Inside the Critics' Circle

Book reviewing in uncertain times by Hamilton author Phillipa K Chong

• Hardcover
• 192 Pages
• January 2020
• 6.12 x 9.25 in
• 978-0691167466

An inside look at the politics of book reviewing, from the assignment and writing of reviews to why critics think we should listen to what they have to say.

Chong explores how critics are paired with review assignments, why they accept these time-consuming projects, how they view their own qualifications for reviewing certain books, and the criteria they employ when making literary judgments. She discovers that while their readers are of concern to reviewers, they are especially worried about authors on the receiving end of reviews. As these are most likely peers who will be returning similar favors in the future, critics’ fears and frustrations factor into their willingness or reluctance to write negative reviews.