Implicit in a lot of the discussions about how negative a book reviewer can be is a question of utility: is a book review an act of public service or a work of art in itself? In the Times, James Parker and Anna Holmes debate the purpose of the review. Sample quote: “I’d argue that a majority of the reading public doesn’t necessarily benefit from the sorts of reviews for which artistry is the point.” You could also read our own Matt Seidel’s hypothetical worst review ever.
Civil Servants
Waste of the Young
Fifty years after T.S. Eliot’s death, the poet’s estate has finally agreed to authorize a biography, which explains the publication of Young Eliot, a new book on his early years. Among other things, the book reveals details about Eliot’s first marriage, in which his wife Vivienne Haigh-Wood gave him the nickname “dearest Wonkypenky.”
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Amazon Books Expands?
I directed your attention to the opening of the first Amazon Books in Seattle. Now, reports are coming in that Amazon could have plans to open 300-400 more stores across the country. Other sources say the expansion could be more modest.
“The contract gave me the last word on spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage and so on.”
If you've ever battled an editor over punctuation, or found yourself calculating just how long it'd take to burn your copy of the Chicago Manual of Style, you'll be delighted by this oldie-but-goodie blog post by Millions favorite Helen DeWitt.
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10 Rules for Writers by Janet Fitch
"Write the sentence, not just the story" is the first of ten rules for writers from Janet Fitch.
The Brief Wondrous Influences of Junot Díaz
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao author Junot Díaz lists the movies, TV shows and books that most influenced him at Vulture.
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Levente Szabó’s Great Book Cover Project
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Some People Are Noble
"The terrible thing is that the reality behind these words depends ultimately on what the human being (meaning every single one of us) believes to be real. The terrible thing is that the reality behind all these words depends on choices one has got to make, for ever and ever and ever, every day." James Baldwin on the artist's struggle for "integrity." Here's a bonus piece from The Millions on Baldwin, race, and fatherhood.
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Making History at the Hugos
"To some degree, as I move outside of the exclusive genre audience, the exclusive genre issues don’t bother me as much." The Atlantic talks with N.K. Jemisin, the first black writer to win speculative fiction's Hugo Award for Best Novel for The Fifth Season. We wrote about Jemisin's work when she was nominated for the Hugos a few years back.
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