The Book Burden

Are you addicted to reading?

2009-08-18T15:23:00.003-04:00

Gwen Dawson wrote this great article on her blog today about how to tell if you are addicted to reading or not. She also had a link to a fun quiz you can take to find out if you are addicted.My results?"You are totally crazy about reading novels. It is more than a passion for you. Reading novels is an obsession for you."Uh-oh...what I want to know is, is it unhealthy?

A new Richard Russo novel

2009-08-16T15:32:00.000-04:00

Roxanna Robinson reviews Russo's latest novel, his seventh, in today's New York Times Sunday Book Review.

Join the President Obama Book Club!

2009-08-12T16:35:00.000-04:00

Check out this presidential reading list from The Daily Beast. Its packed full of what President Obama has been reading so far this year, many of them presidential biographies, some literary fiction and a couple others on very timely topics (read: environmental technology and climate change).

The lost art of reading

2009-08-10T13:26:00.000-04:00

Please don't tell me people aren't reading -- I just don't believe it. But I will grant you that people aren't reading well. Here's the article from the Los Angeles Times...

New Pynchon novel released

2009-08-05T14:05:00.002-04:00

Thomas Pynchon has a new novel out and the reviews are mixed...

Frank McCourt, 1930-2009

2009-08-04T14:43:00.002-04:00

The author of Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt, has died at age 78.

Graphic novels in the works

2009-07-16T14:27:00.003-04:00

Twilight, that infamous teen vampire novel, will soon be released as a graphic novel. A perfect medium for this particular genre, one of my favorites being the Anita Blake vampire hunter series which has been re-done as a very successful graphic novel series. I was also very excited to hear that my favorite novel of all time, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, will also be forthcoming as a graphic

How to connect with booklovers on the Internet

2009-07-16T14:19:00.004-04:00

With all the possibilities available on the web, are you still unsure where to go for book, author and literary information? This is kind of an old web page (updated about a year ago), but most of the links still work. 100 Places to connect with Bibliophiles Online. Just my cup of tea.

Much ado about the supposed "sequel" to Catcher in the Rye?

2009-07-15T14:10:00.002-04:00

There has been a lot of talk lately about a supposed "sequel" to Salinger's most famous work, Catcher in the Rye. Here's one take from Slate Magazine's Juliet Lapidos, which is actually laugh-out-loud funny because its not that she agrees with Salinger, but that this sequel is supposedly so badly written. Having just finished reading Catcher a few weeks ago (I know - shocking!) I can't say as

Reading aloud in the modern age

2009-06-11T14:06:00.003-04:00

Verlyn Klinkenborg wrote an interesting piece in The New York Times last month about the joys of reading aloud. Read it here.His last sentence struck me, "But what I would suggest is that our idea of reading is incomplete, impoverished, unless we are also taking the time to read aloud." This is more than readily apparent when we are children and we are learning and acquiring language, but it

David Foster Wallace, 1962-2008

2008-09-21T19:38:00.000-04:00

I never read anything by DFW, but I have heard him lauded by people I admire and respect, so he is one of those authors whom I'm always meaning to pick up at some future point. He died in his home, on September 12th, apparently of a self-inflicted gunshot. Very sad...

What not to read

2008-09-21T19:30:00.000-04:00

Hilarious excerpt from Brit Richard Wilson's new book, Can’t Be Arsed: 101 Things Not to Do Before You Die and smack dead-on with some of them!

Being Laura Bush

2008-09-01T07:20:00.002-04:00

This week, Curtis Sittenfeld's new novel entitled American Wife is being unveiled to the public - just in time for the Republican National Convention. The novel is an imagining of what it would be like to be inside the head and persona of the First Lady, in this case, a fictionalized Laura Bush called Alice Maxwell. It is a roman-a-clef in which are some are claiming people will confuse with

2008 Books read (as of August)

2008-08-05T09:28:00.002-04:00

It might be better to start keeping my lists of books read online. I've traditionally kept my list in a notebook, which works perfectly fine, but thought it might be interesting to share what I've read with others.The list is chronological, starting with most recent first:Isaac's Storm: a man, a time, and the deadliest hurricane in history, Erik LarsonWhen You are Engulfed in Flames, David

old grocery lists

2008-07-30T15:37:00.000-04:00

Not sure its book-worthy, but this is a great idea. A performance artist took old discarded grocery lists and imagined their authors' lives through items on the list, handwriting, etc. Now I finally know what to do with all those old grocery lists I throw out!

