The movie Extraordinary Measures starring Harrison Ford is about a real-life father, Jonathan Crowley, played by Brendan Fraser, who will do anything to save his two children from a life-threatening disease, even quitting his job to form a biotech company.

The true story first caught Harrison Ford’s eye when Geeta Anand wrote about it in the Wall Street Journal. She went on to write the book The Cure, which is now the trade paperback tie-in to the movie.

The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million–and Bucked the Medical Establishment–in a Quest to Save His Children Geeta Anand Retail Price: $15.99 Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Harper Paperbacks – (2010-01-01) ISBN / EAN: 006073440X / 9780060734404

Crowley has written his own book, Chasing Miracles. He appeared on the CBS Early Show this morning.

Watch CBS News Videos Online
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Chasing Miracles: The Crowley Family Journey of Strength, Hope, and Joy John F. Crowley, Ken Kurson Retail Price: $22.95 Hardcover: 224 pages Publisher: Newmarket Press – (2010-02-02) ISBN / EAN: 1557049106 / 9781557049100

We saw many of you at HarperCollins’ Buzz Session at MidWinter. One of the pleasures of going to conferences is hearing about under-the-radar titles coming out next season so you can be ahead of your readers (it was at an earlier HarperCollins buzz sessions that we first heard about The Lace Reader; this time we heard about the author’s next title, out in May).

If you weren’t able to come to the presentation, you can “bring the buzz” home by clicking here to listen to the audio of each title presentation, get full background and ordering information and even enter to win a set of Advance Readers Editions.

This format offers the opportunity for inhouse RA training; you can have your whole staff watch the presentation and discuss the books they’re looking forward to.

There’s one business that’s on the rise; the Burpee Seed Company saw a 30% increase in sales of vegetable seeds last year. Combine the desire to save money with the desire to eat fresh food and the result is a lot of new gardeners.

In their annual gardening issue, Publishers Weekly talks to gardening editors about the books they’re publishing this Spring (there’s even a book called Eat Your Yard!, and another called Grow Your Own Drugs).

Here’s a few of the titles that are featured:

Starter Vegetable Gardens: 24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens Barbara Pleasant Retail Price: $19.95 Paperback: 180 pages Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC – (2010-03-17) ISBN / EAN: 1603425292 / 9781603425292

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Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces Gayla Trail Retail Price: $19.99 Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: Clarkson Potter – (2010-02-02) ISBN / EAN: 0307452018 / 9780307452016

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How to Grow a School Garden: A Complete Guide for Parents and Teachers Arden Bucklin-Sporer, Rachel Pringle Retail Price: $24.95 Paperback: 272 pages Publisher: Timber Press – (2010-07-15) ISBN / EAN: 1604690003 / 9781604690002

Alison Weir’s bio of Anne Boleyn, The Lady in the Tower is recommended as a companion book for Americans who need historical background to enjoy Hilary Mantel’s Booker-winning novel, Wolf Hall.

Now we come full circle; Hilary Mantel reviews The Lady in the Tower for the NYT Book Review.

The Lady in the Tower rose to #93 (from #283) on Amazon sales rankings after the review and a fascinating story on NPR’s All Things Considered (listen here). Holds are as high as 10:1 in several libraries.

Why are people fascinated with Anne Boleyn? Mantel says,

It is because her character has archetypal force…She is the young fertile beauty who displaces the menopausal wife. She is the mistress whose calculating methods beguile the married man; but in time he sees through her tricks and turns against her.

The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn Alison Weir Retail Price: $28.00 Hardcover: 464 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books – (2010-01-05) ISBN / EAN: 0345453212 / 9780345453211

Audio; Recorded Books; Anticipated Release: Feb 13, 2010

• Unabridged CD; $123.75
• Unabridged Cassette; $113.75

eBook available from OverDrive

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Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel Retail Price: $27.00 Hardcover: 560 pages Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. – (2009-10-13) ISBN / EAN: 0805080686 / 9780805080681

UNABR Audio from MacMillan Audio, 9781427210166; $49.99
Audio and eBook available from OverDrive

Food guru Michael Pollan appears on the Oprah show on Wednesday. His most recent book is currently at #1 on the NYT paperback bestseller list.

