Reviewing Books in a Changing Environment

ROUNDTABLE: Reviewing Books in a Changing Environment

Discussant: Marie Anchordoguy (University of Washington)

Discussant: Mary Elizabeth Berry (University of California, Berkeley)

Discussant: Joya Chatterji (University of Cambridge)

Discussant: Jennifer Schuessler (New York Times)

Chair: Joanna Handlin Smith (Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies)

Discussant: Jeffrey Wasserstrom (University of California, Irvine)

Session Organizer: Joanna Handlin Smith (Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies)

The proliferation of journals, the ever-increasing number of books on Asia, and the new, online venues for reviewing books are altering the landscape for book reviewing. The six panelists, each specializing in China, Japan, or South Asia, and each an experienced editor through service, past or present, to the Journal of Asian Studies, the Journal of Japanese Studies, Modern Asian Studies, the New York Times, the American Historical Review, and the Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, will talk, for eight minutes each, about a particular aspect of book reviewing: Marie Anchordoguy on the key components of a good book review; Mary Elizabeth Berry on the rules of the game and how to write reviews, Joya Chatterji on long review articles and commissioning and editing demystified; Jennifer Schuessler on book reviewing from the perspective of the New York Times; Joanna Handlin Smith (doubling as chair) on reviews gone missing and orphaned books; and Jeffrey Wasserstrom on how writing–and editing–reviews for scholarly and general interest periodicals differs. More broadly, the panelists will address such questions as: Does the explosion of information affect the purpose and meaning of book reviewing? Does the instantaneous circulation of information through new media alter the role of traditional academic journals in evaluating books? How do editors ¬¬select, from the vast number of books on Asia, those to be reviewed? Hoe do they define the purpose of, and standards for, book reviews? Why should scholars contribute time and energy, usually gratis, to writing reviews? What are the reviewers’ obligations? How might they balance civility toward the author being reviewed and honesty about his/her book? Once a review has been published, who reviews the reviews? Does the opinion of readers, usually communicated through word of mouth, carry enough weight counterbalance sloppy or unfair reviews—or reviews praising a book disproportionately to its quality? After the panelists’ brief presentations, the floor will be opened for questions and discussion. The hope is to demystify the review process for all members of the association: book authors, readers, review writers, and those who have felt left out of the system.