Swing around the Weekend Update

NYTBR: I find Marilyn Stasio’s column especially interesting not just because of the book she’s reviewing, but b/c it includes Ed McBain’s last author photo, which strikes me as one of the saddest I have ever seen. The first time I saw it on the back cover flap of FIDDLERS, I almost wanted to cry…

Stasio also reviewed the latest by Alice Blanchard and Deon Meyer, with props given to CHICAGO NOIR (mention DC and SF, but not Dublin? Hello?)

Otherwise in the Book Review, it’s All About Terrorism, as Benjamin Kunkel delivers a mammoth essay on ⁹⁄₁₁ books and Tom Reiss reminisces about Joseph Conrad’s THE SECRET AGENT.

WaPo Book World: Bruce Murkoff is moved by the emotional power of Robert Bausch’s new novel; Michael Dirda can’t stop raving about Zadie Smith and the Booker-shortlisted ON BEAUTY; and Julia Alvarez considers ⁹⁄₁₁ fiction and where it’s headed in the future.

G&M: Rebecca Godfrey’s new book about the Reena Virk case establishes itself as the definitive account; Annabel Lyon finds Salman Rushdie’s new novel is rather too schematic for its own good; and James Meek’s latest novel lives up to all the advance hype – and then some, if you believe Thomas Wharton.

Guardian Review: Elaine Showalter considers the pros and cons of academia-based fiction; Ian Jack reflects on the wholly Scottish nature of his native country’s cooking; Caryl Phillips’ novelization of turn of the century black comic Bert Williams works on many levels; and shocker of shocks! European novels have a “totally different worldview” from English and American ones. Duh.

Observer: Vikram Seth turns away from fiction to focus attention his family in his new memoir; Stephanie Merritt handicaps the Booker shortlistees; and Peter Guttridge rounds up the latest crime fiction by Karin Slaughter, Laura Lippman, Faye Kellerman and Natasha Cooper (and I find it awfully interesting that he reviewed 2 authors on the panel he was supposed to moderate at BCon, but had to bow out at the last minute.)

The Times: James Lee Burke talks Robicheaux, New Orleans and giving up the booze to Paul Connolly; Marcel Berlins marvels at how different each Minette Walters book is from the last; Jeanette Winterson wonders why so many authors don’t have websites; Ben MacIntyre explores how authors add fictional layers to the truth of their pasts; Alexander McCall Smith wishes more people would take up bassoon-playing; and there aren’t too many clubs that have members like Porfirio Rubirosa.

The Scotsman: John McGahern talks about how he’ll never stop writing about his native Ireland, among other things; Allan Massie wonders if he read a different book than what Alexander McCall Smith intended with #2 in the Isabel Dalhousie series; and Vanessa Curtis slogs her way through Paul Anderson’s mammoth HUNGER’s BRIDES, to hail it a success.

The Rest:

Oline Cogdill tags Brian Freeman’s IMMORAL as “one of the best debuts of 2005.” I’m not quite as sure (the structuring could have been a lot more consistent) but there’s no question that this is a guy with serious talent who’ll be around for a while.

David Mongtomery looks at what’s new in the genre for the Chicago Sun-Times, reviewing books by David Morrell, Theresa Schwegel, Karen Olson, Jeff Abbott and Sean Rowe. He also makes an appearance in the Kansas City Star, reporting back from Bouchercon with comments from Barry Eisler, Harley Jane Kozak and Lee Child, among others.

Adam Woog’s crime column for the Seattle Times features the latest by Ed McBain, Martha Grimes, Martin Limon, Walter Mosley and Mary Daheim.

Susanna Yager tones down her column for the Telegraph, looking at two Louisiana-based crime novels by James Lee Burke and Roger Jon Ellory.

Boyd Tonkin ponders whether the work of James Lee Burke has extra resonance in light of Hurricane Katrina.

Henning Mankell splits his time between Sweden and Africa, but as he tells the Brisbane News, he believes the latter country has “made him a better man.”

Oh, it’s so difficult to choose — which Salman Rushdie profile to link to? I guess I’ll go with this one from the Independent.

And same goes for Zadie Smith, so might as well try out John Freeman’s profile of her in the Denver Post.

Also in the same paper, 12 writers are asked what books changed their world, in light of Melvyn Bragg’s new book about the same idea.

Looking for science-fiction novels from an earlier time? Then James Sallis is your man, offering up his suggestions in the Boston Globe.

John Berendt’s long-awaited follow-up to MIDNIGHT AND THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL is finally out, ten years later — but Carlo Wolff isn’t as impressed with it as he hoped to be.

Dan Savage — sex columnist, editor of The Stranger,and outspoken fellow — talks to the Seattle Times about his newest book, which traces family roots and explores the murky theme of gay marriage.