The James Logan Courier

McClatchy-Tribune News Service (MCT)

Here are the best-sellers for the week that ended Saturday, Jan. 20, compiled from data from independent and chain bookstores, book wholesalers and independent distributors nationwide.
(Reprinted from Publishers Weekly, published by Cahners Publishing Co., a division of Reed Elsevier, USA. (c) 2007 by Reed Elsevier, USA)

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. Plum Lovin'. Janet Evanovich. St. Martin's, $16.95
Last Week: 1; Weeks on List: 2
2. For One More Day. Mitch Albom. Hyperion, $21.95
Last Week: 2; Weeks on List: 16
3. Cross. James Patterson. Little, Brown, $27.99
Last Week: 3; Weeks on List: 9
4. You Suck. Christopher Moore. Morrow, $21.95
Last Week: -; Weeks on List: 1
5. Next. Michael Crichton. HarperCollins, $27.95
Last Week: 5; Weeks on List: 7

Note: Each week, The Courier spotlights books recently arrived, or soon to arrive, in the James Logan Media Center's collection.

At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Warner Books (October 18, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446532428
ISBN-13: 978-0446532426

From NicholasSparks.com:
There are a few things Jeremy Marsh was sure he’d never do: he’d never leave New York City; never give his heart away after barely surviving one failed marriage; and never become a parent. Now Jeremy is living in the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, engaged to Lexie Darnell, the love of his life, and anticipating the start of their family. But just as his life seems to be settling into a blissful pattern, a mysterious and disturbing e-mail sets off a chain of events that will change the course of this young couple’s relationship.

Reviewed by Hassina Obaidy, Courier Staff Writer

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Publisher: River Head Books (June 2003), 371 pages
Language: English
ISBN (first eidition and hardcover): 1-57322-245-3
ISBN (paperback edition): 1-59448-000-1


Many people can relate to this book, especially those who have started to adapt to a new country or have been betrayed by loved ones. When I first heard about this book, I knew it would be one of my favorite books because it's about someone's life and it's written by an Afghan author, Khaled Hosseini.

A young boy named Amir Khan lives in Kabul, Afghanistan with his father and his best friend Hassan. Amir is the son of a wealthy businessmen who is Sunni Muslim and a Pashtun. Hassan's father, however, is a servant to Amir's father, who is Shi'a Muslim and Hazara.

Reviewed by Iona Childers, Courier Staff Writer
Tammada Thai Cuisine
1640 Decoto Rd
Union City, CA 94587
(510) 675-0005
www.tammadathaicuisine.com

With a last minute decision to eat out with a few friends on a late school night, we finally decided upon Tammada Thai Cuisine. I had been there once before, but my other two friends had never tried Thai food so we decided to add another cuisine to our eating belts (which are probably stretched to the max by now). It was around 6:30 in the evening and already dark outside by the time we all made it to the restaurant. There were only about two or three other groups inside the restaurant, so we were given menus and seated right away.

By Iona Childers, Courier Staff Writer

While some might expect this movie's 'one man, eight women' scenario to be a documentary on polygamy, the French movie, 8 Femmes, is actually a musical whodunit.

There are quite a few things that need to be cleared up, however. First of all, that one man has just been murdered at the beginning of the film. Second, those eight women are comprised of his wife, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, sister, two teenaged daughters, a housekeeper, and a chambermaid. One lonely man in the midst of eight either estrogen overflowing or deprived women. Do we even need to ask who or what did the poor guy in? Alas, it is not PMS, nor is his murder the result of a hot flash gone seriously out of control.

The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT)

Pop:

JOHN WAITE "Downtown — Journey of a Heart" (Rounder, 3 stars)
John Waite's new CD finds the infectious if precious singer-songwriter looking forward and looking back. He trots out some new stuff, such as the Fifth Avenue romance of "St. Patrick's Day," and puts a fresh paint of coat on a number of old favorites, harking all the way back to his `70s days with the Babys ("Isn't It Time" and others).

By Carmen Shiu, Courier Entertainment Editor

Next Tuesday, American Idol's runner-up of season five, Katharine McPhee, will be releasing her debut self-titled album. On the hit FOX reality series, McPhee instantly blew many people away with her performance of Somewhere over the Rainbow, chosen by Simon Cowell himself when there were three finalists left (including winner Taylor Hicks and Elliott Yamin).

