Recordpub.com - One for the Books: The Amish

Like many people, I'm always curious when I see an Amish buggy. Just hearing the clip-clop of the horses' hooves sparks my imagination and seems to take me back in time. The Amish are mysterious, almost shadow-like in their dark buggies, plain clothing and quiet demeanor. What is it about them that so fascinates us? What could make these deeply religious people eschew the trappings of modern life -- electricity, automobiles, even zippers and indoor plumbing? I thought it would be fun to look into some of the literature that focuses on the Anabaptist lifestyle. I chose several authors, the first two of which are incredibly prolific.

Beverly Lewis is one of the most popular of the authors who recreate the Amish way of life. "The Parting" is the first in her Courtship of Nellie Fisher series. At 352 pages, this is one to sink into. Nellie is a teenager who's coming to grips with her sister's mysterious death as well as her own feelings for a young man in her Pennsylvania community. Lewis lets us feel as if we're living with the family. While the title hints at sad romance, the "parting" refers to an actual schism that took place among the Old Order Amish in 1966, when several members of the community wanted to move away from the community's rules and some even found a new way to interpret the Bible. The end leaves us wondering whether Nellie will be able to marry her sweetheart and whether her family will be shunned. Book two, "The Forbidden," is due out in May. From Bethany House, (800) 877-2665.

Another of the most popular authors of Amish fiction is Wanda E. Brunstetter. The Sisters of Holmes County series features the Hostettler family of Ohio, and each book centers on a different sister. Like Lewis, Brunstetter lets us move in with the family and learn even more about the minutiae of Amish life. In book one, "A Sister's Secret," Grace prepares to marry and settle into community life as an adult. But secrets from her rumspringa past, her running-around years, come back to haunt her. In book two, "A Sister's Test," her sister, Ruth, finds true love and expects to have a life of married bliss, but a sudden tragedy changes her world forever. And she isn't the only sister being tested. Throughout the series, a mystery builds as acts of theft and vandalism against the family become more and more sinister -- and even deadly. From Barbour Publishing Inc., (800) 852-8010.

The Sisters of the Quilt series marks a debut for author Cindy Woodsmall. In the second book, "When the Morning Comes," half of the action takes place in our own backyard. "Morning" starts in Alliance, where Hannah Lapp steps off the train from Owl's Perch, Pa., forced by events in book one ("When the Heart Cries") to leave her family and the man she wanted to marry. Hannah begins a new, independent life here in Northeastern Ohio and walks between the Amish, Mennonite and "English" communities around her. This one is written more like contemporary novels we're familiar with -- more action, intriguing characters, and different relationships and insights. Book three, "When the Soul Mends," is due out in September. From Waterbook Press, (719) 590-4999.

I highly recommend this sojourn into Amish country. The lack of profanity alone is a refreshing change! Reading this faith-oriented fiction is like eating comfort food, or relaxing in an overstuffed chair with a soft blankie and a cup of cocoa. I loved every one of these books and could have gone on reading Amish fiction forever, but I also wanted to look at some of the recent nonfiction on the subject.

"Beyond the Plain and Simple: A Patchwork of Amish Lives" is by Pauline Stevick of Lancaster, Pa. She said she wanted readers to "meet" the Amish people she knew. She and her husband visited more than 50 Amish settlements in more than a dozen states, sometimes even staying in Amish homes and riding in their buggies. She draws several character profiles and covers such topics as clothing, discipline of children, the Ordnung (rules of the community), and moving to a new community or to a new level of Amish -- more conservative or more liberal. We attend a wedding, a church service, a school benefit auction, and even an Amish "winter resort" in Florida. This "travelogue" would make a fascinating book club discussion. From Kent State University Press, (330) 672-7913.

"Plain Secrets: An Outsider among the Amish" by Joe Mackall is a true account of his life among the Swartzentruber Amish of Ashland County, but it reads like a novel. The Swartzentruber are the most conservative of the Amish, allowing no rumspringa, no indoor plumbing, no refrigeration or central heating, and even no slow-moving vehicle sign on their buggies. Mackall explains what the Amish believe, what's it like to live and work with them, what happens when someone leaves the Amish, how they store food without refrigeration. He discusses schools, courtship, choosing a minister, how rules are established, dealing with the "English" world, shunning, and the differences between Old Order, New Order, Swartzentruber and Andy Weaver Amish. Mackall is a keen observer and has made this well-written book easy to read and easy to visualize throughout. He's also given a list of resources for further study. From Beacon Press, (617) 948-6444.

