And the updates keep rolling along

And you know, I kinda like the way I organized last week’s pre-posted update, so I think I’ll do it again:

NYTBR: First of all, I think Marilyn Stasio has to stop using the word “dazzling” in her reviews. I swear, this week marks about the millionth time I’ve come across the word from her, and here she prides herself on not using any blurb-worthy words or phrases. Anyway, she gives good verbiage to Carl Hiaasen, Margaret Murphy, Nicci French and debut writer Sabina Murray. Otherwise, Alan Wolfe takes a tour of political polemics, Sara Mosle raves about Current It Boy Dan Chaon, and Christopher Buckley mocks the Index page of Bill Clinton’s “My Life.”

WaPo: Louise Welsh examines Patricia Highsmith’s last novel, nine years after the author’s death; Edward Hirsch gets suitably long-winded in honor of Pablo Neruda’s centenary; and Dennis Drabelle goes positively gaga for Jonathan Ames‘ WAKE UP, SIR! (hey, where’s my copy?)

G&M: Two famed Canadian Jewish writers, Chava Rosenfarb and Avner Mandelman, have released short story collections that attract Sharon Drache’s attention; Martin Levin examines a history of humankind and finds it delivers the goods; and Margaret Cannon’s crime column features the latest and greatest from the father/daughter Burkes, Karin Fossum, Denise Hamilton, Dean Koontz, Steven Saylor, and John Katzenbach.

Guardian Review: Jonathan Raban, the author of WAXWINGS, goes roadtripping with his daughter so she can…learn some Spanish? Otherwise, Kate Kellaway searches far and wide for “illustrated novels for adults”, and Joseph O’Connor has some fun with the physics-minded MOBIUS DICK by Andrew Crumey.

Observer: Robert McCrum argues that originality might be a tad overrated when it comes to writing fiction, an additional positive dose of the Andrew Crumey novel, and a new biography of Chekhov seems to miss the mark.

SF Chronicle: David Wallis collects pieces of journalism too hot to print in KILLED; Amy Westerveldt gets giddy about Thisbe Nissen’s second novel; and this otherwise pedestrian review of Alex Garland’s THE COMA caught my eye for its assertion that his sophomore effort was “one of the most brilliant works of prose narrative of the past decade, the kind of book that his colleague Martin Amis always pretends to produce but never does.” Yowza! And rather odd, considering most people seemed to think the book was crap…

Otherwise:

Tom Nolan rounds up mysteries in Friday’s Weekend Journal column, looking at new books by Sue Grafton,Qiu Xiaolong, John Harvey and Walter Mosley.

Speaking of Grafton, she’s interviewed by the Grand Rapids Press now that a new Kinsey book is out, which, of course, is set in the middle of the 1980s. Is it historical fiction, as Grafton jokes? Well, kinda…

James Lee Burke to write a Robicheaux prequel? That’s what he hints at in this interview with the Contra Costa Times. Now that could be mighty interesting….

Oline Cogdill does triple duty this week, rounding up new releases by Steven Torres, Ron Faust, and Nora Charles. Nice to see some paperback originals get some choice mentions this time around.

Jack Batten, writing for the Toronto Star, also looks at a troika of novels in his roundup of female sleuths who take more than their fair share of grief and torment.

Byron Bales spent the past 40 years as a private investigator, and has turned his experience–and love of Thailand–into his debut mystery featuring PI Mike Roth. The Bangkok Nation meets him.

BROOKLYN NOIR, an anthology by some of the finest writers in New York (and elsewhere) gets a deserving rave by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Though not every story is a standout, the overall quality is pretty damned high. The New York Daily News is interviewed at the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review about her newest book, FALLEN.

The Charlotte Observer does something similar for local author Mark de Castrique, whose first novel was published by Poisoned Pen Press last year.

Lloyd Ferris, writing for the Maine Press-Herald, is impressed with the latest outing from local crime writer Gerry Boyle, who writes the Jack McMorrow series.

The last novel from Bruce Alexander, who died last November, has finally been released, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer approves.

The Sunday Herald profiles Andrea Levy, recent winner of the Orange Prize, on how her experiences as an immigrant translate splendidly into fiction.

Can someone please explain why Jane Austen is a real cottage industry these days? The Seattle Times rounds up some beach-y reads with yet more spin on Pride & Prejudice.

And finally, well, this is pretty freaking cool. No question that dude runs a hell of a lot faster than I will ever hope to.