Food for thought: Give cooking books for the holidays

It seems books for foodies are everywhere nowadays—and I’m not just talking cookbooks! From the wonderfully written and journalistic Heat to the off-kilter comedy of Amy Sedaris to collections of recipe favorites, here’s a short list of books that are sure to be holiday hits with the food lovers in your life. (Warning: You may […]

A book-loving blogger blogs about book blogs

During the last several years (and still gaining momentum), the blogosphere has exploded with incredible richness and variation. Included as a subculture of the World Wide Web are explorations into the bookish experience, from reviews on modern literature to opinions regarding book fairs; from glimpses of exquisite incunabula to discoveries of fine and unusual bindings. […]

Steinbeck, Faulkner, and Whitman: legendary authors of banned classics

A promise is a promise is a promise, and we’re a blog of our word. We pledged to feature banned and challenged books this month, in celebration of free speech and next week’s Banned Books Week, and we’re enjoying doing just that.
We also hope you’ve enjoyed Cuppa Joad so far this September. Read our […]

The Man Booker Prize shortlist opens new reading horizons

The recently announced shortlist for the United Kingdom’s preeminent literary award, the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, includes some real surprises. Of the nominees, only Sarah Waters remotely approaches literary-household-name status, and for the first time in the award’s history, the judges will be influenced by blogging members of the general public selected from ordinary […]

Shortlist announced for children’s fiction prize

Kids read the darndest things. Judging by the Guardian children’s fiction prize shortlist, which was announced over the weekend, young readers are enjoying books about cloning, art history, subversive printing presses, and environmental devastation. These heady subjects are, of course, explored through captivating characters and thrilling story lines. It’s quite the list of outstanding juvenile […]

Your vote counts in the 2006 Quill Book Awards

Call them The People’s Choice Awards for books and you won’t be far off. The nominees for the 2006 Quill Book Awards have been announced, and now it’s time for you, dear reader, to be heard. Five nominees in each of 19 categories have been assembled by a venerable and invited group of librarians and […]

Read books others would want to ban or burn

This month begins with Labor Day, is crowned by September 11th remembrances, and ends with Banned Books Week. It’s a momentous month and a perfect time to celebrate freedom. In a world where riots break out over controversial cartoons in newspapers, where authors have been targeted for murder for publishing their opinions, and where books […]

Three glimpses into the world of authors

Authors write. Their characters and scenes flit across pages in bold black text, in gripping tales of adventure and intrigue. There is more to the authors, however, than the tales they script. They have private selves, and the mosaic of their personal feelings and events breathe life into their writing. Listed below are three autobiographical […]

Foodies rejoice: Books on food are selling like hotcakes

American readers will eat up culinary books just as fast as food writers can cook ‘em up. That’s no wonder, when you consider the quality of the following food-related titles from last week’s Book Sense list (see the most current list), which are selling strongly in independent bookstores and big chains alike:

Garlic and Sapphires, by […]

Salon’s smart, suspenseful summer reads

“Where are the page-turners that don’t make you feel like you’re pouring Karo syrup directly over your brain?” That’s the question posed by Laura Miller as she rolls out Salon’s list of six summer reads that are intense but also intelligent. It’s a very intriguing list, which has me moving several of these titles to […]