Van Sant on the bus for Kool-Aid Test: Indie filmmaker GUS VAN SANT has signed on to direct THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST, based on TOM WOLFE’s trippy book about the drug-addled rise of the hippie movement. FOX SEARCHLIGHT will produce the film, and DUSTIN LANCE BLACK will write the screenplay.
Black and Van Sant worked together on the much-hyped MILK, a biopic about California’s first openly gay elected official that stars SEAN PENN. It opens November 26th. [Reuters]
Adiga in agent controversy after winning Booker: After winning the MAN BOOKER PRIZE earlier this month, ARAVIND ADIGA severed ties with his literary agent, WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY, for no apparent reason this week. Sınce Tuesday, however, the author of THE WHITE TIGER now has British agent DAVID GODWIN fighting for him, who represented other Indian greats like ARUNDHATI ROY and KIRAN DESAI. [Calcutta Telegraph]
Updike has no mercy for Morrison: JOHN UPDIKE published a scathing review of TONI MORRISON’s new novel, A MERCY, in this week’s NEW YORKER. Known for critical sound and fury (hating on William Faulkner, for example), Updike’s opinions themselves are now getting criticized by the press. [Gawker]
Kindle joins Oprah’s book club: OPRAH endorsed the AMAZON KINDLE last week on her Web site, which means the gadget is bound to see a spike in sales. Good news for the authors whose books are available through the device. Oprah’s own Kindle includes books by DAVID WROBLEWSKI, SUZANNE SOMERS and WENDY CHANT. [Information Week]
McEwan debuts London opera: IAN MCEWAN’S opera FOR YOU premiered yesterday in London. The Booker Prize-winning novelist focused the opera on themes of sex, obsession and adultery, saying that they suited the medium. He collaborated with composer MICHAEL BERKELEY, a long-time friend. [BBC]
– Iza Wojciechowska