About Books & Literature: Literature at the Oscars and More!

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor Lots of literary adaptations were up for awards at the Oscars on Sunday night, unsurprisingly, as it was a big year for books-into-movies, both classic and modern. Anne Hathaway as Fantine - Best Supporting Actress! Among the literary winners were Anne Hathaway, for her portrayal of Fantine, one of Les Miserables' most tragic characters (and that's saying something). Ang Lee also won Best Director for Life of Pi, and both of those films won other awards as well, as did Argo, a non-fiction adaptation. http://movies.about.com/od/awards/a/2013-oscars.htmRead More... Search Related Topics:  anne hathaway  oscars  academy awards Anne of Green Gables - Not a Redhead? And now for our semi-regular Bits of Random News That I Feel Overly Strong About segment: can you believe that a new edition of the books, independently published and not particularly widely-read, but noticed by several large media outlets because they are largely staffed by people like me, has turned Anne of Green Gables into a blonde? Okay, so it's not really a big deal, but can you imagine? Why not give Pippi Longstocking a bouffant? Or turn Aslan into a chinchilla? Quit messin' with my childhood, people! Read More... Recently-Discovered Poems From the Literature News That Actually Matters file, some researchers and librarians have recently uncovered several long-lost poems from great poets. We've got ourselves a new (old) poem from Carl Sandburg, another from Jupiter Hammon, and a bit of a surprise: a poem from none other than Winston Churchill. Read More... Review: 'Revenge' by Yoko Ogawa For fans of short stories and/or darker material, this new release from Yoko Ogawa, which finds the author spinning tales that are not quite of the horror genre, but not far from the line. Tidy little psychological thrillers, these, all wound together into one eerie unit. Give it a try. Read More... Search Related Topics:  japanese literature  yoko ogawa  short fiction Related Searches Literature Books American Literature Classic Literature Books for Children Horror Movie Featured Articles Review: 'Live by Night' by Dennis Lehane A Review of Wizard World Portland Comic-Con Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! Review: 'Debris' by Kurtis J. Wiebe Arthur Miller's 'All My Sons' -- Summary and Plot Notes Quotes About Life   More from About.com The Perfect Engagement Ring How to find a gorgeous ring with a style and price that suit your needs. Read more...> Best U.S. Destinations Experts pick the top U.S. destinations for 2013 based on budget, special events, and more. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Read a Classic American Essay What I Think and Feel at 25, by F. Scott Fitzgerald Camping Out, by Ernest Hemingway Two Ways of Seeing a River, by Mark Twain Advertisement

About Books & Literature: Keeping Up Reading Resolutions in the New Year

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor For the past few years, I've made the New Year's Resolution to read 100 books in 365 days. Now, this is theoretically very possible (I'm a fast reader, and an average of 3.6 days per book is usually plenty), but I haven't made it yet. Thus far, I'm only at 5 for 2013, which is pretty far behind schedule. Well, unless I count Dr. Seuss books (which I probably should; let's be honest, One Fish, Two Fish is quite the schlep), in which case I'm already at 100 and I can stop reading and turn on the TV now. How to Keep a Reading Log One thing I'm trying this year is to actually write down not just everything I read, but my impression of it. This is slowing me down, but only by a little bit, and if it helps me actually remember the books that I've read, it's entirely worth it. Search Related Topics:  book journals  how to  keep a reading log Review: 'Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore' by Robin Sloan According to our reviewer, "The idea for Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore began in 2008, when Robin Sloan read the following tweet: just misread '24hr bookdrop' as '24hr bookshop'. the disappointment is beyond words. After an iteration as a short story, this concept eventually expanded into a book, one which I'm very much looking forward to reading. Read More... Search Related Topics:  robin sloan  fiction  Caroline B. Cooney's "Janie" Books I read the first of this series, The Face on the Milk Carton when I was in high school, but being admittedly out of the Young Adult loop a little bit, hadn't realized that the series continued over several more books, one of which was released in 2013. I remember the first one fondly, and I think I just might revisit the series. Read More... Search Related Topics:  ya fiction reviews  ya suspense books  caroline cooney New Cover Art for Harry Potter Books The 15th Anniversary of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is coming up, and in celebration, Scholastic is re-releasing the entire series with brand new cover art by Kazu Kibushi. Want to see it? Read More... Search Related Topics:  harry potter series  fantasy and science fiction for kids and teens  Related Searches Kids Reading Books Story Books Books for Children Book Keeping Happy New Year Featured Articles Old Fangled and New Fangled Tools for Poets Shakespeare's Theatres Return to London Life Lessons from 'Our Town' Six Special Little Words Life and Death Quotes What Does "Slabbing" Mean?   More from About.com The Perfect Engagement Ring How to find a gorgeous ring with a style and price that suit your needs. Read more...> Best U.S. Destinations Experts pick the top U.S. destinations for 2013 based on budget, special events, and more. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement

About Books & Literature: Holidays and More Holidays

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor An interesting confluence: a traditional Chinese New Year food is Jiaozi (dumplings) and in each New Year batch, a family hides a coin in just one dumpling. It symbolizes financial luck for whoever finds it. A traditional Mardi Gras tradition is king cake, a yummy brioche concoction in which is hidden a tiny plastic baby (or a bean). Whoever finds it gets good fortune. And as for Valentine's Day? Well, I'm pretty sure there's nothing hidden in that box of chocolates in the kitchen, but I'm going to eat all of them just in case. I mean, I'll take fortune wherever I can get it. Best Collections of New Orleans Literature Today is Mardi Gras, and though Carnival is celebrated throughout the world, the most famous iteration is the bacchanalia that takes place in New Orleans. Looks like it's going to be a soggy and thunder-filled one this year, so don't feel too bad about missing it this time around. Best curl up with a book instead. Try one of these collections, full of stories from William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, George Washington Cable, Kate Chopin, and Anne Rice. Read More... Children's Books About the Lunar New Year Holidays in general tend to be popular subjects for children's books, but few are as rich in history and visually stunning as Chinese New Year, and thus, the library shelves are bursting with great options on this theme. Have a look at some of these beauties. Read More... Search Related Topics:  children's books about holidays  childen's books about seasons  Great Books About Love Romantic dinners are fine and all, but honestly? I'd rather just snuggle up on the couch with my sweetie, reading our own separate books and indiscriminately shoveling chocolates (and king cake and dumplings, while I'm at it) in our mouths. Ahh, old people romance. Need a timely, topical read for just this scenario? Read More... Search Related Topics:  books about love  romance novels  book recommendations Love Poems for Valentine's Day Pro tip: a blank card with a poem hand-written inside is approximately fifty times more romantic than a pre-printed card. Unless, tragically, your handwriting looks like mine, in which case, buy the Hallmark. Read More... Search Related Topics:  love poems  elizabeth barrett browning  john donne Related Searches Kids Books Childrens Books Publishers for Books Reading Books Publishing Books Featured Articles Review: Tracy Chevalier - 'Burning Bright' Review: Gigi Amateau - 'Come August, Come Freedom' 'Our Town' by Thornton Wilder - An Overview Superheroes for Hospice Interview Getting Into a Writing Frame of Mind Do You Know Me? Quotes That Help You Dig Deep   More from About.com The Perfect Engagement Ring How to find a gorgeous ring with a style and price that suit your needs. Read more...> Best U.S. Destinations Experts pick the top U.S. destinations for 2013 based on budget, special events, and more. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement

About Books & Literature: New Books for February

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Books & Literature From Megan Romer, your About Books & Literature Editor February looks to be an exciting month for new releases, and is always a grand time to have a look at some oldies-but-goodies, as well. New Releases for February 2013 This month, we'll see Jamaica Kincaid's first release in ten years, plus a new Jodi Picoult, Maeve Binchy's final book, and more. Read More... Search Related Topics:  2013 books  new book releases  Kids' Books About African-American Freedom Fighters February is Black History Month, and a good time to sit down with your kids and learn about some great African-American heroes. Here are some books to get you started. Read More... Search Related Topics:  biographies  african american heritage in children's books  Writing Poems is Good For You Looking to beat back the winter blahs? Try writing poetry. Seriously. Science says so. Read More... Read Like a Kid When I was a kid and I required some sort of punishment, my parents took my books away and only let me read things that were assigned by teachers. Oof! Got me right where it hurts, Mom! But truly, remember how much you loved your books as a kid? Is it possible to recapture that feeling? Read More... Search Related Topics:  reading  books  kid Related Searches Publishers for Books Kids Books Picture Books Children Books Reading Books Featured Articles Themes from 'Othello' 'The Islands' by Carlos Gamerro Best Places to Sell Your Comic Books 'Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings' by Helene Boudreau Can Writing Be Taught? Top 3 Shakespeare Villains   More from About.com The Perfect Engagement Ring How to find a gorgeous ring with a style and price that suit your needs. Read more...> Best U.S. Destinations Experts pick the top U.S. destinations for 2013 based on budget, special events, and more. Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Books & Literature newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2012 About.com   Advertisement