Oxford Review of Books

Oxford Review of Books is an independent cultural review broadsheet magazine produced by students of the University of Oxford sold commercially online, and by retailers in Oxford (such as Blackwell's) and newsagents across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland; the magazine is often abbreviated to the ORB. The ORB was established in 2017 by University of Oxford students and one issue is published each term during University of Oxford term time. The ORB specialises in long-form book reviews and essays, as well as diary pieces, interviews, poetry and short fiction.
History
Oxford Review of Books was founded in 2017 and its first issue was published on the 9th June. Its founding Editors were Daniel Kodsi, Katie Mennis and Benn Sheridan. The ORB was modelled on the Times Literary Supplement and London Review of Books.
Organisation
Oxford Review of Books is published with the permission of Luxury Magazines Publishing Ltd, responsible for LUX Magazine, a luxury lifestyle magazine published by Darius Sanai, an Editor-in-Chief at Condé Nast, and an Oxford graduate himself, who offers guidance and support for the ORB. Oxford Review of Books staff are all current University of Oxford undergraduate or postgraduate students who run the magazine while studying for their degrees.
The ORB is organised termly by a team of three to four Editors-in-Chief overseeing the production of the issue. One or two of these Editors continue on during the following term as rolling Editor(s) to ensure continuity. Editors of the publication must be current students of the University of Oxford. Although the publication is published by Darius Sanai, it enjoys editorial independence, and the ORB team are responsible for its editorial, publishing, advertising and event operations, with full responsibility for the contents and design of the publication as well as its print and distribution, events and marketing. Current Editors are advised and supported by The ORB Advisory Board (the Board), an assembly of founders and former Editors of the ORB who provide advice and guidance to the publication.
The ORB Editors oversee the management of the publication's staff, who are recruited termly through a 'Call for Staff' conducted via the ORB social media platforms. A team of Commissioning Editors are appointed to work closely with the writers throughout the editorial process and develop articles for publication. Members for the Poetry and Fiction team are hired to respectively organise the ORB termly poetry night, and to oversee submissions and appoint a judge for the ORB termly short fiction competition. A Business Director works alongside a business team to manage the publication's business and advertising interests, and a social media and marketing team are responsible for the magazine's publicity. An Artistic Director is also appointed to organise a team of artists and illustrators who produce custom artwork for each piece in publication and online.
The ORB releases calls for pitches termly via their social media platforms, and it is recommended that pitches such as books reviews are between 2,500-3,000 words, and essays between 2,000 to 2,500 .
Format and style
The ORB is unique amongst student publications in Oxford for its emphasis on long-form writing and journalism; each issue is composed of 32 pages and its reviews, interviews and journalistic articles are interspersed with poetry and creative fiction, and regularly features a comical section of satirical or amusing of classified adverts at the back. The ORB artistic team are commissioned to produce artwork and illustrations for publication alongside print pieces.
Notable contributors
The ORB is also unusual for a student publication in its printing of original works by notable poets and writers. It has published original poetry by Simon Armitage, Lawrence Sail and Bernard O'Donoghue. The ORB has also interviewed notable academics and politicians, including Philippe Sands, Anne Sebba, Mary Beard, Colm Tóibín, Peter Singer, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Helen Dunmore, Amia Srinivasan, Quassim Cassam, Nick Clegg, Ed Balls, and Derek Jacobi.
The ORB holds a termly fiction competition which is judged by a prominent author or poet. Past judges have included Victoria Hislop, Chris Power and Julia Armfield. The ORB has also hosted a number of prominent speakers, including an interview and Q and A with Stephen Fry hosted at Worcester College, as well as a panel discussing the Irish Border featuring Andrew O'Neill, the Irish Ambassador to the United Kingdom at the time.

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