Here's a thoughtful piece on the role of literary blogs in the larger world of literature. It pretty much concludes where you would expect a book reviewer writing for a major newspaper to conclude: He says we still need the gatekeepers. But he's given the subject some deep thought, obviously, which makes this piece better than the typically dismissive news coverage of lit blogs.

Still, I'm afraid Mr. Birkerts is fighting an uphill battle in calling for more intelligent reviewing in print publications. I love good reviews and good criticism — they enlighten readers and make books more enjoyable. But the future of both reviewing and criticism is clearly online, not in print. And that's not because of the lit blogs or the Internet, necessarily; it's because of media consolidation. Today's newspaper stewards don't have time for anything as high-minded as book reviews. But the lit blogs do. Maybe Mr. Birkerts can just help us make those lit blogs even better.