When millions of readers and top experts agree on a set of books, you know there's something special about their insights and relevance. Performing Arts Criticism has grown in importance as audiences seek deeper understanding of theater, film, and television beyond mere entertainment. These books offer proven value by unraveling complex cultural narratives and artistic expressions that shape how we experience performance today.
Notable figures like Linmanuel Miranda, the Tony Award-winning playwright, have championed Emily Nussbaum's I Like to Watch, sharing stories of its broad appeal even among casual readers. Actress Jane Levy also highlights the engaging nature of this book, reflecting how expert endorsements align with popular appreciation. Meanwhile, Sonny Bunch, executive editor at The Free Beacon, points to The Press Gang as a treasure trove for cinephiles seeking thoughtful critique.
While these popular books provide validated frameworks, readers interested in more tailored guidance might consider creating a personalized Performing Arts Criticism book that combines these proven approaches with your unique background and goals. This blend of expert knowledge and customization can deepen your critical skills effectively.
Linmanuel Miranda, the Tony Award-winning composer and playwright, shares a vivid moment when a bookstore employee enthusiastically recommended Emily Nussbaum's work, reflecting the book's broad appeal among both experts and everyday readers. His experience reveals how Nussbaum's writing resonates deeply within the performing arts community, capturing the changing landscape of television. "Oh, and at one point I was holding the new Emily Nussbaum book, deciding whether to buy a hard copy... and a bookstore employee came out of NOWHERE like ‘I LOVE EMILY NUSSBAUMS WRITING SO MUCH!!’" This enthusiastic endorsement aligns with the book's ability to deepen your understanding of TV as a cultural force. Actress Jane Levy also highlights the book's engaging nature, underscoring its value for anyone invested in television criticism.
“Oh, and at one point I was holding the new Emily Nussbaum book, deciding whether to buy a hard copy (I’ve read 2/3 of it on Kindle) and a bookstore employee came out of NOWHERE like “I LOVE EMILY NUSSBAUMS WRITING SO MUCH!!” So Emily, you have a big fan at The Grove B&N.” (from X)
Emily Nussbaum has written for The New Yorker since 2011. She is the winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for criticism and the 2014 National Magazine Award for Columns and Commentary. Nussbaum has written for The New York Times, Slate, and Lingua Franca. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Clive Thompson, and their two children.
Drawing from her Pulitzer Prize-winning career at The New Yorker, Emily Nussbaum offers a sharp exploration of television's cultural impact and evolving narrative forms. You dive into essays that dissect shows from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to modern hits, unpacking themes like the rise of the female screw-up and the complex portrayal of sexual violence. Nussbaum challenges traditional hierarchies in TV criticism, inviting you to reconsider what merits artistic value in this medium. This book suits anyone curious about television's shifting landscape and how it reflects broader societal changes, especially if you want insights that go beyond surface-level reviews.
A. O. Scott brings decades of experience as a New York Times film critic to this exploration of criticism’s vital role in art and life. Having contributed widely to respected publications and served on influential editorial staffs, he offers readers a chance to see how criticism blends reason with passion to enrich understanding. His background uniquely positions him to guide you through the complexities of artistic evaluation, from blockbuster films to classical literature, making this book a thoughtful companion for those looking to sharpen their critical perspective.
A. O. Scott joined The New York Times as a film critic in January 2000. Previously, Mr. Scott was a Sunday book reviewer for Newsday and a frequent contributor to Slate, The New York Review of Books, and many other publications. He has served on the editorial staffs of Lingua Franca and The New York Review of Books. In addition to his film-reviewing duties, Mr. Scott often writes for the Times Magazine and the Book Review. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Unlike most books on criticism that focus narrowly on theory, this one reveals how criticism shapes your experience of art and everyday life. A. O. Scott, drawing on decades as a New York Times film critic, walks you through evaluating everything from blockbuster movies to classical poetry, blending humor with sharp insights. You’ll learn to recognize the balance between reason and passion that good criticism demands, exploring chapters that analyze figures from Aristotle to Marina Abramovich. This book suits anyone curious about deepening their understanding of art’s impact and the role criticism plays beyond the page.
