As The Millions noted in its 2010 book preview, the theme for the upcoming year (and beyond) seems to be posthumous publication: Roberto Bolaño, Ralph Ellison, Stieg Larsson, and David Foster Wallace — the dead gang’s all here! (OK, so technically DFW’s The Pale King isn’t meant to come out until 2011, but we couldn’t leave him out.) That said, there’s plenty of good stuff to look forward to from the living as well. After the jump, we reveal the books that we’re most excited about reading in the coming months — and tell you about a few that we’ve already devoured.

Be sure to leave your own suggestions in the comments.

Read More »

All the politicians are writing books: After leaving D.C. GEORGE BUSH will watch the world undo his damage and he will write a book. But so, it seems, will LAURA. She is being highly secretive about her plans, but she’s meeting with publishing execs to discuss a seven-figure memoir. Will their stories match? Will they let each other read the drafts? Will Laura’s book inevitably outsell W’s? And even though she didn’t make it to the White House, SARAH PALIN is also eyeing a book deal. Maybe she’ll reveal details about her kids’ names. [Reuters]

And in the meantime Obama reads some poems: While GEORGE BUSH nominates cowboys for THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS, we’re giddy that BARACK OBAMA reads poetry. Or at least carries it around. He was spotted last week carrying a volume of Nobel winner DEREK WALCOTT’s collected works. Maybe he needed a break from reading comics. [UPI]

Read More »

Van Sant on the bus for Kool-Aid Test: Indie filmmaker GUS VAN SANT has signed on to direct THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST, based on TOM WOLFE’s trippy book about the drug-addled rise of the hippie movement. FOX SEARCHLIGHT will produce the film, and DUSTIN LANCE BLACK will write the screenplay.

Black and Van Sant worked together on the much-hyped MILK, a biopic about California’s first openly gay elected official that stars SEAN PENN. It opens November 26th. [Reuters]

Adiga in agent controversy after winning Booker: After winning the MAN BOOKER PRIZE earlier this month, ARAVIND ADIGA severed ties with his literary agent, WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY, for no apparent reason this week. Sınce Tuesday, however, the author of THE WHITE TIGER now has British agent DAVID GODWIN fighting for him, who represented other Indian greats like ARUNDHATI ROY and KIRAN DESAI. [Calcutta Telegraph]

Updike has no mercy for Morrison: JOHN UPDIKE published a scathing review of TONI MORRISON’s new novel, A MERCY, in this week’s NEW YORKER. Known for critical sound and fury (hating on William Faulkner, for example), Updike’s opinions themselves are now getting criticized by the press.  [Gawker]

Kindle joins Oprah’s book club: OPRAH endorsed the AMAZON KINDLE last week on her Web site, which means the gadget is bound to see a spike in sales. Good news for the authors whose books are available through the device. Oprah’s own Kindle includes books by DAVID WROBLEWSKI, SUZANNE SOMERS and WENDY CHANT. [Information Week]

McEwan debuts London opera: IAN MCEWAN’S opera FOR YOU premiered yesterday in London. The Booker Prize-winning novelist focused the opera on themes of sex, obsession and adultery, saying that they suited the medium. He collaborated with composer MICHAEL BERKELEY, a long-time friend. [BBC]

- Iza Wojciechowska