Wednesday Linkstorm

Nelson Algren's birthday is today. If you haven't read The Man with the Golden Arm you cannot be friends with me. (You: Ugh, I was dyyyyiinnggg to be friends with her! Now what?)Hey, this new book by Alex Gilvarry looks amusing. Let's all read it. Also from the Times, J.G. Ballard's last novel is finally out in the U.S.Book Bench has an interview with American hero George Saunders about The Believer's amazing-sounding advice column. Saunders on the best and worst advice he ever received: "I remember this old guy once telling me, “To thine own self be true.” And I was like: “Yeah, well, I've got some advice for you, pal: use real words that are actual words in our time right here, for starters.” And then he, red-faced, said: “O.K., well, so”¦ be true to your own self.” The worst advice I've ever received was—well, it was that same advice. I tried being true to my own self for a few months but it was such a hassle. Honesty, self-disclosure, closely considering my own motivations? Ugh. I got absolutely nothing done. And once I started faking it again, everything got easy." Saunders!Here's a list of books about real murders if that's your thing. Me, I get too spooked. But enjoy your dreams of an ax murderer chasing you through the hallways of Columbine nude on 9/11 and you didn't memorize all your lines for The Crucible or whatever.Look, a previously unpublished scene from unfinished DFW novel The Pale King! Cue ecstatic squealing and jumping around from me and roughly one other person on earth (optimistic estimate).Also from The Millions (that blog is excellent), a review of John D'Agata's book The Lifespan of a Fact. Actual thing D'Agata said when a fact checker questioned the veracity of an article, "It's called art, d***head." Aha, yes! Write it on his headstone.Steven Millhauser beat out Don DeLillo for the 2011 Story Prize and his reward was a silver bowl. (Millhauser: Dope bowl, you guys! I needed one of these. [Turns to DeLillo] It's called art, d***head.)--Erin Somers