Midweek Links from Around the Web (March 22nd)

All the best literary links that are fit to, well, link

A look at music in fiction from Hari Kunzru to Haruki Murakami.

This legal case proves you, too, should give a fuck about the Oxford comma:

The drivers for Evergreen Dairy argued that without an Oxford comma, “shipment or distribution” signified different types of packing, removing the act of distribution from the law’s jurisdiction. Previously a District Court had ruled against the drivers. Following a Circuit Court appeal reminiscent of an SAT tutoring session, judge David J. Barron ruled that once again the interests of laborers and grammarians have aligned

The books that Anthony Burgess thought would make him famous.

The great Chuck Berry recently died. The NYT looks at his fantastic memoir.

The founder of the great New York Review of Books also passed away.

10 books to read to understand the Israel / Palestine conflict:

As one of the most contentious and controversial relationships in the world, the Israel-Palestine conflict has found its way into the headlines for various reasons over the last few decades. Often, those reasons are tied to the reignition of tensions or the crumbling of peace talks. It is a particular hot-button issue within U.S. politics with large contingents in both major parties weighing in on the issue — most on the side of Israel, although there is a growing progressive movement advocating for Palestinian rights.

Great novels about obsession.

My Brother and Me at the World’s Largest Gathering of Twins

13 authors, from Kelly Link to Paul La Farge, discuss the importance of the NEA:

“We deserve better than this. American writers and artists deserve dependable, sustainable, career-long government support, and we deserve, like all Americans, affordable healthcare and housing, and the social safety net that makes it possible to do the work we do..” — Jess Row

Curious where to start with John Scalzi? Tor has a guide.

New YA novels tackle police brutality.