I have a confession. I am prone to obsessions. One of the targets of this obsession is Zadie Smith. I had never heard of Zadie Smith until the release of her highly acclaimed novel White Teeth. I picked up this book because of the title. It's like someone out there knew about one of my other obsessions: teeth. After White Teeth, I looked around for other things by Smith and took to reading interviews. Then I got wind of The Autograph Man. This book wasn't as well-received as White Teeth, but I devoured it.

The 2005 winner of The Man Booker Prize, the UK's most prestigious literary award, is John Banville for The Sea.

Banville, 60, is the first Irish author in more than 10 years to win the Booker (Roddy Doyle won in 1993 for Paddy Clark Ha Ha Ha). Banville came close in 1989 when his Book of Evidence was on the Booker shortlist.

The Sea, which will be released in the US in March of 2006, comes with a £50,000 purse.

LATE BREAKING NEWS: Knopf has just announced that they are fast-tracking publication of The Sea. It will be released in the US in November.

Truth tellers remind us that our democracy is alive and ever changing. Inspired by 9/11, Americans Who Tell the Truth is a series of portraits accompanied by quotations. It is both striking and highly personal. A New England artist and illustrator, Robert Shetterly painted 50 people he greatly admires--freedom fighters, activists, and patriots --who demonstrate political and social principles that foster "the fundamental dignity and equal worth of every individual.” Readers will recognize Sojourner Truth, Mark Twain, Woody Guthrie, Dwight Eisenhower,and Rosa Parks to name a few.

Busy, busy, busy. One old, one new. The Boys From Syracuse, a physical comedy full of farcical mischief will be at the Mendelssohn Theatre at the Michigan League on October 13-16. This was the first musical to be adapted from the works of Shakspeare when it opened in 1938. If you love Shakespeare, Richard Rogers, Lorenz Hart or George Abbott this is the play to see.
The Performance Network is co-premiering Joan Ackerman's play about a poetess who lives in happy obscurity until her neighbor, Edith Wharton, passes her work along to an editor who wants to publish it. Through October 30th.

At 10:30 p.m. tonight (London time), the 2005 winner of The Man Booker Prize will be announced. The Booker Prize, established in 1969, is one of the most prestigious literary awards coveted by writers.

Tonight’s winner will be selected from the shortlist of six authors who were chosen August 7th. They are:

John Banville The Sea – scheduled for U.S. publication in 2006
Julian Barnes Arthur and George
Sebastian Barry A Long Long Way
Kazuo Ishiguro Never Let Me Go
Ali Smith The Accidental – scheduled for U.S. publication in 2006
Zadie Smith On Beauty

Last year's winner was Alan Hollinghurst for The Line of Beauty.

It's October again, the time to dust off copies of The Sixth Sense and Sleepy Hollow for an evening of seeing dead people and mistaking Johnny Depp for one of them. Just don’t forget there are many novels out there perfect for Halloween reading.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula tells the tale of a naive young Englishman’s travels to Transylvania to do business with a client, Count Dracula. A classic, and a surprisingly good read. For those who want big screen chills, check out the library presentation of the silent film Nosferatu with live musical accompaniment by Blue Dahlia.

More horror after the jump.

"Good Night, and Good Luck", the signature sign-off of legendary broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow, is the title of George Clooney's second directorial effort. Edward Murrow is most famous for taking on Joseph McCarthy and his aggressive tactics during the Red Scare. The library's collection includes The Edward R. Murrow Collection, a multi-disc DVD set featuring Murrow's work and his influence on broadcast journalism. Point of Order, a recent documentary featuring clips from the 1954 McCarthy-Army hearings, and Guilty by Suspicion, starring Robert DeNiro, are also recommended.

You’ve seen them at the mall, in your classes, or even living next door. They’re Zingers, who constantly quote famous lines from TV shows and movies. Or perhaps they’re Molly McButters, young women who epitomize the “granny cool” look. You may have even met a Hair Gel Knight, those unfortunate men who have confused gallantry with male chauvinism. And if you’ve seen them, Robert Lanham has categorized them. His newest book is Food Court Druids, Cherohonkees, and other Creatures Unique to the Republic, a hilarious taxonomy of frequently seen American types.

One thing we did learn about Chief Justice John Roberts during his confirmation hearings is that his two favorite movies are Doctor Zhivago and North By Northwest. Now that the Supreme Court is tackling the delicate subject of physician-assisted suicide, I might suggest A Death of One's Own. This episode from On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying "...unravels the complexities underlying the many choices at the end of life, including the bitter debate over physician-assisted suicide. Three patients, their families, and their doctors discuss some of the hardest decisions, including how to pay for care, what constitutes humane treatment, and how to balance dying and dignity." "...beautifully and sensitively illustrates the need to put humane and empathetic treatment back into the dying process...Highly recommended. Editor's Choice." (Video Librarian)

The directorial debut of Karim Ainouz’s, Madame Sata, is a pictorial marvel detailing the life of Joao Francisco dos Santos, a black Brazilian living in 1930’s racially and socially oppressive Lapa (northern Brazil). Joao (Lazaro Ramos), along with Laurita, (Marcelia Cartaxo) his best friend and Tabu, (Flavio Bauraqui) his pseudo household maid, construct a colorful yet restrained, irrational yet tender, spellbinding yet dark world through prostitution, drug usage and fantasy. Having the desire to rise above his meager lifestyle, Joao aspires to be a celebrated stage entertainer and loved by the public.