Man Booker Prize Shortlist

The shortlist has been announced for this year's Man Booker Prize. The winner will be announced in London October 18.

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan
Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman
Snowdrops by A.D. Miller

The Postmortal

Title: The Postmortal

Author: Drew Magary

ISBN: 9780143119821

Price: $15.00

The basic premise of Drew Magary’s debut novel The Postmortal is simple: a cure for aging has been discovered, but is the world really prepared for the consequences?

2011 Dayton Literary Peace Prize Finalists

Finalists have been announced for this year's Dayton Literary Peace Prize. The award is given annually to promote the power of literature to promote peace.Winners will be announced November 13th in Dayton, Ohio.

This year's finalists are...

Fiction
The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee (Riverhead)
How to Read the Air by Dinaw Mengestu (Riverhead)
Beneath the Lion's Gaze by Maaza Mengiste (Norton)
The Gendarme by Mark Mustain (Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam)
Kapitoil by Teddy Wayne (HarperCollins)

Nonfiction
Crossing Mandelbaum Gate: Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis, 1956-1978 by Kai Bird (Scribner)
Little Princes by Conor Grennan (HarperCollins)
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (Random House)
For Us Surrender is Out of the Question by Mac McClelland (Soft Skull Press)
In the Place of Justice: A Story of Punishment and Deliverance by Wilbert Rideau (Knopf)
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (Random House)

Big Nate on a Roll

Click here to read my latest review of Lincoln Peirce's Big Nate on a Roll, the third installment of the fantastic Big Nate series, published in yesterday's Shelf Awareness.

PEN Awards

PEN Award winners were announced today. New to this year's award categories: PEN Emerging Writers Award, the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, and the PEN/ESPN Lifetime Achievement Award for Literary Sports Writing. Congratulations to all winners.

Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have)

Check out my review of Sarah Mlynowski's Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) on  Shelf Awareness for Readers.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind

Title: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Author: Patrick Suskind

ISBN: 9780375725845

Price: $15.00

Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is not like you or I. Three things set him apart. One, he has an extraordinary sense of smell. Grenouille can identify types of trees, can tell you which cow in the field produced the milk served at breakfast, and can use this knowledge to create perfumes more magnificent than you can imagine. Two, Grenouille has no smell himself. No normal human odor is given off by him, nor has he ever produced a smell. And the third thing that sets Grenouille apart from you and I is that Grenouille is a murderer.

Hunger Games: Peeta and Gale revealed!

It's been months since the casting was announced. In May, we got a glimpse of Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) in full costume. Now the new Entertainment Weekly has revealed the men of Hunger Games, Peeta and Gale.

Some fans had expressed concern that neither Josh Hutcherson (Peeta, right) nor Liam Hemsworth (Gale, left) could pull off their role, at least visually. What's the verdict now? Are you convinced?

2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction

The longlist for this year's Man Booker Prize for Fiction was announced today. The list includes 4 first-time novelists (Yvvette Edwards, A.D. Miller, Patrick McGuinness, and Stephen Kelman), as well as a previous winner (Alan Hollinghurst, 2004), two authors previously shortlisted (Julian Barnes and Sebastian Barry), and one author (Carol Birch) longlisted in 2003.
The list also includes books not currently available in the U.S. These titles are noted on our list with an asterick (*).

Comic Industry Awards and Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest

This weekend's Comic-Con celebrated winners of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. Joe Hill was awarded Best Writer for Lock and Key (IDW). Best Writer/Artist went to Darwyn Cook and Richard Star for Parker: The Outfit (IDW). Best Comic-Related Book was awarded to 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking by Paul Levitz (Taschen).

What is the worst sentence of 2011? The winner (or loser?) has been chosen!

Updates in Book into Movie News

Check out our Book into Movie News for updates, including a new Stephen King miniseries, a new musical from Anthony Burgess, and Fat Kid Rules the World.

Bridget Jones, No Dark Tower, and the Silver Gavel Award

Helen Fielding's bestseller Bridget Jones's Diary has already become a popular film. Now it's about to hit the stage. A musical version of the book is expected to open in London's West End some time in 2012. British singer/songwriter Lily Allen is reportedly penning a dozen songs for the venture.

Hunger Games Poster revealed!

Casting is complete, filming is underway, and the first official poster for the highly anticipated Hunger Games film has been released! Click here to see the moving version of the poster--great computer effects!

And the official poster...

Thoughts? Anyone else counting down to the Games?

Looking for Alaska

Title: Looking for Alaska

Author: John Green

ISBN: 9780142402511

Miles Halter doesn’t have a lot of friends. Strike that. Miles Halter has no friends. Bored by the loneliness and monotony of public school life, Miles convinces his parents that he’d like to leave Florida and follow in his father’s footsteps and start his junior year of high school at a boarding school in Alabama. What Miles really seeks is not just friendship, but the Great Perhaps. Adventure. Experience. Life.

Book World Updates

Lots of news in the book world this week...

*Check out our Book into Movie News for the latest on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, Sarah's Key, Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Paperboy, and Moby-Dick

*Fans waited for years and George R.R. Martin's A Dance with Dragons has finally released. The release was so huge that it now holds the record for Highest First Day Sales of a Fiction novel this year. In the first day of its release, Martin's book sold 298,000 titles. This includes 170,000 hardcover books, 110,000 e-books, and 18,000 audio books.

