Westport Public Library BOOK blog

1-Exile, identity and disappointment infuse these tales of families straddling two cultures and uncomfortable in both. Lahiri’s writing is seamless, her characters strike no false notes, her understanding of immigrant experience gives unusual emotional depth as the generations sort out their lives. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

2-The world’s largest defense contractor stars in this terrifying thriller. Events are set in motion to change the world. Whole Truth by David Baldacci

3-A condemned inmate offers an organ transplant. Picoult builds her dramatic story around current issues of transplants, capital punishment, justice and redemption and glues it all together with family ties. Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

4-Political and legal intrigue informs the campaign for a seat on the state’s Supreme Court. Meeting the standard for legal thrillers set by The Firm in 1991, this is Grisham’s 20th novel. The Appeal by John Grisham

5-Lower East Side Manhattan – its history and culture revealed in perfect dialogue as a random shooting reverberates through the neighborhood. Revelatory detail from the master of urban crime fiction. Lush Life by Richard Price

6-Alex Delaware returns to examine the depths of the criminal mind and solve the mystery of Los Angeles depravity. Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman

7-A young woman sets out to find her missing brother, who calls home once a year, but cannot be found. Danger and mystery build to a deadly confrontation. Where Are You Now by Mary Higgins Clark

8-A sadistic killer in the suburbs. A maybe-suicidal teen. Distracted parents. Domestic troubles. Career concerns. Privacy issues. Coben touches all our vulnerabilities in this thriller. Hold Tight by Harlan Coben

9- The third time you share tea with a villager, you have become family. So goes (more or less) the proverb. Read this for inspiration and hope, as unlikely friendships chip away at hostility and distrust. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

10- The opt-out generation up close. What happens when educated women choose not to work.
Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer.

If you attended our author series when Elinor Lipman spoke about her book My Latest Grievance (2006), you will recall she told us that one of her previous novels, Then She Found Me was slated for film with Helen Hunt directing and starring. It's the story of a young woman whose birth mother pops up in the middle of her already complicated life. Authors often mention the possibility of their books becoming films, but usually with an implicit or explicit “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Well, it has happened! Helen Hunt has been ubiquitous in the media talking about the film. Hunt co-wrote the script and directed and acted in the film. It has been a ten-year project for her. In case you've missed the publicity, here's a recent interview.

Elinor Lipman writes smart novels about contemporary society. Two of her other books have been optioned by Universal Studios. Any of her novels is a good read.

This week’s top ten most popular books…with a little something about each author.
For reviews of the books, click each title to go the catalog.

1-Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Lahiri has three Masters Degrees from Boston University in English, Creative Writing & Comparative Studies in Literature and Arts. She also has a PhD in Renaissance Studies.

2-The Appeal by John Grisham
Grisham served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1983-1990.

3-Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
Picoult lives in Hanover New Hampshire with her husband, three children, two Springer spaniels, two donkeys, two geese, three ducks, six chickens and an occasional Holstein.

4-Lush Life by Richard Price
Price has written numerous screenplays (Color of Money, Sea of Love, Shaft among others) and is often featured in cameo roles in the movies he writes.

5-Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman
Kellerman has a PhD in psychology with a specialty in treating children.

6-Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
Mortenson grew up on the slopes of MT Kilamanjaro where his father was founder of a medical center and his mother founded an international school.

7-The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller
Miller entered Radcliffe College at age 16.

8-Beautiful Boy: a Father’s Journey through his Son’s Addiction by David Sheff
Sheff is mortified that he ever found Hunter S. Thompson funny.

9-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Follet plays bass guitar in a band called Damn Right I Got the Blues.

10-Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer
Wolitzer was published at age 11 and appointed a guest editor of Kids magazine.

Have you noticed the newest addition to our display tables? Stop in Monday through Friday
after 1 pm and see what new books were added to the Library collection that day.

