I've been wondering lately if book critics still matter today. After all, we have online forums like these, we have heavyweight newspapers like the LA Times cutting their review pages and slashing staff, and we have Oprah, the uber-critic, if you will, recommending her picks to millions of viewers. I personally believe critics still play a vital role, championing the lesser-known talents and helping steer us toward the good stuff from established writers.
I decided to pose this question to a pro, however - - longtime San Jose Mercury News book critic and mystery enthusiast John Orr. He provided some interesting thoughts on how he sees his role in this digital world. Check out the full interview on my blog:
http://stevepipe.blogspot.com/I'd love to get your thoughts on whether you think critics still "matter" to you.