Nuala O'Faolain

Irish writer Nuala O'Faolain died May 9 at the age of 68. O'Faolain is perhaps best known for her 1996 memoir Are You Somebody? The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman. In 2001, she published the well-received novel My Dream of You. O'Faolain received praise last month for her bravery in facing lung cancer. Her last interview is available here.

Nuala O'Faolain Bibliography:
Almost There
Are You Somebody? The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman
My Dream of You
The Story of Chicago May

Spotlight on Tobias Wolff

Tobias Wolff is the memoirist, novelist, and short fiction writer perhaps best known for This Boy's Life--a memoir of his itinerant adolescence as he and his single mother search for a better life. The book was made into a movie of the same name starring Robert DeNiro, Ellen Barkin, and Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his earliest film roles.

Wolff's most recent offering Our Story Begins: New and Selected Stories is newly available at PCLS.

Tobias Wolff Bibliography:

Back in the World (short fiction)
The Barracks Thief (short fiction)
In the Garden of the North American Martyrs (short fiction)
In Pharaoh's Army (memoir)
The Night in Question (short fiction)
Old School (novel)
Our Story Begins (short fiction)
This Boy's Life (memoir)

May Releases

Place your holds now on the following May releases:

Phantom Prey by John Sanford (May 6)
Careless in Red by Elizabeth George (May 6)
Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian (May 6)
Secrets by Jude Deveraux (May 6)
Shadow Command by Dale Brown (May 13)
Swine Not by Jimmy Buffet (May 13)
The Front by Patricia Cornwell (May 20)
Odd Hours by Dean Koontz (May 20)
Executive Privilege by Phillip Margolin (May 20)
Blue Smoke and Mirror by Elizabeth Lowell (May 27)

Los Angeles Times Book Prize

The 2007 Los Angeles Times Book Prize winners were announced this past weekend. Winners included:

Fiction:
Be Near Me by Andrew O'Hagan

Award for First Fiction:
The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu

History:
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner

Mystery/Thriller:
The Indian Bride by Karin Fossum (Translated by Charlotte Barslund)

All of these winning titles are available from PCLS.

For a list of the previous winners click here.

World Book and Copyright Day

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated April 23, 2008 World Book and Copyright Day. This day "pay[s] a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity." (from UNESCO)

Amsterdam was selected as the 2008 World Book Capital. The designation as World Book Capital recognizes Amsterdam's dedication to books and reading. News and a calendar of events can be found here.

The Audies

The Audies recognize "distinction in audio books and spoken word entertainment". The Audies is sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association. Here is a listing of the categories and finalists for 2008.

The finalists for Audiobook of the Year are:

The Chopin Manuscript (Various Authors) read by Alfred Molina
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J. K. Rowling) read by Jim Dale
I Am America (And So Can You) (Stephen Colbert) read by Stephen Colbert
Inspired by... Bible Experience (Old Testament) read by Angela Bassett, Cuba Gooding Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, et. al.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Brian Selznick) read by Jeff Woodman

Winners will be announced May 30, 2008.

What's New @ the Library

Here are some of the new items available at PCLS.