By Judy Sternlight and Anne Horowitz
Shida Carr, Lauren LeBlanc, Michael Taeckens
When the Washington Post Book World shut down in February, it left the New York Times as the only daily paper in the US with a stand-alone books section, sparking a wave of opinion pieces and literary debates. In a recent Office Hours session, we asked three experts to weigh in on the state of book reviews and how the publishing industry is finding new ways to connect books with readers and cultural critics across the literary landscape. Their comments were generous and illuminating. 5E members Patricia Mulcahy and Jane Rosenman joined us for the Q&A.
Guest experts:
Lauren LeBlanc, writer, editor, and active board member of the National Book Critics Circle
Shida Carr, deputy director of publicity at Simon & Schuster
Michael Taeckens, co-founder of Broadside PR and literary agent at Massie, McQuilkin & Altman
Click below for a recording of the May 14 session, which is filled with practical takeaways. Scroll down beneath the video for a list of additional resources and viewpoints.
Additional resources:
National Book Critics Circle
Viva La Book Review
Literary Hub
Further reading on the state of book reviews:
“Where Have All the Book Reviews Gone?” by Dwight Garner
“The Death of Book World” by Becca Rothfeld
“The Washington Post’s Leaders Missed the Point” by John Williams
“Scattered Thoughts on the State of Book Reviews” by Lincoln Michel
“Criticism Is Literature. Why is it Vanishing?” by Adam Morgan
“Like This or Die” by Christian Lorentzen
Further reading on how books are finding readers now:
“What Happens to Book Publicity Now?” by Kathleen Schmidt
“Can Influencers Predict the Next Big Thing in Books?” by Lauren Puckett-Pope
“The Publishing Evolution: How Influencers Are Changing the Landscape” by C. I. Jerez
“Literary Events and Pursuits Have Become Very Popular in NYC. What’s Fueling the Trend?” by Alicia Kort
“Inside Lena Dunham’s Substack Press Tour” by Arielle Swedback
