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.


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

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


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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.


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