eBranch Blog

November 30, 2005

2006 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced the 2006 inductees on Monday, November 28. The 2006 ceremony will be held on March 13, 2006 in New York. The inductees are (with links to recordings by them in our catalog):

Black Sabbath

Blondie

Miles Davis

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Sex Pistols

New Bestsellers 11/28/05

The following books are appearing on the best seller lists for the first time this week. For a complete listing see our collection of Best Seller Lists.

E = Essence Magazine
NYT = New York Times
PW = Publisher's Weekly
USA = USA Today
WSJ = Wall Street Journal
* = Titles that have previously appeared on the bestseller lists but are new to our catalog

Fiction

James Patterson. Mary, Mary
Alex Cross travels to Los Angeles to hunt for a killer more brutal and ambitious than he's ever encountered--a woman who has it in for Hollywood's hottest players. Is this the plan of an obsessed fan or a spurned actor, or is it part of something much more frightening? (PW #1, USA #2, WSJ #1)

Nicole Richie. The Truth About Diamonds
Richie dishes up the story of her rags-to-riches adoption, a childhood of partying with older movie stars, drug use and rehab, and then tells all about her A-list inner circle, albeit with names changed. (PW #10, WSJ #13)

Nonfiction

Maureen Dowd. Are Men Necessary?
In a new book filled with chapters that surprise and amuse, Maureen Dowd explains why getting ready for a date went from glossing and gargling to Paxiling and Googling; why men are in an evolutionary and romantic shame spiral; why women have reeled backward in many ways; why men may be biologically unsuited to hold higher office, given their diva fits and catfights, teary confessions and fashion obsessions; why women are fixated on their looks more than ever, freezing their faces and emotions in an orgy of plasticity that makes the Stepford Wives look authentic; why male politicians and male institutions get tripped up in so much monkey business; why many alpha women, from Martha to Hillary, can have a successful second act only after becoming humiliated victims; and why the new definition of Having It All is less about empowerment and equality than about flirting and getting rescued, downshifting from "You go, girl!" to "You go lie down, girl." (PW #12, WSJ #14)

Frank McCourt. Teacher Man
This biography focuses almost exclusively on McCourt's 30-year teaching career in New York City's public high schools. (PW #1, USA #5, WSJ #1)

Stan Berenstain, 1923-2005

Children's author Stan Berenstain co-creator, with his wife Jan, of the Berenstain Bears, passed away Saturday of cancer. The Berenstain Bears series of books help children deal with new challenges like the dentist, vacations, and school.

Stan & Jan Berenstain. Down a Sunny Dirt Road
In alternating chapters Stan and Jan Berenstain, creators of the Berenstain Bears, tell their own stories from early childhood until their marriage, then continue the tale together to the present day. - Juvenile Biography

Berenstain Bears books

Bernstain Bears Website

November 23, 2005

Top 20 Geek Novels

The Guardian, a British newspaper, polled it's technology readers on what they consider to be the Top 20 Geek Novels in English written since 1932. While voting is still going on, the top five are:

1. The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams 85% (102)

2. Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell 79% (92)
3. Brave New World -- Aldous Huxley 69% (77)
4. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- Philip Dick 64% (67)
5. Neuromancer -- William Gibson 59% (66)

Link via h20boro lib blog

November 22, 2005

2005 National Book Award Winners

The 2005 National book Award Winners for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people's literature were announced on November 16. The award is sponsored by the National Book Foundation.

Fiction
William T. Vollmann. Europe Central
Vollmann turns his eye to the warring authoritarian cultures of Germany and the USSR in the twentieth century. The result is a perspective on human actions during wartime. Vollmann compares and contrasts the moral decisions made by various figures from this period - some famous, some infamous, some unknown.

Nonfiction
Joan Didion. The Year of Magical Thinking
Chronicles the year following the death of her husband, fellow writer John Gregory Dunne, while the couple's only daughter, Quintana, lay unconscious in a nearby hospital suffering from pneumonia and septic shock.

Poetry
W.S. Merwin. Migration: New and Selected Poems
The definitive volume by one of America's greatest poets.

Young People's Literature
Jeanne Birdsall. The Penderwicks

November 21, 2005

New Bestsellers 11/21/05

The following books are appearing on the best seller lists for the first time this week. For a complete listing see our collection of Best Seller Lists.

The Library Journal Lists of Most Borrowed Books in Public Libraries for Fiction and Nonfiction were updated for November 15.

The Criticas Spanish Language fiction and nonfiction bestseller lists were updated for November.

