Book Reviews Idle Class Origin
Books are easily available in this century, not like 17th century England and France, but time has stood still for book reviews.
It is still an idle class system. Publishers ask select people, mostly authors, to review books. In doing so, they demonstrate that they are part of the class that has money to buy books, time to read them and time to write reviews.
In my simplistic mind, a book review should skim the surface a bit, just enough for me to buy it and read at my leisure. It can also add some crumbs about the structure.
For example, some authors prefer long, very long sentences. Other books strangle readers in creative writing, a product of college degrees.
Then comes exclusionary book reviews.
“Sano may carry a sword and wear a kimono, but you’ll immediately recognize him as an ancestor of Philip Marlow or Sam Spade.”
“In the tradition of Kafka, Camus and Murakami, Pyun takes us …….”
Mentioning such authors definitely places the reviewer in the class that buys books, has time to read and review them, but it is meaningless, to the majority, publishers call the mass market.
The working class did not read books in Victorian England, but their generations do and sometimes like relaxing at home or in the park with a good story. Book reviews are meant to tempt readers to buy books and read the whole story.
Flaunting book reviewers’ idle class status does not entice new readers.
By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.
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