This and That: Mini-Stories

Yesterday’s Sunday (8/21/11) San Francisco Chronicle book section had several interesting mini-stories:
1. A page full of colorful images of book covers illustrates the fact that whenever cover designers want to show that books take place in San Francisco, they almost inevitably use images of the Golden Gate Bridge. Seeing these Bridge-bedecked covers -- some quite lurid -- all together on one page is striking and a bit amusing.
2. Although Charles Dickens wrote in his will “I conjure my friends on no account to make me the subject of any monument, memorial, or testimonial whatsoever,” the first-ever statue of him in Britain will be erected in Portsmouth next year.
3. Ann Patchett, author of “Bel Canto,” “Run,” and “State of Wonder,” will open a bookstore in Nashville in October; she says “I don’t want to live in a city that doesn’t have an independent bookstore.” Brava, Ann Patchett!
4. The highest earning authors in the world last year were James Patterson ($84 million), Danielle Steel ($35 million), Stephen King ($28 million), Janet Evanovich ($22 million), and Stephenie Meyer ($21 million). No comment.