Often I am asked how books are selected. A committee of fifteen reads reviews in journals like Library Journal, Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews every week. Then, we meet to make the selections and discuss our decisions. The order is placed and always includes other books that have been requested by Library users. When the books arrive from our vendors, they are cataloged and processed. After “revision” (a check that all the data is correct), the books go to the circulation desk to be checked in. Books with holds are put on the hold shelf and the rest go to the display table – “Today’s NEW Books”

You will find a wide range of topics and genres. Our general goal is to cover all subjects of interest and all points of view. Here are some "Today’s NEW Books" on Tuesday April 15:
The White King: a novel by Gyorgy Dragoman – an 11-year-old boy narrates…set in Romania, these interconnected stories are based on the author’s experience as a member of the Hungarian minority in the totalitarian state that was his home…the joys and humiliations of growing up… a child’s-eye view in riveting prose.

That Little Something: Poems by Charles Simic – The nineteenth collection of our current Poet Laureate…”the strange interplay between reality and imagination….”

Mistress of the Revolution: a novel by Catherine Delors – a love story set in turbulent Revolutionary France at the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
(Read it to set the scene for an author talk at the Library on Monday April 28 at noon, when Susan Nagel speaks on her book Marie-Therese: Child of Terror:the Fate of Marie Antoinette's Daughter.)

Flying High: Remembering Barry Goldwater by William F. Buckley, Jr. – key episodes from the history of the conservative movement and the presidential campaign of a political visionary…the poignant "Acknowledgments" was written a short time before Buckley’s death.
(John Dean & Barry Goldwater, Jr. have created another biography of the conservative movement’s standard bearer- based on Goldwater’s journals and letters, Pure Goldwater has been ordered.)

The Wife by Meg Wolitzer was my first choice. After 40 years of marriage, Joan Castleman has decided to leave her award winning writer-husband. In a series of flashbacks we come to understand what her marriage has been like, and what led her to this decision. This book is well written and witty, but sad. Book groups will have much to say about Wolitzer’s characters. The Ten Year Nap, her latest novel about marriage, motherhood and female ambition already is in great demand. I definitely want to read it, but I may wait for my next vacation so I don’t have to rush it.

Tom Perotta’s The Abstinence Teacher was my second vacation read. I loved Little Children and his latest book did not disappoint. Perotta captures the suburban lifestyle in this story about a health education teacher and her daughter’s born-again Christian soccer coach which deals with some timely issues. It is humorous, but thought provoking. Perfect material to generate a lively discussion at any book club.

How to be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward was the last book I packed for my trip. It is the story of the Winters family, who seem to have it all until their five year old daughter disappears. Fifteen years later a photograph in a magazine inspires Caroline, the oldest sibling to begin a search for her lost sister. Caroline’s journey is as much about finding herself as it is a search for her little sister. Ward’s characters are both compelling and identifiable. This is a beautifully written and touching story. I really enjoyed it.

So that’s what I read on my vacation this time. Do you have any reading suggestions for my next trip?

“I am probably one of the most excited old women in the world.” So says Florence Wolfson Howitt in the foreword to The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel. The book’s subtitle is “reclaiming a life through the pages of a lost journal.” The life reclaimed is that of a highly intelligent, adventurous, thoughtful and beautiful teenager in 1930s Manhattan. Koppel, a New York Times reporter, found the forgotten diary and traced the owner, now in her nineties, to Westport. The book weaves quotations from Florence’s diary into lush descriptions of her privileged life and transports the reader to a very different time and place, where music, art, reading and theater as well as
the latest fashions filled the time and attention of this young woman. Here is a preview of the wonderful pictures in the book which attest to the beauty and vitality of the young journal writer.

Lily Koppel and Florence Howitt will be speaking at the Library on Wednesday April 9 at noon in the McManus Room.
Newly released copies of The Red Leather Diary will be available for sale and signing.

Every day new books are added to the Library collection. You can find them on the New Book shelves. Browsing there can lead to wonderful discoveries of topics of new interest or authors you have not encountered before. Now we have made it even easier to get a first look at the newest books! Don’t miss the very first display table near the circulation desk to see each day’s new books as soon as they are available for check out. Happy discoveries!

