It’s a busy week for big league book critics – on the heels of reviewing Thomas Pynchon’s Inherent Vice, they’re quickly turning to Pulitzer Prize-winner Richard Russo’s That Old Cape Magic, about a middle-aged college writing professor and screenwriter who struggles to deal with his father’s death, the dissolution of his marriage and the stress of his daughter’s wedding. As the reviews proliferate, libraries are showing widely varying reserves – from 5 to 160 – on anywhere from 5 to 53 copies.

But guess what?  While the guys like it, at least one female critic is skeptical of how Russo treats his women.

In Newsweek, Jennie Yabroff comes right out and asks, Is Richard Russo a Misogynist?, declaring  

“One would expect a writer of such celebrated humanism to treat his female characters with as much compassion as his male ones. But Russo simply doesn’t.  . . . [His] novels and stories contain multitudes, yet only two types of women: perfect bitches and perfect angels. Either way, these women are like smooth, shiny ball bearings, their interiors impenetrable and unknowable. None of them seems at all conflicted about who she is or what she wants.”

However, critic and online chat host Bethanne Patrick of The Book Studio.com disagrees with Yabroff:

“Where she sees foils, I see detailed portraits of women whose lives have been forever changed and sometimes ruined by the actions of men they’ve chosen to love and live with. . . . Where Yabroff sees men simmering with resentment towards women, I see men who can’t live without women and know it – they’re trying mightily to figure out what lack in themselves causes them to need women yet also not treat them on an equal level.”

Meanwhile, The Washington Post‘s Ron Charles calls the book a “dyspeptic romantic comedy” that’s more intimate and written on a smaller canvas than his recent sprawling epics, but which

“makes up for it with psychological nuance about the ties that bind — and snap. It’s a marvelous portrayal of the strands of affection and irritation that run through a family, entangling in-laws and children’s crushes and even old friends.”

The Wall St. Journal interviews Russo, who reveals that he “worked on the novel while he was mourning the death of his mother and marrying off his two daughters. (His marriage of 37 years is doing just fine, he says.)” He’s also working on an HBO pilot about the conflict between failing dairy farmers and people with second homes over the discovery of natural oil deposits in the Catskills and Western Pennsylvania, with a woman as the central character.

That Old Cape Magic Richard Russo Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Knopf – (2009-08-04) ISBN / EAN: 0375414967 / 9780375414961

Available from Random House Audio

•  CD $40; ISBN 9780739318928

Random House Large Print

• $26; ISBN 9780739328613

My EarlyWord partner Fred Ciporen is an audiophile and a Barbara Rosenblat fanatic. I swear, the man sometimes choses to drive when it would make more sense to fly, just so he can listen to her.

So, I was pleased that not only has HighBridge Audio (this week’s sponsor), just released an audio version of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, but that Barbara Rosenblat is one of the two narrators. Give it a listen by clicking on the banner above; I think you’ll see why Fred is enamored.

It’s a timely release, since Newsweek just included The Elegance of the Hedgehog as one of the few newer titles on their What to Read. Right Now list. Even though the book was published in September, libraries are still showing long reserve lists.

Precious, an upcoming film based on Sapphire’s 1996 novel Push, got a big boost yesterday when Oprah interviewed Mo’Nique, the actress who plays the snarling mother of the movie’s tragically abused 16 year-old protagonist. “I saw Mo’Nique’s performance in this film and was so blown away,” Oprah said. “She is giving the performance of a lifetime.”

Set for release November 6, the film has already won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. On viewing the trailer, Entertainment Weekly declared:

Precious actually looks like it’s about something. Namely, a teenage girl (newcomer Gabourey Sidibe) wrestling with pregnancy, economic hardships, and a monstrous mother (Mo’Nique) who berates her every chance she gets. This is a side of America most of us rarely see, especially in the movies.”

Libraries we checked showed reserves on Push, with fewer than 10 copies on hand. But here’s some justification for buying more: Oprah is likely to continue her drumbeat for the film, which will be distributed in cooperation with her own Harpo Productions and Tyler Perry’s 34th Street Productions.

 Here’s the trailer:

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Push: A Novel Sapphire Price: $12.95 Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Vintage – (1997-04-29) ISBN-10: 0679766758 ISBN-13: 9780679766759

A movie tie-in edition is also forthcoming from Vintage, but the jacket art is not yet available.

An audiobook version will be released on July 28, 2009 by Books On Tape :

• Narrator: Bahni Turpin
• ISBN: 9781415967171
• $60; 6 CDS; Unabridged

OverDrive announces the debut of the Overdrive Media Console for the Mac today. 