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual Michael Pollan Retail Price: $11.00 Paperback: 112 pages Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) – (2009-12-29) ISBN / EAN: 014311638X / 9780143116387

ebook available from OverDrive

Ethan Watters will appear on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Wednesday night.

Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche Ethan Watters Retail Price: $26.00 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Free Press – (2010-01-12) ISBN / EAN: 141658708X / 9781416587088

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Meryl Streep signed to star in the movie of Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, back in November of 2008. Since then, there hasn’t been much news.

Dewey author and former library director, Vicki Myron’s hometown newspaper, the Spencer (Iowa) Daily Reporter was on the scene at a recent Spencer Chamber Tourism Committee meeting where Myron revealed that the movie is now “hanging in the air,”

Screenwriter Pamela Gray, who toured Spencer in May, submitted a second script to five producers recently. Once studio executives accept it, Myron said they’ll return to actress Meryl Streep, who had already signed on to star in the adaptation of her book, to see if she’s still interested in portraying her. If Streep decides to not pursue the role, the movie’s current director and budget will also go with her, Myron said.

“[The studio] is not planning anything until they have her signed and have a director,” Myron added.

This is just another reminder that it’s often a long way between a movie being signed and its appearance in theaters.

Meanwhile, Myron is moving ahead with plans for a Dewey Readmore Books bookstore in Spencer.

The Edgar Nominees have been announced. Winners will be announced on April 29th in NYC.

The nominees for Best Novel are below. The full list of all categories, including First Novel, YA and Juvenile, available on the Edgar site.

The Missing Tim Gautreaux Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Knopf – (2009-03-03) ISBN / EAN: 0307270157 / 9780307270153

Coming in trade pbk; 3/9/10; 9780307454683; $15

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The Odds Kathleen George Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Minotaur Books – (2009-06-09) ISBN / EAN: 0312549997 / 9780312549992

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The Last Child John Hart Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Minotaur Books – (2009-05-12) ISBN / EAN: 0312359322 / 9780312359324

Coming in trade pbk.; 3/10/10; 9780312642365; $14.99
UNABR. audio; Macmillan Audio; 9781427206664; $39.95
Audio available from OverDrive

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The Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death Charlie Huston Retail Price: $25.00 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books – (2009-01-13) ISBN / EAN: 034550111X / 9780345501110

Now available in trade pbk; 9780345501127; $15
Audio and eBook available from OverDrive

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Nemesis (Harry Hole) Jo Nesbo Retail Price: $25.99 Hardcover: 480 pages Publisher: Harper – (2009-01-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061655503 / 9780061655500

Now in trade paperback; 9780061655517; $14.99
Audio and eBook available from OverDrive

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A Beautiful Place to Die: (Detective Emmanuel Cooper) Malla Nunn Retail Price: $25.00 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Atria – (2009-01-06) ISBN / EAN: 1416586202 / 9781416586203

Also available in trade pbk; 9781416586210; $15

This is clever; Frommer’s is running a photo contest. The winner will have his or her photo featured on the cover of a Frommer’s book and will win $5,000 (contest ends 3/31).

How appropriate it would be if a librarian won, given what great travelers we are and how many Frommer’s titles libraries buy.

I’m no photographer, but just looking at the hundreds of photos that have already been entered serves as a mini-vacation.

Kitty Kelley, who looks for people who are “lightning rods” as subjects of her biographies has found her next one; Oprah.

Entertainment Weekly‘s blog Shelf Life reports that Crown is planning a 500,000 copy first printing. The publisher is mum on details other than “[the book] will reveal Oprah as she has never been seen before.”

Years ago, Oprah was set to write her autobiography, but backed out.

Oprah: A Biography Kitty Kelley Retail Price: $30.00 Hardcover: Publisher: – (2010-04-13) ISBN / EAN: 0307394867 / 9780307394866

Random House Audio; 9780307749246; $50
Crown Large Print; Pbk; 9780739377857; $30

In an effort to “get ahead” of a tell-all book being released the week after next by a former aide, John Edwards has admitted that he is the father of Rielle Hunter’s daughter Quinn.

