January New Releases

Place your holds on these upcoming January titles:

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich (1/6)
On the Grind by Stephen J. Cannell (1/6)
The Best of Everything by Kimberla Lawson Roby (1/13)
Mounting Fears by Stuart Woods (1/13)
Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell (1/20)
The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles (1/20)
The Associate by John Grisham (1/27)
Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann (1/27)
A Darker Place by Jack Higgins (1/27)

Another Best of the Year List

From the Book Design Review blog, Favorite Book Covers of 2008.

100 Notable Books

The New York Times released its list of 100 Notable Books for 2008 as well as its list of the 10 Best Books of 2008.

National Book Awards

The winners of the National Book Awards were announced this week.

Fiction:


Nonfiction:


Young People's Literature:


Poetry:

Another Best of 2008 List

Publisher's Weekly has picked it's favorite books of 2008.

Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton, best-selling author of Jurassic Park, died Tuesday at the age of 66. Besides being responsible for numerous successful thrillers--many of which were turned into movies--Crichton created the hit television show ER. For more information about Crichton's life and work click here.

Best of the Year

Amazon.com has released it's Best Books of 2008 lists. There are lists for Editors' Picks, Customer Favorites, and Best Book Covers.

Obituaries

The publishing world recently lost three major figures:

Tony Hillerman, best known for his Navajo mysteries, died on October 26 at the age of 83. For more information about his life and work check out his publisher's website.

William Wharton, National Book Award-winning author of Birdy, died October 29 at the age of 82.

Studs Terkel, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, broadcaster, and historian, died on October 31 at the age of 96. NPR has a great selection of audio clips of Terkel.

Author Appearance

Florida author James Swain will be making two local appearances this week to promote his new book The Night Stalker.

Inkwood Books
216 South Armenia Avenue
Tampa, FL 33609
(813) 253-2638

Date: Thursday, October 30
Time: 7:00 p.m.


View Larger Map


Haslam's Book Store
2025 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
(727) 822-8616

Date: Saturday, November 1
Time: 3:00-5:00


View Larger Map

For more information about James Swain click here.

November Releases

Keep an eye out for the following November releases:

Divine Justice by David Baldacci (11/4)
Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb (11/4)
Conspirata by Robert Harris (11/4)
Swallowing Darkness by Laurell K. Hamilton (11/4)
Just After Sunset by Stephen King (11/11)
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb (11/11)
A Mercy by Toni Morrison (11/11)
The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver (11/11)
Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card (11/11)
Cross Country by James Patterson (11/17)
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (11/18)
The Private Patient by P.D. James (11/18)
Dying for Revenge by Eric Jerome Dickey (11/18)
Arctic Drift by Clive Cussler (11/25)
Your Heart Belongs to Me by Dean Koontz (11/25)

Book Award Roundup

The winner of the 2008 Booker Prize was announced earlier this week. Click here for an interview with the winning author.


The 2008 National Book Award finalists were announced earlier today. The National Book Awards celebrate the best of American literature in four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature.

Fiction Finalists:

• The Lazarus Project by Aleksandar Hemon
• Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner*
• Shadow Country by Peter Mattiessen
• Home by Marilynne Robinson*
• The End by Salvatore Scibona

Nonfiction Finalists:

• This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust*
• The Hemingses of Monitcello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed
• The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals by Jane Mayer*
• Final Salute: A Story of Unfinished Lives by Jim Sheeler*
• The Suicide Index: Putting My Father's Death in Order by Joan Wikersham

(*available from PCLS)

The winners will be announced on November 19.

Festival of Reading

The sixteenth annual St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading will be held Saturday, October 25 in downtown St. Pete. This exciting festival will feature several big-name authors, more than 50 booksellers and exhibitors, and plenty of fun activities for the kids. Some of the featured authors include: Dennis Lehane, Richard Paul Evans, Susan Orlean, Ridley Pearson, Lisa Unger, and Jeff Shaara.

Event Details:
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Saturday, October 25, 2008, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.


