Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Nov. 8.
1. "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown.
2. "Have a Little Faith" by Mitch Albom.
3. "In a Perfect World" by Laura Kasischke.
4. "True Blue" by David Baldacci.
5. "The Given Day" by Dennis Lehane.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Nov. 1.
1. "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown.
2. "Have a Little Faith" by Mitch Albom.
3. "The Gathering Storm" by Robert Jordan.
4. "In a Perfect World" by Laura Kasischke.
5. "The Big Burn" by Timothy Eagen.
The Paul Smith Library of Southern York County will collect new and used paperback books during November for shipment to American troops overseas.
The library is one of several collection points for the Sertoma Club's book drive for Operation Paperback, a Pennsylvania non-profit that has shipped nearly one million books to troops over the last decade. Other local drop-off sites include the YMCA Southern Branch and the Mason-Dixon Public Library.
Donations should be marked for Operation Paperback and dropped off during normal library hours.
The Paul Smith Library is at 80 Constitution Ave. in Shrewsbury.
From the Associated Press
NEW YORK -- The book price wars are no longer just for pre-orders.
Amazon.com was offering hardcovers of John Grisham's "Ford County" and Barbara Kingsolver's "The Lacuna" for just $9 on Tuesday, the official release date for both books. Hardcovers generally have a list price of $24 or higher.
In mid-October, Walmart.com announced dramatic discounts for pre-orders of "Ford County," Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue" and other popular November publications. Wal-Mart.com initially charged $9 for the books, a price quickly matched by Amazon.com, then dropped to $8.98 by Wal-Mart.com.
Authors, publishers and rival booksellers worry that cutting the price so low will harm competition and force down the cost of books overall, leading to a reduction in author advances.
On Tuesday, Walmart.com was selling "Ford County" for $12 and "The Lacuna" for $13.50. Another price cutter, Target.com, was selling "Ford County" for $15 and "The Lacuna" for $18.89.
I'm thinking this might be a best-seller for Christmas.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Oct. 25.
1. "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown.
2. "In a Perfect World" by Laura Kasischke.
3. "Have a Little Faith" by Mitch Albom.
4. "The Big Burn" by Timothy Egan.
5. "Arguing with Idiots" by Glenn Beck.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Oct. 18.
1. "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown.
2. "In a Perfect World" by Laura Kasischke.
3. "Have a Little Faith" by Mitch Albom.
4. "Touch of Dead" by Charlaine Harris.
5. "The Big Burn" by Timothy Egan.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Oct. 11.
1. "The Last Symbol" by Dan Brown.
2. "Have a Little Faith" by Mitch Albom.
3. "Arguing with Idiots" by Glenn Beck.
4. "Say You're One of Them" by Uwem Akpan.
5. "In a Perfect World" by Laura Kasischke.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Sept. 20.
1. "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown.
2. "True Compass" by Edward Kennedy.
3. "The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks.
4. "Say You're One of Them" by Uwem Akpan.
5. "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls.
Book news from the Associated Press
Dan Brown's new novel has passed the 2 million mark and bested Bill Clinton's "My Life" in the record books.
Doubleday announced Tuesday that hardcover, audio and e-book sales for "The Lost Symbol" topped 2 million copies for its first week of release in the United States, Britain and Canada. The total is "well over" 2 million for English-language editions worldwide, according to Doubleday spokeswoman Suzanne Herz, who declined to offer a specific number.
Amazon.com reported last week that first-day sales for "The Lost Symbol" were higher on its Kindle e-reader than in hard cover.
"The Lost Symbol" didn't approach the more than 8 million copies that "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" sold in the first 24 hours, but the weekly results were an all-time high in North America for Doubleday's parent company, Random House Inc.
And at Google: The authors and other parties that reached a settlement with Google Inc. to give the company the digital rights to millions of out-of-print books now say they will negotiate a new deal.
Lawyers for The Authors Guild and other plaintiffs said in court papers filed Tuesday that they plan to have settlement talks with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve complaints about a $125 million deal that the Justice Department said probably violates antitrust law.