The aide, Andrew Young, had claimed he was the father to protect his boss. His book, The Politician, due on Feb. 2, rose to #117 on Amazon after the news broke.

The Politician: An Insider’s Account of John Edwards’s Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down Andrew Young Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books – (2010-02-02) ISBN / EAN: 031264065X / 9780312640651

Unabridged audio will be available from Tantor:

Publisher: Tantor, 2/22/10
Read by: Kevin Foley
Trade: 9781400116508; 10 CD’s; $34.99
Library: 9781400146505; 10 CD’s; $69.99
MP3: 9781400166503; 1 MP3-CD; $24.99

Currently at #11 on Amazon sales rankings after 3 days in the top 100, is a book that argues near-death experiences are proof of an afterlife.

Several libraries that own the book are showing heavy holds; 67 on 6 copies in one instance.

The book was featured on the Today Show and in the new issue of Time magazine.

Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences Jeffrey Long, Paul Perry Retail Price: $25.99 Hardcover: 224 pages Publisher: HarperOne – (2010-01-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061452556 / 9780061452550

eBook available from OverDrive

Two movies based on books open this weekend. Links to the trailers are to the right of the site, under “Books to Movies — Trailers”.

Creation explores how the death of Darwin’s 10-year daughter influenced his view of evolution and religion. It’s based on the book Darwin, His Daughter and Human Evolution by Randal Keynes (the tie-in uses the movie title).

The author was interviewed last night on Fresh Air with Terry Gross (listen to it here).

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JAN 22, 2010

Movie Title: Creation

Director: Jon Amiel

Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Northam

Based on: Darwin, His Daughter and Human Evolution by Randal Keynes

Official Web Site: CreationTheMovie.com

Tie-in:

Creation (Movie Tie-In): Darwin, His Daughter & Human Evolution Randal Keynes Retail Price: $16.00 Paperback: 448 pages Publisher: Riverhead Trade – (2009-11-25) ISBN / EAN: 1594484740 / 9781594484742

eBook available from OverDrive (under the title Creation)

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Been hearing the phrase “I ALREADY work around the clock!” a lot recently? It’s not just a reflection of how pressured people are feeling; it’s a quote from the new Harrison Ford/ Brendan Fraser movie Extraordinary Measures, based on the book The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million–and Bucked the Medical Establishment–in a Quest to Save His Children.

If you want to drive yourself nuts, listen to it on its own soundboard; if not, you can hear it in context in the movie trailer.

JAN 22, 2010

Movie Title: Extraordinary Measures

Director: Tom Vaughan

Starring: Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell

Official Movie Site

Based on: The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million–and Bucked the Medical Establishment–in a Quest to Save His Children, by Geeta Anand

The Cure: How a Father Raised $100 Million–and Bucked the Medical Establishment–in a Quest to Save His Children Geeta Anand Retail Price: $15.99 Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Harper Paperbacks – (2010-01-01) ISBN / EAN: 006073440X / 9780060734404

eBook available from OverDrive.

The RUSA Reading List Awards are unusual for ALA; rather than literary fiction, they focus on genres, most of which are overlooked when best books awards are being handed out.

The awards were announced at MidWinter. Adriana Trigiani won in the Women’s Fiction category  and did what any bestselling author would do in her situation; she called her mom (who is a librarian).

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Winners are below, the full lists, with runners-up and readalikes (this is RUSA, after all!)  is available here.