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What They're Reading: The Brimfield Library Book Discussion Group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss "Nighttime Is My Time" by Mary Higgins Clark. For details, call (330) 677-5826.

The Randolph Library Book Discussion Group meets at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4 in the Randolph Senior Center to talk about "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. Call (330) 325-7003.

For more on Amish books, best-sellers and other book news, go to www.recordpub.com, click on "Lifetimes," and check out "One for the Books" online.
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BOOK NOTES,
One for the Books Extra Online Exclusives:
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For more on Amish life:

Beverly Lewis and Bethany House: www.bethanyhouse.com
Wanda E. Brunstetter and Barbour Publishing: www.barbourbooks.com
Cindy Woodsmall and Waterbrook Press: www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook
Kent State University Press: http://upress.kent.edu. Also available from KSU Press: the wonderful "Why Cows Learn Dutch and Other Secrets of Amish Farms" by Randy James and "Rolling Down Black Stockings: A Passage out of the Old Order Mennonite Religion" by Esther Royer Ayers
Beacon Press: www.beacon.org
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Oprah will unveil her new book pick and discuss Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth" on Wednesday's show (1/30/08).
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The Borders Original Voices Awards have been announced.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-23-2008/0004741798&EDATE=

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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST-SELLERS
HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "Plum Lucky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
2. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover)
3. "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks (Viking Adult)
4. "Beverly Hills Dead" by Stuart Woods (Putnam Adult)
5. "World Without End" by Ken Follett (Dutton)
6. "The Shooters" by W.E.B. Griffin (Putnam)
7. "Blasphemy" by Douglas Preston (Tor)
8. "Double Cross" by James Patterson (Little, Brown and Company)
9. "The Senator's Wife" by Sue Miller (Knopf)
10. "T is for Trespass" by Sue Grafton (Putnam)
11. "The Darkest Evening of the Year" by Dean Koontz (Bantam)
12. "Shadow Music" by Julie Garwood (Ballantine)
13. "Stone Cold" by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing)
14. "The Choice" by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing)
15. "Blood Dreams" by Kay Hooper (Bantam)
NONFICTION/GENERAL
1. "Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography" by Andrew Morton (St. Martin's Press)
2. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words
3. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan (Penguin)
4. "Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day" by Joel Osteen (Free Press)
5. "You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty" by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (Free Press)
6. "An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems" by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions)
7. "I Am America (And So Can You!)" by Stephen Colbert (Grand Central Publishing)
8. "The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life" by Ellie Krieger (Taunton)
9. "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld (HarperCollins)
10. "Happy For No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out" by Marci Shimoff with Carol Kline (Free Press)
11. "The Dangerous Book for Boys" by Conn Iggulden and Hal Iggulden (Collins)
12. "The Daring Book for Girls" by Andrea J. Buchanan, Miriam Peskowitz (Collins)
13. "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning" by Jonah Goldbert (Doubleday)
14. "Real Change: From the World That Fails to the World That Works" by Newt Gingrich (Regnery)
15. "How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better" by Charla Krupp (Springboard Press)
MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "Plum Lovin"' by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Paperback)
2. "The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town" by John Grisham, (Dell)
3. "The Overlook" by Michael Connelly (Vision)
4. "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (Anchor)
5. "Morning Light" by Catherine Anderson (Signet)
6. "I am Legend" by Richard Matheson (Tor)
7. "The Shape Shifter" by Tony Hillerman (Harper)
8. "Iron Kissed" by Patricia Briggs (Ace)
9. "Blood Brothers: Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1" by Nora Roberts (Jove)
10. "The Manning Sisters" by Debbie Macomber (Mira)
11. "Shadow Dance" by Julie Garwood (Ballantine Books)
12. "The Suspect" by Jasmine Cresswell (Mira)
13. "Next" by Michael Chrichton (Harper)
14. "Stalemate" by Iris Johansen (Bantam)
15. "Cross" by James Patterson (Grand Central Publishing)
TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin)
2. "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (Anchor)
3. "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin)
4. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead)
5. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press)
6. "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett (NAL Trade)
7. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Algonquin)
8. "The 6th Target" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Grand Central Publishing)
9. "The Calorie King Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter 2008" by Allan Borushek (Family Health Publications)
10. "Eat This Not That!" by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding (Rodale)
11. "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Vintage)
12. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs (Berkley)
13. "Into the Wild" by John Krakauer (Anchor)
14. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards (Penguin)
15. "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy (Vintage)
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USA TODAY BEST-SELLERS
Key: F-Fiction; NF-Nonfiction; H-Hardcover; P-Paperback
1. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin) (NF-P)
2. "Plum Lucky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press) (F-H)
3. "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (Anchor) (F-H)
4. "Three Cups Of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin) (NF-P)
5. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) (F-P)
6. "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett (NAL Trade) (F-P)
7. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet) (F-H)
8. "Eat This Not That!" by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding (Rodale) (NF-H)
9. "The 6th Target" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Grand Central Publishing) (F-P)