Booker Prize longlist is announced

2008-07-29T13:00:00.001-04:00

No surprises really, but the 2008 nominees on the Booker Prize's longlist are overwhelmingly male. However, 5 first-time novelists are in the running this year...

'Tin Lizzie' illustrates our car-loving culture

2008-07-09T11:21:00.001-04:00

From USATODAY.com...

Lorrie Moore's new collection

2008-06-05T21:41:00.000-04:00

Lorrie Moore is one of the best short-story writers around. Its good to see she has a new collection of short stories out - her last book was 1998's Birds of America. The new collection of short stories is called simply, The Collected Stories.

Summer Books to Feed Your Literary Addiction : NPR

2008-06-05T21:33:00.000-04:00

Summer Books to Feed Your Literary Addiction : NPR

Rose Tremain wins Orange prize - USATODAY.com

2008-06-05T21:30:00.000-04:00

Rose Tremain wins Orange prize - USATODAY.com

Why do they lie?

2008-05-05T14:22:00.000-04:00

Arguably a favorite topic of book blogs and news outlets, plagiarism and lying about one's past are in the news again; this time in the guise of a former gang member's memoir and eventual unveiling as a fraud by her sister. She actually grew up in swanky Sherman Oaks, CA.Fake Memoirs and the New Racial "Passing" (Bookslut)

The Advent of Podcast Novels : NPR

2008-04-03T13:27:00.000-04:00

The Advent of Podcast Novels : NPR

The comic book purge of the 1950s

2008-04-03T13:15:00.000-04:00

Review of a new book by David Hajdu about the comic-book panic of the 1950s, when parents and people in charge believed comics were destroying America. Hard to believe, but artists and writers were blacklisted from the industry, similar to the Red Scare and the movie industry during the same time period. Nowadays, comic books may be the least of parents' worries about their overexposed children

Interview with Jhumpa Lahiri

2008-04-02T10:04:00.001-04:00

After watching the recent film, The Namesake, this weekend, I was happy to see this article pop up in my newsreader. Jhumpa Lahiri is a beautiful writer, which is why I was so disappointed with the movie version of her second book. After reading The Interpreter of Maladies when I worked for The New York Public Library, I couldn't wait for the next book by Lahiri. Her second book (first novel),

Arthur Charles Clarke, 1917-2008

2008-03-20T15:35:00.000-04:00

It was a sad day for science fiction fans yesterday. Sir Arthur C. Clarke, writer and thinker, died at age 90. Probably best known for his book, 2001: a Space Odyssey, Clarke also wrote over 100 other books on space, science and the future of humankind. Read the obituary from The Guardian here.

The One-day-ness of History: Questions for Nicholson Baker

2008-03-20T15:30:00.000-04:00

Good interview with Nicholson Baker; writer, archivist, satirist.OMNIVORACIOUS: The One-day-ness of History: Questions for Nicholson Baker

The murky demimonde of Amazon's Top Reviewers

2008-03-13T12:56:00.002-04:00

The murky demimonde of Amazon's Top Reviewers. - By Garth Risk Hallberg - Slate Magazine

Novel about painter wins PEN/Faulkner

2008-03-13T12:31:00.000-04:00

Kate Christensen wins the PEN/Faulkner award for her novel, The Great Man. What a coup for Christensen! She wins $15,000 and the admiration of her writing peers. Her first novel, In the Drink, was considered to be chick lit (at best) and a trashy novel (at worst). I just finished reading her second novel, Jeremy Thrane, a few months ago and was impressed by her writing, although I did like In

The designer library consultant

2008-03-07T14:10:00.000-05:00

This article about using books as a design element in L.A. homes also features an interesting new trend in affluent Southern California - a paid "library consultant", who will come into your home, catalog your library collection, organize it, and create bibliographies based on your reading passion. Hmmm, southern California, rich people, beaches? Who wouldn't want that job!

