The Fourth of July Weekend Update

Delayed, of course, because who’s actually in town this weekend? Hardly anyone I know, that’s for sure.  So enjoy the fireworks, the BBQ grills and just the general “not at work” mode, and should you actually be at a computer today, check out these links, including my own latest column, featuring new reviews of books by Giles Blunt, Laurie King, Edna Buchanan, Thomas H. Cook and Reggie Nadelson. Onward:

NYTBR: Mark Kamine ultimately finds Andrew Vachss’ foray into historical fiction rather wanting; Stacey D’Erasmo finds yet more reasons for everyone (me included) to read Luis Urrea’s THE HUMMINGBIRD’S DAUGHTER;  and why the hell did it take the Book Review so damn long to review Jonathan Lethem’s essay collection? Wasn’t that released, like, last year? So confused…

And OMG, can it be? The daily paper writes about blogging? What a rare event! What a shocking surprise? Er, yeah. Anyway, this time it’s about writers who spend more time blogging than writing, all at the same time, or something like that? It’s so tough to tell these days…

WaPo Book World: Heather Hewett sees the promise in Helen Oyeyemi’s debut; Looking for love in Argentina proves fertile memoir ground for Marina Palmer; And although I’m sure Neil McKenna’s new biography of Oscar Wilde is fabulous, uh, “secret life”? You mean he was really heterosexual after all?! Who knew?

And in the Daily paper, Patrick Anderson rather enjoys THE TRAVELER, and I like his take on who Twelve Hawks might actually be. Bernie Broadbeam. Ha.

G&M: Kim Moritsugu applauds a Canadian — and distinctly Jewish! — addition to the chick lit genre; Nancy Baker is just the latest to be impressed with THE HISTORIAN; and the history of ice cream? As a book? I am so there.

Guardian Review: Matthew Lewin gets the appeal of Chris Haslam’s quirky humor and John Sandford’s elegant but serviceable thrillers;  Julian Barnes remembers Frank O’Connor in all his Irish glory; Susan Hill has decided to get into the publishing game (why, god, why?) and meet the woman who helped to launch Bloomsbury — and bring a young pinball wizard to dizzying fame.

The Observer: The short story is a most difficult form to master for the crime writer, but according to Peter Guttridge, Ian Rankin’s been doing so time and time again; if you’re looking for food tips from tennis stars (hey, you never know) then Veronica Lee has the book for you; and Doris Lessing is back with a new novel, which is probably good what with all those pesky plagiarism charges in her past.

The Times: Crime gets rounded up in style by both Peter Millar and Marcel Berlins; Amartya Sen has offered up a provocative look at modern-day India; and Russell Celyn Jones’ new novel probes the aftermath of a heinous crime and the strange turns the killer’s life takes.

The Scotsman: Julian Barnes explains what made him the latest to fictionalize the life of Arthur Conan Doyle; Sheila O’Flanagan’s business acumen led to a successful career in women’s fiction; and Edinburgh writer Ken McClure reveals what he’s reading lately.

The Rest:

Talk about contrast: Oline Cogdill reviews dark (James Crumley) and wacky (Brian Wiprud) in the same column.

David Lazarus at the SF Chronicle looks at the latest by Barry Eisler, Laurie King and I.J. Parker in his latest column.

Tom and Enid Schantz return with their mystery column for the Denver Post, looking at new stuff by Christopher Fowler, Holly Baxter and Mark Schweizer.

Also in the same paper, Tom Walker focuses on what makes a thriller so appealing, and throws some crumbs to ITW’s fast and accomplished organization over the last year.

The LA Times’ Dick Lochte — who should be reviewing way more for that paper than Eugen Weber — has lots of good things to say about Lee Child’s ONE SHOT.

Charles Taylor, appearing in Newsday this time around, wishes Sara Paretsky would spend more time showing and less time preaching.

Reed Arvin is still unsure about his own process in writing a book, but as he tells Regis Behe, it seems to work for him for his newest thriller, BLOOD OF ANGELS.

Alafair Burke reveals her connection to BTK, as well as how tough it was to be taken seriously as a “baby DA,” in a new interview with the Utah Standard-Examiner.

Robert Wiersema, writing for the Vancouver Sun, has lots of laudatory things to say about THE TRAVELER. Guess the marketing campaign’s working after all (especially considering how many copies B&N stocks at each bookstore I visit…)

Frank Wilson, Book editor and blogger, finds much to love about Donna Leon’s newest Brunetti novel, BLOOD FROM A STONE.

Wait, so we’re supposed to be surprised that protagonist Maxi Poole is a “thinner, sexier” Kelly Lange? Sure seems that way from the way this profile over at the Long Beach Press-Telegram reads….

It’s not often you get two writing legends interviewing each other, but the Bennington Banner has managed to lure John Irving and Stephen King to converse with each other about all sorts of stuff.

Meanwhile, his son Owen, whose new short story collection is just out, explains to the New York Post that his success was earned all on his own, without any help from his famous father.

When Matt Haig told people about his idea, they thought it rather strange — a dog as protagonist? But it seemed to work, and as he tells the Yorkshire Post, people seem to dig it.

The Boston Globe finds out what high-powered CEOs are reading — yes, they read books just like we do!

And finally, the world is safe — Jewsrock.org can live on without the interference of the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame.