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Editor's Report
Before the traditional reading of publishing statistics
and laudes, I am very pleased to announce that for the first time
in memory-or at least the last twenty-five years-Speculum has retired
its backlog of reviews. To put it another way, when the issue that
has just appeared, April 2007, went off to the typesetter, there
were no reviews left on the shelf. Our collective thanks must be
at the hosannah level and directed toward the thirteen book review
editors who parceled out books to area specialists, to Mary-Jo Arn
in her role as Book Review Manager, and to the Associate Editor,
Jacqueline Brown.
The number of pages printed in Speculum in 2006
was 1,308, some 117 fewer than in 2005. We devoted 680 pages to reviews
and brief notices, a decrease of 104 pages in comparison with 2005.
The number of pages devoted to articles remained comparable, 560
in 2006, 564 in 2005, as did the number of articles, 18 in both
years. The costs for printing and mailing the journal were $109,778
in 2006 as compared with $125,406 in 2005.
In my first year I am impressed, if not surprised,
by the international attraction of Speculum. Occasionally, there
are bizarre features to this internationalism. In September the
Academy received a rather grotty envelope from Israel, which evidently
barely escaped total obliteration. When opened, the envelope disclosed
a cover letter announcing three copies of an article for consideration.
In fact there were three issues of Chinese medical journals-in Chinese-regarding
(it would appear) bone surgery and similar specialties. Who knows
what Beijing made of the swap that Israeli mail delivered!
I am happy to note that Speculum on JSTOR yielded
a payment of $12,419.77 in 2006 (cf. 2005, $10,578.19; 2004, $9802.75).
I am grateful to the Speculum Editorial Board for
their patience with a rookie starter and for their good advice on
submissions, practices, and policy questions. Their collective discretion
has assisted an easy working relationship. Continuing members for
next year are Anne L. Clark (2004-8), Maryanne Kowaleski (2007-11),
Roberta L. Krueger (2005-9), Thomas F. X. Noble (2007-11), Conrad
Rudolph (2006-10), and Elaine Treharne (2005-9). I have asked Thomas
F. X. Noble and Maryanne Kowaleski to stay on for another term to
ensure successful continuity that will assist in reducing the backlog
of articles.
Council has endorsed my recommendations (* below)
for new book review editors. The complete list is as follows: Rebecca
A. Baltzer, University of Texas (music, 2005-8); *Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski,
University of Pittsburgh (French, 2007-10); Theresa Coletti, University
of Maryland (English, 2006-9); Maria Dobozy, University of Utah
(German, 2006-9); Siān Echard, University of British Columbia (Latin,
2006-9); Steven A. Epstein, University of Kansas (late-medieval
history, 2006-9); Anthony Kaldellis, Ohio State University (Byzantine
studies, 2006-9); Constant J. Mews, Monash University (philosophy
and theology, 2005-8); Frederick S. Paxton, Connecticut College
(early-medieval history, 2006-9); *Stephen Perkinson, Bowdoin College
(art history, 2007-10); *F. Regina Psaki, University of Oregon (Italian,
2007-10); and *Barbara F. Weissberger, University of Minnesota (Iberian
languages and literatures, 2007-10).
I acknowledge with thanks the contributions of
outgoing book review editors Cynthia J. Brown, Joan A. Holladay,
Adnan A. Husain, Susan J. Noakes, and Julian Weiss.
Respectfully submitted,
PAUL E. SZARMACH, Editor
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