Michael Dirda's review of Haruki Murakami's After Dark has a stellar opening:

Over the past 25 years, literary fiction has increasingly disdained the strict tenets of social realism. Our finest writers are now producing what is essentially science fiction (Cormac McCarthy's The Road), alternate history (Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union) and absurdist fantasy (the short stories of George Saunders). A hot author such as Jonathan Lethem proudly introduces the work of Philip K. Dick for the Library of America. Neil Gaiman, creator of the Sandman series, has achieved rock-star status. We are living in an age when genre fiction -- whether thrillers or graphic novels, children's books or sf -- seems far more exciting and relevant than well-wrought stories of adultery in Connecticut.

Yes they do.

"Jabberwocky" in translation. Bewahre doch vor Jammerwoch! Die Zähne knirschen, Krallen kratzen! (via MeFi)

A computer simulation has demonstrated that Monet's late abstract paintings probably reflect diminishing eyesight rather than a bold new sense of artistic experimentation.