Recordpub.com - One for the Books: A Look Back at 2008

It's been a great year for reading.

Looking back over the books I wrote about this year, I have found quite a few that have stayed with me long after I closed their covers, whether they tugged at my heart, taught me something or just made for a good read.

The latest is Kevin Alan Milne's "Paper Bag Christmas" (Dec. 12). This tale of two boys volunteering at a hospital's pediatric oncology ward has the makings of a classic.

I enjoyed living with the queens of England, whether in the comedy of Alan Bennett's "The Uncommon Reader" (May 9) or in the biography of the "First Queen of England" by Linda Porter (Sept. 12).

I'm still affected by the obscene unfairness in "Stolen Innocence" (Aug. 22) by Elissa Wall, who was forced into a polygamous marriage at the age of 14.

Among the nonfiction titles on politics and culture, "The World Without Us" by Alan Weisman (Nov. 14) has made a permanent impact on my social conscience. And all the books in the "Jewish Nonfiction" column of Oct. 10 still haunt me, particularly the childlike drawings in "They Called Me Mayer July."

Of course, I have a particular place in my heart for the animals. Vicki Myron's book about "Dewey" the library cat (Sept. 26) is one of my absolute favorites, and recalling the image of the talon of "Wesley the Owl" in the ear canal of author Stacey O'Brien still sends chills up my spine. I will never forget the wonderful dog Enzo, the narrator of Garth Stein's novel, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" (July 11).

Mysteries are always on the menu, and several columns this year featured works by such great writers as Janet Evanovich and Lisa Scottoline. "King of the Holly Hop" by Les Roberts (June 13) and "Careless in Red" by Elizabeth George (Aug. 29) really stood out.

I laughed but also found compassion in such disparate stories as "Dogface" by Jeff Garigliano (June 27), about a boy forced to attend a military camp, and "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (Aug. 8), which made me fall in love with an entire island full of characters.

Some of this year's columns were the most popular ever, online. At the top would be April 25's "About Jane" column, in which I introduced several titles that discussed author Jane Austen's life and work. Another column that stirred comment was Jan. 25's "The Amish." This was also one of my favorites, because it allowed me to immerse myself vicariously in Amish culture. The third most popular was "Irish Fiction," from April 11. Ah, the wonderful stories of life, love and legend in the Emerald Isle.

This year, we've gone around the world to find bliss and traveled the Mediterranean route of Odysseus (July 25), followed a political campaign from the inside with Connie Schultz (May 9), gone to summer camp with Mindy Schneider (June 27), explored a medieval castle (Dec. 16) and contemplated the immense distance to the edge of our universe (Nov. 28).

"Breakfast with Buddha" by Roland Merullo (March 28) is definitely one of my favorite titles this year. As I followed the main character on his strange road trip across the Midwest with an eccentric monk, I felt his change of heart and was truly inspired.

What's the No. 1 title I would recommend from this year? That's easy. It's the wonderful "All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling Down House" by David Giffels (June 13). This true life domestic adventure about love, loss and home renovation nightmares is a great read for just about anybody. I laughed, I cried, I was grateful there are no raccoons in my attic.

All these columns can be accessed online through my blog, "Shine a Light." Go to http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light and click on "Pages" and then "One for the Books." In all fairness, keep in mind that I can't possibly read all the books published each year. And I try to bring you titles you may not have heard of elsewhere, so I haven't included most of the titles on the best-seller lists.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready for another year filled with good books. Happy New Year!

------

What's New: If you're a fan of audio books, be sure to check out the Playaways now available at most local libraries. These handy devices take the annoyance out of shuffling multiple tapes or discs. The entire book is in one unit, about the size of a cassette tape. Use the earbuds (supplied) and just press "Start." If your car has an auxiliary port, you can plug in the Playaway and listen to it on the car speakers. DO NOT use earbuds while driving. My car has no such port, but I was able to find an inexpensive set of tiny iPod speakers in a handy carry pouch that works very nicely in the car, or anywhere. Be sure to ask your librarian about the Playaways.

------

What's Happening: Are you ready for The Big Read? Beginning in January, Hiram College, Reed Memorial Library in Ravenna and all branches of the Portage County District Library are sponsoring county-wide programs and activities. First, get yourself a copy of "The Maltese Falcon." Then, go online for a copy of the events schedule at www.hiram.edu/bigread/events.html or ask about it at your nearest library.

