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Sam Kahn's avatar

“Demented” is right. Seems like somebody or other needs to start a book review publication featuring smart, honest reviews and leaving room for writers to vigorously disagree with one another!

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Jan Harayda's avatar

This is the the kind of cultural criticism I came to Substack hoping to read, and much of it is right on target from my perspective as a former gatekeeper (the book editor of the Plain Dealer and more). Thank you!

But most of what you say applies more to literary criticism in the U.S. than to other countries. You find more honest criticism in the British media: for example, Philip Hensher's book reviews in the Spectator, Brandon Taylor's when he writes for the LRB, and some in the Guardian, though the paper has more American-ized lately.

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