Amazon has temporarily stopped users from reviewing South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s new book, “No Going Back,” due to what the company describes as “unusual reviewing activity.” This action follows significant public criticism of Noem’s revelations in the book, including an incident where she describes killing her dog.
Kristi Noem’s dog killing comments sparks anger forcing Amazon to restrict reviews
Users attempting to leave reviews are met with a notification stating, “Amazon has noticed unusual reviewing activity on this product. Due to this activity, we have limited this product to verified purchase reviews,” a move reflecting the e-commerce giant’s cautious approach to ensure the authenticity of user feedback.
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Released just this Tuesday, the book has quickly attracted attention, not all of it favourable. As of Wednesday morning, “No Going Back” has received a one-star rating on Amazon.
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Amazon, who also owns Goodreads, has restricted reviews on the books platform as well. According to the Amazon page, there had been 35 one-star reviews on the literature site as well. Aside from review bombing, there appears to be a large amount of AI-generated biographies on the governor. Many of these books were published in February when she was considered a possible vice president for US Presidential candidate runner Donald Trump.
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“We want Amazon customers to shop with confidence knowing that the reviews they see are authentic and trustworthy,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent. “If we notice unusual reviewing activity, we will occasionally limit reviews to verified purchases only.”
Noem defends decision to euthanise family dog
The book’s controversy centres on an excerpt where Noem details the euthanising of her 14-month-old wire-haired pointer, Cricket, two decades ago. Describing the dog as “untrainable” and a danger, Noem writes, “I hated that dog… At that moment, I realized I had to put her down…It was not a pleasant job… it had to be done.”
This admission has sparked widespread condemnation across social media platforms, from celebrities to political figures, and even from former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. She was also the subject of the popular comedy skit show Saturday Night Live. Despite the uproar, Governor Noem has defended her actions, citing the realities of farm life.
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“We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm. Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years,We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm. Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years,” she wrote in a post on X, which has now been deleted.
Unsurprisingly, her social media posts have been hit with a community note, claiming that Noem’s “description of why she shot Cricket has morphed”, and that “when criticized Noem altered her story from Cricket snapped at her to did bit her, to biting history, to “danger to children.”
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In response to questions about the incident on Fox News, Noem criticised the questioning anchor for not understanding the life and decisions made on farms and ranches, stating that her priority was the safety of her family and others around a dangerous animal.
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Things went from bad to worse when it appeared there were also factual inaccuracies in said memoir. In a segment that raised eyebrows, Noem recounted meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un while serving in Congress. During an interview with CBS Mornings, Noem admitted that this anecdote was mistakenly included in her book and confirmed it would be corrected. Her publisher, Center Street, also verified that the passage would be removed. However, Noem dodged questions regarding the authenticity of the meeting. There are no official records or evidence of her having visited North Korea or having met with the elusive Kim Jong Un.
She subsequently cancelled her book tour and interviews with CNN and Fox, citing bad weather. Social media users have jokingly deemed the move “Cricket’s Revenge”.
Puppy-killer Kristi Noem calls off her train wreck of a book tour, cancels interviews with both Fox News and CNN. pic.twitter.com/ghqBx3eXgn
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) May 8, 2024
Political ramifications: Noem’s vice presidential prospects dampened
The book’s reception comes at a critical time as former President Donald Trump considers his options for a running mate in the upcoming elections.
Despite once being viewed as a contender for the vice-presidential slot, political insiders suggest that Noem’s prospects may have been impacted by this and other controversies. According to sources from Politico, she had already been sidelined in the selection process prior to the dog story becoming public.
How To Be Books has reached out to Amazon for comment and is awaiting a response.
Image composite includes photography from Gage Skidmore.