On the Books: There are too many poets laureate in the U.S.

The New York Times examines the rampant wave of poets laureate in the United States. “‘I’ve been to places where there is a poet laureate for every ZIP code,’ Billy Collins, a former United States and New York State laureate, said. ‘The country is crawling with them. I think it’s out of control.'” [The New York Times]

An excerpt from Haruki Murakami’s upcoming book, Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, and an interactive introduction to the novel. [Slate]

Diamond, a comic book distribution company, released its mid-2014 state-of-the-industry report. Comic book merchandise sales are up, but actual comic book sales are down. [Publishers Weekly]

Andrew Crofts, one of the most successful writers you’ve never heard of, speaks about his ghostwriting career. He’s written 80 books in 40 years, and his books have sold over 10 million copies. He earns more than most professional writers, and charges an average of six figures (in pounds) for his books. [The Guardian]

Reviewing three new books about banned literature (Ulysses, Doctor Zhivago, and The Satanic Verses), Leo Robinson digs into the history of literary censorship. “An often heard literary argument against censorship is that—as well as misrepresenting novels—it dominates their reputations.” [The New Statesman]

In a wide-ranging interview, The Rumpus talks to novelist and Authors Guild co-vice president Ricard Russo about the Amazon-Hachette dispute, a career in writing fiction, and the future of publishing. [The Rumpus]

The New Yorker highlights five pieces from its archive about New York City. [The New Yorker]