The flyaway Weekend Update

I mean that both metaphorically and literally as I fly off to the West Coast for a few days – so nothing doing here until Wednesday at the earliest. But in the meantime, here’s the update:

NYTBR: Marilyn Stasio’s back for – gasp – a second consecutive week, reviewing the latest by Jeffery Deaver, Laurie King, Chris Grabenstein and Robert B. Parker; Garrison Keilor examines a biography that examines Harper Lee; Claire Dederer gets lost in Matthew Pearl’s THE POE SHADOW – and not in a good way; and Joe Queenan can’t see the humor in a guide for cloudspotting (I, for one, found it rather charming.)

WaPo Book World: Jasper Fforde takes on a double dose of Poe in two new historical thrillers; Dara Horn marvels at Yoram Kaniuk’s novelistic way of understanding Jewish and Israeli identity; and Governor Huey Long’s life and times – warts and all – are given due in a new biography.

G&M: Margaret Cannon’s column looks at the latest in crime by Laurie King, John Sandford, Donna Leon, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Paul Malmont, Jon Evans, Dean Koontz, Sylvia Maultash Warsh, Denise Hamilton and Christopher Brookmyre; Mary-Lou Zeitoun has good things to say about one of my favorite crime novels of the year, CITY OF SHADOWS; Bartle Bull continues to deliver a “rollicking great time” with his newest historical novel; and Martin Levin pays tribute to the critical faculties of Cynthia Ozick.

Guardian Review: Julian Barnes tries to understand the rules of football on the eve of the World Cup; James Lasdun is frustrated by Kenneth J. Harvey’s out-of-prison novel, INSIDE; and I seriously need to get a copy of Jo-Ann Goodwin’s SWEET GUM, it sounds that good.

Observer: A new book on archeological vandalism involves the Getty museum and tomb robbers; and Jill Dawson comments on an unusual project throwing writing students and teachers together.

The Times: If Venice is allowed to drown, then what? John Berendt argues in favor of saving the city; Ali Smith pays tribute to the bond between author and translator; Alice Fordham explains why Claire Kilroy’s new novel is a brilliant thriller – about a search for an elusive violin; Natasha Cooper dubs Jason Goodwin’s debut historical mystery “a rare pleasure”; and Peter Millar reviews two new outstanding translated crime novels by Dominique Manotti and Matti Joensuu.

The Scotsman: George Saunders talks to Jackie McGlone about writing satire and his newest short story collection; life is treating Christopher Brookmyre very, very well; and Kitty Fitzgerald reveals what’s on her nightstand.

The Rest:

Oline Cogdill gives her seal of approval for new stuff by Cornelia Read & James Swain.

Dick Adler’s new column for the Tribune reviews the latest by Gayle Lynds, Joseph Finder, Nancy Pickard, Alan Furst, Leslie Larson, Alicia Giminez-Bartlett and Anthony Neil Smith.

David Montgomery’s Chicago Sun-Times column has his take on new thrillers by Barry Eisler, Gayle Lynds, Charlie Stella, Steve Brewer and Joseph Finder.

Adam Woog’s Scene of the Crime column looks at new releases by Alan Furst, Laurie King, Boris Akunin and Peter Robinson.

Peter Robinson’s PIECE OF MY HEART is getting great notices all over the place, most recently by the NY Daily News’ Sheryl Connelly.

John Orr’s San Jose Mercury mystery column looks at recent releases by Harlan Coben, Jeffery Deaver, Barry Eisler and Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.

AP’s Barry DeSilva has many good things to say about the incredibly awesome THE CHINATOWN DEATH CLOUD PERIL by Paul Malmont.

Maureen Jennings reveals one of her favorite places in Toronto for the city’s main newspaper, the Star.

I’ve had Katharine Weber’s TRIANGLE on my wish list for ages right now, and Wendy Smith’s take on it for the LA Times just makes me want the book that much more.

Jess Walter wasn’t totally sure why he won the Edgar for CITIZEN VINCE, but he’s happy to have had the honor bestowed upon him, as he tells AP’s Nicholas Geranios.

The Sydney Morning Herald interviews first time novelist Deborah Robertson, author of CARELESS.

Angela Savage used her work in Thailand to fuel the writing of her debut crime novel, as she tells the Melbourne Age.

And finally, Yiddish is booming, but who’d have thought this article would run in Australia, not New York or London?