By Patrick Pilapil, Courier Staff Writer

Peter Frampton - Fingerprints

5 out of 5 stars

Peter Frampton is undoubtedly a legend in the music industry. He worked with two chart-topping acts from the United Kingdom, The Herd and Humble Pie, in the 60's and early 70's. He would move on to a successful solo career, releasing the classic live album, "Frampton Comes Alive".

"Fingerprints", is Frampton's first attempt at an all-instrumental album. The 14 track LP is evidence that Frampton's genius has yet to diminish.

Note: Each week, The Courier spotlights books newly arrived, or soon-to-arrive, in the James Logan Media Center.

American Born Chinese, by Gene Yuen Yang
Publisher: First Second (September 5, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1596431520
ISBN-13: 978-1596431522

From firstsecondbooks.com:
All Jin Wang wants is to fit in...

When his family moves to a new neighborhood, he suddenly finds that he’s the only Chinese-American student at his school. Jocks and bullies pick on him constantly, and he has hardly any friends. Then, to make matters worse, he falls in love with an all-American girl...

Reviewed by Jessica Stewart, Courier Book Editor

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Signet; 35th anniversary edition (November 1, 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451192036
ISBN-13: 978-0451192035

“This may not be all of it. It may not cover all the questions, but it is what it is like to be a Negro in a land where we keep the Negro down.”

This is the story of a curious white man who disguises himself as a black man in 1959 and enters the Deep South. It is a true story written in the form of a journal, which automatically drags the reader in and forces the reader to experience the events recounted in each entry. One of the best, and most interesting, books I’ve ever read, Black Like Me is a revealing account of the life of an African American living in the South after segregation and racism has supposedly disappeared.

Reviewed by Hassina Obaidy, Courier Staff Writer

A Bend in the Road By Nicholas Sparks
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Warner Books (July 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446611867
ISBN-13: 978-0446611862

When I think of a book by Nicholas Sparks, I think about all romance and nothing more. When I picked up this book, I recognized that it’s not only romance, but mystery as well. I thought it would be those typical love stories you see in films, but as I read in depth, I realized that it was a bit different.

By Roger Moore
The Orlando Sentinel (MCT)

"Based on a true story" doesn't quite work for "Primeval." How about "Almost entirely unlike the true story" or "An utter croc of a true story?"

You've seen that oft-repeated PBS documentary on Gustav, the man-eating African croc? "Primeval" is an absurd Disney fictionalization of his tale, that of a 25- to 30-foot Burundi crocodile who eats and eats and eats Africans in the middle of nowhere.

By Carmen Shiu, Courier Entertainment Editor

For about 9 years, Japan's music scene has been listening to one of their hottest pop acts, Utada Hikki Hikaru. This Japanese-American singer is only 23 years old and has sold a total of 32 million records by the end of 2006 in Japan. After listening to her latest album, Ultra Blue, it is clear why Utada is so popular and why the album easily reached to the top of the charts.

by Nathanial Lealao, Courier Staff Writer

Jayceon Terrell Taylor, aka “The Game,” released his second album, "The Doctor's Advocate," recently, and it's great. The multi-platinum rapper is leading the way to bring the West Coast back on the map in the Rap/Hip Hop industry. He's lucky to be alive to do it.

Early Life
The Game, a Compton native, had multiple inspirations, such rapper/producer Dr.Dre, Eazy E, Snoop Dogg and other L.A./West Coast artists.

By Jim Farber
New York Daily News (MCT)

Time plays tricks with taste.

Thirty years ago, the crooning vocal group called America struck critics, and serious rock fans, as the folk-rock equivalent of Velveeta — a superprocessed, terminally bland approximation of the real thing.

But yesterday's Velveeta has a way of turning into today's foie gras, as witnessed by America's recent image upgrade. Lately, a whole swath of credible, current rock acts have rushed to the group's aid and defense.

Reviewed by Jessica Stewart, Courier Book Editor

All You Need to Be Impossibly French: A Witty Investigation into the Lives, Lusts, and Little Secrets of French Women by Helena Frith-Powell
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Plume (November 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0452287782
ISBN-13: 978-0452287785

“There’s no denying French women do have a certain something. Anglo-Saxons have always admired the French sense of style. Even English soldiers during the Hundred Years’ War were impressed with the French women and the way they looked. If your best friend tells you her husband has a Bulgarian mistress, you can at least console her and give her some hope. If she tells you he has a French mistress, you know your friend is toast.”