What you will not see on display there are the books most in demand. Because they have so many holds, these books are usually part of the Express collection. Express books are duplicate copies which may not be reserved. Instead they are loaned on a first-come basis for 3 days. Or you may keep them past the 3 days for 25 cents per day for each book.

Wondering what people are reading these days? Here are the current most popular titles:

1-The Appeal by John Grisham
2-The Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller
3-Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
4-New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
5-Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
6-Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
7-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
8-Remember Me? By Sophie Kinsella
9-Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman
10-Lush Life by Richard Price

Is there a book you think we should add to the collection? Let me know.

Do you pause on your way to the trash barrel, as you start supposing all the alternate futures in which your trash will suddenly be your treasure? Are you re-assured by the published pictures of some genius’ office in which every surface is piled high with papers and books? (The latest was the office of William F. Buckley, Jr.) By now, you have figured out that I am a certified “pack rat.”

Recently, a kindred soul shared with me the October 6, 1996 issue of The New York Times Book Review- 100 Years edition. In the midst of the Westport Library 100 Years celebration, a look back at the world of book reviewing is appropriate. The only specific reference to the Library birth year of 1908 was in the Oops! column- a collection of comments that turned out to be not too prescient.
From July 18, 1908: on Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery:
“The author’s probable intention was to exhibit a unique development in this little asylum waif, but there is no real difference between the girl at the end of the story and the one at the beginning of it. All the other characters in the book are human enough.”

Other reviewers through the years revealed some astute assessments of newly-published books:
1903: The Soul of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois
“…very interesting to the student of negro character…”
1920: A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud
“Freud realizes that psychoanalysis is still undeveloped science….”
1933: My Battle by Adolf Hitler
“It is with sadness, tinged with fear for the world’s future, that we read Hitler’s hymn of hate…”
1936: Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
“She has set herself a hard mark to match with a second book, and I hope only that she will not set too soon about it.”
1949: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
“…the most contemporary novel of this year and who knows of how many past and to come…”
1957: On the Road by Jack Kerouac
“The non sequitars of the beat generation become the author’s own plotless and themeless technique….”
1969: Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth
“…the existentially quintessential form for any American-Jewish tale bearing – or baring- guilt.”
1979: The Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer
“The very subject … a nihilism antithetical not only to literature but to most other forms of human endeavor…”
1981: July’s People by Nadine Gordimer
“demonstrates with breathtaking clarity the tensions and complex interdependence of whites and blacks in South Africa.”
1987: The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
“Malice is a powerful spice. Too much can ruin the stew, and Mr Wolfe comes close.”

Do you think current reviewers are as far-sighted?

For the spice of variety, I am skipping the Top Ten this week.

Instead, I will tell you about the second ten most popular titles at the Library.
11- Lush Life by Richard Price - An urban thriller- social realism tinged with psychological nuance and steeped in violence.
12-The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky – The story of a lie and a strong mother/daughter bond- family fiction that stretches the limits of love and understanding.
13- Four Wives by Wendy Walker – Four affluent suburban women reveal the truths behind their lavish lifestyles.
14- First Patient by Michael Palmer – A country doctor must care for his old friend who happens to be the President and is probably being sabotaged by unknown enemies.
15-7th Heaven by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro- #7 in the Women’s Murder Club series- a missing teenager and a serial arsonist keep the action moving.
16- Sail by James Patterson & Howard Roughan – the “king of page turners” sets this one on a ten-day boat trip- the family that sails together, fails together.
17-T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton – the formula works, yet again- # 20 in the Milhone series.
18- In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan – “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants” – read on for the details.
19-Commoner:a novel by John Burnham Schwartz – heart-wrenching re-telling of the lives of the women who marry the Crown Princes of Japan- research into the mysteries of elaborate court life enhance the story.
20-Beautiful Boy: a Father’s Journey Through his Son’s Addiction by David Sheff- the anguished truth of meth addiction.

