SF Chronicle and L.A. Times both review Zadie Smith’s Changing My Mind.  The Millions comment on the reviews “non-committal, guarded praise” and go on to call it “wunderkind jealousy”.

The Guardian says of Smith, “criticism is a bodily pleasure“.

Time Out New York weighs in on Changing, name drops a bunch of other great writers while doing so.  End up liking the book.

Lit.

• The FBI kept an eye on Studs Terkel, considering him a “suspected communist”.  Surprised?  Saul Bellow wouldn’t have been, he though Terkel was a “Stalinist”.

• Over at HTML Giant, a video of author Mike Heppner.  The man has great concentration while driving and talking, this impressed a great deal. He also says that a Dan Brown book isn’t publishing, it’s a “buisness transaction”.  I like this guy.
  

• The Faster Times interview Palestinian author Ghada Karmi.

• Lit Kicks continues to “Ponder Proust“.

• “Our Man in Boston” tackles Boston Noir.

O-bow-ma

• A rabbi weighs in on our president bowing to a head of state.  Pulls out the Megillah.

• Conservatives expose Obama for the pinko he is.  Bowing =’s Stalinism.  Proof that when we are all in the work camps, we will probably be forced to be courteous to each other.

• Of course stupid liberal media goes ahead and tries to play clean up crew.

• Our favorite conservative pundit, Stephen Colbert weighs in, “that bow makes Obama look weaker than Rove’s chin!“

• Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. bowed.  But of course, I’m sure it was a different kind of bow.  One with authority and stuff.  Not some liberal/commie sorta gesture.

Playlists, top 10’s, etc.

• Author David Henry Sterry (Hos, Hookers, Call Girls & Rent Boys) gives us a playlist of the top 25 songs about sex workers.

• The Strokes vs. The Libertines in a battle for the decades #1 at NME.  Who wins?

• NPR picks the best recordings of the decade.  Awkward picture of Sam Beam (Iron and Wine), Norah Jones, Wilco, and Kelly Clarkson sorta sums up the decade where the line between “indie rock” and “mainstream” was totally blown up.  Thanks.

Okay, we are a teeny bit excited about the new Twilight film.  So what?

• Lev Grossman weighs in on the phenomenon.

• How New Moon is gonna save Hollywood.

• Meanwhile, we are a little bit more excited about the prospect of Lorelai and Rory Gimore making a movie full of snappy dialogue and L.L. Bean influenced styles.

And finally.

• McSweeney’s interview with a trapeze artist.

• Andy and Conan reunite via Zach Galifianakis.  Deep secrets are uncovered.

• Those Smurf movie jokes that Conan and Andy Dick make may not be that far fetched.