L.A. Times Book Prize nominees announced - Los Angeles Times

2008-03-07T14:04:00.000-05:00

Last Friday, the L.A. Times Book Prize nominees were announced. Maxine Hong Kingston won the Kirsch award, which, "...honors a living author with a connection to the American West whose works have made a substantial contribution to American letters."

My gal Harriet

2008-03-07T13:46:00.000-05:00

Going through Bloglines today (over 3000 unread posts in my Books folder alone!!), I discovered this post on Kate's Book Blog about the children's book Harriet the Spy. There is a link to an NPR audio "tribute" to the character of Harriet M. Welsch, child spy. God, I loved Harriet when I was a kid! She was sarcastic, curious, and aspired to be a writer. So much fun spying on other people. This

How did I miss this?

2008-02-12T17:32:00.000-05:00

So I'm trying to catch up on my blog reading and come across the Boston Globe's article about this year's National Book Awards winners. Except...it is last year's winners! How did I miss this? Sherman Alexie won the award for Best Young for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian -- good Lord!

Free version of a readers' advisory tool

2008-02-08T11:38:00.000-05:00

Public librarians use and rely on What Do I Read Next?, a genre tool that aids librarians and patrons in making reading selections. It is organized by fiction genres (science fiction, romance, westerns, etc.) and is enormously popular at reference where the librarian may or may not have extensive knowledge of authors and genres. Use it to find similar authors to those you love and books that

Writers Rejoice!

2008-02-08T10:58:00.000-05:00

Red RoomWant to join a writing community but don't know where to find one? Red Room is just what you have been looking for! This website is too cool -- a resource for writers, aspiring writers and anyone interested in books and authors. Videos, podcasts, author interviews, blogs -- you name it, they got it.

Book stats

2008-01-28T16:26:00.000-05:00

In my zealous quest to catalog all my books (please see post from yesterday) I have tallied up my reading stats from the past several years and give you some selected figures to dwell on (drumroll please):33 books in 2007 -- I gave birth to my first child and didn't seem to have a lick of time to myself. 'Nuff said.65 books in 2006 -- This is probably an inflated figure because so many of the

LibraryThing addiction

2008-01-27T14:52:00.000-05:00

Yes, its true. I have become addicted to LibraryThing. The social cataloging application is slowly ruining my tastes for other social networking sites and causing me to steadily lose interest in almost anything else besides cataloging my enormous home book collection. My husband bought me a $25 gift card so I could have a lifetime membership - basically its either that or pay $10 a year to

Fantagraphics Books - Linda Medley Comics

2008-01-11T11:04:00.000-05:00

My all-time favorite comic book series -- Castle Waiting by Linda Medley -- has a new issue out! This series about an abandoned castle with very weird inhabitants is a not-so fairy tale with very feminist themes. Great story for teen girls interested in comics. Check it out...Fantagraphics Books - Linda Medley Comics

The Big Read

2007-12-11T10:41:00.000-05:00

The Big Read is a National Endowment for the Arts program which is:"...designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.."The NEA gives out

Oprah's Book Club

2007-12-11T10:31:00.000-05:00

Oprah's Book Club has been around for so long that is part of the vernacular in the book world. Oprah's latest book is The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, a historical novel set in the Middle Ages.

What our bookshelves say about us...