PS: There is one new title on the Top Ten list in the #10 spot. It’s Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella, who lavishes her wicked humor and charm on a new heroine whose lifestyle is familiar, but whose memory is missing.

A novel in words and pictures got rave reviews from a few staff members. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is a mystery for 9-12 year olds, but this Caldecott Medal winner is lauded by all ages who read it. The Caldecott is awarded annually by the American Library Association to the artist of the most distinguished picture book for children. Selznick was one of the Rabbit Hill Festival authors to appear at the Library.

Seeing the movie prompted some to read The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby. Both film & book have fans; this autobiographical story of a man whose only way to communicate is by blinking an eye is about his immobile body and his soaring spirit.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson is the current & popular Community Read choice of Fairfield. Readers report an interesting and inspiring account of one man’s quest to improve lives in Afghanistan & Pakistan.

The Maytrees by Annie Dillard received mixed reviews from staff. Some praised the nature writing, but disliked the characters. Others found the life and death story both engaging and atmospheric.

If you enjoy outdoors sculpture, or art assembled from nature, you will want to see the new book by Andy Goldsworthy. Enclosure is highly recommended, as are Goldsworthy’s previous books- especially Passage.

Jodi Picoult appears on everybody’s favorite list; Vanishing Acts was the book recommended this time. Walter Mosley is another favorite; his latest is Blonde Faith. Historical novels with positive staff reviews include: Vivaldi’s Virgins by Barbara Quick and Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.

The children’s book Eleven: a Mystery by Patricia Reilly Giff was enjoyed, as was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. (It's not too late to come to some WestportREADS 2008 events!)

Richard Cohen’s Strong at the Broken Places: Voices of Illness, Chorus of Hope is an inspirational collection of true stories about those who are chronically ill. The author who suffers from multiple sclerosis is the husband of television’s Meredith Vieira.

The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by NPR commentator Eric Weiner is a "breezy read" about how where we are makes us happy - or not. A different kind of travel book. Take a look at his entertaining website.

The National Women’s History Project established March as the month to recognize the unique role that women have played in the history of our country, to educate and increase public awareness about women’s contribution to our society. With all the excitement lately about this year’s presidential primary race and the role women are playing in it, what better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than to add an inspiring biography to your book club’s list?

Hillary Rodham Clinton is not just the only “first lady” to be elected to the U.S. Senate, she now has a good chance to be our first female president. Carl Bernstein has written a very thorough picture of Ms. Clinton in his book A Woman in Charge: the Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Or why not read Hillary’s own autobiography, Living History, or one of the many other books about the former first lady. Most likely lots of heated discussions will take place about her place in women’s history, particularly as she remains at the top of the news for the next several months.

Personal History by Katharine Graham is the fascinating story of the former publisher of the Washington Post. Taking over the newspaper after her husband’s death, Ms. Graham became one of the most powerful American women of the 20th century. She became a leader in a male dominated world of business and journalism.

If your group would rather read something a little more fun, how about My Life in France by Julia Child? Julia Child really changed the way America thinks about food. The gourmet food and wine industry that we enjoy today had its basis in those fabulous cook books and her original cooking shows. This book chronicles her early years in France and how she mastered the “art of French cooking”.

One of the most intriguing women of the last century was Connecticut’s own Katharine Hepburn. Winner of four Academy awards, Hepburn was both unconventional and outspoken. She lived life by her own set of rules. Two of the more complete biographies of her are Kate: the Woman Who Was Hepburn by William Mann, and Kate Remembered by A. Scott Berg. Either one would be a good choice for a great discussion about her life.

Women’s stories need to be shared and talked about, so celebrate women’s lives and accomplishments this month. These are some of my favorite women in history. Who are some of the women that have inspired you?

Have you read Junot Diaz’s novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao? Everyone who mentions it is effusive with praise. No negative comments. I have it at home now and am eagerly anticipating a “good read.” His previous book, Drown is a collection of short stories published in 1996. With his writing often compared to that of Russo and Roth, his stories have frequently appeared in the New Yorker.
Recently, the National Book Critics Circle celebrated literature and literacy in America by announcing winners of the 2007 awards. Diaz won for fiction.

