: ''See also critic. For the process on wikipedia, see Wikipedia:Reviewing.''

A review is an evaluation of a publication, a product or a service, such as a movie (a movie review), video game, musical composition (music review of a composition or recording), book (book review); a piece of hardware like a car, home appliance, or computer; or an event or performance, such as a live music concert, a play, musical theater show or dance show. In addition to a critical evaluation, the review's author may assign the work a rating to indicate its relative merit. More loosely, an author may review current events, trends, or items in the news. A compilation of reviews may itself be called a review. ''The New York Review of Books'', for instance, is a collection of essays on literature, culture, and current affairs. ''National Review'', founded by William F. Buckley, Jr., is an influential conservative magazine, and ''Monthly Review'' is a long-running socialist periodical.

In the scientific literature, review articles are a category of scientific paper, which provides a synthesis of research on a topic at that moment in time. A compilation of these reviews forms the core content of a 'secondary' scientific journal, with examples including Annual Reviews, the Nature Reviews series of journals and Trends. A ''peer review'' is the process by which scientists assess the work of their colleagues that has been submitted for publication in the scientific literature. A ''software review'' is also a form of peer review, by the co-workers.

A ''consumer review'' refers to a review written by the owner of a product or the user of a service who has sufficient experience to comment on reliability and whether or not the product or service delivers on its promises, otherwise known as product reviews.. An ''expert review'' usually refers to a review written by someone who has tested several peer products or services to identify which offers the best value for money or the best set of features. A ''bought review'' is the system where the creator (usually a company) of a new product pays a reviewer to review his new product.

Book review

A book review (or book report) is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit. It is often carried out in periodicals, as school work, or online. Its length may vary from a single paragraph to a substantial essay. Such a review often contains evaluations of the book on the basis of personal taste. Reviewers, in literary periodicals, often use the occasion of a book review for a display of learning or to promulgate their own ideas on the topic of a fiction or non-fiction work. At the other end of the spectrum, some book reviews resemble simple plot summaries.

Music reviews

Performance reviews

Reviews of live music performances are typically short articles that tell readers about the performers or group(s) that were involved and the pieces or songs that were performed. The comments made by reviewers fall, roughly into two categories: technical comments and subjective/artistic comments. The elements in the "technical" category include rhythmic "togetherness", intonation, errors or slip-ups, and so on. These elements are fairly "black and white"; a pianist playing a concerto either played the right notes on a climactic scale run, or she missed it. The subjective comments refer to elements which are a matter of taste. The balance between the different elements in a review (information about the performer or group; information about the pieces/songs; commentary about the technical and subjective elements of the performance) depends on the audience that a music critic is writing for. Music reviewers writing in local newspapers or general-interest magazines may not be able to assume that the readers will be familiar with music performers and pieces/songs, so they may decide to include a great deal of "background" information.

Recording reviews

Music critics and music writers also review recordings of music, including individual songs or pieces or entire albums. In the case of a review of an entire album, the reviewer will not only judge the individual songs or pieces; they will also judge how well all of the songs or pieces work together or go together.

The age of digital downloads may considerably change the album review. Where previously albums were purchased as collections of songs, often with a common theme, the rise of individual song downloads may have significant impact on consumers' exposure to an artist's music. Die-hard fans will most likely continue to explore an artist's complete work; but individuals will most likely make significantly different choices and "cherry-pick" songs they have been exposed to. The concept of "singles" or individual hits marked for retail has been around for long time; however the price for a single in the days of CDs or 45's was much closer to the complete album price. When you consider that each song on an artist's album is often priced at the same amount, the odds of the average consumer purchase the entire album instead of selecting the "hit" songs decreases significantly.

Composition reviews

In Classical music, music critics may also do reviews of compositions, even if the piece or song has never been performed and it only exists on manuscript paper in a score. To review a composition in this fashion, the critic will use music theory skills such as harmonic analysis and thematic analysis, along with their knowledge of idioms and compositional practices.

Bought review

A ''bought review'' is the system where the creator (usually a company) of a new product pays a reviewer to review his new product. Primarily used in the car, movie and game industry this system creates a kind of undercover advertising. Bought reviews tend to be biased due to the financial relationship the reviewer has with the makers of the product or item that is being evaluated—although exceptions occur. Nielsen (2009) proposes a framework for scholarly or academic reviews of dictionaries, but this framework may also be extended to other types of reviews. In particular, the requirement that reviews must provide useful information to the intended audience and the requirements to the informative value of reviews. In some cases, a bought review may be independent, if the person that is hired to do the review has a strong reputation for independence and integrity. Even if a "bought review" from a respected critic is actually independent, the perception of potential bias will remain, due to the financial relationship between the company and the critic.