View Larger Map

Author Appearance

Mystery writer Stuart Woods will be in the Bay area next week to promote his new book Hot Mahogany. You can catch him at two different bookstores on Saturday, October 4:

Inkwood Books
216 South Armenia Ave
Tampa, FL 33609
813-253-2638
Time: 12:00 pm


View Larger Map

Haslam's
2025 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
727-822-8616
Time: 4:00 pm


View Larger Map

Fall Reading

Check out Amazon.com for new Fall titles.

National Book Festival

The 2008 National Book Festival will take place Saturday, September 27 on the National Mall in Washington D. C. More than 70 authors and illustrators will take part in this annual celebration of books and reading. The Library of Congress website will have downloadable podcasts of participating authors. For a listing of festival authors click here.

Villains in Literature

From Britain's The Daily Telegraph, the 50 Greatest Villains in Literature.

Oprah's Latest Selection

Oprah revealed her latest book club selection yesterday: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, a debut novel by David Wroblewski. The novel tells the story of a mute boy named Edgar who shares a special bond with dogs. This selection marks the 62nd since Oprah began her book club in 1996. For a complete list of the book club selections click here.

For more information about the author and the book, try these sites:

Author interview
Book website

Booker Prize

The shortlist for the Man Booker Prize was announced on September 9.


"Now in its 40th year, the prize aims to reward the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. The Man Booker judges are selected from the country's finest critics, writers and academics to maintain the consistent excellence of the prize."

This year's titles are:

• The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga*
• The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Berry
• Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
• The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant
• The Northern Clemency by Philip Hensher
• A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz

(* available from PCLS)


The winner will be announced October 14. For a list of past winners click here.

October Releases

Keep an eye out for these October releases:

Grace by Richard Paul Evans (10/7)
Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession by Anne Rice (10/7)
Queen Takes King by Gigi Levangie Grazer (10/7)
Lulu in Marrakech by Diane Johnson (10/7)
The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly (10/14)
A Wallflower Christmas by Lisa Kleypas (10/14)
The Fire by Katherine Neville (10/14)
I See You Everywhere by Julia Glass (10/14)
Bones by Jonathan Kellerman (10/21)
Dark Summer by Iris Johansen (10/21)
Testimony by Anita Shreve (10/21)
Rough Weather by Robert B. Parker (10/21)
Extreme Measures by Vince Flynn (10/21)
The Gate House by Nelson Demille (10/28)
A Good Woman by Danielle Steel (10/28)

In Their Own Words

Time.com has an informative overview of the 2008 political candidates based on the candidates' memoirs:

• Joe Biden
• John McCain
• Barack Obama

All of the candidate memoirs mentioned are available through PCLS.

Back to School

In honor of the school season starting, the Times Online's 25 Best Boarding School Books.

Upcoming Books

Place your holds now on these September releases:

The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer (Sept. 2)
Dark Curse by Christine Feehan (Sept. 2)
Icarus at the Edge of Time by Brian Greene (Sept. 2)
Rough and Tumble by Mark Bavaro (Sept. 2)
The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent (Sept. 3)
Supreme Courtship by Christopher Buckley (Sept. 3)
Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Sept. 9)
The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen (Sept. 9)
Fine Just the Way it Is by Annie Proulx (Sept. 9)
The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory (Sept. 16)
Paul of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (Sept. 16)
Star Wars: Order 66 by Karen Traviss (Sept. 16)
Goldengrove by Francine Prose (Sept. 16)
Indignation by Philip Roth (Sept. 16)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson (Sept. 16)
Heat Lightning by John Sanford (Sept. 23)
The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday by Alexander McCall Smith (Sept. 23)
The Lucky Ones by Nicholas Sparks (Sept. 30)

Booker Prize

The Booker Prize committee, which honors the best original full-length novel written in English by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations or the Republic of Ireland, announced its longlist of nominees. The shortlist will be announced on September 9 and the winner will be announced on October 14.

For more information about the prize visit the Booker website.

Life in Beijing

In honor of next month's Olympics in Beijing, the Guardian presents ten books offering insight into life in Beijing.

Spotlight on Barbara Ehrenreich

Barbara Ehrenreich, author of the New York Times bestselling Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, released a new book last month. This Land is Their Land: Reports from a Divided Nation is Ehrenreich's satirical social commentary on the state of the nation.

