Goin' through the links
Janet Maslin takes on T Jefferson Parker's CALIFORNIA GIRL, and the result's a head-scratcher. I mean, is she really as condescending about the book as I think she is? Bizarre....
The Sun-Sentinel website tends to be rather flaky, but now they have not only Oline Cogdill's column from last week, they have Sunday's upcoming one as well. Verdicts: she digs PBOs from Chassie West, Elaine Viets and Elaine Flinn, but is rather less impressed with Janet Evanovich's METRO GIRL.
The International Herald Tribune starts a multi-part series on the nature of literary prizes. Why are they considered to be so damn important? Alan Riding tries to answer.
British DJ John Peel died earlier this week, but Transworld's wondering if he ever came close to finishing his autobiography, for which they shelled out a pretty penny. Rumor has it he only wrote 1500 words of it...
Rick Kleffel at the Agony Column interviews sci-fi author Richard Morgan, who's the latest in a long line of novelists to make the jump to comic books.
Another day, another film adaptation for James Ellroy--this time, his brand new collection of essays and novellas, DESTINATION: MORGUE!
And speaking of endless repetition and looping, I present....Allan Hollinghurst: the G&M interview version, and David Mitchell: the Toronto Star version.
The Citizen-Times talks to the four authors (including writer-blogger Karin Gillespie) touring around the South as the Dixie Divas.
Tiffany Murray's debut novel has been called "more dsyfunctional than the Addams family." She talks to the Guardian about the books that influenced her as a child and what prompted her to put a whole new twist on screwed-up familiest.
The paper also interviews Meg Cabot, of PRINCESS DIARIES FAME, now that the wildly popular books for girls has crossed the pond.
Even though Lionel Shriver's WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN has garnered some UK reviews, its actual Brit publication date isn't until March. The Bookseller meets the author who spent all of last year courting controversy.
And finally, it isn't that hard to find a literary connection to the Boston Red Sox: just ask GM Theo Epstein, son of Leslie (of SAN REMO DRIVE fame) and grandson of Julius (of a host of screenplays.)
Yes, Sarah. She is that condescending to the book as it seems. And I can't wait to read it.
Posted by: michael | October 28, 2004 at 12:28 PM
Oops. Botched syntax alert.
Posted by: michael | October 28, 2004 at 12:29 PM
Regarding Jeff Parker's book, I find Maslin's review intereting. I have read this book twice now, and it is Jeff's best piece of work. I find the characters well drawn and the setting is nostalgic but honest. When I talked to Jeff at the Santa Barbara Book Festival, he mentioned that this is the book that he has wanted to write for a long time. I believe a change in publishers allowed this to happen. For me, the book accurately reminds me of growing up in Southern California only miles away from the setting in Orange County during the same time period.
Posted by: Aldo | October 28, 2004 at 12:31 PM
Her reviews are so.... okay, I'll say it: they're lame.
Why do the major papers give primo review spots to people who just waste them?
Posted by: David Montgomery | October 28, 2004 at 01:40 PM
I agree with Aldo, I recently finished "California Girl" and thought it was fantastic.
Posted by: Kevin | October 28, 2004 at 05:27 PM