*Yet another beloved series is coming to an end. Charlaine Harris has announced that the yet-untitled Book 13 of her Southern Vampire (a.k.a. Sookie Stackhouse) series will be the last. Harris made the announcement and said, "I think it'll be total closure. I don't go back to things once I've finished with them." Dead Reckoning, the 11th book of the series, released earlier this year. Harris is still working on Book 12. The popular television series True Blood, based on the series, has just started a new season.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
ISBN: 9781595143976
Price: $17.99
(Paperback edition releases November 29, 2011; email us to pre-order yours!)

Amy has agreed to be cryogenically frozen for 300 years. Her parents were chosen to be leaders on a new planet, Centauri-Earth; Amy was allowed as a frozen passenger as well. Now Amy's chamber has been unplugged fifty years ahead of schedule and Amy finds herself on board the ship Godspeed. The passengers on board, descendants of those who helped Amy and her parents board, have developed their own society of order and regulation, where anything that stands out or anything different is seen as a threat to the well-being of all those on board.

National Book Award Winners

Earlier this week, we offered a list of the Man Booker Prize winners. Today we're taking a peek at the past winners of the National Book Award for Fiction. This award is given every November by the Association of American Publishers. Years not listed indicate years where no award was given.

Man Booker Prize

Last week, we offered a list of Nobel Prize winners. This week, let's take a look at Man Booker Prize Winners. This prize is awarded every October for the best English-language novel by a citizen of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, Ireland, Pakistan, or South Africa.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
ISBN: 9780061726828
Price: $17.99

What if we've been wrong about Love? What if love is not, as the Beatles sang, "all you need"? What if Love, in fact, is the one thing you don't need. Lauren Oliver's Delirium presents readers with a futuristic world very different from our own. At the start of the book, readers are told "It has been sixty-four years since the president and the Consortium identified love as a disease, and forty-three since the scientists perfected the cure."

Looking for a Classic?

Summer can be a great time to get caught up on your reading. But where to start? For some, it may be those latest summer blockbusters (check out our summer catalog for those). For others, it's a great classic. For the next few weeks, we'll post lists of winners for some of the major literary awards. Let's start with the Nobel Prize for Fiction.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither: The Chemical Garden Trilogy 01

Author: Lauren DeStefano

ISBN: 9781442409057

Price: $17.99

No one wants to grow old—at least, no one in our world. In Lauren DeStefano’s Wither, growing old is a dream. No one grows old. Due to complications of genetic engineering, no males live past the age of twenty-five. No females live past twenty. This is the world that sixteen year old Rhine Ellery lives in.

Pottermore Unveiled....sort of

Bright and early Thursday morning, J.K. Rowling's Pottermore went public. Sort of. Rowling's highly-anticipated announcement was sure to leave plenty of questions and room for speculation. Pottermore is described by Rowling as "an online reading experience unlike any other." It will be shaped and built by readers, though what exactly that means is somewhat unclear. The site will also be the exclusive retailer of digital audiobooks and e-books of the Harry Potter series. There will also be exclusive content about the world of Harry Potter. Pottermore will be open to the public in October. Starting July 31, however, fans can enter for a chance to register early.

What do you think of Pottermore?

Goethe Medal and Pritzker Winners Announced

John le Carre has been named as one of this year's winners for the Goethe Medal in Germany. The award is given for "outstanding service for the German language and international cultural dialogue."

The 2011 Pritzker Military Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing has been awarded to Carlo D'Este. D'Este's works on World War II include biographies as well as titles such as Decision in Normandy and Bitter Victory.

Literary News: Lawsuits, Insults, and More

Literary News Today....

*A second lawsuit was filed last week against Greg Mortenson amid the controversy surrounding allegations that his bestselling memoirs Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools are both full of false claims and inaccuracies. This lawsuit also names Mortenson's co-author, David Oliver Relin, and his publisher, Penguin. Mortenson has been under fire since a 60 Minutes episode made its allegations in April and was quickly followed by a lengthy expose article by respected journalist Jon Krakauer. A full article on the newest lawsuit can be found here.

*They say the pen is mightier than the sword. Check out Flavorwire's 30 Harshest Author-on-Author Insults in History. They've got everyone from Mark Twain to Virginia Woolf to William Faulkner to Vladmir Nabokov all weighing in on their contemporaries and predecessors.

*Head over to our Book into Movie News Page for the latest on casting for Peter Jackson's film The Hobbit.

*The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction has been awarded to Andrea Levy for her novel The Long Song. Levy's novel is set on a sugar plantation in Jamaica in the 1830s. The Washington Post has called Levy "one of the best historical novelists of her generation." The book was a finalist for the 2010 Man Booker Prize as well as a New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year.

Sleepwalk with Me and Other Painfully True Stories

Sleepwalk with Me and Other Painfully True Stories

Author: Mike Birbiglia

ISBN: 9781439158005

Price: $14.00

Every once in a while you read a book that makes you laugh until you cry. Sometimes one also finds a book that feels like an old friend who’s just called to chat. Mike Birbiglia’s bestselling book Sleepwalk with Me and Other Painfully True Stories is both: he tells stories and in doing so, invites readers to share in his memories. Switching back and forth between stories of his childhood and adolescence and early years in comedy, Birbiglia maintains the conversational tone of an old friend who just has to tell you what happened today.

Update in Book into Film News

Check out the Book into Film page for an update on the newest Nicholas Sparks novel set to hit theaters.

BBC Samuel Johnson Prize Shortlist Announced

The BBC Samuel Johnson Prize Shortlist has been announced. The winner will be announced July 6.

This year's nominees....