This custom AI book on performing arts criticism is created after you share your background, skill level, and interests within this field. It focuses on the criticism techniques and perspectives you want to explore, tailored to help you develop your unique critical voice. By centering on your specific goals, this book offers a learning experience that’s both relevant and engaging, making your journey into performing arts critique meaningful and effective.
TailoredRead AI creates personalized nonfiction books that adapt to your unique background, goals, and interests. Instead of reading generic content, you get a custom book written specifically for your profession, experience level, and learning objectives. Whether you're a beginner looking for fundamentals or an expert seeking advanced insights, TailoredRead crafts a book that speaks directly to you. Learn more.
2025·50-300 pages·Performing Arts Criticism, Performing Arts, Criticism Techniques, Theater Analysis, Film Evaluation
This tailored book explores performing arts criticism through a lens uniquely aligned with your interests and background. It examines key methods and influential perspectives that have shaped the field, focusing on techniques to evaluate theater, film, and live performance with depth and clarity. By weaving together popular knowledge and your specific goals, it reveals how to engage critically and express insights that resonate.
The personalized content matches your ambitions, encouraging thoughtful analysis and mastery of criticism skills that reflect your voice. This approach ensures you gain relevant knowledge efficiently, empowering you to make lasting impact in performing arts discourse.
A Theater Criticism/Arts Journalism Primer: Refereeing the Muses stands out in performing arts criticism by offering a thoughtful exploration of the critic’s craft. It addresses the preparation and writing processes crucial for engaging and insightful arts journalism, using theater as a vivid example of storytelling through creativity and collaboration. This book’s accessible style and incorporation of quotes from renowned critics make it a valuable resource for college students, casual critics, and professionals alike. By examining the evolution and future of arts criticism in the U.S., it provides a solid foundation for anyone looking to deepen their understanding and practice in this field.
After years of studying theater arts and journalism, Bob Abelman and Cheryl Kushner developed a guide that dives into what it truly means to critique and report on the performing arts. You’ll explore the history and evolution of arts criticism in the U.S., then move through practical insights on preparing, observing, and writing reviews that engage and inform. The book uses theatrical productions to illustrate how creativity and collaboration come alive, helping you sharpen your critical thinking and writing skills for any arts journalism format. Whether you’re a student, a casual critic, or a professional aiming to refine your craft, this book offers clear examples and quotes from established critics that bring the lessons to life.
Dr. Charlotte Frost is the Executive Director of Furtherfield, London's longest running art and technology centre. With advanced degrees in art history, contemporary and digital arts, and digital culture, she brings over 20 years of expertise in arts research, publishing, and curation to this work. Her extensive experience across Europe, the US, and Asia and her numerous contributions on art and technology uniquely qualify her to chart the history and future of online art criticism for you.
Dr. Charlotte Frost is the Executive Director of Furtherfield, London's longest running art and technology centre. With a BA, PG Dip, MA and PhD in art history, contemporary and digital arts, and digital culture she has over 20 years' experience in arts research, publishing, curation, education, management, communications and marketing. Frost has held assistant professorships and research fellowships in Europe, the US and Asia and is the author of one book and countless chapters, articles, videos and podcasts on art and technology.
What happens when an expert in art history and digital culture turns her focus to the evolution of criticism online? Dr. Charlotte Frost, drawing on over two decades of experience at the intersection of art and technology, traces the fascinating journey of art criticism from early networked projects and bulletin boards to today's social media platforms. You learn how these shifts have transformed the language, style, and reach of criticism, with chapters detailing key phases like listserv debates and blogosphere dynamics. If you're interested in how digital environments reshape cultural discourse, this book offers a nuanced map of those changes, especially useful for anyone engaged with contemporary art or media studies.
Sonny Bunch, executive editor at The Free Beacon and contributor to major publications like The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, highlights this collection as a standout in performing arts criticism. He points readers to it with enthusiasm, stating, "@RobGeorge The book being discussed in that link is great, if you haven’t checked it out." His endorsement reflects the book's resonance among cinephiles who value thoughtful critique over casual commentary. Alongside him, Kirkus Reviews praises the volume as a treasure trove of intellectually rich essays from the New York Press, curated with care by Jim Colvill. Their combined insights make a compelling case for why this collection deserves your attention if you seek serious engagement with cinema's cultural dialogues.
