If it's Friday, it Must be Links

It's a miracle I'm here today, since it's raining outside, and everyone knows that Southern California comes to a standstill whenever it rains. But here I am, and here are a couple of quick things to get you a head start on the weekend:

• The LA Times reviews Michael Shermer's new book, The Mind of the Market.

  "...we have author Michael Shermer, founder and director of the Skeptics Society, captivating raconteur of all the greatest hits of behavioral, evolutionary and neuropsychology, provider of wonderful cocktail party material, like the one about 50% of an audience challenged to count the number of completed basketball passes failing to notice the gorilla walking across the crowded court."

  Amazingly enough, Shermer will be presenting his new book at All Saints Church this Wednesday (brought to you by Vroman's!). Weird, right? It's almost like I planned this...


• Charles Bock's debut novel, Beautiful Children is getting marquee treatment pretty much everywhere these days. It just got a good review from Entertainment Weekly, who said that "the story, rendered beautifully, even heartbreakingly, plays out at top speed..." In an odd twist of fate, Bock will be appearing at Vroman's on February 22 (and giving away all kinds of cool stuff, including signed limited edition posters. I'm sitting in my office right now lusting after them.). Seriously, folks, I can't make this stuff up.


• Salon has an interview with Deadspin's Will Leitch, who has a new book, God Save the Fan about being a fan and hating ESPN and some other stuff. I also appreciated Leitch's column in Publishers Weekly about how blogging made him a better writer (the answer is that it forced him to write, all the time). Clearly, it hasn't done much for me. Leitch, actually, will not be appearing at Vroman's any time soon...unless he just shows up to buy something, which would be pretty sweet.
  


• I loved loved loved Kate Christensen's novel The Epicure's Lament, so you best be believing that the next time I'm sick I'll try her hot toddy recipe which Maud Newton posted this morning.

Get linking, folks. Enjoy your weekend!