Feb. 15 will mark the last print issue of The Washington Post’s Book World section, which was published in tabloid format every Sunday. Instead of one stand-alone section dedicated to books, The Post plans on publishing Sunday book content in the Style and Arts section, as well as in Outlook, the commentary section. Book World was one of the last stand-alone print review sections in the United States, and one of the most prominent, along with The New York Times’ Book Review section. The Book Review is now the largest Sunday tabloid section, publishing 24 to 30 pages a week.
When news that The Washington Post was planning on shutting down Book World reached the literary world, it spawned a reaction that included a petition from the National Book Critics Circle, urging The Post to keep the stand-alone section. But despite the joint efforts of readers and contributors, The Post announced that it would still shut down Book World.
“This is disheartening,” NBCC President Jane Ciabattari said. “The print edition of the stand-alone Book World was cherished by readers throughout the region and the country.”
Literary criticism has been losing prominence within newspapers for the past decade. Many newspapers either consolidated their book review sections into other sections or simply reduced the number of reviews written. For example, The Los Angeles Times dropped its stand-alone book review section in 2007.
There are those that argue that the consolidation of book reviews into other sections is actually a good prospect for proponents of literary criticism. David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times book editor, explained, “In a section where there are a variety of elements, there might be people who might not ordinarily look at book reviews who might now look at book reviews ... You could argue that putting books into the general mix opens more people to that conversation.”
Many writers, readers and critics, however, are not convinced. One letter to the editor of The Washington Post said, “Book World was a physical embodiment of the paper and fiction world that so many of us (even the 20-somethings like me out there) still belong to. I see no reason to continue purchasing the paper.”
The Washington Post has responded that it plans on continuing to publish Book World in its entirety online, so that it is still readily available to readers. This move from a print version to an e-version is representative of the broader changes occurring in the publishing world. As more and more readers read news online instead of buying the paper in print, newspapers have less incentive to continue publishing sections that have always garnered the least amount of advertising money.
“The advertising in Book World didn’t justify the amount of space that we dedicated each week to books coverage,” Washington Post executive editor Marcus Brauchli said.
The last print issue of Book World will include reviews of The Women by T.C. Boyle and a roundup of military memoirs.
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