The first topic of today’s news: those of you who subscribe to Wine Spectator (online content is available to subscribers only) should check out the story devoted to three new books about wine. Among these books – Barolo, by Matthew Gavin Frank, which will be published next month by the University of Nebraska Press. 

Barolo is the account of Frank’s time spent in Italy – picking grapes, eating wonderful food, drinking wonderful wine, and soaking up as much as he could on the process of wine making. Wine Spectator’s reviewer said that the three books “bring an alluring culture to life.” Well said.

In other review news, there’s a great review up on NewWest.net of Seldom Seen by Patrick Dobson.

And in the Discoveries section of the L.A. Times Book Review, Susan Salter Reynolds had this to say about Things Seen, by Annie Ernaux, translated by Jonathan Kaplansky: "Annie Ernaux was blogging about her daily life long before the blog was invented. If anyone can raise it to an art form, she can." She also calls the translation “beautiful.” The full review is here.

And last but not least, Alan Zaremba is back on the radio circuit, talking about his book The Madness of March: Bonding and Betting with the Boys in Las Vegas. The most recent review is up on the KNPR Web site.

More reviews coming soon….