Recordpub.com - One for the Books: Lady Sleuths Part 2

In the last column, I talked about three of my favorite mystery authors. Since we have an extra column this month, I thought I'd let you in on a few more excellent mysteries I found recently that feature lady sleuths.

"Unknown Means" by Elizabeth Becka is a sequel to "Trace Evidence," her first novel about Evelyn James, who works in the Trace Evidence Department of the Medical Examiner's Office in Cleveland. Evelyn is called to a gruesome murder in an exclusive Cleveland high-rise, "a locked-room mystery" with no immediate solution. But then a similar murder is discovered, Evelyn's friend is attacked in the parking lot of the same high-rise, and even Evelyn is attacked for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The gory details are reminiscent of the books of Patricia Cornwell, but such scenes are brief. Some of the creepier moments come when the claustrophobic Evelyn has to go down, down, down in a rusting elevator into a salt mine deep beneath Lake Erie. "Everything rusts like crazy down there because of the salt." And there are how many gallons of lake water somewhere over her head? (Shudder.)

The book is filled with familiar local names: The Plain Dealer, Pearl Road, Parma, the Flats, Tower City. But the author also tweaks some names, such as Butterfly Babies and Children's Hospital and TV Channel 15. Becka used to work in the Cuyahoga County Corner's Office, so she knows the area. And she now works in forensics with the Cape Coral, Fla., Police Department. She knows whereof she speaks -- er, writes.

This is an absolutely first-class mystery thriller. It's very clever and well paced, and she creates interesting relationships between characters, both business and personal. Becka has already earned a place for herself among the top quality mystery writers. Do not miss out on this one.

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I was not familiar with the Women's Murder Club until I watched the recent television show that was based on the characters created by James Patterson. The seventh in the book series is "7th Heaven," written by Patterson with Maxine Paetro.

Wealthy married couples are being robbed and murdered in San Francisco, and the Women's Murder Club is on the case. Its members are Sgt. Lindsay Boxer doing the investigating and Claire Washburn working in the autopsy lab, along with news reporter Cindy Thomas and assistant district attorney Yuki Castellano. These are savvy, competent women, and it's a relief that the authors don't use any offensive gender stereotypes or take cheap shots at either gender. The book is filled with interesting characters: arson investigators, firefighters, police officers, judges, attorneys, a true-crime author, a hooker, drug addicts, a stalker -- oh, and not one, but two love interests for Lindsay Boxer.

This is a solid, fast-paced read, and it turns from mystery to thriller as we watch the murders and follow the investigation. We know from the start "whodunit," but how will the women figure it out? And how many will die before the killing is stopped? These are some truly compelling characters, and I can easily understand why it's such a popular series. I want more!

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Many mystery series have a gimmick. In the case of "The Book of Old Houses" by Sarah Graves, it's do-it-yourself house maintenance. This is the 11th in the "Home Repair Is Homicide" series, joining such other titles as "Wreck the Halls," "Repair to Her Grave" and "Tool and Die."

Jacobia "Jake" Tiptree owns an 1823 Federal-style house with "decrepit" pipes in Maine, and she's trying to do the home maintenance and repair herself. She starts remodeling her bathroom by taking a sledgehammer to it, without checking to see what's holding up what -- oops -- and ends up with a huge, old-fashioned bathtub stuck halfway down the stairs. Meanwhile, the murder of a rare-book expert upsets Jake because she knew him; she had sent him a book her father unearthed in the cellar of the house. Her own name was written in the book, possibly in blood, along with the name of every other previous owner of the house since it was built. For a variety of reasons, several people really want to get their hands on this book, and some pay for it with their lives. What do they want with it? Is black magic involved?

Graves injects humor into Jake's remodeling mistakes and her multi-faceted characters, one of whom wears tinfoil hats and says he talks to "little green men." Jake has "an aging hippie" father who is "an explosives expert and ex-federal fugitive," and Jake herself used to be money-manager for mobsters and was married to Vince "the Sperminator."

The book also offers "Tiptree's Tips," handy advice on DIY home repair, such as "For a stubborn patch of recurring mold in tile grout, clean thoroughly and then try applying a dab of Neosporin ointment every day for a week."

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What's Happening: The Randolph Library Book Discussion Group will discuss "A Cup of Tea" by Amy Ephron at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Randolph Senior Center.

The Crestwood OneBook/One Community event has been reset for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Middle School cafeteria.

The Pierce-Streetsboro Library Book Discussion Group will discuss "A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton" by Carl Bernstein at 6:45 p.m. March 10.

The Reed Memorial Library Book Discussion Group will gather at 6:30 p.m. March 12 to talk about "Storming Heaven" by Denise Giardina. And start getting ready for the big St. Patrick's Book Sale from March 14 to 16 at Reed Memorial Library in Ravenna.

For a list of 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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William F. Buckley, Jr., the "scourge of liberalism," intellectual leader of the modern conservative movement, founder of the National Review, newspaper columnist, TV show host and author of more than 55 books and editor of five more, died yesterday. He was 82. -- Shelf Awareness

Here's the New York Times obituary:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/business/media/27cnd-buckley.html?hp

And here are some links to his writings for The Atlantic:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200407/buckley

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200711/buckley-proposition

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198810/buckley

In addition, here is a link to McGeorge Bundy's original 1951 review of "God and Man at Yale":

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/195111/attack-on-yale

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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST-SELLERS

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Doubleday)
2. "Strangers in Death" by J.D. Robb (Putnam Adult)
3. "7th Heaven" by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown and Company)
4. "Lady Killer" by Lisa Scottoline (Harper)
5. "Duma Key" by Stephen King (Scribner)
6. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover)
7. "World Without End" by Ken Follett (Dutton)
8. "Stranger In Paradise" by Robert B. Parker (Putnam)
9. "Plum Lucky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
10. "The First Patient" by Michael Palmer (St. Martin's Press)
11. "The Killing Ground" by Jack Higgins (Putnam Adult)
12. "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks (Viking Adult)
13. "The Senator's Wife" by Sue Miller (Knopf)
14. "Sizzle and Burn" by Jayne Ann Krentz (Putnam)
15. "The Ghost War" by Alex Berenson (Putnam)

NONFICTION/GENERAL
1. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
2. "Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny" by Suze Orman, (Spiegel & Grau)
3. "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning" by Jonah Goldberg (Doubleday)"
4. "Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day" by Joel Osteen (Free Press)
5. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan (Penguin)
6. "You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty" by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (Free Press)
7. "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?: An Easy Plan for Losing Weight and Living More" by Peter Walsh (Free Press)
8. "I Am America (And So Can You!)" by Stephen Colbert (Grand Central Publishing)
9. "Age of American Unreason" by Susan Jacoby (Pantheon)
10. "The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore" by Deepak Chopra (Harmony)
11. "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)
12. "An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the World's Biggest Problems" by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions)
13. "Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West" by Benazir Bhutto (Harper)
14. "Predictably Irrational: THe Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions" by Dan Ariely (HarperCollins
15. "Gods Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question " Why We Suffer " by Bart D. Ehrman (HarperOne)

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "The Faithful Spy" by Alex Berenson (Jove)
2. "Sisters" by Danielle Steel (Dell)
3. "Tom Clancy's EndWar" by David Michaels (Penguin)
4. "Let Sleeping Rogues Lie" by Sabrina Jeffries (Pocket)
5. "The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town" by John Grisham, (Dell)
6. "Snowfall At Willow Lake" by Susan Wiggs (Mira Books)
7. "The Quest" by Wilbur Smith (St. Martin's)
8. "Dream Chaser" by Sherrilyn Kenyon (St. Martin's Paperbacks)
9. "White Lies" by Jayne Ann Krentz (Jove)
10. "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (Anchor)
11. "Whitethorn Woods" by Maeve Binchy (Knopf)
12. "Daddys Girl" by Lisa Scottoline (Harper)
13. "Laced" by Carol Higgins Clark (Pocket Star)
14. "Three In Death" by J.D. Robb (Berkley)
15. "Hard To Handle" by Lori Foster (Penguin)