10. "Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography" by Andrew Morton (St. Martin's Press) (NF-H)
11. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press) (NF-P)
12. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover) (F-H)
13. "The Breakthrough Company: How Everyday Companies Become Extraordinary Performers" by Keith R. McFarland (Crown Business) (NF-H)
14. "The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town" by John Grisham, (Dell) (NF-P)
15. "Plum Lovin"' by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Paperback) (F-P)
16. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words) (NF-H)
17. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Algonquin) (F-P)
18. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs (Berkley) (F-P)
19. "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks (Viking Adult) (F-H)
20. "Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Vintage) (F-P)
21. "The Calorie King Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter 2008" by Allan Borushek (Family Health Publications) (NF-P)
22. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-P)
23. "Beverly Hills Dead" by Stuart Woods (Putnam Adult) (F-H)
24. "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson (Tor) (F-P)
25. "Into the Wild" by John Krakauer (Anchor) (NF-P)
26. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown for Young Readers) (F-H)
27. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan (Penguin) (NF-H)
28. "World Without End" by Ken Follett (Dutton) (F-H)
29. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-H)
30. "Blasphemy" by Douglas Preston (Tor) (F-H)
31. "The Shooters" by W.E.B. Griffin (Putnam) (F-H)
32. "Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day" by Joel Osteen (Free Press) (NF-H)
33. "The Best Life Diet" by Bob Greene (Simon & Schuster) (NF-P)
34. "The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life" by Ellie Krieger (Taunton) (NF-H)
35. "You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty" by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (Free Press) (NF-H)
36. "The Overlook" by Michael Connelly (Vision) (F-P)
37. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney (Abrams Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
38. "90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life" by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell) (NF-P)
39. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards (Penguin) (F-P)
40. "Double Cross" by James Patterson (Little, Brown and Company) (F-H)
41. "An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems" by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions) (NF-H)
42. "Happy For No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out" by Marci Shimoff with Carol Kline (Free Press) (NF-H)
43. "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy (Vintage) (F-P)
44. "P.S. I Love You" by Cecelia Ahern (Hyperion) (F-P)
45. "The Senator's Wife" by Sue Miller (Knopf) (F-H)
46. "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld (HarperCollins) (NF-H)
47. "Body Surfing" by Anita Shreve (Back Bay Books) (F-P)
48. "I Am America (And So Can You!)" by Stephen Colbert (Grand Central Publishing)(NF-H)
49. "Morning Light" by Catherine Anderson (Signet) (F-P)
50. "The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change" by Christiane Northrup (Bantam) (NF-P)
Reporting stores include: Amazon.com, B. Dalton Bookseller, Barnes & Noble.com, Barnes & Noble Inc., Books-A-Million and Bookland, Booksamillion.com, Borders Books & Music, Bookstar, Bookstop, Brentano's, Davis Kidd Booksellers in Nashville, Jackson, Memphis, Tenn., Doubleday Book Shops, Hudson Booksellers, Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Lexington, Ky.; Cincinnati, Cleveland), Powell's Books (Portland, Ore.), Powells.com, R.J. Julia Booksellers (Madison, Conn.), Schuler.
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WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST-SELLERS
FICTION
1. "Plum Lucky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
2. "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks (Viking Adult)
3. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover)
4. "Beverly Hills Dead" by Stuart Woods (Putnam Adult)
5. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown for Young Readers)
6. "Blasphemy" by Douglas Preston (Tor)
7. "The Shooters" by W.E.B. Griffin (Putnam)
8. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
9. "World Without End" by Ken Follett (Dutton)
10. "Double Cross" by James Patterson (Little, Brown and Company)
11. "The Senator's Wife" by Sue Miller (Knopf)
12. "T is for Trespass" by Sue Grafton (Putnam)
13. "The Sweet Far Thing" by Libba Bray (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
14. "The Darkest Evening of the Year" by Dean Koontz (Bantam)
15. "Stone Cold" by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing)
NONFICTION
1. "Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography" by Andrew Morton (St. Martin's Press)
2. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
3. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan (Penguin)
4. "The Breakthrough Company: How Everyday Companies Become Extraordinary Performers" by Keith R. McFarland (Crown Business)
5. "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning" by Jonah Goldbert (Doubleday)
6. "StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Tom Rath (Gallup Press)
7. "The Food You Crave" by Ellie Krieger (Taunton)
8. "You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty" by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (Free Press)
9. "Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day" by Joel Osteen (Free Press)
10. "Happy For No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out" by Marci Shimoff with Carol Kline (Free Press)
11. "An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems" by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions)
12. "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Other's Don't" by Jim Collins (Collins)
13. "I Am America (And So Can You!)" by Stephen Colbert (Grand Central Publishing)
14. "How Not to Look Old: Fast and Effortless Ways to Look 10 Years Younger, 10 Pounds Lighter, 10 Times Better" by Charla Krupp (Springboard Press)
15. "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld (HarperCollins)
The Wall Street Journal's list reflects nationwide sales of hardcover books during the week ended last Saturday at more than 2,500 Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton, Bookland, Books-a-Million, Books & Co., Bookstar, Bookstop, Borders, Brentano's, Coles, Coopersmith, Doubleday, Scribners and Waldenbooks stores, as well as sales from online retailers Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
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Shelf Awareness points out this article from the Washington Post --