Half autobiography, half how-to book, All You Need to Be Impossibly French is an interesting look at the lives of French women. It is an in-depth look at how exactly some of the sexiest women in the world manage to be sexy all the way up to their deaths.

Note: On Wednesday's, The Courier spotlights new books arriving in the James Logan Media Center.

My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King by Reymundo Sanchez
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Chicago Review Press; 1st ed edition (July 1, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1556524013
ISBN-13: 978-1556524011

From www.chicagoreviewpress.com:
Looking for an escape from childhood abuse, Reymundo Sanchez turned away from school and baseball to drugs, alcohol, and then sex, and was left to fend for himself before age 14. The Latin Kings, one of the largest and most notorious street gangs in America, became his refuge and his world, but its violence cost him friends, freedom, self-respect, and nearly his life. This is a raw and powerful odyssey through the ranks of the new mafia, where the only people more dangerous than rival gangs are members of your own gang, who in one breath will say they’ll die for you and in the next will order your assassination.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service(MCT)

Here are the best-sellers for the week that ended Saturday, Jan. 6, compiled from data from independent and chain bookstores, book wholesalers and independent distributors nationwide.
(Reprinted from Publishers Weekly, published by Cahners Publishing Co., a division of Reed Elsevier, USA. (c) 2007 by Reed Elsevier, USA)

HARDCOVER FICTION
1. For One More Day. Mitch Albom. Hyperion, $21.95
Last Week: 1; Weeks on List: 14
2. The Hunters. W.E.B. Griffin. Putnam, $26.95
Last Week: -; Weeks on List: 1
3. Cross. James Patterson. Little, Brown, $27.99
Last Week: 3; Weeks on List: 7
4. Next. Michael Crichton. HarperCollins, $27.95
Last Week: 2; Weeks on List: 5
5. Shadow Dance. Julie Garwood. Ballantine, $25.95
Last Week: 4; Weeks on List: 2

By Billy O'Keefe
McClatchy-Tribune News Service (MCT)

ELEBITS
For: Nintendo Wii
From: Konami
ESRB Rating: Everyone

Nintendo's Wii promises to become a destination for games not remotely possible on other systems, but there's just as much room in the pool for the likes of "Elebits" — an entirely possible, potentially ordinary game made special through the magic of the Wiimote.

"Elebits" is essentially a game of video hide and seek. The game derives its name from the hundreds of tiny glowing creatures hiding in and around your house — in corners, behind furniture, in the back of a broom closet, under a vase, even inside various appliances. Your job is to tear apart each area and catch enough of the critters to satisfy each level's objectives before time runs out.

By Diamond Floyd, Courier Staff Writer

Guitar Hero 2 is the game of the season.

Playing Guitar Hero for the first time is a blast. Playing it again and again only cultivates an addiction.

Everyone I know has played it over and over again, and loved every minute of it.

Guitar Hero is available only on the Playstation 2 game console. The game is played with special guitar-shaped controls that have 5 color-coded buttons on the guitar neck, a whammy bar (the little metal bar sticking out of the side) and a strum control.

By Jack Mathews
New York Daily News (MCT)

Normally, movies scheduled for the first months of the year are like stand-ins at a Broadway musical, waiting for the stars to lose their voices so they can have the stage — that is, they're ready to fill the multiplexes soon as interest wanes in the big holiday pictures. Nonetheless, there are still a number of high-profile movies coming up in the mix.

Later this month, Jude Law and Juliette Binoche arrive in director Anthony Minghella's "Breaking and Entering," a drama about the racial tension in a London neighborhood. And Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan star in "Seraphim Falls," an old-fashioned post-Civil War Western.

By Abdul Nawabi, Courier Staff Writer

Freedom Writers, is a gripping, and often inspirational movie taken from the real life story of Erin Gruwell.

Hilary Swank plays the role of Erin Gruwell, a first-time freshmen english teacher at Wilson High School, located in Long Beach, California. She abandons her sure-fire career as a lawyer, encouraged by her successful attorney dad Steve (Scott Glenn), Gruwell takes over a class of hard-case students who at first ignore and ridicule her.

By Rebecca Soltau and Bobbi Maas, Courier staff writers

If you like movies like Bring It On or Drumline, or even TV shows like Fresh Prince, you will love Stomp The Yard. You will find yourself immersed in a world of brotherhood, legacy and, of course, “steppin’”. The movie stars Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, Darrin Henson, Valarie Pettiford, and Brian White.

