Philip Roths late prodigious burst of creativity continues although The Humbling barely even counts as a novella, being stretched out with typographical trickery to just 140 pages. Simon Axler is a once-great US stage actor, who in his twilight years finds hes lost his ability to perform. He has a breakdown, his wife leaves him and he checks into In his introduction to The United States Of McSweeneys, compilation co- editor Nick Hornby is fairly sanguine about the fact that a decade into its life, literary journal Timothy McSweeneys Quarterly Concern is as famous for its arched-eyebrow attitude and lavish packaging as the actual stories contained therein. Nonetheless, hes also swift to refute the view that McSweeneys is purely the preserve of the white male American ironist, as embodied by its editor, Dave Eggers. Though collecting only 19 pieces of short fiction (from a quarterly that recently enjoyed its 32nd edition), finger My blue heaven: Steve Martin has released a bluegrass album successful. Not only commercially but artistically. Thus Martins career trajectory has often been punctuated with unplanned little tangents. In 2007 he brought out a childrens book, and he only got into stand-up by accident. But he should rightly be proud of The Crow, which has attracted contributions from bluegrass royalty such as Dolly Parton (shes lovely, he says happily) and our own Mary Black. And he finds that playing proper music on stage is a lot less hair-raising than telling jokes. Comedy is much more nerve-wracking! With this Im working with a band so there are others to turn to. You can get into a song, and youre there for three minutes and pretty much know it. With comedy youre on the hook every six seconds... The Crow is out now. DOWN THE DUMPER This weeks fickle finger of fame pokes Helena Christensen Wednesday, November 4, 2009 metrolife 13 Staying In Book Reviews The Humbling by Philip Roth Jonathan Cape, 15 Established in 1953, The Paris Review is a literary magazine with a long-standing reputation for featuring the heavyweights of contemporary writing. Founded in Paris but now based in New York, it is by no means an Americanised version of the original magazine its subjects are drawn from world literature, unified by their highbrow status. One of its key features is its interviews with authors. Conducted by writers, poets and academics, they examine their subjects careers in detail, but perhaps the most interesting feature is that they present the opportunity to explore the creative process behind their writing. With an introduction by Salman Rushdie, this fourth volume is a series of collected interviews drawn from the 1950s onwards and includes such highlights as a typically free- associating Jack Kerouac (pictured), who explores the background to On The Road whilst giving the interviewer a potted history of Buddhism. More contemporary subjects include Paul Auster, Philip Roth and Haruki Marikami, all of whom explore influences on their work. Great for book lovers, naturally, but also for would-be writers. Tom Hicks Book Of The Week The Paris Review Interviews, Volume 4, Edited by Philip Gourevitch Canongate, 18 The United States... certainly bears out this argument. For the most part the stories are punchy, pared down and diverse. Hornby and co- editor Eli Horowitz opt for mostly sombre or blackly comic picks, though that isnt to suggest this lacks range; Kevin Brockmeiers sci-fi The Ceiling is astounding 12 haunting pages that almost make up for McSweeneys occasional lapses in quality over the years. Andrzej Lukowski The Canongate myth series, in which contemporary authors revisit ancient stories, has convincingly made the case for the protean and durable nature of ancient myth. Although not part of that series, Australian author David Maloufs retelling of the final chapters of Homers Iliad stands alone as a magnificent tribute to the poetic strength of its tumultuous source and a quietly poignant critique on the futility of war. This is a great story in its own right: full of bloodshed, violence and the enduring tension between gods and mortals. But Maloufs beautiful language puts fresh flesh on to these characters, emphasising the extent to which men are fathers and sons as well as kings and heroes in Homers bloody epic, and how, beyond the parapets and battlefields, the real conflict takes place within the individual. Claire Allfree The United States Of McSweeneys, Edited by Nick Hornby & Eli Horowitz Hamish Hamilton, 25 Ransom by David Malouf Chatto & Windus, 18 a psychiatric hospital. Back home again, hes visited by voluptuous 40-year-old lesbian Pegeen. Naturally, meeting the 65-year-old makes Pegeen renounce her Sapphic ways and the pair go at it in ways its best not to read after having eaten. Get past the fact that this is deeply offensive (women depicted here are dismayingly two- dimensional) and there are interesting ideas at play. Alas, this slight tale doesnt have time to examine any of them properly. Roths prose, shorn of incidentals, still has a driving clarity but you cant help wondering what the point was. Siobhn Murphy If the Steve Martin interview has whetted your appetite for a hoedown, check out Bla Fleck. Born in New York, and initially turned on to the banjo by hearing Earl Scruggs play the theme tune for the Beverly Hillbillies, Fleck is no mountain- dwelling five-string grizzler. Hes never stuck to old-time bluegrass, but leaps between bebop, funk, rock and American roots, all of which hes co- opted into a radical approach. He formed The Flecktones in 1989, and their line-up has remained virtually the same ever since, with Jeff Coffin (saxophone), Victor Wooten (bass) and brother Roy Future Man Wooten. Like that other exotic American picker Bob Brozman, Fleck delights in seeking out a wide and wild set of collaborations. Bla and director Sascha Paladino are currently premiering the documentary Throw Down Your Heart (where Fleck explores the African roots of the banjo), while in recent years hes recorded an album with John Coltrane sideman McCoy Tyner and travelled to Nova Scotia to play with folk fiddler Natalie MacMaster. Martin Longley Tonight, Vicar Street, 58-59 Thomas Street D8, 7.30pm, 36. Tel: 0818 719 300. www. belafleck.com GIG Bla Fleck & The Flecktones Christmas Day, 1968: Helena Christensen is born with the gift of walking and pouting. 1987: Becomes Miss Denmark. 1991: Appears in the video for Chris Isaaks Wicked Game and becomes a supermodel. Dates Michael Hutchence. 1994: Becomes muse to Gianni Versace who says she has the most beautiful body in the world. 1998: Fronts ad campaign for Dom Perignon champagne. 1999: Gives up catwalk modelling. 2002: Pays the bills by appearing in Carlsberg and Walkers crisps adverts. 2005: Promotes Sony Ericsson phones. 2006: Launches career as a photographer which no one really seems that interested in. Nevertheless Helena keeps exhibiting her snaps in galleries. 2008: Dresses up as a saucy pirate for Agent Provocateur. August 2009: She may be over 40 but shes still got it, apparently. Helena flashes her wares in a nude shoot for some French fashion magazine or other. November 2009: Is there no end to Helenas promotional talents? If youve got a product, this gal can flog it. Her current endeavour is selling furniture for Habitat with posters demonstrating its possible to sit on a sofa or, if youd prefer, on the floor. Keep it up, Helena! Those cushions wont sell themselves! 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