I often find that a play or a book I have read has no reviews on Amazon. If it is a particularly insightful literary work then this always strikes me as a damn shame. The question is, should I do anything about it?
Keep in mind that writing a thoughtful review is unpaid literary work. The fact is that I do a lot of unpaid literary work. I do a lot of research and think deeply without ever getting any benefit from it. I feel like I am just wasting my time like a fool. But this needs to be examined. The only real reason this has been a waste is because I keep my thoughts to myself. When you find an important literary work on Amazon with no reviews it is hardly likely that nobody appreciated the book. But all the readers have kept their thoughts to themselves. Nothing can ever come of your silence.
Amazon is an important distributor of books. It dominates the literary world and getting good reviews on Amazon is critical for many writers. There is even a lot of cheating and scandals caused by fake reviews which are written to promote new books. Amazon is a world wide platform for literary review and everyone knows it. So technically when you find a book that you found significant and there are no reviews to testify to its significance you should consider this a rare opportunity. By providing a thoughtful review you can demonstrate to the book’s readers that you are a perceptive reader. You have a chance to reveal your thoughts. And if you are the only reader to have done so that is even more indicative of how exceptional you are.
Published plays seem to be meet with more silence than any other form of literature. I profess to have a genuine and deep appreciation for serious drama but it is virtually a secret. I don’t take every opportunity to express this appreciation. I suspect a lot would change for me if I changed this. Writing Amazon reviews is the perfect venue for expressing to the public my appreciation for serious drama. Granted the lack of reviews may actually indicate that nobody is reading the play. Leaving reviews on obscure plays will never get you anywhere. However, the plays I do read reflect my good taste and I should trust my good taste. I will be expressing my appreciation for serious drama which deserves my appreciation. It is an action which reveals character.
