A new format for book reviews & a writer superstar

Here's a new format—the comic strip book review. It’s cartoonist Ward Sutton, reviewing Philip Roth’s 25^th novel, “Indignation.” Seems a little jumpy to me, but fun. You can see it in this Village Voice slideshow (click here).

 And here's another unusual idea: the writer as superstar. Malcolm Gladwell recently appeared at the Soho Theatre in London and sold out two performances of a talk about his work, especially his new book, "Outliers." (I just got it, haven't read it yet, but will give you a short review when I have.) The ticket price was £25 (between $35 and $50, depending on the wildly fluctuating exchange rate). According to New York magazine, Gladwell was paid $80,000 recently to address a dental-supply firm's Annual General Meeting (no wonder our fillings cost so much...).