"A Breath of Snow and Ashes isn't great literature. It's way, way too long; full of breathless prose, cornball archaic language, and Gaelic phrases; easy to make fun of or relegate to the status of guilty pleasure."

So why am I telling you about it? Read this review from Kathy Weissman.

And don't worry about jumping into the series at the end - heel her advise and get hold of a copy of the The Outlandish Companion. Before long, you will be handselling Diana Gabaldon and this historical fantasy series to all your friends.

The British are coming! Check out these new titles for the latest British Invasion on these shores.

At #4 is Thud! by Terry Pratchett: the anniversary of the disastrous battle of Koom Valley draws nigh in this latest stirring adventure in the Discorld series.

At #7 is On Beauty by Zadie Smith: this splendid postmodern retelling of Howard's End, set in a New England college town, was recently shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

If you have been interested, intrigued, upset, or frustrated by what you have seen in the past three Banned Books Blogs (1, 2 and 3), you may want to learn more about censorship and book banning in America. Below are some organizations and books that have excellent information:

Freedom to Read Foundation

The Intellectual Freedom Manual, published by the American Library Association

Banned in the U.S.A.: a reference guide to book censorship in schools and public libraries, written by Herbert N. Foerstel

Marian Anderson, whose deep, resonant voice, moved people to tears, became a symbol of the struggle for civil rights. The refusal by the Daughters of the American Revolution to allow Anderson to sing in Constitution Hall in 1939 ignited a controversy that opened peoples' minds to the meaning of freedom. It also unexpectedly created a new musical opportunity in the huge outdoor concert held at the Lincoln Memorial as an alternative. Russell Freedman does a wonderful job in The Voice That Challenged a Nation depicting Anderson's early life growing up in Philadelphia and her concert tours through Europe. Photos from archives enrich the telling.

Check out a poetry slam at the Neutral Zone this year or read Listen Up!:Spoken Word Poetry. Even rockers are getting in on the act. Henry Rollins from Black Flag and The Rollins Band has become a popular spoken word performer who will present his sarcastic socio-political work at the Michigan Theater on October 26th at 7:30 pm.

Ramadan will begin next week. Click the link to see
some Youth books that cover the subject of Ramadan.

Spartan fans of the World Unite! And while we’re waiting for the big game, read up on it’s history in Backyard Brawl: The Storied Rivalry of Michigan-Michigan State Football. Sparty also recommends The Spartans: A Story of Michigan State Football. Hungry for more? John Madden’s Ultimate Tailgating will give you the edge off the field as the Spartans march down the field to Victory!

M. Scott Peck, author of the bestselling The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth (1978), died September 25, 2005.

A Harvard graduate with a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Dr. Peck launched his literary career after ten years as a practicing psychiatrist. His very first sentence in The Road Less Traveled, “Life is difficult,” is at the heart of his belief that once people accept that fact, they can experience a life of deep rewards and valuable lessons.

Dr. Peck, who was 69, was the author of more than 15 books, including A Bed by the Window: A Novel of Mystery and Redemption (1990), Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey toward Spiritual Growth (1993), and The Road Less Traveled and Beyond: Spiritual Growth in an Age of Anxiety (1997)

Gregory Maguire, whose Wicked (1995), is enjoying a second life as a big-budget Broadway Musical will release its much-anticipated sequel Son of a Witch on Sept. 29th.
The story picks up where Dorothy did in Elphaba Thropp, the Wicked Witch of the West and brought about spectacular changes in the Land of Oz – not all of them pleasant. A caravan leader stumbled upon a badly hurt young man, Liir, who might be the dead witch’s rumored secreted son. The ensuing tale is one of great drama, eccentric characters and object lessons.

Leap back 100 years with Brown Angels:an Album of Pictures and Verse. The book displays sepia-tone photos of African-American children from the turn-of-the-century, in companion with poetry by Walter Dean Myers. Bring the timeline forward to today and read So Much about an exciting birthday within an extended family and Yo! Yes?, the first conversation of a budding new friendship.