Inside the hilarious, secretive and petty world of book blurbs

We’ve all been told not to judge a book by its cover. So why do so many people—from readers, to retailers, to publishers and reviewers—judge them by one little name, next to a little generic quote, that appears on that cover?

Sophie Vershbow wrote about book blurbs for Esquire. She says that for writers, sourcing blurbs for their books is a process that is universally reviled. “Being asked to do it, having to keep asking to do it, is something that everyone seems to really dread,” says Vershbow.

If you’ve ever chosen your next read because the book came with a kind word from your favourite author, or if you’ve ever read some of those effusive blurbs, then read the book and wondered, “Did that person even read this thing?!” Well, welcome to the publishing industry’s weirdest little secret world.

It’s “an amazing episode of The Big Story, one of the best for sure!” — Producer Joe Fish

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