I'm stealing a moment from my end-of-term grading to pop in here and give a quick heads up to fellow North American fans of Henning Mankell's Kurt Wallander novels. The BBC television series based on the books is making its debut on this side of the Atlantic this month on PBS, with the first episode set to air this Sunday, May 10th. The series features Kenneth Branagh in the role of Wallander, something which I confess I'm rather dubious about. I admire Branagh's acting, but he's such a familiar face that I fear I won't be able to forget he's Branagh and embrace him as Wallander. Still, I've heard nothing but praise for the series since it originally aired in Britain late last year. And I gather that it was actually filmed in Ystad, Sweden, so it will be a treat to get a proper look at the landscape Mankell brings so vividly to life in the books. Check your local listings and tune in with me so that we can compare notes afterward! Click here for more information.