{{short description|American book review magazine}} {{redirect|Kirkus|the surname|Kirkus (surname)}} {{Use American English|date=December 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox magazine | title = Kirkus Reviews | logo = Kirkus Reviews logo (2023).svg | image_file = Kirkus Reviews 15 November 2024 cover.webp | image_caption = Cover of November 15, 2024, issue | editor = Virginia Kirkus (1933 – July 1962) <!-- incorporated July 1962; Alice Wolff executive editor --> | category = Book reviews | language = English | abbreviation = | publisher = | company = Virginia Kirkus Bookshop Service, Virginia Kirkus Service, Inc. (from 1962), and others <br/>Kirkus Media, LLC (from 2010) | country = United States | based = New York City, U.S. | frequency = Semi-monthly | firstdate = {{start date and age|1933|1}} <!-- as ''Bulletin'' publ. Virginia Kirkus Bookshop Service --> | website = {{URL|kirkusreviews.com}} | issn = 1948-7428 <!--0042-6598 1948-741X 1948-7428 --> | oclc = 12234808 }} '''''Kirkus Reviews''''' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus.<ref name=NYT_Rich1>{{cite news |title=End of Kirkus Reviews Brings Anguish and Relief |first=Motoko |last=Rich |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/books/12kirkus.html |newspaper=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |date=December 11, 2009 |access-date=November 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029120721/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/books/12kirkus.html |archive-date=October 29, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> The magazine's publisher, '''Kirkus Media''', is headquartered in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|title=Contact Us|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/about/contact-us/|work=Kirkus Reviews|access-date=January 22, 2016}}</ref> ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers' literature.

''Kirkus Reviews'', published on the first and 15th of each month, previews books before their publication. It previews over 10,000 titles per year.<ref name=NYT_Rich1/><ref name=":0" />

==History== Virginia Kirkus was hired by Harper and Brothers to establish a children's book department in 1926. In 1932, the department was eliminated as a Depression-era economic measure. Within a year, Louise Raymond, the secretary Kirkus hired, had successfully advocated for funding to restore the division and became its leader. Kirkus left the company in the interim period, establishing her own book-review service.<ref>{{cite book |last=Marcus |first=Leonard S. |title=Minders of Make-Believe |location=Boston |publisher=Houghton Mifflin |year=2008 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/mindersofmakebel00marc/page/104 104, 111] |isbn=978-0-395-67407-9 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/mindersofmakebel00marc/page/104 }}</ref> Initially, she arranged to get galley proofs of "20 or so" books in advance of their publication; almost 80 years later, the service was receiving hundreds of books weekly and reviewing about 100.<!-- 200, twice monthly --><ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=http://www.kirkusreviews.com/about/history/ |title=Kirkus Reviews History |website=Kirkus Reviews |access-date=November 15, 2012}}</ref>

Initially titled ''Bulletin'' by Kirkus' Bookshop Service from 1933 to 1954, the title was changed to ''Bulletin from Virginia Kirkus' Service'' from January 1, 1955, issue onwards, and successively shortened to ''Virginia Kirkus' Service'' with the December 15, 1964, issue, and ''Kirkus Service'' in 1967, before it attained its current title, ''Kirkus Reviews'', with January 1, 1969, issue.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our History |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/about/history/ |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=Kirkus Reviews}}</ref>

In 1985, Anne Larsen was brought on as fiction editor, soon to become editor, remaining the editorial head of Kirkus until 2006 and modifying the review format and style for improved readability, concision, accuracy, and impact.