• The General Nonfiction award went to Harriet Washington for Medical Apartheid: the Dark History of Medical Experiments on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present.
• Edwidge Danticat won for Brother, I’m Dying in the Autobiography category. You may remember Haitian Danticat’s previous books Breath Eyes Memory & The Dewbreaker.
• The win for Biography went to Tim Jeal for Stanley: the Impossible Life of Africa’s Greatest Explorer.
• Alex Ross won for Criticism with his book on modern music, The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century.
• The Poetry award went to Mary Jo Bang for Elegy. Bang is an English Literature professor and this, her fifth book of poems, mourns the death of her adult son.

Another fake memoir!! This time it’s by a white woman who claimed she was raised in poverty by a black foster mother and sold drugs for an LA gang. Love and Consequences by Margaret B. Jones has been recalled by the publisher (Penguin Group USA.) The author is actually Margaret Seltzer who grew up in a well-off area of San Francisco Valley with her biological family. She attended private Episcopal day school and never lived with a foster family or sold drugs for a gang. She managed to fool her editor and the New York Times. Her older sister called the publisher and blew the whistle after she saw the NY Times article.

Fiction as memoir seems to have a market. You remember James Frey and A Million Little Pieces. Last week Misha: a Memoir of the Holocaust Years by Misha Defonseca was discovered to be a fake also. It was published in 1997.

I wonder why these writers do not call it fiction?

Have you noticed anything different about our catalog lately? We have added Library Thing! LibraryThing is an online service which allows users to catalog their home libraries and share them with others. Since we are a library, we obviously already have our books cataloged, but we have found a different use for LibraryThing: tagging.

As you'll notice, our catalog entries now include "related links," which you can click on to find other books that are assigned the same keywords. The larger the font, the more LibraryThing users have assigned that keyword to the particular item. This makes our catalog more interactive and easier to browse. If you enjoyed one book, you can now use the keywords to find books that are similar.

While it might be fun for your book club to read The Jane Austen Book Club, the movie was much more effective in getting me to think about reading Jane Austen again! Her books were serious, but humorous critiques of English society. Austen’s books are famous for heroines that show real strength. Her female characters know what they want and find ways to make it happen. Pride and Prejudice, the story of the Bennet sisters and their romantic entanglements, is probably the most well known of her novels. Emma and Sense and Sensibility, follow close behind in popularity. Although I haven’t read Persuasion, considered Austen’s most serious, but most romantic book, I’ve decided that it will be added to my long list of books to read. The two other Austen novels discussed by the book club were Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey.

So when the topic of reading a Jane Austen book at your book group comes up, don’t say “Oh, I’ve already read her books.” Read one again. A good book is often better the second time around. There are many Jane Austen fans that will agree with you. There’s even an entire society dedicated to promoting her life and works. And if you need copies of any of her books or a discussion guide, let me know.

1-Senator’s Wife by Sue Miller
2-The Appeal by John Grisham
3-People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
4-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
5-T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
6-New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
7-Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin
8-7th Heaven by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
9-Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
10-Beautiful Children by Charles Bock

Comments: It’s easy to detect the Oprah influence. Her last selection, World Without End by Ken Follett was actually a sequel to his 1989 bestseller, in spite of its length of over 900 pages, Pillars of the Earth. I guess people have reserved Pillars… to read before plunging into the thousand-plus- page World Without End. Together the two books will provide much reading pleasure for anyone intrigued by life in 12th century England.

Oprah waved her magic wand again and selected New Earth: Awakening to your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. Tolle is a well-known guru of the spiritual life; he and Oprah will be teaching a course based on the book free to everyone online. Tolle’s 1999 book The Power of Now has been widely circulated.

Beautiful Children rocketed to the list after a big push from the New York Times. A novel based on the author’s life growing up in Las Vegas it centers on a missing child. It’s both gritty and humorous.

PS: Did you notice the change in our catalog? You can easily browse to find and link to similar books in the Library collection.

