London Review of Books articles aren't allowed to discuss the book being reviewed for the first five paragraphs. It's an obscure British law or something.
Highbrow US publications (The New Yorker, Harpers) kind of do this too, right?
They basically write their own article about the subject of the book, in which one of the notable things that has happened recently is that the book came out.
Apparently it isn’t a rule as much as an implied norm. I didn’t know this, thank you for educating me. Explains a lot about the article.
I’ve always been fascinated with how governments operate their clandestine operations. This particular article felt more like an expositional adventure than informative.
Isn't the LRB the one which people buy for the lonely hearts ad?
"neurotic, high functioning oxbridge reject seeks rich older man to predate, future matrimony possible if you can satisfy my need for Proust reading and cake"