Following are the other finalists Roth beat out for this year’s PEN/Faulkner:

• All Aunt Hagar’s Children, by Edward P. Jones
• The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel, by Amy Hempel
• Twilight of the Superheroes, by Deborah Eisenberg
• The Dead Fish Museum, by Charles D’Ambrosio

• Costa Novel Award: Restless, by William Boyd
• Costa Children’s Book Award: Set in Stone, by Linda Newbery
• Costa Poetry Award: Letter to Patience, by John Haynes
• Costa Biography Award: Keeping Mum, by Brian Thompson

• Newbery Medal: The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron
• Caldecott Medal: Flotsam, by David Wiesner
• Carnegie Medal: Mo Willems (author/illustrator)
• Geisel Medal: Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways, by Laura McGee Kvasnosky
• Sibert Medal: Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon, by Catherine Thimmesh

The ALA’s children’s book awards present the perfect opportunity each year to grab a stack of books for the kids in your life—books that are certain to be winners in their hearts and minds.

Lewis Jaffe is the “junkie” in question. When you browse his blog, you’ll discover a fascinating, virtual collection of bookplates—including those of Greta Garbo, Sigmund Freud, and Czar Nicolas II. Then there’s Walt Disney’s bookplate, and Noel Coward’s … and seemingly hundreds more belonging to the famous, the infamous, and the unknown. Take a look. But do so when you have some time to spare, because it’s easy to be drawn into this intriguing, unique book blog.

All of this reminds me that I need to get cracking on Song of Susannah, the sixth installment of King’s delightfully fun, devilishly thrilling seven-book Dark Tower series. I’m setting off (incognito, of course) to my local library right now.

An outcome of Watching the World Change, the book of the same name, this companion Web site was created by author David Friend as a way to accommodate the outpouring of reactions to a book focused on the powerful imagery and lasting impressions of September 11.

I’m finding that no matter where I go, the same thing happens whenever I mention the book, even in passing. Friends, colleagues, complete strangers—everyone stops what they’re doing and feels compelled to tell me their September 11 story. They can go on for about 20 minutes, without a break, reliving those moments again. And without exception, each tale is insightful and heart-wrenching in its own way.

Friend’s site is a detailed and in-depth study in how our global community continues to react to September 11. It is also a good example of how a single book can inspire and motivate its readers, fostering a Web site that has become a community of its own.

Here are some of my recent discoveries in the book-blogosphere, in no particular order:

• Hugh’s Blog: Hugh Hollowell has recently started his blog and it is a momentous resource to book buyers and sellers. The information he provides in his site is lucid, comprehensive, and extensive. The content is worth reading and remembering, and the advice is practical. I always look forward to reading what he has posted because the information is useful.
• Lux Mentis, Lux Orbis: Short and witty, these writings provide hints of information about the book world and links to exotic locations elsewhere in the Web world. Ian J. Kahn, the author and bookman, has an opinion for all seasons and the trip is enjoyable. It’s always a pleasure to see what he has found of interest.
• PhiloBiblos: This blog covers “reviews of books old and new; news and commentary on book history, library culture, archives, and related subjects,” according to Jeremy Dibbell, who concisely and distinctively presents all aspects of books. He also tosses in the occasional literary review for added flavor.
• Foggygates: Forrest Proper brings his distinctive writing sense to nearly everything, whether it is essays about trees or explaining a new book catalog.
• Rare Book News: From around the world, book current events are presented with a brief quote from a linked newspaper article. Lee Jay Stoltzfus hosts this site and, in his own words and in large letters, describes himself as “Bookseller. Antiquarian. Occasional Geek.” The site is appealing and the information comprehensive. This one is for those who like reading news from newspapers.
• Book Patrol: The information here is lively, interesting, and concisely presented. Paragraph bites and the occasional full commentary make for enticing reading. From art to booksellers, the topics are presented with refreshing candor and substance to ground opinions on various aspects of the book business.

I encourage you to check these blogs. The writing is among edgiest and sharpest I have encountered, and not entirely unexpected as these are individuals with book interests and book skills. Their wry musings and keen observations are a dynamic delight. Clean and crisp, they are a breath of bibliographic fresh air.

Kazuo Ishiguro, E.L. Doctorow, Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Cormac McCarthy, Zadie Smith, and Haruki Murakami are only a handful of big names on a longlist representing 138 books. (That’s not a typo: 138!) These authors are joined on the tip of this iceberg of a longlist by other notables like John Banville and Ali Smith (my recent favorite). But chip away the marquee authors and you’ll discover an intriguing list of names like Arnaldur Indridason, Abdulrazak Gurnah, and Zoran Zivkovic. For the ambitious reader, the IIMPACDLA longlist represents a recommended-reading list that is certain to take them to unexplored corners of the world.

While I think King’s latest book is pretty awful (including the audiobook version), I agree with this author of some of my favorite audiobooks (namely, his Dark Tower series) that listening to books (especially suspense novels) is a great way to experience literature. Whether you’re already sold on audiobooks or would like to give one a spin for the first time, you’ll find many enticing suggestions in King’s list of favorite audio titles:

1. American Pastoral, by Philip Roth
2. Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry
3. The Harry Potter novels, by J.K. Rowling
4. That Old Ace in the Hole, by Annie Proulx
5. Back When We Were Grownups, by Anne Tyler
6. Enduring Love, by Ian McEwan
7. The Aubrey/Maturin novels, by Patrick O’Brian
8. Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt
9. Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman