The final weekend update of 2004

Because next week is Christmas, and there won’t be that much going on anyway, so indeed, this will be the last Massively Huge Roundup of Reviews and Links of this year. Enjoy.

NYTBR: OK first of all, say what? Curtis Sittenfeld, who is a very fine writer already (and I’m really looking forward to her debut novel PREP) is in the Book Review…writing about groupies? Granted, it’s very amusing and tongue-in-cheek (although admitting you have a crush on David Foster Wallace is pretty normal–if she’d said oh, James Wood, I know some folks would have killed themselves with delight) but color me surprised that this would be in the Book Review.  Then again, I’ve already written about the subject and I have those Cabana Boys to keep after, so what do I know?

Otherwise in the section,  John Hartl rounds up “psychological suspense” novels that were otherwise forgotten (including Dan Fesperman’s THE WARLORD’S SON), Rachel Donadio tackles the concept of censorship,  Imre Kertesz actually gets coverage (which will no doubt perplex these guys)  and Christopher Hitchens smacks down the 60s.

WaPo Book World: Hmm, was Jeff Turrentine reading my essay about “noble failures” from a few days ago? Because that’s how he characterizes CASE HISTORIES, which of course I’ll disagree with, because it’s bloody obvious he hasn’t read a modern detective novel in zillions of years, but that’s my right. Otherwise, Michael Dirda doesn’t see why V.S. Naipaul’s new novel is all that, Michael Anft is deeply impressed with Madison Smartt Bell’s ability to chronicle Haitian history, and Paula Woods is now rounding up mysteries for the section, looking at new releases by Donald Westlake, Patricia Smiley, Anne Streiber, and Natasha Cooper.

G&M: More about this in the top post today, of course, but Margaret Cannon contributes her final crime fiction column of the year, and wishes she’d read CASE HISTORIES a month ago so it could crack her Top Ten of the year. She also reviews new releases by Ken Follett, Dean Koontz, Anne Perry and an anthology of reissued romance (!) novellas. Otherwise, Pauline Holdstock mostly digs Michel Faber’s new collection of novellas, Clifford Goldfarb devotes serious ink to the Annotated Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Levin looks at movie guides the same week that David Thomson’s mammoth history of Hollywood gets reviewed as well.

Guardian Review: There’s a new short story by Colm Toibin, while Alan Hollinghurst is fascinated by germs , Khaled Hosseini’s return visit to Afghanistan after decades away proves to be a real eye-opener, and literature sure knows how to throw a wild party.

Observer: Patricia Melo’s latest novel mines dark obsession and lets hatred win out; Robin McKie rounds up the best in science books; and Liz Hoggard wonders what’s up with this whole snobbery about readable genre fiction.

Scottish papers: Andrew Crumey ponders whether Scotland should launch a new literary prize, Catherine Shoard looks at celebrity memoirs, and Louise Grieve explains how she came to be a children’s book buyer.
 

Rest of the news:

Oline Cogdill’s on a serious roll this week, writing a fabulous tribute to Joseph Hansen as well as listing her top books of the year, featuring many of the genre’s heavyweights but a few surprises as well.

Dick Adler, in his final column of the year for the Chicago Tribune, rounds up new releases by Tony Hillerman, Stuart Kaminsky, Priscilla Royal, Jeanne Dams and Roy Lewis, raves about the Annotated Sherlock Holmes, and offers up his top 10 of the year.

Jane Jakeman was not taken–at all–with Jean-Christophe Grange’s high flying thriller THE EMPIRE OF THE WOLVES. Something about Turkish stereotypes perpetuated. Maybe I was too busy thinking it was a cool plot to notice…

Joan Smith rounds up the latest and greatest crime fiction for the Sunday Times, including new work by Edward Wright, Jose Carlos Somoza, Fred Vargas (who, um, is actually a girl) Andrew Taylor, Robert B. Parker, Sue Grafton, Sue Walker and CJ Sansom.

In Saturday’s Times is the crime column by Marcel Berlins, and he gives Boris Akunin’s TURKISH GAMBIT a thumbs-up.  (And as long as I still have access to articles, I’ll be adding a section for the paper in the Weekend Update after the new year.)

The Sydney Morning Herald rounds up its best book choices, from overseas to Australia, to crime fiction and more “popular” fare.

Is there a paper in any country that James Ellroy hasn’t talked to? Anyway, his current thoughts are now on display thanks to the Melbourne Age.

Another paper, another day, another rave review for CASE HISTORIES, as awarded by the Seattle Times as well as Super Freelancer John Freeman, this time writing for the Sun-Sentinel.

Dorian Shindler, writing for the Denver Post, is the latest to rave about WOLVES EAT DOGS.

In my continuing quest to link to obscure papers, there’s the Grand Forks (ND) Herald, reviewing Joanne Fluke’s latest mystery.

Dance critic Rachel Howard does the Balanchine two-step, reviewing both Terry Teachout’s and Robert Gottlieb’s tomes for the SF Chronicle, as is the preferred method this season.

Nelson DeMille is interviewed by Regis Behe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review to speak about his new book, NIGHT FALL, dealing with the crash of TWA Flight 800.

And finally, Fiona reveals why Mark Mills’ AMAGANSETT is having its title changed for the UK paperback release–no one could pronounce the freaking title….