EarlyWord

USA Today interviews director Cameron Crowe on the set of We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, and based on the memoir by Benjamin Mee (Weinstein Books, 2008).

The movie opens Dec. 23,. USA Today notes the timing is an indicator of the studio’s belief in the movies, since it is during the holiday rush and at the height of Oscar season.

Blackstone released an audio version in June. A media tie-in edition is coming in November

We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals that Changed Their Lives Forever Benjamin Mee Retail Price: $14.99 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Weinstein Books – (2011-11-08) ISBN / EAN: 1602861579 / 9781602861572

Audio and ebook on OverDrive.

Actress Tilda Swinton’s dramatic looks are the basis for an equally dramatic fashion spread in the August issue of W Magazine. She stars in a movie based on Lionel Shrivers’ novel, We Need to Talk About Kevin, which was the talk of the Cannes film festival in May.

The movie is scheduled to open in New York and Los Angeles on Dec. 2, qualifying it for the Academy Awards.

In an interview that accompanies the photo shoot, Swinton discusses the movie’s “taboo subject: the idea of a less than perfect mother.” She says, ” I knew that, when an audience watched the film, there would be a gag reflex at some point. But I was fascinated by the subject—it scared me, and that interested me.”

Shriver’s book won the Orange Prize in 2006. A movie tie-in will be published on 11/29/11.

Holds are heavy in many libraries for Alice LaPlante’s debut novel, Turn of Mind  (Atlantic Monthly, 7/5; Audio, Brilliance; Large Print, Thorndike). The author will appear on NPR’s Diane Rehm Show today.

The book has been rising on the IndieBound Fiction Bestseller list and is now at #9. It debuted on the 8/7 extended NYT Hardcover Fiction list at #35.

NPR’s Morning Edition jumps the gun by interviewing George Pelecanos a month in advance of the release of his next novel, The Cut.

The Cut (Spero Lucas) George Pelecanos Retail Price: $12.99 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books – (2011-08-29) ISBN / EAN: /

Hachette Audio; AudioGo

NPR adds their kudos to a growing list for the debut Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (Viking, 7/26;  Books on Tape; Penguin Audio; audio on OverDrive), calling it a “stylish, elegant and deliberately anachronistic debut novel.”

Several libraries are showing heavy holds on modest orders.

Friday’s Washington Post review of Conquistadora by Esmeralda Santiago (Knopf, 7/12) reads like a fan letter. The novel features Ana Cubillas, a female sugar plantation owner in Puerto Rico during the mid-19th C. With lines like the following, it’s no wonder that the book rose on Amazon’s sales rankings;

Santiago’s storytelling is thrilling, and her descriptions of the island and its multinational denizens are luminous. Her characters’ complexities emerge and collide while the plot twists like tropical vines.

Given the time and place and her main character’s position, author Santiago had to come to grips with the fact that Ana would have owned slaves. She tells USA Today that she “never thought she would create or love a heroine who owned slaves.” The NYT Book Review focuses on this aspect of the novel “The book’s strength is its Rubik’s Cube portrait of Ana, an unconventional, ambitious woman whose attitudes toward children, slaves and lovers perplex and engross.” People (which makes it a a People Pick in the 7/12 issue) hits that note more clearly,

With her tough portrait of a female planter, Santiago speculates, charitably but unromantically, about those who didn’t speak [about slavery[. Ana is emotionally intelligent enough to imagine how slaves might feel, to understand their longing for freedom, yet ruthless enough to use and punish them in order to flourish herself. Neither white witch nor angel, she is convincing despite her contradictions — indeed, because of them.

Conquistadora Esmeralda Santiago Retail Price: $27.50 Hardcover: 432 pages Publisher: Knopf – (2011-07-12) ISBN 9780307268327

Audio, Books on Tape;  Random House Audio;  Spanish, Suma/antillana
Audio and ebook on OverDrive

The major question on librarians’ minds at OverDrive’s Digipalooza, which concluded yesterday, was when Kindle users will be able to download from OverDrive. The debut is viewed with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Librarians look forward to being able to serve Kindle users, but worry about being able to buy enough copies to meet the increased demand.

Throughout the conference, CEO Steve Potash, looking like a kid with a delicious secret, kept saying “soon” and, “I’m not allowed to announce a date yer.” During the final session, he delivered a broad hint,  by summarizing the main points of his “Crystal Ball Report” :

Streamlining (both downloading and ordering)
Explosion (we have gone from two reading devices to 85 and more are coming)
Premium (the library catalog as the most premium, value-added site on the Web)
Traffic (enormous growth coming by year’s end)

But Potash delivered a larger and more revolutionary vision in his report; the library website as the first place to go to find in-copyright ebooks with the WIN platform enhancements. For a title that the library does not own, users can recommend that the library buy it or buy it themselves from ebook retailers (including independent stores). As a result, Potash predicted, the value of owning a library card will grow exponentially and traffic will make last year’s increases look like “small fry.” To prepare, he has put his staff on “Maximum OverDrive” to ensure the system will be able to handle demand 100 times greater than last year.

