If you’ve ever perused book reviews on Amazon.com, you’ve probably come across a name on just about every novel out there: Harriet Klausner. By the time she passed away on October 15th, she amassed an incredible 31,014 reviews.
A self-described speed reader, Klausner was a former librarian who tore through four to six books a day. In 2006, Time Magazine listed her as a person of the year who had a significant impact on the information age.
Klausner’s reviews weren’t in any particular depth, but she perfected the art of quickly encapsulating the plot the books that she sped through with a brief recommendation. Her formula seemed to work: she was ranked the #1 reviewer for the site until the reviewing metrics changed, although she retained her #1 spot as a hall of fame member. Her reviews alternatively amused and angered readers and authors who at times questioned whether or not she actually existed.
Despite her incredible output, it was clear that she was a person who loved books: her last review was published on October 12th, just days before she passed away.
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