Truthdig, the 2007 Webby winner for best political blog, has announced that former LA Times Book Review editor Steve Wasserman has been appointed the website’s book editor, and will begin editing a weekly review column in October. He will continue to serve as the managing director for the New York office of the Kneerim & Williams literary agency within the law firm of Fish & Richardson. “At a time when newspapers are cutting back on their coverage of books,” says associate publisher Karen Spector of the hire, “Truthdig is acting to counter this betrayal of journalism’s fundamental obligation to deliver the news that stays news… Book coverage on Truthdig will complement its political emphasis by deepening public debate on a range of compelling issues. Such coverage will embrace the enduring need for serious and lively analysis so necessary in an increasingly dizzy culture.”
Once I’ve had a chance to wake up, I’ll see if I can’t get Wasserman on the phone to tell us more about how he plans to do that.