A similar type of review that may be biased is the so-called "puff piece", a review of a product, film, or event that is written by a sympathetic reviewer or by an individual who has a connection to the product or event in question, either in terms of an employment relationship or other links. For example, a major media conglomerate that owns both print media and record companies may instruct one of its employees in one of its newspapers to do a review of an album which is being released by the conglomerate's record company. Although some journalists may assert their professional independence and integrity, and insist on producing an unbiased review, in other cases, writers may succumb to the pressure and pen a biased "puff piece" which praises the product or event while omitting any discussion of any shortcomings. In some cases, "puff pieces" purport to provide a review of the product or event, but instead merely provide "peacock words" ("An amazing recording"); "weasel words" ("probably one of the most important albums of the 2000s") and tabloid-style filler which is peripheral or irrelevant to assessing the qualities of the product or event ("During the filming, there were rumours that romantic sparks flew between the two co-leads, who were often seen talking together on the set").

See also

Book review

Concert review

Music criticism

Music journalism

References

Nielsen, S. (2009), “Reviewing printed and electronic dictionaries: A theoretical and practical framework”, in S. Nielsen/S. Tarp (eds.): ''Lexicography in the 21st Century''. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins 2009, 23-41.

Category:Writing occupations Category:Review websites Category:Evaluation

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Coordinates	12°58′0″N77°34′0″N
name	Michael Angelo Morales
image name	Michael Morales mugshot.jpg
nationality	American
birth date	October 17, 1959
conviction	Rape, murder – April 1983
conviction penalty	Execution by lethal injection
conviction status	On death row at San Quentin State Prison
children	}}

Michael Angelo Morales (born October 17, 1959) is a convicted murderer who was scheduled to be executed by the State of California at 7:30 p.m. on February 21, 2006. Two hours before the scheduled execution, the State of California notified the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that they could not comply with a lower federal judge's ruling that the execution must be carried out by a medical professional due to the chemical used in the execution. Consequently, California has indefinitely suspended Morales' execution. The case subsequently led to a moratorium on capital punishment in California entirely, as the only legal method of execution must be carried out with the participation of a licensed physician, who are ethically prohibited from participating in executions.

Death of Terri Winchell

Michael Angelo Morales has been convicted of murdering 17-year-old Terri Winchell on January 8, 1981, a crime to which it is claimed he has denied. Winchell was in a love triangle with Richard Ortega, a cousin of Morales, and another man. Ortega hired Morales to kill Winchell so that Ortega could have exclusive relations with his male lover. According to prosecutors, Morales attacked Winchell from behind and tried to strangle her with his belt. Morales then hit her head with a hammer, beating her into unconsciousness, and crushing the victim's skull. Morales then dragged Winchell face-down across the road and into a vineyard, where he raped her and stabbed her four times in the chest. Winchell died from both the head and chest wounds.

Trial and appeals

Morales has not denied that he committed the crime. His defense team argued, however, that since he was high on PCP at the time, the murder does not qualify for the "special circumstances" required against California state law for the death penalty. Morales' defense argued that the crime was not premeditated, despite the fact that he had told Ortega that he would defend him. The prosecution countered with evidence showing that Morales gathered tools before the encounter, practiced strangulation on two female acquaintances, and confessed to an informant while in jail.

Charles McGrath, the judge who originally sentenced Morales to execution, has announced that he has had a change of heart in the case. He now says he now doubts the testimony of an informant against Morales. Notably, the informant claimed that Morales confessed to him in Spanish, a language Morales does not speak. McGrath asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to grant Morales clemency under state law. In addition, Morales has claimed that he has found God in prison, and regrets the crime that he committed.

In early 2006, lead defense attorney David Senior hired former Whitewater special prosecutor Kenneth Starr to be one of Morales' attorneys on the appeals. Immediately prior to Morales' execution date, Senior filed papers claiming that five out of the 12 jurors had doubts about sentencing him to death. However, prosecutors alleged that the documents were forgeries, and accused investigator and anti-death penalty activist Kathleen Culhane of falsifying the documents. Senior and his team soon withdrew the documents. Ultimately, clemency was denied, but the falsified documents were not used in the rationale. Eventually, Culhane was criminally charged with forging the documents and, under a plea agreement, was sentenced to five years in prison. At her sentencing hearing, Culhane refused to express remorse to the State of California, stating her acts were crimes of conscience against Morales' execution and the death penalty.

Postponed execution

Morales' original execution date of February 21, 2006, was postponed as a result of two court-appointed anesthesiologists withdrawing from the procedure. This is the first death row inmate extant since a judge ruled that the current combination of drugs may cause severe pain, as corroborated by an April 2005 study published in the British medical journal, ''The Lancet''. The doctors cited ethical reasons for the decision to withdraw. They had been ordered by the court to intervene in the event Morales woke up or appeared to be in pain. Since both doctors withdrew, California planned to overdose Morales on intravenous barbiturates, the only other option allowed by the court.

The judge further ruled that the barbiturates could only be administered by a "licensed medical professional," meaning a doctor, nurse or other medical technician legally authorized to administer I.V. medications. Since all such medical personnel are bound by professional ethics against performing an execution, this ruling virtually assured that the execution could not take place. Having failed to find a medical professional willing to carry out the execution, California decided it could not comply with the judge's decision and would allow the death warrant to lapse. The death warrant will now have to be re-issued by the original trial judge, Charles McGrath, who has indicated that he no longer believes testimony from the 1982 trial and asked for clemency for Morales.