2007-11-26T17:01:00.001-05:00

What do our books and our reading habits say about us? There is a saying about what you eat, maybe it should also say You are what you read..."...in terms of the “snooping” factor, books on a nightstand are just about at the bottom of the list in terms of potential discoveries. These days most people don’t wait to get inside someone’s apartment to start snooping. Instead, they start doing

Susan Faludi's new book

2007-10-25T16:59:00.001-04:00

New book by Susan Faludi on how 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are changing (and, she claims, not for the better) women's roles. What is especially interesting is Faludi's premise that it is affecting not just women in the military, but all of American women. clipped from www.nysun.comIt is worth

Bedtime stories a problem for many parents

2007-09-27T11:30:00.000-04:00

From the UK's The Guardian, a sad but true story: bedtime stories a problem for many parents.My mother-in-law is a professor of literacy and remarked that many children's picture books are actually too "wordy". Picture books and read-aloud need to keep it simple to attract parents as well as kids. I understand the necessity of children hearing as many different words as possible their first

Book lust

2007-09-21T10:23:00.000-04:00

Hmmm...lust seems an inappropriate feeling to have for these beautiful libraries (for the most part theological libraries!), but they are so lovely and exquisite I can't help myself.

Its National Book Festival time again

2007-09-20T21:46:00.000-04:00

8 days, 2 hours, 12 minutes...er, make that 11 minutes...until the 2007 National Book Festival is here! I have conned Jeff into taking me and Griffin this year; it falls on my birthday weekend and since we get what we want on our birthday weekends...This year we are meeting his parents on the way down to D.C. and then staying outside of the city somewhere in Fairfax County, VA (i'm sure I have

Swann

2007-09-04T20:36:00.001-04:00

Swann, by Carol Shields, was a difficult novel to start (and not the least of which was my difficulty concentrating on a novel while also taking care of my six month old son!). The novel is about the mysterious Mary Swann, a Manitoba housewife who is murdered before the story even begins. Swann is a poet and her works are "discovered" by a feminist scholar, Sarah Maloney, who is manipulative

Book sharing the social software way

2007-08-18T10:15:00.000-04:00

Its amazing how much you find through sharing and exploring the web through del.icio.us links! I have bookmarked sites, my friends add me to their network of bookmarked sites, I find other people's networks and their bookmarked sites...it goes on and on, but you can find some fascinating websites and applications. One of my fellow librarians has bookmarked some cool sites and this one called

Late summer reading

2007-07-27T14:15:00.000-04:00

Still have time to do some summer reading? Catch up with this handy list from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette News. The list includes such kid favorites as Jack Prelutsky and Douglas Florian.

Reading challenges

2007-07-10T20:11:00.000-04:00

These reading challenges always get me. I would love to compete (I think in the past I could have quite easily been in medal contention) but don't have the time -- babies tend to get fussy if their moms ignore them for too long while they read. The one above from Kate's Blog sounds interesting, but what kind of challenge should I give myself?Here's a thought: try to read all the books by a

The Kid Stackz

2007-07-07T11:34:00.000-04:00

This piece by Jessica Kane is interesting: she proposes that public libraries create areas in their buildings for childcare. Parents drop off their kids for a couple of hours while they read. The library could charge for the service and help fund their collections with the money they receive from the childcare center. What a (ahem) novel idea!I would certainly sign up for it -- I never feel

Author Rushdie and wife to divorce

2007-07-03T16:13:00.000-04:00

Its amazing that Salman Rushdie is generating this much buzz for something other than pissing off relgious fundamentalists...Author Rushdie and TV host Lakshmi to divorce - omg

Gotta love subtitles...

2007-06-29T11:13:00.000-04:00

So admittedly, it was the picture of actor Ed Norton holding a pink bar of soap with Pajiba written on it (a la Fight Club), but the subtitle of this blog did me in: "...scathing reviews for bitchy people..." Thats me!The Generation's Best Books - Scathing Reviews for Bitchy People

Jane Smiley and women writers

2007-06-08T17:00:00.000-04:00

Here is the Jane Smiley post about women and national book awards that precipitated Erica Jong's "open letter"...

What's Erica Jong's problem with Jane Smiley?

2007-06-08T16:56:00.000-04:00

Erica Jong has a problem with Jane Smiley -- read about it here...

Lloyd Alexander dies at 83

2007-05-21T22:14:00.000-04:00

Author Lloyd Alexander died at age 83; listen to the NPR audio obituary. Author of such classics as The Black Cauldron and The Chronicles of Prydain series, Alexander was a beloved children's fantasy writer who won a Newberry Medal in 1969.

