The Weekend Update in Situ

NYTBR: First up, the new Grisham novel makes the cover – two months after its release date? David Orr returns with a look at Mary Jo Bang’s recent poems; Pamela Paul investigates Mary Roach’s investigation of sex; and Neil Genzlinger gets some snappy answers from Al Jaffee.

And of course, the already-much-linked-to essay about “literary dealbreakers” from Rachel Donadio, about which I think two things: one, how is this not a Sunday Styles refugee? And the further Jekyll-and-Hyde striation of Donadio’s work, so good long ago in the Observer and now in Nextbook, makes me think the essay’s title ought to have been “It’s Not You, It’s the Book Review.”

WaPo Book World: Dennis Drabelle is rightfully enthralled by Jeffrey Ford’s THE SHADOW YEAR; Ron Charles can’t quite have the same reaction for Karen Joy Fowler’s new novel; and Jonathan Yardley looks at a fateful act of “bio-piracy.”

LA Times: Richard Rayner reminisces about Richard Yates; Scott Timberg chats with Jeff Gordinier about Gen-X and world-saving; and Lisa Fugard savors Jhumpa Lahiri’s prose in novella format.

G&M: Margaret Cannon reviews the latest in crime by Laura Lippman, Alex Carr, Asa Nomani, Loren Estleman, Sharon Rowse & Alex Berenson; Matt Kavanagh examines Iain Banks’ latest Culture novel; and Linda Spalding is haunted by a meditation of murder in Saskatchewan.

Guardian Review: Margaret Atwood pens a delightful essay on the Anne of Green Gables centenary; Robin Robertson explains how he finds inspiration from classical literature; Mark Lawson applauds Nicola Upson’s choice of literary detective; and Matthew Lewin reviews new thrillers by Lee Child, Barry Eisler, Scott Frost and Colin Bateman.

Observer: Edward Marriott enjoys a new golden age for travel writing; Tim Adams is glad to see Adam Mars-Jones writing novels again; and Nick Fraser pays attention to Samantha Power’s book instead of her recent controversial comments.

The Times: A new biography of V.S. Naipaul makes him out to be even nastier than I thought; Amanda Craig interviews new YA star Anthony McGowan; and Peter Kemp is less than thrilled to read Salman Rushdie’s new novel.

The Scotsman: Roger Hutchinson goes on the Hippie Trail with Duncan Campbell; Lee Randall talks Decameron with Jane Smiley; and the life and times of the governess is plumbed in a new book by Ruth Brandon.

The Rest:

Oline Cogdill devotes her column inches to new thrillers by Andrew Gross and Jason Pinter.

Paul Goat Allen rounds up new crime fiction by Charlie Newton, Bill Floyd, Steven Thomas and Ken Bruen.

At the Telegraph, Susanna Yager has her say on crime novels by Mark Giminez and Steve Hamilton, Jake Kerridge praises the latest Bernie Gunther novel by Philip Kerr and Lucy Davies reviews a slew of historical crime fiction.

Peter Rozovsky praises Adrian Hyland’s debut novel MOONLIGHT DOWNS in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Joan Barfoot puts aside all the pseudonym hype and concentrates on the pros and cons of Inger Ash Wolfe’s THE CALLING.

John Kenyon interviews Laura Lippman twice – first for Corridor Buzz and also for his blog, Things I’d Rather Be Doing.

Regis Behe talks with Joseph Wambaugh about his new procedural black comedy HOLLYWOOD CROWS.

Linda Fairstein engages in a video interview by the WSJ’s Robert Hughes.

Anthony Rainone previews the Big Read offerings in New York surrounding THE MALTESE FALCON.

TIME interviews Jiang Riong, poised to be China’s great literary sensation if Penguin has its druthers.

Rupert Smith reveals his secret, porn-writing self to the Independent.

Kitty Sewell explains the choice of a pseudonym for her newest novel to icWales.

And finally, what happens when you burn a million quid.