The importance of the critical review
2 months ago

The importance of the critical review

The Hindu  

The lit fest season is here, and like some migratory birds seen only in winter, books and authors are enjoying more conversational space, beyond the editorial equivalent of a wildlife sanctuary — the reviews section. A quarter century ago, when I got my first byline as a book critic, almost every respectable newspaper and magazine had at least one weekly page, if not more, devoted to book reviews. There was this exotic species of journalist known as ‘Books Editor’, now sadly nearly extinct, whose sole remit was to read books, commission reviews, and attend launches. If books sections are to reclaim something of their erstwhile glory days, fair yet critical reviews would certainly help.

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History of this topic

Do I Really Need to Read Book Reviews?
7 years, 9 months ago

Do I Really Need to Read Book Reviews?

The Quint  

What is a book review? Isn’t it defined ‘as a form of criticism in which a book is analysed based on content, language, style, and merit’? An inbuilt sense of insecurity, perhaps, as Bernard Shaw famously wrote, “he who can, does; he who can not, teaches.” The critic assumes the role of a teacher. With oddly convoluted sentences, implausible phrases, …

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