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Top 10 in New Fiction this Holiday Season

Dana — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:46:32 +0000

Looking for the perfect gift for the readers on your list? Or just need something to read on your journey – here’s the latest and greatest fiction for them and for you!

Under The Dome Stephen King On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester’s Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when — or if — it will go away.	Her Fearful Symmetry Audrey Niffenegger Six years after the phenomenal success of The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Niffenegger has returned with a spectacularly compelling and haunting second novel set in and around Highgate Cemetery in London.
Last Night in Twisted River John Irving Last Night in Twisted River depicts the recent half-century in the US as “a living replica of Coos County, where lethal hatreds were generally permitted to run their course.” It is written with the historical authenticity and emotional authority of The Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany and is as violent and disturbing a story as John Irving’s breakthrough bestseller, The World According to Garp.	The Piano Teacher Janice Y.K. Lee In the sweeping tradition of The English Patient, Janice Y.K. Lee’s debut novel is a tale of love and betrayal set in war-torn Hong Kong. As the threads of this spellbinding novel intertwine, impossible choices emerge-between love and safety, courage and survival, the present, and above all, the past.
Wishin’ and Hopin’ Wally Lamb From the Funicello family’s bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off), Wishin’ and Hopin’ is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we’ve been—and how far we’ve come.	The Humbling Philip Roth Everything is over for Simon Axler, one of the leading American stage actors of his generation. Now in his sixties, he has lost his magic, his talent, and his assurance.In this long day’s journey into night, all the ways that we convince ourselves of our solidity, all our life’s performances: talent, love, sex, hope, energy and reputation are stripped off.
Pirate Landing Michael Crichton From one of the best-loved authors of all time comes an irresistible adventure of swashbuckling pirates in the New World, a classic story of treasure and betrayal. Pirate Latitudes is Michael Crichton at his best: a rollicking adventure tale pulsing with relentless action, crackling atmosphere, and heart-pounding suspense.	A Good Fall Ha Jin With the same profound attention to detail that is a hallmark of his previous acclaimed works of fiction, Ha Jin depicts here the full spectrum of immigrant life and the daily struggles—some minute, some grand—faced by these intriguing individuals.
Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII’s court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king’s favor and ascend to the heights of political power. Thomas Cromwell is a wholly original man and a consummate politician. But Henry is volatile: one day tender, one day murderous. Cromwell helps him break the opposition, but what will be the price of his triumph?	U is for Undertow Sue Grafton Through twenty excursions into the dark side of the human soul, Sue Grafton has never written the same book twice. And so it is with this, her twenty-first. Once again, she breaks genre formulas, giving us a twisting, complex, surprise-filled, and totally satisfying thriller.

In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII’s court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king’s favor and ascend to the heights of political power

Poll Wednesday: Michael Crichton

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:11:13 +0000

Lux Perpetuam: Michael Crichton

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:39:21 +0000

Michael Crichton, the literary and literal giant (he was 6’9″!) passed away today after a long private battle with cancer. Crichton, known for his evocative writing and accessible but engaging style penned such works as The Andromeda Strain, The Great Train Robbery, and a fantastically successful string of works subsequently made in to movies such as Eaters of the Dead (adapted into “The 13th Warrior”), Congo, Sphere, Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, The Lost World, and Timeline.

Crichton’s works focused primarily on technology, medicine and the potential for dystopian futures resulting from these fields. His focus sprouted naturally from Crichton’s past as he graudated Summa Cum Laude from Harvard University, tutored in anthropology at Cambridge University in England, and eventually received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School while writing award winning novels under two different pen names (John Lange and Jeffrey Hudson).

Crichton’s fingerprints can be found in more than just the huge literary success he achieved, having sold over 150 million books, as he delved deep into the world of moving pictures as well. Jurassic Park was groundbreaking in its effects, and 1973′s Westworld and 1976′s Futureworld were the first two movies to use 2D and 3D Computer Generated Images (CGI), respectively.

Additionally, Crichton wrote “Twister” and was the original writer and producer of the fabulously successful TV hospital drama “ER.”

As a result of his myriad projects, in December of 1994 Crichton achieved a never before seen feat, holding the prize for #1 Movie (Jurassic Park), #1 TV Show (ER) and #1 Book (Disclosure) simultaneously.

He was 66.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Crichton)
(http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article5092860.ece)