1. The most economic (meaning fewest words) takedown of a new book belongs to Vanity Fair this month: "Former senior adviser to the McCain-Palin campaign Nicole Wallace, beset by whatever insanity (Gingrichia? Scooteritus?) leads politicos to believe a gift for lying equals an ability to write fiction tries to imagine in Eighteen Acres the life of the first female president."

I'm thinking they didn't like it much, eh?

2. Oh Assouline, it pains me to want your books because they are so ungodly expensive I can't justify their purchase but Cecil Beaton: The Art of the Scrapbook sure is pretty. I shall wait until the stratospheric $250 cover price comes down to Earth. (At least it's not $550 like the ode to Tommy Hilfiger.)

3. John Grisham writes about working for a living when he was a teenager - and where he got the idea for A TIME TO KILL.

4. Cherie Priest's upcoming BLOODSHOT is in the Spring RH catalog (for Del Rey) and sounds like a humdigger - you've got a vampire detective of the female persuasion, a mystery, and some general kicking of the ass with (according to the catalog) some romance thrown in. If I could link to all this, I would but suffice to say, not steampunk but sounds all smart action-excitement nonetheless. (Her latest, DREADNOUGHT, which is steampunk is on my fun reading stack - as soon as the October column is done.) (I am beginning to think that will never happen, but I swear I see light at the end of the tunnel!)

5. Re the next column: only the book on the KKK remains to be read. And then, nothing depressing for a month in my reading queue or I shall rebel most strenuously. (Well, dammit, except for the Booklist books which lately are all about the world going to hell in a handbasket.)

6. Just finished Jincy Willet's THE WRITING CLASS and it was the first book in a zillion years that I did not know who did it until the author told me. What a great mystery and just as much what a great book about writing and for writers! I should have read this ages ago (Gwenda loved it - you'd think I would know by now that means "READ IMMEDIATELY") but I kept pushing it off until I was so desperate for something light that I grabbed it like it was food and man, what a great read. Easily recommendable to anyone from your high school student who wants to be a writer to your grandmother who loves a good mystery. Good stuff, promise.

7. Finally - look - more cool pencils for the stocking this year! And this set is only $10!

[Post pic from the Cecil Beaton scrapbook.]