'SF Chronicle' Rethinks Book Review Section

In keeping with a nationwide trend of downsizing book review sections, the San Francisco Chronicle has shortened and repositioned its Book Review section as part of an overall redesign of its Sunday edition. And in related news, David Kipen, book editor for the past three years, has become book critic, writing a weekly column as well as regular reviews. Oscar Villalone, Kipen's deputy for the past two years, has taken over as book editor.

Explained Phil Bronstein, executive editor of the Chronicle, "We want the section to be more like the New York Review of Books—reflecting the larger literary culture of San Francisco. Rather than making it just a synopsis of books, we would like to put the books into the context of life here in the Bay Area with an emphasis on quality, not quantity."

The Book Review, previously a pullout section, has been incorporated into the back of the Daybook. Dropping from 12 pages to eight and a half, it now features smaller reviews and essays, including Kipen's column. According to Bronstein, the placement of the Book Review used to cause a lot of confusion, because as a pullout it was found in the middle of another section.

Still, San Franciscans grew worried when they saw the Book Review shrink, and letters poured in imploring the paper not to kill the book review or the children's book review. "There's no reason to worry," said Bronstein. "We had to move around a lot of things to create a new Sunday paper. If need be, we can always move the section around again to make it bigger, or carry book-related articles in other sections of the paper."