Book news, reviews, trends, and talk | Shelf Life

Shelf Life Book news, reviews, trends, and talk

Hero Worship: Brad Meltzer takes on Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, and ... Batman

By Anthony Breznican on Jan 24, 2014 at 2:09PM

Brad Meltzer has a hang-up about heroes. He keeps looking for real ones.

The thriller novelist (The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate) and conspiracy investigator (the non-fiction History Decoded) has regularly explored the dynamics of good vs. evil in the comic book world, penning stories about Green Arrow and the Justice League of America. But as the father of three young kids, Meltzer says he started to rethink what it means to be one of the good guys. Superhuman crimefighters may be fun, but they’re fantasy.

As part of a new series of picture books, he decided to focus on real-life iconic leaders, adventurers, and trailblazers. But he found his stories of heroism in an unlikely place — their childhoods.

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Cassandra Clare's 'City of Heavenly Fire': Read an excerpt -- EXCLUSIVE

By Breia Brissey on Jan 24, 2014 at 10:00AM

The final installment of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series doesn’t hit shelves until May 27. The good news? That’s only a few months away. The bad news? City of Heavenly Fire is veiled in all kinds of secrecy. I can only assume the manuscript is being guarded by lock and key somewhere in Idris. Fortunately, Cassandra Clare was nice enough to share a few non-spoilery details about the much-anticipated sixth book. (The cover was revealed earlier this month.) To sweeten the pot, she gave us an exclusive excerpt from City of Heavenly Fire. So, by the angel, read on!
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B.J. Novak's new book trailer features Mindy Kaling, lots of French -- VIDEO

By Ariana Bacle on Jan 23, 2014 at 4:29PM

As if we weren’t excited enough to read B.J. Novak’s One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories, a trailer for the book was released by Knopf today. The black and white clip stars Novak himself and Mindy Kaling, fellow actor/writer/comedian/star. The two converse in French, which means their mouths move around while French words spoken by other people are dubbed in. At one point, Kaling breaks character to speak English and gives Novak a chance to explain the concept of the trailer. Unsurprisingly, it’s quite amusing. The book comes out February 4, but in the meantime watch the clip below:
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On The Books: Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon, Nick Offerman among celebrities to pen new books

By Andrea Towers on Jan 23, 2014 at 12:02PM

Image Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

The celebrity book train continues to roll on, with most of today’s book news centering around famous names who have recently signed some deals that sound both interesting and, well, interesting.

Scholastic has announced that it will be publishing a holiday children’s picture book from Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. The subject matter? The couple’s adorable twins, Moroccan and Monroe. According to Scholastic’s press release, Roc and Roe’s Twelve Days of Christmas will be geared towards children ages 3 and up and will follow the kids as “they put their own unique spin on the Christmas Carol “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

Meanwhile, Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman, fresh off the success of his best-selling book Paddle Your Own Canoe, will be penning another narrative. Dutton announced the acquisition and said, in its press release, that the untitled book would “highlight approximately twenty-five figures from U.S. history that Offerman considers his personal pantheon of ‘Great Americans’ — which range from George Washington to Willie Nelson – told from his unique, always humorous perspective.” Ron Swanson dishing on his favorite historical and famous figures? Sign me up to be the first customer!

And in more celebrity news (kind of), Vintage Books has announced it will publish the first book on Edward Snowden. Available in paperback on Feb. 11, The Snowden Files will be the first definitive narrative chronicling insights into the biggest intelligence leak in recent history.

Lots of fun book news today in the entertainment world! What are you most excited about?

See the cover for Amelia Kahaney's 'The Invisible' -- EXCLUSIVE

By Breia Brissey on Jan 23, 2014 at 10:00AM

Image Credit: Liz Dresner

The Invisible, Amelia Kahaney’s follow-up to The Brokenhearted, doesn’t hit shelves until Oct. 17, but we’ve got a first look at the cover today along with an exclusive excerpt. The book jacket features an illustration of a mechanical hummingbird, created by Nathan Collins of Bose Collins. “I love, love, love this steampunk hummingbird soaring across the city sky. It’s as if the designers reached inside my dreamscape and plucked out exactly the right pieces of the story, then made something beautiful out of them,” said Kahaney. “The bird is so strong and constructed with such amazing precision, but there’s also a sense of fragility and delicacy in the way the parts come together. I can’t imagine a better image to represent Anthem Fleet, the girl with the hummingbird heart who, though she’s fast and powerful, isn’t always as unbreakable as she appears to be. The Invisible finds her fighting to save her city while trying to protect her heart as she unearths long-buried family secrets that will change everything about who she thought she was. I’m so excited to bring this story to readers, now more than ever.”

View this document on Scribd

UP NEXT: See more images of the hummingbird!

On The Books: B.J. Novak lands children's book deal

By Andrea Towers on Jan 22, 2014 at 1:37PM

Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

The most exciting book news today? Film and television star B.J. Novak has partnered with Penguin Young Readers Group to publish a new picture book called (wait for it) The Book With No Pictures. As the title implies, the children’s book will be text-only, designed to provide children with a more enthralling reading experience.

