‘PW’ Unveils Top Titles of 2009 :

Seven books from the Random House imprints, two from Norton and one from Penguin comprise the first-ever Top 10 list of the best adult books of the year as compiled by the review editors of PW.

Really?  Really?  It's not even November 1 yet, and I'm hit with my first "Best of" list. 

Sigh. 

I guess I should have seen this coming when I saw Christmas decorations in the stores over the summer. 

It's time.

You've waited too long.

I know you've longed for it, like a good meal, a glass of wine, a cigarette, or a vacant bathroom stall.

And, because I love you, I'm gonna give it to you.

Do you think you can handle it?

Do ya?

Really?

Okay then.

Hot library smut.

Hater by David Moody


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A growing epidemic of random violence sweeps across England. Society collapses as everyone wonders whether the person next to them might turn into a raging murderer, whether that person is a stranger, neighbor, friend, spouse, or even child. The Haters have superhuman strength to match their murderous rage.

At first, I had a hard time with this book because the narrator is a bit unlikeable. As the book goes on, however, that bothered me less (though it was still true). The book is a quick read and well-paced, and at times very violent and bloody (the cover is streaked with blood so what do you expect?). It will stick with you, making you ask how well you really know the person next to you.

Note: A movie is planned, as are 2 sequels.

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Here's a kind of cheesy video, designed to promote the book:

These statistics make me sad, though I don't doubt their veracity. I have copied them from one of the many book blogs I read and had trouble verifying the source (the provided link didn't go directly to a press release or anything and I was unable to locate any more).

1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
57 percent of new books are not read to completion.
70 percent of books published do not earn back their advance.
70 percent of the books published do not make a profit.
(Source: Jerold Jenkins, www.JenkinsGroupInc.com)

My librarian heart breaks.

The Southern Festival of Books ended yesterday, but I went to a reading and signing this evening at our local Davis Kidd bookstore, just down the road from work. Author Stephen Mansfield, who has written a variety of books about religious faith, including books on both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, has written has a new history of Guinness.



Here's a little bit from the publisher's description: "It began in Ireland in the late 1700's. The water in Ireland, indeed throughout Europe, was famously undrinkable, and the gin and whiskey that took its place was devastating civil society. It was a disease ridden, starvation plagued, alcoholic age, and Christians like Arthur Guinness-as well as monks and even evangelical churches-brewed beer to offer a healthier alternative to the poisonous waters and liquors of the times."

Mansfield commented tonight that many people of faith find alcohol reprehensible, which has not always been true for a great many Christian denominations. However, he is not encouraging people to drink.

The more important thrust of the book seems to be, in the wake of the financial crisis, the Enrons, Worldcoms, Bernie Madoff's, and AIG's of the world, that Arthur Guinness founded a company on Christian principles that made money, appreciated its workers of whatever faith, and promoted proper morality and respect. Many of the benefits Guinness put in place for his workers would be unheard of even today.

As an added bonus, the author adjourned after the Q & A to the bookstore's cafe where the first round of Guinness draught was on him. I had to drive home, so one round was more than enough. Huzzah! I really liked him, and not just because he bought me beer.

I'm looking forward to reading it.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Imagine a smart young man, full of drive, but disappointed in reality after growing up on a diet of Narnia. Set in the contemporary "real" world, The Magicians imagines what would happen if magic were real. Quentin Coldwater is soon drafted into a school for people with the talent to become magicians. We watch him grow up to learn shocking secrets about the fantasy world of his youth.

The author does a brilliant job borrowing generously from The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, as well as The Lord of the Rings and other classic fantasies, to break down those stories and imagine some of the real psychological consequences of magical power. In doing so, it manages to both satirize and deconstruct the fantasy genre.

This is a serious adult novel, but for adults who were raised on fantasy and/or still indulge in the genre. Highly recommended.

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I know you're going to be shocked by this.

I went to the Southern Festival of Books this weekend. I know it's hard to believe. Me, avid reader and librarian, at a book festival. What's even more surprising is how many of my library colleagues and friends I ran into there.

Okay, that's hooey. There's no surprise at all in any of it.

rosepurr had Friday off and I took it. We made our way downtown. Michael Sims, normally a nature writer, has found a passion for Victorian literature and he's promoting an anthology of gaslight era stories about the bad guys. There are lots of anthologies of detective stories of that time, but the more sordid stories of the lowlifes and criminals then have been buried by history. He's doing a fine job resurrecting them.

We also attended a reading of Southern gothic novels by Ron Rash and William Gay. I have been hearing about Ron Rash for awhile now, though I haven't read his work; I was entirely unfamiliar with Gay. The acoustics in the room were awful. Rash was hard to hear. Gay was impossible to hear. rosepurr said listening to Gay in that room was like listening to Bob Dylan read the phone book on a drive-through speaker. Nice. But I did peruse and purchase books from both, and got them both to sign.

We also attended a panel of female thriller and horror writers. I think rosepurr enjoyed that one more than I did, and we did leave with a few more titles on our to-read list and under our arms.

Dangerous places - book festivals. My heart and mind are happier, but my wallet feels hollow.

We came home, had dinner, and unsurprisingly read well into the night.

