March 2 , 2001

Dear Reader:

I am not a big television viewer, but Sunday night's prime-time lineup will have me with the television remote in hand instead of a book. NBC will air the mini-series JACKIE ETHEL JOAN: WOMEN OF CAMELOT, based on the book by J. Randy Taraborrelli, while ABC will air AMY AND ISABELLE, based on Elizabeth Strout's powerful novel about mothers and daughters, which was produced by Oprah Winfrey's company. Be sure to check out our feature about the latter book, which includes a review, an interview with the author, a reading group guide, and a reader roundtable discussion.  And, of course, the Sopranos return to HBO Sunday night as well.

If you enjoy film adaptations of books and author appearances on television, don't forget that we round up the best TV for booklovers every week on Authors On TV.

Of course, for most of you, reading, not TV-watching, is your favorite form of relaxation. Last week when we asked "What is your ideal place to read, real or imagined?", we never anticipated that so many of you would describe such incredible places perfect for reading! It was interesting to learn that while a number of you have libraries full of books in your homes even more of you choose to read somewhere you can be close to nature --- in the garden, on your patio, on your boat, or even indoors but near a window with a beautiful view. Our office is populated mostly by apartment-dwelling New Yorkers who have hardly enough room in their homes for the bare necessities, let alone for space devoted to reading. We are very jealous, and we're going to keep your responses on hand for inspiration when we build our dream houses.

In this week's Perspective, Bookreporter.com editor Sarah Brennan looks at the increasing trend toward seemingly everyone, famous or not, writing memoirs, and she questions whether everyone's life story makes for interesting reading. But even the most fascinating memoirs, and biographies too, sometimes present a problem of a different kind: often you learn something that you wish you didn't know about a favorite celebrity, figure in history, artist or author. For example, even diehard fans of J.D. Salinger were taken aback by revelations in recent memoirs by his daughter, Margaret
Salinger (in DREAM CATCHER) and former lover Joyce Maynard (in AT HOME IN THE WORLD) about Salinger's alleged eccentricities and cruel mistreatment of those close to him. Ayn Rand, whose personal life was unveiled in a memoir by her collaborator and lover entitled MY YEARS WITH AYN RAND, also comes to mind. Many readers find Rand's classic work ATLAS SHRUGGED fascinating and compelling --- and then are unsettled to learn that the novel was written to demonstrate Rand's controversial philosophy, objectivism. This week's Question of the Week is, Did you ever read something about an author that made you question being a fan? Reply here.

For those of you in the New York metropolitan area: Do you think eBooks are the next big thing? Or are they just a lot of hype? You can hear publishing industry luminaries Jason Epstein, Olaf Olafsson and others discuss these questions this Wednesday, March 7th, at an eBook seminar sponsored by the Center for Communication. The cost is $10 (free for students). For more information, visit http://www.cencom.org/.

Tempted to try an eBook? How would you like to have over 50 classic works of literature literally at your fingertips? The respected Modern Library collection is now available in eBook format, at just $4.95 for each title. Now you can download dozens of masterpieces to your computer, with Modern Library eBooks, brought to you by Bookreporter.com.

NEW THIS WEEK

Bookreporter.com On The Road With...

Olaf Olafsson
Olaf Olafsson, author of THE JOURNEY HOME, shares a bit of Icelandic history and expounds on the many facets of his engaging protagonist.

P.T. Deutermann
P.T. Deutermann spoke candidly with Bookreporter.com's interviewer Jamie Engel about why his latest novel, HUNTING SEASON, features an anti-hero, his views on government, and his approach to writing novels.

FEATURES

THE BONESETTER'S DAUGHTER by Amy Tan
Tapping into her own personal experience, Tan crafts an insightful, emotional story of the intricacies of mother-daughter relationships. Reviewed by Jami Edwards and excerpted.

TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT by Jeffrey Archer
Dry wit and clever characterizations are the keynotes of this compelling collection from one of the world's foremost storytellers. Reviewed by Ann Bruns and excerpted.

A MURDER OF HONOR by Robert Andrews
The seemingly random shooting of a priest evolves into a complex investigation, in this premier novel in a new police procedural series. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and excerpted.

PERFECT RECALL by Ann Beattie
This collection of short stories is an eloquent commentary on family legacies and the perplexing circumstances that confront the wayward characters. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano and excerpted.

THE JOURNEY HOME by Olaf Olafsson
A dying woman returns to her family and friends in Iceland to make peace with her past, in this moving, eloquent overview of life. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano and excerpted.

PERSPECTIVE: WHEN IN DOUBT, WRITE A MEMOIR: The Staggering, Heartbreaking
Memoir-Writing Craze
What justifies a memoir? Bookreporter.com editor Sarah Brennan sorts out the flood of memoirs showing up in bookstores.

BOOKS INTO MOVIES
John LeCarré, undisputed master of the spy novel, brings THE TAILOR OF PANAMA to the big screen March 30th. Pierce Bronson stars as the conniving British spy who tailors his information to serve his own ends. We look at this and other books being made into movies this Spring.

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Browse book heaven:
Amazon.com

Magazine addicts: enews.com has over 100,000 magazines, newsletters and newspapers just a click away.

Palm cases, desk accessories, leather-bound journals and more, at the literate shopping center Levenger.com.

The personal tragedies behind Amy Tan's THE BONESETTER'S DAUGHTER and an excerpt of Gail Godwin's HEART are in this month's BOOK Magazine.

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Reviews

TURNING ON THE GIRLS by Cheryl Benard
A world ruled by women, an underground men's movement, and a twisted view of sensuality are the elements of this strange novel. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

MIRAGE by Don Passman
A computer software designer struggles to maintain his sanity while eluding the FBI, which believes he's behind a series of bombings. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

INFIDELITY by Ann Pearlman
A noted marriage and family therapist looks at infidelity in her family and then turns to examine the same destructive patterns in her own marriage. Reviewed by Meredith Blum.

ARMING AMERICA: The Origins of a National Gun Culture by Michael Bellesiles
The hotly debated issue over the right to bear arms is examined in detail from the viewpoint of historical precedence. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

(PB) GOD SAVE THE SWEET POTATO QUEENS by Jill Conner Browne
Despite their brash, big-haired, sequin-bedecked frolics, these Southern Belles maintain some archaic views on women that are hard to take seriously, says reviewer Jana Siciliano.

(PB) STONES FROM THE RIVER by Ursula Hegi
A young girl grapples with the emotional torment of her physical handicap and the outrages occurring in her pre-WWII German homeland.  Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

(AUDIOBOOK) WHEN WE WERE ORPHANS by Kazuo Ishiguro, Read by John Lee
Twenty years after disaster strikes a diplomat's family, the son returns to Shanghai to solve the disappearance of his parents. Reviewed by Marge Fletcher.

Contests and Giveaways

One Word of Mouth contributor this week will win RIGHT AS RAIN by George Pelecanos. For details, visit Word of Mouth.

Every month one Bookreporter.com newsletter subscriber wins a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate. To subscribe to the newsletter and automatically be entered to win, send an e-mail to newsletter@bookreporter.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. If you already receive this newsletter in your e-mailbox every week, why not forward it to a friend? (For the official contest rules, click here.)

Hope you find a new great read this week to enjoy....

--- Carol Fitzgerald ( Carol@Bookreporter.com) for The Book Report Network: Bookreporter.com * ReadingGroupGuides.com * Teenreads.com * Kidsreads.com *AuthorsOnTheWeb*