The lawyers asked a judge who was supposed to preside over a hearing on the settlement next month to delay it for at least another month so they can reach a new agreement.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Sept. 6.
1. "Alex Cross's Trial" by James Patterson.
2. "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenberger.
3. "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein.
4. "The Weight of Silence" by Heather Gudenkauf.
5. "Home" by Marilynne Robinson.
Last week I persuaded my husband to go with me to see "Julie & Julia." The movie is based on two books -- "Julie & Julia" by Julie Powell and "My Life in France" by Julia Child.
I headed to Borders with my stepdaughter, Britni, again. I finished the "Dark Reunion" and was ready to move onto L.J. Smith's "Vampire Diaries: The Return." And Britni wanted to get the next book in the series she was reading, "Maximum Ride."
First of all, I'm a big cheap-o and when I realized that "Return" only came in hardcover and would cost me almost $20, I changed my mind. And Brit didn't get her book either because of the same reason.
I went online to Amazon and found "Return" for around $12. But then I started reading some of the reviews, and a lot of the reviews were bad, really bad.
In the newest story line: Elena has special powers and of course a new evil is again plaguing Fell's Church in the fifth installment to "Vampire Diaries: The Return."
So, I'm still deciding if I want to buy "The Return" or leave things how they ended in "Dark Reunion."
A part of me says buy, and the other (cheap-o side) says this is just a ploy by L.J. Smith. I think she's banking on the whole success of "Twilight" and that's why she released this fifth installment almost a decade later. To add Elena's special powers sounds awfully like another vampy girl named, Bella. Hmm, coincidence? While, I thought originally "Twilight" took some inspiration from the original "Diaries," I'm now wondering if the stake is in the other heart.
Also, don't forget that the CW's series based on Smith's books comes out this fall. Which I'm definitely watching.
PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME DECIDE!!!! SHOULD I BUY OR NOT?
In a previous post I compared "Twilight" and "Vampire Diaries" to one another and said I preferred "Twilight."
I have changed my mind. See, I read "Diaries" a long time ago and to be honest I don't think I ever truly finished the series. I'm into the third installment of the series and have come to the conclusion that I really like "Diaries" better.
I like the characters in "Diaries" because it's not just about the main ones getting all the attention like in "Twilight." There are really good supporting characters in "Diaries" that you actually feel for and get to know better.
The plot has more depth and mystery with some really good twists. "Twilight" is more romance, while "Diaries" definitely has more of an edge, it's still romantic but in a more compelling sense. The characters in "Diaries" mature in personality and evolve, not so much in "Twilight."
Now, don't misinterpret. I still really enjoyed the "Twilight" series and would still highly recommend it to read, but if you want a story with a little more bite, pick up the "Vampire Diaries" series by L.J. Smith.
On a side note: Anne Rice's Vampire chronicles takes the crown for best vampire series. It's definitely aimed for a mature audience and it sometimes can get too detailed in historical accounts, but it will have you believing that vampires really might be walking amongst us...
From the Associated Press
NEW YORK -- On paper and on screen, "Julia" is stealing the show from "Julie."
Meryl Streep's performance as Julia Child in "Julie & Julia," which opened last weekend, has helped return the late chef's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," a classic published nearly 50 years ago, to the top of best-seller lists.
On Monday, Aug. 10, a $40 hardcover of "Mastering" topped the charts of Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com, easily outpacing a $7.99 paperback of the book that gave the film its title, "Julie & Julia" -- Julie Powell's memoir about spending a year preparing all the recipes in Child's book.
Publisher Alfred A. Knopf has ordered an additional 75,000 copies of "Mastering," which on Monday was sold out on Amazon.
Other Child works selling strongly (and currently out of stock on Amazon) are "My Life in France," on which the film is partly based; "Julia's Kitchen Wisdom" and a paperback edition of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."
The movie is divided between the lives of Child and Powell, but critics have found the "Julia" side far more interesting than the time devoted to "Julie," played by Amy Adams. As of Monday afternoon, Powell's book was No. 16 on Barnes & Noble.com and No. 27 on Amazon.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week
that ended Aug. 2.
