The Weekend Update is Positively Presidential

Which may or may not explain why it’s on the late side…

NYTBR: Luc Sante has his say on Russell Banks’ new novel THE RESERVE; Rachel Donadio investigates the tortured life of H.L. Humes; and Danielle Trussoni doesn’t seem terribly familiar with first-person serial killer novels (uh, AMERICAN PSYCHO? The massively underrated BLACKBURN? AFRICAN PSYCHO? I could go on..)

WaPo Book World: Jonathan Yardley has plenty of bananas after reading a book about the subject; Elizabeth Ward is unexpectedly bowled over by Budge Wilson’s prequel to ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, a reaction that may spread to a great many readers, I suspect; Ron Charles is charmed by Samantha Hunt’s outstanding new novel THE INVENTION OF EVERYTHING ELSE; and Maureen Corrigan reviews new-ish mysteries by Cornelia Read, John Lescroart, Qiu Xiaolong and Friedrich Glauser. Also in the paper, JoAnn Goslin profiles Benjamin Schutz, the mystery novelist and forensic psychologist who died a few weeks ago of a heart attack.

LA Times: Dick Lochte is entertained by Steve Hockensmith’s THE BLACK DOVE; David Ulin looks at the spate of Hollywood novels staying relatively true to literary sources; Steffie Nelson profiles John Rechy; and even though Jane Smiley’s review of JOHNNY ONE-EYE makes me want to take it out of the TBR pile sooner, is it really kosher to use Wikipedia as a legitimate source in print? I haven’t quite decided, and I don’t think there’s a consensus but my own feeling is anything sourced=yes, actual entries=no.

G&M: Reg Whitaker considers a book that was allegedly banned in Canada; Theodore Dalrymple ponders anonymity and pseudonymity in light of the Inger Wolfe guessing game; and Margaret Cannon has her take on new crime novels by Laurie King, Robert B. Parker, Jacqueline Winspear, Dana Stabenow, Jose Latour and Douglas Preston.

Guardian Review: Lisa Appignanesi surveys a new spate of books with psychiatrists taking center stage; Nicholas Wroe meets the wonderfully idiosyncratic crime novelist Fred Vargas; Stefan Collini wonders if Rebecca West has the same critical weight as Virginia Woolf and T.S. Eliot; and Laura Wilson reviews new crime offerings from Frances Fyfield, Natasha Cooper, Clare Francis and Daniel Clay.

Observer: Tim Adams is most impressed with Joe Dunthorne’s Salinger-esque debut; Peter Conrad has his say on how James Wood says fiction works; and Amy Raphael meets directorial great Mike Leigh, still stretching at the age of 65.

The Times: India Knight meets Rebecca Miller, about to carve out her own spotlight with a first novel; Peter Millar is gripped by Michael Robotham’s new thriller SHATTER; and Doug Johnstone meets the musicians who have turned their attention to fiction.

The Scotsman: David Stenhouse compares Andrew Crumey’s new space-themed novel to the work of Richard Powers; Vanessa Curtis applauds Anne Landsman for using 2nd person POV in her latest novel; and Lee Randall meets Orange Prize winner Linda Grant.

The Rest:

Paul Goat Allen’s new Chicago Tribune column focuses on new releases by Marcus Sakey, Brian Freeman, Loren Estleman and the Killer Year gang.

Also in the Trib, Alan Salter – aka Sam Reaves and Domenic Martell – pays tribute to John DiMaggio, author of the long-running “Ask Sarge” column in the MWA Midwest Chapter’s newsletter.

In the Oregonian, Peter Handel is frustrated with April Smith for what she produced in THE JUDAS HORSE.

Connie Ogle at the Miami Herald is bewitched by Ariana Franklin’s brew of historical mystery in THE SERPENT’S TALE.

The Toronto Star’s Vit Wagner reports on the curious case of Inger Ash Wolfe, who will ultimately be revealed to be John Twelve Hawks.

Steve Toltz explains to the Sydney Morning Herald how his impulsive streak spurred him to write his debut novel A FRACTION OF THE WHOLE.

The Age’s Jane Sullivan uses the recent Joan Brady FumesGate story to comment on why crime writers just get no respect.

The Alabama Press-Register profiles David Poindexter, the brainchild behind independent publisher McAdam/Cage.

A purported first look at the movie version of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE and….I am not terribly impressed. Though at least it looks better than this.