The film opens in theaters today.


Wild 94.9 provided The Courier with free tickets to the sneak preview showing at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco for a promotional consideration.

By Stephen Becker
The Dallas Morning News (MCT)

Opening Jan. 19:
THE DEAD GIRL — Unrelated people come together as a woman's murder is investigated.

THE HITCHER — A hitchhiker torments a couple in this remake of the 1986 film.

(c) 2007, The Dallas Morning News.
Visit The Dallas Morning News on the World Wide Web at http://www.dallasnews.com/
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Apple Computer Inc. (MCT)

Top 10 albums on iTunes Music Store for Jan. 9:

1. "Daughtry (Bonus Track)," Daughtry
2. "Continuum," John Mayer
3. "How to Save a Life," The Fray
4. "Dreamgirls (Music from the Motion Picture)," various artists
5. "Oh! Gravity," Switchfoot
6. "FutureSex/LoveSounds," Justin Timberlake
7. "20 All Time Greatest Hits," James Brown
8. "Hip Hop Is Dead," Nas
9. "The Black Parade," My Chemical Romance
10. "Dreamgirls (Music from the Motion Picture) [Deluxe Edition]," various artists

For more information, please visit the iTunes Web site at www.apple.com/itunes/.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

By Carmen Shiu, Courier Entertainment Editor

The New Year is coming up and 2007 is no stranger to exciting new music from various artists. From Fall Out Boy to 50 Cent and Nicole Scherzinger to Linkin Park, there is a little bit of everything for everyone.

Please note that these are only slated release dates. Album release dates and titles often change.

On February 6, Fall Out Boy will be releasing their fourth album entitled Infinity On High. Twelve songs have already been confirmed to be on this album and the first single is This Ain t a Scene, It s an Arms Race. Check back to the Courier in February for chances to get some free
merchandise and a full album review.

By Carmen Shiu, Courier Entertainment Editor

Last year was a big year for the musical youth and 2007 will more than likely be not any different. The successes of the 21 and younger from last year show promise to shine possibly even more this year. Last year, there were hits coming out of artists that were known for a few years now, like Ciara, JoJo, and Chris Brown. There were also new artists coming out and are here to stay, such as Huey and Paula DeAnda.

Starting a new dance trend is 19-year-old Huey with his debut single, Pop, Lock & Drop It from HiTz Committee/Jive Records. With a good beat, the entire song is composed of lyrics that talks about Huey being interested in a female and wants to see her pop, lock, and drop it. Writing rhymes and producing beats for upcoming artists is not something new for Huey. In fact,
he began doing all of that since he was only 12 years old. Before Huey was even considered as a legal adult, Huey Records, his own production company, was established with local executive Angela Richardson. Notebook Paper is the title of Huey's new album that will be coming out early this year and it should be an album worth listening.

It is hard to believe, but with all the success she's had, Ciara is only 21 years old. She released her second album, Ciara: The Evolution, in December 2006 and it debuted at #1 beating out Gwen Stefani and Eminem. The album's debut single, Promise, was a different kind of style for Ciara, but it still charted well. The second single will be solely based on the fans choice as they are able to vote for That's Right, Can't Leave 'Em Alone, or Like a
Boy on her official MySpace (http://myspace.com/ciara). All three of them are potential hits and Ciara will continue her success no matter what.

Reviewed by Jessica Stewart, Courier Book Editor

Blood Diamonds by Greg Campbell
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: Westview Press; Reprint edition (February 3, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0813342201
ISBN-13: 978-0813342207

“Ismael Dalramy lost his hands in 1996 with two quick blows of an ax. He didn’t—or couldn’t—recall the pain of the blows. But he remembered being ordered at gunpoint to place his wrists on a wooden stump dripping with the blood of his neighbors who were writhing on the found around him trying to stem the flow of blood from their arms or staggering away.”

With this gory introduction to his book, Greg Campbell pulls you in and refuses to let you go before he gets his message across to you. Sierra Leone was consumed by a war over diamonds for over a decade, with the RUF, Kamajors, and the government all fighting each other for power over tiny little stones. It is horrifying, engrossing, disgusting, and very well-researched. It is definitely an excellent read.