Mao's Great Famine by Frank Dikotter
Caravaggio by Andrew Graham Dixon
Liberty's Exiles by Maya Jasanoff
The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley
Bismark: A Life by Jonathan Steinberg
Reprobates by John Stubbs

Summer Reads!

Looking for what to read this summer? Check out GBC's Summer Catalog 2011 for our picks for summer. From Robot Wars to summer cookouts to just a good laugh, these books have your summer entertainment needs covered.

Mystery J.K. Rowling Announcement to come

J.K. Rowling has set book lovers everywhere on edge with the unveiling of a website Pottermore. The site pictures two owls and links to a YouTube countdown to an announcement expected in 6 days. A spokeswoman for Rowling has said the announcement is NOT another Harry Potter novel, but they will not comment further. Fans everywhere are making their guesses as to what Pottermore could be and what exactly is Rowling's next project.

2011 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards

Winners have been announced for this year's 2011 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards. The awards are given for excellence in children's and young adult literature.

Fiction

Blink and Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones (Candlewick)

Nonfiction

The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, and Treachery by Steve Sheinkin (Flash Point/Roaring Brook)

Picture Book

Pocketful of Poesies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes by Sally Mavor (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Ben Franklin Awards, Lambda Awards, PEN/Malmud Award, Arab American Award Winners

Several literary award winners and nominees have been announced lately.

Keep reading for the latest on the Benjamin Franklin winners, Lambda Literary Award winners, the 2011 PEN/Malmud Award, and the 2011 Arab American Book Awards.

2011 Thriller Awards

Nominees have been announced for the 2011 Thriller Awards. The awards, given by the International Thriller Writers, will be handed out next month at the 2011 ThrillerFest.

2011 Thrillmaster Award: R.L. Stine

2011 Silver Bullet Award: Karin Slaughter

2011 True Thrill Award: Joe McGinniss

Paper Covers Rock

Title: Paper Covers Rock

Author: Jenny Hubbard

ISBN: 9780385740555

Releases on: June 14

It’s no secret that Young Adult literature is read by adults, and on an increasing level. Paper Covers Rock, I suspect, is a book which will be enjoyed even more by adults than by teens. Any book that inspires readers to pick up Moby-Dick must be, on some level, brilliant.

Orange Prize for Fiction and Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism

Orange Prize for Fiction

In a surprising win, this year's Orange Prize for Fiction went to twenty-five year old Tea Obreht for her debut novel The Tiger's Wife. Obreht is the youngest winner in the award's sixteen-year history. Other finalists for the award were: Emma Donoghue for Room, Nicole Krauss for Great House, Kathleen Winter for Annabel, and Emma Henderson for Grace Williams Says It Loud.


Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism
Out of 75 nominees, five finalists have been announced for this year's Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism.

Author Lilian Braun Jackson has passed away

Sad news in the literary world this week: prolific mystery author Lilian Braun Jackson died June 4, 2011. Jackson was the author of the popular Cat Who... mystery series. The series began in 1966 with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. Jackson wrote two sequels and then took an eighteen-year hiatus before continuing the series. In all, there are 29 books in the Cat Who... series, the most recent being The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers, published in 2007. Jackson was 69 years old.

Books into Film

Quick update: Check out our Books into Film page for an update on the casting of the film Mortal Instruments, based on the book by Cassandra Clare.

Mullah's Storm

Title: The Mullah's Storm
Author: Thomas W. Young
ISBN: 9780425242254
Releases: June 7, 2011

Thomas W. Young, a Senior Master Sergeant wtih the Air National Guard, knows war. At the end of his debut novel The Mullah's Storm, Young writes of his experiences and what led to the book. "When I first flew into Afghanistan, what scared me most wasn't the thought of getting shot down and killed. It was the thought of getting shot down and not killed" (p. 275). That fear becomes the basis for his book. What happens when a plane is shot down in a war zone and the passengers are not killed?

Memorial Day may be over...

Memorial Day was celebrated yesterday, but we're still honoring our troops every day. Click here for a great article on how to send our soldiers books.

Updates on Books into Movies

Check out our Books into Movies page for release dates for Peter Jackson's Hobbit films.

Also, just announced this morning, Golden Globe winner Donald Sutherland will be playing President Snow in the film The Hunger Games.

Robopocalypse

Title: Robopocalypse

Author: Daniel H. Wilson

ISBN: 9780385533850

On Sale: June 7

I will admit: Robopocalypse is not necessarily the best title. Robots rising against humans is not necessarily a new plot either. However, Daniel Wilson’s Robopocalypse is one of the most entertaining, thought-provoking books on the subject. From the outset, the reader knows only one thing: humans survive. Starting at the end of the war, Wilson frames his book with narration by Cormac “Bright Boy” Wallace, Military ID: Gray Horse Army 217, Human Retinal SID: 44V11902. Leader of a band of surviving humans, Wallace reveals that the Robot War has ended and humanity has triumphed. From there, readers are given a full account of the time leading up to and including the war itself.

Avox Girl revealed!

Lionsgate has announced another bit of casting news: the unnamed but unforgettable role of the Avox girl will be played by Amber Cheney.

Though relatively unknown, Chaney has appeared in Meet the Browns and Somebodies.

Mr. Popper's Penguins Trailer

Check out this family comedy coming out June 17, based on the children's classic Mr. Popper's Penguins.

New Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Trailer

A new trailer has been released for the highly-anticipated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

Indie Booksellers Choice Awards, Ondaatje Prize

Winners were announced Monday for the 1st Annual Indie Booksellers Choice Awards.
The winners are:

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (Night Shade Books)

The Instructions by Adam Levin (McSweeney's)

The Singer's Gun by Emily St. John Mandel (Unbridled)

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes (Grove/Atlantic)
Wingshooters by Nina Revoyr (Akashic)

Also just announced: The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal has been awarded the 2011 Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize. The award is given "for a distinguished work of fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place."

The shortlist for the prize included:

The Butterfly Isles by Patrick Barkham (Granta)

In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut (Atlantic Books)

Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph (Fourth Estate)

Landed by Tim Pears (Heinemann)

Red Plenty by Francis Spufford (Faber)

End of Oprah's Book Club

With the end of her show has come the end of Oprah's televised book club. The company has said that it may continue in some form on her network. Launched September 1996, the club has had 65 selections. The first selection was The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard, while the final was a double selection of Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

Cinna is Cast! And the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize is Awarded

Fans can finally put a face to the role of Cinna. One of the most pivotal roles in the series, and most anticipated in the film, has been cast. Lenny Kravitz has joined the cast as Katniss's beloved stylist. The news was announced last night and has been met with mixed reactions from the fans. What do you think?

Also recently announced, this year's Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction has been awarded to Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart. This is the first time that an American has won the traditionally British Award.

2011 Nebula Winners

Winners have been announced for the 2011 Nebula Awards. The awards are given each year for works of Science fiction, fantasy, or related fiction genre originaly published in English in the United States.

2011 Nebula Winners

Novel: Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis (Spectra)

Novella: The Lady Who Plucked Red Flowers Beneath the Queen's Room by Rachel Swirksy (Subterranean Summer '10)

Novellette: That Leviathan Whom Thou Hast Made by Eric James Stone (Analog 9/10)

Short Story (tie): "Ponies" by Kij Johnson (Tor.com, 1/17/10)
"How Interesting: A Tiny Man" by Harlan Ellison (Realms of Fantasy, 2/10)

Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation: Inception

Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book: I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett (Gollancz; Harper)

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.

Heaven is for Real

Title: Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

Author: Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent

ISBN: 9780849946158

            Colton Burpo was almost four years old when he visited Heaven. Todd Burpo, his father and the book’s author, is also a pastor. I had one question when I sat down with this book: did Colton really have this experience, or had he simply recounted what he’d heard his father preach?  This book is fairly convincing: Colton went to Heaven, or at the very least had some extremely vivid visions.

Film Adaptation News, James and the Giant Peach Anniversary

It seems many of our favorite books are quickly being adapted to TV and film. To keep you up-to-date on all the latest, we've added a new blog page titled Book Into Movie News. Check it out for the most current updates on all your favorite upcoming adaptations. Major news (will they ever cast Cinna in The Hunger Games?!) will still be posted on the main page of this blog as well.

In other news, Roald Dahl's classic James and the Giant Peach will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! In honor of the celebration, Puffin Books has launched Follow that Peach!, a website that allows fans to send Peach-grams either virtually or through snail mail. The goal is for each peach to reach 50 people, one for each year of the book. Currently there are 310 Peaches which have reached 364 people.

First Look at Katniss, plus possible casting of Portia and Octavia

Entertainment Weekly's new cover reveals a first look at Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, possibly putting to rest some fan concerns that Lawrence didn't fit the "look" of Katniss. What do you think?

In the newest possible casting (though this is unconfirmed), Portia and Octavia may have been cast. Rumor has it Peeta's stylist, Portia, will be played by Latarsha Rose. Octavia, a member of Katniss's prep team in the Capital, may be played by Brooke Bundy.

Man Booker International Prize

Philip Roth has been announced as the winner of this year's Man Booker International Prize. The award is given every two years to one living author for his or her full body of work. A formal dinner in Roth's honor will be held June 28 in London. In his acceptance, Roth said, "I hope the prize will bring me to the attention of readers around the world who are not familiar with my work. This is a great honor and I'm delighted to receive it."

Great Gatsby Casting News

Another role has been cast for Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Joel Edgerton will be playing the role of Tom Buchanan. Deadline.com reports that the role was originally supposed to be played by Ben Affleck, who had to back out due to scheduling conflicts. Below is the confirmed cast for the Warner Bros. film:
Jay Gatsby: Leonardo DiCaprio
Nick Carraway: Tobey Maguire
Daisy Buchanan: Carey Mulligan
Myrtle: Ilsa Fisher
Jordan Baker: Elizabeth Debicki
Tom Buchanan: Joel Edgerton

The film, due out some time next year, will be released in 3D.

2012 Hans Christian Anderson Award Nominees

The longlist has been announced for the 2012 Hans Christian Anderson Award. The award is given every two years to one author and one illustrator. The awards are presented by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). The shortlist will be announced March 10-11, 2012. The winners will be unveiled at a press conference at the Bologna Children's Book Fair on March 19, 2012.

The nominees for the United States are author Paul Fleischman and illustrator Chris Raschka.

A full list of nominees can be found here.

Ezra Jack Keats Award and Caine Prize for African Writing

This year's Ezra Jack Keats Award winners have been unveiled. In the category of New Writer, the winner is Laurel Croza for her book I Know Here (Groundwood Books; illustrated by Matt James). The winner for New Artist is Tao Nyeu for Bunny Days (Dial/Penguin). Nyeu also authored the book.

