From: [deleted]
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 1995 15:52:28 -0400
To: danampersanderic@andrew.cmu.edu
Subject: faux pas
In one of our circulation piles (stacks of papers and books circulated
by my boss) I found the following packet.
item one:
a letter from the journal of the american chemical society (JACS) to
[Dr. Pseud Onym]
asking him to review a copy of a book. the book was written by [Pseud
Onym]. That's right, they asked him to review his own book.
item two:
a very favorable review of this book, written by [Onym]. some
quotes: "The reviewer finds the style and analogies easily
understandable. I can only praise the author's emphasis on
connections with specific areas of theoretical and computational
chemistry; these are precisely the areas I find important."
item three:
a handwritten letter from JACS to [Onym], saying:
"Thanks for the review. enclosed is your complementary copy of the book."
item four:
another letter from JACS to [Onym], saying:
Never let it be said that chemists have no sense of humor. I had
quite a chuckle today while editing your review. Happily, I am
[the book editor of JACS] *new* assistant and, am not,
therefore, the fool who asked you to review your own book.
Unfortunately, I am the idiot who responded, in a too timely
fashion, to your october 23rd letter by mailing you our only copy of
your book. If you will return mail it to me, I will find a reviewer
for it. mea culpa.
item five:
an order form for the book sent to JACS from [Onym].
what a funny thing.
it made my day
-[deleted]
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