Edward Champion's Return of the Reluctant

Lede Lackeys Waiting for the Pop of Champagne

It's slim pickens on the literary news front. For obvious reasons. But we'll see what we can do:

• The latest addition to the bookstore? Day care.
• Birmingham, AL is more literate than New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Alas, not even Birmingham could beat San Francisco. For those who missed the survey, here are the results.
• Apparently, it was a good year for Canadian writers. Perhaps a little of that edumucation and social program stuff up north might have something to do with it?
• There's also a books quiz at the Observer, for those interested.
• Gray Lady. Manga! Gray Lady.
• Christianity Today names the best books of the year. Believe it or not, Markson made the list.
• NPR remembers the writers who passed on this year.
• And yes, folks, it's official. Sales of consumer electronics surpassed book sales for the first time.