Book News
by Lewis, July 24, 2006 4:13 PM
I start today's book news with a piece of sad news. Our intrepid blogger Brockman has been involved in what can only be described as a ruinous encounter with some greenery whilst on vacation down in Cancun or Belize, or someplace like that. It was hard to understand much of what he said, but we're afraid he might be gone for a while. Please be patient as I attempt to keep PowellsBooks.blog timely and at least somewhat entertaining. So, on with the news: - Poo-poo to all those thinking newly-crowned Miss Universe, Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza, had it tough. Property developer Chris Storm "has credited business acumen, his looks, and a take-off on the Johnny Cash song 'Folsom Prison Blues' " with winning the Ernest Hemingway look-a-like contest. Not only did he sing and arm-wrestle, but he even addressed the crowd in Swahili.
- Salon has just introduced its Literary Guide to the World. So far the map is a tad sparsely populated, but it does already include John Banville writing on Ireland, Alexandra Fuller on Zimbabwe, and a well-deserved, lovely tribute to the wonderful state of Nebraska by Meghan Daum. Hey ? I'm not kidding. Lovely. Wonderful. Take me seriously here, people ? I love this state!
- I continue with my agenda to make best-selling authors of all my favorite Scotsmen and women by pointing you to Saturday's New York Times interview with the divine Denise Mina, whose newest novel The Dead Hour has a few of us (including the odd C.E.O...) getting extremely impatient for part three of the Paddy Meehan trilogy. (And if you haven't read her yet, get Field of Blood right now!)
- And finally, on a serious note, over the weekend award-winning (and frequently controversial) journalist Robert Fisk, author of The Great War for Civilization, posted an extremely moving Elegy for Beirut on CounterPunch.com. This isn't a controversial essay. Just a very, very sad one.
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