August 26, 2022, 12:03pm
Sometime around 2006, everyone in publishing began to lament the death of the book section. In the face of declining readership, budget cuts, and mergers, newspapers began to realize that book review sections did not bring in enough ad revenue to cover their costs and so cut and culled until there were only a handful of standalone sections in the country. (Should publishers have done more to support these section—you bet!)
But here’s some good news: Ron Charles announced in his newsletter that The Washington Post‘s book section, Book World, is coming back:
Starting Sept. 25, the Sunday paper will contain a separate broadsheet section devoted entirely to book reviews and literary features. The move coincides with the addition of new staff members, including Book World’s new editor in chief, John Williams, who starts Sept. 6.
Along with reviews, readers will find Q&As, publishing stories, author profiles and anything else we might dream up for this luxurious new space. As a print junky, I’m also excited to have weekly cover art again, along with a centerspread where we can do more visual presentations related to books.
Please join me in being delighted for this small bit of book-print-media success (and a bit envious of those readers who get to have their Sunday morning coffee and get their fingers smudgy with bookish-newsprint).
h/t Ron Charles