From The Editor's Desk

As our seventy-fifth anniversary draws nearer, I have been reflecting on the many people who make the French Review run, albeit, at times, like a runaway train. Though there are more to thank than one might imagine, I want to take this opportunity to commend those readers who also write book reviews for the journal. They must number in the hundreds! There is also a smaller group who write reviews on a regular basis, and without whose dedication, clarity of thought and word, and awareness of deadlines, the review section of the journal would be in dire straits. This said, all readers should know that we try not to play favorites: no one author is allowed more than two reviews in any issue. Whether or not they appear in one or more rubrics does not matter, the limit is two. Sometimes this long-standing policy is difficult to carry out, and there are probably reviewers who do not realize that there is a limit. The logistics of cross-checking among Review Editors is cumbersome and time consuming. So, it is only when all the reviews, about fifty an issue, reach the Managing Editor that we know exactly how many we have from any given reviewer. If one author has submitted more than two reviews, we have to postpone any extras for a later issue. This is why I am both thanking our reviewers for the crucial contributions they make and reminding them that they must observe the rule. One should also remember that double-submissions of reviews to more than one journal are not allowed, a point that came up several years ago. This missive has a second purpose: to encourage more of you faithful readers to contribute book reviews so that we can expand our pool of reviewers! You can do this by proposing a book to a Review Editor or asking that the appropriate reviewer send you books in your field. It is important, of course, to have some knowledge of the area or areas where you might want to offer a review. We cannot be experts on everything. I know that our Review Editors, whose coordonnées are found in the back of each issue, are eager to hear from you, so step up to the plate and deliver your talents and your reviews to us!

Christopher P. Pinet