[Ads-l] Quip: The New York Review of Each Other=?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=99s_?=Books

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Thanks, James. The passage from Philip Nobile you uncovered is
particularly interesting, I think, because he seems to be crediting
Richard Hofstadter with coining the quip.

[ref] 1974, Intellectual Skywriting: Literary Politics & the New York
Review of Books by Philip Nobile, Chapter 1: An Afternoon at the
Office, Quote Page 28 and 29, Charterhouse, New York. (Verified with
scans) [/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
The early history of New York Review is divided into three periods
that adhere pretty much to successive plays on its title—The New York
Review of Each Other's Books, The London Review of Books, and The
London Review of Vietnam.

The first period, so named by Richard Hofstadter, was historically
determined. In very early times, the Review had no place to go except
to the cheap (five cents a word) and local talent that also happened
to be authors or associates of authors of the sort of books to which
the Review was devoted.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Sun, Jan 24, 2021 at 4:22 PM James Eric Lawson <jel at nventure.com> wrote:
>
> Two more early citations for your collection:
>
> (1969) The tragedy of Lyndon Johnson, p 444
> Goldman, Eric Frederick
> https://archive.org/details/tragedyoflyndonj00gold/page/444/mode/2up
>
> '("The New York Review of Each Other's Books" was the current quip.)'
>
> In context, and considered in conjunction with Nobile's 1974 history of
> the publication in Intellectual Skywriting,
> https://archive.org/details/intellectualskyw0000nobi/page/28/mode/2up?q=%22new+york+review+of+each%22
> the mention suggests the Review's incestuous moniker emerged early, at
> least pre-1965, probably no later than 1963.
>
> (1970) 1968: a short novel, an urban idyll, five stories, and two trade
> notes, p 54
> Stern, Richard G.
> https://archive.org/details/1968shortnovelu00ster/page/54/mode/2up
>
> "...and The New York Review of (Each Other's) Books, XI, 2"
>
> The "short novel" was, if the book title is accurate, composed in 1968,
> but of course there was plenty of time for post hoc editing before the
> 1970 publication.
>
> On 1/24/21 9:00 AM, ADSGarson O'Toole wrote:
> > I received an anonymous request to explore the provenance of the
> > expression in the subject line. Barry Popik previously examined this
> > topic and found citations beginning on December 29, 1969:
> >
> > https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/new_york_review_of_each_others_books
> >
> > Barry stated in his 2005 posting, "It is not known who coined the nickname".
> >
> > Here is a link to the Quote Investigator article:
> > https://quoteinvestigator.com/2021/01/24/review/
> >
> > I concluded that Alan Levy was the leading candidate for creator of
> > the quip based on the following 1968 citation.
> >
> > [ref] 1968, The Culture Vultures; Or, Whatever Became of the Emperor's
> > New Clothes? by Alan Levy, Part 2: The Careerists, Chapter 5:
> > Corruption of the Instinct: The Critics, Quote Page 184, G. P.
> > Putnam's Sons, New York. (Verified with scans) [/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > The frighteningly articulate house organ of a self-promoting Manhattan
> > coterie, it could easily be renamed the New York Review of Each
> > Other's Books. And like many people who have chosen to dwell
> > intimately with the printed word, the New York Review clique maintains
> > a love-hate relationship with the art it serves.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Feedback welcome
> > Garson O'Toole
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
> --
> James Eric Lawson
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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