Also just announced: the shortlist for the Caine Prize for African Writing. The nominees come from 126 entries from 17 African countries. The winner will be announced July 11th in Oxford.

Adventures of Tintin Preview

A trailer was released yesterday for the upcoming Spielberg film Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn. Based on the work of Herge. The 3D film, produced by Peter Jackson, releases in theaters December 23.

Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea; Cloud Atlas; Heaven is For Real

Quick recap of the newest in book adaptations:

*NBC has released a sneak peek look at the new sitcom, Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea. Based loosely on the life of comedian Chelsea Handler (who authored a book of the same title), the sitcom follows waitress Chelsea Hanson, played by Laura Prepon (That 70's Show). Chelsea Handler is on the show as well, playing Chelsea Hanson's sister, Sloane.

*Jim Broadbent and Susan Sarandon will be joining the cast of the film Cloud Atlas, based on the book by David Mitchell. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, and Ben Whishaw have already signed on for the film, which is being directed by Andy and Lana Wachowski. Filming starts in September.

*Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent's bestselling book Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back is now on track to be adapted to film. Sony Pictures recently bought the screen rights. T.D. Jakes and Joe Roth (Alice in Wonderland) are set to produce. Roth has been quoted as saying the book reminded him of The Sixth Sense and could have appeal beyond the religious market. The book, based on Burpo's son, has already sold 4.5 million copies.

The Passage

Title: The Passage

Author: Justin Cronin

ISBN: 9780345504975

Release Date: May 17, 2011

            When asked what prompted him to write the book, Cronin has been quoted as saying that his daughter asked him to write a book about a girl who saves the world. The Passage is the result of that request.

Hunger Games casting, Book into Film News

Lots to talk about today with film adaptations of several books.

*Jess Walter has adapted his bestselling book The Financial Lives of the Poets into a screenplay for a film. The film, currently titled Bailout, will be directed by Michael Winterbottom and Jack Black is set to star. Filming will begin this August.

*The 2011 Cannes Film Festival will feature several films based on movies, many of them featuring major Hollywood actors. Among the highlights:
-The Killer Elite (based on the novel by Ranulph Fiennes), starring Jason Statham and Robert DeNiro
-Drive (based on the novel by James Sallis), starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan
-The Skin I Live In (based on the novel by Thierry Jonquet), starring Antonio Banderas
-We Need to Talk About Kevin (based on the novel by Lionel Shriver), starring Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly

*Hunger Games news: Cato and Clove have been cast! The District 2 tributes will be played by Alexander Ludwig and Isabelle Fuhrman, respectively. With this news, all 24 tributes of the Hunger Games have been cast. The final remaining role to be announced is that of beloved stylist Cinna.

2011 Indies Choice Awards and E.B. White Award Winners

We're a bit late in announcing it, but the American Booksellers Association (ABA) last month announced the 2011 Indies Choice Book Award winners as well as the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award winners.

James Beard Foundation Book Awards

The 2011 James Beard Foundation Book Awards have been announced. The awards are given annually to cookbooks and books pertaining to the culinary world.

Cookbook Hall of Fame
On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee

Cookbook of the Year
Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy by Diana Kennedy (University of Texas Press)

Les Miserables

Title: Les Miserables

 Author:  Victor Hugo

ISBN: 9780451525260

 Victor Hugo's classic masterpiece, Les Miserables, is a beautiful story of morality, law, justice, love, war, loss, heroism, and redemption. Often explained as simply “the story of a man's quest for redemption,” Les Miserables is that and much more. It is a story of many multi-layered, complex characters and the way their lives intertwine with one another. It is the story of Valjean, the former convict seeking redemption, and Javert, the obsessed inspector desperate for justice. It's the story of Fantine, a beautiful young woman forced to sell everything, including herself, to provide for her young daughter. It's the story of Marius, the young man who finds himself penniless and befriended by student leaders early in the French Revolution. It's the story of Eponine Thenardier, raised by her villainous parents to help in their schemes, who finds herself helping the man she loves pursue someone else. It's the stories of all of les miserables (“the miserable ones”).

Reviews coming soon...plus Woody Harrelson is Haymitch Abernathy!

This week's review is a bit late, but stay tuned in the next few days for a review of a classic that's one of my favorites. Anyone care to venture a guess?
Also coming soon, a review of the highly-anticipated Robopocalypse. This book is now responsible for me finally deciding to see Terminator, as many I've spoken with have said the plot sounds similar. Stay tuned for the review to find out if they're right.

Now, for those of you eagerly awaiting the Hunger Games film, one of the biggest supporting roles has been cast! Haymitch Abernathy, the drunken former-winner-turned-trainer, will be played by Woody Harrelson. Rumors were circulating in recent weeks that the role was being offered to John C. Reilly (whose rep immediately denied the claim). Personally, I'd never thought of Harrelson for the role (I was one of many hoping for Robert Downey, Jr.), but I think Harrelson will not only pull it off but be absolutely wonderful. What do you think of the casting choices thus far?

Stanley Tucci is Caesar Flickman

Just announced within the last hour: the newest addition to The Hunger Games cast is Stanley Tucci! The Hollywood favorite will be playing talkshow host Caesar Flickman.

Let's see who they'll cast next!

Wes Bentley is Seneca Crane

Just announced within the last couple of hours--Wes Bentley has been cast as Seneca Crane, head gamesmaker for the 74th annual Hunger Games in the Hunger Games film. This comes after last week's rumor that the role was possibly to be filled by Woody Harrelson.
Only a few district tributes remain to be cast. We've yet to hear word on some of the film's major supporting roles, including stylist Cinna, President Snow, and trainer Haymitch Abernathy.
What do you think of the choice of Wes Bentley? Who should be cast next?

