Books!

- James Franco's book deal. It's a collection of short stories published by Simon and Schuster. If it was anyone else, I'd hope for failure. But for my boy Franco, I'm hoping it doesn't blow. He's been working with Amy Hempel, who I like, so it's looking good so far.

- Two more Bolano books found among his notes. How convenient...

- Book review on juvenile prostitution in Quebec and how young girls fall under the spell of pimps:

"The gangs have perfected a recruitment strategy known as "lovebombing," in which pimps pretend first to be adoring boyfriends, showering the girls with lavish gifts, constant attention and endless praise. The chosen girl is "easily impressed by a sweet talker who promises love, the good life, or a non-stop party."

Once smitten, the girl is then introduced into the sex trade, through manipulation or deception, and through dehumanizing initiation rites. Often, the girls are removed from their home towns, isolated and trapped, holding on to a warped conception of love, which, the authors remark, can be summed up by an Edith Piaf lyric: "I'd do anything/If you asked me to.""

Sounds exactly like the normal wooing process to me, but I'm cynical.


- Superstar Ayn Rand fans including Brad Pitt, Jim Carrey, and Rob Lowe. Which proves my point: celebrities are dumb. Except for James Franco.

- Will the real Shakespeare please stand up? The first actual portrait of Shakespeare was apparently unveiled. And he looks like every other guy from the 1500s

- New Postsecret book called Life, Death, and God. For those who don't know, Postsecret is an art project (website, books, exhibit) where people mail in anonymous secrets in the form of artistically done-over postcards. If anyone has something deep and dark they want to share for the next book, do it.