Alexander Larman, A Radical Proposal: Book Reviews Should Review Books (The Critic). I’ve likewise noted this trend, with “reviews” merely summarizing books or being an excuse to showcase one’s erudition. The best reviews engage books, advance the conversation, and serve readers.

Michael Kruger, The De-conversion of Saruman: Five Lessons to Learn (Canon Fodder). I wasn’t sure about the connection when I saw the title, but as a Lord of the Rings fan, I think Kruger helpfully draws out some insights.

Sam Roberts, Madeline Kripke, Doyenne of Dictionaries, Is Dead at 76 (The New York Times). I live for these kind of obituaries. “Madeline Kripke, who kept one of the world’s largest private collection of dictionaries, much of it crammed into her Greenwich Village apartment, could be defined this way: liberal [adj., as in giving unstintingly], compleat [adj., meaning having all the requisite skills] and sui generis [adj., in a class by itself].”

Gal Beckerman, What Do Famous People’s Bookshelves Reveal? (The New York Times). From T4G talks to my pastor’s pre-recorded sermons, I delight to see the books behind folks on camera, and what the books say about them. Cate Blanchett apparently owns the Oxford English Dictionary—all 20 volumes (21,728 pages).