I remember when libraries prided themselves on their information desk. You could call up the local public library and ask, say, "What is the maximum air speed velocity of an African swallow?" and someone would rush to provide you with a definitive answer. As school children we spent countless hours looking up "facts" in the reference section of the library.
We all knew the World Book Encyclopedia was easier to read, but if you wanted the absolute truth, you had to use the Encyclopaedia Britannica. We may have been na?ve, but there was a certainty about the printed word. Not total brainless acceptance, but if it was in the reference section of the library, then it probably spoke the truth. In fact, most nonfiction books could be expected to have a modicum of veracity about them.
There were, of course, the True Ghost Story and Strange Tales books with chapters such as "The Mystery of the Flatwoods Monster," but everyone knew they were not the sort of thing you wrote a book report on. The really wacky stuff was published by small specialty houses, and you knew to distrust them. Vanity presses were the venue of last resort for the truly bizarre. In general, though, a work of nonfiction from a "reputable" publishing house would be expected to be what it was called–nonfiction.
Recommended For You
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader
Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
