The Review as Art and Communication not only presents the idea that book reviews, record reviews, theatrical reviews and reviews of any genre can be substantive essays on their own - expounding and elaborating on the concepts and ideas of the original material critiqued - but it also explores the "e;shelf-life"e; of the review: the odd phenomenon that just like other forms of art, some stand the test-of-time, and some do not.This book also collects the book reviews of one scholar: Max J. Skidmore, Sr. into one volume, using his ideas and themes to illustrate how reviews have a life of their own, evolving and developing beyond the original work covered.