For other book news, go to www.recordpub.com, click on "Lifetimes," and check out "One for the Books" online.

------
------
BOOK NOTES, One for the Books Extra Online Exclusives:

Check out my new blog on books, inspiration, fun and thought-provoking goodies! It's called "Shine A Light!"

http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/

------
LOCAL BOOK CLUBS:

The Book Discussion Group at the Randolph Library meets the first Monday of the month, except August, at 6:30 p.m. in the Randolph Senior Center. The group is open to everyone, and new members are always welcome. The library will stock copies of the books each month. Call the library at 330-325-7003.

Pierce-Streetsboro Library's Book Discussion Group meets regularly on the second Monday of each month at 6:45 p.m. in the library's meeting room. New members are always welcome to attend and participate in the discussion. The library is located at 8990 Kirby Lane in Streetsboro, next to the administrative offices of the Streetsboro City Schools. For more information, call the library at 330-626-4458.

------
On the NBC Today Show, Al Roker has chosen DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney as the next book for his book club.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/18179145/

------
------
from Shelf Awareness: New Titles Out December 23:

The Complete Beck Diet for Life: The Five-Stage Program for Permanent Weight Loss by Judith S. Beck
The Invention of Air by Steven Johnson

Now in paperback:

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan

New Books Out December 30:

The Book of Unholy Mischief: A Novel by Elle Newmark
Black Ops by W.E.B. Griffin
The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet: A Novel by Colleen McCullough
The Best Life Diet Cookbook: More than 175 Delicious, Convenient, Family-Friendly Recipes by Bob Greene

New in paperback:

Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan by Suze Orman

------
from Publishers Weekly -- On sale December 23:

Joy's Life Diet: Four Steps to Thin Forever by Joy Bauer
Disney-Pixar Cars: Ready, Set, Go!
Warriors: Tigerstar and Sasha #2: Escape from the Forest by Erin Hunter, illus. by Don Hudson

December 26
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
There's No Traffic on the Extra Mile: Lessons On the Road From Dreams to Destiny by Rickey Minor

December 30
Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood
Best Life Diet Cookbook by Bob Greene
Star Wars: Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor by Matthew Stover
Living Well Emotionally with Montel by Montel Williams
Fancy Nancy: Poison Ivy Expert by Jane O'Connor, illus. by Robin Preiss Glasser
Privilege by Kate Brian
Men Are StupidAnd They Like Big Boobs: A Woman's Guide to Beauty Through Plastic Surgery by Joan Rivers
Food Matters by Mark Bittman
Get Over Yourself: How to Get Real, Get Serious and Get Ready to Find True Love by Patti Novack and Laura Zigman
Texas! Lucky by Sandra Brown
The Motley Fool Million Dollar Portfolio by David Gardner and Tom Gardner
People are Idiots and I Can Prove It!: The 10 Ways You Are Sabotaging Yourself and How You CanOvercome Them by Larry Winget
The New Codependency by Melody Beattie
Voluntary Madness by Norah Vincent
------

