Jennifer Szalai

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Jennifer Szalai is the nonfiction critic at The New York Times.[1] Szalai was born in Canada and attended the University of Toronto, studying political science and peace and conflict. She also holds a master's degree in international relations from the London School of Economics.[2]

During the 2000s, she was a senior editor for reviews at Harper's Magazine.[3] Her reviews have also appeared in the London Review of Books,[4] The New Yorker,[5] and many more publications.

She started working as the nonfiction critic for the Times in January 2018,[6] after having worked for four years as an editor for The New York Times Book Review.[7] Szalai is one of the three professional critics who write for The New York Times, together with Dwight Garner and Parul Sehgal. Her reviews appear on Wednesdays. She is also a frequent contributor to The Book Review Podcast.

Frank Rich referred to Szalai's review of Bob Woodward's book Rage, about the presidency of Donald Trump, as a "Didion-worthy dissection".[8] In February 2023, Szalai wrote a similar review of The Courage to Be Free by Ron DeSantis.[9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Jennifer Szalai - The New York Times". www.nytimes.com. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  2. ^ Carter, Sue (December 11, 2017). "Canadian Jennifer Szalai named New York Times's new non-fiction critic". Quill and Quire. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  3. ^ "Jennifer Szalai | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  4. ^ Jennifer Szalai. "Jennifer Szalai · LRB". London Review of Books. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  5. ^ "Jennifer Szalai". The New Yorker. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  6. ^ "Jennifer Szalai hired as 'New York Times' nonfiction critic; Former Gawker staff hope to buy back website". www.bookforum.com. December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  7. ^ Paul, Pamela (December 11, 2017). "Jennifer Szalai Named New Nonfiction Critic". The New York Times Company. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  8. ^ Rich, Frank (September 10, 2020). "Why Woodward's Book Won't Break Through". Intelligencer. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  9. ^ Szalai, Jennifer (February 27, 2023). "Preaching Freedom, Ron DeSantis Leads By Cracking Down". The New York Times.