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"I'm reading Ad Hudler's funny, set-in-Florida follow-up Man of the House, in which his Househusband character trades apron for tool belt to get his macho back. I'm amazed by Adler's skill at alternating points of view of four characters, when many writers are thrilled to nail just one. . . . The underlying theme of gender roles also hits home.'''
DEBORAH SHARP, author of Mama Does Time
I have to say, once again I find Entertainment Weekly's best books of the year list more interesting than the one provided us by the New York Times. You can read full reviews of the books on the website; click on these headers to find them.
1. Say You're One of Them, Uwem Akpan
2. The Book of Dahlia, Elisa Albert
3. Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout
4. Lush Life, Richard Price
5. Bottomless Belly Button, Dash Shaw
6. The House on Fortune Street, Margot Livesey
7. Disquiet, Julia Leigh
8. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, David Wroblewski
9. American Wife, Curtis Sittenfeld
10. What Happened to Anna K., Irina Reyn
1. Beautiful Boy, David Sheff
2. Nixonland, Rick Perlstein
3. The Forever War, Dexter Filkins
4. Pictures at a Revolution, Mark Harris
5. The Bin Ladens, Steve Coll
6. Bottlemania, Elizabeth Royte
7. The Age of American Unreason, Susan Jacoby
8. Comfort, Ann Hood
9. The Night of the Gun, David Carr
10. State by State, edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey
EW's worst books of the year list is equally entertaining; I've read precisely one and a half (or maybe one and a quarter, let's be honest) of these books, and I'd have to concur that what I read was pretty bad:
1. Chasing Harry Winston, Lauren Weisberger
2. The Lace Reader, Brunonia Barry
3. The Gargoyle, Andrew Davidson
4. Bright Shiny Morning, James Frey
5. A Wolf at the Table, Augusten Burroughs.
P.D. James may not be every mystery lover's cup of tea. But how can you not love the fact that the 88-yea-old author and creator of the poet/detective Adam Dalgliesh is still rocking like a hurricane with her 14th novel in which A.D. investigates a very English crime?
You can read my review of the The Private Patient here. I won't say it's my favorite of her books; I'm partial to Original Sin and A Certain Justice, if you must know. But if you glory in rich descriptions and character development and are thoroughly sick of the whole serial killer bit - James' murderers have motives! - you'll enjoy Patient. Just like you have enjoyed all her work.
But is it too much to ask for one more, please?
The inauguration of Barack Obama promises to be a big day for a lot of organizations, but little Graywolf Press (at home in St. Paul, Minnesota) is extra thrilled: Graywolf author and poet Elizabeth Alexander has been invited to read a poem at the historic event.
Graywolf plans to publish the poem as a commemorative chapbook, Publisher's Weekly reports. The publisher also intends to reissue all her works, including the essay collection Black Interior and the poetry collection American Sublime.
A lot of critics are slagging Doubt, the new movie based on John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, but I kinda liked it. I'm not saying it's best picture or anything like that, but I was entertained throughout, and the performances were good. Philip Seymour Hoffman, I've realized, is one of my favorite actors - the man can do anything - and what more needs to be said about Meryl Streep?
The Associated Press reports that David Wroblewski is working on a prequel for his bestselling The Story of Edgar Sawtelle.
In a statement issued by his publisher Ecco, he said, "My fascination with the Sawtelles and the Sawtelle dogs is far from over. This new novel is a chance to look more deeply into their story, and a tremendously exciting project to me."
Wroblewski is planning a trilogy on the Sawtelle story, AP says, adding that no publication date has been set yet.
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And in a related, and completely horrifying, note: The Guardian reports that James Frey - he who garnered the wrath of Oprah by making her look dumb for choosing the completely fictional A Million 
Little Pieces as one of her book club picks, even though it was her own fault for not realizing that book was badly written, dull and pretentious - is planning to write a third book of the Bible. In which Jesus performs gay marriages and lives with a prostitute.
It's just so cutting edge, I can't stand it. I mean it. I can't stand it already.
At this special time of year, I thought it would be nice to reconnect with my (such as they are) religious roots. So I turned to a book that redefines spiritual guidance and surely possesses the wisdom of the ages: Christopher Moore's Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. And I haven't stopped giggling since.
I have also learned many important scriptural things, such as the fact "wuss" is the same in ancient Aramaic as it is in English! It is not every day one comes across such information. Also, angels are not too bright and easily addicted to soap operas.
I am not even halfway through Lamb, but it might be even better than Moore's Island of the Sequined Love Nun (though let's face it, it's tough to beat that title).
"A book I just read and fell in love with was The Man Who Loved Children by Christina Stead. This book haunted me. It's very dark and beautifully written and sad. It's about a family as dysfunctional as a family can possibly be."
LAUREN GROFF, author of The Monsters of Templeton and the upcoming Delicate Edible Birds
James Grippando is a lawyer who still likes lawyering. And writing - particularly when he gets to do it in his Miami backyard, out by the pool. Talk about a pleasant work environment.
Grippando reads from his new Jack Swyteck thriller Born to Run at 7 p.m. Friday at Books & Books. You can read my Q and A with him here.
