Late Friday afternoon, Radar reported that NY Times Book Review editor Sam Tanenhaus was appointed to run the paper's "Week in Review" section, adding a second layer of responsibility to his job starting in January. The Observer spread the news shortly after Radar. Both versions of the story contain the text of the memo announcing the move, which contains a clear statement of how Bill Keller and, presumably, other Times leaders feel about Tanenhaus's run so far:

"Under Sam's leadership, the Book Review has been replenished. He, with a strong cast of TBR veterans and sharp recruits, has enlarged the review in size and influence. He has restored the big cover review, enlisted a sterling cast of writers, rejuvenated the best seller list (in large part by adding Dwight Garner's column), introduced more reporting and livelier debate, overseen a complete redesign, and pushed aggressively onto the Web. He has also found time to write, brilliantly, for his section—and for the Magazine and, yes, the Week in Review—and to curate an on-line reading group on the review's website, among other things. I can't wait to see what creative energy he will bring to the continual reinventing of the Week in Review."

There's also recognition for how he's made it happen: "This new configuration would be unimaginable if Sam was the kind of editor who made himself indispensable to every assignment, who vetted every line of copy, who hoarded the responsibility," Keller observes. "But he is a leader who—as his Book Review colleagues will attest—surrounds himself with tremendously capable people, sets a direction, and backs off. Editors under Sam stretch and grow."

You can expect to hear more about this very soon.