Libraries are still showing heavy holds on all formats of Laura Hillenbrand’s best selling Unbroken (Random House). It has been doing so well in hardcover, that the publisher has postponed the paperback reprint indefinitely, reports USA Today.

The traditional time for issuing reprints is a year after publication (which would be November for Unbroken), but publishers are rethinking those schedules. Just last week, the NYT reported that some titles are actually being released in paperback earlier.

Audio:  Books on Tape;  Random House Audio; Random House Large Print; Audio and ebook vailable on OverDrive.

Entertainment Weekly is all over the movie of Suzanne Collins’ YA novel, The Hunger Games. They’ve even created an online site, The Hunger Games Central.

The cover of the new issue features The Hunger Games guys (Katniss was featured back in May). Tom Cruise isn’t the only one getting grief over his physical size; there’s been online “hand-wringing”  from fans that Katiniss will “tower” over Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark. In the EW interview, he sets the record straight; she’s a mere half inch taller, if that.

The movie is scheduled to open March 23, 2012.

Next week, look for a debut novel set amid P.T. Barnum’s Manhattan circus, a debut thriller with a half-Inuit protaganist, and a controversial religious thriller from Christian publisher Howard Books – as well as appearances from Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Charlaine Harris and Sara Shepard. In nonfiction, there’s a 9/11 survivor’s drama, a look at the history of the FBI by bestselling investigative writer Ronald Kessler, and an entertaining search for the Garden of Eden.

Watch List

Among the Wonderful by Stacy Carlson (Steerforth) is a debut set in 1840s Manhattan, and follows a giantess and a taxidermist in the employ of P.T. Barnum, as they struggle to break free of their personal and emotional shackles. It’s an Indie Next Pick for August and a buzz title on our very own GalleyChat. Kirkus says, “a nice commentary on the entertainment racket, with carefully crafted prose that too often goes on just a beat too long. Still, a refreshing take on an aspect of and time in American history that are too little known.”

White Heat by M.J. McGrath (Viking; Blackstone Audio; Thorndike Large Print) is a debut thriller about a half Inuit/half white  woman who makes her living leading white (or qalunaat) tourists on hunting expeditions near her tiny outpost town of Autisaq on Canada’s Ellesmere Island. In a starred review, Booklist says it “transports the reader to a land of almost incomprehensible cold and an unfamiliar but fascinating culture, taking on issues of climate change, energy exploration, local politics, and drug and alcohol abuse. Edie, a fiercely independent woman in a male-dominated milieu, is sure to win fans. Expect great things from this series.” Holds are building quickly: Cuyahoga quintupled their original order as a result and other libraries are showing 10:1 holds.

The Second Messiah: A Thriller by Glenn Meade (Howard/S&S) follows an archeologist and a police inspector investigating a controversial Dead Sea scroll. PW says, “Fans of Davis Bunn or Dan Brown won’t bat an eye at Meade’s unblinking look at the Vatican and the religious secrecy that fuels such novels. With a plot that screams, a controversial edge, and characters with attitude and something to prove, this has all the makings to be the next Da Vinci Code.”

Usual Suspects

Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central; Hachette Audio) is the latest mystery featuring Special Agent Pendergast.

Retribution (Dark-Hunter Series #20) by Sherrilyn Kenyon (St. Martin’s; Macmillan Audio) is a supernatural thriller about a vampire who has sworn to protect humans locked in confrontation with a human adopted by vampires who has sworn to protect them.

Home Improvement: Undead Edition by Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner (Ace; Brilliance Audio) is a collection of paranormal short stories about the perils of do-it-yourself, with a never-before- published Sookie Stackhouse story.

The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly (Hyperion) is the final installment in the series that began with The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose, with a mix of familiar characters and the story of the star-crossed romance between two intrepid adventurers in the arly 20th Century. Booklist says, “Donnelly has leaned more toward Indiana Jones than Barbara Taylor Bradford, and the result is a perfect vacation read.”  

Young Adult

Never Have I Ever (Lying Game Series #2) by Sara Shepard is the second book in the latest series from the author of the bestselling Pretty Little Liars series.