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/01/10/ST2008011001022.html?sid=ST2008011001022

-- in which Mexican police are translating classic works of literature into cop code. "Here's the police code version of the opening paragraph of 100 Years of Solitude: "Many alfas later, in front of a 44 squad, Coronel Aureliano Buendia had a 60 about that distant afternoon when his father 26ed him to 62 ice. Macondo was a residential 22 of twenty 94s made of mud and 9 cane built on the bank of a river of diaphanous waters that 26ed over a 22 of clean, white rocks as big as prehistoric eggs."

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The Guardian lists its top 10 bookshops from around the world:

http://books.guardian.co.uk/shoptalk/story/0,,2239172,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=10

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Publishers Weekly January Children's Best-Sellers:

1. Gallop! Rufus Butler Seder.
2. Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy. Matthew Reinhart.
3. The Three Snow Bears. Jan Brett.
4. Fancy Nancy Loves! Loves!! Loves!!! Jane O'Connor, illus. by Robin Preiss Glasser.
5. Fancy Nancy. Jane O'Connor, illus. by Robin Preiss Glasser.
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The finalists for the 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award have been announced:

http://bookcriticscircle.blogspot.com/2008/01/2007-national-book-critics-circle-award.html

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The Caldecott Medal has gone to "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," and the Newbery Medal was awarded to "Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village." Here's a complete list of the honored books:

http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2008/january2008/announce08.htm
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From Shelf Awareness:

Nominees for the Dilys Award, sponsored by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association and recognizing the book that member bookstores most enjoyed handselling, are

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (Berkley)
Thunder Bay by William Kent Krueger (Atria)
The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz (S&S)
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn (Mira)
The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey (St. Martin's Minotaur)

The winner will be announced at Left Coast Crime in Denver, March 6-9. For more information, visit

http://mysterybooksellers.com/

While you're there, check out their list of "The 100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century."

And here are the best-selling titles for December from the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association:

Hardcovers
1. 'T' Is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
2. Person of Interest by Theresa Schwegel
3. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen
4. Lord John and the Hand of Devils by Diana Gabaldon
5. The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry
6. The Darkest Evening by Dean Koontz
6. Kissing Christmas Goodbye by M.C. Beaton
8. SPQR XI: Under Vesuvius by John Maddox Roberts
8. Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris
10. Red Mandarin Dress by Qiu Xiaolong

Paperbacks
1. Dust by Martha Grimes
2. Trap Door by Sarah Graves
3. The Mystery Lover's Puzzle Book by Linda Murdock
4. The Tomb of Zeus by Barbara Cleverly
5. Real Murders by Charlaine Harris
5. The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey
7. Preaching to the Corpse by Roberta Islieb
8. Murder 101 by Maggie Barbieri
9. Fire Trap by Earl Emerson
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The nominees have also been announced for the 2008 Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writer of America.

