Editor Calls for Little Magazines to Review More New Books

Ross Elliot Barkan, editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Metropolitan Review, argues that literary magazines should review more new books. Responding to Naomi Kanakia's essay on Partisan Review successors, Barkan notes that journals like n+1, The Drift, and The Point rarely review new books unless tied to broader cultural arguments. He cites Rosemarie Ho's point that review-essays are time-consuming, but contends that shorter reviews are also valuable. Jon Baskin, founding editor of The Point, told Barkan that when his magazine started, book reviews were plentiful, but many outlets have since died. Barkan calls on magazines to review at least five new novels per issue, praising the Whitney Review of New Writing for its capsule reviews. He also criticizes The New York Times Book Review for being too short and focused on recommendations, and supports n+1's editorial urging readers to balance old and new books. Barkan concludes that reviewing new work is essential for a vibrant literary culture.