Nonfiction

Angel in the Rubble: The Miraculous Rescue of 9/11’s Last Survivor by Genelle Guzman-McMillan (Howard/S&S); Simon and Schuster Audio) tells the story of a woman who was buried under the rubble of the World Trade Center for 27 hours.

The Secrets of the FBI by Ronald Kessler (Crown; Random House Audio; Center Point Large Print) uncovers the history and espionage techniques of the federal agency. LJ says, “Having reported on the FBI for decades and written two best sellers on the agency, Kessler really does have some secrets to share. These have less to do with how the FBI functions than with what its agents have learned while dealing with the White House, Wall Street, terrorists, spies, the Mafia, and more.”

Paradise Lust: Searching for the Garden of Eden by Brook Wilensky-Lanford (Grove Press) investigates the many searches for the “real” location of the Garden of Eden. Booklist says, “Wilensky-Lanford’s tone is indeed light and entertaining, she portrays her obsessed subjects with respect and even a little sympathy. In the end, the book is less about Eden-finding or myth-busting than it is a study of the undying human need for meaning, symbolism, and unity in a fractured and profane world.”

Now in Trade Paperback

The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal (Picador). This was Nancy Pearl’s favorite work of nonfiction published in 2010.

I Curse the River of Time by Per Petterson (Picador)

We are in the full swing of summer movie season, and while there are the major installments we book-lovers have been waiting for (ahem, Harry Potter), this summer is dominated by superhero movies. Marvel keeps churning out film after film in its ultimate mission of releasing the much-anticipated Avengers movie in 2012. DC competes by releasing its own signature characters on the big screen (Green Lantern — in 3D), even though their mediocre entries (excepting the Nolan Batman films) tend to disappoint even die-hard fans.

Other comics-inspired films, like Cowboys & Aliens, opening tomorrow, based on Scott Mitchell Rosenberg’s graphic novel, raise the question: when is it worth picking up the source graphic novel and when, as with the heavily anticipated but ultimately disappointing Green Lantern, (opened 6/17), is it best to wait and see? How do you build your collection to sustain interest as well as anticipate new hits?

In the case of Cowboys & Aliens, there’s a handy 2011 reprint available, and, fortunately, you only have to invest in one book. Few readers have shown interest in my library. For right now, I’m refraining from investing unless the movie proves to be a grand success.

Marvel puts out solidly enjoyable stand alone films from Iron Man (2008 & 2010) to Thor (opened May 6) to the eagerly anticipated Captain America: The First Avenger (opened last week and doing well both at the box office and with critics). The comics, however, require understanding of earlier storylines to grasp and can be impenetrable to new readers. Investing in every potentially relevant Green Lantern comic is a fool’s errand and is ultimately unnecessary. Stick to the solid storylines and authors that are already popular, as with Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America and Geoff Johns’s run on Green Lantern. Roger Langridge’s Thor: The Mighty Avenger is notable for for penciler Samnee’s clean, bright art and is  one of the best reviewed entry tales of the past year, admired by fans, creators, and readers alike. Although the series was regretfully canceled after eight issues, the book still stands as a solid introduction to Thor’s origin and place within Marvel’s pantheon. With all of these purchases, fans will be pleased, books will fly off the shelves, and libraries can stay within their budget.

DC may be losing right now on the movie front, but their books are easier to get into via a convenient entry point. Like Nolan’s Batman movies? Pick up Batman: Year One or Batman: Arkham Asylum (showing movement on amazon — Sales rank: 364, up from 578)
You don’t need to dive in to the current Batman storyline to find a satisfying read with your favorite blockbuster character.  Right now, I’m most curious about which Batman volumes I’ll need to collect to anticipate reader interest in villain Bane for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Night Rises (coming next summer).  Catwoman I’ve got covered in her own series (relaunching in fall 2011) but Bane (made all the more exciting because he’s being played by the buzz-worthy Tom Hardy) is more of a mystery.  For Bane’s most famous storyline, I’d need volumes one to three of Batman: Knightfall, sadly fallen out of print.  Keep your eyes peeled for a reprint, though, as DC knows to count on the movies to generate interest in older titles.  Bane has made a more nuanced reappearance in the DC universe as part of Gail Simone’s Secret Six, and her relaunch of this series following a supervillain team is a solid addition to a library’s collection (although be quick, as the six volumes are getting hard to find from vendors and the series has been canceled due to DC’s fall reboot.)

If you haven’t already seen it, check out the teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises that briefly features Tom Hardy’s Bane.

Thus, in my library, Batman buzz trumps Cowboys & Aliens.  The wind may change, though, and I’m prepped and ready to respond to my patrons if they fall head over heels for Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford battling extraterrestrial threats.