By Dana Llarena, Courier Staff Writer


Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Hardcover: 512 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (October 5, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316160172
ISBN-13: 978-0316160179

Isabella Swan, “Bella”, was your typical seventeen-year-old who left behind her mother and step dad in Phoenix to move back to Forks, Washington with her father.

While living in a town where it never stopped raining and going to a high school where the student body is less than 400, Bella adjusts herself to blend in with the other students. Being the new girl she felt uncomfortable being the center of attention, but after meeting some new friends as the day went by they all went to lunch. As soon as she enters the cafeteria she sees a group of five teenagers, sitting together at one table, one particularly caught her eye. His name was Edward Cullen.

Editor's Note: Each week, The Courier spotlights materials recently arrived, or soon-to-arrive, in the Media Center's collection.

Devil in the Details: Scenes From and Obsessive Girlhood, By Jennifer Traig
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (September 14, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316158771
ISBN-13: 978-0316158770
Hardcover: 256 pages

From www.hachettebookgroupusa.com:
Being a teenager is hard enough. Jennifer Traig's adolescence took angst to new heights, adding a layer of obsessive-compulsive drama that made ordinary mortifications like bad hairstyles and fashion errors feel like the good parts. Devil in the Details is her unforgettable, hilarious, wrenching account of growing up weird.

Jennifer Traig's adventures in obsession began at the age of twelve, when her religious studies introduced her to a body of rules that she hadn't known existed. This unleashed a level of religiosity completely alien to her upbringing. Psychiatrists call this disorder scrupulosity-her family just called it strange. Fervent prayer was only the beginning. On a given day, Jennifer might be putting all her possessions in the washing machine to cleanse them of the pork fumes emanating from the kitchen. Or clipping the lawn according to Old Testament regulations. Or covering her hair with Kleenex while she maintained her constant state of prayer.

By Diamond Floyd, Courier Staff Writer

Dreamgirls is a fresh, new modern musical, almost like the new Chicago, with songs that really stick. The movie stars Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson, Sharon Leal, and Danny Glover.

Dreamgirls tells the story of three aspiring singers on their way to fame and fortune. The road that leads to the promised land, however, gets bumpy along the way. Hudson delivers an awesome performance. She really is crazy-good here, the kind of woman who can knock down a building by singing at it.

By Diamond Floyd, Courier Staff Writer

If you're in the mood for a "when two worlds collide" kind of movie, The Holiday is actually more like a "when the two people from the different worlds switch places" kind of movie. If you're into THAT, then this is the movie for you. It's not only cute, but we actually get to see Jack Black at his sweetest. The movie stars Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Rufus Sewell, Edward Burns, and Shannyn Sossamon.

Uptight and unable-to-cry movie trailor auditor Amanda (Diaz) breaks up wit her unfaithful boyfriend, finds Iris' (Winslet) online offer of switching houses for the winter holidays and later hooks up with Iris' brother (Law). Winslet is an emotional wreck who, after finding out that the love of her life is not only playing with her emotions, but is also engaged to be wed, switches houses with Amanda from her cozy cottage in London to L.A. and spends the movie palling around with 100-year-old Wallach until a neutered version of Black shows up.

By Jacqueline Truong, Courier Staff Writer

As we count the days of the new year of 2007, so, too, are we counting down the top ten movies of 2006. In retrospect, most of the movies on my list are actually quite profound if not depressing. From the emergence of a major 9/11 film, such as "World Trade Center," to a tragic tale of a father trying to make ends meet as he and his son face the harsh reality of the world in "Pursuit of Happyness," indeed, this year's indelible movies give a new meaning to an old-fashioned good time at the movies. Without further ado, here begins the count down...

1. X-Men III: The Last Stand
This action film focuses on the battle between Professor Charles Xavier's X-men and Magneto's Brotherhood when a cure is finally discovered to treat these genetic mutations and, eventually, eliminating it entirely.

By Hassina Obaidy, Courier Staff Writer

In the new family comedy,"Night at the Museum," Ben Stiller plays Larry Daley, a divorced father who struggles to find a job so he can impress his son, Nick (Jake Cherry).

When he finally accepts a job as a night guard at the Natural History Museum in New York, he realizes that this is no ordinary job. On his first disastrous night, the giant T-Rex skeleton goes missing, but he finally finds it by the water fountain, eager to play a game of fetch with one of its bones.