Earlier this summer, OverDrive announced they had been able to break through roadblocks to make some titles downloadable in the MP3 format (the format that runs on Mac, iPods and iPhones). The Media Console makes downloading and managing those titles easier for library customers.

Unfortunately, there are fewer titles available from OverDrive in Mac’s MP3 format than there are in the Microsoft format (Windows Media Audio, or WMA), which is often difficult to explain to library customers.

In order to make titles available in MP3, publishers must be willing to offer titles without Digital Rights Management software (the software that puts limits on how the audio can be used). This is because Apple software can only read titles encrypted with Apple’s DRM, available exclusively on titles downloaded through iTunes and Audible. Thus, OverDrive cannot encrypt DRM on titles in MP3 format the way they can titles in the Windows format.

Many publishers have been reluctant to give up DRM for fear of piracy (true, publishers don’t seem overly worried that CD’s can be ripped and downloaded, but that takes a bit more effort). Random House recently made their titles DRM-free, so they could be sold to iPod users through more vendors than Audible and iTunes. However, they specifically excluded libraries from this arrangement, because, they said in their press release, without DRM, there’s no way to limit “borrowing privileges.”

Until Apple makes its DRM software available to other vendors, or until all publishers make their titles available DRM free to libraries, you will have to continue to try to explain why iPod users can only download a limited number of titles.

If you’re a glutton for punishment and want to learn more about DRM, check out A Closer Look at Digital Rights Management from Law.com.

(Ed. Note: the following is from our audio contributor, Robin Whitten, Editor and Founder of AudioFile)

Many people like to read the book before they see the movie. This year, there are plenty of upcoming movies that also have “audiobook tie-ins.” So, people can say, “I didn’t see the movie, but I listened to the audio.” 

Check out these AudioFile reviews of current and upcoming audiobook tie-ins (click on titles to read the reviews):

Q&A / SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (film title) (Vikas Swarup)

The movie, a surprise Oscar contender, is getting a lot of media attention, even though it is only in limited release right now. It will be reaching more theaters in January.

• Trade Ed., Audio Partners, 2005
• CD ISBN 157270487X  $27.95 • Five CDs

TWILIGHT (Stephenie Meyer); movie release date, 11/21/08

• Library Ed. • Listening Library • 2005
• CS ISBN 0307282953  $55.00 • Eight cassettes
• CD ISBN 0307282961  $75.00 • Eleven CDs

THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX (Kate DiCamillo);  movie release date 12/19/08

• Listening Library
• Format: Unabridged Compact Disc
• Price: $14.99
• ISBN: 978-1-4000-9913-9 (1-4000-9913-7)

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (F. Scott Fitzgerald); movie release date 12/25/08

• Library Ed. • Blackstone Audiobooks • 2007
• CS ISBN 9780786149872  $22.95 • Two cassettes
• CD ISBN 9780786157761  $27.00 / $11.95(R) • Three CDs

MARLEY & ME (John Grogan); movie release date 12/25/08

• Library Ed. • Recorded Books • 2006
• CS ISBN 1419396285  $69.75 / $18.50(R) • Seven cassettes
• CD ISBN 1419396307  $99.75 / $18.50(R) • Nine CDs

NOT EASILY BROKEN (T.D. Jakes); movie release date 01/09/09

• Library Ed. • BBC Audiobooks America • 2006
• CS ISBN 978-0-7927-4544-0  $59.95 • Six cassettes
• CD ISBN 978-0-7927-4492-4  $74.95 • Seven CDs
• MP3-CD ISBN 978-0-7927-4567-9  $44.95 • One MP3-CDs

INKHEART (Cornelia Funke); movie release date 01/23/09

• Library Ed. • Listening Library • 2003
• CS ISBN 0807219517  $55.00 • Ten cassettes
• CD ISBN 0807220108  $85.00 • Fourteen CDs

CORALINE: Movie Tie-In CD

This a low-priced ($9.95; the original was $22) movie tie-in version of the original unabridged audio, read by Neil Gaiman.

