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Katrina: The Big One Or Just a Warning Shot?

Our American history of flood control and public works is fraught with problems, which the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina made clear. Michael Grunwald’s book The Swamp, about the Everglades, tells the story about how this massive marshland was drained, and how a couple of hurricanes can be blamed for a good part of the draining. This Washington Post Outlook story explores the parallels between two big Florida storms of the 20s, and the situation in New Orleans today post Katrina.

Literary Novels Going Straight to Paperback – New York Times

I’m not sure how big a story this is. There have always, in my memory, been books I wanted to read that first became available in paperback. But the details here, about costs and royalties and the economics of publishing, will be of interest to all writers (and those wondering how much money writers make).

Sins of Commission?

Michael Grunwald’s The Swamp is making news.

POD-dy Mouth

A masochist tries to find the good stuff in the world of print on demand publishing. You have to wonder why she does it, and wonder that she’s consistently interesting.

Books: The Illywhacker (Seattle Weekly)

After the James Frey tempest it seems almost too civilized to read Peter Carey’s explanation for the fictional elements of his non-fiction travel book, Wrong about Japan.