Update me, update you

Azir Nafisi’s READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN has been a huge hit in North America and Britain. Unfortunately, the book hasn’t been translated into Persian, so hardly any Iranians have read the book. Karl Vick goes to that country to find out what, if any, impact the book could have or has had already.

Patrick Anderson is quite impressed with Deon Meyer’s HEART OF THE HUNTER, a newly translated South African thriller that’s very, very good on two levels: as a fast-paced adventure story and a carefully produced portrait of a country still struggling with the effects of a post-Apartheid world.

The problem with hitching your horse to one hot property is that well, you neglect all the others in the stable. Tongues wag that Bloomsbury is doing just that (hey, when you’ve got a certain wizard named Potter, why not?) and I can say this attitude is echoed by certain Bloomsbury-published authors I’ve had occasion to speak to.

Survey says: lawsuit? The Steinbeck kiddies are gearing up for a fight against John’s widow for their share of his royalties and fortune. Family feuds are so much fun…(original link via TEV, who we hope is doing better this week.)

A new exhibit devoted to mystery writing in Mississippi has just opened at the J.D. Williams library, featuring works by Faulkner, Thomas Harris and Jere Hoar.

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Ed has a new review up]7 at his new local haunt of January Magazine, and it’s of the incredibly ubiquitious Chang-Rae Lee’s ALOFT.

Nicholas Royle is the latest writer to get the interview treatment at Bookmunch, as he talks about his latest book, ANTWERP.

The fabulous CAAF has started a new feature: authors interviewing themselves. Damn, what a cool idea! Her first subject, if you will, is Stephen Policoff, author of BEAUTIFUL SOMEWHERE ELSE.

And finally, J.K. Rowling may be bigger than the Beatles soon, but it’s highly unlikely she’ll be bigger than Jesus….