Before you start shaking your head with confusion, let Novak explain: “I wanted to write a book that would introduce the youngest of kids to the idea that words can be their allies — that the right words can be as fun, exciting, and ridiculous as any pictures,” the actor said in a statement released by his publishing company. “Also, I can’t draw.”

The Book With No Pictures, which will be published in the fall of 2014, is the first of two books that Novak will release with Dial, an imprint of Penguin Young Reader’s Group.

More book news below!

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See the cover of '100 Sideways Miles' by Andrew Smith -- EXCLUSIVE

By Breia Brissey on Jan 22, 2014 at 10:00AM

Andrew Smith’s latest YA novel, the much-anticipated Grasshopper Jungle (out Feb. 11), is just around the corner. But we’re already excited about his next title, 100 Sideways Miles, which is due this fall. We’ve got an exclusive first look at the cover. Check it out (above), and then read the official description: “Finn Easton sees the world through miles instead of minutes. It’s how he makes sense of the world, and how he tries to convince himself that he’s a real boy and not just a character in his father’s bestselling cult-classic book. Finn has two things going for him: his best friend, the possibly-insane-but-definitely-excellent Cade Hernandez, and Julia Bishop, the first girl he’s ever loved.
Then Julia moves away, and Finn is heartbroken. Feeling restless and trapped in the book, Finn embarks on a road trip with Cade to visit their college of choice in Oklahoma. When an unexpected accident happens and the boys become unlikely heroes, they take an eye-opening detour away from everything they thought they had planned—and learn how to write their own destiny.”

Will you be adding 100 Sideways Miles to your to-read list? Sound off in the comments.

On The Books: 'Inferno' tops 2013 best seller list

By Andrea Towers on Jan 21, 2014 at 12:14PM

Based on data from USA Today‘s best-seller list, Dan Brown’s Inferno topped the charts for all book sales in 2013. The Da Vinci Code, Brown’s first big hit, was No. 1 in both 2004 (when it was first released) and 2006, when the movie debuted. (And yes, a film version of Inferno is in the works and is set to hit theaters in 2015.) [USA Today]

Yesterday, the world celebrated Martin Luther King Day, but we can continue the celebrations today by looking at a report that The New Yorker unearthed from Renata Adler. The 1965 account captures the march from Selma to Montgomery.

Former U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins has sold his papers to The University of Texas’ Ransom Center. Collins’ trove of manuscripts includes doodles, drafts of poems, diaries, observations, and notes. “It is a great pleasure to extend the Center’s holdings in this way, with the archive of a poet beloved by readers everywhere,” Ransom Center director Stephen Enniss said in a press release.

Admittedly light book news on a snowy day after a holiday weekend, but what’s got you talking in the book universe?

See the paperback cover of 'The Engagements' by J. Courtney Sullivan -- EXCLUSIVE

By Stephan Lee on Jan 20, 2014 at 3:16PM

Last summer, we said “yes” to J. Courtney Sullivan’s glittering third novel about a diamond engagement ring that passes through the generations. The Engagements opens on Frances Gerety, a real-life ad copywriter, who stumbled upon the phrase “Diamonds are forever” in the 1940s. But that phrase — and what it really means — echoes throughout the prismatic set of vignettes that follow.

If you missed The Engagements last year, you can finally put a ring on it (although this novel might make you re-think diamonds) in May when it appears in paperback, rocking the cover above.

On The Books: Lewis Wolpert admits using unauthorized works of others; new E.L. Doctorow interview

By Andrea Towers on Jan 20, 2014 at 12:25PM

Image Credit: David Levenson/Getty Images

Scientist and author Lewis Wolpert has recently admitted to using the work of others in his texts, particularly in a book called You’re Looking Very Well, about the science of aging. More than 20 passages were taken from academic papers, Wikipedia and other websites, and passed off as Wolpert’s own. ”I acknowledge that I have been guilty of including some unattributed material in my last book to be published, You’re Looking Very Well (2011) and in the initial version of my yet unpublished book Why Can’t a Woman Be More Like a Man? This lack of attribution was totally inadvertent and due to carelessness on my part,” Wolpert said in an email statement from his publishing company, Faber and Faber. “It is my sincere hope that no damage was done to any individual by the inclusion of any of these passages.” [The Guardian]

Off today? Spend your holiday reading a new interview with author E.L. Doctorow, who talks about his writing style and current preferences. [NYTimes]

With all the reports about the rising popularity in e-readers, should you be concerned about the downfall of print? According to a new post-holiday survey, apparently not. The 2014 survey found that not only do most people who read e-books also read print books, but only 4% are “e-book only” readers. Another interesting stat, according to the survey: at least 87% of e-book readers also found time to pick up a print book in the last 12 months. [Publisher's Weekly]

Not exactly book related, but close enough, considering: Amazon has always been one step ahead of the game, and now they’re taking their already-advanced shipping ideas even further. According to a report from The Verge, Amazon has acquired a patent that could allow packages to ship before you even buy them. Remember how you used to need to click something in order for it to show up in your cart? Now the company expects its customers to “preemptively” buy, based on what the user has searched and purchased, and how long the user hovers their cursor over an item. This technology is probably farther away than the drone concept, which most likely will be put into development first, but it does raise interesting questiosn about the future of online shopping. [The Verge]

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