British bookshop lists 25 up-and-coming writers

2007-05-21T22:05:00.000-04:00

British bookstore chain Waterstone's lists 25 up-and-coming young writers from such varied genres as cooking and science fiction.

Ian Rankin's writing space

2007-05-21T21:21:00.000-04:00

Neat photo of writer Ian Rankin's workspace. The environment where Detective Inspector Rebus was conceived and lives...

Cartoonist ponders Mother's Day

2007-05-11T10:33:00.000-04:00

Berke Breathed, cartoonist, ponders the ultimate sacrifice of parenthood -- would he die for his child? In Breathed's new children's book, Mars Needs Moms!, a little boy wonders why anyone needs a mom, but discovers that moms are pretty special when Martians come to Earth and want to take his mom away to their planet. Now that he's a parent, a cartoonist ponders the ultimate sacrifice

Mothers' fiction

2007-05-09T15:35:00.000-04:00

Since I am a first-time mother, it is only fitting that I want to read novels or non-fiction accounts of motherhood. I just finished The Stone Diaries and the novel's account of one woman's journey through a life unfulfilled really affected me. I'm also working on Rachel's Cusk's memoir of her experiences as a first-time mother, A Life's Work: On becoming a mother, which is both funny and sad

The Stone Diaries

2007-05-04T11:44:00.000-04:00

What's up with the Canadian literature kick I've been on? First, The Blind Assassin and now Carol Shields. This novel was deeply affecting and is probably one of the best I've read so far this year. Winning the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Shields' novel is an exploration of one woman's life -- from witnessing her own birth in 1905 through her death sometime in the 1990s. What is so

The Blind Assassin

2007-04-13T14:09:00.000-04:00

Just finished Margaret Atwood's Booker Prize-winning The Blind Assassin . Phenomenal book -- I was not expecting it to be so good. In fact, I was surprised I even attempted to read this book with a two-month old baby in the house to distract me (it did take almost a month to finish it, natch!).The last Atwood book I attempted was Cat's Eye and I hated it. I believe I only got through the first

Case Histories

2007-03-15T21:33:00.000-04:00

Kate Atkinson is decidedly humorous...British-"y" humorous. Meaning that many Americans may not like her humor. Her mothers are very unsentimental and often unlikeable. One of the mothers in this novel is a murderer, for crying out loud. Case Histories is a detective novel/thriller and is a departure from Atkinson's more literary previous endeavors, like Emotionally Weird or her Whitbread

I love book lists!

2007-02-22T19:21:00.000-05:00

Wow -- someone with a lot of time on their hands compiled this list:Listology: "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die"

Time on my hands...

2007-02-13T18:12:00.000-05:00

So getting prepared for the birth of your first child should make you anxiously clean house, straighten cupboards, organize shelves, right? Well...sort of.I've done some of that, but mostly I've been reading! My due date having come and gone, I'm hoping to get through at least another one or two novels before baby arrives. I just finished reading Resurrection Men by Ian Rankin: another superb

British public not "clever or lofty" readers...

2007-02-13T17:21:00.000-05:00

According to an article in today's British paper, The Guardian, latest figures show that the popular reading tastes of Britain's library-going public lends itself to the likes of Danielle Steel, Catherine Cookson and Josephine Cox: a certifiable triumvirate of romance and suspense. Is this really a surprise? Read the Guardian article here...

Opinions on the Caldecott & Newberry winners

2007-02-13T15:19:00.000-05:00

Some commentary this week on the recent award winners of the prestigious Caldecott & Newberry Awards, given annually to the best illustrated and written (respectively) books for children over at the blog, Book Blog | BlogCentral.TheReporter.comGo the ALA website for more information on the Caldecott & Newberry Award winners...

