The Buzz...About Books

The Last Book You'll Ever Read?

My New Enemy, Ben H. Winters

You know, I think I hate Ben H. Winters. Not a "hunt him down and kill him" hate, just a blinding irrational jealously over his latest book. The Last Policeman, available as an eBook at Toronto Public Library, begins with a wonderful premise--a wonderful premise that I should have thought of first, darn it. It is a pre-Apocalypse police procedural--a simple, brilliant concept. The world is on the brink of destruction. There's a great big asteriod on a collision course with Earth and nothing can be done. 

The marvelous thing about The Last Policeman is that it is not about the end of the world. It is about how life goes on just prior to the end of the world. Except that sometimes it doesn't go on and that's where our main character Henry Palace comes into play. He's a detective in Manchester, New Hampshire, a town with a soaring suicide rate. Palace is called to the scene of an apparent suicide. The dead man is Peter Zell, an actuary who has by all accounts been coping well with the impending doom. Unlike many, Zell has been steady and dependable--sort of like Henry Palace, actually.

Although it would be easy to label the death a suicide and close the case, Henry suspects it is murder and doggedly investigates.

I liked this book a lot and I'm not the only one. There is talk of it becoming a television series which would be fantastic.

The Last Policeman is the first in a trilogy with the second book scheduled for release in 2013.  Please write faster, Mr. Winters.

Here's the book trailer:

 

 October 31 Update: Toronto Public Library has ordered print copies of the book!

Relit Awards Shortlist

Earlier this week the 12th annual Relit Awards shortlist was revealed. These awards, founded in 2000 by Kenneth J. Harvey as an alternative to mainstream awards, celebrate independent publishing in Canada. Awards are presented to novels, short story and poetry collections.

Novels:

Break Me by Tom Reynolds

Dirty Feet by Edem Awumey
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Easy to Like by Edward Riche
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• Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)

Flowers of Spit by Catherine Mavrikakis

Monoceros by Suzette Mayr
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Prick: Confessions of a Tattoo Artist by Ashley Little

Short Fiction

Distillery Songs by Mike Spry

Easy Living by Jesus Hardwell

The Odious Child by Carolyn Black

Pretty by Greg Kearney

Shag Carpet Action by Matthew Firth

Stopping for Strangers by Daniel Griffin

Poetry

The Ditch was Lit Like This by Sean Johnston

Grunt of the Minotaur by Robin Richardson

Jumping in the Asylum by Patrick Friesen

Post-Apothecary by Sandra Ridley

Straight Razor Days by Joel Thomas Hynes

Woods Wolf Girl by Cornelia Hoogland

The winners will be announced on October 20.

Royal Society Winton Science Prize Shortlist

The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge was founded in 1660 by King Charles II. It may be the oldest science society in existence. Each year the Royal Society presents awards that are considered the most prestigious prizes for science writing. The Winton Science Prize, awarded to adult books celebrates "accessible, interesting and compelling accounts of the world around us or inside us".

Finalists

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence has Declined by Steven Pinker
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• eBook

The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos by Brian Greene
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• Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)

The Information: a History, a Theory and a Flood by James Gleick
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Moonwalking with Einstein: the Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
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My Beautiful Genome: Exposing our Genetic Future, One Quirk at a Time by Lone Frank

Viral Storm: the Dawn of a New Pandemic Age by Nathan Wolfe

The winner will be announced on November 26.

Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction Shortlist

The finalists for the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Nonfiction prize were announced on September 25. It is the most lucrative nonfiction prize in Canada; the winning author receives $60,000 and the remaining nominees receive $5000. The prize is awarded for excellence in nonfiction. Eligible works include history, biography, political or social commentary, memoirs, criticism, as well as personal and journalistic essays.

This year, books on the shortlist will be promoted and sold at 200 Loblaws stores around the country.

The finalists are:

Geography of Blood: Unearthing Memory from a Prairie Landscape by Candace Savage
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Intolerable: a Memoir of Extremes by Kamal Al-Solaylee

The Measure of a Man: the Story of a Father, a Son and a Suit by J.J. Lee
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Solar Dance: Genius, Forgery and the Crisis of Truth in the Modern Age by Modris Eksteins
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Straphanger: How Subways, Buses and Trains are Saving our Cities from the Empire of the  Automobile by Taras Grescoe

The winner will be announced in November.

