Today is the birthday of the short story writer Andre Dubus. Dubus is the author of numerous collections, many of which have been lauded for his style, compassion and craftsmanship. Dubus is described as a “writer’s writer”, which means that during his lifetime his tremendous gifts often went unnoticed. But his work is much more than a greeting card exchanged between authors. His stories are rich with emotional weight and poetic consequence. They employ impressive dexterity and share with the reader a thorough understanding of love, heartbreak and morality. Currently, Dubus’ work is celebrated across the globe. He is widely considered one of the greatest short story writers of the twentieth century. He died in 1999. Today would have been his 72nd birthday.

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Oh, Mezrich. You Wear Comfort So Well.

The Accidental Billionaires

Undoubtedly, this book about Facebook’s founding fathers will sell thousands of copies. A whirlwind of interviews and reviews will befall its author, Ben Mezrich, who, in a previous incarnation of Harvard-esque money-rolling gossip penned the caterwauling blockbuster Bringing Down the House. We have a particular disdain for his latest tale, as not only does it lack any substantial truths, and, for that matter, legitimate research — Mezrich was denied, repeatedly, interviews with Zuckerberg and the rest of the Facebook staff — but also it rides the coattails of social media’s popularity, which, as everybody knows, is the glammy, pseudo-anthropological birthright of this generation. But don’t take our word for it. Actually, we encourage you to buy the book. Increase Mezrich’s millions. After all, who can pass up sentences such as this:

“Even through the booze, Eduardo could feel the insecurities rumbling deep down in the pit of his stomach. He felt like a freshman all over again, stepping into Harvard Yard for the first time, wondering what the hell he was doing there, wondering how he could possibly belong in a place like that. How he could possibly belong in a place like this.”

Read It. Or Don't. It's Your Brain.

It’s Friday afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. So up we wrap this week’s posting with something that’s interesting, easy to digest and generally just good to know. It’s the novelist John Irving, talking shop. There’s plenty to glean from his conversation with Book Lounge. So listen up and get your learn on. It’s not the weekend yet. – Kevin Murphy

Happy Birthday to Maeve Binchy

May 28th is the birthday of Irish writer Maeve Binchy. Binchy is the best selling author of such novels as Cross Lines, Firefly Summer, and The Glass Lake. She was recently named Britain’s sixth all-time favorite author. Upon learning of her popularity, which is ranked higher than Dickens, Shakespeare and Austen, Binchy quipped, “A lot of my sales are at airports. You are not likely to buy King Lear for a pleasant read on a 2 1/2-hour journey.”

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