A Massive Cup of Weekend Update

NYTBR: Well look at this, it’s a crime fiction kind of week over at the Book Review. There’s Marilyn Stasio with her column, looking at the latest by Michael Connelly, Don Bredes, C.J. Box, Olive Etchells and Don Bredes; there’s Chip McGrath puzzling slightly over Elmore Leonard’s historically tinged THE HOT KID (which may explain why I liked it more than Dutch’s usual stuff); and there’s Ron Powers explaining to the masses why nobody’s better at describing noir-tinged hell than James Crumley.

Otherwise, Nell Freudenberger finds nary a fault with Stewart O’Nan’s latest chiller; James Salter stays mainly in the plain as he talks of Iowa and writing; and Lee Siegel gets positively Freudian in the back-page essay.

WaPo Book World: Maureen Corrigan’s latest mystery roundup seems, I dunno, a bit musty. Could it be because a lot of the books have been on shelves since, oh, March? Which isn’t bad, just a little odd. Though she does feature some overlooked gems by Naomi Hirahara, Denise Osborne, John Dunning, Tonino Benacquista and Dorothy Johnson. Otherwise,  Jonathan Yardley luuurves him some Ogden Nash; Michael Dirda has some fun with Arturo Perez-Reverte’s latest swashbuckler; and Jonathan Safran Foer must have had very, very forgiving parents (charging $750 at a bookstore and they didn’t notice? WTF?)

G&M: Robley Wilson may be an old dog, but he’s still got plenty of new tricks in him and his latest novel; Patricia Pearson’s latest chick lit-style novel doesn’t cut it with Diane Baker Mason; and Martin Levin rounds up books of War.

Guardian Review: Gunter Grass offers up a searing indictment of the current state of his country; Javier Marias truly is the Man Who Would Be King; Richard Zimler travelled through Greek mythology to get to his Jewish roots; and Stuart Dalby gets giddy about having his very own ISBN number.

Observer:  Do the arts matter? Lots of proper folk say so, but maybe the real question is how much do they matter? Stephanie Merritt recounts the adventure of buying her very own computer after years of second-hand castoffs; and Robert McCrum offers up a toast to Bloomsbury chief Nigel Newton.

The Times: The 70th anniversary of Penguin’s paperback line is duly celebrated by John Sutherland and Stephen Bayley;  Irvine Welsh’s TRAINSPOTTING has a rather peculiar side draw as a tourist attraction; Tom Deveson offers up lukewarm takes on a couple of Wild Welsh Wonders, Malcolm Pryce and Nial Griffiths; and Helen Dunmore offers a dissenting view on Nick Hornby’s latest — she likes it!

The Scotsman: Christopher Brookmyre thought he was going to break in writing police procedurals, but thankfully, a friend put him to rights and he’s been selling ever since; Tim Cornwell Monday morning QBs the Dundee Prize; and Rodge Glass reveals what’s on his bedside table.
 

The Rest:

Oline Cogdill continues the Florida theme this week (and why not?) with a review of Claire Matturro’s second novel, WILDCAT WINE.

Regis Behe chats with Don Winslow about the author’s long-awaited return to fiction with the stupendous THE POWER OF THE DOG.

Stephen King finds even more good things to say about Elmore Leonard’s THE HOT KID for the Boston Globe, as does Denise Hamilton for the LA Times (which seems to have junked its registration requirement this week — but will it last?)

A week in the life of Ian Rankin is recounted at the Telegraph, and boy, is it ever busy. And not atypical in the least….

Also at the same paper, albeit from last week, is Jake Kerridge’s roundup of Christopher Brookmyre and Greg Iles’s spy-tinged thrillers, and Andy McNab moves over to the kiddie side of the bookstore.

Gregory Maguire was updating fairy tales as a writer, but never thought he’d be the phenomenon he is now. The Chicago Sun Times finds out how one little musical changed his life.

The Yomiuri Times offers up their own country-centric spin on Don Lee’s Best First Novel win for COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

The Age looks at the time-honored tradition of taking classic characters — or those in classic literature — and writing them for current audiences.

Also in the paper is an interview with Irish chicklit writer Cathy Kelly, one of several from that country who have embraced the subgenre and have big sales to show for it.

The San Jose Mercury catches up with Kyra Davis who talks up her debut chick lit mystery, writing full time and of course, caffeine addiction.

Caren Lissner puts on her reporter day job hat and meets Gregory Galloway, whose disquieting debut novel, AS SIMPLE AS SNOW, is still struggling to find an audience. Shame, because it’s an intelligently crafted mystery that doesn’t take any easy way out. Though the Baton Rouge Advocate has great things to say about the book this week as well.

Need anothe reason to read Lee Martin’s THE BRIGHT FOREVER? Try this review over at the NY Daily News, which claims “nothing” is wrong. Can’t really argue with that…

And finally, Happy Mother’s Day. Give your mom an extra tight hug because, well, because. I certainly plan to do so with my own.