Laila Lalami

Günter Grass’s revelation late last week that he had been a member of the SS when he was seventeen years old has sparked quite a furor in Germany:

The weekend revelations have left many questioning his motives. “It is a disappointment, in a way he has betrayed the whole generation,” said his biographer, Michael Jürgs, who said Grass had never spoken of it during their many conversations.

“We adored him not only as a moral icon, but as a figure who was telling the truth even when the truth hurts.”

The Guardian wraps up some of the reactions, which range from demands by the Christian Democratic Party that Grass return his Nobel, to statements by Salman Rushdie that Grass’s service was “a youthful mistake” and that his literary work over 70 years should be taken into account. What do you think?

According to the Arabist, Paulin Kuanzambi, an Angolan refugee in Morocco who now works with a local NGO, has been kidnapped by Moroccan secret service agents posing as journalists. He was allegedly driven to the border with Algeria, along with Marcel Amiyeto. Kuanzambi is a legal refugee, recognized as such by the UN High Commissioner, so there is absolutely no excuse or legal basis for his summary deportation. It’s unclear whether UNHCR will act on his behalf.

Okay, so I lied. I can’t keep away from the news. Look at this: An average of more than 110 Iraqis were killed each day in July. But Bush & Co. want you to know, dear taxpayer, that this is not a civil war.

One of the great things about being here on the Bread Loaf campus is that cell phones don’t work, and there are only a few computers to check email, so I have been blissfully out of touch with world news until this morning. My first day here was made of reunions with friends, like Mary Akers, Cliff Garstang, Katrina Denza, Nina McConigley, Paul Yoon, and many others, and also enjoying some very Loaf-y experiences, like drinks at Treman before dinner and green tea at the barn after the evening reading. Last night was the official start of the conference, with a welcome talk by Michael Collier, and readings by the amazing Percival Everett and Linda Gregerson.

I am on travel today, heading out to Middlebury, Vermont, for the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, where I will be a fiction fellow. Posting is likely to be sporadic over the next few days.

That is the title of the Dutch edition of Hope, which is coming out in October with Sirene. And here is the Dutch cover:

Kevin Sampsell examines the popularity of book blurbs:

Say you’re a book on a bookstore shelf. A first novel perhaps, or something by a lesser-known author. According to marketing expert Dan Poynter, book buyers look at a book for an average of 23 seconds (eight for the front, fifteen for the back) before making a positive or negative decision on it.

Does it help if you have Bret Easton Ellis or Sue Grafton trumpeting your skills? What if the prospective reader hates Bret Easton Ellis?

And he brings his unique perspective to the piece: He’s both an author and a bookseller.

The Booker longlist has been announced. I’m thrilled to see that Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss has been included. Other nominated books of note: Hisham Matar’s In The Country of Men, Nadine Gordimer’s Get A Life, and David Mitchell’s Black Swan Green. I predict the prize will go to Sarah Waters’ The Night Watch.

The son of Israeli novelist and peace activist David Grossman has been killed in battle in southern Lebanon, AP reports:

Staff Sgt. Uri Grossman who served in an armored unit, was killed Saturday when an anti-tank missile hit his tank, according to the military. He was 20. Twenty-four IDF soldiers were killed on Saturday in the bloodiest day of battles.

Tearful friends and relatives gathered Sunday morning at the Grossman home in the Jerusalem suburb of Mevasseret Tzion.

A statement from the family described Uri as a young man with a wonderful sense of humor, who planned to travel abroad and study theater after his scheduled release from the army in November.

You can read the story in full here, including more about Grossman’s positions on this particular war.

Related:
Jess Row recommends David Grossman’s See Under: Love for MG.

In honor of the upcoming paperback release of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, my book site received a fresh look.