After a well executed but hectic NAAS conference, I am left in the midst of term paper frenzy here at the English Dept. Library at the University of Copenhagen. Though the 4th floor vista calms the nerves there is no denying that the students, me included, are on the edge. Still, I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep:
3quarksdaily are proud to present an interview with their former blogger, Affinity Konar, now a full-fledged novelist. Her novel The Illustrated Version of Things is loosely described as a coming-of-age story, and apparently reminds the interviewer of some of the greater novels of that genre; head over there for the full interview.
Calvin Reid of Publisher’s Weekly writes to the publishing industry, and he begs them “please don’t be like the music industry!” 
What he means is, please don’t do away with the physical book to rely on online formats, and also, please don’t encourage monopolistic mega chains to dominate the supply route. The “letter” was inspired by a panel at the recent BookExpo America 2009, and concludes that what might work sporadically for the music/film industry will surely kill the publishing (for romantics at least).
Can creative writing be taught? Louis Menand has an essay up at the New Yorker, which takes this question into consideration without taking obvious sides (he leans a bit toward “no, it cannot”) but by highlighting various positions on either side. An interesting read.
A new biography of playwright Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman) is out, and reviewed by Dwight Garner of the New York Times. The biography apparently spends more time dealing with Miller’s relationship with and marriage to Marilyn Monroe than previous biographies, and even Miller’s own autobiography, Timebends. Author Christopher Bigsby is “professor of American Studies and the director of the Arthur Miller Center at the University of East Anglia.”
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