Bashing Amazon Rant

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JimmyH

Puritan Board Senior
In the thread comparing Calvin's Institutes the first English translation, by Thomas Norton, elicits some praise. Enough to pique my interest so I go to Amazon to see what my options are. Typing in the requisite info to their search menu brings me to a hard copy or kindle.
So I opt for the kindle version @ $0.99 and download it. It is not the Thomas Norton translation, so I immediately return it. I had hoped that the reviews would tell me if it was the Norton version, and if it is formatted well for the kindle.
Here is where my rant starts ... There are 351 reviews for Calvin's Institutes on Amazon. Whether the Battles, Beveridge, Allen, or Norton translation is sourced on their pages, whether hard copy or electronic, the same 351 reviews.
I have spoken to Amazon customer service on the phone about this, a fool's errand I know, but as the kids say .... it is what it is.
End of rant.
I bought it on Logos so now I have it ... now to read it ...;)
 
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You can sort reviews by edition/format to address this issue. Click on the see all reviews link and the option should appear in one of the drop down boxes.
 
You can sort reviews by edition/format to address this issue. Click on the see all reviews link and the option should appear in one of the drop down boxes.
Thanks for the tip, but for whatever reason, on my particular display the drop down arrow (to the right of the gold stars) only offers a selection of reviews based on how many stars received, or 'see all reviews.' Still @ 351 as of this hour. Screenshot-19.png
 
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Click see all reviews and you should get to a page like this. When you click the "All formats" dropdown menu you should be able to select just the format you're looking at, in this case "Kindle Edition." There are zero reviews for it it appears, which doesn't help you too much but at least you know that the other reviews do not apply to the kindle format. I find this useful whenever I'm looking at older books due to the prevalence of poor, unedited OCR releases.
 
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Click see all reviews and you should get to a page like this. When you click the "All formats" dropdown menu you should be able to select just the format you're looking at, in this case "Kindle Edition." There are zero reviews for it it appears, which doesn't help you too much but at least you know that the other reviews do not apply to the kindle format. I find this useful whenever I'm looking at older books due to the prevalence of poor, unedited OCR releases.
Thanks, I see what you mean, but that feature, while desireable, is not what I was referring to in my rant/complaint. In another thread the English translation of the French 1541 edition of the Institutes is praised. There are currently editions by different translators available on Amazon. The Banner of Truth edition, translated by Robert White, and the Eerdmans translated by Elsie Anne McKee.

The BOT edition shows the same 352 reviews as does almost any listing for the Institutes regardless of edition or English translator. The Eerdmans edition only has 9 reviews, which is surprising to me, but maybe Amazon is pushing it, as it is the first one to show up in a search for 'Calvin institutes French.' You have to go down page a ways to find the BOT version.

Thing is, I don't know Latin, or French. I have to trust the translator. I have no knowledge of Robert White or Elsie Anne McKee. It would be nice to have Amazon reviews that addressed the specific book/author/translator, rather than throwing them together as they seem to do more often than not.
 
If I were looking for reviews of the various different editions, I would ask for opinions right here on the Puritan Board rather than look on Amazon.
 
If I were looking for reviews of the various different editions, I would ask for opinions right here on the Puritan Board rather than look on Amazon.
I absolutely do look here on the PB. I usually do a search, and 9 out of 10 times come up with previous threads. There are a number of discussions about Calvin's institutes, Battles compared with Beveridge and Allen.
I like to check reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and other blogs and book sites for books that aren't going to have 352 reviews. So many books to read, so little time .... :doh:
 
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