New Mystery Hardcover Titles for January 2007

2007-01-04T13:46:00.000-05:00

Just in time to beat those winter blues -- new mystery novels! Included is the 13th installment of Janet Evanovich' hilarious Stephanie Plum series: Plum Lovin' ...Mystery Books: Mystery Books: New Hardcover Titles for January 2007

Need something to do in April?

2007-01-04T10:57:00.000-05:00

Look no further than The Library of Congress' listings of book fairs, literary festivals and other "readable moments" across the US and the world...BOOK FAIRS AND OTHER LITERARY EVENTS (Center for the Book: Library of Congress)

The Dawkins Illusion

2007-01-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

In the midst of reading Richard Dawkins' latest non-fiction bestseller, The God Delusion, I came across the following article: The Dawkins Illusion - New English ReviewI must disagree with one particular aspect of the reviewer's article. The author, Colin Bower, states that Dawkins is covering the same ground as other academics such as Sam Harris and Daniel Dennett and shouldn't be bothered.

Mystery Books from 2006

2007-01-03T16:12:00.000-05:00

A look at some of the best mystery books from 2006...Mystery Books: Mysterious Reviews: A Look Back at 2006

A Year in Reading: Recap

2007-01-03T16:10:00.000-05:00

Great compilation of reviews and blog posts on the best of 2006 from around the blogosphere...The Millions (A Blog About Books): A Year in Reading: Recap

The 10 best books of 2006

2007-01-03T16:07:00.000-05:00

...subject to interpretation, of course. This year-end list comes to you from the The Times of London.The 10 best books of 2006 - Books - Times Online

More picks for 2006 from Salon

2007-01-03T12:28:00.000-05:00

This time, the editors at Salon.com pick the winners of 2006...Editor's picks 2006: Books | Salon Books

Readers' favorite books from Salon.com

2007-01-03T12:24:00.000-05:00

Find out what Salon readers picked as their favorites of 2006...Your favorite books | Salon Books

Atonement, by Ian McEwan

2006-12-29T11:07:00.000-05:00

I bought a copy of Ian McEwan's award-winning book about 6 months ago, and it sat on my bookshelf, gathering dust, until I read an article in The New York Times in early December. The article was a column in the "Week in Review" section of the December 3rd paper, written by Charles Isherwood. McEwan has been accused of plagiarizing sections of the acclaimed novel, using 'experiences' based on

100 Notable Books of the Year

2006-12-10T18:52:00.000-05:00

100 Notable Books of the Year - The New York Times Book Review - New York TimesAnother list!! This time, the top 100 of the year...

Another list...

2006-12-07T16:01:00.000-05:00

The 10 Best Books of 2006 - New York TimesA year-end list this time from the granddaddy of all newspapers, The New York Times...

Judging a Book by Its Cover: The Best of 2006

2006-12-07T15:56:00.000-05:00

Bookslut | Judging a Book by Its Cover: The Best of 2006I am always a sucker for these end-of-the-year "Best Of..." compilations!This one from Bookslut is no different...

L. A Confidential Sequel in the Works

2006-11-04T22:41:00.000-05:00

Mystery Books: News: L. A Confidential Sequel in the WorksAwesome! LA Confidential is one of the best films of the nineties, based on an excellent noir novel. Can't wait to see the sequel...

William Styron dies at 81

2006-11-03T19:01:00.000-05:00

Styron: A shining author with a 'dark view of life' - USATODAY.comThe author of Sophie's Choice and The Confessions of Nat Turner has passed away...

Desai wins 2006 Man Booker Prize

2006-10-19T16:55:00.000-04:00

Independent Online Edition > NewsThe 35-year-old Indian writer Kiran Desai is the latest recipient of the coveted Man Booker Prize...

Finalists named for Governor General's Awards for literature

2006-10-19T16:49:00.000-04:00

CBC.ca Arts - Finalists named for Governor General's Awards for literatureCanada's most prestigious book award announced the finalists for the $15,000 prize in seven categories...

Great bookmod: encyclopedia into scrapbook

2006-10-19T16:44:00.000-04:00

Boing Boing: Great bookmod: encyclopedia into scrapbookWhat a gorgeous idea! Take your falling apart books and make a scrapbook for that family album you've always wanted to create...

