Ramage

In the time I've spent reading this book, I've found points that Ramage has made that I've both liked (or rather not completely disagreed with) and disliked. The first two chapters were kind of annoying, mostly because it seemed to me that he was speaking to the reader with a tone in which did not offer any consideration of a differing point of view (for example, his examples of "rhetoricians" and "serious people). Like I said in class, I felt like I was listening to Rush Limbaugh. Which is funny, because is chapter three he compares propoganda to "talk radio call-in shows" (page 75). Anyways, most of my disagreement came within chapter two, while he was speaking about identity, during which I spent a duration of the chapter arguing with the book... and my boyfriend spent much of that time looking at me strangely. I found chapter three a bit easier to digest, however, and didn't really find as much to disagree with (unfortunately).

Overall, I would say the book is interesting a presents some claims that are new to me; some of the things that Ramage discusses, though, just seem a little silly. I wanted to reach into the book and slap him when he felt the need to disclose to the reader what qualifies at literary (page 76). I also found it a little ridiculous that he felt it necessary to discuss why beer advertisements advertise the way that they do (then again I suppose it was a needed example).

And now I have to go to class. :)