News Around the Net

We've got a short one this week, because of the holiday. Enjoy!

Don't judge a book by its cover? The Guardian disagrees.

And if that's true, here are some books we should all read immediately. The best book covers of the decade.

Steve Almond, a contributor for The Rumpus (which we love), has self-published a book of writing tips and flash fiction. Here is an excerpt. It's good.

Here's a great, if not somewhat angry, review of the Raymond Carver biography by Stephen King. It starts with a recounting of Carver's drinking, then discusses his maybe fruitful, maybe poisonous, relationship with Gordon Lish.

Books of the year as told by nearly fifty novelists, poets, critics, artists, politicians and directors. Number of books listed by any of them which I have read? None. What do I blame? Cost of hardcover books. And laziness. I blame laziness too.

Philip Gourevitch is leaving the Paris Review. What do I have to do to get that job?

Why don't I have anything this valuable in my bathroom?