Latestbooks

Author of the million selling novel ‘A Brief History of Time’ and Physicist Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy Hawking are writing a science book for children, which will be ‘a bit like Harry Potter’ but without magic.

The middle grade novel ‘George’s Secret Key to the Universe’ tells the story about computer-driven adventures of a young man. Simon& Schuster will publish the book this fall.

Rubin Pfeffer, senior vice president and publisher of Simon & Schuster Children’s Trade Publishing, said,

We are thrilled that Professor Stephen Hawking has written this one-of-a-kind book for children.

The book narrates the story of a boy named George who befriends a scientist and the scientist’s daughter. George soon ‘finds himself on a wildly fun adventure, while learning about physics, time and the universe.’

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Following the examples of Bob Dylan Chronicles: Vol.1, other musicians are also turning up to write books. From Eric Clapton to Tom Petty, most of the iconic musicians are turning to the serious business of book writing. So, this year get ready to groove with books. Here are the upcoming ones:

• Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story by Brian Welch
It tells the tale of the lead guitarist and crystal meth addict.

•Ronnie Wood: The Autobiography
The Rolling Stone talks about his career and friends; Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts.

•Clapton: The Autobiography by Eric Clapton
Legendary guitarist writes about everything in his autobiography; right from his childhood to women.

•SLASH by Slash with Anthony Bozza
The guitarist from Guns N’ Roses tells his tale.

•Lyrics by Sting
A classical collection of lyrics and commentary; a must have.

•Runnin’ Down a Dream, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers by Tom Petty
Both memoirs coincide.

• Wonderful Tonight by Pattie Boyd, George Harrison and Eric Clapton.

Source: USAtoday

Nigerian author Chinua Achebe called as the father of modern African literature was crowned £60,000 ($NZ158, 000) Man Booker International Prize. The prestigious International Man Booker award is granted every two years to a living author for their achievements in fiction. It was first awarded to Albanian writer Ismail Kadare in 2005.

The 76-year old author, Achebe is best known for his 1958 debut novel ‘Things Fall Apart,’ which sold more than 10 million copies. Chinua Achebe, who was paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident in 1990, beats the impressive list of competitors which included Ian McEwan, Margaret Atwood, John Banville, Peter Carey, Don DeLillo, Doris Lessing, and Salman Rushdie.

Academic and author Elaine Showalter, who was one of the judges, said,

In Things Fall Apart and his other fiction set in Nigeria, Chinua Achebe inaugurated the modern African novel. He also illuminated the path for writers around the world seeking new words and forms for new realities and societies. We honor his literary example and achievements.

Achebe’s work focus on African politics, the way Africa and Africans are depicted in the West and the effects of colonization on African societies.

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The Britain’s Orange Prize for fiction by women was won by Nigeria’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie . With this she has become the first African to take the award in its history of 12-year. Adichie is also the youngest author to have won the prize. She is just 29. She was awarded the prize for her novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, whose background is the Nigeria-Biafra conflict of the 1960s. The award includes $60,000 as the cash prize.

Yellow Sun had also entered as a finalist this year for the National Book Critics Circle fiction prize. Adichie had also been a finalist for her debut novel, Purple Hibiscus, which came out in 2004.

Source: USAtoday

John Grisham, the author of classics such as The Firm and The Client is going to Italy, and plans to set his next courtroom thriller there. The book is named Playing for Pizza and revolves around the story of an American trying his luck in Italy. The book will be out in September and is being published by the Doubleday Broadway Publishing Group. According to Doubleday, Grisham came up with the idea while researching The Broker, another legal thriller, currently untitled and scheduled for spring 2008.

Source:USAToday

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner has made its place at number one on the USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list. The kite runner still scores as the international best seller and as a book club favorite. The novel expresses the plight of Afghan women. After nine days of sale, some 1,255,000 copies of the book have already been sold. The Reagan Diaries edited by historian Douglas Brinkley rules at No. 3. Al Gore’s The Assault on Reason, makes its mark in the list at No. 5.
As Khaled himself describes the book on his website;

Set in Afghanistan, it is the story of two generations of characters brought together by the tragic sweep of war, with some thirty years of tumultuous recent Afghan history as a backdrop. It is a story about devotion, courage, hope, self-sacrifice, and love. I am tremendously fond and proud of this book, and very much encouraged by the overwhelmingly enthusiastic reaction from its early readers. I look forward to sharing A Thousand Splendid Suns with you this May. And perhaps even meeting some of you on the road.

Source:USAtoday

Despite a mother’s objections ruling that books like Harry Potter substantiate witchcraft, the book was allowed to be kept in Gwinnett County school libraries. Laura Mallory still wants the books to be removed and is planning to appeal to the federal court.

Mallory was not represented by any attorney at the hearing. The decision was given by Ronnie Batchelor; a Superior Judge. Even the management of the schools approve of the court’s decision. As per them, the books tell stories of children with magic powers and induce imagination and creativity in children. Mallory argued that witchcraft is a religion practiced by some people and the books violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

Source: USAtoday

A group of Canadian physicists in Simon Fraser University have created the world’s smallest book, measuring only 0.07mm x 0.10mm.The book also has its own International Standard Book Number.
But reading it would be a tough task and may cause a lot of strain on your eyes. The book’s title is: Teeny Ted from Turnip Town. Its tiny size is because of the use of focused-gallium-ion beam on 30 slices of polished silicon crystals.

Professor Karen Kavanagh at the Simon Fraser University said:

It is primarily a work of art - we are using it as just a fun project. In order to read it, you have to have an electron microscope.The focussed ion beam is like drilling with a beam of sand, but instead of sand, you are using gallium ions and you are removing material. We probably could make it smaller. We could make the letters in the order of 10 nanometres, instead of 40. We could certainly entertain other publishers.

The two smallest books that are listed in Guinness World Records are: New Testament of the King James Bible measuring 5 by 5mm, created in 2001 and Chekhov’s Chameleon measuring 0.9mm by 0.9mm created in 2002 have been left behind by this new creation.

This new book has limited editions and is available at $US 20,000. The tiny work of art is also available in signature-edition copies for £10,000.

Source: labnews

Rizzoli has thought of giving a hardcore ode to some sixteen great stylists. Yes, stylists that can make anyone look a lot different. Designers, editors, celebrities name anyone, stylists are needed everywhere. These people have that sixth sense of fashion and can turn someone’s fortune.

Stylist: The Creation of Style, which is a 272-page hardcover book being published by Rizzoli Books, will be out in October. It features 16 of today’s top notch stylists. The list includes Paul Cavaco, Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, Grace Coddington, Edward Enninful, Lori Goldstein, Tonne Goodman, Andrea Lieberman, Polly Mellon, Camilla Nickerson, Carine Roitfeld, Venetia Scott, Karl Templer, Melanie Ward, Alex White, Brana Wolf, and Joe Zee. The book costs $75 and is a must have for every by heart fashionista.

Source: Fashionweekdaily

Tired of wasting your money on beauty products that do nothing good for you? Are you a cosmetics freak? If your answer for both of the questions is yes then this book called ‘The Beauty Buyble’ is just made for you.

And the book doesn’t come alone. This reusable box contains it and some beauty product samples. The Beauty Buyble book contains some wonderful beauty tips making it a must have. And it also lists some best beauty products, which can stop you from wasting your money and get some appropriate stuff.

Source: Outblush