Smatterings

The New York Times profiles Jessica Stockton Bagnulo and how close her dream of opening a bookstore in Brooklyn is coming to reality.

Also in the Times, Dennis Lehane garners a rave from Janet Maslin for his long-awaited historical epic THE GIVEN DAY.

The Seattle Times’ Adam Woog also loves THE GIVEN DAY.

The Independent’s Boyd Tonkin chats with Ian Rankin about his standalone caper novel DOORS OPEN.

Charles Taylor takes a look at the wonderful world of reprints, from Hard Case Crime to Europa Editions and the University of Chicago Press.

Booked for Murder gets a nice writeup in Madison Magazine.

Tony Black is interviewed by The Standard, Warnabool about his debut crime novel PAYING FOR IT.

The Wall Street Journal profiles long-dormant novelist David Rhodes, making a comeback with DRIFTLESS.

Also in the WSJ, I wouldn’t call these books “grit-lit”, more like stunt lit.

I am very much looking forward to settling in with Leonard Cassuto’s HARDBOILED SENTIMENTALITY, about which he talks to his current employer, Fordham University.

The main library in Salisbury is hosting an exhibition on the life and works of John Creasey.

I am digging the shortlist of the Dylan Thomas Prize since it includes debut works by Nam Le, Ceridwen Dovey, Ross Raisin and Dinaw Mengetsu.

Nate DiMeo on the perils of audiobook recordings.

I like Eoin Colfer, and the offer to write a new HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE novel is hard to refuse but still: do not want.

Ed on the James Wood/Daniel Mendelsohn talk at the New York Public Library Wednesday evening. The previous night featured Paul Holdengraber doing his best to moderate a debate between Slavoj Zizek and Bernard Henri-Levy, but since both those guys only need the slightest nudge to get going, moderation wasn’t really necessary. Levi has more on that, and the event solidified two things in my mind: Zizek is entertaining as hell and Levy’s bullshit-to-substance ratio skews heavily towards the former.

Mark Athitakis: not a fan of Redroom. Not that I blame him.

Not the Onion’s best effort but yeah, I found it funny.

How is this acceptable forensic evidence in India? Then again the words “Daubert” and “Frye” don’t apply over there…

And finally….how spooky.