WAKA TSUNODA, Associated Press “No Man’s Land” (Grand Central Publishing), by David Baldacci David Baldacci’s typical action thriller often features a character in dire emotional straits. This gives the novel dramatic depth and intensity, making it an unforgettable read. It has a strong element of science fiction, is action-packed and thought-provoking. His latest, “No Man’s … Continue reading
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Retired Pope Benedict XVI has acknowledged that governing the church wasn’t his strong suit but says he doesn’t see his papacy as a failure and that he succeeded at least in breaking up the Vatican’s so-called “gay lobby.” In a first-ever book by a retired pope reflecting on his papacy, Benedict … Continue reading
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Lois Duncan was perhaps best-known for her pioneering suspense novels that captivated more than one generation of young readers, including “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” which became a movie with a sequel. But the prolific writer of nearly 50 titles also chronicled her deeply personal, decades-long inquiry into … Continue reading
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Respect is due Julian Fellowes, who as a prolific writer has conquered TV with Emmy-winning “Downton Abbey,” film with “Gosford Park,” which earned him an Oscar, and theater with “School of Rock — The Musical,” a Tony Award nominee. So which author does he most admire? Anthony Trollope, at least among … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — When actress and playwright Claudia Shear was first approached to turn a novel for young adults into a Broadway musical, she was slightly stunned. “You want me for a children’s thing?” she asked the producers. Shear, after all, often writes about fearless women making their way in an unforgiving world and … Continue reading
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Imre Kertesz, the Hungarian writer who won the 2002 Nobel Prize for Literature, was laid to rest Friday in the National Burial Garden in Budapest’s Kerepesi Cemetery. “Fatelessness,” his most famous book, was based largely on his teenage experiences in Nazi death camps. Kertesz’s work frequently reflected on the fate of … Continue reading
LONDON (AP) — Elusive Italian author Elena Ferrante and Turkish Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk are among six finalists for the Man Booker International Prize for fiction. Ferrante’s Neapolitan tale “The Story of the Lost Child” and Pamuk’s Istanbul-set “A Strangeness in My Mind” are on a shortlist, announced Thursday, that includes books from Asia, Africa … Continue reading
VATICAN CITY (AP) — A Vatican monsignor said Tuesday he never felt threatened by two journalists to whom he passed confidential documents — but did fear the colleague who introduced them. Monsignor Angelo Lucio Vallejo Balda, a former high-ranking official in the Vatican’s finance office, made the concession during cross-examination Tuesday in the Vatican’s leaks … Continue reading
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s Republican-led Senate will soon consider a bill requiring schools to notify parents if their children will be assigned to read a book that includes sexually explicit material and provide an alternative if the parent objects. The measure is being pushed by a mother who tried unsuccessfully several years ago to … Continue reading
HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — During a Technology Petting Zoo at Harrisonburg’s public library on Feb. 11, city resident Milla Sue Wisecarver, 62, learned how to check out books. But she didn’t use a card and get a traditional book made of paper products. She used her iPad and downloaded an electronic file. Susan Versen, the … Continue reading
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — A book reportedly written by a Canadian serial killer was removed Monday from Amazon’s website a day after being put on sale online following protests by British Columbia authorities. Outskirts Press, which published the book, issued a statement saying it had asked Amazon to remove the book from its website. … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — Ack! There’s a picture book coming about Bill the Cat. Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, told The Associated Press on Monday that it was publishing Berkeley Breathed’s “The Bill the Cat Story: A Bloom County Epic.” Philomel is calling the book the “origin story of fan-favorite Bill the … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — The author of “Thirteen Reasons Why,” the million-selling young adult novel being developed as a Netflix series, has finished his first solo work of fiction in nearly a decade. Penguin Young Readers told The Associated Press on Wednesday it would be publishing Jay Asher’s “What Light,” billed as a “contemporary romance” … Continue reading
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania’s crackdown on corruption and fraud in recent years has created a sudden and unexpected literary boom, as prisoners publish hundreds of non-fiction books on subjects as varied as soccer, real estate, God and gemstones. It’s quite a feat for inmates with no access to books or the Internet, often without … Continue reading
NEW YORK (AP) — J.K. Rowling’s latest honor isn’t only for her writing. The “Harry Potter” author is to receive the PEN/Allen Foundation Literary Service Award, PEN America told The Associated Press on Monday. Rowling will be presented her award May 16 at the literary and human rights group’s annual spring gala in New York. … Continue reading
Spartan Echo 