⇒James Marcus went to the Columbia Journalism Review panel on book reviewing, and he's got some video clips to go with the summation of what sounds like a pretty intense throwdown between Steve Wasserman and Carlin Romano, complete with invocation of Godwin's Law. (Carlin Romano getting into an argument with somebody at a panel discussion? Who'd've thunk?) For once, the whole print vs. online debate seems to have been set aside for a good old-fashioned row over whether or not the American people can stand eggheads.

⇒Speaking of the whole print vs. online debate, Kassia Kroszer humbly suggests that book reviewers can shut up now. "Bottom line is that it is easy for newspaper executives to cut book coverage because subscribers don't value newspaper book coverage," she writes. "I personally believe this is because the book coverage didn't value the readers." (Her essay is, as it turns out, in large part a response to Wasserman's recent CJR essay.) "If you are as important and relevant as you say you are," Kroszer challenges the reviewers, "prove it... You're getting up petitions and preaching to the choir, but how are you reaching real readers?"

⇒And as long as we're on a Los Angeles kick today, the Dutton's Brentwood Books building is one step closer to landmark status. Of course, this has everything to do with the architectural significance of the Barry Building and nothing to do with the fact that this store is where I got my start in the book trade.