Smatterings, Post-4th Edition

Any fence-sitting on posting the Weekend Update disappeared with yesterday’s epic barnburner of a fantastic match. Is it the greatest tennis match in history? I wouldn’t dare to make such proclamations. But I thought nothing I’d ever see could top Pete Sampras’s 7th Wimbledon title in 2000, and now this edition of Federer/Nadal has. Holy hell. Oh, have I mentioned I’m turning into a sports junkie again this summer? Between Wimbledon, the swimming trials and Usain Bolt, I think my television-free days are numbered….

Moving back to literary matters, Andre Norton’s estate and the publication status of past and future works are tied up in court.

RIP, Thomas M. Disch, a writer whose work was misunderstood during his time and hopefully will be more understood from here on in.

The Louisiana Advocate talks with Victor Gischler about his embracing of apocalyptic lit, why he decided not to emulate Cormac McCarthy and the joys of writing without worrying what an editor or agent wants.

Oline Cogdill writes approvingly of crime novels by N.M. Kelby and Thomas Cavanagh.

Eddie Muller showers hosannas on Don Winslow’s THE DAWN PATROL and recommends additional summer crime fiction reading by Meg Gardiner, Lawrence Block, Tom Piccirilli and Thomas Perry.

The Guardian’s Matthew Lewin reviews thrillers by Adrian McKinty, Thomas Perry, Gerald Seymour and Bruce Kennedy Jones & Eric Allison.

The Telegraph’s Susanna Yager has her say on crime fiction by Laura Lippman and Robert Crais.

More on Crais at the San Diego Union-Tribune and last week’s review in the Los Angeles Times by Donna Rifkind. 

As part of its obligatory summer reading exercise, the Times of London asks Mo Hayder to pick recommended thrillers and Alexander McCall Smith to do the same for mysteries.

Scott Simon thinks favorably of Stephen L. Carter’s new political thriller THE PALACE COUNCIL, while Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett wishes the book had been cut by a large chunk.