George Saunders Profile, Most Anticipated Books of 2013, and More

by
Evan Smith Rakoff
1.4.13

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:

Through a relationship with Ingram, indie bookstores may now sell Kobo tablets. (Bookselling This Week)

Joel Lovell profiles master storyteller George Saunders in this weekend's New York Times Magazine. Saunders's latest book, Tenth of December, is out this week from Random House, and Lovell believes it is the "best book you'll read this year."

Meanwhile BookPage lists its most anticipated books of 2013, including: Rosie Schaap's Drinking With Men; The Love Song of Jonny Valentine, by Teddy Wayne; and The Still Point of the Turning World, by Emily Rapp.

A new book by Maria Konnikova, Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, examines the nature and value of creativity. (Scientific American)

"His detractors say he’s too difficult. His fans say that the naysayers don’t know how to read poetry." The New York Observer recently chatted with John Ashbery.

Stephen Elliott answers a Gawker piece lamenting the success of the personal essay. (Rumpus)

Cult favorite H. P. Lovecraft offers advice to the young writers of 1920. (Bibliokept)

With snow on the ground, or expected, in many parts of the country, Mental Floss gathered eight favorite wintry scenes from books, including the words of Edith Wharton, and Donald Hall.