Godfather Prequel in the Works

Grand Central Publishing, part of Hachette Book Group, will be publishing a new book next year that should draw plenty of fans: a prequel to Mario Puzo's classic The Godfather. The prequel, currently titled The Family Corleone, is said to be set in Depression-era New York City and will show readers how Vito Corleone became the Don. The Family Corleone, written by Ed Falco, draws on an unproduced play written by the late Puzo and is due out June 2012.

Hunger Games Movie Cast, The Host, and R.L. Stine Film

Lots of book-to-film news today:

*The cast of The Hunger Games continues to fill out with the additions of newcomers Samuel Tan and Mackenzie Lintz as the tributes of District 8. The Hunger Games will be the film debut of both actors.

*R.L. Stine's new It's the First Day of School...Forever has been optioned as a film by Gotham Group. The book releases July 5th.

*Stephenie Meyer's The Host is also set to be a film adapted by Andrew Niccols. Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones, Atonement) is set to star.

Hunger Games Casting Update

Two more districts have been cast:
The unnamed tributes of District 6 will be played by Ashton Moio and Kara Peterson.
The unnamed tributes of District 7 will be played by Sam Ly and Leigha Hancock.

2011 Children's Choice Book Award Winners

Winners of the 2011 Children's Choice Book Awards have been announced.

Author of the Year

Rick Riordan, The Lost Hero: The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1

(Disney-Hyperion)

Illustrator of the Year

 David Wiesner, Art and Max (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

1st Annual Booksellers Choice Finalists

The list of finalists has been released for the 1st Annual Booksellers Choice Awards. The awards, sponsored by Melville House and Shelf Awareness, will be voted on by participating booksellers until May 20. Winners will be announced May 23.

Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him

Title: Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him

Author: Fmr. Capt. Luis Carlos Montalván

ISBN: 9781401324292

Publisher: Hyperion

Release Date: May 3, 2011

            I still can’t quite explain what made me pick up Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him. Perhaps it was Tuesday’s lovable face on the cover, staring right at the reader. Perhaps it was the image of the dog tags hanging out of his mouth. I think it may have been the subtitle. A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him. How could a dog have saved a warrior? 

Arthur C. Clarke Award and the 2010 L.A. Times Book Prize

More literary awards to announce!
The Arthur C. Clarke Award was given last week to Lauren Beukes for her novel Zoo City.

Additionally, the 2010 L.A. Times Book Prizes were announced this weekend.

The Firm adapted for Television

John Grisham's bestselling novel The Firm may soon be a TV series. Already sold for international distribution as a series, Deadline.com reports that the TV adaptation is also zeroing in on a deal with a domestic network. Thanks to the international distribution, the series has already been given the green light for 22 episodes, even before talks with NBC began. The television series, adapted by Lucas Reiter, will pick up 10 years after the end of the film The Firm and will follow attorney Mitch McDeere and his family as they emerge from ten years in the Federal Witness Protection Program.

2011 Edgar Award Winners announced

The winners of the 2011 Edgar Awards have been announced by the Mystery Writers of America. The awards are given annually to the best of the best in the mystery genre.

Best Novel
The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton (Minotaur Books)

Hunger Games News: District 5 cast and big names in the running for roles

Lots going on with the Hunger Games casting. It seems every day brings another casting announcement. Yesterday it was the tributes for District 5. Newcomer Chris Mark will play the unnamed boy tribute from District 5. The elusive Foxface, the girl tribute from District 5, will be played by newcomer Jacqueline Emerson.
Click here for the official Facebook page of the Hunger Games movie to get a visual on each of the tributes.

While casting seems to be focusing on unknown actors for the roles of the tributes, some big names are being thrown around for the remaining roles. Earlier this week, Elizabeth Banks officially signed on as Effie Trinket. Now rumor has it Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, and Lenny Kravitz are up for some of the remaining roles. According to some, Harrelson may have been offered the role of Seneca Crane, Head Gamemaker for the 74th Hunger Games. Where does that leave Tucci and Kravitz? Anyone care to venture a guess?

Hunger Games Update: District 4 Tributes Cast & Effie

More news on the Hunger Games movie cast: Elizabeth Banks is now officially cast as Effie Trinket. The actress had been in talks all week about taking on the role and today it has been confirmed.
Also added to the cast: Ethan Jamieson and Tara Macken as the tributes for District 4.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 Trailer Released

July is still a few months away, but yesterday Warner Bros. released the trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2. This will be the final film in the epic film series based on the now-classic Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Check it out:

Robopocalypse

Book to film news for a book not yet released? Daniel Wilson's Robopocalypse won't be available for purchase until June 7, but the film is already in pre-production. Stephen Spielberg is set to direct, with Drew Goddard already at work on the script. Goddard also penned the 2008 film Cloverfield, as well as episodes of "Lost," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Alias," and "Angel." According to a January article from Vanity Fair, Guy Dyas is working on the project as well. Dyas worked as the production designer for the film Inception. The film Robopocalypse is set for a 2013 release.

I was able to get an early copy of Robopocalypse and will be posting a full review as soon as I finish it.