Godfrey Cheshire, Matt Zoller Seitz, Armond White, Jim Colvill·
About the Author
Godfrey Cheshire is an award-winning film critic and filmmaker based in New York City. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, Variety, The Village Voice, Film Comment, Cineaste, Sight & Sound, RogerEbert.com and other publications. He is the director of the documentary Moving Midway and author of In the Time of Kiarostami: Writings on Iranian Cinema and Conversations with Kiarostami.
Godfrey Cheshire, an accomplished film critic and filmmaker with decades in New York's cinema scene, helped shape this collection that captures a rare depth of long-form film criticism. Through essays, interviews, and polemics spanning two decades, you gain insight into cinema's evolving legacy and the distinct voices that debated its direction, including perspectives on directors like Hitchcock and Kubrick. The book moves beyond surface reviews, inviting you into a dynamic dialogue among critics wrestling with film culture and history. If you appreciate engaged, thoughtful criticism that challenges popular narratives, this collection offers a rich, sometimes confrontational exploration; casual movie fans might find the intensity demanding.
This AI-created book on performing arts criticism is crafted based on your specific interests and current skill level. You share what areas of critique you want to focus on, your background, and goals, and the book then offers a tailored path to sharpen your skills efficiently. Personalization is key here because criticism is as much about your unique perspective as it is about established techniques. This approach ensures you get exactly the insights and practice you need to grow as a thoughtful and articulate critic.
TailoredRead AI creates personalized nonfiction books that adapt to your unique background, goals, and interests. Instead of reading generic content, you get a custom book written specifically for your profession, experience level, and learning objectives. Whether you're a beginner looking for fundamentals or an expert seeking advanced insights, TailoredRead crafts a book that speaks directly to you. Learn more.
2025·50-300 pages·Performing Arts Criticism, Performing Arts, Criticism Techniques, Theater Analysis, Film Critique
This personalized book explores the art and craft of performing arts criticism through a tailored lens that matches your background and goals. It covers techniques for observing, analyzing, and articulating thoughtful critiques of theater, film, and live performance. The content focuses on practical steps to rapidly develop your critical eye and voice, blending widely respected approaches with your specific interests. By addressing the nuances of performance elements like direction, acting, and production, it reveals how to engage deeply with live and recorded performances. This tailored guide helps you build confidence and precision, making your criticism insightful and impactful.
Jarrett Earnest is a New York City-based writer and artist with extensive experience teaching experimental art programs and editing influential artist interview collections. His broad background and deep involvement in the art world inform this book, which presents a unique collection of interviews revealing how leading critics approach the challenge of writing about art. Earnest’s work offers readers a layered understanding of the critic’s role and the evolving landscape of art criticism over recent decades.
Jarrett Earnest is a writer and artist living in New York City. From 2014–2017 he was faculty at the free experimental art school Bruce High Quality Foundation University (BHQFU), running their MFU programs in New York and Miami. He co-edited the volumes Tell Me Something Good: Artist Interviews from The Brooklyn Rail (2017) and For Bill, Anything: Images and Text for Bill Berkson (2015). His writing has appeared in The Brooklyn Rail, The Village Voice, Los Angeles Review of Books, Art in America, and San Francisco Arts Quarterly, among others.
After analyzing decades of art criticism and interviews, Jarrett Earnest developed a rich portrait of what it means to write about art. Drawing from his experience as a writer and artist embedded in New York City's vibrant art scene, Earnest captures candid conversations with 30 prominent critics, historians, and theorists that reveal their distinct approaches to interpreting art. You’ll gain insight into the evolution of art criticism from the 1960s onward, learning how cultural context, personal history, and stylistic choices shape critical writing. This book suits anyone interested in the craft of art criticism or the nuanced relationship between art and cultural discourse.
