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Holt Leaves 'SF Chronicle' for NCIBA Website
Roxane Farmanfarmaian &John High -- 8/3/98
Pat Holt, San Francisco Chronicle Book Review editor for 16 years, resigned in mid-July, taking the newspaper by surprise. In March, Holt took on a new position at the paper as full-time book critic and columnist and David Kipen, formerly of Buzz magazine, was appointed editor of the Review. Commented Liz Lufkin, entertainment editor and managing editor of Datebook, the Sunday section that encompasses the Review: "We were completely surprised, and we are extremely sorry to see her leave."
Holt, whose resignation takes effect August 17, will join the NCIBA website as an online columnist in the middle of September. Contending that unbiased press reporting -- including her own column -- about the growth of the chains has actually contributed to the demise of the independents, Holt says her conscience at last forced her to take a new tack. "The truth is, what these chain stores are doing is wrong. And I began to feel the excitement of a new kind of column -- one that would contribute to a truly level playing field. I will be joining the side of the independents in this 'war of survival,'" she said. Her new column, tentatively called "Holt Uncensored," will appear twice a week in subscribers' e-mail. She explained that it will include "the insights of clerks, the hot new books coming out of nowhere, the lively exchanges of reading groups, bookseller profiles, book industry commentary."

Holt's departure leaves a hole at the Chronicle. As critic, Holt not only wrote daily reviews, but also her regular "Between the Lines" Sunday column and often a lead Sunday review. Kipen, who admitted he was "floored" by her announcement, still hopes to introduce an in-brief section to the Review, establish several theme issues per year and begin running more negative reviews.
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