I love to read. I hate to be interrupted. And the worst kind of interruption is one created by an author.
I'm reading two books right now that have the same problem: Habits of the Mind by James Sire and Ready for Anything by David Allen.
Both decided what they had to say was so unimportant that it was necessary to interrupt their writing the random placement snappy quotations from other writers on just about every flippin' page. It drives me nuts. Does the quote fit in directly with what you're writing about? Yes? Then why isn't it part of your main text? No? Then why is it even on the page?
I can only figure that it's designed to draw in un-serious readers. I wish they'd cut it out. On the flip side, I love it when authors use a quotation to set the stage for a new chapter. George Grant is a master at it.
Endnotes rub me wrong, too. Especially when there's an endnote marked in the text, and I run to the reference at the back of the book, only to discover he's not citing anybody, he's just writing some more.
- D.A. Carson
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I love footnotes, too. I just don't get the apparent consensus that footnotes freak most readers out.
I am with you both on the footnotes issue. I believe that if government really wanted to do something helpful, they would ban the use of endnotes and enforce it with the strictest of penalties.
Regarding the quotes in the middle of a page, I suspect this is not the authors but the editors. This is for people who are too old to "just look at the pictures" in a book. They flip through the book and read these quotes so they can say they have actually read the book though, of course, they haven't.
Me four--I'm right there with Jared. In books with endnotes, I usually wind up with two bookmarks going . . .
The Ancient Mariner is far more conscientious and willing to make an effort than I. I read footnotes, I don't read endnotes.
Honestly, being conscientious has nothing to do with it. If curiosity really killed the cat, I'd be one dead mouser.
Hear hear! Let us unite, and burn all books with endnotes!
Because they're really, really confusing. And pointless.
Yeah! I can't not thumb back there and locate the note, because I just know the author's going to be following a really interesting and enlightening rabbit trail.
When I go through all that rigmarole just to come across a citation . . .
Amen, Brother Jared! Preach it!
:)
(I usually wind up making a mental note of the next endnote that's more than just citation, and then watching for the number as I read . . . it's distracting, but it beats the alternatives.)
I'm with you on the endnotes thing...although, I must say that the quotations were about the best part of the Sire book.
On the flip side, I love it when authors use a quotation to set the stage for a new chapter.
Yeah, I love that too!
Endnotes are for the birds ... oh, crap. Did I just say that?
Ooo, I hate endnotes too. One of my big book pet peeves.
I much prefer footnotes. Like them a lot, actually, particularly when they're the author writing some more. :-)