Nominees in two of the categories:
Best Novel
Christine Falls by Benjamin Black
Priest by Ken Bruen
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
Soul Patch by Reed Farrel Coleman
Down River by John Hart

Best Paperback Original
Queenpin by Megan Abbott
Blood of Paradise by David Corbett
Cruel Poetry by Vicki Hendricks
Robbie's Wife by Russell Hill
Who Is Conrad Hirst? by Kevin Wignall

For the entire list, visit

http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html

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Here's an interesting article from The Guardian about books designed to look like packs of cigarettes and marketed as "Tales to Take Your Breath Away":

http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,2241443,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

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"Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath has been named the Best Business Book of 2007. For a list of other winners and nominees, visit

http://800ceoread.com/bookawards/
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"Brisingr" is the title of Christopher Paolini's third book in the "Inheritance" fantasy series, after "Eragon" and "Eldest." According to the Associated Press, it "will have a Harry Potter-like midnight opening." The book comes out Sept. 20. The title is an old Norse word for fire and is pronounced BRIS-ing-grr.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/01/16/entertainment/e102059S34.DTL

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The Vatican's official newspaper L'Osservatore Romano doesn't like Harry Potter, calling him "the wrong kind of hero" for learning "how to control the dark powers and turn them into good." So its editors probably wouldn't like "Star Wars" either, I'm thinking.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/15/nharry115.xml
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From Publishers Weekly:

Awards Recognize Jewish Children's Books
by Diane Roback

Sarah Gershman and Kristina Swarner (The Bedtime Sh'ma: A Good Night Book, EKS Publishing), Sid Fleischman (The Entertainer and the Dybbuk, Greenwillow), and Sonia Levitin (Strange Relations, Knopf) have won the 2008 Sydney Taylor Book Award, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The awards will be presented at the Association of Jewish Libraries convention in Cleveland this June. Additionally, six honor books were selected: The Castle on Hester Street by Linda Heller, illus. by Boris Kulikov (S&S); Letter on the Wind: A Chanukah Tale by Sarah Marwil Lamstein, illus. by Neil Waldman (Boyds Mills); Light by Jane Breskin Zalben (Dutton); Holocaust: The Events and Their Impact on Real People by Angela Gluck Wood (DK); The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story by Peter Lane Taylor and Christos Nicola (Kar-Ben); and Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Mirjam Pressler, trans. by Erik J. Macki (Front Street). Further information about the award, as well as a list of 23 notable books for 2008, are available at

http://www.jewishlibraries.org/ajlweb/awards/st_books.htm

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Publishers Weekly Religion Best-Sellers for January:

Hardcover
1. Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, & Priorities of a Winning Life, Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker.
2. Become a Better You, Joel Osteen.
3. 3:16: The Numbers of Hope, Max Lucado.
4. Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, Mother Teresa and Brian Kolodiejchuk.
5. Reposition Yourself, T.D. Jakes.
6. Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy, Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt & David L. Weaver-Zercher.
7. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect He Desperately Needs, Emerson Eggerichs.
8. Between Sundays, Karen Kingsbury.
9. God Is Not Great, Christopher Hitchens.
10. A Treasury of Christmas Miracles, Karen Kingsbury.

Paperback
1. 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life, Don Piper with Cecil Murphey.
2. Your Best Life Now, Joel Osteen.
3. Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul, John and Stasi Eldredge.
4. The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman.
5. Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis..
6. The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren.
7. The Portable Atheist, Selected and with introduction by Christopher Hitchens.
8. Christmas Jars, Jason F. Wright.
9. Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul, John Eldredge.
10. On Her Own, Wanda E. Brunstetter.
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BRAVE STORY, written by Miyuki Miyabe and published domestically by VIZ, has won the 2008 Batchelder Award by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC).

http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2008/january2008/batchelder08.htm

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Re: "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Child Soldier" by Ishmael Beah --
The Australian has been doing some research into the time period involved in the book and has found some discrepancies in the factual account:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23074110-28737,00.html

and in a follow-up piece:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23082274-2703,00.html

and Ishmael Beah has spoken out in response:

http://www.thebookstandard.com/bookstandard/news/author/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003700084

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From Shelf Awareness -- New books out Jan. 22:

Duma Key: A Novel by Stephen King
Sword Song by Bernard Cornwell
Sin No More by Kimberla Lawson Roby
The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky
The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America by Jim Wallis
Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently with Stress by John Gray
Dissent: Voices of Conscience by Colonel (Ret.) Ann Wright and Susan Dixon, foreword by Daniel Ellsberg

New in paperback:

The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Blaze: A Novel by Richard Bachman
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from Shelf Awareness -- New books out Jan. 29:

The Appeal by John Grisham
The Reserve by Russell Banks
Light of the Moon by Luanne Rice
Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz
The Purrfect Murder by Rita Mae Brown
Temples on the Other Side: How Wisdom from 'Beyond the Veil' Can Help You Right Now by Sylvia Browne

New in paperback:

Snowfall at Willow Lake
Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer
The Cleft by Doris Lessing
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A First-Time Cleveland Poetry-Publishers Event (From the PR department)

GreenPanda / DeepCleveland / and Bottom Dog Press have put together a bookfair and film showing on small press Loujon Press for Saturday Jan. 26th at the Cleveland Literary Center at 2570 Superior Ave, Suite 203.
These publishers work hard to publish your work, and they will be there to meet you and show you examples of their publishing work. If you're a serious writer, you'll want to be there.
The film "Outsiders of New Orleans Loujon Press" features Gypsy Louise Webb, walking the streets of New Orleans and recalling the active days of the 1960s when she and Jon were editing, printing, binding, and selling The Outsider magazine and early finely printed books by Charles Bukowski and Henry Miller.
The Exhibit runs from 4-7; and the film showing (hour long) begins at 7 pm.
There will be wine and cheese refreshments. Drop by or plan an early night out with small press publishing.
Parking:
Park behind the building...take the elevator up to the 2nd floor.
Address:
The Lit, Suite 203
Artcraft Building,
2570 Superior Ave
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
For More Information:
Site Phone Number: 216.694.0000
Site Email Address: judith@the-lit.org
Host Email Addresses:
smithcours@aol.com
Lsmithdog@aol.com
The Host Site's website:
http://www.pwlgc.com/
Participants: GreenPanda Press / Bottom Dog Press & Bird Dog Publishing / Deep Cleveland Books / Cleveland State University Poetry Center/ IMPAAC: Next Friend Press & Hypnogog Press & Drinian Press / Heartlands / Burned Book Press / Drag City Records/Press / the language foundry / Pudding House Publications / VanZeno Press / Jim Lang and Bag-o-Zine, etc. / Whiskey Island Magazine / Mid-West Review / Ohioana Quarterly / Ohio Writer (The Muse: Quarterly) / Mac's Backs Books // Amy Fishbach / Bonnie de Blas bookmakers
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A.L. Kennedy wins Costa prize for novel "Day."

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3234582.ece
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Texas State acquires Cormac McCarthy archives

SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) " The Southwestern Writers Collection at Texas State University-San Marcos has purchased the archives of novelist Cormac McCarthy, a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. McCarthy, 74, is widely considered one of the nation's best writers for his lyrical but violent tales, many of which are set in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. He was awarded a Pulitzer for his 2006 novel, "The Road," and in 1992 won the National Book Award for "All the Pretty Horses." His 2005 novel "No Country for Old Men" was the basis for a recent Coen brothers movie.
Texas State said the archives include correspondence, notes, drafts and proofs of his 11 novels. There is also a draft of an unfinished novel and materials related to a play and four screenplays. The center hopes to open the archives to the public in the fall. The papers could offer rare insight on an author who has given few interviews over the past four decades. Individual and foundation support supplemented university funding for the $2 million purchase, officials said.
"Ever since I read the first paragraph of 'Blood Meridian' and went on to read all of his other books, I've known how exceptional he is," said Connie Todd, curator of the writers collection. "And now to be in a position to make his archives available to people who love his work as much as I do and preserve them forever ... is a great responsibility and one that we welcome."
Bill Wittliff, an Austin screenwriter and photographer who co-founded the collection in 1982, helped negotiate the deal. "I actually started talking to Cormac McCarthy about this 21 years ago, when (my wife) Sally and I founded the Southwestern Writers Collection," Wittliff said. Discussions began in earnest last fall when McCarthy told Wittliff he was ready.
"I think he's the greatest living American writer," Wittliff said. "I think Cormac McCarthy is one of the immortals."

Southwestern Writers Collection, http://www.library.txstate.edu/swwc/index.html

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