Adrenaline

(Action, Thrillers and Adventure)

Gone Tomorrow (Jack Reacher, No. 13) Lee Child Retail Price: $27.00 Hardcover: 432 pages Publisher: Delacorte Press – (2009-05-19) ISBN / EAN: 0385340575 / 9780385340571

Fantasy

Lamentation (The Psalms of Isaak) Ken Scholes Retail Price: $7.99 Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages Publisher: Tor Fantasy – (2009-09-01) ISBN / EAN: 0765360918 / 9780765360915

Historical Fiction

Agincourt: A Novel Bernard Cornwell Retail Price: $14.99 Paperback: 512 pages Publisher: Harper Paperbacks – (2010-01-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061578908 / 9780061578908

Horror

Last Days Brian Evenson Retail Price: $12.95 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Underland Press – (2009-02-01) ISBN / EAN: 0980226007 / 9780980226003

Mystery

A Beautiful Place to Die: A Novel Malla Nunn Retail Price: $15.00 Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Washington Square Press – (2009-10-20) ISBN / EAN: 1416586210 / 9781416586210

Romance

What Happens in London Julia Quinn Retail Price: $7.99 Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Avon – (2009-07-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061491888 / 9780061491887

Science Fiction

The Windup Girl Paolo Bacigalupi Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 300 pages Publisher: Night Shade Books – (2009-09-15) ISBN / EAN: 1597801577 / 9781597801577

Women’s Fiction

Very Valentine: A Novel Adriana Trigiani Retail Price: $25.99 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Harper – (2009-02-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061257052 / 9780061257056

One of every 17 novels purchased in the US since 2006 was written by James Patterson. Of course, this is due not only to his popularity, but to his prodigious output.

The upcoming NYT Magazine features the author and describes how focused he is on the marketing of his books; not surprising from the former head of a major advertising agency. In the article, Patterson is matter-of-fact about his efforts to woo his audience, saying,

If you want to write for yourself, get a diary. If you want to write for a few friends, get a blog. But if you want to write for a lot of people, think about them a little bit. What do they like? What are their needs? A lot of people in this country go through their days numb. They need to be entertained. They need to feel something.

The article answers the question of why he produces so many books a year (up to seven hardcovers now). It’s because he learned,

Not only did more books mean more sales, they also meant greater visibility, ensuring that Patterson’s name would almost always be at the front of bookstores, with the rest of the new releases.

In fact, he publishes so many titles in so many formats that he keeps a full-time “brand manager” busy trafficking them through the production process.

And he never misses an opportunity:

…last year, after noticing he wasn’t selling in Scandinavia, he invited Sweden’s best-selling crime writer, Liza Marklund, to collaborate with him on an international thriller. Their novel, The Postcard Killers, is just being published in Sweden and will be out in the U.S. this summer.

Last season was about big-name authors; this one is about debuts, so we’re keeping our eyes out for titles that may hit (remember; The Help came out on 2/10 last year; we first highlighted it in a post on 2/12; it debuted on the 3/29 NYT Fiction bestseller list)

This week, Entertainment Weekly goes nuts for the debut Bloodroot by Amy Greene,

Some novels are so powerful, so magical in their sweep and voice, that they leave you feeling drugged. Close the pages and the people in them keep right on talking to you. Amy Greene’s debut novel, Bloodroot, set in the bone-poor hollows of the eastern Tennessee mountains, is such a book.

Needless to say, they give it an unqualified A.

The prepub reviews, however, were divided.

Booklist — starred review — “With a style as elegant as southern novelist Lee Smiths and a story as affecting as The Color Purple, this debut offers stirring testimony to the resilience of the human spirit.”

Kirkus — “…bound to be a big hit”

Library Journal — “Fans of Appalachian culture and/or family chronicles may find something to take pleasure in here; casual popular fiction readers should likely pass.”

PW — “Despite a few vivid moments, this uneven debut, a four-generation Appalachian family epic, loses sight of the intriguing mythology it lays out early on.”

Location: Setting is the author’s native Tennessee Smoky Mountains.

It’s an Indie Next pick for January. Bookseller Janel Feierabend from Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA describes it;

The isolated Appalachian setting in Bloodroot is a powerful, realistic, and truly American stage on which basic human traits emerge under the heavy hand of hardship and poverty. This multi-generational story is a must-read for those who wish to expand their horizons, experience a part of our country often ignored, and face challenges head-on through honest and sparse prose. I’m still reeling.

Bloodroot Amy Greene Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Knopf – (2010-01-12) ISBN / EAN: 0307269868 / 9780307269867

UNABR Simultaneous Audio: Random Audio; 9780307713230; $40
eBook available from OverDrive