Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Two bits: Behrens, Powers
I'm delighted to report that Peter Behrens has won the 70th annual Governor-General's Literary Award for The Law of Dreams. I was mightily impressed by this first novel, and reviewed it for Newsday. But since that excellent newspaper has now hidden my piece in its pay-to-play archive, I've posted the complete review on HOM. According to the Toronto Globe and Mail, the author accepted his prize with amusing modesty: "I know I am not well-known in Canada except among people who well-know me." Three cheers!
One additional note. Not so many moons ago, Steven Zeitchik was a literary journalist and mainstay at Publishers Weekly. In August 2005, however, he decamped for Variety. Since I don't dip into the film-industry bible with any regularity, I hadn't been following his work too closely. But when Richard Powers bagged the National Book Award last week, I came across Zeitchik's coverage and was tickled to find it written in the classic hix-nix-flix-in-stix argot: "Scribe Richard Powers won the fiction prize at lit kudofest the National Book Awards in Gotham Wednesday night, stealing the thunder from Judith Regan... Maverick publisher--and controversial O.J. interrogator--Regan threatened to shake up the normally staid kudos after receiving an unexpected nom. But prize went to Powers, who has built a literary career on a wide range of genres and styles, penning crix favorites Gain and Galatea 2.0." It would be churlish for crix to object, I think. Kudos to you, Steve!
One additional note. Not so many moons ago, Steven Zeitchik was a literary journalist and mainstay at Publishers Weekly. In August 2005, however, he decamped for Variety. Since I don't dip into the film-industry bible with any regularity, I hadn't been following his work too closely. But when Richard Powers bagged the National Book Award last week, I came across Zeitchik's coverage and was tickled to find it written in the classic hix-nix-flix-in-stix argot: "Scribe Richard Powers won the fiction prize at lit kudofest the National Book Awards in Gotham Wednesday night, stealing the thunder from Judith Regan... Maverick publisher--and controversial O.J. interrogator--Regan threatened to shake up the normally staid kudos after receiving an unexpected nom. But prize went to Powers, who has built a literary career on a wide range of genres and styles, penning crix favorites Gain and Galatea 2.0." It would be churlish for crix to object, I think. Kudos to you, Steve!