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle (Plume)
2. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin)
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 Audacity of Hope:Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
5. "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press)
6. "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory (Touchstone)
7. "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (Anchor)
8. "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett (NAL Trade)
9. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs (Berkley)
10. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead)
11. "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
12. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Algonquin)
13. "FairTax: The Truth: Answering the Critics" by Neal Boortz, John Linder, (Harper Paperbacks)
14. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press)
15. "Eat This Not That!" by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding (Rodale)
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USA TODAY BEST-SELLERS
Key: F-Fiction; NF-Nonfiction; H-Hardcover; P-Paperback

1. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle (Plume) (NF-P)
2. "Strangers in Death" by J.D. Robb (Putnam Adult) (F-H)
3. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Doubleday) (F-H)
4. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin) (NF-P)
5. "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory (Touchstone) (F-P)
6. "7th Heaven" by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown and Company) (F-H)
7. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words) (NF-H)
8. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet) (F-H)
9. "Bratfest At Tiffanys" by Lisi Harrison (Poppy) (F-P)
10. "The Audacity of Hope:Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press) (NF-P)
11. "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)
12. "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett (NAL Trade) (F-P)
13. "Nineteen Minutes: A Novel" by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press) (NF-P)
14. "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (Anchor) (F-H)
15. "Eat This Not That!" by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding (Rodale) (NF-H)
16. "Lady Killer" by Lisa Scottoline (Harper) (F-H)
17. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-P)
18. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney (Abrams Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
19. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press) (NF-P)
20. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs (Berkley) (F-P)
21. "Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny" by Suze Orman, (Spiegel & Grau) (NF-H)
22. "Duma Key" by Stephen King (Scribner) (F-H)
23. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) (F-P)
24. "90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life" by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell) (NF-P)
25. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown for Young Readers) (F-H)
26. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Algonquin) (F-P)
27. "The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide" by Holly Black, Tony DiTerlizzi (Simon & Schuster) (F-H
28. "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press) (NF-P)
29. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-H)
30. "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning" by Jonah Goldberg (Doubleday)" (NF-H)
31. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover) (F-H)
32. "The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town" by John Grisham, (Dell) (NF-P)
33. "Sisters" by Danielle Steel (Dell)(F-P)
34. "World Without End" by Ken Follett (Dutton) (F-H)
35. "Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly" by Jane O'Connor (HarperCollins) (F-H
36. "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise L. Hay (Hay House) (NF-P)
37. "FairTax: The Truth: Answering the Critics" by Neal Boortz, John Linder, (Harper Paperbacks) (NF-P)
38. "Into the Wild" by John Krakauer (Anchor) (NF-P)
39. "Tom Clancy's EndWar" by David Michaels (Penguin) (F-P)
40. "The 6th Target" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Grand Central Publishing) (F-P)
41. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan (Penguin) (NF-H)
42. "One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life" by Kerry Shook, Chris Shook (WaterBrook Press) (NF-H)
43. "The Calorie King Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter 2008" by Allan Borushek (Family Health Publications) (NF-P)
44. "Let Sleeping Rogues Lie" by Sabrina Jeffries (Pocket) (F-P)
45. "The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment" by Eckhart Tolle (New World Library) (NF-P)
46. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards (Penguin) (F-P)
47. "Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day" by Joel Osteen (Free Press) (NF-H)
48. "You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty" by Michael F. Roizen and Mehmet C. Oz (Free Press)
49. "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss (Random House) (F-H)
50. "The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore" by Deepak Chopra (Harmony) (NF-H)
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. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Doubleday)
2. "7th Heaven" by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown and Company)
3. "Strangers in Death" by J.D. Robb (Putnam Adult)
4. "Lady Killer" by Lisa Scottoline (Harper)
5. "Duma Key" by Stephen King (Scribner)
6. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown for Young Readers)
7. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
8. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover)
9. "Stranger in Paradise: A Jesse Stone Novel" by Robert B. Parker (Putnam)
10. "The Killing Ground" by Jack Higgins (Putnam Adult)
11. "Plum Lucky" by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press)
12. "World Without End" by Ken Follett (Dutton)
13. "The First Patient" by Michael Palmer (St. Martins Press)
14. "Sizzle and Burn" by Jayne Ann Krentz (Putnam)
15. "The Ghost War" by Alex Berenson (Putnam)

