Smatterings

Finally, the Guardian runs an obituary of the late Icelandic translator Bernard Scudder. (Thanks, BC)

Both Publishers Weekly and AP’s Hillel Italie pick up on the Cassie Edwards plagiarism story. And Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, who broke the story, reprint the unbelievably laughable statement by Signet, one of Edwards’ publishers, that clearly indicates they haven’t looked at the many, many textual comparisons between Edwards’ prose and the research books she lifted from.

Ed Champion wishes publishers would stop bowlderizing books for children.

And David Ulin wonders whether Charles Webb should have kept Benjamin and Elaine on the bus instead of writing about them again in HOME SCHOOL.

Yesterday was a crappy day at McGraw-Hill.

The Rap Sheet publishes Ali Karim’s interview of Dan Fesperman last summer where they chat about his new thriller AN AMATEUR SPY.

They also point to an interview of James E. Cherry in Pulp Pusher.

Meet the newest members of the NBCC board. Oddly enough, many of them happen to be old members of the NBCC board, too. Continuity, or conservatism?

And finally, this family probably had the worst Christmas ever. (via)