THE REAL JIMMY CARTER

Book reviews are supposed to acquaint me, a prospective reader, with what a book is all about. Richard Eder performs the reviewer’s task admirably. All of the youngsters who reviewed the Encyclopedias in your Book Review section of Jan. 3 wrote about the books.

In his review of Jimmy Carter’s opus, “Turning Point,” Robert Dallek misused two-thirds of his review in presenting his own political agenda, with only the remaining third left to discuss the book.

A book-review editor has a responsibility to the readers to edit out reviews that promote the reviewer’s agenda. As did the kids, reviewers must write about the books!

TOM B. STEPHENSON

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO