Literary Birthdays for February 28th

Lemony Snicket -- born Daniel Handler on February 28, 1970 in San Francisco, CA. He is the author of the wildly popular A Series of Unfortunate Events books penned under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket. The thirteen volume series features the grim misadventures of the orphaned Baudelaire children.

For more information about this author please visit the Literature Resource Center.

Literary Birthdays for February 27th

John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, CA and died in New York, NY on December 20, 1968. Throughout his long and controversial career, Steinbeck extolled the virtues of the American dream while he warned against what he believed to be the evils of an increasingly materialistic American society. The Grapes of Wrath is perhaps the best example of Steinbeck's philosophy, perception, and impact. It was also the only one of Steinbeck's many novels to win the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in 1940.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born on February 27, 1807 in Portland, Maine and died in 1882. He is remembered best for his longer narrative works, like the Song of Hiawatha, which address American themes and subjects, often providing vivid descriptions of the American landscape that appealed greatly to readers worldwide.

For more information about these authors please visit the Literature Resource Center.

The Secret is Still a Bestseller

According to a blog post from the Los Angeles Times Jacket Copy Blog, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne is approaching a benchmark of being on the L.A. Times bestseller list for 100 weeks.

The article said that the book was largely influenced by Wallace D. Wattles' 1910 book, The Science of Getting Rich. It was released in November 2006, but sales didn't really take off until Byrne appeared on the Oprah show.

Other titles that have been in the 100 plus club are: The Da Vinci Code, The Pillars of the Earth, and All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.

PEN/Faulkner Prize Winner Announced

The Pen/Faulkner Award for Fiction is the largest peer-juried prize for fiction in the United States.
The winner for 2009 is:

• Netherland by Joseph O'Neill

O'Neill, whose book is narrated by a man who lived in downtown Manhattan at the time of the 2001 terrorist attacks, will receive $15,000.

The finalists (who each receive $5,000) are:
Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum for Ms. Hempel Chronicles
Susan Choi for A Person of Interest
Richard Price for Lush Life
Ron Rash for Serena

The judges considered close to 350 novels and short story collections by American authors published in the US during the 2008 calendar year. Submissions came from over 70 publishing houses, including small and academic presses. Antonya Nelson, a PEN/Faulkner Judge, said: "Our choices were of a vast and robust variety. The historical novel is alive and well. The short story collection is alive and well. The crossover/transcending-genre novel is alive and well. The political novel is alive and well. Men and women, writing like geniuses, all alive and well."

Previous winners include Philip Roth, John Updike and E.L. Doctorow.

Literary Birthdays for February 25th

John Saul was born on February 25, 1942 in Pasadena, CA. He is a best selling horror novelist who has produced a suspenseful thriller every year since 1977.

For more information about this author please visit the Literature Resource Center.

Time Magazine All-Time 100 Novels

Looking for something to read -- here is a list put together by Time Magazine critics Lev Grossman and Richard Lacayo. They pick the 100 best English language novels (in their opinion) from 1923 through 2005.

Indie Bookstore Finder

The American Booksellers Association recently updated their indie bookstore finder.

Using the interactive map, readers can find all the indie bookstores within 100 miles of their hometown--complete with Google Map links and rating functions. The map now also includes other kinds of indie businesses, including arts & crafts stores and restaurants.

Here's more info from the site: "The Indie Store Finder map is the heart and soul of the Indie Community, and we've been working hard to make it easier and more useful than ever. 'More Info' links now provide expanded bubbles with store hours, descriptions, and pictures--right on the map! A 'Become a Fan' button is even included, so you can show your love for several stores in your area all at once."