My new favorite book title. I also think it is probably more timely then you might think. The more concerned Americans become about security the more we unintentinonally emulate other security paranoid nations - most of them communist. It's that whole "walking the line of free society" problem rearing it's ugly head. Maybe a good book about the Cultural Revolution is what we all need to read this fall.

Am I the only person who didn't know there was a YA novel out that reimagines The Odyssey and includes a soldier fighting in the Iraq War? Yeah - I'm reading it.

I just finished Jane Mendehlsohn's Innocence and I'm still rather blown away by it. If anyone has read this - was it really her stepmother or some memory of her mother? I thought I had it all figured out but then there were a few hints at the end that maybe I went off track. Anyway, after finishing it I got a look at the catalog for the brand new Holtzbrinck imprint, Feiwel and Friends (more next week but it's fabulous!) and it has a book about several truly wicked stepmothers: The Poison Apples. (Scroll down to the bottom as it is a teen book.)

Joanna Kavenna's article on men not reading books by women (link via TEV) has me thinking all about Nicola Griffith's Always again. I was going to write a straight review of it but I might see about incorporating it into this larger idea; I'll have to see what Jessa thinks. Always is exactly the kind of book that I think men would like storywise (meaning if it was a male protag they would eat it up with a spoon) but I don't know if they will buy (let alone read). It has a very strong female protagonist and she is gay. Is that too much for the average literary man? It shouldn't be but....well, let's just see if it manages to be the LBC pick or not.

Oh - and Jessa seems to be adoring Kavenna's new book. I loved her first book - The Ice Museum - it was my first starred review at Booklist! She's a great writer and I look forward to seeing what she does as a novelist.

Scarlett Thomas is on the Bat Segundo show. LOVE HER!

TadMack wonders if all this book trailer and books site business actually results in book sales. I tried to post a comment over there but blogger got all nutsy on me and just kept reloading the page over and over. For me, as a reader and reviewer, I never even look at that stuff. I do think a writer needs to have a website, but if you already have one I don't think you need to come up with another one just for the book. Any thoughts?

The Africa issue of Vanity Fair just showed up and everyone should buy it. Fascinating, unique articles on all sorts of subjects about the continent - you won't be bored. There's also a lovely piece, "The Continental Shelf" about African authors of note - several of whom I was utterly unfamiliar with. It's good stuff all the way around.

Oh, and speaking of magazines, who cares if it is a Stephen King story that Esquire is running in its new issue? They are running fiction, people! Let's all be happy and not snipe - yet again - about King being literary or not. (I would have linked directly to the magazine site except it has to be one of the worst I have visited. Pathetic - someone needs to clean that sucker up.)

I really hope "Secret Asian Man" is a hit - we've been long overdue for something funny in the funny pages.......

The Summer Issue of Subterranean Press Magazine is up with an uncollected short story by Charles de Lint (for new fans like you Leila!).

I also have the new issue of Lady Churchill's Robot* Wristlet. First thing I plan to read is the new Karen Joy Fowler short story.

I'm so not getting my own writing done...sigh.

All for now, but check back here Friday morning for the complete Summer Blog Blast Tour interview schedule. Many blogs! Many authors! Lots of great book talk! How can you resist?!