Fancy a wee trip to the Emerald Isle?

I have absolutely fallen in love with the characters in Patrick Taylor's books about two doctors in the tiny fictional town of Ballybucklebo in Northern Ireland, near Belfast. The first, "An Irish Country Doctor," is now in paperback, and the sequel, "An Irish Country Village," has just been published.

It is 1964, and Dr. Barry Laverty has come to the peaceful village, fresh medical degree in hand, to work as assistant to cantankerous but lovable Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly. The young doctor's experiences among the eccentric townsfolk are just delightful: there's the indispensable housekeeper, the town tyrant, an old hypochondriac and plenty of others. Barry doesn't know who's wackier, the patients or the older doctor: When Maggie McCorkle says she's having headaches a few inches above her head, Dr. O'Reilly tells her to take a pill "exactly half an hour before the pain starts." Barry encounters everything from births to deaths, rashes to organ failures, and he learns more than medical knowledge from his mentor. While Barry's learning to be the junior village doctor in book one, he falls in love with the town -- "Knowing these people, not just their names or their diseases but about their lives, and having them greet him as a friend warmed him as much as the morning sun" -- and also with a beautiful girl he meets on the train. In book two, his lady love may leave him behind when she decides to go to school in England; a widow blames Barry for her husband's death and threatens to sue; his career could be over unless he can get the townsfolk to trust him again; and are they really going to convert the wonderful old pub into a plastic tourist trap?

The author treats us to a parade, a wedding and a horse race. The first book ends with a big party, and the second book starts the next day, picking right up on the storylines. The author takes time once in a while to stop and admire the setting: "An insistent sun was forcing its light through a thin layer of cirrus clouds, casting the back garden in dappled light and shade. ... The apple trees bent under the weight of their ripening fruit. Someone had mowed the lawn, and he could smell the subtle scent of grass clippings."

Book two is a generous 431 pages, but it doesn't feel like it; it's a quick and charming read. Both books are thoroughly enjoyable and suitable for any age. They remind me of James Herriot's books and TV's "Ballykissangel." I just immersed myself in the culture of Ballybucklebo and had a wonderful time, laughing out loud at the heart-warming shenanigans. I can almost hear the lilting Irish accents. (A glossary appears in both books to help with pronunciation and meaning.) I'm happy to report that more books are promised in the future.

Now, are you ready for a sweeping historical novel? Try "Tipperary" by Frank Delaney.

The book chronicles the life of the fictional Charles O'Brien, who begins his account with an event he witnessed in 1869 at the age of 9 -- the eviction of a poor Irish family by a cruel landlord: "As other boys grew up with tales of pirates and trolls and ogres and wizards, I was raised on landlords and tenants and oppression and dispossession." The land issue is a central theme in the book, symbolized by an ancient castle that is practically a character itself.

O'Brien becomes a healer, "an herbalist," traveling the country and sharing its stories. In his travels, he interacts with such historic notables as Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. When I read that he met James Joyce and gave him advice on his writing, I shouted out loud: "This guy is like Forrest Gump!" And, indeed, later he meets the founder of Sinn Fein and Michael Collins, Ireland's "greatest hero of all time," and finds himself in the midst of the Irish rebellion.

At first, I was a bit thrown off balance by the format, with passages alternating between first- and third-person, but I soon found the third-person voice enriched the story and made it more colorful. The writing even has an old-fashioned feel to it: "In all of this, he never addressed his remarks to me directly; rather, he suspended them in the air for me to inspect." It's a great, almost mythological story. I wasn't sure at first that I liked some of the characters, but they grew on me as they became more complex. It's not a fast read, with 445 pages, but it was a very satisfying book.

In contrast, the light-hearted "The Dowry: A Novel of Ireland" by Walter Keady is a much more manageable 224 pages. It's 1946, and rural Ireland has suffered a great loss, since "the flower of youth flocked to post-war England in search of work." Father Donovan is inspired to encourage the young people to marry and have babies "for the sake of Ireland." But the families are poor -- the girls can't marry without dowries. Where will the money come from? When the priest organizes a social so the young people can meet, the townsfolk say, "'Tis the dowries they'll be after; the women will just be thrown in for good measure." After several couples become engaged -- amid some pretty racy scenes -- everyone starts scheming to get dowry money. But all the complicated plans may just fall apart, especially when a "ghost" shows up. The humor is not so much knee-slapping as it is quietly amusing and clever. It's a very nice read.

For thriller lovers, "The Price of Blood: An Irish Novel of Suspense" is the third book by Declan Hughes to feature detective Edward Loy. In Dublin, Loy is called in to search for a missing jockey, and the trail leads to brutal murders and the seamy underworld of gambling and horse racing. The critically acclaimed thriller is filled with tense moments, some dastardly characters, a complex plot, and adult language and situations.

