Road Dogs by Elmore Leonard
Award winners! Sarah Palin! George Clooney! Unnecessary exclamation marks aside, there are a lot of interesting things going on in the lit world this week. Take a look below to catch up.
- The Children’s Choice Book Awards winners were announced Wednesday, with Stephenie Meyer taking home the “Author of the Year” award (with young readers doing the voting, this wasn’t exactly shocking). Other winners include Mo Willems of the Pigeon books, and ‘tween favorite Lauren Myracle. Check out the complete list at the official Children’s Book Week site.
- According to Janet Maslin of the New York Times, 83-year-old author Elmore Leonard’s still got it. His latest novel Road Dogs successfully returns characters from past books to the world of crime. One of the returning stars is Jack Foley, best known as George Clooney’s character in Out of Sight. Leonard pictured Clooney while writing this book, but, sorry, ladies, there are no illustrations.
- Sarah Palin is set to write a memoir to be published by Harper Collins in Spring 2010. Sarah Palin, Elizabeth Edwards… are the women of politics replacing vampires as the latest publishing phenomenon? Probably not, but they are causing quite the media buzz. Elizabeth Edwards’ Resilience prompted a pointed op-ed piece from Maureen Dowd in the New York Times, which has started a debate of its own. Sarah Palin should hope for a smoother reception.
- YA/adult crossover shouldn’t end with Twilight, at least not according to Nancy Johnson at the Baltimore Sun’s blog. With authors like Neil Gaman, Patrick Ness, Laurie Halse Anderson and John Green out there, we couldn’t agree more.
- You don’t see a list of the “Top 10 Subterranean Books” very often, but Stephen Smith, writer and BBC Newsnight correspondent, has come up with one. Smith is “fascinated by the under-explored vertical dimension of our surroundings,” and his latest book, Underground England, explores the smugglers’ tunnels and natural caves beneath the country’s surface. If you are similarly intrigued by hidden treasure and mole men, check out Smith’s list at the Guardian online.
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