The Problem with Giant Book Preview Lists

This one goes out to any author who’s ever felt bad about not making it onto a list of most anticipated books of the season. And to their publicists. The book preview list is a highly imperfect form of coverage that seems to be, along with best-of the year lists, the most widely used kind of book reportage in media. With overall book coverage being pared down at most outlets, such lists have grown widely outsized in importance for authors and publishers and readers, as well as the writers who contribute punchy blurbs to them. Yes, we know that people like to read internet lists and I’ve already written about why best-of lists are not entirely helpful to readers. But the preview list is particularly unhelpful because, for the most part, the underpaid freelance writers (me, included!) who contribute to these lists don’t actually have to have read the books they write about. Our contributions are often just descriptions of the books we’re excited to read eventually (the more clever of us try not to simply regurgitate the marketing copy that accompanies these books). For preview lists, before most critics have cracked the first pages of upcoming books, we must rely more heavily on publicity-generated buzz than anyone would like. But how do we narrow down what we’re excited about (assuming, as I am, that people who write about books are for the most part interested in new books and don’t think we should only read dead authors)? Given the number of books published each year ( this Wikipedia entry may not be entirely accurate, but note the scale) it’s almost impossible for individual publications’ lists to cover them all. Nor would any reader want them to! But for preview lists, before most critics have cracked the first pages of upcoming books, we must rely more heavily on publicity-generated buzz than anyone would like. Or the relative fame of the author. Or, gasp, the book cover. Once again I have to tell you how overwhelmed I am by the number of advance reader copies that I receive each month, […]

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