For a list of best-sellers and other book news, go to www.recordpub.com, click on "Lifetimes," and check out "One for the Books" online. Send news to Books@recordpub.com.

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BOOK NOTES,
One for the Books Extra Online Exclusives:

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For further reading, the true connoisseur of Irish fiction won't want to miss Edward Rutherfurd's epic two-book Dublin Saga, contained in "The Princes of Ireland" and "The Rebels of Ireland." (Take a deep breath first; each is 800 pages-plus in paperback.) The first takes readers from the days of mythological Ireland to the 1500s, and the second follows from there into the modern era.
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Scott Huler, the author of "No-Man's Lands: One Man's Odyssey Through The Odyssey," will appear at a book-signing at 7 p.m. April 16 at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 24519 Cedar Road/Legacy Village, Lyndhurst. For more information, call (216) 691-7000 or visit www.josephbeth.com.
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Looking for a good book?

(AP) " A novel about a young girl's affinity for Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations" and an exploration of life in and near the water in the South Pacific are this year's winners of the 12th annual Kiriyama Prize. The award is given for "literature that contributes to greater understanding of and among the peoples and nations of the Pacific Rim and South Asia."

New Zealand author Lloyd Jones was honored in fiction for "Mister Pip," in which a student on a war-torn South Pacific island escapes in her mind to Dickens' 19th century London. The nonfiction prize went to Julia Whitty's "The Fragile Edge," a report on people who live by the water in the South Pacific and a celebration of the water itself. Jones and Whitty each will receive $30,000.

The Kiriyama is sponsored by the nonprofit Pacific Rim Voices. Previous winners include Michael Ondaatje and Rohinton Mistry.
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New entries have been posted to the National Catholic Register Book Club:

"Almost Catholic: An Appreciation of the History, Practice, and Mystery of Ancient Faith" by Jon M. Sweeney
and
"Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church Reclaiming the Spirit of Jesus" by Bishop Geoffrey Robinson

Find more at:

http://ncrcafe.org/n...1700

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For the latest newsletter of the Logos Bookstore in Kent, visit:

http://www.kentlogos...pper

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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST-SELLERS

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "Small Favor" by Jim Butcher (Roc)
2. "Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri (Knopf)
3. "Compulsion" by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books)
4. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Doubleday)
5. "Belong to Me: A Novel" by Marisa de los Santos (William Morrow)
6. "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult (Atria)
7. "Remember Me?" by Sophie Kinsella (Dial Press)
8. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover)
9. "A Prisoner of Birth" by Jeffrey Archer (St. Martin's Press)
10. "Hollywood Crows" by Joseph Wambaugh (Little, Brown)
11. "7th Heaven" by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown and Company)
12. "Winter Study" by Nevada Barr (Putnam)
13. "Guilty" by Karen Robards (Putnam)
14. "Dead Heat" by Dick Francis (Tyndale House)
15. "Lost Souls" by Lisa Jackson (Kensington)

NONFICTION/GENERAL
1. "Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope" by Don and Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen and Whitney Cerak (Howard Books)
2. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
3. "Home: A Memoir of My Early Years" by Julie Andrews (Hyperion)
4. "Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff (Houghton Mifflin)
5. "Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball" by Jose Canseco (Simon Spotlight Entertainment)
6. "Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny" by Suze Orman, (Spiegel & Grau)
7. "Armageddon in Retrospect" by Kurt Vonnegut (Putnam Adult)
8. "Brett Favre: The Tribute" by Sports Illustrated (Sports Illustrated)
9. "Stop Whining, Start Living" by Laura Schlessinger (Harper)
10. "Losing It: And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at a Time" by Valerie Bertinelli (Free Press)
11. "Become a Better You: 7 Keys to Improving Your Life Every Day" by Joel Osteen (Free Press)
12. "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan (Penguin)
13. "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century" by Steve Coll (Penguin)
14. "Stori Telling" by Tori Spelling (Simon Spotlight)
15. "The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore" by Deepak Chopra (Harmony)

MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "Simple Genius" by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing)
2. "The Woods" by Harlan Coben (Signet)
3. "Bad Luck and Trouble" by Lee Child (Dell)
4. "Back on Blossom Street" by Debbie Macomber (Mira)
5. "Creation In Death" by J.D. Robb (Berkley)
6. "I Heard That Song Before" by Mary Higgins Clark (Pocket)
7. "Embrace the Night" by Karen Chance (Roc)
8. "Hokus Pokus" by Fern Michaels (Zebra)
9. "The River Knows" by Amanda Quick (Jove)
10. "Obsession" by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine)
11. "The Uniquet: A Thriller" by John Connolly (Pocket Star)
12. "A Lady's Secret" Jo Beverly (Signet)
13. "The Ruins" by Scott Smith (Vintage)
14. "The Seduction of an Unknown Lady" by Samantha James (Avon)
15. "To Seduce a Bride: A Novel" by Nicole Jordan, (Ballantine Books)

TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle (Plume)
2. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin)
3. "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin)
4. "The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment" by Eckhart Tolle (New World Library)
5. "Eat This Not That!" by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding (Rodale)
6. "The Audacity of Hope:Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
7. "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory (Pocket Star)
8. "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press)
9. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs (Berkley)
10. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media)
11. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards (Penguin)
12. "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press)
13. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead)
14. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Algonquin)
15. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press)
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USA TODAY BEST-SELLERS

Key: F-Fiction; NF-Nonfiction; H-Hardcover; P-Paperback
1. "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose" by Eckhart Tolle (Plume) (NF-P)
2. "The Clique Summer Collection 1: Massie" by Lisi Harrison (Poppy) (F-P)
3. "Small Favor" by Jim Butcher (Roc) (F-H)
4. "Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin) (NF-P)
5. "Simple Genius" by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing)(F-P)
6. "Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope" by Don and Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen and Whitney Cerak (Howard Books) (NF-H)
7. "Three Cups Of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin) (NF-P)
8. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-P)
9. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet) (F-H)
10. "Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri (Knopf) (F-H)
11. "The Other Boleyn Girl" by Philippa Gregory (Touchstone) (F-P)
12. "Eat This Not That!" by David Zinczenko, Matt Goulding (Rodale) (NF-H)
13. "The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment" by Eckhart Tolle (New World Library) (NF-P)
14. "The Final Warning: Maximum Ride" by James Patterson (Little, Brown) (F-H)
15. "Compulsion" by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books)(F-H)
16. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words) (NF-H)
17. "Home: A Memoir of My Early Years" by Julie Andrews (Hyperion) (NF-H)
18. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown for Young Readers) (F-H)
19. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney (Amulet) (F-H)
20. "Magic Treehouse 39: Dark Day in the Deep Sea" by Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca (Random House) (F-H)
21. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Doubleday) (F-H)
22. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown) (F-H)
23. "Brett Favre: The Tribute" by Sports Illustrated (Sports Illustrated) (NF-H)
24. "Belong to Me: A Novel" by Marisa de los Santos (William Morrow) (F-H)
25. "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult (Atria) (F-H)
26. "The Shack" by William P. Young (Windblown Media) (F-P)
27. "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press) (NF-P)
28. "Nineteen Minutes: A Novel" by Jodi Picoult (Washington Square Press) (NF-P)
29. "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs (Berkley) (F-P)
30. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards (Penguin) (F-P)
31. "Atonement" by Ian McEwan (Anchor) (F-H)
32. "Back on Blossom Street" by Debbie Macomber (Mira) (F-P)
33. "Horton Hears A Who!" by Dr. Seuss (Random House Books for Young Readers) (F-H)
34. "Bad Luck and Trouble" by Lee Child (Dell) (F-P)
35. "The Quickie" by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge(Grand Central Publishing) (F-P)
36. "Creation In Death" by J.D. Robb (Berkley) (F-P)
37. "The Woods" by Harlan Coben (Signet) (F-P)
38. "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Algonquin) (F-P)
39. "Hokus Pokus" by Fern Michaels (Zebra) (F-P)
40. "Dreams from My Father" by Barack Obama (Three Rivers Press) (NF-P)
41. "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) (F-P)
42. "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer (Anchor) (NF-P)
43. "John Adams" by David McCullough (Simon & Schuster) (NF-P)
44. "21: Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions" by Ben Mezrich (Free Press) (NF-P)
45. "Skinny B----" by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin (Running Press) (NF-P)
46. "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett (NAL Trade) (F-P)
47. "Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff (Houghton Mifflin) (NF-H)
48. "Remember Me?" by Sophie Kinsella (Dial Press) (F-H)
49. "I Heard That Song Before" by Mary Higgins Clark (Pocket) (F-P)
50. "90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life" by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell) (NF-P)"
Reporting stores include: Amazon.com, B. Dalton Bookseller, Barnes & Noble.com, Barnes & Noble Inc., Books-A-Million and Bookland, Booksamillion.com, Borders Books & Music, Bookstar, Bookstop, Brentano's, Davis Kidd Booksellers in Nashville, Jackson, Memphis, Tenn., Doubleday Book Shops, Hudson Booksellers, Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Lexington, Ky.; Cincinnati, Cleveland), Powell's Books (Portland, Ore.), Powells.com, R.J. Julia Booksellers (Madison, Conn.), Schuler.
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WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST-SELLERS

