Barbara Kingsolver wins Orange Prize for Fiction

Barbara Kingsolver has won the Orange Prize for Fiction for her book The Lacuna. Of The Lacuna, Library Journal says "This is her most ambitious, timely, and powerful novel yet." Barbara's Kingsolver's novel beat out Hilary Mantel's prize-winning Wolf Hall, Kathryn Stockett's popular The Help, & Sarah Waters' The Little Stranger to take the prize. The New York Times announced the win earlier this week.

20 Under 40 & Nebula Awards

For the first time in a decade, The New Yorker has chosen its “20 Under 40” list of fiction writers worth watching. They are:

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 32; Chris Adrian, 39; Daniel Alarcón, 33; David Bezmozgis, 37; Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, 38; Joshua Ferris, 35; Jonathan Safran Foer, 33; Nell Freudenberger, 35; Rivka Galchen, 34; Nicole Krauss, 35; Yiyun Li, 37; Dinaw Mengestu, 31; Philipp Meyer, 36; C. E. Morgan, 33; Téa Obreht, 24; Z Z Packer, 37; Karen Russell, 28; Salvatore Scibona, 35; Gary Shteyngart, 37; and Wells Tower, 37. Click on any of the highlighted authors to see titles in the ABC Libraries' catalog.

The New York Times Book Review has a good article about the awards if you'd like to read more.

Additionally, in May the new Nebula Award winners were announced. Paolo Bacigalupi won for best novel with The Windup Girl. For award winners, visit the Nebula website.

2010 Edgar Award Winners Announced!

Here's a couple of winners of this year's Edgar Awards that you can find in the library catalog:

Best Novel-The Last Child by John Hart

Best First Novel by an American Author-In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff

Named for Edgar Allan Poe, the Edgar Awards are awarded annually by the Mystery Writers of America, for distinguished work in the mystery genre. For more winners, visit The Edgar website.

2010 Pulitzer Prizewinners!

Winners of the 2010 prize have been announced! Put your hold now on titles like:

The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt by T.J. Stiles
(winner for Biography)

Tinkers by Paul Harding
(winner for Fiction)

The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy by David E. Hoffman
(winner for General Non-Fiction)

For more Pultizer Prizewinners, visit their website.

Sherman Alexie wins PEN/Faulkner Award!

Sherman Alexie's latest book of short stories has won the prestigious PEN/Faulkner Award, the New York Times has announced. Mr. Alexie, who has also written novels (including 2007's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a National Book Award for Young People's Literature winner) and poetry and whose book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven was made into the movie Smoke Signals, won the 'literary showdown' that included distinguished fellow finalists Lorrie Morrie, Barbara Kingsolver and Colson Whitehead with his book War Dances, a collection of stories and poems. We salute the accomplished Sherman Alexie! For more information about this versatile and talented author, visit his website. To learn more about the PEN/Faulkner Award, visit their website.

Will you be watching the Oscars?

Hollywood's favorite party is on March 7th! Are you ready? For details on nominations & more, Oscar.com seems like the website to head to, featuring galleries, videos, & message boards.

For your Oscar Party Kit, check out the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences website! Includes games, appetizer recipes, & more party planning ideas! Also, take a look at Bakerella for recipes for Awards Night Sugar Cookies & Movie Popcorn Brownies.

In the library catalog, a keyword search of Academy Awards brings up a list of books & movies you might be interested in taking a look at.

Locally, the Guild Cinema in Nob Hill is showing this year's Oscar Nominated Animation Short Films from March 4th-8th, including 'A Matter of Loaf and Death', starring Wallace & Gromit! From March 9th-12th, they'll be showing The Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films.

Back to the Hugos

Science fiction fans! The Guardian is currently running a blog series called "Back to the Hugos". Blogger Sam Jordison is posting about each Hugo Award winner, starting from the beginning. For more Hugo Award history, check out the Hugo website.

Hilary Mantel wins the 2009 Man Booker Prize

I love the Man Booker Prize. I read my first Booker winner, The Bone People by Keri Hulme, in high school. Today one of my favorite authors won the prize, beating out returning favorites including J.M. Coetzee (two time Booker winner & Novel laureate), Sarah Waters (twice shortlisted) & A.S. Byatt (a past winner). Congratulations, Hilary Mantel!

The process for choosing a winner is thus: first, a longlist is announced, chosen by the year's judging panel (7/28/09). That's whittled down to a shortlist (9/8/09). Then, finally, a winner is chosen.

The Longlist
AS Byatt – The Children’s Book
JM Coetzee – Summertime
Adam Foulds – The Quickening Maze
Sarah Hall – How to Paint a Dead Man
Samantha Harvey – The Wilderness
James Lever – Me Cheeta
Hilary Mantel – Wolf Hall
Simon Mawer – The Glass Room
Ed O’Loughlin – Not Untrue & Not Unkind
James Scudamore – Heliopolis
Colm Toibin – Brooklyn
William Trevor – Love and Summer
Sarah Waters – The Little Stranger

The Shortlist
A. S. Byatt - The Children's Book
J. M. Coetzee - Summertime
Adam Foulds - The Quickening Maze
Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall
Simon Mawer - The Glass Room
Sarah Waters - The Little Stranger