- John Updike is interviewed about golf. (Thanks, DT!)
- I haven’t listened to it yet, but StarShipSofa looks like an interesting new podcast. It’s largely about Philip K. Dick right now, but promises to discuss Alfred Bester and Alien. (via Locus)
- Frank Wilson responds to the experimental fiction controversy, noting that he doesn’t find Ulysses to be experimental. I think Frank has a point. I had an opportunity to put forth this question to Danielewski himself last week and he explicitly told me that he didn’t consider himself an experimental writer. Could the “experimental” label be something as needlessly debilitating as a genre label?
- Amardeep Singh is looking for examples of Hinduism in fiction. Do help him out if you can.
- Why marvel about the Slash-and-Duffless Guns N’ Roses tour when the Wigtown Book Festival is selling its tickets just as swiftly?
- RIP Etta Baker.
- Sam Raimi has optioned Arch Enemies. (via Heidi McDonald)
- I haven’t commented upon the Hugo Chavez-Noam Chomsky thing, but I hope to later.
- Louis Menand on Thirteen Moons.
- Scrivener’s Error responds to Cory Doctorow’s latest copyright missive.
- Yo, John Marshall, calm down, buddy. Take a cold shower. It was only an interview. But if you need me to set you up with someone Nora-like, let me know.
- Momus on Bowie’s Extras appearance. (via Splinters)
- Why did Diane Setterfield become a success? Was it online buzz? Sarah offers some thoughts.
- Lily Brett — an author respectively funny about the Holocaust?
- Eric Weinberger on Hemingway’s use of the Alps.