The Labor Day Weekend Update
Yeah, this was supposed to run yesterday, but that’s what real life does…
So while everyone was away partying at BCon (or doing the equivalent elsewhere) my latest review ran at the Sun over the weekend. Instead of the monthly column, it’s a longer piece looking at two debut forensic-drenched thrillers by Elizabeth Becka and Michael Baden & Linda Kenney.
Aside from that:
NYTBR: Howard Sachar’s gigantic tome explains why it’s been interesting (if harrowing) to be a Jew over the last couple of millenia; Colm Toibin writes at length about Edmund Wilson; and what will happen to that old chestnut, literary correspondence, if people keep deleting their emails?
WaPo Book World: First, Patrick Anderson can’t find enough good things to say about Karin Slaughter and her latest novel, FAITHLESS (just get to the review’s last line); Otherwise, James Hynes is kind of charmed by Rick Moody’s “pointless virtuosity”; Ursula Hegi is completely gripped by the anonymous memoir A WOMAN IN BERLIN; and Marie Arana offers up a taste of what looks good for the fall season in publishing.
G&M: Margaret Cannon’s new crime column looks at the latest by Karin Fossum, Faye Kellerman, Elizabeth Becka, Michelle Wan, Kay Hooper, Steve Martini and William Buckley, Jr.; Golly gee, Jane Urqhuart has a new novel — and Claire Messud can’t get over how lyrical the author’s writing style is; Kildare Dobbs wonders at the role of public broadcasting as the CBC continues its lockout; and Joan Barfoot ponders mortality with verve and humor, according to Carol Bruneau.
Guardian Review: Here comes the machine: Zadie Smith is interviewed at length, which will no doubt be the first of many such profiles; Rachel Hore rounds up new and quirky debuts; and a harrowing novel of Nigerian child soldiers impresses Ali Smith to no end.
Observer: Richard Ford offers up a passionate elegy to the city of New Orleans; Diana Melly’s memoir paints a shockingly harsh portrait of a tortured life among the rich and famous; and Robert McCrum scoffs at any notion that the novel is dead. Even publishing can’t kill this sucker…
The Times: David Baddiel ponders a common human emotion: getting jealous at your friends’ s successes; Peter Kemp feels unsure at what kind of novel Zadie Smith tried to write; Erica Wagner wonders at what we see and what we miss that’s right in front of us; and is Philip Gwyn Jones “the bravest man in publishing?” Danuta Kean tries to find out.
The Scotsman: Amy Mathieson is impressed by Maggie Gee’s ability to make cliches alive again; Michel Faber talks about the book that changed his life; Vanessa Curtis declares Joseph Connolly’s saga to be “the most exciting and cleverest novel you may read all year”; and debut author Douglas Cowie brings his take on the whole bookshelf profile thing.
The Rest:
Oline Cogdill looks at two new mysteries by two prominent mystery women: Jacqueline Winspear and Martha Grimes.
Dick Adler’s back, looking at new crime fiction releases by Theresa Schwegel, Catherine Sampson, Michael Simon, Jeff Abbott, Terence Faherty as well as CHICAGO NOIR.
Tom and Enid Schantz return with their mystery column for the Denver Post, looking at the newest by Juris Jurjevics, Lynn Sholes & Joe Moore, and Catriona MacPherson.
Donna Rifkind looks at how 9⁄11 has impacted new fiction — which seems even more telling as writers figure out what to do, if at all, in the wake of Katrina.
Jane Sullivan offers a peek at what happened at the Melbourne Writers’ Festival.
Regis Behe chats with Bret Easton Ellis, who started out writing an autobiography and produced LUNAR PARK instead.