"Three Cups of Tea" still under fire

Controversy is still surrounding Greg Mortenson and the accuracy of his books, Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools. Yesterday, a former climbing partner claimed to have "misspoken" to Jon Krakauer about Mortenson's climbing experiences. Regardless of the partner's words, Krakauer had numerous sources, including an article penned by Mortenson himself.
Today, I came across an editorial published in New York Times on April 20. The editorial, written by Nicholas Kristof, reserves judgement of Mortenson. I found it to be fair and reasonable. Anyone following the Tea-scandal can read the editorial here.

Noah Barleywater Runs Away

Title: Noah Barleywater Runs Away

Author: John Boyne

ISBN: 9780385752466

Releases: May 10, 2011

In John Boyne’s new novel Noah Barleywater Runs Away, our title character is eight years old when he decides to run away. As he points out, as old as he is, he still hasn’t accomplished anything. Besides that, there are problems at home that Noah would rather not think about. Noah instead journeys through the woods and passes through two strange villages before coming to a third village with a wondrous toy shop.

Update: Haymitch Role Still Up for Grabs?

Yesterday we posted that a rumor has been circulating that John C. Reilly may have been offered the role of Haymitch Abernathy in the upcoming film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. Today, Reilly's agent has denied that the offer was made and said claimed that NY Mag, the magazine that first broke the story, didn't check their facts before announcing the offer.
Fan picks across the web seem to have the field narrowed down. With that in mind, we've got a new poll up. Who do you want to see as Haymitch?

Also announced today, more tributes have been cast! Newcomers Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott join the cast of The Hunger Games as the unnamed tributes from District 3, a district of Panem with vast knowledge of electronics and technology.

More Hunger Games Cast Announced

The cast of the upcoming Hunger Games film seems to be growing almost daily! Rumor has it the role of Haymitch MAY have been offered to John C. Reilly. As of the writing of this blog, this is just a rumor. What are your thoughts? Could Reilly play the surly, drunken Haymitch?

Among the most recent confirmed announcements: Elizabeth Banks will be playing the bubbly pink-haired Effie Trinket and Paula Malcolmson will be joining the cast as Mrs. Everdeen (mother of Katniss and Prim).

Here's a recap of all announced cast members, including tributes for Districts 1 and 11:

2011 Hugo Award Nominees

Nominations have been announced for the 2011 Hugo Awards. The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Reno, Nevada on August 20.

Best Novel
Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis (Ballantine Spectra)
Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen)
The Dervish House by Ian McDonald (Gollancz; Pyr)
Feed by Mira Grant (Orbit)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit)

Three Cups of Deceit

The book world (and news in general) is on fire this week amid allegations that Greg Mortenson's bestselling memoir Three Cups of Tea and its sequel Stones into Schools may not be truthful after all.

Jon Krakauer, a respected journalist and bestselling author, this week published an 89-page expose entitled Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way. The article comes immediately following a 60 Minutes episode which also suggests that much of the books may have been fabricated.

Hunger Games News!

Now that Katniss, Peeta, and Gale have been cast, fans worldwide have been waiting to hear who would be cast next. Haymitch? Effie?
Two more have been added to the cast: fellow tributes Thresh and Rue will be played by Dayo Okeniyi and Amandla Stenberg, respectively.
Read the full article from Entertainment Weekly here.

Just announced hours ago, Primrose "Prim" Everdeen, Katniss's younger sister has been cast as well: newcomer Willow Shields will make her film debut in the role.
Read the full article from the L.A. Times here

Help Trailer Released

The first official trailer has been released for the film adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's bestseller The Help. The film releases August 12.

Books into Film News

Lots of news this week about long-anticipated film adaptations. Here's a quick rundown:

*HBO is in talks to acquire rights to Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods as a potential fantasy series. American Gods will celebrate its 10 year anniversary this summer.

*Lionsgate has hired Craig Gillespie as director for the film version of Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

*Fox 2000 has hired on Matt Reeves to direct the film version of Justin Cronin's bestseller The Passage. Reeves previously directed and was a writer for Let Me In, based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

*Games of Thrones debuted on HBO. The first episode had 4.2 million viewers. HBO has already ordered a second season of the show, based on the novel by George R.R. Martin.

Pulitzer Prize Winners Announced

This year's Pulitzer Prize winners have been announced!

Fiction
Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (winner)
The Privileges by Jonathan Dee (finalist)
The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee (finalist)

Pre-order The Bippolo Seed!

Earlier we announced that a NEW Dr. Seuss book is coming out this September (the 27th, to be exact). Now you can pre-order the title through Garfield Book Company. Reserve your copy today at Garfield Book Company or email us with your name and telephone number along with how many copies you'd like.

The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories includes stories by Seuss that were previously published in magazines in 1950-51 which have never been available in book form. Order your copy of literary history today!

Team of Rivals News

Casting Update: Doris Kearn Goodwin's Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, currently being adapted by Pulitzer- and Tony-winner Tony Kushner and Oscar winner Stephen Spielberg, is tentatively scheduled for release late in 2012. Daniel Day-Lewis will be playing the famed President Lincoln. Just announced, Sally Field will be playing First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.

Anyone else curious what the film will look like? With such stars and award winners heading the project, it seems off to a good start.

Life of Pi Film and More

Yann Martel's bestselling novel Life of Pi will soon be a feature film. Seventeen year-old Suraj Sharma will make his film debut in the lead role. The film also stars Adil Hussain and Irrfan Khan. Tobey Maguire, recently added to the cast list, will play a writer interviewing the boy as an adult. The film, directed by Ang Lee, is scheduled for a tentative release in December 2012.