Saturday morning, we picked up our CSA and got back to the house just as our friends yrmencyn and Jerrod arrived. They accompanied us back to the book festival. They attended different events than I, which was good because I got to hear about them. I saw Dave Cullen who wrote a book I want to read, simply called Columbine, a thorough account of that tragedy and its aftermath. It was fascinating, albeit tough to listen to at times. One of the audience members, an elementary school teacher, commented that she had read the book, but could only do 2 pages at a time. I understand that.

I also went to hear probably the biggest star of the festival - Buzz Aldrin, who has a new memoir out. He admitted at the outset that he doesn't enjoy public speaking, and it showed. I still have a great deal of respect for him - he walked on the moon, for God's sake - but the talk wasn't exactly captivating. I'll still read the book. They were sold out of copies so I didn't get him to sign, unfortunately.

Then we did some browsing and eating and coffee drinking. Finally, we went back for a panel by Kevin Wilson and John Pritchard. It was really them reading, which was wonderful, but the panel was dedicated to "Profane and Profound — Books of Distinctive Southern Characters." We all laughed out loud several times. Kevin Wilson only has one book to date, a collection of short stories called Tunneling to the Center of the Earth. Pritchard just published a sequel, called Yazoo Blues, to his earlier Junior Ray. They both got some of my money yesterday and they were kind enough to sign as well.

We went out for dinner and drinks after. It was a great day.

Today, rosepurr and I are lounging about, drinking coffee, checking email, reconnecting. Soon we'll start preparing for the week - doing laundry, dishes, straightening up, etc. I also want some downtime to read some of my new books.

I may have said this before, but Nashville keeps growing on me. It has taken time to adjust to living here, to get comfortable here, but it's starting to feel like home. With the Southern Festival of Books and the Americana fest, the Ryman, Broadway, favorite restaurants and a continually growing circle of friends, Nashville has gained a personality uniquely its own. It has become our friend itself.

The Post-American World by Fareed Zakaria


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Thoughtful and thought-provoking, Fareed Zakaria makes a clear and compelling case for the "rise of the rest" rather than American decline, as the title might suggest. He focuses primarily on the growing economies of India and China while talking about America's strengths and weaknesses in being a world power in a changing world. Zakaria cites many statistics and historical precedents, but does so in elegant prose that is accessible and easy to understand. Highly recommended.

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Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography by Chester Brown


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A "biography" done as a graphic novel. I read this as part of my Experimental Book Club. The author takes great liberty with historical events, to the point it is probably fiction rather than non-fiction. However, it was interesting to read about this major figure in Canadian, whom I knew nothing about, that some consider a martyr and others consider a rebel and a murder.

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Lamentation by Ken Scholes


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The city of Windwir, with its huge Library, explodes in a devastating attack, killing everyone in it. An ancient weapon has been rediscovered, but who is ultimately responsible? It is an event that fundamentally changes the world and its people, down to their fundamental beliefs.

This is a rich fantasy novel. The world is interesting and well-drawn. The writing is sharp and the characters stay with you. It is full of political intrigue and riveting twists and turns that keep you turning pages, even through a couple of (slightly) slower parts. Sequels are expected, and I plan to read (the first is due out in October).

If you enjoy fantasy novels, particularly of political-type intrigue, put this at the top of your list.

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I have to work today. That's right, I'm laboring on Labor Day. Well, if you can call what I do labor. And today is not exactly my most productive day either.

To make myself feel better, I'm posting some LIBRARY PORN.

This is very special library porn, too. These are actually pictures from Neil Gaiman's home library. Yes, the Gaiman of Sandman and American Gods and Stardust and others.

So here it is.

And here is the reference section.

This one is my personal favorite. [WARNING: Link to huge pictures. May take time to load.] Even the big comfy reading chair has been taken over by the books. Makes me feel a bit better about where rosepurr and I keep ours. Either that, or they are taken over my cats.

In other book-related goodness, retiring Supreme Court justice David Souter bought a new house. He had planned to retire back to his family's farmhouse in New Hampshire, but it won't hold all his books.

Enjoy. And Happy Labor Day!

B Is for Beer by Tom Robbins


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A short entertaining book about the history, making, and importance of beer. Written from the perspective of an inquisitive six-year-old, this may be the most easily accessible of Robbins's books, though obviously it doesn't have as much of the wordplay or insight he is known for (don't worry - it's in there - just not as plentiful).

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The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A fitting, epic conclusion to a great YA series. I didn't want it to end, but it's very satisfying.




Vanilla Ride by Joe R. Lansdale


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love Joe R. Lansdale and I'm a huge fan of his Hap & Leonard series. I haven't read all of them . . . yet. This is a great return to the series for Lansdale with its poetic vulgar language and violence. A blast!

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The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A disturbing and entertaining noir novel from the 1950's. Considered very shocking when it came out, it still holds pretty well as its protagonist-narrator is both unreliable and unrepentant. Well-written, brutal and riveting.

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Money Shot by Christa Faust

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first book from Hard Case Crime written by a woman, "a Veronica in a world of Betties," according to Quentin Tarantino. Former porn star Angel Dare is shot and left for dead. Will she have the strength to exact her revenge? If so, will she have the strength to stop?

The book is gory and graphic at times and paints a vivid, disturbing picture of the contemporary porn industry. It is also quickly paced, well-written and an exciting read.

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The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third installment of the fantastic Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Intrigue and adventure build as Percy listens still more about being a half-blood and what it truly means to become a hero.

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