Comments on: ‘Literary Death Spiral? The Fading Book Section’ http://www.teleread.com/newspapers/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:55:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rich Adin http://www.teleread.com/newspapers/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/comment-page-1/#comment-1013949 Rich Adin Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:02:30 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/19/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/#comment-1013949 Although I buy a lot of books every year, both e and p, I rarely ever read a traditional newspaper book review. Even my Sunday NY Times Book Review section goes unread. Like Paul, the newspaper reviews rarely discuss a book I'm at all interested in and when they do, I don't find the reviews informative. Similarly, I rarely ever read an online review. But here the problem is different: I have no confidence in the reviewer him-/herself. The problem with online reviews is that anyone can write them and too often reviewers have axes to grind. Having said that, I highly recommend the New York Review of Books. I have a long-term subscription to the NYRB. I am not always interested in the books under review, but I find even those reviews interesting and well-written. My biggest gripe with the NYRB is the narrowness of the genres it reviews. I have yet to see, for example, a review of science fiction books. I think there is a need for quality book reviews simply to help sort the wheat from the chaff in publishing, especially with the vast numbers of books available and the number being self-published. The difficulty is in finding quality book reviewers. Although I buy a lot of books every year, both e and p, I rarely ever read a traditional newspaper book review. Even my Sunday NY Times Book Review section goes unread. Like Paul, the newspaper reviews rarely discuss a book I’m at all interested in and when they do, I don’t find the reviews informative.

Similarly, I rarely ever read an online review. But here the problem is different: I have no confidence in the reviewer him-/herself. The problem with online reviews is that anyone can write them and too often reviewers have axes to grind.

Having said that, I highly recommend the New York Review of Books. I have a long-term subscription to the NYRB. I am not always interested in the books under review, but I find even those reviews interesting and well-written. My biggest gripe with the NYRB is the narrowness of the genres it reviews. I have yet to see, for example, a review of science fiction books.

I think there is a need for quality book reviews simply to help sort the wheat from the chaff in publishing, especially with the vast numbers of books available and the number being self-published. The difficulty is in finding quality book reviewers.

]]> By: Rafal http://www.teleread.com/newspapers/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/comment-page-1/#comment-1013919 Rafal Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:22:22 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/19/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/#comment-1013919 According to National Endowment for the Arts literary reading is up by 3.5% since 2002 which is a good news after more than 20 years of declining readership. I think I read about this in Times. According to National Endowment for the Arts literary reading is up by 3.5% since 2002 which is a good news after more than 20 years of declining readership. I think I read about this in Times.

]]> By: Court http://www.teleread.com/newspapers/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/comment-page-1/#comment-1013838 Court Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:10:52 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/19/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/#comment-1013838 I, also, am repelled by this sort of inflated self-importance. Goodness, I thought literary reading was actually <i> up </i> in the US ... I, also, am repelled by this sort of inflated self-importance. Goodness, I thought literary reading was actually up in the US …

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.com/newspapers/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/comment-page-1/#comment-1013818 David Rothman Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:22:22 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/19/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/#comment-1013818 Funny, Paul. I find net.reviews of less interest to me than those in the book sections. We need both kinds! Thanks, David Funny, Paul. I find net.reviews of less interest to me than those in the book sections. We need both kinds!

Thanks,
David

]]> By: Paul Biba http://www.teleread.com/newspapers/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/comment-page-1/#comment-1013814 Paul Biba Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:02:57 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/02/19/literary-death-spiral-the-fading-book-section/#comment-1013814 I'm glad the book section is dying. Most book sections never reviewed any books I was interested in and I think they are generally populated by a lot of self-important reviewers who think they know better than anyone else. Since the rise of the internet book sections have become more and more irrelevant. Good riddance. The snide self-importance of the quote, itself, is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. I’m glad the book section is dying. Most book sections never reviewed any books I was interested in and I think they are generally populated by a lot of self-important reviewers who think they know better than anyone else. Since the rise of the internet book sections have become more and more irrelevant. Good riddance. The snide self-importance of the quote, itself, is a perfect example of what I’m talking about.

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