As the Book World Turns….

USA Today had an article this week asking if The Night Circus, the debut novel by Erin Morgenstern that comes out this fall and that booksellers nationwide (including us) are raving about, is the next Harry Potter. It includes the book’s trailer. (We spoke to the Wall Street Journal this week about our event with Erin in October, where we’ll have a tarot card reader, popcorn machine, chocolate mice, mulled cider, hopefully a contortionist, and who knows what other wonders. Look for that article soon.)

The Man Booker Prize Long List was announced.  Finalists include Julian Barnes, Sebastian Barry, Patrick deWitt, and Patrick McGuinness.

The Guardian published a new story by Jennifer Egan. And because it’s Jennifer Egan, the story is in list form.

Dave Eggers interviewed the ever-cheerful Maurice Sendak about Sendak’s new children’s book due out this Fall, Bumble-Ardy, for Vanity Fair. (Sendak on his fame: “A woman came up to me the other day and said, ‘You’re the kiddie-book man!’ I wanted to kill her.”)

A Missouri high school removed Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five and Sarah Ockler’s Twenty Boy Summer from its library because they “teach principles contrary to the Bible.”

The Borders closing continues to be big news. Books-A-Million was going to buy up a number of empty Borders stores, but now it isn’t.  CNN had a piece of the future of indie bookselling in the wake of Borders’ demise.  (Here’s the word from the front lines on the future of indie bookselling in general:  we will survive, we will survive, we will work hard and survive. Do not fear.)

Northshire Bookstore in Vermont announced that they’re going solar.

The New York Public Library, whose rules stipulate that anyone who has accured over $15 in late fines cannot check out books, is giving kids a chance to read down their debt.  (Hmm, I wonder if this plan could work on a large scale, because I still have all those student loans I haven’t paid back…I was an English major, after all….)

The Millions has two notable pieces this week, one on plot and the work of Tana French, author of the bestseller Into the Woods and subsequent Irish crime novels, and an in-depth look at the George R. R. Martin series with a review of A Dance with Dragons.

A piece in Salon this week made a case for raunchy teen lit.

Rainn Wilson, that soulful little pancake and The Office star, told the Los Angeles Times (which just eliminated its freelance book reviewers and columnists) his ten favorite Sci-Fi titles.

The LA Times also told us this week that Ed Hardy will write a memoir.

Linda Ronstadt will publish a memoir with Simon & Schuster.

Lady Gaga will publish a book of photographs of, who else, herself with photographer Terry Richardson. Gaga will write the intro.

Prepare for something completely, um, weird:  Terry Gilliam is adapting Paul Auster’s Mr. Vertigo.

And in Austin news, Origami Yoda has been spotted all over town.

That’s the week. Watch out for all the moving trucks this weekend as students (and grown up booksellers alike) make the great end-of-lease exodus from their old apartments into new digs. And of course keep your eye out for all the primo free furniture left curbside. My UT neighborhood’s been a treasure trove the last few days. Nothing better in a bookseller’s life than a free bookshelf. Well, except for free books, I guess.