• Audio CD: $9.95; unabridged
• Reader: Neil Gaiman
• Publisher: HarperChildrensAudio; (October 28, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 0061660167
• ISBN-13: 978-0061660160

 

THE SOLOIST (Steve Lopez); movie release date 3/13/09

• Library Ed. Blackstone Audiobooks. 2008
• CS ISBN 9781433215193  $44.95
• Five cassettes
  CD ISBN 9781433215209  $60.00 • Six CDs

THE ROAD (Cormac McCarthy) 2009/TBA

• Library Ed. • Recorded Books • 2006
• CS ISBN 9781428105492  $51.75 / $14.50(R) • Six cassettes
• CD ISBN 9781428105515  $77.75 / $14.50(R) • Six CDs

And watch for upcoming AudioFile reviews of the audiobook tie-ins to:

• REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (Richard Yates); release date  12/26/08
• THE READER (Bernhard Schlink); release date 1/09
• DEFIANCE (Nechama Tec); release date 12/31/08 (wide on 1/16)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

(Ed. Note: the following is from our audio contributor, Robin Whitten, Editor and Founder of AudioFile, )

Studs Terkel spent a lifetime talking with Americans, so there’s no better way to appreciate his legacy than to hear him. He recorded many interviews and several of his books became audiobooks:

Publisher: Highbridge
7½ hours on 6 CDs
ISBN 1-56511-969-X

Four Decades with Studs Terkel morphed to 5 decades with Voices of Our Time from HighBridge. The AudioFile review called it ” a must have artifact of America.”
Listen to an excerpt:
Audio Clip

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Publisher: Tantor Media

8 Audio CDs (Library Binder Pkg)   

ISBN 13: 9781400135882

Touch and Go, the 2007 memoir, read by Norman Dietz is an AudioFile Earphones-winner. 

Listen to a sample: MP3 Audio Sample

LA Theatre Works

ISBN 1-58081-131-0

2 CD’s — $25.95

OverDrive announced today that Penguin audio and eBook are now downloadable from their system. Libraries can add the titles to their collections by going to OverDrive’s collection development portal at www.contentreserve.com.

Penguin imprints include:

• G.P. Putnam’s Sons
• Viking
• Berkley Books
• Dutton
• Riverhead Books
• New American Library
• Grosset & Dunlap
• Penguin Books
• The Penguin Press
• Philomel
• Plume
• Puffin

Curious how the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, a novel in the form of letters, would translate to audio, I asked AudioFile Editor & Founder (and EarlyWord contributor), Robin Whitten what she thought.

She likes it! A lot:

Guernsey succeeds brilliantly in audio from several aspects. The serial nature of letters lends itself to the unfolding story, and each letter writer is represented by a different narrator with clearly individual voices.

Books on Tape producer Kelly Gildea made smart choices–Susan Duerdin as Juliet Ashton, author and biographer; John Lee for Adam Dawsey, pig-farmer and devotee of Charles Lamb; Juliet Mills as Amelia Maugery, the motherly patroness; Rosalyn Landor cast as Isola, the herbalist and would-be Miss Marple, and as several of the other quirky island characters; Paul Boehmer reads the letters of Juliet’s editor Sidney, and her American suitor. I shouldn’t gush, but each voice/ character is perfect. 

For the the full AudioFile review, click here.

Listen to a clip here:

Go to AudioFile for reviews of other current audio titles, including;

• Moscow Rules, Daniel Silva
• Sail, James Patterson
• The Monster of Florence, Douglas Preston
• Tribute, Nora Roberts

As we mentioned last week, Traffic appears on this week’s cover of Sunday’s New York Times Book Review  (Slow-Moving Vehicle). 

Turns out it got double covers, it was also featured on the cover of the Washington Post Book World (Life in the Fast Lane).

The book has received a great deal of other media attention (including NPR’s “Talk of the Nation“) and is now at #20 on Amazon. Holds are building in libraries.

Traffic
Tom Vanderbilt

• Hardcover:  $29.95
• Publisher: Knopf; (July 29, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 0307264785
• ISBN-13: 978-0307264787

• Audio CD:  Unabridged, 11 CD’s; $110.00
• Publisher: Books on Tape
• Read by: Marc Cashman
• ISBN: 978-1415956083/ 1-415956081

I just discovered that there is an unabridged audio version of the new Starbucks pick. Below is the bibliographic information for both the hardcover and the audio:

The House at Sugar Beach

Helene Cooper

• Hardcover: $26.00
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 2, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 0743266242
• ISBN-13: 978-0743266246

• Simon & Schuster Audio, September 2008 
• 9 Compact Disks (Unabridged)
• Ready by: The Author
• ISBN-10: 0-7435-7951-8
• ISBN-13: 978-0-7435-7951-3

Talk about “being there.” Listening to the audiobook of Tom Vanderbilt’s Traffic, Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) while driving, puts you right into one of those traffic study groups.

In beach traffic, your daily commute, or the next tollbooth queue you’re suddenly more aware of the other vehicles, other drivers, road conditions and traffic controls. Reading or listening you may never see traffic quite the same–a good thing!

