The St. Jean Baptiste Day Weekend Update

First, thanks to those who were kind enough to watch my maiden television appearance Friday evening. Even if the segment had never aired, at least I got a really nice makeup job out of it which made me feel glamorous for about four hours. That was pretty cool.

In further BSP notes, my review of Gil Reavill’s AFTERMATH: CLEANING UP AFTER CSI GOES HOME runs in the Philadelphia Inquirer today.

NYTBR: Either the Book Review had incredible serendipity in scheduling Thomas McGuane’s cover review of Per Petterson’s new novel just as the book won the IMPAC prize or that award played a role. Either way, the review – and book – are worth a look at.

Otherwise, Tina Brown reviews Katie Roiphe’s account of literary partnerships; Rachel Donadio has a front row seat to the Jewish Book Network’s version of American Idol; and Marilyn Stasio reviews new crime books by John Burdett, Peter Temple, Con Lehane and Ann Cleeves.

WaPo Book World: Marilynne Robinson reviews the latest novel by Annie Dillard, who is then interviewed by Daniel Asa Rose; Ron Charles is taken with Kiara Brinkman’s haunting first novel; and Julie Phillips is fascinated by Meryle Secrest’s adventures in biography.

LA TImes: John Shannon gets his due in a profile by Josh Getlin; Tara Ison is glad to have traveled Joanna Kavenna’s debut literary journey; Reed Johnson does his best to explain the enduring appeal of Miguel Cervantes; and Richard Rayner gives a great overview of the life and career of Derek Raymond (a column idea that has been on my mind of late, but I’m glad Rayner got there first.

G&M: Robert Wiersema examines literary accounts of reawakenings; Kathryn Kuitenbrower is very impressed with Gil Adamson’s debut dark historical novel; and Margaret Cannon reviews new crime novels by Jeffery Deaver, Peter Lovesey, John Burdett, Janet Evanovich, Rick Mofina, Daniel Kalla, Don Gutteridge and Anne Emery.

Guardian Review: Another summer, another annual piece about what writers read on their travels;  Alice Walker explains how THE COLOR PURPLE changed her life both for better and for worse; Sara Paretsky reveals why the lone hero matters ever more in our current world; and Ben Richards jumps on the Bolano bandwagon.

Observer: Mark Gatiss explains how disparate influences of Holmes, Christie and Fleming seeped into the writing of his wonderfully fun Lucifer Box novels; Tim Gardam believes that no matter what you believer, you should read Gunter Grass’s PEELING THE ONION; and Lisa O’Kelly thinks Nancy Dell’Olio’s book is more soap opera than autobiography.

The Times: Sebastian Faulks peels away each successive layer of Gunter Grass’s memoir; Peter Millar hails Deon Meyer’s thriller writing as something to behold; Tom McCarthy explains why he went with an art publisher for his debut hit novel REMAINDER; Stephen McClarence hears about the virtues of the middlebrow novelist; Sarah Dunant meets Florence-based crime novelist Michele Giuttari; and Marcel Berlins chats with Jasper Fforde as the latest Thursday Next novel is released.

The Scotsman: Michael Pye implores readers to discover the joys of W.F. Hermans’ writing; Alistair Moffat chats with David Robinson about his love of horses; Brian Pendreight describes the backstory of the “great lost Bond movie”; and Gerald Kaufman rounds up new crime novels by Catherine Shaw, Stuart MacBride and Beverly Connor.

The Rest:

Oline Cogdill gives many compelling reasons for why Diana Abu-Jaber’s ORIGIN is one of the year’s outstanding crime novels. Really, this sets the bar very, very, very high for any forensic thriller.

Adam Woog pretty much does the same thing for the Seattle Times.

David Montgomery’s Chicago Sun-Times column focuses on new books by Dean Koontz, Mary Higgins Clark, Jeffery Deaver, Kate White and Barry Eisler.

Hallie Ephron’s Boston Globe column has an animal-friendly theme, reviewing new mysteries by Leonie Swann, Marion Babson and Aaron Elkins.

Also in the Globe, Carlo Wolff has his say about John Burdett’s BANGKOK HAUNTS.

Martin Cruz Smith’s new Arkady Renko novel STALIN’S GHOSTS gets raves from The Denver Post’s Dorman Shindler and the Chicago Sun-Times’ John Barron. The author, meanwhile, is interviewed in entertaining fashion by the WSJ’s Jeff Trachtenberg.

At the Telegraph, Susanna Yager reviews new crime fiction by Michael Connelly and Ake Edwardson while Toby Clements looks at historical mysteries by Gyles Brandreth, Lee Jackson, Boris Akunin and Ariana Franklin.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review subjects Alex Kava to its personality test. Also in the paper, Regis Behe talks to Austin Grossman about all things superhero.

The Nashville City Paper meets prolific author Michael Sims, most recently the editor of the now Penguin Classic ARSENE LUPIN: GENTLEMAN THIEF.

Another day, another piece about the art of the acknowledgment.