Jack Edwards: From Making Book Reviews to Conducting Celebrity Interviews

Introduction

I first came across Jack Edward on my YouTube recommendation videos during the pandemic. The sheer loneliness and boredom imposed by the pandemic on my movement during this time led me to spend much more time on YouTube than I otherwise would have. It was during that period in my life that I finally decided to read the books on my bookshelf that I had always put aside.

It was during this time that many people stuck at home decided to do a lot of the things that they would not have done in their regular day-to-day routine, and one of them was reading. Suppose it were not for the pandemic that I managed to stumble across Jack Edwards’ content that propelled me into learning more about art and literature that made me the person that I am. With that, considering the immense success that Edwards has undergone in the past year, the question arises. Who is Jack Edwards, and what does he do?

Who is Jack Edwards

Jack Edwards is a literary critic and online personality star in the realm of Booktok, as well as an avid YouTuber who posts reviews on novels for his listeners and those curious about which good book should be read head-on. He first started off his internet journey by posting daily vlogs of his life during his undergraduate years at Durham College in the U.K. His daily vlogs have gained immense viewership and followers, which did not stop during Covid-19 where many people stayed at home. It was during the pandemic that he gained such a big fan base due to his book reviews.

I, myself, became a Jack Edward watcher during the pandemic. I vividly remember one of the reviews he gave for Coco Mellor’s novel Cleopatra and Frankenstein, and how it was one of the books that had a massive waitlist at my local bookstore. It is a reflection on the power that Edwards has in creating this massive fanbase that is dedicated to book reviews. Not only does he commend great power in influencing listeners to read books that he gives a positive review to, but he also commends a great power in setting books on the best-sellers list.

In real time, I have observed novels that Edwards recommends on the internet reach best-selling lists from different publishing houses. Not only did reviewing novels give him internet stardom, but it was his video of reviewing novels that were recommended by Kendall Jenner that catapulted him in the celebrity sphere. Not only did Kylie respond to his video rather negatively, but it also launched him to bigger heights as social media’s top literary reviewer because of it. While stardom comes with cons, Edwards also expresses his own personal thoughts on this stardom.

Edward’s take on Online Stardom

In an article written by George Monaghan, he writes about Edwards’ journey to internet stardom. In the article, Edwards exclaims his affection for the community that he created, but also brings the nuance that it created, citing that this community is also the outcome of social media. While he maintains immense grace and humbleness to his followers and listeners, the cost of social media popularity does things to a person. In the same article, Edwards expressed that digital fame of that caliber is not meant for the human brain, stating that the human brain is not built for internet fame. For a moment of time in his social media career, Edwards sparsely released book reviews due to mental health reasons. It was in recent years that we saw Edwards back online, but with a new fresh start.

Edward’s Newest Start

It was in recent years that we saw Edwards veer not far from book reviews, but interview celebrities and notable figures on their book collection and their take on books. In recent events, he has dedicated most of his content to conducting celebrity interviews, as well as gifting novels to celebrities and discussing their favourite novels that they divulge in.

Considering the immense popularity that Booktok has accumulated during its conception, it is a marketing and online trend to see celebrities launch reading clubs to discuss and delve into novels from new authors to rising novelists or creators. One of the most notable celebrities to recently create book clubs would be Dua Lipa, Lauvey and Dakota Johnson, to name a few.

While Edwards seldom reviews novels to the capacity that he once did during the pandemic, he still manages to give support to budding novelists and writers by hosting meet-and-greets and conferences to discuss novels with those interested in the novel, as well as bring potential fans from Edwards’ own fan base. It is also this year that Edwards released his newest project, which is a novel that is currently in the works.