NONFICTION
1. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
2. "Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning" by Jonah Goldberg (Doubleday)"
3. "Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny" by Suze Orman, (Spiegel & Grau)
4. "One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life" by Kerry Shook, Chris Shook (WaterBrook Press)
5. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan (Penguin)
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. "Age of American Unreason" by Susan Jacoby (Pantheon)
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. "The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore" by Deepak Chopra (Harmony) (NF-H)
11. "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)
12. "Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions" by Dan Ariely (HarperCollins)
13. "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... and Other's Don't" by Jim Collins (Collins)
14. "Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?: An Easy Plan for Losing Weight and Living More" by Peter Walsh (Free Press)
15. "Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West" by Benazir Bhutto (Harper)
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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NEW YORK (AP) " Even for an Oprah Winfrey book pick, "A New Earth" has been a sensation.
About 3.5 million copies of Eckhart Tolle's spiritual self-help guide have been shipped since Winfrey, host of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," announced her selection four weeks ago.
The book has topped the best-seller list on Amazon.com virtually from the moment Winfrey's choice was revealed, and it is the fastest-selling pick ever at Barnes & Noble Inc., according to a statement issued Thursday by Winfrey.
It's also a record shipment in a four-week span for any book by Penguin Group (USA), which has published such million sellers as Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" and Ken Follett's Winfrey-endorsed "The Pillars of the Earth."
Brian Tart, president and publisher of the Penguin imprint Dutton, told The Associated Press that a key factor was the upcoming Web seminars featuring Winfrey and Tolle, to be held for 10 consecutive Mondays starting March 3.
"Oprah herself has committed 10 weeks to talking to the author, and people from all over the world will be able to participate," said Tart, who added that more than 500,000 people, from more than 100 countries, have registered for the seminar.
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Catholic Bestsellers February 2008
the list is copyright 2008 Catholic Book Publishers Association, Inc.

Hardcover
1. Faith, Reason, and the War Against Jihadism -- George Weigel
2. The Dream Manager -- Matthew Kelly
3. Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light -- Mother Teresa with Brian Kolodiejchuk
4. Celebration of Discipline 25th Anniversary Edition -- Richard Foster
5. Technology Tools for Your Ministry -- Tim Welch
6. Rediscovering Catholicism -- Matthew Kelly
7. Jesus of Nazareth -- Pope Benedict XVI
8. The Rhythm of Life -- Matthew Kelly
9. Simply Christian -- N. T. Wright
10. Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paperback
1. The Screwtape Letters -- C. S. Lewis
2. Mere Christianity -- C. S. Lewis
3. Catechism of the Catholic Church
4. The Great Divorce -- C. S. Lewis
5. The Cross, Our Only Hope -- A. Gawrych & K. Grove
6. The Only Necessary Thing -- Henri J. M. Nouwen
7. The Complete C.S. Lewis
8. On Christian Hope (Spe Salvi) -- Pope Benedict XVI
9. Life of the Beloved -- Henri J. M. Nouwen
10. Handbook for Today's Catholic

Find the complete list at http://www.cbpa.org/images/CBLFeb08.pdf

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The Bookseller magazine has announced its shortlist for the Oddest Book Title of the Year:

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/53656-oddest-book-titles-prize-shortlist-announced.html

My favorite: "I Was Tortured by the Pygmy Love Queen."
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from Publishers Weekly -- new books coming out
[c] = children's titles
= PW starred review

March 4
Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer
Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice
The Ancient by R.A. Salvatore
[c] The Big Field by Mike Lupica
[c] The Backyardigans: Opposites Race by Irene Kilpatrick, illus. by Susan Hall [c] The Backyardigans: Away We Go! by Irene Kilpatrick, illus. by Carlo Lo Raso
[c] Barnstormers #3: Game 3 by Phil Bildner, illus. by Loren Long
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from Shelf Awareness -- New Books Out March 4:

Change of Heart: A Novel by Jodi Picoult tells the story of a death row inmate who tries to become an organ donor.
The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson follows a Southern family after a young girl's body is discovered in its pool.
Dead Time by Stephen White features Colorado psychologist Dr. Alan Gregory in another mystery.
The Ancient by R. A. Salvatore continues the fantasy world created in 2004's The Highwayman.
A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer is a modern update of The Count of Monte Cristo.
Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana by Anne Rice is a fictitious account of a portion of Jesus' life.
Standing Tall: A Memoir of Tragedy and Triumph by C. Vivian Stringer and Laura Tucker are the memoirs of the coach of the Rutgers women's basketball team.
The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps by Brenda Watson examines natural methods of detoxification.
I Don't Believe in Atheists by Chris Hedges critiques radical atheist ideas.

Dead Over Heels by MaryJanice Davidson (paperback)

Fear and Yoga in New Jersey by Debra Galant features a stressed-out yoga teacher who is dealing with a variety of storms.
Awakening the Entrepreneur Within: How Ordinary People Can Create Extraordinary Companies by Michael E. Gerber is by the small business guru and founder of In the Dreaming Room.
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Book Sense picks for February:

http://www.booksense.com/bspicks/Feb08.jsp

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Hey, all you travelers and armchair travelers: Check out this Web site for The Little Bookroom, which offers really pretty guidebooks, etc.

http://www.littlebookroom.com/guidebooks.html

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Hey, Olivia fans! Check out this Web page for fabric designs that feature the porcine wonder girl!

http://reprodepot.stores.yahoo.net/olco.html

Click on a fabric swatch and you'll get to see more of the print.
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Movie fans, now that the Oscars are over, you may want to check out some of the screenplays of hit movies that are now available:

JUNO: THE SHOOTING SCRIPT
THE SAVAGES: THE SHOOTING SCRIPT
ATONEMENT: THE SHOOTING SCRIPT
DAN IN REAL LIFE: THE SHOOTING SCRIPT
MARGOT AT THE WEDDING: THE SHOOTING SCRIPT
KNOCKED UP: THE SHOOTING SCRIPTMICHAEL CLAYTON: THE SHOOTING SCRIPT
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY: THE SCREENPLAY AND DIARIES
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The Quill Awards have been suspended.

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5h7izfYBGiI1gEM57EG90GsJnyxng

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An article in USA Today points out the lack of historical and literary knowledge of teens today. "A study out today finds that about half of 17-year-olds can't identify the books or historical events associated with them." Here's a sample of the questions given to the teens:

In the Bible, Job is known for:

A) skill as a builder
B) patience during suffering
C) prowess in battle
D) prophetic ability

What is the novel "1984" about?

A) Destruction of the human race by nuclear war
B) Dictatorship in which every citizen was watched in order to stamp out all individuaslity
C) Invasion and ultimate takeover of Earth by creatures from outer space
D) Man who went back in time and changed history

For the answers and more, visit

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-02-26-teens-history_N.htm

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Win $500, 10 Books for Your Children
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. (Feb. 25, 2008) " Sylvan Dell Publishing is encouraging families nationwide to explore their communities this spring for a chance to win $500 and 10 books for their kids.