Turkish Novelist Orhan Pamuk Wins Nobel

2006-10-15T22:39:00.000-04:00

Turkish Novelist Orhan Pamuk Wins NobelControversy isn't new to this novelist, but Orhan Pamuk has caused a stir in his homeland by becoming the latest recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature...

Fall's release of short story collections

2006-10-15T11:16:00.000-04:00

USATODAY.com - Roundup: Short storiesCollections by Margaret Atwood and Mary Gordon headline a plethora of wonderful short story collections this fall, including the perennial favorite, Best American Short Stories 2006.

Books on the American civil rights movement (kottke.org)

2006-10-12T12:01:00.000-04:00

Books on the American civil rights movement (kottke.org)Jason Kottke solicited contributions to his list of books on the American Civil Rights movement. Lots of worthy titles to read here. I highly recommend Pillar of Fire by Taylor Branch. Its the second of his MLK jr. trilogy and it is an absorbing and fascinating book -- go get it.

The Scotiabank Giller Prize

2006-10-03T21:09:00.000-04:00

The Scotiabank Giller PrizeCanada's prestigious literary award announced its 2006 shortlist today...

Some "more" on Alan Moore's controversial new work

2006-10-03T19:58:00.000-04:00

Independent Online Edition > Features

Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis

2006-10-03T19:49:00.000-04:00

Independent Online Edition > FeaturesGraphic novelist Marjane Satrapi is interviewed by the U.K.'s The Independent...

The New York Review of Books: Books@Google

2006-09-29T15:53:00.000-04:00

The New York Review of Books: Books@GoogleA plethora of Google books are, or have been, published...

Richard Ford review

2006-09-29T15:48:00.000-04:00

Independent Online Edition > ReviewsAny reviewer talking about Richard Ford and Richard Yates has got my attention...

Book blues

2006-09-28T14:29:00.000-04:00

This cassette tape image generator I found over on Boing Boing today is cool! Generate any hit band and album name you want...

A Moment With ... Jack Prelutsky, America's first children's poet laureate

2006-09-28T12:11:00.000-04:00

A Moment With ... Jack Prelutsky, America's first children's poet laureatePrelutsky is THE pre-eminent wacky children's poet, now that Shel Silverstein has passed on. His book, A Pizza the Size of the Sun, is one of my favorite children's book.

Murakami wins the world's richest short story prize

2006-09-27T11:41:00.000-04:00

Guardian Unlimited Books | News | Murakami wins the world's richest short story prize

Poet Adrienne Rich gets book award

2006-09-26T20:08:00.000-04:00

USATODAY.com - Poet Adrienne Rich gets book award

Richard Dawkins on the God Delusion

2006-09-26T19:55:00.000-04:00

Boing Boing: Richard Dawkins on the God DelusionDitto the Boing Boing reviewer -- I can't wait to read this book!Here's another review in Saturday's Guardian Unlimited...

Young Writers shortlisted for Dylan Thomas Prize

2006-09-26T19:45:00.000-04:00

Independent Online Edition > NewsThe Under-30 crowd has a new prize -- the Dylan Thomas Prize, set-up to encourage cultural life in an international context. The winner will be announced on October 27th...

Graphic Novel Review: True Story, Swear To God by Tom Beland

2006-09-26T17:34:00.000-04:00

Blogcritics.org: Graphic Novel Review: True Story, Swear To God by Tom Beland

Love of Reading

2006-09-26T17:33:00.000-04:00

Love of ReadingCool! Love of Reading is hosting an Online Book Fair, October 3-5, 2006, with hourly raffles and giveaways galore!

Audio book club

2006-09-26T17:30:00.000-04:00

The October audio book club selection. By Andy Bowers - Slate MagazineNeat! A podcasting book club for those on the go...

David Crystal: books on language

2006-09-20T18:57:00.000-04:00

Guardian Unlimited Books | Top 10s | David Crystal: books on languageLinguist David Crystal offers his Top Ten list of books on the English language...