If you enjoy literary fiction and if you savor poetic language, you will be happy to lose yourself in What You Call Winter by Nalini Jones. The interconnected stories flow between extended family as their lives take them from home, which is a Catholic neighborhood in India, to new homes in America. Scenes from childhood in both places with poignant memories are written with perfect imagery.

Here is a ten-year-old Marian heading home in the afternoon. “The road flew beneath her feet in jerks and rushes as she began to skip- past the tall gates of St. Jerome’s Church, where families of beggars held out their hands to the Catholic ladies.” Later, in the empty family home, “The day began to rouse itself, flushed and warm, from the afternoon sleep, and the noise from the street grew louder. Marian heard motorcars, the chatter of women, the wailing calls of merchants. She knew her father would soon be home.”

Meet local author Nalini Jones at the Library on Friday February 8 at noon. After her talk, copies of her debut story collection will be available for sale and signing. More about the author.

Here are the rest of the top ten authors this week. Lots of interesting characters & life styles.

6-James Patterson. The former chair of J. Walter Thompson has applied all his marketing skills to producing a truly amazing number of books. And each thriller zooms to bestseller status. This month, it’s the next in the Women’s Murder Club series written with co-author Maxine Paetro. 7th Heaven (#6) hit the Library’s top ten in-demand titles, even before the books arrived on the premises. With sales of 130 million worldwide, Patterson oversees a well-run industry with various co-writers, merchandise offerings, film and television adaptations and, according to one of his co-authors, well-organized micro-managing. He founded the Page Turner Awards to which he has contributed over $600,000 for the promotion of books & reading. A graduate of Manhattan College, he lives in Palm Beach. For more.
7- Janet Evanovich. She claims to motivate herself to write by spending her money before she makes it. With all her published books, she must do a lot of shopping! Born and raised in New Jersey, she sets her stories in Trenton. Plum Lucky (#7) features Stephanie Plum, lingerie buyer from Trenton and Evanovich’s alter ego. She enjoys book tours, which in 2006 attracted about 3000 people. Her son and daughter manage her financial affairs and her website, as she continues to write for eight hours everyday. More.
8- Greg Mortenson. A different kind of world fame surrounds the subject of Three Cups of Tea (#8) Journalist David Oliver Relin has joined Mortenson to write about an adventure story that is also about good deeds and positive values. Mortenson failed to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain. Alone and hurt, he was cared for by people whom he then helped by turning his attention to the establishment of schools- mostly for girls- in some of the most remote parts of Pakistan & Afghanistan. More.
9-David Baldacci. Another prolific writer of thrillers, Baldacci has a law degree from University of Virginia and spent nine years as a corporate and trial attorney. His sixteen novels have been surefire bestsellers, including Stone Cold (#9) featuring series players Oliver Stone and the Camel Club. Baldacci’s family foundation, Wish You Well is devoted to promoting literacy. His cousin John Baldacci is the two-term Democratic governor of Maine. Visit his website.
10-Sara Gruen. A Canadian by birth, Gruen launched her novel writing career after she was laid off from her technical writing job. Her fondness for animals is evident in her novels, which enjoyed moderate success, until Water for Elephants (#10) - her third book. Her publisher initially turned it down; after she found another publisher, the book spent 12 weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list. It continues to be one of the most popular book club selections. Gruen and her husband share their home with a menagerie; her passion for animals is evident on her website.

No surprises in the top ten books in demand this week. I thought you might like to know more about the authors of these popular books. Here are the first five authors.

