Last night Harper’s Magazine threw a party welcoming Benjamin Moser as the New Books columnist. GalleyCat caught up with Moser at the party, getting his take on the book industry, an introduction to the work-load of a Harper’s critic, and a lesson in Dutch cookies.

The Netherlands-based critic will replace the late, great reviewer, John Leonard. Moser’s writing can be seen at the NY Review of Books and Harper’s. He has also written a biography of Brazilian author Clarice Lispector entitled Why This World. It is scheduled for summer 2009.