Roundup

The NY Times argues that experts are more easily mislead than amateurs. Would this apply to literary critics as well? If it does, then it not only applies to the critics who praise hyped books because they've been conditioned/influenced by the hype, but it also applies to those who demolish hyped books precisely because they are hyped. (some "Tree of Smoke" and "The Road" detractors come to mind).

The Short Review editor Tania Hershman has her first short story collection out: "The White Road." (Also, an interview!)

Black Clock is having a release party for their latest issue, which happens to be politically themed (hmmm: apt timing). It's at the Hammer Museum here in LA, on Sept. 7.

As some have mock-claimed in stentorian tones, this is the greatest literary journal of our time.

The New York Observer has an article about an upcoming essay anthology with pieces from Jonathan Franzen, Jhumpa Lahiri, and William Vollman about their respective states.

If all that isn't enough reading, go check out Issue Thirteen of The Quarterly Conversation.

Lastly, the new installment of BookForum is out, with reviews of Marilynne Robinson's "Home," an interview with Anne Enright, and a review of Per Patterson's "To Siberia."

In her introduction to the newest "Best New American Voices" Mary Gaitskill sings the same song as Steven King: the ailing, decrepit state of the short story. Anyone else think it's a bit strange to bemoan the state of the short story in every introduction to short story anthologies?

Joshua Henkin, guest-blogger extraordinaire, is lighting up the keyboards at the Elegant Variation. (He has five new posts since I last looked).

I am always a sucker for slush pile stories (via Bookninja)

Comments

[Tania Hershman]

Thanks so much for the mention, much appreciated!

[Nik Perring]

Thanks for linking to Tania's interview, John. What a terrific blog you keep - I'll definitely link from mine to yours.

All the best,

Nik.