Theater Symptoms offers a rare glimpse into Robert Musil's theatrical mind, showcasing his plays and incisive critical writings that dissect the cultural and social crises of theater during the interwar period. This volume, translated and introduced by Genese Grill, highlights Musil’s unique approach that blends literary craft with cultural critique, positioning theater as a transformative force rather than mere entertainment. Musil’s penetrating observations on figures like Stanislavski and explorations of ritual and consciousness enrich the field of performing arts criticism, making this a valuable resource for those drawn to theater’s deeper social impact and artistic potential.
Robert Musil, celebrated for his modernist novel The Man Without Qualities, extends his keen intellect to theater in this volume, which blends his plays and critical essays from the 1920s. You delve into his sharp critiques of the cultural commodification and conformism shaping theater between the wars, alongside his vision of art as a catalyst for profound social and existential renewal. Chapters reveal Musil's engagement with theatrical pioneers like Stanislavski and his exploration of ritual, perception, and consciousness in performance. If you seek to understand theater's potential to challenge societal norms and provoke deeper reflection, this collection offers a rigorous and thought-provoking journey.
The Art of Giving and Receiving Criticism offers a distinctive perspective in performing arts criticism by focusing on communication that avoids confrontation. Its approach centers on balancing honesty with respect, providing a framework that benefits artists and critics alike. This book addresses a common challenge in the performing arts: how to exchange feedback that promotes growth without triggering defensiveness. By exploring methods to handle criticism constructively, it supports professionals seeking to improve their dialogue and collaborative processes within the arts community.
The methods Dr. John L. Lund developed while studying communication highlight a nuanced approach to critique that avoids confrontation while fostering growth. You learn how to navigate the delicate balance of giving feedback that is honest yet respectful, and how to receive criticism without defensiveness, skills essential in any performing arts environment. The book walks you through strategies for maintaining dialogue that encourages improvement rather than conflict, illustrating these principles with practical examples. Whether you're a performer, director, or critic, this book sharpens your ability to engage in criticism constructively, making it a useful guide for anyone involved in the creative exchange of ideas.
These eight books collectively highlight key themes in Performing Arts Criticism: the balance between theoretical insight and practical application, the evolution of criticism across media, and the importance of communication in artistic dialogue. If you prefer proven methods grounded in cultural analysis, start with Better Living Through Criticism or I Like to Watch. For validated approaches to theater specifically, A Theater Criticism/Arts Journalism Primer and Theater Symptoms offer rich perspectives.
For those drawn to film critique, The Press Gang provides a deep dive into cinema's cultural dialogues, while The Art of Giving and Receiving Criticism sharpens the interpersonal skills essential to effective critique. Alternatively, you can create a personalized Performing Arts Criticism book to blend these popular methods with your own specific needs.
These widely-adopted approaches have helped many succeed in understanding and engaging with the performing arts critically. Embracing these expert-recommended books can enrich your appreciation and analytical skills, whether you're a student, professional, or passionate enthusiast.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?
Start with I Like to Watch if you're interested in TV criticism or Better Living Through Criticism for a broad art perspective. Both are accessible and praised by experts for their engaging insights.
Are these books too advanced for someone new to Performing Arts Criticism?
Not at all. A Theater Criticism/Arts Journalism Primer is designed for beginners, while others like Better Living Through Criticism provide approachable frameworks suitable for newcomers.
What’s the best order to read these books?
Begin with books offering broad context like Better Living Through Criticism, then explore specialized topics such as theater or film criticism with Theater Symptoms or The Press Gang.
Do I really need to read all of these, or can I just pick one?
You can pick based on your interests. Each book stands strong alone, but reading multiple offers a richer, more nuanced understanding of Performing Arts Criticism.
Which books focus more on theory vs. practical application?
Better Living Through Criticism and What it Means to Write About Art lean toward theory, while A Theater Criticism/Arts Journalism Primer and The Art of Giving and Receiving Criticism emphasize practical skills.
How can I get personalized Performing Arts Criticism guidance beyond these books?
These expert books offer valuable foundations, but personalized content can target your unique goals and background. Consider creating a personalized Performing Arts Criticism book to combine proven approaches with your specific needs for faster, focused learning.
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