Peter Stothard, editor of the Times Literary Supplement and chair of this year’s Man Booker prize, has warned that book bloggers risk damaging literature. Speaking to The Independent, Stothard argues that literary criticism has a vital role to play but risks being drowned out by unargued opinion.
To be fair, Stothard doesn’t dismiss all online reviewers, noting that the large number of book bloggers is a sign of a healthy interest in literature. But he draws a distinction between book bloggers and literary critics, warning that problems arise when the former take on the role of the latter. Quality, he argues, will be buried.
While I can see Stothard’s point, I’m not sure that it’s correct to suggest that book bloggers are taking over the jobs of literary critics. The latter will always exist, and a certain audience will always seek out more measured opinions. But some people, rightly or wrongly, simply want to get the views of people who like the same books that they like. Different strokes for different folks, I guess…
And book critics are special because…?
Posted by Christine Keleny | September 27, 2012, 5:53 pmI agree with your final point. There’s no damage being done here. No more than there has always been. People that want ‘literary’ criticisms will seek them out. It’s almost like Stothard’s suggesting that people predisposed to such are too stupid to tell the difference.
Posted by beatbox32 | September 27, 2012, 7:35 pm