Books on Books

BOOKS: A Memoir is Larry McMurtry’s very personal story—from his boyhood growing up in a largely “bookless” house to his lifelong passion of buying, selling and collecting rare and antiquarian books. It’s a wonderful tale of the transformation of a reluctant young cowboy into a world-class literary figure, who has spent his life not only writing books, but rounding books up the way he once rounded up cattle.

More books about books:

Nicholas Basbanes Among the Gently Mad, a book with more than seventy thousand copies in print that delighted bibliophiles everywhere-comes a twenty-first-century guide to book collecting that deals with both the traditional methods of acquisition and the electronic tools now available on the Internet.

Sharing the superb insight he has gathered from booksellers over the years, Nicholas Basbanes offers a refresher course on the fundamentals that endure, while questioning certain practices of doubtful validity. Topics include how to determine if a book is a first edition, how to spot book club editions, the importance of dust jackets, scouting the flea markets, how to work the book fairs, and the importance of handling the goods, as well as discussing less tangible issues like spotting trends and having a focus. Then he takes a long look at the pros and cons of Internet buying, illuminating how you can use these electronic tools to your advantage and making this the book no modern collector will want to be without.

or or Every Book it's Reader Matthew Price wrote in the Los Angeles Times that “Every Book Its Reader reminds us that books, in all their myriad forms, are necessary equipment for living."

Great Women Mystery Writers by Elizabeth Lindsay
Mysteries are among the most popular books today, and women continue to be among the most creative and widely read mystery writers. This book gives students and general readers an overview of contemporary women mystery writers. Many of the writers discussed were not even writing when the first edition of this book appeared in 1994, while others have written numerous works since then. Writers were selected based on their status as a ward winners, their commerical success, and their critical claim. The volume provides alphabetically arranged entries on 90 great women mystery writers, including:

Cara Black

Sarah Caudwell

Mary Higgins Clark

Patricia Cornwell

Amanda Cross

Earlene Fowler

Charlaine Harris

Patricia Highsmith

Sujata Massey

Janet Neel

Sara Paretsky

And many more. Each entry provides a biography, a discussion of major works and themes, and primary and secondary bibliographies. The book closes with appendices of award winners and a selected, general bibliography. Public library patrons will value this guide to their favorite authors, while students will consult it when writing reports.

Read on Crime Fiction Barry Trott

Mystery and crime readers looking for great new reads, and librarians looking for fresh reading lists for patrons will love this new resource. Rather than listing titles according to formal genres and subgenres, it categorizes hundreds of popular crime fiction titles according to five broad features: character, setting, story, language and mood--and then into thematic lists as "Reading the Bones," "Dynamic Duos," "Love you to Death," and "Bright Lights, Dead Bodies." For each title, you'll find bibliographic information and a brief, punchy description, designed to spark reader interest and capture the appeal connection. Use these lists to advise readers; create thematic reading lists for library Web sites, flyers, and newsletters; and as checklists or reading plans for those who enjoy mystery fiction. Buy two copies--one for the reference or readers' advisory resource shelf and another to circulate!