FICTION
1. "Small Favor" by Jim Butcher (Roc)
2. "Unaccustomed Earth" by Jhumpa Lahiri (Knopf)
3. "Belong to Me: A Novel" by Marisa de los Santos (William Morrow)
4. "The Final Warning: Maximum Ride" by James Patterson (Little, Brown)
5. "Compulsion" by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books)
6. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown for Young Readers)
7. "The Appeal" by John Grisham (Doubleday)
8. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer (Little, Brown)
9. "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult (Atria)
10. "Remember Me?" by Sophie Kinsella (Dial Press)
11. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover)
12. "A Prisoner of Birth" by Jeffrey Archer (St. Martin's Press)
13. "7th Heaven" by James Patterson, Maxine Paetro (Little, Brown and Company)
14. "Hollywood Crows" by Joseph Wambaugh (Little, Brown)
15. "Winter Study" by Nevada Barr (Putnam)

NONFICTION
1. "Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope" by Don and Susie Van Ryn, Newell, Colleen and Whitney Cerak (Howard Books)
2. "Home: A Memoir of My Early Years" by Julie Andrews (Hyperion)
3. "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne (Atria Books/Beyond Words)
4. "Brett Favre: The Tribute" by Sports Illustrated (Sports Illustrated)
5. "StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Tom Rath (Gallup Press)
6. "Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff (Houghton Mifflin)
7. "Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny" by Suze Orman, (Spiegel & Grau)
8. "A Civilization of Love: what Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World" by Carl Anderson (HarperOne)
9. "Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball" by Jose Canseco (Simon Spotlight Entertainment)
10. "Armageddon in Retrospect" by Kurt Vonnegut (Putnam Adult)
11. "Good to Great" by Jim Collins (Collins)
12. "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century" by Steve Coll (Penguin Press)
13. "In Defense of Food: An Easter's Manifesto" by Michael Pollan (Penguin Press)
14. "The Spontaneous Healing of Belief: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits" by Gregg Braden (Hay House)
15. "Stop Whining, Start Living" by Laura Schlessinger (Harper)

The Wall Street Journal's list reflects nationwide sales of hardcover books during the week ended last Saturday at more than 2,500 Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton, Bookland, Books-a-Million, Books & Co., Bookstar, Bookstop, Borders, Brentano's, Coles, Coopersmith, Doubleday, Scribners and Waldenbooks stores, as well as sales from online retailers Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

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from Publishers Weekly:

The winner of the first Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award was announced today: Bill Loehfelm, author of Fresh Kills, a noir mystery about lower-middle-class life in Staten Island, home to the famous garbage dump Fresh Kills. Representatives from Penguin and Amazon made the announcement at a breakfast at the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City this morning.Loehfelm, who works as a bartender in New Orleans during the day and wrote Fresh Kills at night, won a $25,000 publishing contract with Penguin, which will publish the novel in late summer.

http://www.publisher...4603

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from Shelf Awareness -- Selected new titles appearing April 8:

The Third Angel: A Novel by Alice Hoffman follows three women facing important life choices.

Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation by Cokie Robertschronicles the women involved in the creation of the U.S.

Certain Girls: A Novel by Jennifer Weiner examines a mother's struggles with her daughter and husband.

Where Are You Now?: A Novel by Mary Higgins Clark chronicles a woman's investigation into a family tragedy.

Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark follows the aftermath of a fictitious New York City blackout.

Bulls Island by Dorothea Benton Frank explores a woman's return to her home town after 20 years away.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow examines the story behind the famous "last lecture" given by Pausch, a professor who was terminally ill.

War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism by Douglas J. Feith is a memoir by the neoconservative who worked at the Department of Defense under Donald Rumsfeld.

New in paperback:

Loving Frank: A Novel by Nancy Horan

Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying by David Bach and Hillary Rosner

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman by Nora Ephron

DailyOM: Inspirational Thoughts for a Happy, Healthy, and Fulfilling Day by Madisyn Taylor

Selected titles appearing April 15:

Hold Tight by Harlan Coben examines teenager and parent relationships during a serial killer's sadistic spree in a suburban New Jersey town.

The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: And Other Small Acts of Liberation by Elizabeth Berg is a collection of inspirational stories about women.

The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith is the newest installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

Breaking Free: My Life wtih Dissociative Identity Disorder by Herschel Walker tells the story of a former NFL running back with dissociative identity disorder, once known as multiple personality disorder.

Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics, and the Global Crisis of American Capitalism by Kevin Phillips examines the bleak future of the U.S. economy.

Just Who Will You Be?: Big Question. Little Book. Answer Within. by Maria Shriver says that how who you are is more important than what you do.
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Winners of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize have been announced.
The winner in fiction is The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, and in nonfiction, The Years of Extermination by Saul Friedlander.

For the complete list, visit:

http://www.pulitzer....

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from Publishers Weekly -- Children's books on-sale calendar:

May 2008

1
The Calder Game by Blue Balliett, illus. by Brett Helquist
Peeled by Joan Bauer

6
Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
The Clique Summer Collection: Dylan by Lisi Harrison
Gossip Girl: The Carlyles by Cecily von Ziegesar
Ever by Gail Carson Levine
Ambition by Kate Brian
How to Be Bad by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle
Generation Dead by Daniel Waters
Dora's Summer Parade by Wendy Wax

13
Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume
WALL-E: Little Golden Book
WALL-E: Read-Aloud Storybook
Nick of Time by Ted Bell
Frenemies by Alexa Young
Thomas & Friends: May the Best Engine Win by Rev. W. Awdry, photos by Richard Courtney
Disney Pixar WALL-E A Book and Magnetic Play Set by Annie Auerbach
Disney Pixar WALL-E Saves the Day by Kitty Richards

20
Pendragon: Raven Rise by D.J. MacHale
Declare Yourself

22
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: Movie Novelization by James Luceno

27
Seekers #1: The Quest Begins by Erin Hunter
Dogfessions by Nikki Moustaki

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from Publishers Weekly, On-Sale Calendar for Comics:
April 9, 2008
People's History of American Empire (MacMillian)
Fallen Son: Death of Captain America (Marvel)
Three Shadows (First Second)
Aqua Leung Vol.1 (Image)
Batman: Lovers and Madmen (DC)
Kaput and Zosky (First Second)
Yumekui Kenbun Nightmare Inspector Vol. 1 (Viz Media)
Gosick Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Princess Resurrection Vol. 3 (Del Ray Manga)
Dragon Sister Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Whatever (Alternative Comics)
Tag Cursed (BOOM! Entertainment)
Chickenhare Vol. 2: Fire in the Hole (Dark Horse)
CVO: African Blood (IDW Publishing)
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More Irish fiction -- notes from the publisher:

AUTHOR CARLA NEGGERS BRINGS AN ANCIENT IRISH LEGEND TO LIFE
in
THE ANGEL
A novel of suspense

A young woman's passion for myth and magic leads her into the heart of a murderous evil in THE ANGEL, the newest novel by New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers.

Ona remote stretch of the rugged coast of Ireland, folklorist and illustrator KeiraSullivan pursuesthe mysterious Irish legend of anancient Celtic stone angel. Asshe searches an isolated ruin, she's certainshe's discoveredthe mythic angel, but before she can examine her find, she senses a malevolent presence...is someone in there with her? Then theruin collapses, trapping her.

Keira's uncle, a Boston homicide detective, enlists the help of Simon Cahill to find his missing niece. Simon, an expert with Fast Rescue, a rapid response search-and-rescue organization, is trying to keep a low profile after secretly assisting the takedown of a major criminal network, but he rushes to Ireland, pulling Keira out of the rubble just as she's about to free herself.

Simon isn't interested in myths or magic, nor is he surprised when Keira can't find a trace of her stone angel. He doesn't believe it exists. But the gruesome evidence of a startling act of violence convinces him that whatever she found in the ruin, the danger she faces is real.

When the violence follows them to Boston"and escalates"Simon and Keira realize that the long-forgottenstory that has captivated her has also aroused a killer...a calculating predator who will certainly kill again.

Suspenseful and evocative, THE ANGEL is a riveting novel of dangerous myths, haunting secrets and the shattering truth concealed within them. It is Carla Neggers at her best.

BESTSELLING AUTHOR CARLA NEGGERS
AND MIRA BOOKS INVITE ONE LUCKY READER
A CHANCE TO LIVE YOUR ADVENTURE

New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers thrives on adventure and it shows in every book she writes. She can often trace the germination of a plot to the exact moment of inspiration. "It's part of the fun of being a writer; you never know what will spark an idea. Exploring through everything from stone huts to castles, wondering what it might be like to be trapped in a ruin in the remote, rugged Irish countryside." The plot for THE ANGEL, Carla's most recent book, was born while on a family adventure standing amid the ruins of an old cottage in Ireland.

Now, the author is offering one lucky reader a chance to seek out and experience his or her own adventure. To win Carla's "Live Your Adventure" contest, readers need simply tell Carla in 50 words or less about the new adventure they would like to experience. One lucky reader will win $1,000 to bring his or her own next adventure to life.

It's all in celebration of the author's newest novel, THE ANGEL. THE ANGEL, an ancient Irish legend is revealed, testing the skills of a young folklorist and illustrator who seeks to prove its legitimacy " and learn what it means for her family. Suspenseful and evocative, THE ANGEL is a riveting novel of dangerous myths, haunting secrets and the shattering truth concealed within them.

To enter the contests online, visit http://www.eHarlequi...contest and follow the on-screen entry instructions. To enter via mail, hand-print (or type) on an 8 1/2" x 11" plain piece of paper, your full name, mailing address, telephone number, and tell us in fifty (5) words or less about the new adventure you would like to experience and send it to:
"Live Your Adventure Contest 20806", in the U.S.: 3010 Walden Ave., P.O. Box 9069, Buffalo, NY 14269-9069 or in Canada: 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, ON M3B 3K9. For eligibility, online entries must be received between 12:01 AM (ET) on April 29, 2008 and 11:59 PM (ET) on July 31, 2008. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by July 31, 2008 and received by August 7, 2008. Winner will be selected by the author and her publisher and selected at their sole discretion. Winner will be determined no later than September 4, 2008 and will be notified by mail or e-mail.

