Smatterings

There’s no denying how crazy that Lee Abrams memo is on Tribune matters and especially his thoughts on what to do with Book Reviews (holding up Borders as a model for book sections emulate, when the chain is in serious financial trouble? Wha?) but like Mark Sarvas and Mark Athitakis, I agree there’s a big grain of truth embedded within the rambling and the ALLCAPS. For one thing, here’s what I’d like to know, with hard numbers attached: do weekday book reviews have larger reach and impact than Sunday book reviews? And do book reviews posted online, regardless of day, have a larger reach and impact than those appearing only in print? Because as long as the answers to those two simple questions are “I don’t know” then no wonder slashings and dashings happen almost willy-nilly…

And certainly the LAT is keeping up its weight with popular fiction, reviewing new literary thrillers by Martin Clark and Stephen L.Carter in the last two days alone.

Also worth a look on a similar subject is John Sutherland’s Guardian blog post saying ‘farewell to lit crit.’

David Peace’s Red Riding Quartet is going to be made into three movies by Channel 4. I cannot wait to see these.

Elizabeth George addresses the anger still lingering after she killed off a major character in this interview with the New Zealand Herald.

A bit stale, but Penguin/Michael Joseph announced last week that Stefanie Biewerth will preside over the crime & thrillers side of things, taking over for Beverley Cousins who’s moved to Random House Australia.

Ali Karim has more on Avon UK’s planned increase of crime & thriller titles.

David Wroblewski talks dogs and writing with the NYT’s Patricia Cohen.

Ta-Nehisi Coates discusses his recent memoir of his ex-Black Panther father with the LAT.

Two reviews from Oxford researcher Daniel Mallory, one on Karin Fossum’s new one for the Washington Post, another on Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop’s latest novel for the Observer.

The Frank O’Connor Prize dispenses with a shortlist and goes straight to awarding Jhumpa Lahiri the award and 35,000 Euros.

Maud rightfully wonders how leaks can be contained in a Twitter world. Answer: they can’t.

CityFile: crack cocaine for New Yorkers and those who want to be New Yorkers (I dare you to sift through the books and publishing-related entries. You will not be able to stop.)

And finally, a third person tries to climb the NYT building. And Catherine Mathis, how do YOU think he got up the building?