1-Sue Miller. Remember The Good Mother (1986)? It was the tale of a recently divorced young woman whose two passions were her 4-year-old daughter and her lover. A heart-breaking custody battle is the centerpiece of the story. Sue Miller entered Radcliffe College at age 16, graduated at age 20 and was married two months later. She later divorced and worked at a variety of jobs as a single parent. Eventually a grant enabled her to concentrate on her writing and her first book was published. Miller writes with images that capture the emotional intensity of family relationships. The most recent of her nine novels is The Senator’s Wife (#1). Read an author talk about this popular book
2-John Grisham. Twenty one books published in nineteen years- the legal profession’s loss is the readers’ gain with this prolific output. The first was A Time to Kill, written as a hobby while a busy law practice in Mississippi filled most of his time. Grisham devotes time and money to charity- most recently the Rebuild the Coast Fund for recovery from Katrina. His undying passion is baseball and his literary success has enabled him to build six ball fields on his property. He is the local Little League Commissioner. His latest book: The Appeal (#2).
3-Sue Grafton. Published in 26 countries & 28 languages, Grafton has her female detective working her way through the alphabet of criminal cases. Grafton is a native of Kentucky and graduated from the University of Louisville with a degree in English Literature. She was writing, but also working at a variety of jobs, when she turned to screenwriting. She spent 15 years writing screenplays before she returned to novels. A is for Alibi was published in 1983. Main character private investigator Kinsey Millhone even has her own biography on Grafton’s website. In current demand is T is for Trespass(#3).
4-Ken Follett. 1978 was the year of Follett’s first big hit The Eye of the Needle. It won the Edgar Award and was made into an acclaimed movie. Four more widely-read thrillers followed. On Wings of Eagles was based on the rescue of two of Ross Perot’s employees during the Iranian revolution of 1979. It was made into a mini-series. His latest book, World Without End is a sequel to the 1989 Pillars of the Earth (#4) Tracing the building of a cathedral in medieval England, the two books follow the stories of all the people involved. Follett, born in Wales, lives in England, where he is involved in several charities and indulges his passion for Shakespeare by attending performances at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He also plays bass guitar in a blues band. He continues to write novels of which around 100 million copies have been sold worldwide.
5-Geraldine Brooks. Australian born and raised, Brooks has a journalism degree from Columbia University and was a Middle East reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Her Nine Parts of Desire: the Hidden World of Islamic Women reveals the inaccuracies of many stereotypes and provides first-hand reporting on the lives of women who have been oppressed by the misinterpretation of Islam. Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for March, her novel about the Civil War. She and her family split their time between Sydney and Martha’s Vineyard. People of the Book (#5) traces the journey of a rare illuminated Jewish manuscript. To learn more

Five more authors tomorrow!

Sara Nelson is the editor of Publishers Weekly, one of the review journals librarians read each week. In a recent column, she wrote about her dismay, when she realized she had left her new Kindle behind on an airplane. She tried to trace it, but such an unfamiliar device was difficult to describe. And Amazon has sold out of the Kindles, so having become accustomed to reading on the Kindle, she was most unhappy without it.

What’s a Kindle? It’s a simple–to-use electronic-paper display that provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper. It’s wireless. Purchase a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly immediately. The Kindle weighs 10.3 ounces and holds over 200 titles. Curious? The Westport Library has an Amazon Kindle for you to try.

Go to the Reference desk and ask to try the Kindle. You can read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz- (try out the Kindle and get started on WestportREADS 2008, at the same time.)
When available, another Kindle will be added to the Library collection and available for borrowing. Meanwhile, come and try it out. While you’re here take a look at our old-fashioned books, too!

Happy reading…however it’s delivered.

Can you identify which books are most in demand at the Library?
Click on the links to see the answers. Here are the clues:

1. The senator may be similar to President Clinton, according to the critics.
2. The author has used A to T as a title gimmick. Only six more letters to go.
3. The historical story of the Sarajevo Haggadah from 1996 back to its origins.
4. Twelfth century England cathedral building melodrama.
5. The Camel Club to the rescue!
6. Establishing schools in Pakistan & Afghanistan.
7. “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun.”
8. From the “king of page turners” with Maxine Paetro as co-author, this time.
9. Novel of circus life. A book club favorite.
10. Forensic details from Dr. Scarpetta.

How did you do?

When you hear about a new book and think "that sounds interesting," your next thought might be the Westport Library. Usually, the book you hear about is here -or on order -and you may place a hold.