E = Essence Magazine
NYT = New York Times
PW = Publisher's Weekly
USA = USA Today
WSJ = Wall Street Journal
* = Titles that have previously appeared on the bestseller lists but are new to our catalog

Fiction

Jan Karon. Light from Heaven
In the final volume in the phenomenally successful Mitford Years ties up all the loose ends of Father Timothy Kavanagh's deeply affecting life. The novel is filled with old and new characters and the answers to questions readers have asked since the series began nearly a decade ago. (PW #2, USA #3, WSJ #2)

George R.R. Martin. A Feast for Crows
In A Feast for Crows, Martin delivers the long-awaited fourth book of his landmark series, as a kingdom torn asunder finds itself at last on the brink of peace...only to be launched on an even more terrifying course of destruction. (PW #1, USA #2, WSJ #1)

Nonfiction

Nate Berkus. Home Rules
The author, a leading authority on home design and a regular contributor on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," offers a step-by-step guide to achieving one's own beautiful rooms. (PW #14, WSJ #13)

John McCain & Mark Salter. Character is Destiny
This collection of inspirational, character-building nonfiction--written in the style of William Bennett's "The Book of Virtues"--comes from Senator John McCain, "one of the most inspiring public figures of this generation" ("The Washington Post"). (WSJ #14)

Martha Stewart. Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
The first Martha-authored book since 1999's "Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook," this comprehensive baking handbook provides 250 all-new, foolproof recipes for the best--and most beautiful--baked goods imaginable. Step-by-step photographs cover every technique in detail, and photo glossaries show essential equipment. (WSJ #15)

Lynne Truss. Talk to the Hand: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today
Sticklers, unite! In the spirit of her three-million-copies sold, #1 New York Times bestseller Eats, Shoots & Leaves , the queen of zero tolerance takes on the sorry state of modern manners. (PW #15)

PW Religion

Raymond Arroyo. Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles *
In 1981, the year after Ted Turner founded CNN, a simple nun, using merely her entrepreneurial instincts and two hundred dollars, launched what would become the world's largest religious media empire in the garage of a Birmingham, Alabama, monastery. Under her guidance, the Eternal Word Television Network grew at a staggering pace, both in viewership and in influence, to where it now reaches over a hundred million viewers in hundreds of countries around the globe. (#3)

Bstan-dzin-rgya-mtsho, Dalai Lama. The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality *
In this rare, personal investigation, His Holiness the Dalai Lama discusses his vision of science and faith working hand in hand to alleviate human suffering. Drawing on a lifetime of scientific study and religious practice, he explores many of the great debates and makes astonishing connections between seemingly disparate topics-such as evolution and karma-that will change the way we look at our world. (#7)

Library Journal Nonfiction

James Fay. Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood
Has your sweet, innocent baby turned into a terrorizing toddler or pre-schooler? If your answer is a resounding "Yes", relief from your anxiety is here! Beat the "terrible twos" and "precocious pre-schoolers" with the advice of internationally-recognized parenting experts Fay and Cline, M.D. Now Fay and Cline show you how to use their unique Love and Logic "RM" approach to effectively work with children ages six months to five years of age. These practical and loving methods not only apply to the very young child but to four and five-year-olds as well. You'll discover the magic of the "Oh-oh" song, along with many other simple strategies. (#15)

November 10, 2005

New Bestsellers 11/14/05

The following books are appearing on the best seller lists for the first time this week. New bestsellers were not posted for last week, therefore last weeks new bestsellers are marked with an *. For a complete listing see our collection of Best Seller Lists.

E = Essence Magazine
NYT = New York Times
PW = Publisher's Weekly
USA = USA Today
WSJ = Wall Street Journal

Fiction

David Baldacci. The Camel Club *
The Camel Club is a four-man group of Washington, D.C. misfits, that meet weekly to discuss political conspiracies they believe exist and what actions they might take. One night club members witness the murder of Secret Service employee Patrick Johnson, thus thrusting the wacky crew into the middle of a bigger conspiracy than they could ever have imagined. (NYT #3, PW #3, USA #7, WSJ #4)

Patricia Cornwell. Predator *
Dr. Kay Scarpetta, now freelancing with the National Forensic Academy in Florida, takes charge of a case that stretches from steamy Florida to snowboundBoston, one as unnerving as any she has ever faced. The teasing psychological clues lead Scarpetta and her team-Pete Marino, Benton Wesley, and Lucy Farinelli-to suspect that they are hunting someone with a cunning and malevolent mind whose secrets have kept them in the shadows, until now. Predator is proof once again that Patricia Cornwell has few peers with her extraordinary ability to entertain and enthrall. (NYT #1, PW #1, USA #4, WSJ #2)

Fern Michaels. Family Blessings *
A violent tornado wrecks the home of the famous candy maker Loretta Cisco right before Thanksgiving, but it is the problems of her beloved triplet grandchildren, who each seem to be keeping secrets and having marital problems that really worries Grandma Cisco. It wouldn't be a Christmas tale without some magical things happening and if a grandmother has a say these three marriages will turn to bliss by Christmas. (USA #23)

Anne Rice. Christ the Lord
Having completed the two cycles of legend to which she has devoted her career so far, Anne Ricegives us now her most thoughtful and powerful book, a novel about the childhood of Christ the Lord based on the gospels and on the most respected New Testament scholarship. The book's power derives from the passion its author brings to the writing, and the way in which she summons up the voice, the presence, the words of the young Jesus who tells the story. (PW #4, WSJ #5)

