Texas Pages

Lauren Winner writes books about the spiritual life ("Girl Meets God" is one) and finds time to write stylishly and penetratingly about others' books, often for Christianity Today.

Click here for her review of Jan Karon's "Home to Holly Springs." Karon's novels about Father Tim, an Episcopal priest, have been important to Winner.

Over the year, we have discussed Steinbeck, Junot Diaz and Hunter S. Thompson.

We brought you breaking news on Nan Talese and Ben Fountain.

So according to Google, what was my most-linked-to blog post of the year?

Hint: I guess I need to write more about cookbooks. Or potty-training.

Or potty humor.

Here's an excerpt from Chapter 1 of "Someone Knows My Name," by Lawrence Hill, reviewed today in GuideLive.

I SEEM TO HAVE TROUBLE DYING. By all rights, I should not have lived this long. But I still can smell trouble riding on any wind, just as surely as I could tell you whether it is a stew of chicken necks or pigs’ feet bubbling in the iron pot on the fire. And my ears still work just as good as a hound dog’s. People assume that just because you don’t stand as straight as a sapling, you’re deaf. Or that your mind is like pumpkin mush. The other day, when I was being led into a meeting with a bishop, one of the society ladies told another, “We must get this woman into Parliament soon. Who knows how much longer she’ll be with us?” Half bent though I was, I dug my fingers into her ribs. She let out a shriek and spun around to face me. “Careful,” I told her, “I may outlast you!”

"Diary of a Bad Year," by J.M. Coetzee, gets reviewed today in GuideLive; earlier, John Freeman also looked at the author's "Inner Workings: Literary Essays 2000-2005."

Now that memories of carving the turkey should be safely behind you, I can offer this review of a book that offers an, um, cutting view of a landmark medical work.

So, are you sick of family togetherness yet?

Hide out at the computer a few moments longer with a review of a book that helps explain the family names behind the guppy, the Mercedes, the Jacuzzi and more.

USA Today reported yesterday (our copy came today) that Minneapolis is the most literate city in the U.S., “based on their support for and commitment to reading.”

Denver, which supports The Tattered Cover — a huge independent bookstore, is number 4.

And Dallas? I kept having to choose higher and higher numbers on the overall rankings to find us: Number 48.

The Writers' League of Texas is having a birthday bash in Austin next month.

Why mention an Austin event on a Dallas-based blog?

Because this bash is being held a Stubb's barbecue.

Which in itself might be worth the drive.

I don't know if you have to have German relatives to appreciate this column about how hard it is to translate humor.

But I think it would help.

The folks up at Plano-based The First Line are giving away 100 subscriptions.

But: You have to find them.

"We're pretty sure this is the largest literary treasure hunt ever," they say.

Tally ho.

Replies to Judy Alter's column on the Top 10 Texas books continue to come in. Here's one that was sent to me by Will Howard of Will's Texana Monthly. He writes:

"Here's a list of Texana novelists made to fit a chronology for the 20th century, selected sometimes for first effort and other times for my preferred. Oddities include, I gave only one entry per novelist, so, e.g., having entered the 'Horseman' I passed by the 'Dove.' "

Writers, you have until Monday to make the deadline for PEN USA’s annual Literary Awards, which honor writers of the West.

Details here.

Through Jan. 4, you can see an exhibit on "the most extensive public showing ever of original illustration art from American publishing’s best-loved and most consequential picture book lines, Little Golden Books" at the The National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature.

Here's a nice, non-saccharine piece on writing from newsman/novelist Jim Lehrer. (He references "Eureka," which was warmly received in these pages.)

I'll tack on my own warm wishes to blog readers everywhere. Whatever your holiday tradition is, I hope it involves much happiness, and lots of enjoyable reading.

Today in GuideLive, John Freeman gives us his look at the year's top stories in books.

What were your own favorite moments? Which books kept you up all night racing to the finish, or had you throwing your wine glass at the book club meeting? Here are a couple of extremely personal favorite moments of my own, ranked in order of how quickly they came to me.

The famed historian is 89 and still looking for new topics to tackle. Read the story below.

I'm sure not everyone will agree with Shalom Auslander's attitude, so irreverently displayed in "Foreskin's Lament." (You're encouraged to post your thoughts below.) But agree with him or not, he's an entertaining interview (as seen today in GuideLive).

You can see more of his work at his Web site. He also has a YouTube video about the book, visible here.