Not only did Larry have to deal with the T-Rex, but he had to deal with mischiveous capuchin monkeys, marauding Huns, a rival cowboy played by Owen Wilson, and a Roman General Octavius played by Steve Coogan, not to mention the African wild animals and life-size wax historical figures like Teddy Roosevelt played by Robin Williams.

By Diamond Floyd, Courier Staff Writer

Charlotte's Web — it's a story that people of all ages know and love. The recent release of the new film had fans (like me!) anticipating it with high hopes. With a star like Dakota Fanning, and voice talents from Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Buscemi, and Dominic Scott Kay, the movie should really be a crowd-pleaser.

Based on the best-selling childrens' novel written by E.B. White, the film tells the story of a little girl named Fern (Fanning) who saves a runt pig from an untimely death and develops the unlikeliest of frienships. Because of her concerned parents, Fern is then forced to send Wilbur across the street to live on her uncle Zukerman's farm. Wilbur (Kay) is, at first, an unwanted stranger in the barn, but soon makes a friend high up on a rafter, a spider named Charlotte A. Cavatica (Roberts).

By Patrick Pilapil, Courier Staff Writer

Ghostface Killah - Fishscale

Ghostface Killah s fifth solo album proved to be his best. On Fishscale , Ghost was on top-notch form with his wordplay while he took on a variety of subject matter, something very rare in today's hip-hop scene.

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

Heroes in the emo subculture, guilty pleasure for the rest of us. My Chemical Romance combined modern pop punk elements with the rock opera format for their 2006 release, The Black Parade, resulting in one of the most compelling albums of the year.

Reviewed by Jessica Stewart, Courier Book Editor

Chrismukkah: The Official Guide to the Worlds Most-Beloved Holiday by Gersh Kuntzman
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Sasquatch Books; 1st edition (September 26, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 157061489X
ISBN-13: 978-1570614897

“All around the country, Americans are celebrating Chrismukkah like never before. The Goldstein-Sanchezes of Millburn, Massachusetts, ring in the holiday by eating extra-salty potatoes on a large mound of dirt. The D’Allesandro-Weinbergs of Rapid City, South Dakota, mark the day by singing Chrismukkah carols to their neighbors and returning perfectly suitable presents. The Gifford-Halberstams of Miami, Florida, bring a twist to the Measuring of the Children—a Chrismukkah ritual since the 1300s—by placing the record of everyone’s height in an envelope, mailing it to themselves, and not opening it until the next Chrismukkah, at which time they delight in comparing the new season’s statistics with those from the year past. And Evan Tarnovsky-Jones of Hibbing, Minnesota, simply sits in a dark room and smokes hashish.”

Editors' Note: Each week, The Courier spotlights new materials arriving, or soon to arrive, in the Media Center.
Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood by Koren Zailckas
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Viking Adult (February 7, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0670033766
ISBN-13: 978-0670033768

From Penguin Books:
Garnering a vast amount of attention from young people and parents, and from book buyers across the country, Smashed became a media sensation and a New York Times bestseller. Eye-opening and utterly gripping, Koren Zailckas’s story is that of thousands of girls like her who are not alcoholics—yet—but who routinely use booze as a shortcut to courage and a stand-in for good judgment.

With one stiff sip of Southern Comfort at the age of fourteen, Zailckas is initiated into the world of drinking. From then on, she will drink faithfully, fanatically. In high school, her experimentation will lead to a stomach pumping. In college, her excess will give way to a pattern of self-poisoning that will grow more destructive each year. At age twenty-two, Zailckas will wake up in an unfamiliar apartment in New York City, elbow her friend who is passed out next to her, and ask, "Where are we?" Smashed is a sober look at how she got there and, after years of blackouts and smashups, what it took for her to realize she had to stop drinking. Smashed is an astonishing literary debut destined to become a classic.

By Jessica Stewart, Courier Book Editor

The year 2006 has been a great year for books, non-fiction and fiction alike. The favorites appear to be about dieting and food, the “sectarian violence” in Iraq, and memoirs. Sadly, these topics do not interest me, so I find myself reading books published before 2006. Although I have read many excellent books this year, only five of them really stand out in my mind.

My favorite by far is The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. It is the very well written story of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary. The insanity of Dr. W. C. Minor is quite clear, but so is his humanity. He is also very clearly an intelligent man, quite possibly the Einstein of the English language. It really shows how there is more to a person who is not right in the head than just their mental illness. It is definitely the best book I read all year.