Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/James Watson (author) (2nd nomination)


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was   no consensus. Spartaz Humbug! 03:32, 29 January 2011 (UTC)

James Watson (author)
AfDs for this article: 
 * – ( View AfD View log )

Minor author with no evidence of notability. The only source is a local newspaper, where the main reason for mentioning him seems to be that he is a "local" author. I know people of no notability at all who have received this much local press coverage. JamesBWatson (talk) 15:01, 21 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Comment Watson's novel Talking in Whispers seems to have garnered enough attention to merit an article per WP:NBOOK criteria #4, as Google books shows that it is used in many curricula. Perhaps the article could be rewritten with an emphasis on the book, with the author's biograpical information retained? It would then need to be moved to the new title "Talking in Whispers". Note that this is simply a suggestion, I have no strong inclination towards keeping or deleting the article. --Jezebel's Ponyo bons mots 16:34, 21 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Keep. Talking in Whispers is his most famous book but his other work has also received significant coverage.  See for example the "Authorgraph" profile and interview in Books for Keeps 58 (September 1989).  (As explained at the Books for Keeps website, "Authors selected for ‘Authorgraphing’ usually have a considerable publishing track-record and reputation.".) See also the several reviews listed by Tassedethe in the first Afd.--Arxiloxos (talk) 17:28, 21 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Authors-related deletion discussions.  -- • Gene93k (talk) 19:13, 21 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Keep per Talking in Whispers and other works,and its coverage.--BabbaQ (talk) 17:16, 22 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Delete - Amazon.com doesn't even sell most of his books, minor author and hardly any independent coverage other than a small town seemingly trying to promote itself (this is like claiming a local league sport is notable because the local newspaper covers it). WikiManOne (talk) 23:13, 24 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Keep - Talking in Whispers (1983) is listed (and given an extensive page-long discussion) as one of the critic Julia Eccleshare's 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up (Cassell, 2009). This establishes WP:NOTABILITY as a significant children's author. The Freedom Tree (1976) is also widely reviewed.  A profile of the author with a critical assessment of his career to date was included in Something about the author, vol 10, p. 192 (Gale Research, 1976), confirming independent assessment of his notability in this field, even then. Jheald (talk) 19:05, 26 January 2011 (UTC)
 * Keep. The article itself provides evidence of notability. Just because it isn't on Amazon is hardly compelling. A lot of books - particularly older ones or those in the pre-internet age - aren't available on Amazon. In any event, some of his books are available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/gIowaw. Moreover, the fact that his work has won or been nominated for notable awards is further evidence of notability.Agent 86 (talk) 00:21, 29 January 2011 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.