We're off to make an appearance at the Napa Valley Writers' Conference, so updates will be light this week since we're likely to be, well, drunk. Or at least drinking. In the interim, we leave you with these goodies: A willfully stupid reading of James Wood's latest in the Washington Post - the first sentence alone disqualifies it from serious consideration (To refer to Graham Greene as one of Wood's "whipping boys" suggests a complete lack of familiarity with Wood's criticism, including his introduction to the Penguin reissue of The Heart of the Matter) ... Ireland touts a native son as a Booker favorite ... On the growing number of debut novels getting on the Booker longlist ... actually, the Guardian runs that particular story twice ... We also enjoy the brief flurry of national pride following the Booker announcement - the Welsh are pleased, as are the Irish, and somewhere there's probably an Australian article about the Toltz - oh, there it is ... OK, enough Booker ... We're glad to see Orwell's diaries headed our way in blog form, but we do ask the Telegraph headline writers this: Is there an offline variety of blog we haven't seen yet? ... The Huffington Post is paying all sorts of attention to books, it seems - check out Lissa Warren on book blogs, and Jennifer Nix on The Lazarus Project ... Speaking of blogs, book reviews and the rest, Steve Wasserman and Kassia Krozser talked about the situation on the NewsHour ... Speaking of our friend Mr. Wasserman, go to Truthdig and enjoy a four-part video series of him in conversation with Ray Bradbury ... We, too, are read-walkers ... A literary renaissance in Marin? Maybe we'll pop in on the way back ... The next L of A installment of Philip K. Dick novels is out ... Editor and Publisher reports on an unusual NYTBR correction ... The Huntingon Library (one of our favorite LA spots) has acquired Kent Haruf's archives ... As addicted to letters are we are, we can't wait for Penelope Fitzgerald's letters to come out Stateside - for now we can only watch forlornly at a distance ... A biography of the splendid Patrick Hamilton is a Guardian paperback of the week ... The latest dispatch from the Department of Fool Some of the People ... Ha Jin would like to visit China after 23 years but isn't happy about the censorship problem ... Turkey alleges that Orhan Pamuk was targeted for assassination ... The Wall Street Journal takes note of Chris Adrian and Adam Thirlwell ... A fascinating look at the introduction of the glorious John McGahern to Spanish-speaking audiences ... It's good to see Scott Timberg still at work, most recently with Michael Chabon ... and, finally, the schedule for the 2008-2009 season of literary events at the 92nd Street Y has just been posted with tickets on sale Thursday and it's the shit, yo. It's almost enough to make us leave Earthquake Land.
so check this. I've just heard directly from Penelope's UK publisher that there is NO DATE for the US publication of the letters. Seems no US publisher was willing to publish them. I've written to ask if we can start some kind of social media groundswell here in the States--if that might help--and she's said absolutely, and she'll help in anyway she can.
So let's spread the word...it's RIDICULOUS that these letters will not be available on this side of the pond. I've read them. They're gorgeous.
Posted by: courtney | July 30, 2008 at 10:33 AM
just curious if anyone read "how fiction works" and what they thought of it
Posted by: Jerry Sticker | July 30, 2008 at 02:25 PM
Jerry - I have, it's remarkable. Soon to make an appearance in the Recommended sidebar at the right.
Posted by: TEV | July 30, 2008 at 03:55 PM
I absolutely love this blog. Just thought I'd let it be known.
Posted by: Neetu | July 31, 2008 at 02:28 PM
I absolutely love this blog. Just thought I'd let it be known.
Posted by: Neetu | July 31, 2008 at 02:30 PM
The Huffington Post is supposed to be starting a book section at some point soon.
Posted by: tonya | August 03, 2008 at 08:43 AM
I started "how fiction works" yesterday and just finished it thirty minutes ago. It is beautifully written and it offers wonderful examples of close reading. I am still letting it sink in. I do believe, however, that Wood should have elaborated on the ownership of words.
Posted by: Barbara Daelemans | August 04, 2008 at 08:30 AM