==Ownership== ''Kirkus Reviews'' was sold to ''The New York Review of Books'' in 1970 and subsequently sold by the ''Review'' to Barbara Bader and Josh Rubins, who served also as the publication's editors. In 1985, magazine consultant James B. Kobak acquired ''Kirkus Reviews''.<ref name=NYT_Doughrty>{{cite news|last=Dougherty |first=Philip H. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/04/business/advertising-consultant-acquires-kirkus-reviews.html |title=Consultant Acquires Kirkus Reviews |newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 4, 1985 |access-date=November 12, 2012}}</ref> David LeBreton bought ''Kirkus'' from Kobak in 1993.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-13249757/kirkus-reviews-being-acquired.html |title=Kirkus Reviews being acquired |work=Publishers Weekly |date=August 23, 1993 |access-date=November 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521224028/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-13249757/kirkus-reviews-being-acquired.html |archive-date=May 21, 2013 }}</ref> BPI Communications, owned by Dutch publisher VNU, bought ''Kirkus'' from LeBreton in 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA156022.html |title=Kirkus Reviews Acquired By Publisher of Billboard |website=Libraryjournal.com |date=August 2, 1999 |access-date=November 12, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127185542/http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA156022.html |archive-date=January 27, 2013 }}</ref> At the end of 2009, the company announced the end of operations for ''Kirkus''.<ref name=NYT_Rich1/>

The journal was purchased from VNU (by then renamed The Nielsen Company, or Nielson N.V.) on February 10, 2010, by businessman Herbert Simon. Terms were not disclosed. The company was thereafter renamed Kirkus Media, and book-industry veteran Marc Winkelman was made publisher.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rich |first=Motoko |date=February 10, 2010 |url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/kirkus-gets-a-new-owner-from-the-nba/?scp=1&sq=kirkus&st=cse |title=Kirkus Gets a New Owner – From the N.B.A. |newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=March 22, 2012}}</ref>

== Reviewing == ''Kirkus Reviews'' has a traditional program of reviewing that does not require payment for reviews.<ref>{{cite web |title=I'm not self-published, but my book did not get reviewed by Kirkus prior to publication. May I purchase a review through the Indie program? |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/indie-reviews/ |website=Kirkus Reviews |access-date=August 5, 2021}}</ref> ''Kirkus Reviews'' also offers an indie program that allows book authors to purchase, but not modify or influence, reviews that the book author can choose whether or not to publish on the ''Kirkus'' website,<ref>{{cite web |title=Since I'm paying for the review, will it be positive? |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/indie-reviews/ |website=Kirkus Reviews |access-date=August 5, 2021}}</ref> and if published may also be published in the magazine or email newsletter based on ''Kirkus'' editor discretion.<ref>{{cite web |title=How does Kirkus decide which Indie reviews get published in the magazine and in the email newsletter? |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/indie-reviews/ |website=Kirkus Reviews |access-date=August 5, 2021}}</ref>

== Kirkus Prize == {{main|Kirkus Prize}} In 2014, ''Kirkus Reviews'' started the Kirkus Prize, bestowing $50,000 prizes annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers' literature.<ref>{{cite web|author=Colin Dwyer |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/09/30/352696150/book-news-first-ever-kirkus-prize-picks-18-finalists |title=First-Ever Kirkus Prize Picks 18 Finalists : The Two-Way |publisher=NPR |date=September 30, 2014 |access-date=November 23, 2015}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist|25em }}

==Further reading==

* {{cite news|title=Kirkus Reviews splits from NYRB|work=Library Journal|volume=107|date= June 15, 1982|page=1164|issn= 0363-0277}} * {{cite news|title=Kirkus Reviews closes|work=Library Journal|volume= 135 |date=January 2010|issue=1|pages=16–17}} * {{cite news|title=Kirkus Reviews finds buyer|work=Library Journal|volume= 135 |date=February 2010|issue=2|page=13}}

== External links == {{Commons}} * {{Official website|http://www.kirkusreviews.com/}} * [https://issuu.com/kirkus-reviews Online archive] at Issuu (February 1, 2011 – present) * {{LCAuth|n85160215|Kirkus Service|4|}} * {{LCAuth|nr94005545|Virginia Kirkus|7|}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkus Reviews}} Category:Book review magazines published in the United States Category:English-language magazines Category:Magazines established in 1933 Category:Magazines published in New York City Category:Semimonthly magazines Category:1933 establishments in New York City