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST-SELLERS
By The Associated Press
HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "Scarpetta" by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam)
2. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions)
3. "Cross Country" by James Patterson (Little, Brown)
4. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco)
5. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
6. "Just After Sunset: Stories" by Stephen King (Scribner)
7. "Arctic Drift" by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler (Putnam)
8. "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb (Harper)
9. "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing)
10. "A Mercy" by Toni Morrison (Knopf)
11. "The Gate House" by Nelson DeMille (Grand Central Publishing)
12. "Divine Justice" by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing)
13. "Your Heart Belongs to Me" by Dean Koontz (Bantam)
14. "The Charlemagne Pursuit" by Steve Berry (Ballantine Books)
15. "The Private Patient" by P. D. James (Knopf)
NONFICTION/GENERAL
1. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion)
2. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron, Brett Witter (Grand Central)
3. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown)
4. "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" by Jon Meacham (Random House)
5. "The Purpose Of Christmas" by Rick Warren (Howard Books)
6. "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity" by Bill O'Reilly (Broadway)
7. "Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets" by Jon and Kate Gosselin, Beth Carson (Zondervan)
8. "Too Fat To Fish" by Artie Lange and Anthony Bozza (Spiegel & Grau)
9. "Guinness: World Records 2009" by Guinness World Records (Guinness)
10. "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients" by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter)
11. "No Limits: The Will to Succeed" by Michael Phelps and Alan Abrahamson (Free Press)
12. "Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America" by Mike Huckabee (Sentinel HC)
13. "Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid" by Denis Leary (Viking Adult)
14. "Hot, Flat and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
15. "The American Patriot's Almanac: Daily Readings on America" by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb (Thomas Nelson)
MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Dell)
2. "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog" by John Grogan (Harper)
3. "The Pagan Stone" by Nora Roberts (Jove)
4. "T is for Trespass" by Sue Grafton (Berkley)
5. "The 6th Target" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Vision)
6. "A Prisoner of Birth" by Jeffrey Archer (St. Martin's)
7. "Dead Until Dark" by Charlaine Harris (Ace)
8. "Dead After Dark" by Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward, Susan Squires and Dianna Love (St. Martin's)
9. "The Darkest Evening of the Year" by Dean Koontz (Bantam)
10. "Double Cross" by James Patterson (Vision)
11. "The Venetian Betrayal" by Steve Berry (Ballantine)
12. "Duma Key" by Stephen King (Pocket)
13. "Living Dead in Dallas" by Charlaine Harris (Ace)
14. "The Manning Grooms" by Debbie Macomber (Mira)
15. "Love by Design" by Nora Roberts (Silhouette)
TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media)
2. "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
3. "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
4. "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press)
5. "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog" by John Grogan (Harper)
6. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead)
7. "Three Cups Of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin)
8. "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simon & Schuster)
9. "The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2009" by World Almanac Books, edited by C. Alan Joyce (World Almanac)
10. "Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book" by Rachael Ray (Clarkson Potter)
11. "Halo: The Cole Protocol" by Tobias S. Buckell (Tor)
12. "The Love Dare" by Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick (B&H)
13. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin)
14. "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip...with Recipes!" by Guy Fieri with Ann Volkwein (Morrow)
15. "World Without End" by Ken Follett (NAL)
------

USA TODAY BEST-SELLERS
By The Associated Press
Key: F-Fiction; NF-Nonfiction; H-Hardcover; P-Paperback
1. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic) (F-H)
2. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-P)
3. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-P)
4. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
5. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
6. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media) (F-P)
7. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Dell) (F-P)
8. "Scarpetta" by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam) (F-H)
9. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion) (NF-H)
10. "Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog" by John Grogan (Harper) (NF-P)
11. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions) (F-H)
12. "The Pagan Stone" by Nora Roberts (Jove) (F-P)
13. "The Purpose of Christmas" by Rick Warren (Howard Books) (NF-H)
14. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron and Brett Witter (Grand Central Publishing) (NF-H)
15. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown) (NF-H)
16. "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini (Knopf Books for Young Readers)(F-H)
17. "Cross Country" by James Patterson (Little, Brown) (F-H)
18. "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)(NF-P)
19. "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" by Jon Meacham (Random House) (NF-H)
20. "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press) (NF-P)
21. "Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets" by Jon and Kate Gosselin, Beth Carson (Zondervan) (NF-H)
22. "Guinness: World Records 2009" by Guinness World Records (Guinness) (NF-H)
23. "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients" by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter) (NF-H)
24. "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity" by Bill O'Reilly (Broadway) (NF-H)
25. "Just After Sunset: Stories" by Stephen King (Scribner) (F-H)
26. "The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread" by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick) (F-P)
27. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-H)
28. "Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion" by Mark Cotta Vaz (Little, Brown for Young Readers) (NF-P)
29. "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing) (F-H)
30. "The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco) (F-H)
31. "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press) (F-P)
32. "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)
33. "Too Fat To Fish" by Artie Lange and Anthony Bozza (Spiegel & Grau) (NF-H)
34. "T is for Trespass" by Sue Grafton (Berkley) (F-P)
35. "Arctic Drift" by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler (Putnam Adult) (F-H)
36. "Burning Up: On Tour with the Jonas Brothers" by Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas (Disney-Hyperion) (NF-H)
37. "The 6th Target" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Vision) (F-P)
38. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Trade) (F-P)
39. "Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book" by Rachael Ray (Clarkson Potter) (NF-P)
40. "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kearns Goodwin (Simon & Schuster) (NF-P)
41. "The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2009" by World Almanac Books, edited by C. Alan Joyce (World Almanac) (NF-P)
42. "No Limits: The Will to Succeed" by Michael Phelps and Alan Abrahamson (Free Press) (NF-H)
43. "Your Heart Belongs to Me" by Dean Koontz (Bantam) (F-H)
44. "Hot, Flat and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
45. "Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid" by Denis Leary (Viking Adult) (NF-H)
46. "The 39 Clues: One False Note" by Gordon Korman (Scholastic) (F-H)
47. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney (Abrams Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
48. "The Snowball" by Alice Schroeder (Bantam) (NF-H)
49. "How to Talk to Girls" by Alec Greven and Kei Acedera (Collins) (NF-H)
50. "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb (Harper) (F-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.