NPR satirist and commentator David Slavin was tapped to read Random House’s abridged version. It’s a smooth, traffic-free road with Slavin’s straightforward 6-hour presentation. Nothing more is needed, as Traffic is full of interesting factoids and psychological insights.
Books on Tape has the unabridged Traffic read by Marc Cashman –a skilled, nonfiction narrator. His road trip is 11 hours.

Traffic, the book has been getting attention. It has been widely reviewed and is the cover review of this Sunday’s (8/10; not posted yet) NYT Book Review. it was also featured on NPR’s Fresh Air. Currently, it is at #124 on Amazon. Author Vanderbilt has a blog–How We Drive  where, among serious references to the transportation studies and experts, you’ll also find his Favorite Traffic Films!

Libraries show modest ordering, with reserves building for the book. Most have not yet ordered either audio edition.

Traffic
Tom Vanderbilt

• Hardcover:  $29.95
• Publisher: Knopf; (July 29, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 0307264785
• ISBN-13: 978-0307264787

• Audio CD:  Unabridged, 11 CD’s; $110.00
• Publisher: Books on Tape
• Read by: Marc Cashman
• ISBN: 978-1415956083/ 1-415956081
  

Robin Whitten, Editor and Founder of AudioFile, just let us know that the surprise hit of the season, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle will soon be available on audio (information on the audio was sketchy when we first wrote about the book).

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

David Wroblewski

• Audio CD: Unabridged, 18 CDs, 21.5 hrs., $39.95
• Publisher: Recorded Books, LLC
• Narrator: Richard Poe
• ISBN-10: 1436160308
• ISBN-13: 978-1436160308
• Shipping Date: from Recorded Books  in 2-3 weeks; pre-orders for libraries available through the RB reps  [BN.com lists it as September 16, 2008]
• Add Book To Cart

The narrator, Richard Poe, is profiled by AudioFile as skilled “in setting a mood and ‘dressing the set’ of a scene.” Robin says hes did a stunning job with George Packer’s The Assassins’ Gate and Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian last year. Previous titles include Don DeLillo’s Underworld, Jane Smiley’s Good Faith, and Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons.

Why wasn’t this tile released simultaneously with the book? Simply because it wasn’t expected to be such a big success in hardcover. Once it began to pick up steam, Recorded Books bought the rights. Since it’s a long book, it takes a while to record and produce it.

Thanks to Robin for the information. We’re very pleased to announce that she will be contributing regularly to Early Word. In addition, whenever we list audio narrators, we will link to AudioFile‘s narrator profiles.

AudioFile reviews nearly 400 adult and childrens audioboks every 60 days, focusing on the audio presentation. New reviews go up on AudioFile‘s Web site every week.

It seems the abridged audio of Barbara Walters’s bestselling Audition is missing some important information — like her various love affairs, outlined in the chapters “Fun and Games in Washington: and “Special Men in My Life.”

Time magazine uncovered the omission (you gotta wonder; what made someone at Time sit down and compare the two versions?). Walters was the reader for the abridgment and approved the final version, so she’s not worried about what was left out.

This is not an issue for libraries, however. Most libraries own the unabridged, Books on Tape version read by Bernadette Dunne.

Maybe this is an opportunity for a new slogan? “Libraries: We Don’t Leave Out the Good Parts.”

Audition

Barbara Walters

• Unabridged Audio: $129.00
  
• Publisher: Books on Tape (August 5, 2008)
• Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
• CD: 9781415943663
• Tape: 9781415955000

Here’s a brilliant idea; NPR’s “All Things Considered” is beginning a series of audio reviews by truckers, called “Roadside Reviews.”

Truckers, who spend more time on the road than almost anyone, are also major consumers of audiobooks. The summer series will present truckers’ “recommendations of the best and worst books for listening.”

For the first in the series, Montana trucker Steve Brosnan recommends murder mysteries. He likes Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs, with the exception of Break No Bones (he felt a description of the main character’s dinner was overlong; “I’m not interested in her key lime pie for dinner. That’s not why I got the book.”)

The online piece has a link to Overdrive. No, not THAT OverDrive. This one is a magazine and website for truckers. Brosnan was their “Trucker of the Month” in March.

I just heard, via a note on Recorded Books web site, that beloved audio book narrator Frank Muller died earlier this month at the age of 57. There was a memorial service this past weekend in North Carolina.

Recorded Books links to Frank’s Web site, which gives more information. The site also has a list of all of Frank’s recordings — a good source for a memorial display — and this great tribute from a fan:

(When Frank reads) the blind will
see, the lame will walk, and the deaf
will hear.” – Stephen King