Related Posts:

• Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Finalists Announced
• 2011 Writers' Trust of Canada Awards Announced

Beyond Honey Boo Boo: Scary Little Monsters in Fiction

The current fascination with TLC's Here Comes Honey Boo Boo proves that children, real or imagined, can become projections of adult fear and loathing.  For many, cheerful little Alana appears to be responsible for the impending fall of Western Civilization.  If this seems a tad unfair, and you would like to meet some truly terrifying children, try this reading list:

The Bad Seed by William March. This 1954 classic introduces Rhoda Penmark, an 8-year-old sociopath. You don't want her in your kid's playgroup.

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver.  Kevin's mom insists that something is "off" about her boy from the day he is born to the final, horrific act he commits as a teenager. Book clubs debate: whose fault is it?  Winner of the Orange Book Prize.  The film starring Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller is available at your local branch.

Blueeyed Boy by Joanne Harris.  Is this blue-eyed boy a murderer? If we believe his blog, yes. A dark, psychological thriller from the author of Chocolat.

The Other by Thomas Tryon. Niles and Holland are identical twins - and yes - one of them is evil. Don't reveal the ending. This 1971 bestseller continues to creep out readers today.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.  This 1898 classic is very sneaky in avoiding who or what is evil  - but Flora and Miles are two very creepy kids who drive the nanny insane (critics argue that it wasn't a long drive).  The 1961 film, The Innocents was based on this.

The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing.  The Lovatts live in domestic bliss with their four lovely children - until the birth of Ben.  Lessing, a Nobel prize-winner, says she hated writing this book because it was so upsetting.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding. A plane crashes leaving a group of young British boys stranded on an island. Twelve year-old Jack wants to be the leader - by any means necessary (he is nothing like the Jack in Lost.)

"The Veldt" in The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.  Little Wendy and Peter are spending hours in the nursery using virtual technology to project an African veldt.  What are those lions eating?  Written in 1951 by one of the great sci-fi visionaries. Careful, parents: there may now be an app for this.

And if the classic sociopath fails to interest you, there are always the supernatural/demonic kiddies: 

• Carrie by Stephen King
• The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
• Good Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender (first in a series)
• The Ring by Hiroshi Takahashi (first in a manga series)

Related post: Psycho Killer: Qu'est-ce que c'est?

Books by Emmy Award Nominees

There are some authors among the nominees for Sunday's Emmy Awards--and not just in the writing categories. A number of television personalities have published books and not just autobiographies. Topics include self-help, social issues, and parenting. There are even a couple of books for children.

Books for Adults

All that is Bitter and Sweet: a Memoir by Ashley Judd, nominated for lead actress in a mini-series or movie for Missing.
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Beyond the Sling: a Real-Life Guide to Raising Confident, Loving Children the Attachment Parenting Way by Mayim Bialik, nominated for best-supporting actress in a comedy for The Big Bang Theory.

Bossypants by Tina Fey, nominated for best comedy actress for 30 Rock.
• Audiobook
• eAudiobook
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• Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned by Michael J. Fox, nominated for guest actor in a comedy series for Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Audiobook
• eBook
• Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)

I'm Hosting as Fast as I Can: Zen and the Art of Staying Sane in Hollywood by Tom Bergeron, nominated for host for a reality or reality-competition program for Dancing with the Stars.

How to Go Further: a Guide to Simple Organic Living by Woody Harrelson, nominated for lead actor in a mini-series or movie for Game Change.

I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight by Margaret Cho, nominated for guest actress in a comedy series for 30 Rock.

If You Ask Me: (and Of Course You Won't) by Betty White, nominated for host for a reality or reality-competition program for Betty White's Off Their Rockers.
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• Talking Book (restricted to Print Disabled patrons)

No Opportunity Wasted: 8 Ways to Create a List for the Life You Want by Phil Keoghan, nominated for host for a reality or reality-competition program for The Amazing Race.

Not on Our Watch: the Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond by Don Cheadle, nominated for best comedy actor in House of Lies.

A Promise to Ourselves: a Journey through Fatherhood and Divorce by Alec Baldwin, nominated for best comedy actor in 30 Rock.

