Show Notes
What does a literary critic actually do? How are books chosen for review? And do reviews still matter in the age of Goodreads, BookTok and social media? In this special Behind The Books episode of Tom's Book Club, Tom speaks to Laura Hackett, Deputy Literary Editor and Fiction Editor at The Times and The Sunday Times, about life as one of Britain's leading literary critics. Laura discusses the reviewing process, how she approaches a new novel, writing positive and negative reviews, dealing with authors' reactions, and the changing role of criticism in 2026.
Behind The Books is our monthly bonus series exploring the wider literary world through conversations with the people who shape it, from booksellers and critics to editors, translators and illustrators. 📚 Buy books discussed on the podcast through the Tom’s Book Club Bookshop.org page: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/TomsBookClub
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