The Book Review Landscape in American History: Specialization, Segmentation, Value, and History Journals

摘要

Book reviews constitute an important component in the communication ecology driving and sustaining historical scholarship. This examination frames the discussion of the book review as artifact of communication. Within the context of its perceived value, its significance to historians, and its position within this ecosystem, the book review is further contextualized within a discussion of subject specialization. Additionally, the intellectual and professional position the book review occupies in this ecology, is broached, and tempered by historians' observations concerning its relative status, purpose, and necessity for the historical profession. Further observations are articulated by university press directors within the context of the influence that book reviews exert within this communication ecology.