He Said It, Not Me

There is also a cultural argument, which suggests that a vibrant literary culture is dependent upon a vibrant critical culture. Anyone who reads this site at all regularly is aware that your humble correspondent fervently supports this argument. From a cultural perspective, the diminishment of space for serious literary criticism and thoughtful book reviewing is something to be mourned, and to challenge vigorously. (This of course assumes that the Globe has indeed been a forum for serious literary criticism and thoughtful book reviewing, which, at least recently, has also been open to debate.)

-- (Steven W. Beattie on Globe books being folded into the Focus section).