To obtain a copy of these Official Rules, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: "Live Your Adventure Contest 20806 Rules", 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, ON M3B 3K9. Limit one (1) entry per person. If more than one (1) entry is received from the same person, only the first eligible entry submitted will be considered. By entering the Contest, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Harlequin Enterprises Limited (the "Sponsor") which are final and binding.

Carla will be in Cleveland on Thursday May 1st and Friday May 2nd to meet with fans and would be delighted to discuss her new book, her career and the kick-off of The Live Your Adventure contest.

Thursday, May 1, 2008
7:00 PM Book Signing
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Legacy Village
24519 Cedar Road
Lyndhurst, OH 44124

Friday, May 2, 2008
7:00 PM Reading & Book Signing
Borders
3466 Mayfield Rd.
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
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A recent Harris poll of American adults has come up with the top 10 favorite books of all time. I don't agree with several of them at all! How about you? The Bible at No. 1, yes. "Angels and Demons" at No. 8? No way. Check it out for yourself at:

http://www.christian....htm

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Civil Liberties for Readers:

Organizations representing booksellers, librarians, publishers, and writers today released an open letter calling on Congress to pass legislation that will restore the safeguards for reader privacy that were eliminated by the USA PATRIOT Act. In a letter published in a recent edition of Roll Call, the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers and PEN American Center urged approval of the National Security Letters Reform Act (S. 2088 and H.R. 3189). The letter cited two recent reports by the Inspector General of the Justice Department that show that the FBI has violated the law thousands of times since Congress expanded its authority to issue National Security Letters (NSLs), which it can use to seize records from bookstores and libraries without court approval. "The NSL Reform Act gives the FBI the tools it needs to conduct urgent investigations without sacrificing our most basic constitutional principles," the letter says.

ABA, ALA, AAP and PEN launched the Campaign for Reader Privacy in 2004 to fight for changes in the USA PATRIOT Act, which authorized the federal government to issue secret orders to bookstores and libraries forcing them to turn over the records of their customers and patrons without demonstrating probable cause to believe they were involved in terrorist activity. The Inspector General of the Justice Department has reported that the FBI issued 200,000 NSLs in the period 2003-2006.

S. 2088 and H.R. 3189 restrict FBI searches to the records of those either suspected of or directly connected to terrorism or espionage. It also limits the time that booksellers and librarians are barred by a gag provision from revealing the receipt of an NSL, which is used to obtain Internet records, or a Section 215 order, which can be used to demand all other records.

S. 2088 was introduced by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and is co-sponsored by 11 Senators. H.R. 3889 was introduced by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) and is co-sponsored by 27 Representatives.

Neither bill has received a hearing since they were introduced last year.

The Campaign for Reader Privacy letter is available online at

http://www.pen.org/d....pdf

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Remember Mad Libs? They're now celebrating their 50th anniversary and have their own Web site.

http://www.madlibs.comfrom Publishers Weekly:
At 50, MadLibs Continues to ( verb )
by Sally Lodge -- Publishers Weekly, 3/31/2008

http://www.publisher...2788

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from the Telegraph:
A report reveals that children are reading gossip magazines instead of books, "especially if the novels stretch to more than 100 pages." Some of the comments below the article are really funny. Oh, those Brits.

http://www.telegraph...form

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from Publishers Weekly:
Awards: Langum Prize; Kafka Award; Galaxy British Books

From today's New York Times, in their entirety:

"Kurt Andersen has won the 2007 David J. Langum Sr. Prize in American Historical Fiction for his best-selling novel Heyday (Random House). Mr. Andersen, a columnist for New York magazine and host of Studio 360 on public radio, will receive $1,000.

"The Czech novelist Arnost Lustig has been named the eighth winner of the Franz Kafka award for literature, Agence France-Presse reported. Previous winners include Harold Pinter, Philip Roth and Haruki Murakami."

AND

Ian McEwan, J.K. Rowling, Khaled Hosseini and Francesca Simon took top honors at the Galaxy British Book awards. The Guardian reported that "the Nibbies, as they are usually known, are decided by various combinations of publishers, booksellers and the general public."

McEwan's On Chesil Beach won the Reader's Digest Author of the Year award. Rowling earned this year's Outstanding Achievement honor, adding it to her collection of four previous Nibbies. Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns earned the Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year, "which puts the TV show's hugely popular book club choices to the public vote."

The Guardian also noted that the Children's Book of the Year category, which was won by Simon's Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman, attracted unusually intense media attention over the controversial shortlisting of Perfect Ponies: My Pony Care Book by Katie Price "because it is not all her own work."