Other Barbara Ehrenreich titles available from PCLS:

Blood Rites: Origins and History of the Passions of War
Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy
Fear of Falling: The Inner Life of the Middle Class
Witches, Midwives, and Nurses: A History of Women Healers
The Worst Years of Our Lives: Irreverent Notes from a Decade of Greed

For more information on Ehrenreich and her works:
Author website
Author interview

New Releases for August

Place your holds on these upcoming August titles:

Foreign Body by Robin Cook (Aug. 5)
Smoke Screen by Sandra Brown (Aug. 12)
The Assassin by Stephen Coonts (Aug. 19)
Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs (Aug. 26)

NPR's Summer Books

The summer is already well under way, but check out NPR's Summer Books 2008 website. The site offers critics' lists, Book Tour podcasts, excerpts from books, and much more. Also available, a printable list of summer book recommendations.

In addition to its summer reading website, NPR is expanding its online coverage of books. For more information click here.

The New Classics

Entertainment Weekly offers the 100 best reads from 1983 to 2008.

Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

George Carlin will be the recipient of the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The prize "recognizes an artist who has made a significant contribution to the world of American comedy". Previous recipients include: Billy Crystal, Neil Simon, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, Whoopi Goldberg, and Richard Pryor. For background information on the prize and a list of previous recipients click here.

Summer Reading

From the Los Angeles Times: 2008 Summer Reading List

Beach Reads

Summer is here! Dip into some of these new books that are perfect for the beach or pool:

The Beach House by Jane Green
Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner
Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger
Dirty Girls on Top by Alisa Valdos-Rodriguez
Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin
Plague Ship by Clive Cussler
Sail by James Patterson
Swine Not? by Jimmy Buffett
Undead and Unworthy by MaryJanice Davidson
The Whole Truth by David Baldacci

Travel Literature

From the National Geographic Traveler website: Trip Lit: New Books that Transport Us

Audies Winners

The winners of the Audies, which recognize excellence audiobook publishing, were recently announced. PCLS has the following winning audiobooks:

Solo Narration--Male:
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J. K. Rowling) narrated by Jim Dale

Mystery:
Tin Roof Blowdown (James Lee Burke) narrated by Will Patton

Romance:
Natural Born Charmer (Susan Elizabeth Phillips) narrated by Anna Fields

D-Day: June 6, 1944

In honor of D-Day (June 6), read up on the historic invasion of Normandy with these PCLS titles:

• The Americans at D-Day by John C. McManus
• The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice by Alex Kershaw
  
• D-Day: The Greatest Invasion by Dan Van der Vat
  
• D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II by Stephen E. Ambrose
• D-Day with the Screaming Eagles by George E. Koskimaki
• June 6, 1944: The Voices of D-Day by Gerald Astor
  
• Parachute Infantry: An American Paratrooper's Memoir of D-Day and the Fall of the Third Reich by David Webster

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum website offers a wealth of historical documents, including journal entries, operation orders, reports, maps, and photographs.

The Library of Congress Veterans History project includes personal stories from veterans involved in the D-Day invasion. You can listen to the audio interviews from veterans of D-Day here.

June Releases

Place your holds on the following June releases:

June 3:
The Broken Window: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver
Death and Honor: An Honor Bound Novel by W. E. B. Griffin
Nothing to Lose by Lee Child
The Other by David Guterson
Plague Ship by Clive Cussler
Resolution by Robert B. Parker

June 10:
Married Lovers by Joan Collins
Sail by James Patterson

June 17:
The Beach House by Jane Green
No Choice but Seduction by Johannah Lindsey
One in a Million by Kimberla Lawson Roby

June 24:
America, America by Ethan Canin
Hit and Run by Lawrence Block
The Last Oracle by James Rollins
Letter to a New President: Essential Lessons for Our Next Leader by Senator Robert C. Byrd
Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot
Rogue by Danielle Steel
Tailspin: An FBI Thriller by Catherine Coulter
This Land is Their Land by Barbara Ehrenreich

The Essential Man's Library

The Art of Manliness website presents "the top 100 books that have shaped the lives of individual men while also helping define broader cultural ideas of what it means to be a man".

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.

