One of the most striking parts of Mayank Austen Soofi's highly-enjoyable and amusing one-morning-in a-writer's life rumination, Incense and Insensibility (sorry for the title, by the way) was the 3:30 AM wake-up alarm (!) and the 5:30 AM trip to the gym (!!). But all the hardships and inconveniences will all be worth it as Mayank realizes who'll have the last laugh some day with the advent of his writing success and accolades — all of those people who ignore or snub him now will indeed be sorry. "By then," however, "it will be too late for them to be my friends." Hah!

In her compelling review of The Meaning of Night - A Confession, Katie McNeill aptly conveys the shadowy complexity of the lead character and plot, and is highly convincing in her recommendation: "Beautifully written, this is a classic in the making. This novel has it all - a dark character you have to follow to the end." Sounds perfect for my winter-of-discontent reading list.

Meanwhile, since the autumn-of-my-eccentricity is still in full swing, Diane Kristine has me persuaded, in her review of A Spot of Bother, that I might find this book's every-which-way-but-lucid protagonist appealing: "Talking was, in George's opinion, overrated... The secret of contentment, George felt, lay in ignoring many things completely." Say no more.

TV/FILM

Murder by the Book, a new CourtTV series, features popular crime novelists delving into real murder cases. TV with MeeVee sat down with author James Ellroy and asked him five questions about his appearance and case in the show - the 1958 murder of his very own mother.

Ryan Eanes' Beakman Blasts Back Into Action was well-written and informative. I had no idea that the show ever existed and this article makes me want to give it a gander to learn more about it.

From TV Editor TV and Film Guy:

Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's great. Apparently recently it's been less than that. But, in its latest episode, Battlestar Galactica is back in near-top form. David Desjardins takes a look at it, examines its strengths and weaknesses and decides it doesn't have to go frack itself. I highly recommend you spool up your FTL drive and check it out.

I know things. Trust me, I know things. A lot of my knowledge, though, is totally and completely worthless. Or so I thought. Apparently, I can actually make some huge bucks off of it. All I need to do is sit there and find two people to not open their mouths. TV with Meevee explains.

From Film Editor Lisa McKay:

Donnie Marler reminds us of why those animated holiday gems stay with us year after year, and in some cases, generation after generation. Do any of the characters in Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer strike a chord of familiarity in you?