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Private Criticism in the Public Sphere: Personal Writing on Literature in Readers' Reviews on Amazon

Steiner, Ann LU (2008) In Participations 5(2).
Abstract
The article studies the character of general readers’ reviews on the internet bookstore Amazon; what is called private criticism. Patterns, common features, and contradictions are explored, and the social position and meaning of new forms of readers’ expressions is discussed. One part of the thesis is that the freedom of speech in the public sphere has given readers new and different opportunities to express their opinions. On the other hand, there is also evidence to suggest that the new practices of reviewing are only repeating established patterns and behaviours. If this is the case, the private criticism that has been applauded as a democratization of the reading and evaluation of literature does not offer any real change.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
reception studies, Internet, literary criticism, reading, book distribution
in
Participations
volume
5
issue
2
ISSN
1749-8716
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4a25c696-86d5-4eb5-8909-1897dd6f45cf (old id 1288297)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:21:50
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:52:35
@article{4a25c696-86d5-4eb5-8909-1897dd6f45cf,
  abstract     = {{The article studies the character of general readers’ reviews on the internet bookstore Amazon; what is called private criticism. Patterns, common features, and contradictions are explored, and the social position and meaning of new forms of readers’ expressions is discussed. One part of the thesis is that the freedom of speech in the public sphere has given readers new and different opportunities to express their opinions. On the other hand, there is also evidence to suggest that the new practices of reviewing are only repeating established patterns and behaviours. If this is the case, the private criticism that has been applauded as a democratization of the reading and evaluation of literature does not offer any real change.}},
  author       = {{Steiner, Ann}},
  issn         = {{1749-8716}},
  keywords     = {{reception studies; Internet; literary criticism; reading; book distribution}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  series       = {{Participations}},
  title        = {{Private Criticism in the Public Sphere: Personal Writing on Literature in Readers' Reviews on Amazon}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}