Having one's book reviewed is almost always a good thing. It means that someone is reading your book and taking it seriously enough to reflect on it and write about it.
The editors over at the Out of Ur blog (from Christianity Today) told me they were surprised when they received Chad Hall's review of my book; they weren't expecting it to be so negative. So they gave me the opportunity to respond, which I have.
I sat on Mr. Hall's review for a while before responding. It's difficult to be accused of being "supremely arrogant," and it's even more difficult to respond to that charge without sounding supremely arrogant. Really. Think about it.
The tack of my friend, Brian McLaren, in these situations is almost always to be gracious in the face of harsh criticism, so I strongly considered that angle. But in the end, I just decided to defend myself point-by-point from Mr. Hall's criticism. Maybe I should have been more gracious; hindsight will tell...
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Tony Jones at the Beliefnet Community
Tony,
Just wanted to let you know that I really appreciated your book. For every person who is mean-spiritedly criticizing you in the blogosphere, there are a handful of people who have found in your words a kindred spirit of hope and reconciliation.
Shalom Brother...
PS...See you in Atlanta.
www.wayoftherevolution.wordpress.com
Tony,
A Starbucks coffee cup once told me that "the humble improve". McLaren may be on to something.
Whether the review was fair or not, you come off badly. If the reviewer were as small as your response makes him out to be, he wouldn't be worth your efforts. Your response sounds argumentative and petty, and whatever smallness his review revealed, your response puts you on his same level.
Sorry for being frank. I suppose that's the benefit of being an unknown commenter.