Note: Thanks go out to all my colleagues on the Graphic Novels in Libraries listserv for their help in identifying the best Bane-centric titles.

Join us for GalleyChat this coming Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 4 to 5 p.m. (Eastern) when we will be discussing galleys of books coming out in Sept. and beyond.

Below are ten fall titles that rose to the top of participants’ TBR piles during last month’s chat:

The Art of Fielding, Chad Harbach, Little, Brown, 9/7
Hachette Large Print, 9780316204729
Comments — a “masterpiece” and “Baseball and Moby Dick–what a combination! ”

When She Woke, Hillary Jordan, Algonquin, 10/4
Audio, Highbridge, 9781611745702
Comments — “brilliant, disturbing, unexpected turn. Much more than 1984 meets The Scarlet Letter.” –” Made me think of Handmaid’s Tale ”

Forgotten Waltz, Anne Enright, Norton, 10/3
Thorndike, 9781410443243

Lots of interest, although nobody had read yet.

Lost Memory of Skin, Russell Banks, Ecco, 9/27
HarperLuxe, 9780062088857
This is one I’ve become an evangelist for  and I’m happy to report that those I’ve gotten to read it are glad they did. Some say it’s Banks’ best yet.

The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday, 9/13
RH Audio, 9780307938909
Large Print, Center Point, 9781611732023

We hardly need to say more about this one. As we reported earlier, it  has already been compared to The Help and The Da Vinci Code, in terms of potential popularity (but not at all in terms of plot or style or setting!)

The Night Strangers, Christopher Bohjalian, Crown, 10/4
RH audio, 9780307940773
RH Large Print, 9780739378366

Not many in the group have read this yet, but one who did said she “Couldn’t put it down,” causing others to grab their copies

Rin Tin Tin, Susan Orlean, S&S, 10/4
S&S Audio, 9781442344969; Thorndike, 9781410443441
This one has all the elements of a hit; fascinating historical detail (for instance, the heavy reliance on animals during combat in WWI), show business, triumph over obstacles and, of course, Susan Orlean and the dogs that were Rin Tin Tin through the years.

The Stranger’s Child, Alan Hollinghurst, Knopf, 10/11
RH Audio, 9780307966582
Comment — “Reminded me of Downton Abbey and Kate Morton.” Just announced as one of the titles on the Booker longlist. If it wins, the timing couldn’t be better; the announcement will come the week after it is published here.

Those Across the River, Christopher Buehlman, Ace,  9/6
Blackstone Audio
One who picked it up via NetGalley said she “Had nightmares after only reading the 1st quarter of it.”

Triangles, Ellen Hopkins, Atria/S&S, 9781451626339, 10/18 [No cover art yet]
S&S Audio, 9781442345362
Hopkins’ first book for adults, using the free verse style that is familiar from her YA titles; Comment “it’s riveting… she packs punch!

The New York Times has fun today investigating the story behind Untitled by Anonymous coming with a “massive media rollout” and a one-day laydown on Nov. 14 from Little, Brown.

Turns out the book is by a woman who lived with Bernard Madoff’s son, Andrew. Bookstores are ordering it through sales reps; we have searched wholesaler databases and the Hachette web site, but have not found ordering information.

The movie of Lee Child’s One Shot, starring Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher is moving closer to reality. It now has a release date of Feb. 8, 2013. For all of you who can’t believe that the Cruise was chosen to portray the 6’5″, 250 pound Reacher, get ready.  Paramount is hoping One Shot will launch a series based on the novels (strange that they decided to begin with the ninth title in the series).

The 17th Reacher novel, The Affair (Delacorte)  is coming in September.

What writer wouldn’t love this opening section from the Washington Post ‘s review,

You’re unlikely to find a wittier, more ingenious, more compulsively readable novel this year than Tom Carson’s latest, a satiric revue of the dearly departed American Century starring an 86-year-old woman who saw it all. The daughter of that charmer whose “voice is full of money,” as gold-hatted Gatsby said of Daisy, Pamela Buchanan tells what happened after the last mournful pages of The Great Gatsby.

The book is Daisy Buchanan’s Daughter, published by the Washington DC-area small independent, Paycock Press.

It was also reviewed in the 6/26 NYT BR, where it didn’t get as strong a reception. It seems the editors disagreed with that assessment; it is listed as “Editors’ Choice” title in the 7/3 issue.

A limited number of libraries have ordered it.

Daisy Buchanan’s Daughter Tom Carson Retail Price: $24.95 Paperback: 628 pages Publisher: Paycock Press – (2011-06-22) ISBN / EAN: 0931181348 / 9780931181344