Here's an example of his wit that didn't make the story. We were discussing how humor writing doesn't get the respect that "serious" writing does. He noted:

Publishing circles had been buzzing about who would land the rights to Karl Rove's memoir.

Threshold Editions, an imprint run by Mary Matalin, is the $1.5 million winner.

We've rounded up the year's top happenings in literature, including releases, up-and-coming authors and awards. Read the Top 10, then tell us your thoughts on literature in 2007 by commenting below.

... is not a parenting book, the publisher tells Publishers Weekly.

"From the onset, the media have inaccurately reported that Lynne Spears' book is a parenting book. I'm sure this helps fuel tabloid readership, but it is simply not true," Nelson president and CEO Michael Hyatt said in a prepared statement. The book will not offer advice on child-rearing but, rather, stand as a memoir about raising kids thrust into the spotlight and "provide a window into the real-life world of fame and worldly success, including the toll it extracts from some who aspire to it."

Also scheduled for this weekend: An interview with Shalom Auslander, author of "Foreskin's Lament."

Because nothing says "Happy Holidays" like an author who thinks God is out to kill him.

Here's what's coming in Sunday's GuideLive.

First, there's our look at the year in books, which online readers can see right now. (We'll also have a spot on the blog for you to post your own thoughts.)

Review-wise, we'll be looking at:

I had been hoping this problem would resolve itself, but it seems it will be with us for a while.
So let me formally acknowledge that as part of a recent software upgrade that has brought some nice new features to this blog, there is an issue with the "comments" feature.

To prevent evil spammers from crashing our conversation, you are now asked to copy a numerical code at the bottom of the comments screen. If you do so -- great! Everyone is happy. But if you forget, the software will accuse you of having left too many comments.

Which, of course, is a filthy lie. But software can't be sued for libel (yet). So I have to ask you to be forgiving, and just enter the code, because your comments are part of what makes this effort worthwhile.

I am told that the tiny software elves who come out at night and work on such things are busy contemplating the problem. Thank you for your patience while they do so.

He made the list of Top Stories of the Year in The Onion.

An excerpt:

"NEW YORK—Delirium swept the nation this summer as the release of the seventh and final Harry Potter novel sent millions of Americans into a frenzy over some little wizard boy and all his flying wizard buddies going on another one of their little wizard adventures."

Fans (and children) might want to skip the rest. Muggles ... er, non-fans ... might get a giggle.

In case you missed them, Amazon.com has posted reviews of the five stories in its new prize possession: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, handwritten by J.K. Rowling.

Because I am sure you will be as shocked, shocked as I am to learn that her mother's book on parenting has been put on hold by Christian book publisher Thomas Nelson.

Why, I ask you, oh why would they do such a thing?

It's not often than a writer is on the short list for TIME magazine's "Person of the Year," but this year J.K. Rowling is up there as second runner-up (behind Al Gore and TIME cover boy Vladimir Putin -- who bears an odd resemblance to the Harry Potter movies' depiction of Dobby the house-elf, btw).

Read the interview and the "10 Questions About Harry" that are answered.

Excerpted from the interview's ending:

Rowling has some rebuilding of her own to do. Her time, she says, will be divided among her children, her charities and her writing. But she has only to look at George Lucas to appreciate that the pressure to return to Hogwarts will be ferocious — and some of it self-inflicted. She's already had to cope with the pressure of not disappointing the fan closest to her: her daughter Jessica, 14. What will happen when her two younger children a decade from now discover the stories for themselves and know that Mom has the power to make more of them? "There have been times since finishing, weak moments," she says, "when I've said, 'Yeah, all right,' to the eighth novel." But she's convinced she's doing the right thing to take some time away, do something else. She's working on two projects now, an adult novel and a "political fairy tale." "If, and it's a big if, I ever write an eighth book about the [wizarding ] world, I doubt that Harry would be the central character," she says. "I feel like I've already told his story. But these are big ifs. Let's give it 10 years and see how we feel then." It's a pretty safe bet how her audience will feel. But we'll just have to wait and prepare to be surprised.

By which I mean only that no tickets are left for his Nasher appearance.

That was quick.

Atlanta's Emory University is the winner. Read more below.

Author John Leake will be signing "Entering Hades" 6-8 p.m. Thursday at il Sole Restaurant & Wine Bar, 4514 Travis Street #201.