Pulitzer Prize

The 2008 Pulitzer Prize winners were announced this week. Here are a few of the winners:

Fiction:
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

General Nonfiction:
The Years of Extermination by Saul Friedlander

History:
What God Hath Wrought by Daniel Walker Howe

Biography:
Eden's Outcasts by John Matteson

The Perfect Library?

Here's another list from The Daily Telegraph: 110 Best Books: The Perfect Library. What's in your perfect library?

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month.

Inaugurated by the Academy in April 1996, National Poetry Month (NPM) brings together publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets around the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. (From poets.org).

Here are 30 ways to celebrate National Poetry Month.

For more information, visit the American Academy of Poets website.

Tournament of Books Winner!

The Tournament of Books ends today. In the Championship match, Remainder (Tom McCarthy) faces off against The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Diaz). And the winner is...


(Image courtesy of themorningnews.org)

What's New @ the Library

Check out these new items available at your library.

Last Best Lines

From the American Book Review, 100 Best Last Lines from Novels.

On to the Semifinals

The Tournament of Books is already in the semifinals!

In Match One, Tree of Smoke (Denis Johnson) faced off against Then We Came to the End (Joshua Ferris). Results here.

And today, it's The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Diaz) vs. The Shadow Catcher (Marianne Wiggins). Results here.

In a twist, the next round resurrects two books eliminated in previous matches.

Round Two--Match Two

In today's match, Then We Came to the End (Joshua Ferris) faces You Don't Love Me Yet (Jonathan Lethem). Results are here.

Tournament of Books Update

In the final match of Round One, The Shadow Catcher (Marianne Wiggins) went up against An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England (Brock Clarke). The results are here.

Today marks the beginning of Round Two, where the winners from the Round One matches face off. Today's contestants: Tree of Smoke (Denis Johnson) and Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name (Vendela Vida). The results are here.

A Science Fiction Legend

Arthur C. Clarke, the esteemed science fiction writer best known for 2001: A Space Odyssey, passed away March 19, 2008.

His Life
His Works
Tributes

And, finally, and look at some of Clarke's interesting predictions for the future.

Book Design

They say you can't judge a book by it's cover, but good cover art certainly makes a book more appealing. Check out these sites about book cover art:

Covers
The Book Design Review

What's New @ the Library?

Check out this listing of some of the newest additions to PCLS. You can sign up here to have the What's New @ the Library newsletter delivered to your email.

Tournament of Books Update

Round One is almost over! Here are the results from the past few matches:

Match 5: Run (Ann Patchett) vs. Shining at the Bottom of the Sea (Stephen Marche). View the results here.

Match 6: What the Dead Know (Laura Lippman) vs. The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Diaz). View the results here.

Match 7: On Chesil Beach (Ian McEwan) vs. Remainder (Tom McCarthy). View the results here.


Tomorrow's match marks the end of Round One.

Tournament of Books--Round One, Match Four

Today, it's You Don't Love Me Yet (Jonathan Lethem) vs. New England White (Stephen L. Carter). The results are here.

Tournament of Books--Round One, Match Three

Match Three: Then We Came to the End (Joshua Ferris) vs. Petropolis (Anya Ulinich). View the results here.

Tournament of Books--Round One, Match Two

In today's match-up, The Savage Detectives (Roberto Bolano) goes up against Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name (Vendela Vida). Click here to view the results.

National Book Critics Circle Winners

The winners of the National Book Critics Circle winners have been announced. Here are a few of the winners:

Fiction:
The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

General Nonfiction:
Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experiments on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet Washington

Biography:
Stanley, The Impossilble Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer by Tim Jeal

Autobiography:
Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat

Tournament of Books--Round One, Match One

The Morning News Tournament of Books has begun! In today's match-up, Tree of Smoke (Denis Johnson) goes up against Ovenman (Jeff Parker). Click here to view the results.

Tournament of Books Brackets

For those who want to follow along in this year's Tournament of Books, here are the brackets. The Tournament begins this Friday!

Crime Writers to Read Before You Die

From Britain's The Daily Telegraph, 50 crime writers to read before you die. This interesting list includes a wide range of authors from Charles Dickens and Edgar Allan Poe to Carl Hiaasen and Elmore Leonard.

