Wednesday Linkstorm

J. Robert Lennon thinks most contemporary fiction is terrible. Yeah, okay. Unless it's the opposite of that and it's never been better.Elizabeth Strout has a new novel coming out, is this week's By the Book.PW named Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi the bookstore of the year. Road trip? Cool. You drive and I'll make the playlist. Hope you like Eminem/Bob Seger/interviews with Mel Brooks. You: This mix is unstoppable! Me: [nodding smugly]Happy anniversary to F. Scott and Zelda who were married on this day in 1920. What anniversary is the 93rd? Platinum? Uranium? Gin? Let's go with gin.Weird and amazing news: Steven Soderbergh is adapting John Barth's epic The Sot-Weed Factor into a 12 hour movie. Fingers crossed for Channing Tatum in period dress as as the world's least convincing Ebenezer Cooke.Do you like books? Yes? Oh. Well how am I supposed to know that unless you are sitting in one of these book-themed chairs for insane people?Times Haiku website/launched on April first, you guys/click here now for zenThe American Society of Magazine Editors announced the National Magazine Awards nominees, and they are...confusing. For instance, down there at the bottom in the Video category, "How to Make Salsa Verde" is up against "Full Secret Video of Private Romney Fund Raiser." Or maybe it will go to "Welcome to Friendship Beach" by Sports Illustrated. Okay great, everything is comparable to everything else. What's better, an ice cream cone or a spider? That "happy for no reason" feeling or German Chancellor Angela Merkel? A weird butt you saw one time or being in love?  Get comfortable. No one leaves this room til we choose a winner.