1. "The Time Traveler's
Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger.
2. "The Weight of Silence" by Heather Gudenkauf.
3. "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell.
4. "Glenn Beck's Common Sense" by Glenn Beck.
5. "The Defector" by Daniel Silva.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended July 19.
1. "Glenn Beck's Common Sense" by Glenn Beck.
2. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson.
3. "Swimsuit" by James Patterson.
4. "The Angel's Game" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
5. "Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended July 12.
1. "Glenn Beck's Common Sense" by Glenn Beck.
2. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" by Steig Larsson.
3. "Swimsuit" by James Patterson.
4. "Angel's Game" by Carl Zafon Ruiz.
5. "Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows" by J. K. Rowling.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended July 5.
1. "Swimsuit" by James Patterson.
2. "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" by Janet Evanovich.
3. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson.
4. "Angel's Game" by Carl Ruiz Zafon.
5. "Glenn Beck's Common Sense" by Glenn Beck.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended June 21:
1. "Horse Soldiers" by Doug Stanton.
2. "The Angel's Game" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
3. "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult.
4. "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer.
5. "Cook Yourself Thin" by Lifetime TV.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended June 14:
1. "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer.
2. "Horse Soldiers" by Doug Stanton.
3. "The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young.
4. "Matters of the Heart" by Danielle Steel.
5. "When You are Engulfed in Flames" by David Sedaris.
To read a review of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," click here.
I'm reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan.
Wow. It really makes me think about what I'm putting into my mouth.
I know most people don't want to do that, but there's really a lot of food for thought in this book (ha, ha).
More later.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended May 24.
1. "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer.
2. "The Girls from Ames" by Jeffrey Zaslow.
3. "Gone Tomorrow" by Lee Child.
4. "Horse Soldiers" by Doug Stanton.
5. "Resilience" by Elizabeth Edwards.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended May 3:
1. "The 8th Confession" by James Patterson.
2. "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan.
3. "City of Thieves" by David Benioff.
4. "The Girls from Ames" by Jeffrey Zaslow.
5. "Vision in White" by Nora Roberts.
Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended April 12.
1. "Liberty and Tyranny" by Mark R. Levin.
2. "Long Lost" by Harlen Coben.
3. "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan.
4. "Just Take My Heart" by Mary Higgins Clark.
5. "City of Thieves" by David Benioff.
Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended April 5:
1. "Liberty and Tyranny" by Mark R. Levin.
2. "Long Lost" by Harlen Coben.
3. "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan.
4. "Handle with Care" by Jodi Picoult.
5. "City of Thieves" by David Benioff.
The following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended March 29.
1. "Max" by James Patterson
2. "The Middle Place" by Kelly Corrigan
3. "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" by Steve Harvey
4. "Handle With Care" by Jodi Picoult
5. "Outcast -- Fate of the Jedi" by Aaron Allston
and that definitely applies to book lovers.
The following Web sites offer used books for purchase or exchange, some for as little as the postage to ship them.
Check them out, and if you know of any others, please let us know.
'The Associate' has many York references.
John Grisham placed York squarely into the setting of his most recent bestseller "The Associate."
York County often seems to find fame.
For more on York Sunday News columnist Gordon Freireich's piece on Grisham's affinity to York and York County's place in the middle of the universe, click here.
Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended March 1.
1. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3 --The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney.
2. "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" by Steve Harvey.
3. "Promises in Death" by J. D. Robb.
4. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.
5. "One Day at a Time" by Danielle Steel.
One of the characters in John Grisham's new book, "The Associate," is from York. How did Grisham come to choose York?
Read Gordon Freireich's column in the York Sunday News March 8. He talked to Grisham and found out the story behind the best-seller.
Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Feb. 22.
1. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer.
2. "The Associate" by John Grisham.
3. "Run For Your Life" by James Patterson.
4. "Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 3: The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney.
5. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.
An Afghan bookstore owner, displeased with his portrayal in the best-selling novel "The Bookseller of Kabul," has written his own book telling his angry, bewildered side of the story.
To read more, click here.
From the Associated Press
Another brand-name writer has joined the e-book party: Danielle Steel.
The prolific, best-selling novelist said Thursday that 71 of her books -- and that's not even all of them -- will be made available digitally Feb. 24, including her latest, "One Day at a Time." Other works include "Sunset in St. Tropez," "The Promise" and "Leap of Faith."
In recent weeks, John Grisham and Tom Clancy also have agreed to allow their novels to come out as e-books, a tiny, but quickly growing market.
I began reading the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris a couple of months ago, it was recommended by a good friend. I was definately skeptical after reading the back cover of the book and learning the name of the main character was named Sookie Stackhouse. But the friend insisted and said the series is addicting and so it turned out to be true. I'm on book six and there are three more left in the series for me to read.
The following books were were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Jan. 25.
1. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: The Last Straw" by Jeff Kinney.
2. "The Shack" by William Young.
3. " Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide: the No-Diet Weight Loss Solution" by David Zinczenko.
4. "Dreams From My Father" by Barack Obama.
5. "Spooky York, Pennsylvania" by Scott Butcher.
Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Jan. 4.
1. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.
2. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J. K. Rowling.
3. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.
4. "Flat Belly Diet" by Liz Vaccariello.
5. "Scarpetta" by Patricia Cornwell.
This just in from the Associated Press:
Taylor Lautner will be back to morph into the monstrous Jacob Black in the "Twilight" sequel "New Moon."
Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Dec. 28:
1. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer.
2. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J.K. Rowling.
3. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.
4. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.
5. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck.
Page, the new kitten found in the snow and adopted by Vicki Myron.
Vicki Myron, who wrote the best-selling "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World," was going to wait before getting another cat. But then she "fell in love instantly" with Page, a kitten found on a snowy road a few weeks ago, Associated Press reported.
The new cat won't be living at the library as Dewey did; she'll stay with Myron.
A co-worker suggested I read "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by librarian Vicki Myron. I asked for it for Christmas. 
I opened it Dec. 25 (Thursday) and was finished with it two days later despite working on Friday and visiting family on Saturday. I like to think I have amazing cats, and in all fairness to them, I do. But if you have a place in your heart for cats, you'll love Dewey.
I told my aunt, a mommy to three cats, about the book. I know she will love it. She is a library lover. She searched the catalog at the New York Public library, where she lives, and she is 240th on the waiting list for 43 copies of the book.
Dewey really must have touched the world.
Read here about Dewey and another pet-lover's book.
Here are the most popular books of 2008 at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township, as compiled by the store's management staff.
1. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J. K. Rowling.
2. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.
3. "The Shack" by William Young.
4. "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.
5. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer.
6. "The Grace That Keeps This World" by Tom Bailey.
7. "New Moon" by Stephenie Meyer.
8. "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle.
9. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer.
10. "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini.
The following books were were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Dec. 14.
1. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J. K. Rowling.
2. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.
3. "Scarpetta" by Patricia Cornwell.
4. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck.
5. "Multiple Blessings" by Kate Gosselin.
From the Associated Press:
"Twilight" fans have a short wait for the next installment of the vampire saga.
Summit Entertainment spokesman Paul Pflug says "New Moon" is following just 12 months after the first movie, opening Nov. 20, 2009, over the same weekend as "Twilight" this year.
Summit has tapped Chris Weitz ("The Golden Compass") to direct "New Moon," based on the second book in Stephenie Meyer's best-selling series about the dangerous romance between a teen (Kristen Stewart) and a vampire (Robert Pattinson) fighting his bloodsucking instincts.
Weitz is taking over the franchise from "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke. "Twilight" has shot to $150 million at the box office since debuting Nov. 21.
Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Dec. 7.
1. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" by J. K. Rowling.
2. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.
3. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer.
4. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck.
5. "Multiple Blessings" by Kate Gosselin.