Books for Children

Freckleface Strawberry: Best Friends Forever by Julianne Moore, nominated for lead actress in a mini-series or movie for Game Change.

Nanny McPhee Returns by Emma Thompson, nominated for lead actress in a mini-series or movie for The Song of Lunch.

Related Post:
• Books Inspired by Television

Hobbit Day is September 22

September 22 is Hobbit Day, a celebration of the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth Cycle books. Some Tolkien fans celebrate the birthdays on September 12 or 14 because of discrepancies between the Gregorian calendar and the Shire calendar used in Tolkien's books, although the American Tolkien Society has been observing Hobbit Day on September 22 since 1978.

Fans celebrate with large feasts inspired by those in the Tolkien books. Because hobbits do not wear shoes, some fans spend the day barefoot.

The Middle Earth Cycle Books:

The Hobbit, or, There and Back Again
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• eAudiobook
• eBook
• Large Print

The Fellowship of the Ring
• Audiobook
• eAudiobook
• Large Print

The Two Towers
• Audiobook
• eAudiobook
• Large Print

The Return of the King
• Audiobook
• eAudiobook

The Silmarillion

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle Earth

CSI With Magic

Bonnie Torres is a recent New York college graduate, who is desperately looking for a job. She is a magic user, but this ability will not help her find employment...or so she thinks.

One day Bonnie receives a phone call informing her of a job interview that she does not remember applying for. This is her introduction to the P.U.P.I (Private, Unaffiliated, Paranormal Investigation). Bonnie and four other twenty-somethings have been selected to work for this covert firm that solves crimes beyond the capacity of the regular police; crimes which usually involve magic.

This urban fantasy series by Laura Anne Gilman, is set in a world where magic is a fact of life and treated as an actual science. The first book in this series, Hard Magic, deals with the team learning their new profession. Not only do they have to learn to use their magic skills in new ways, but they must learn to find evidence and interrogate suspects. On their first job, the team is hired by a woman who does not believe that her parents committed suicide, as the police have ruled. The inexperienced team must work together in order to use forensic magic to prove that the two deaths were murder and not suicide.

For more of Bonnie and friends also check out:

Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Finalists Announced

The Writers' Trust of Canada is a non-profit organization that supports Canadian writers with financial grants and literary awards among other activities. Finalists for this year's Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize were announced on September 19. The winning author will receive $25000 and each of the finalists receives $2500.

The finalists are:

Carnival by Rawi Hage

Inside by Alix Ohlin

The Purchase by Linda Spalding

Siege 13 by Tamas Dobozy

The Tinsmith by Tim Bowling

The award will be presented on November 7 at the Writers' Trust Awards event in Toronto.

Get Cozy with a Mystery

The days are getting shorter and chillier weather is just around the corner. It's nearly time to start thinking about putting on sweaters, lighting fires and snuggling up with a good book.

There's nothing better for a cool season than a cozy mystery. Cozy mysteries are crime novels that emphasize character development and keep violence to a minimum. 

The Agatha Awards, honouring cozy mysteries, are presented annually at the Malice Domestic convention.

Best Novel	Best First Novel	Best Non-Fiction

Best Novel:

Winner:
Three Day Town by Margaret Maron
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Finalists:

The Diva Haunts the House by Krista Davis (Large Print edition)
The Real Macaw by Donna Andrews
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A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
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Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet
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Best First Novel:

Winner:
Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry
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Finalists:

Choke by Kaye George
Dire Threads by Janet Bolin (Large Print edition)
Tempest in the Tea Leaves by Keri Lee Townsend (Large Print edition)
Who Do, Voodoo? by Rochelle Staab

Best Non-Fiction:

Winner:
Books, Crooks and Counselors: How to Write Accurately about Criminal Law and Courtroom Procedure by Leslie Budewitz

Finalists:

Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making--More Stories and Secrets from Her Notebooks by John Curran
On Conan Doyle: Or, the Whole Art of Storytelling by Michael Dirda
The Sookie Stackhouse Companion by Charlaine Harris
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Wilkie Collins, Vera Caspary and the Evolution of the Casebook Novel by A.B. Emrys

If you're curious about cozy mysteries, the link below will take you to a video tutorial from Book Buzz blogger Erin. It's full of information and suggestions.

Download Cozy Mysteries