The first annual "Sylvan Dell Challenge" dares parents to jumpstart their children's love of learning through educational activities. Families taking the challenge must complete at least five of the ten educational activities listed on Sylvan Dell's Web site with their children between March 1 and June 1. To qualify, an "activity tracker" and documentation of completed activities must be sent by mail or e-mail to Sylvan Dell before June 15.

Complete rules and guidelines for the "Sylvan Dell Challenge" are available at www.SylvanDellPublishing.com/SylvanDellChallenge.htm. A summary of the 10 activity choices are as follows:

Visit a planetarium.
Identify two different birds in your backyard and research them together.
Visit a zoo.
Visit an aquarium.
Participate in a local library's children's program.
Visit a science center.
Participate in a local, state or national park/forest naturalist or Junior Ranger program.
Research your child's favorite animal together " have him/her draw a picture and identify a few fun facts about that animal.
Attend a children's program or story time at a local bookstore.
Read 10 books with your child throughout the challenge. Send in a list.

The challenge is intended for families with children ages 4 to 8, but all families are welcome to participate.

All entries will be entered into a drawing, and three winners will be chosen at random. The first-place winner will receive a $500 scholarship for their child and their choice of 10 Sylvan Dell books, and the two runners-up will each receive their choice of 10 books, as well.

Any questions regarding Sylvan Dell Publishing or the "Sylvan Dell Challenge" can be sent to AngieDzalamanow@SylvanDellPublishing.com.
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from Shelf Awareness:

Jim Shepard has won the $20,000 Story Prize for his short story collection Like You'd Understand Anyway (Knopf), according to the New York Times. The two runners-up, who were awarded $5,000 each, were Tessa Hadley for Sunstroke and Other Stories (Picador), and Vincent Lam for Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures (Weinstein Books).
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The winners of the 15th annual Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Awards are:

Nonfiction
Winner: Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup (Little, Brown)
Second place honors: Soldier's Heart by Elizabeth Samet (FSG)
Third place honors: The Siege of Mecca by Yaroslav Trofimov (Doubleday)
Fiction
Winner: Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris (Little, Brown)
Second place honors: The Farther Shore by Matthew Eck (Milkweed Editions)
Third place honors: Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Vida (Ecco)

The main winners each receive $10,000 and a year of additional marketing and advertising. Second place winners receive $5,000. Third place winner receive $2,500.
B&N called Here If You Need Me "a heartbreaking memoir. As a young widow with four children, Braestrup recounts her decision to pursue her deceased husband's quest to work as a chaplain for the Maine warden service and delivers stories from the field, full of compassion, honesty, and wisdom."
B&N described Then We Came to the End as "the tale of a group of malcontented employees at a declining Chicago ad agency," and fiction jurist John Burnham Schwartz called it "a blisteringly funny first novel that speaks in a rollicking chorus of complaint and misdirection from within the vast corporate beehive, nailing the species, while never ceasing to recognize the human and particular."
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ONLINE BOOK CLUB STARTING

A new online book club is being offered by Celestial Seasonings, and books ordered from the Web site will feature no-cost shipping. But you do have to buy two boxes of Celestial Seasonings tea in order to access the Web site. The first book is PEONY IN LOVE by LISA SEE. Here's the information:

The "Adventure at Every Turn" book club, developed by Celestial Seasonings provides readers with:
Tea pairings, recipes and dcor and activity tips inspired by the featured book and designed to engage each of the senses
Book discussion guides
Customizable e-vites
Access to featured and previous books at all times
Free shipping for featured books purchased through the Random House Web site, www.RandomHouse.com

Peony, a 15-year-old girl, lives a sheltered life with her wealthy family in the post-Ming Dynasty era. One night, Peony falls in love with a stranger on her family's estate but she is betrothed to another. Peony's life mimics that of the play she loves about a young girl suffering from unrequited love who dies of love sickness. But Peony is trapped on the earthly plane and she is still very much in love and works to create a ghost marriage with her true love and for her thoughts/feelings and previous writings to be heard.

