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Subject:STYLE: Prefaces/Introductions From:Bev Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Fri, 24 Mar 1995 09:02:03 MST
I'm reading a book titled _Editors on Editing_, edited by Gerald
Gross. It's a compilation of essays written by professional
editors about the writing/editing process. In one chapter, Janet
Hoover Thoma (VP of Janet Thoma Books, a division of Thomas
Nelson Publishers) says "I rarely use introductions in my books
because I believe that many readers skip prefaces or
introductions and therefore never read this important
information." She goes on to state that she usually incorporates
that type of information into her first chapter.
When I sit down to read a book (and, yes, I even read reference
books cover-to-cover), I always read the front matter--even the
acknowledgements! The only thing I don't read (unless I'm
looking for something specific) is the table of contents.
(I usually scan the TOC before buying the book, however.)
This leads to several questions for general discussion:
1. Do *you* read front matter?
2. Do you agree with Ms. Thoma that most people *don't read*
prefaces or introductions?
2. Do you use a preface and/or introduction in your documents?
Why or why not?
=*= Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil =*=
=*= "These opinions are mine, not my employer's." =*=
=*= =*= =*=
