The news that Janet Maslin, one of the daily The New York Times staff book reviewers (along with Michiko Kakutani and Dwight Garner -- and completely separate from The New York Times Book Review), is: "downshifting to a contributing role" attracts a bit of attention in the New York media and publishing world (hence, for example, the Capital report) but otherwise surely hardly qualifies as news.
But the reach of the book reviewer apparently extends, in this Internet-age, much farther than one might expect: so, for example, NRC Boeken -- the literary weblog of NRC Handelsblad -- report on it -- admittedly from a very Dutch angle, wondering whether this means there's Hoop voor Koch ? Zijn grootste criticus bij 'The New York Times' doet stapje terug
Yes, Maslin did not give bestselling Dutch author Herman Koch (The Dinner, etc.) glowing reviews (here and here) -- and such is the (perceived) power and influence of the official The New York Times verdict that they sigh with relief: "Nu is er hoop voor Koch" ('Now there's hope for Herman').
Yes, Maslin did not give bestselling Dutch author Herman Koch (The Dinner, etc.) glowing reviews (here and here) -- and such is the (perceived) power and influence of the official The New York Times verdict that they sigh with relief: "Nu is er hoop voor Koch" ('Now there's hope for Herman').