References

External links

Michael Morales; California Department of Corrections

People v. Michael Angelo Morales -- Background Information by the Office of Victims Services

Michael Morales Clemency Letter

Category:Living people Category:1959 births Category:1981 murders in the United States Category:American people convicted of murder Category:American prisoners sentenced to death Category:American rapists Category:People convicted of murder by California Category:Prisoners sentenced to death by California

Bruce Bawer (born October 31, 1956 in New York City) is an American literary critic, writer and poet. His work focuses mainly on criticism and issues related to Islam.

Personal life

Bawer received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in English from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he also taught courses in literature and composition.

He moved from New York to Amsterdam in 1998, where he felt that he could live better as a gay man in a more liberal society. He then moved to Oslo in 1999, and throughout the years has translated several books from Norwegian to English. He currently lives with his male partner in Oslo, Norway.

Works

Bawer's works have appeared in journals such as ''The New Republic'', ''The Nation'', ''Newsweek'', ''The Wall Street Journal'', ''The New Criterion'', ''The American Spectator'' and ''The Hudson Review''.

In ''A Place at the Table'', Bawer argued for what he considers a centrist and mainstream political philosophy at odds with the gay left. In ''Stealing Jesus'', Bawer leveled sharp criticism at evangelical, Pentecostal, and other strains of modern Christianity, including premillennialism and evangelical apologism for capitalism.

In ''While Europe Slept'', Bawer writes that Europe's politically correct culture defends and protects the Islamic fundamentalism that is preying upon its liberal social systems. Bawer argues that Islamists use welfare and religious grants to fund extremist mosques and support imams with a violent past. Once established in Western European nations, Bawer maintains, the Islamists avoid integration and answer only to sharia law, while avoiding the legal systems of their host nations, allowing abuse of women, gays, Jews and non-Muslims. In his conclusion, Bawer states that rising Muslim birthrates and "refusal" to integrate will allow them to dominate European society within 30 years, and that the only way to avoid such a disaster is to abolish the politically correct and multicultural doctrine that, according to him, is rife within the continent.

''While Europe Slept'' was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award for 2006 in the criticism category, a circumstance that led to controversy. Eliot Weinberger, one of the board members of the Circle, when he presented the list of nominations for the award, stated that Bawer's book was an example of "racism as criticism." Following that, the president of the Circle, John Freeman, declared that "I have never been more embarrassed by a choice than I have been with Bruce Bawer's ''When Europe Slept''. And claims its hyperventilated rhetoric tips from actual critique into Islamophobia." Bawer declared that comments such as those from Weinberger and Freeman came as no surprise, as he had been expecting a considerable amount of criticism from "politically correct" officials; in response, he stated that he had never criticized a race, only Islam as a "political ideology."

Since 2009, Bawer has also been an associate of the Oslo-based organisation ''Human Rights Service''.

In a review, Stephen Pollard described Bawer's 2009 book, ''Surrender: Appeasing Islam, Sacrificing Freedom,'' as an argument that liberal appeasement is paving the way for a replacement of European civilization by Islamic culture.

Bibliography

''The middle generation: the lives and poetry of Delmore Schwartz, Randall Jarrell, John Berryman, and Robert Lowell'', Archon Books, 1986, ISBN 9780208021250

''The contemporary stylist'', Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987, ISBN 9780155137165

''Diminishing fictions: essays on the modern American novel and its critics'', Graywolf Press, 1988, ISBN 9781555971090

''The screenplay's the thing: movie criticism, 1986-1990'', Archon Books, 1992, ISBN 9780208023322

''Prophets and Professors: Essays On the Lives and Work of Modern Poets'', Story Line Press, 1995, ISBN 9781885266040

''Beyond queer: challenging gay left orthodoxy'', Free Press, 1996, ISBN 9780684827667

''While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within'', Random House Digital, Inc., 2006, ISBN 9780385514729

Poetry

''Innocence: eight poems'', ralia Press, 1988

''Coast to coast: poems'', Story Line Press, 1993, ISBN 9780934257510

See also

Criticism of Islam

Criticism of multiculturalism

References

External links

Bruce Bawer Homepage

While Europe Sneered, ''City Journal'' online, 1-5-2010

An Anatomy of Surrender, ''City Journal,'' Spring 2008

The Peace Racket, ''City Journal,'' Summer 2007

Hating America

9/11, Five Years Later: A View from Europe

In Books, a Clash of Europe and Islam

'Surrender' by Bruce Bawer - a review by Tim Rutten, ''Los Angeles Times'', May 20, 2009

Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:American Christians Category:American essayists Category:American literary critics Category:American poets Category:American political writers Category:Gay writers Category:People from New York City Category:Criticism of Islam Category:Norwegian–English translators

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