Crime writer Dick Francis has died at age 89
In today’s news, we remember award-winning crime writer Dick Francis, discuss the state of reading material in doctor’s waiting rooms, and give you a cheat sheet for the National Book Critics Circle book award nominees.
- The crime-writing world lost one of its greats this past weekend with the death of British writer Dick Francis, age 89. Francis, who dropped out of school at age 15 to become a jockey, was the author of over 40 bestselling thrillers, three of which won the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award. Crossfire, a collaboration between Francis and his son Felix, will release later this year. The Guardian and the Jacket Copy discuss the author’s life and work.
- Would you rather…read Highlights for children or AARP: the Magazine? Doctor’s offices may force you to make this decision, which is where The Waiting Room Reader comes in. The Waiting Room Reader is a new book of poems meant to be enjoyed in the minutes (or possibly hours) it takes for the nurse to call your name. Originally, only 5,000 copies of the book were printed, but a second printing means the book may be coming soon to a waiting room near you! Shelf Life has more information.
- Leading up to the National Book Critics Circle book awards on March 11th, the NBCC blog has begun its “30 Books in 30 Days” countdown. The countdown reviews one nominated book per day, which means you can get a sense of the books being discussed without actually reading all of them. (After all, there are 6 categories with 5 nominees each.) As Jacket Copy‘s Carolyn Kellogg says, “The idea of reading 30 books in 30 days is a bit overwhelming, but 30 book reviews in 30 days? That’s manageable.”
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