Also just announced: The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood has been optioned by HBO films. Katherine Heigl is set to star in and produce the project. Award-winning playwright Craig Wright will pen the adaptation.

Two Kisses for Maddy

Title: Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love

Author: Matthew Logelin

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

ISBN: 9780446564304

Published: April 2011

Two Kisses for Maddy is the type of story no one imagines having to tell, the kind of story no one wants to be real. Matt and Liz Logelin meet their senior year of high school. Their relationship survives college long-distance, with Matt in Minnesota and Liz in California, and real world distance when Matt’s work later takes him around the world for months at a time. Their determination and love for one another seems to be leading to a storybook life: they buy a beautiful home and Liz learns she is pregnant with a baby girl. Her pregnancy is difficult and plagued by severe nausea and bouts of bed rest. Still, Matt and Liz are certain it will all be worth it.

"Unsuitable" Children's Books

Check out this fantastic article from The Guardian, linked in today's Shelf Awareness, by Patrick Ness. What "adult" books should actually be read by teens? What was your favorite book as a teenager?
Read the list here

Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by Dr. Seuss

Surprise! Coming this fall from Random House, a NEW collection from Dr. Seuss! Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories includes seven stories that were originally published in magazines in 1950-1951. The stories have never been published in book form.

Nothing

Title: Nothing

Author: Janne Teller

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

ISBN: 9781416985792

            I first picked up the Danish novel Nothing after hearing it described as “Lord of the Flies for the 21^st century.” It’s a quick read, 227 pages of a larger font size and some of those pages have only a sentence or two. Still, Nothing is one of the most powerful books I’ve read in some time. It’s disturbing, gut-wrenching, and somewhat horrifying.

Hunger Games Film News!

It's official: the three lead roles for the film adaptation of the wildly popular Hunger Games series have been cast! Earlier this month, Jennifer Lawrence (Oscar-nominee for Winter's Bone) was cast in the lead role of Katniss Everdeen. The two male leads were announced yesterday: Josh Hutcherson (The Kids are Alright) will play Peeta Mellark while Liam Hemsworth (Last Song) is set to play Gale Hawthorne.
Fans may rest easier knowing that Suzanne Collins is said to have signed off on the casting choices and was even present at Hutcherson's audition. Of Hutcherson, Collins has said, "Three lines into the read I knew he'd be fantastic." In early March, Hutcherson spoke about his strong desire for the role in an interview with Entertainment Weekly where the actor said, "I love Peeta. The character is so much who I am--self depricating, a people person. And he'd be such a great character to play! Like in the third book? Oh my God."

So what do you think of the casting choices? Love them? Hate them?
Now that these roles are cast, who do you want to see as Haymitch and Effie, or the other characters?

Man Booker International Prize

Finalists have been announced for the 2011 Man Booker International Prize! Awarded every two years for achievements in fiction, this year's winner will be announced May 18 at the Sydney Writers' Festival. The winner will also be honored at an awards ceremony June 28 in London.

New Harry Potter Poster!

It's still months away, but a new poster has been released for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The film is the final in the adaptation of the bestselling Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

Anyone else looking forward to the final showdown?

Three Musketeers Film

The first official trailer has been released for the latest film adaptation of The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. This one, scheduled for an October 2011 release, stars Logan Lerman (of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Lightning Thief), Orlando Bloom, and Oscar winner Christoph Waltz.

Kat, Incorrigible

Title: Kat, Incorrigible

Author: Stephanie Burgis

ISBN: 9781416994473

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Release Date: April 5, 2011

Imagine Ramona Quimby dropped into the world of Jane Austen and add a touch of magic. The result is the charming, and funny, Kat, Incorrigible. Katherine “Kat” Stephenson is learning, to her own amazement, that she’s inherited her mother’s magical talents. Her mother, a known witch, caused quite a scandal in her life, but died just after Kat was born.

Children's Choice Book Awards

The Children's Choice Book Award Finalists have been revealed!

Kids can vote online at from March 14 to April 29th. Winners will be announced in May at the Children's Choice Book Awards gala.

Here's a quick recap of the nominees

Author of the Year
Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay: The Final Book of the Hunger Games
Stephenie Meyer, The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner
Rick Riordan, The Lost Hero: The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1
Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth
Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel: The Infernal Devices, Book 1

Illustrator of the Year
Loren Long, Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters
David Wiesner, Art & Max
Mo Willems, Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion
Robin Preiss Glasser, Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique
Nancy Tillman, Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You

Kat, Incorrigible

Quick sneak peak at a terrific new book for kids aged 8-12. Kat, Incorrigible is fantastic. Think of Ramona Quimby dropped into a Jane Austen novel with a touch of magic. Great fun! Full review soon!

The Emerald Atlas

Title: The Emerald Atlas: Book I of the Books of Beginning

Author: John Stephens

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

ISBN: 9780375868702

Releases: April 5, 2011

When I first heard of The Emerald Atlas, I read that it was the start to a “generation-defining” series, and even read a comparison to the Harry Potter series. The simplest summary, featured in many of the marketing ads is just this: “the story of three children who set out to save their family and end up having to save the world.”

You Know When the Men are Gone

Title: You Know When the Men are Gone

Author: Siobhan Fallon

ISBN: 9780399157202
Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books

The news is spattered with stories of our soldiers, but not necessarily of their personal lives. You Know When the Men are Gone, a new novel from Siobhan Fallon, gives readers just that: a glimpse into the lives of soldiers and their families. Fallon, herself a military spouse, focuses her novel on Fort Hood, Texas.