What the world is reading

The older I get,the more I realise sport isnt just about sport. What happens on the pitch gives us a reason to go somewhere and congregate,be that the stadium or a conveniently located television,but when it comes to recalling events the action jostles alongside other memories, writes Jonathan Wilson. These days,thinks Wilson,kids would just have their smartphones on the desk and watch the game on mute,but he had to hide a transistor radio somewhere it could still get reception,listening with his head propped on his hand. Sport8230;provides a currency in which the exchanges of social interaction can be conducted, writes Wilson. If I ever bump into Patrick Trueman again,I suspect the first thing Ill mention is the Headingley Test of 1991. In fact,Patrick,if by any chance youre reading this,could you tweet me and let me know if you have gone bald, asks Wilson.

Chicago Sun-Times

Strout scores again

After Olive Kitteridge,her 2009 Pulitzer Prize winning novel,author Elizabeth Strout is out with her new book,The Burgess Boys. Kendal Weaver writes that her new book follows a more traditional,more sweeping novelistic track,with the marital discord and conflicted feelings of the Burgess brothers,protagonists and Bob Burgess ,set around their attempts to help a young nephew avoid jail. Strouts writing style is all her own,at times almost effortlessly fluid,with superbly rendered dialogue,sudden and unexpected bolts of humor and,just as a scene seems to be low-key,carried away by startling riffs of gripping emotion,

says Weaver.

The Slate

Korea issues: Psy style

Korean pop star Psy unveiled the dance and video for his new song,Gentleman ,in front of 50,000 fans at Seouls World Cup Stadium Saturday. Daniel Politi reports that at a news conference before the concert,Psy directly addressed the tensions in the Korean peninsula,saying he hopes North Koreans would enjoy his new single. On a serious note,Psy called tensions with North Korea a tragedy, adding,We are the only countries divided right now, reports Politi. He adds that Psy recognised that the huge hit of Gangnam Style meant expectations were high for his new single. I will bring more Korean dance moves and Korean songs overseas, said Psy.