The music writers are busy examining the roots of R&B and rock and roll, the folks in the books section are busy examing the craft of writing, and the politics writers are busy examining just about everything. In between, you'll find movie reviews, space news, and sports and gaming news too.

Let me remind those of you who are chosen that you are invited to submit your own pick for next week (due to space considerations, please limit it to one). Please feel free to email me your picks (including the URL) by next Tuesday.

MUSIC

From Music Editor Connie Phillips:

In CD/DVD Review: The Best of Chris Isaak Nik Dirga takes a good look at an old favorite. He examines both the CD and DVD not only for its contents, but also compares it to current music trends.

This week the Modern Pea Pod has been treating us to reviews from the Stax Profiles series. Two stand-out articles were CD Review: Little Milton - Stax Profiles (written by Laura Misjak) and CD Review: Booker T. & The M.G's - Stax Profiles (written by Jon Cameron). Both were provocative reviews that examined the roots of modern R&B.

Thank you, Jackie, for DVD Review: Chuck Berry's Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll! and for sharing the personal memories that made you a fan as well as your thoughts on the DVD.

BOOKS

From Books Editor Natalie Bennett:

Blogcritics has a sub-category for articles in books called the writing life. As you'd expect on a site chock-full of writers keen to analyse and improve their craft, it is one of our most popular. This week, two Blogcritics looked at writing from different, equally illuminating, angles.

Richard Marcus, in When Writing Is Art, debated the old issue about writing reviews: are they good for the writer, or a dangerously wearying dead-end?

Taking a practical approach, Mark Schannon introduced Fifty Writing Tools from Poynter Online. There's one key message, he says: "Every word counts." I'll stop now.

From Editor Gordon Hauptfleisch:

Richard Marcus, in his expressive and cohesive review of the fascinating Broadcasting The Blues: Black Music In The Segregation Era, outlines the field research and rich musical history of the Blues, from its beginnings in the methods of field workers who would "scatter the good seeds on the land — a technique which was called broadcasting," to its roundabout transmission to 1960s British Invasion groups who re-ignited American passion.

TV/FILM

From Film Editor Erin McMaster:

El Bicho's review of Exploring The Da Vinci Code is an informative read about a DVD that very well may be trying to cash in on the popularity of The Da Vinci Code.