Readers can begin their journey around the world from the comfort of home by visiting

www.celestialseasoningsbookclub.com

, submitting UPC codes from two boxes of Celestial Seasonings tea and choosing a personal password for access to the Web site and all associated content.

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Authors currently making the media rounds:

--Robert S. Bennett, author of "In the Ring: The Trials of a Washington Lawyer"
--Madeleine Albright, former secretary of state, author of "Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership"
--David Sheff, author of "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey through His Son's Addiction" and his son, Nic Sheff, the boy of that title, author of his memoir, "Tweak: Growing up on Methamphetamines"
--John Gray, author of "Why Mars and Venus Collide: Improving Relationships by Understanding How Men and Women Cope Differently"
--Valerie Bertinelli, author of "Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time"
--Geraldo Rivera,, author of "His Panic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S."
--Padma Lakshmi, author of "Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet: A World of Recipes for Every Day"
--Binka Le Breton, author of "The Greatest Gift: The Courageous Life and Martyrdom of Sister Dorothy Stang"
-- Thomas Friedman, author of "The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century"
--Patrick Murphy, author of "Taking the Hill: From Philly to Baghdad to the United States Congress"
--Gary Moore, author of "Playing with the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams"
--Jon Provost, author of "Timmy's in the Well: The Jon Provost Story"
--Robert Schimmel, author of "Cancer on $5 a Day* *Chemo Not Included: How Humor Got Me Through the Toughest Journey of My Life"
--John Wood, author of "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children"
--Andrew Bridge, author of "Hope's Boy"
--Laurent Tourondel, author of "Bistro Laurent Tourondel: New American Bistro Cooking"
--Tudor Parfitt, author of "The Lost Ark of the Covenant: Solving the 2,500 Year Old Mystery of the Fabled Biblical Ark"
--Dee Dee Myers, author of "Why Women Should Rule the World"
-- Marianne Williamson, author of "The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife"
--Eileen Myles, author of "Sorry, Tree"
--Maggie Nelson, author of "Something Bright, Then Holes" and "Women, the New York School, and Other True Abstractions"
--Molly Gloss, author of "The Hearts of Horses"
--Laurie Viera Rigler, author of "Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict"
--Margaret Sullivan, author of "The Jane Austen Handbook"
--Syrie James, author of "The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen"
Edward Humes, authpor of "Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America's Soul"
--Shashi Tharoor, author of "The Elephant, the Tiger, and the Cell Phone: India " the Emerging 21st Century Power"
--Charles Barber, author of "Comfortably Numb: How Psychiatry Is Medicating a Nation"
--David Cay Johnston, author of "Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (And Stick You With the Bill)"
--John McWhorter, author of "Doing Our Own Thing: The Degradation of Language and Music in America and Why We Should, Like, Care"
--Lorri and Taryn Benson, co-authors of "Distorted: How a Mother and Daughter Unraveled the Truth, the Lies, and the Realities of an Eating Disorder"
--Jamie Oliver, author of "Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook"
--Dr. Wayne Dyer, author of "Change Your Thoughts " Change Your Life: Living The Wisdom of the Tao"
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from Shelf Awareness:

Looking for some reading ideas? Here's a link to the list of finalists for the 2007 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. The winners will be announced April 25.

http://www.latimes.com/extras/bookprizes/

Speaking of which, the prizes have announced that Maxine Hong Kingston will receive the Robert Kirsch Award to honor "a living author with a substantial connection to the American West whose contribution to American letters deserves special recognition."
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Thanks for reading One for the Books. Please let us know what kind of book news you'd like to see on this page. Send e-mail to Books@recordpub.com. Send other mail to Mary Louise Ruehr, Books Editor, Record-Courier, 126 N. Chestnut St. (P.O. Box 1201), Ravenna, OH 44266.