The news about the publishing business is grim grim & very grim, but that doesn't mean there aren't great books by brilliant authors still being published. Take, for example, This One Is Mine, the sophistcated new novel by my friend Maria Semple, published today by Little Brown.

I first read This One Is Mine a couple of years ago in draft form. It's a wickedly acidic take on Los Angeles' wealthy media elite. No wonder that Maria, who used to be a Los Angeles based screenwriter for tv shows like Ellen, Mad About You, Saturday Night Live and Arrested Development, has recently moved from surreal Southern California to sensible Seattle.

This one is for anyone who enjoys laughing uncontrollably at Los Angeles. Enjoy!