Smatterings

The blog vs. print debate gets aired in a big way in the New York Times this morning. On balance it’s a good piece from Motoko Rich (with great mentions of Dan Wickett and Jeff Bryant from the blogger side and David Ulin, Sam Tanenhaus and John Freeman from the side of the prints) though space constraints had to have affected things. It would have been nice to point out that many of the bloggers quoted in the piece, like Maud, Ed and Mark, review for print publications and that ultimately there really is more convergence than divergence.

Frank Wilson: not such a fan of Cormac McCarthy’s THE ROAD.

The Sun-Sentinel’s Christina Wood looks at various authors who are picking up the slack on Elaine Viets’ tour as she recovers from a stroke last month. The good news is that Viets is doing much better and is out of the ICU.

Scott Butki at blogcritics.org presents part one of an interview with Donald Westlake.

Ali Karim gets the scoop on Paul Johnston’s change in direction in an interview at the Rap Sheet. 

Lots of photos from the Edgars.

After attending the Edgars, Anthony Rainone flew to LA for the Festival of Books. His verdict? Best festival he’s ever attended.

Could mis-blurbing be deemed a crime in England? Good luck to them if so.

The “Read in” to protest the AJC’s book section reorganization is on for tomorrow at 10 AM. Meanwhile, Colleen Mondor rightfully wonders why the focus is on book review sections and not on the drastic cutbacks to libraries, where readers without economic means to buy books they might see in said sections can go. And Callie Miller’s take on the LAT blog panel and the greater role of blogs in the literary culture is a must-read.

Finally, RIP Tom Poston, the consummate character actor.