Michiko Kakutani reviews Michael Chabon’s The Yiddish Policemen’s Union in The New York Times today. I honestly have little time or interest in the discussion of how genre fiction is or isn’t viewed in the mainstream, or even in the divide between genre and mainstream, but I was struck by how the one thing that Kakutani repeatedly praised is Chabon’s world-building skills. The novel, which I’m reading at the moment, is an alternate history, and a good one. The only possible thing that might set it apart from genre alternate histories (and this is a big maybe) is that the alternate history element of the story is pretty much used only as setting, while the story focusses on other matters. That is to say, the alternate history isn’t the point of the story. At least, not so far. Even allowing for that, it’s hard to see how anything else could win the Sidewise Award. Actually, here’s a question: given that the most successful science fiction novel of 2007 was written by Cormac McCarthy, do we in the genre have the courage to recognise non-genre writers achievements in these areas? Or, do we just not like to see the mainstream playing in our sandpit?

My friend Kelly sold a book to my friend Sharyn, and it will include a story I bought. How awesome is that!

The Science Fiction Book Club is now accepting pre-orders for Best Short Novels: 2007. The SF Book Club’s cover is by Stephan Martiniere, a piece originally done to accompany Chris Roberson’s The Voyage of Night Shining White, but never used. The book contains eight short novels by Kage Baker, Robert Reed, Chris Roberson, Robert Charles Wilson, Ysabeau Wilce, Michael Swanwick, Cory Doctorow and Jeffrey Ford. It’ll be out in June, and I’m really happy with it. I would say, if you enjoy this series, please consider joining the Book Club and ordering it as the series future has been in doubt.

If you can’t join the Book Club, you could always consider ordering the Prime edition of the book, which will be out in September. It features the Bob Eggleton cover at the right here, which rather suggests Godzilla or one of his cohort might be in the book.

Regardless of which edition better suits you, though, I’ll be delighted if you pick up a copy. I think it’s a good book, and I’d love to have the chance to continue the series in 2008.

Well, Marianne and I rushed the kids out the door this morning, and headed into the city. She’s off getting her ‘colors done’, whatever that entails, while I’m sitting at an outdoor cafe, not getting much done. I did do a little shopping, though, and scored my own first sighting of The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year, right here in Perth. Woot! Itch scratched. Over it now. On to the next book.  I’m still reading, and enjoying The Coyote Road. It’s prompting a lot of thoughs about anthologies, though. About structure, about theme, about how you manage them. Before I overstate it: editing anthologies isn’t rocket science.  To do it really well, though, you need to work on developing the finer points. I’m proud of all of the books I’ve done, but I’d like to think the next ones I do will be better than the ones I’ve already done. Without that, I’m not learning much from the process.

What else? Watched the series closer for Life on Mars? last night. I’m really not sure about it at all. I won’t go into details because I know there are a lot of people who’ve still not seen it, but I’m not entirely convinced. I will watch Ashes to Ashes, though.