• Today, I heard Dana Milbank on WNYC talking about his insider's view of the political culture in Washington, DC. His book is Homo Politicus:the Strange and Barbaric Tribes of the Beltway.


• Yesterday's big news was the unauthorized biography Tom Cruise by Andrew Morton- keeping us up to date on the latest Scientology rumors.


• Are you ready for the next Stephen King book? It's Duma Key- supernatural horror set in the Florida Keys, this time.


• On NPR today,Bob Edwards hosted David Aneregg, a psychologist who wrote Nerds: Who They are and Why we Need More of Them.

Just being one of the finalists is reason for celebration! The National Book Critics Circle has announced this year’s awards finalists, who will be getting together this evening to celebrate. The list of nominated books is a nifty way to get some suggestions for your reading plans. The National Book Critics Circle, started in 1974, is a non-profit organization of about 700 active book reviewers dedicated to honoring quality writing. The annual awards (winners to be announced on March 6 this year) are of keen interest to publishing insiders, librarians, booksellers and readers looking for “good reads.”
And the finalists are…
FICTION: Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz, In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar, The Gravedigger’s Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates, and The Shadow Catcher by Marianne Wiggins.

NONFICTION: American Transcendentalism by Philip Gura, What Hath God Wrought by Daniel Walker Howe, Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington, Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner, and The World Without Us by Alan Weisman.

Go to Critical Mass (the blog of the NBCC) for the complete list of nominees in all categories.

Did your father wear "I Like Ike" stretch socks in 1956? Did you sample a Good Humor Kennedy Bar in 1960?
Or maybe, you had a sip of Johnson Juice (A Drink for Health Care) in 1964? Did you give the Kerry yo-yo a few ups-and-downs in 2004?

Fascinating pictures of presidential campaign memorabilia fill Jordan M. Wright's book Campaigning for President. His collection stretches from a 1789 George Washington picture flag to a 2004 boxing poster with "Love Ya, Dubya" Bush vs. "Bring It On" Kerry. It's a visual history of our elections and is timed to resonate perfectly with the current political scene.

Jordan Wright will speak at the Library on Tuesday January 15 at 7:30 pm.

Find out which candidate's poster made him look like "Ed Grimsley's" father. Hint:It was the 1968 election.
(The answer is on page 240 of Campaigning for President.)

The new year has begun and those book clubs that took a break in December have reconvened and are reading and discussing again. So what did everyone read in 2007?
The top choice for last year was Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. I had a feeling it would be the top choice for 2007 when I wrote about it in my February blog. At the time it seemed like every book club wanted to read it. It’s also no surprise the number two selection was The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeannette Walls. The Glass Castle is Walls’ unsentimental tale of life with a set of very eccentric parents. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See followed closely behind in popularity. Published in 2005, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is still in demand by book clubs. Set in 19th century China, this haunting tale of love and friendship among women is filled with historical details of customs and rituals that women endured and practiced. This novel is sure to be a book club favorite for many years.

Although fiction titles are still the most popular choices for book clubs, there were a few favorites among non-fiction books. Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire continues to be a popular choice for clubs. Eire’s memoir of his childhood in Cuba before the revolution was the National Book Award winner for 2003 in nonfiction. Becoming Justice Blackmun by Linda Greenhouse was another favorite. Greenhouse is a NY Times reporter who covered the Supreme Court and had access to Justice Blackmun’s papers. Her book details the story behind some of the most famous court cases of the last century and the part Blackmun played in those decisions.

If your club missed one of the top choices for last year, keep them in mind for this year. And don’t forget the upcoming WestportReads. There’s still time to request copies for your book club of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Check out the list of programs we’ll be having centered on this classic favorite. Even if you read it as a child, you’ll find lots to enjoy, think about, and discuss this time around. If you need multiple copies or a discussion guide for any of these books, contact me.

Here they are - this week’s top ten titles:

1-T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
2-Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perotta
3-Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
4-Stone Cold by David Baldacci
5-Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell
6-The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
7-Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo
8-Letters of Noel Coward
9-Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
10-