Full list of winners:

http://books.guardia...html

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Poets & Writers, Inc. announce dthat Tony Hoagland is the recipient of the second annual Jackson Poetry Prize. The $50,000 prize honors an American poet of exceptional talent who has published at least one book of recognized literary merit but has not yet received major national acclaim. The award is designed to provide what all poets need -- time and the encouragement to write.
Tony Hoagland is the author of three volumes of poetry: What Narcissism Means to Me (Graywolf, 2003); Donkey Gospel (Graywolf, 1998), winner of the James Laughlin Award of The Academy of American Poets; and Sweet Ruin (University of Wisconsin Press, 1993), winner of the Bettingham Prize in Poetry; as well as a collection of essays about poetry, Real Sofistakashun (Graywolf, 2006). His poems and critical essays have appeared widely in journals and anthologies such as American Poetry Review, Harvard Review, and Ploughshares. He is the winner of the 2005 O.B. Hardison Jr. Prize. Awarded by the Folger Shakespeare Library, this is the only national prize to recognize a poet's teaching as well as his art. Hoagland also received the 2005 Mark Twain Award, given by the Poetry Foundation in recognition of a poet's contribution to humor in American poetry. Hoagland currently teaches in the poetry program at the University of Houston. He is also on the faculty of the Warren Wilson low-residency MFA program.
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from Shelf Awareness:
The Association of Booksellers for Children has announced the winners of the two E.B. White Read Aloud Awards:

For picture books: When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach and illustrated by David Small (S&S, $16.99), which ABC described as an "indie favorite about what happens on an otherwise normal day when stores begin giving away dinos with every purchase . . . The title received the most bookseller nominations of any picture book, and the committee loved the 'perfect combination of wonderful writing, whimsical illustration, and imaginative premise.' "

For older readers: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (Little, Brown & Co. Books for Young Readers, $16). ABC said, "This was a very strong year for middle grade and YA novels, with 28 titles nominated, but in the end the committee felt this quirky and adventurous story about four children who must undertake a perilous mission truly embodied the universal read-aloud qualities of E.B. White. With great characters, mystery, gadgets, smart heroes, and a deliciously evil antagonist, the committee loved the appeal of the story for a wide ranges of ages, and felt it was destined 'to become a classic.' "

The fifth annual awards will be presented during BookExpo America at ABC's Not a Dinner and (Mostly) Silent Auction on Friday, May 30, at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood.

http://www.abfc.com<>

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These authors are making the media rounds with their books:

--Don and Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Coleen and Whitney Cerak, authors with Mark Tabb of Mistaken Identity: Two Families, One Survivor, Unwavering Hope
--Jeffrey V. Wells, author of A Birder's Conservation Handbook: 100 North American Birds Most at Risk
--Senator Chuck Hagel, whose new book is America: Our Next Chapter: Tough Questions, Straight Answers
--Ron Burley, author of Unscrewed: The Consumer's Guide to Getting What You Paid For
--John Gorenfeld, author of Bad Moon Rising: How Reverend Moon Created the Washington Times, Seduced the Religious Right, and Built an American Kingdom
--Mark Harris, author of Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of the New Hollywood
--Trevor Paglen, author of I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to be Destroyed by Me: Emblems from the Pentagon's Black World
--Michael Reid, author of Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America's Soul
--Janine Turner, author of Holding Her Head High: 12 Single Mothers Who Championed Their Children and Changed History
--Joshua Kendall, author of The Man Who Made Lists: Love, Death, Madness and the Creation of Roget's Thesaurus
--Roger Mudd, author of The Place to Be: Washington, CBS, and the Glory Days of Television News
--Helen Mirren, author of In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures
--Dwight Hopkins, editor of Black Faith and Public Talk: Critical Essays on James H. Cone's Black Theology and Black Power
--Jeff Gordinier, author of X Saves the World
--David Hajdu, author of The Ten Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America
--Mary Roach, author of Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
--Louis P. Masur, author of The Soiling of Old Glory: The Story of a Photograph That Shocked America
--David Gilmour, author of The Film Club: A Memoir
--Jose Canseco, author of Vindicated: Big Name, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball
--Sen. Chuck Hagel, author of America: Our Next Chapter: Tough Questions, Straight Answers
--Eric Alterman, author of Why We're Liberals: A Political Handbook for Post-Bush America
--Julie Andrews, author of Home: A Memoir of My Early yeras
--Sam Zien, author of Sam the Cooking Guy: Just a Bunch of Recipes
--Bob Harper, author of Are You Ready!: To Take Charge, Lose Weight, Get in Shape, and Change Your Life Forever
--Eric Lichtblau, author of Bush's Law: The Remaking of American Justice
--Eric Jerome Dickey, author of Pleasure
--Carlos H. Schenck, author of Sleep
--Roger Mudd, author of The Place to Be: Washington, CBS, and the Glory Days of Television News
--Paul McGlothin, author of The CR Way: Using the Secrets of Calorie Restriction for a Longer, Healthier Life
--Jesse Ventura, former wrestler and Governor of Minnesota whose new book with Dick Russell is Don't Start the Revolution Without Me!
--William Safire, author of Safire's Political Dictionary
--Wylie Gustafson, author of How to Yodel: Lessons to Tickle Your Tonsils and Funnybone
--Robert Butler, author of The Longevity Revolution: The Benefits and Challenges of Living a Long Life
--Steve Coll, author of The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century
--Mark Vonnegut discussing Armageddon in Retrospect, a collection of writings by his late father, Kurt Vonnegut
--Simon LeVay discusses When Science Goes Wrong: Twelve Tales from the Dark Side of Discovery
--Jack Mitchell, author of Hug Your People: The Proven Way to Hire, Inspire, and Recognize Your Employees and Achieve Remarkable Results
-- Jessica Queller, author of Pretty Is What Changes: Impossible Choices, The Breast Cancer Gene, and How I Defied My Destiny
--Dr. Dennis McCullough, author of My Mother, Your Mother: Embracing "Slow Medicine," the Compassionate Approach to Caring for Your Aging Loved Ones
--Scott Huler, author of No-Man's Lands: One Man's Odyssey Through The Odyssey
--Aaron David Miller, author of The Much Too Promised Land: America's Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace
--Susan Jacoby, author of The Age of American Unreason
--Kimberly Willis Holt, author of Piper Reed: Navy Brat
--Linda Sue Park, author of Keeping Score
--Martha Frankel, author of Hats & Eyeglasses: A Family Love Affair with Gambling
--Lincoln Chafee, author of Against the Tide: How a Compliant Congress Empowered a Reckless President
--Michael Eric Dyson, author of April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Death and How It Changed America
--Pamela Paul, author of Parenting, Inc.
--Arnon Grunberg, author of The Jewish Messiah
--Tracy Chevalier, author of Burning Bright
--Martin Meredith, author of Diamonds, Gold, and War: The British, the Boers, and the Making of South Africa
--Senator Arlen Specter, author of Never Give In: Battling Cancer in the Senate
--Michio Kaku, author of Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration Into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel
--Taylor Branch, author of Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years 1963-65
--Cynthia Cooper, author of Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower
--Dee Dee Myrs, author of Why Women Should Rule the World
--Marcia Ann Gillespie, author of Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration
--Hans Blix, author of Why Nuclear Disarmament Matters
--Rosie O'Donnell, author of Rosie O'Donnell's Crafty U: 100 Easy Projects the Whole Family Can Enjoy All Year Long
--Trisha Yearwood, author of Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours
--Marilu Henner, Wear Your Life Well: Use What You Have to Get What You Want
--Misha Glenny, author of McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld
--C. Vivian Stringer, author of Standing Tall: A Memoir of Tragedy and Triumph
--Madeleine Alberight, Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership
--Marya Hornbacher, Madness: A Bipolar Life
--Lynda Fassa, author of Green Babies, Sage Moms: The Ultimate Guide to Raising Your Organic Baby
-- Trisha Yearwood, author of Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours
--William Esper, author of The Actor's Art and Craft: William Esper Teaches the Meisner Technique
--Robin Wright, Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East
--Susan Wittig Albert, whose Nightshade is her 16th mystery starring former attorney China Bayles.
--Murat Kurnaz, Five Years of My Life: An Innocent Man in Guantanamo
--Isis Aquarian, author of The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, YaHoWha 13 and the Source Family
-- Stephanie Hirsch, author of Mother Nurture: Life Lessons from the Mothers of America's Best and Brightest
--Rose Rock, mother of Chris Rock and author of Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children
--Anne Enright, The Gathering
--David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Meth Addiction
--Nic Sheff, author of Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines
--A.G. Lafley, author of The Game-Changer: How You Can Drive Revenue and Profit Growth with Innovation
--Chelsea Handler, author of Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea
--Aram Roston, author of The Man Who Pushed America to War: The Extraordinary Life, Adventures and Obsessions of Ahmad Chalabi
--Marci Hamilton, author of Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect Its Children
--F. Lee Bailey, When the Husband Is the Suspect
--Martha Beck, Steering by Starlight: Find Your Right Life, No Matter What!
--Neris Thomas, Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet: A Weight-Loss Plan for Real Women
--Marcus Buckingham, Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance
--Sophie Uliano, Gorgeously Green: 8 Simple Steps to an Earth-Friendly Life
--Erika Falk, Women for President: Media Bias in Eight Campaigns
--Mark Skousen, EconoPower: How a New Generation of Economists Is Transforming the World
--Grover Norquist, author of Leave Us Alone: Getting the Government's Hands Off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives

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