Several people I know told me I must read "The Shack" by William Young. I had seen it in all the stores and knew it was a best-seller. I'm always up for the latest in book trends, so obliged them.
that books make great gifts, but now we can listen to famous authors tell us why.
The following books were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Nov. 23.
1. "Cross Country" by James Patterson.
2. "Eclipse" by Stephenie Meyer.
3. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck.
4. "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer.
5. "Too Fat to Fish" by Artie Lange.
The following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Nov. 16:
1. "Too Fat to Fish" by Artie Lange.
2. "You Being Beautiful" by Mehmet Oz.
3. "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck.
4. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron.
5. "Just After Sunset" by Stephen King.
Debbie Macomber wrote '8 Sandpiper Way' with inspiration from her York friend, Minda Butler.
By BETH VRABEL
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Best-selling author Debbie Macomber's fans might be too excited to get to the latest gossip in her recent Cedar Cove series installment, "8 Sandpiper Way," to peruse the dedication page.
So Macomber wrote a letter to her readers, in which she asks them to take note of that page, and the women she thanks for their courage and strength. First among them is Minda Butler of York. "I think that she probably inspired the entire story," Macomber said.
For the first part of my life I was a cat person. I enjoyed their independence and their superior attitude to all.
Then, five years ago my daughter brought home a puppy. It was the classic "isn't he cute, can we keep him" scenario. Well, I was hooked. I still love cats, but there is something about a dog's unabashed joy in life that gives them an edge in my estimation.
Greg Mortenson never made it to the top of K2, one of the Himalayas' most formidable peaks. But his mountain-climbing defeat turned into a victory over ignorance and illiteracy.
Because of him, thousands of Pakistani and Afghan children, including girls, can go to school. And it all started when he wandered into a remote village in Pakistan.
I'm almost finished reading Twilight and I couldn't help comparing it to another vampire series called "The Vampire Diaries" by L.J. Smith.
There are a lot of similarities. "Diaries"
came before "Twilight" but I like the "Twilight" series better. The central female character is blonde and beautiful, while in "Twilight" the central female character is described as a beauty but a unique one and very intelligent, you won't get that from Elena in "Diaries." Elena is depicted as the typical popular girl in high school and of course the only guy who is not seemingly interested is the brooding outsider, Stefan....
Anyway, I don't want to give too much away, but I would definitely recommend reading both the "Vampire Diaries" and "Twilight" and then come to your own conclusion.
FOR A SNEAK PEEK at my page design for the movie "Twilight" click here.
The following books were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Nov. 2.
1. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron.
2. "Against Medical Advice" by James Patterson.
3. "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks.
4. "The Gate House" by Nelson DeMille.
5. "Flat Belly Diet" by Liz Vaccariello.
In September of 1939, Nazi bombers attacked Warsaw. One of the casualties was the Warsaw Zoo.
Following were best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Oct. 26.
1. "The Lucky One" by Nicholas Sparks.
2. "Extreme Measures" by Vince Flynn.
3. "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron. (To read about this book, click here.)
4. "Against Medical Advice" by James Patterson.
5. "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini.
I'm a sucker for cats and books, so I can't wait to read this.
From the Associated Press:
DES MOINES, Iowa - He was a yellow tabby with twinkling green eyes, who arrived in the overnight drop box of a farmland library one frigid January night. Dewey Readmore Books became the library's star boarder and an international celebrity.
Now he's the subject of a best seller that chronicles the struggles of the library worker who found the trembling kitten, the town that embraced him and Dewey himself.
"Dewey, the Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World," by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter, has 336,000 copies in print and has quickly climbed to the top 10 on The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly and other lists of best sellers.
Best-sellers at Borders Books & Music in Springettsbury Township for the week that ended Sept. 28"
1. "Brisingr" by Christopher Paolini.
2. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski.
3. "The Shack" by William Young.
4. "The Grace That Keeps This World" by Tom Bailey.
5. "Haunted Places in York County" by Leo Motter.
