And in other news…

Effective December 31, Marie Arana will no longer be the editor of the Washington Post Book World. She tells the Maynard Institute of Journalism‘s Richard Prince that she will still write for the paper on contract, is looking for a fellowship position at a university and plans a book about Simon Bolivar, which will follow a novel due for publication in January.

Pascal Dessaint and Daniel Woodrell are the winners of the Prix Mystere de la Critique in French and foreign categories, respectively.

Imani passes along this fabulous 1948 Harper’s essay by W.H. Auden on his addiction to detective fiction.

Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley novels will be released by Norton together in a five-volume edition, giving Oline Cogdill the chance to wax eloquent about the novels.

Patrick Anderson is still annoyed John Sandford won’t listen to him about how to write his Lucas Davenport thrillers.

The Bat Segundo Show releases new podcasts with Cynthia Ozick, Ed Park, Tobias Wolff and Sloane Crosley.

John Barth wins a literary prize in Iran…for a book he wrote over 50 years ago…that was illegally translated.

Laura Benedict talks with Hammett nominee Katie Estill about her recent novel DAHLIA’S GONE.

I think J. Kingston Pierce is about to become a fan of the marvelous Mobile Library novels by Ian Sansom.

Joseph O’Neill may be a cricket fanatic, but lacrosse still trumps all.

And finally, um, find a caption for this please! (via)