Tournament of Books

It's almost time for The Morning News 2008 Tournament of Books. The Tournament of Books, now in it's fourth year, is a March-Madness style contest where books go head to head in a fight for one of the strangest literary prizes ever--a live chicken.

Here are the contenders for this year's prize:

Run by Ann Patchett
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson
Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris
Petropolis by Anya Ulinich
Ovenman by Jeff Parker
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
You Don't Love Me Yet by Jonathan Lethem
New England White by Stephen L. Carter
Remainder by Tom McCarthy
The Shadow Catcher by Marianne Wiggins
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Vida
Shining at the Bottom of the Sea by Stephen Marche
What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman
An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke


You can view the list of judges here.

This literary prize with a sense of humor kicks off Friday, March 7.

(Image courtesy of themorningnews.org)

Spotlight on Charles Baxter

"Award-winning writer Charles Baxter is best known for his fiction -- brilliantly crafted, non-linear stories that twist and turn in unexpected directions before reaching surprising yet nearly always satisfying conclusions. He specializes in portraits of solid Midwesterners, regular Joes and Janes whose ordinary lives are disrupted by accidents, chance encounters, and the arrival of strangers; and his books have garnered a fierce and loyal following among readers and critics alike."
(From the Barnes & Noble Meet the Writers series.)

PCLS has the following Charles Baxter books:

The Soul Thief
Saul and Patsy
The Feast of Love
Shadow Play: A Novel
A Relative Stranger: Stories

For more information on Charles Baxter:

The author's website
Author interview

Black History Month

February marks the celebration of Black History Month. Here are some resources of interest:


The Library of Congress African American History Month
A&E's Biography Series
The History Channel

And, for the kids, the Just Read, Florida Black History Month Recommended Reading List

ALA's Notable Books

The Notable Books Council of the American Library Association recently released its list of outstanding books for 2008.

Since 1944, the goal of the Notable Books Council has been to make available to the nation's readers a list of 25 very good, very readable, and at times very important fiction, nonfiction and poetry books for the adult reader. (From the Notable Books Council press release)

Fiction
Away by Amy Bloom
Five Skies by Ron Carlson
The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon
An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England by Brock Clarke
Finn: A Novel by John Clinch
The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander
The Five-Forty-Five to Cannes by Tess Uriza Holthe
Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
Complete Stories by David Malouf
Out Stealing Horses by Per Pettersen
Cheating at Canasta by William Trevor

Nonfiction
The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman
The Canon by Natalie Angier
Super Crunchers by Ian Ayres
When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by Peter Godwin
How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman
Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, Shaper of Nations by Georgina Howell
Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
Oil on the Brain by Lisa Margonelli
The World Without Us by Alan Weisman

Poetry
A New Hunger by Laure-Anne Bosselaar
In a Prominent Bar in Secaucus by X.J. Kennedy

The Kite Runner Podcast

Listen to author Khaled Hosseini read from his international bestseller The Kite Runner.

NPR Book Tour

NPR Book Tour is a weekly presentation of "leading contemporary authors of both fiction and nonfiction as they read from, and discuss, their current work". This week Sue Miller reads from her new book The Senator's Wife.

Spotlight on Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan's books are thoughtful examinations of the interaction of science and culture. His latest books The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food discuss trends in American agriculture and the impact they have on our daily lives. Written in a clear, engaging style, Pollan's work is sure to enlighten and entertain.

Michael Pollan Bibliography:

A Place of My Own: The Education of an Amateur Builder
The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World
Second Nature: A Gardener's Education
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto


For more information on Michael Pollan visit his website and try these author interviews.

National Book Critics Circle Awards

The National Book Critics Circle Awards have been announced. Awards are presented for the finest books and reviews published in English during the past year. Here is the list of the 2007 finalists. For a listing of previous winners and finalists click here.

The winners will be announced March 6, 2008.

Books into Film

Check out some of these books that were made into recent movies:



Atonement by Ian McEwan
Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose
Beowulf
Charlie Wilson's War by George Crile
Evening by Susan Minot
I am Legend by Richard Matheson
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
A Mighty Heart by Marianne Pearl
Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner
Stardust by Neil Gaiman