This was the topic of some discussion amongst conservatives yesterday:
Beginning today, June 23, 2008, Encounter Books will no longer send its books to The New York Times for review. Of course, the editors at the Times are welcome to trot down to their local book emporium or visit Amazon.com to purchase our books, but we won’t be sending gratis advance copies to them any longer.
If there is anyone still reading this blog, what do you think of this move? Smart marketing and a good idea to save money for a cash strapped publisher? Or lame stunt and a wasted chance to get coverage in the NYT?
I think it makes sense. As the link above makes clear, the type of books that Encounter publishers are never going to get serious treatment in the Times so why bother sending them copies. Far better to save the money and send the books to places with half a chance of producing a serious review – positive or negative.
If their books received no coverage in The Times, it’s a safe bet their refusal to submit their books will also receive no mention.
This will drum up some noise among Conservative bloggers and, perhaps, even a few book sales, but in the end nothing will have changed.