Monday morning madness

So you all thought that Willy Wonka chap was fictional, right? So did Roald Dahl–until postal worker Will Wonka sent him a letter explaining otherwise, launching a long and surprising correspondence, as detailed in the Independent.

Truth proves even stranger than fiction for Earl Emerson. The firefighter/author’s new novel, PYRO, centers around a string of arsons that sets Seattle on edge. As the publication date approached, well….

Patrick Anderson deconstructs Matthew D’Ancona’s first novel, GOING EAST. The examination of elite London vs. the slums works well, but the thriller element is less successful.

Anthony Rainone, who hasn’t been heard from in a while review-wise, analyzes Rob Reuland’s SEMIAUTOMATIC for January Magazine.

Terry D’Auray looks at the careers of husband-and-wife mystery writers Bill Pronzini and Marcia Muller in the latest edition of the Agony Column. She also brings up the perils of selling books you think you’ll never read again….only to kick yourself years later and have to buy the damn things back at a higher price.

Seems that anyone who thought all the essays Virginia Woolf ever wrote were published already were wrong–there’s another one that’s just been discovered that will be published later on this year.

Linda Wertheimer chats with Jasper Fforde on NPR now that his fourth Thursday Next adventure, SOMETHING ROTTEN, has hit stores pretty much everywhere.

Jack Batten, resuming his crime fiction column for the Toronto Star, looks at one of the most intriguing characters to emerge in the last few years: Jack Taylor, as written by a certain Mr Bruen.

Nadine Gordimer: you really suck.

With Hatchette taking over Hodder Headline, now the UK folks are whining about the doom and gloom of conglomerization. Well, yeah, it’s no fun, but the US got there first….

Lots of point/counterpoint happening with some of my ‘spherical buddies: The Rake and Dan Green offer contrasting (and yet complementary) takes on David Foster Wallace’s OBLIVION; while Ed Champion debates the merits of David Mitchell (specifically CLOUD ATLAS) with Kevin Wignall. Amazingly, we haven’t read anything by either author, which is something that will have to be rectified someday, no doubt.

And finally, meet Italy’s most famous private eye. (link from Monsieur Corsair)