------

WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST-SELLERS
By The Associated Press
FICTION
1. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic)
2. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
3. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown for Young Readers)
4. "Scarpetta" by Patricia Cornwell (Putnam)
5. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck (Threshold Editions)
6. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
7. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
8. "Cross Country" by James Patterson (Little, Brown)
9. "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
10. "The Story Of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski (Ecco)
11. "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
12. "Just After Sunset: Stories" by Stephen King (Scribner)
13. "Arctic Drift" by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler (Putnam Adult)
14. "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks (Grand Central Publishing)
15. "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb (Harper)
NONFICTION
1. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow (Hyperion)
2. "Outliers: The Story of Success" by Malcolm Gladwell (Little, Brown)
3. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron and Brett Witter (Grand Central Publishing)
4. "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" by Jon Meacham (Random House)
5. "The Purpose of Christmas" by Rick Warren (Howard Books)
6. "Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets" by Jon and Kate Gosselin, Beth Carson (Zondervan)
7. "Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients" by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter)
8. "A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity" by Bill O'Reilly (Broadway)
9. "Too Fat To Fish" by Artie Lange and Anthony Bozza (Spiegel & Grau)
10. "Guinness: World Records 2009" by Guinness World Records (Guinness)
11. "Hot, Flat and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
12. "The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life" by Alice Schroeder (Bantam)
13. "Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid" by Denis Leary (Viking Adult)
14. "No Limits: The Will to Succeed" by Michael Phelps and Alan Abrahamson (Free Press)
15. "Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America" by Mike Huckabee (Sentinel HC)
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.
------
------
The following authors are making the media rounds, talking about their books:

--Michael Phelps, No Limits: The Will to Succeed
--Delilah, author of Love Matters: Remarkable Love Stories That Touch the Heart and Nourish the Soul
--Carrie Fisher, Wishful Drinking
--Annie Leibovitz, author of Annie Leibovitz at Work
-- Wafaa Bilal, author of Shoot an Iraqi: Art, Life and Resistance Under the Gun
--Curtis Roosevelt, author of Too Close to the Sun: Growing Up in the Shadow of my Grandparents, Franklin and Eleanor
--Heraldo Muoz, author of The Dictator's Shadow: Life Under Augusto Pinochet
--Don Rickles, Rickles' Letters
--Patti LaBelle, author of Recipes for the Good Life
--Fredrick Hahn, Strong Kids, Healthy Kids: The Revolutionary Program for Increasing Your Child's Fitness in 30 Minutes a Week
--Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, YOU: Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty
--Les Stanford, author of The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits
--Jon Meacham, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House
--Robert Wagner, Pieces of My Heart: A Life
--Les Standiford, author of The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits
--Mike Huckabee, author of Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America
--David J. Wolpe, author of Why Faith Matters
--Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers: The Story of Success
--John Quinones, author of Heroes Among Us: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Choices
--Meryl Gordon, author of Mrs. Astor Regrets: The Hidden Betrayals of a Family Beyond Reproach
--Peter Greenberg, author of Don't Go There!: The Travel Detective's Essential Guide to the Must-Miss Places of the World
--Patricia McConnell, author of Tales of Two Species: Essays on Loving and Living With Dogs
--Richard Haass, author of The Opportunity
--Ina Garten, author of Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients
--Frank Gifford, author of The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever
-- Marilynne Robinson, author of Home
--David Morrell, author of The Spy Who Came for Christmas
--Michael Connelly, author of The Brass Verdict
--Danica McKellar, whose book is Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss
--Calvin Trillin, author of Deciding the Next Decider: The 2008 Presidential Race in Rhyme
--Rick Warren, author of The Purpose of Christmas
--Alan Alda, author of Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself
--Xavier Garza, Charro Claus and the Tejas Kid
--Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
--Isaac Mizrahi, author of How to Have Style
--John C. Bogle, Enough: True Measures of Money, Business, and Life
--Julia Mickenberg and Philip Nel, authors of Tales for Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children's Literature
--John Corcoran, author of The Bridge to Literacy: No Child " Or Adult " Left Behind
--Barry Golson, Retirement Without Borders: How to Retire Abroad--in Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, Panama, and Other Sunny, Foreign Places
--Les Stroud, Survive!: Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere--Alive
--Jennifer Skiff, author of God Stories: Inspiring Encounters with the Divine
--Jay Parini, author of Promised Land: Thirteen Books That Changed America
--Forrest Church, author of Love & Death: My Journey through the Valley of the Shadow
--Ellie Kay, author of Living Rich for Less: Create the Lifestyle You Want by Giving, Saving, and Spending Smart
--Steven Rinella, author of American Buffalo: In Search of a Lost Icon
--Bernhard Schlink, author of The Reader
--Amy Asch, editor of The Complete Lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II
--Alex Beam, author of A Great Idea at the Time: The Rise, Fall, and Curious Afterlife of the Great Books
--Pat Willard, America Eats! On the Road with the WPA - the Fish Fries, Box Supper Socials, and Chitlin Feasts That Define Real American Food
--Loren Ghiglione, CBS's Don Hollenbeck: An Honest Reporter in the Age of McCarthyism
--Arlene Davila, author of Latino Spin: Public Image and the Whitewashing of Race
--Jason Del Gandio, Rhetoric for Radicals: A Handbook for 21st Century Activists
--Katy Lederer, The Heaven-Sent Leaf
--Bob Eckstein,The History of the Snowman
--Dan Ariely, Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
--John Burnham Schwartz, The Commoner
--Martin Clark, The Legal Limit
--Steve Dublanica, Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip--Confessions of a Cynical Waiter
--Karen Armstrong, The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions
--Michael Kazin, A Godly Hero: The Life of William Jennings Bryan
--Anne Roiphe, author of Epilogue
--Amy Sedaris, author of I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence
--Christopher Plummer, author of In Spite of Myself: A Memoir
--Craig Kielburger, author of Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World
--Don Van Ryn, author of Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope
--Miyoko Chu, author of Birdscapes: A Pop-Up Celebration of Bird Songs in Stereo Sound
--Joaquin Garcia, author of Making Jack Falcone: An Undercover FBI Agent Takes Down a Mafia Family
--Cheryl Scruggs, author of I Do Again: How We Found a Second Chance at Our Marriage--and You Can Too
--Elizabeth McCracken, author of An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: A Memoir
--Johnny Iuzzini, author of Dessert FourPlay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef
--Ann Coulter, author of Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America
--Maya Angelou, author of Letter to My Daughter
--Toni Morrison, author of A Mercy
--Henry Alford, author of How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still on This Earth)
--James Fallows, author of Postcards from Tomorrow Square: Reports from China
--David Hackett Fischer, author of Champlain's Dream: The European Founding of North America
--Roy Blount Jr., author of Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof: Their Roots, Bones, Innards, Piths, Pips, and Secret Parts, Tinctures, Tonics, and Essences, With Examples of Their Usage Foul and Savory
--Harold Holzer, author of Lincoln President-Elect: Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter, 1860-1861
--Robert Dallek, author of Harry S. Truman

------
------
Here are links to other recent One for the Books columns:

------
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.

"One for the Books" appears the second and fourth Fridays of the month in the Record-Courier. Extra columns may appear on occasion, especially preceding Christmas and Hanukkah.