R.A. Salvatore. Promise of the Witch-King *
The long awaited sequel to "Servant of the Shard" is the second title in a new series dealing with two popular characters from the Forgotten Realms world. (NYT #15, PW #15)

Danielle Steel. Toxic Bachelors *
Steele explores the perils of dating, relationships, and love in a novel that takes readers into the intoxicating, infuriating world of three charming single men, also known as "toxic bachelors." (NYT #4, PW #6, USA #31, WSJ #12)

Scott Turow. Ordinary Heroes
Stewart Dubinsky knew his father had served in World War II. And he'd been told how David Dubin (as his father had Americanized the name that Stewart later reclaimed) had rescued Stewart's mother from the horror of the Balingen concentration camp. But when he discovers, after his father's death, a packet of wartime letters to a former fianc?e, and learns of his father's court-martial and imprisonment, he is plunged into the mystery of his family's secret history and driven to uncover the truth about this enigmatic, distant man who'd always refused to talk about his war. (PW #7, WSJ #7)

Nonfiction

Jimmy Carter. Our Endangered Values
Americans cherish the greatness of our homeland, but many do not realize how extensive and profound are the transformations that are now taking place in our nation's basic moral values and political philosophy.Our people have been justifiably proud to see America's power and influence used to preserve peace for ourselves and others, promote economic and social justice, raise high the banner of human rights, protect the quality of our environment, alleviate human suffering, and cooperate with other peoples to reach these common goals.We have learned the value of providing our citizens with accurate information and treating dissenting voices with respect. Most of our political leaders have attempted to control deficit spending, preserve the separation of church and state, and protect civil liberties and personal privacy. All of these historic commitments are now being challenged. (PW #1, USA #11, WSJ #1)

MAO: THE UNKNOWN STORY, by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday. (Knopf, $35.) A biography that focuses on the Chinese leader's brutality. (NYT #14)

Billy Crystal. 700 Sundays
To support his family, Billy Crystal's father, Jack, worked two jobs, having only one day a week to spend with his family. Based on Crystal's one-man Broadway show of the same name, "700 Sundays"--referring sadly to the time shared by an adoring father and his devoted son--offers a heartfelt, hilarious memoir. (PW #8, WSJ #6)

Al Franken. The Truth (with Jokes) *
Al Franken's landmark bestseller, Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right , was praised as a "bitterly funny assault" ( The New York Times ) that rang "with the moral clarity of an angel's trumpet" ( Associated Press ). Now, this master of political humor strikes again with a powerful and provocative message for all Americans. (NYT #1, PW #4, USA #15, WSJ #2)

James Frey. My Friend Leonard
Leonard is the best friend James Frey has ever had. When James was bent on self-destruction, it was Leonard-high-living, highly charismatic mobster - who saved his life. When James faced tremendous obstacles, both emotional and practical, to putting his life back together, Leonard offered support and his considerable, sometimes unmentionable influence and protection. So when James is released from a stint in jail only to be rocked by a particularly cruel twist of fate, it's to Leonard that he turns for help. Leonard, of the outsized personality, who greets James as "My Son" at the top of his lungs when he rushes into his life to instruct him in the art of "living boldly." (PW #11, WSJ #11)

Doris Kearns Goodwin. Team of Rivals *
An acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian ("No Ordinary Time") illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman/prairie lawyer rises from obscurity to prevail over three gifted rivals of national reputation to become President. (NYT #3, PW #3, USA #13, WSJ #3)

Michael Jordan. Driven from Within *
In Driven from Within, Michael makes it clear that the basis for his phenomenal success came from the inside out, thanks in part to those who guided him along the way. His skill, work ethic, philosophy, personal style, competitiveness and presence have flowed from the basketball court and into every facet of his life. (NYT #5, PW #13, WSJ #6)

DEAN AND ME (A LOVE STORY), by Jerry Lewis and James Kaplan. (Doubleday, $26.95.) The funnier half of Martin and Lewis remembers his time with the man he calls "my partner." (NYT #8)

NYT Advice

Joel Osteen. Daily Readings from Your Best Life Now
The bestselling author and renowned pastor continues his mission to help others discover their inner strengths and abilities on the road to success. (#5)

November 04, 2005

Time Magazine's All Time 100 Novels Book List

Time Magazine critics, Lev Grossman & Richard Lacayo, make their picks for the 100 best novels from 1923 to the present. The list includes many of the usual suspects (The Great Gatsby, 1984, Gone with the Wind) but it also includes some unusual titles, many of them current.

Kazuo Ishiguro. Never Let Me Go
Hailsham seems like a pleasant English boarding school, far from the influences of the city. Its students are well tended and supported, trained in art and literature, and become just the sort of people the world wants them to be. But, curiously, they are taught nothing of the outside world and are allowed little contact with it. Within the grounds of Hailsham, Kathy grows from schoolgirl to young woman, but it’s only when she and her friends Ruth and Tommy leave the safe grounds of the school (as they always knew they would) that they realize the full truth of what Hailsham is.

November 03, 2005

New Books/Movies/Audio Lists Updated

The New Books, Audios, and Movies lists have been updated with titles cataloged in October 2005.