its facts straight. In the academic world, with which I am most familiar, this would be considered as very shoddy research. Having said that, I have to believe that partial fault must lie with its publishers/ editors. Academic publications are vetted, refereed, reviewed and edited at a number of different stages (now it would be naive of me to insist that all such publications are error free, but the reality is that there is a whole process in place which is intended to minimise errata). While this publication is not an academic book as such, I believe that the role of its publishers/ editors should have been to make sure that all facts (and material borrowed from other sources) were properly researched, supported and presented!!

The end result, therefore, would have been a piece which would have been beyond reproach and, potentially, a much stronger, invaluable resource on one of the most important contributions to cycling history.

Paul B. Williams, BAH, MPhil, PhD
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
castell5@sympatico.ca


----- Original Message -----
From: Jan Heine
To: Harry Travis


<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 4:40 PM Subject: Re: Fwd: [CR] Re: Using images; Was: Whining about Campagnolo:75Years of Cycling Passion


> At 1:54 PM -0400 10/27/08, Harry Travis wrote:
>>I don't mean to encourage sales of a poor book. But, perhaps knowledgeable
>>affficionados here could compile a list of errors, and politely submit
>>them, perhaps over Dale's letterhead, not as criticism, but as errata,
>>urging the publisher to include them as errata such with all new copies,
>>and
>>in any subsequent editions.
>
> That would be a good idea if this was a serious, good-faith effort at
> producing a carefully researched book, with just a few unfortunate
> oversights. Bicycle Quarterly publishes corrections and additions. Most
> changes are additions, when new information comes to light, and I am
> encouraging anybody to submit comments/corrections/additions.
>
> However, I see a few problems with compiling an errors list for the new
> Campagnolo book:
>
> 1. The number of errors is just overwhelming. I only picked three in my
> post, but I easily could add many more. It would make the publisher look
> bad if the list of errata was many pages long. So I doubt they would want
> to include it.
>
> 2. What about the rare glimpses of new information in the book? Are we
> willing to accept those "facts" because we cannot (yet?) disprove them? I
> would argue that we should throw them out until we can corroborate the
> information independently.
>
> 3. What is the point of the book if we use that approach? If we correct
> what is wrong, confirm what we know is right, and disregard anything that
> we cannot confirm, then the book does not offer anything new. Even the
> photos are all taken from other sources. (For $ 25, Jitensha sells the
> Bicycle Club Special issue "All About Campagnolo," from which the new book
> took almost all photos of Campagnolo derailleurs.)
>
> 4. This effort would validate the book and would set a precedent. If the
> authors had come to the CR list before publishing the book, and asked for
> input, that would have been different. I once worked on a collectors guide
> for model railroads where the authors solicited comments before they
> published it. I think that is the better way to go. (Bicycle Quarterly
> usually sends historic articles for review before publishing them.)
>
> Jan Heine
> Editor
> Bicycle Quarterly
> 140 Lakeside Ave #C
> Seattle WA 98122
> http://www.bikequarterly.com