Much has been made over the past 12 days over the killing of Osama bin Laden, and in the wake of this event, more than a few questions have arose about the circumstances of his death.
For those of you who haven’t kept up with the story, a team of 24 U.S. Navy SEALs helicoptered into Pakistan on May 1 and raided a safe house in Bilal Town, Abbottabad. The raid led to the death of bin Laden and at least three others. Some news stories said that he’d been hiding out there for at least five, maybe six years.
My main question is, who now owns the Abbottabad compound and what will happen to it now?
According to news reporters, the three-story compound was owned by Sheikh Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti. Described as bin Laden’s “favorite courier and right-hand man,” the SEALs also blew him away during the May 1 raid.
Later, according to an Associated Press story on May 3, the compound, which had high walls topped with barbed wire, came under the control of the Pakistani army after the U.S. raid. Not long thereafter, the army turned it over to the local police.
I wonder who will eventually gain control of the compound. I don’t foresee the police keeping possession of it indefinitely, and who will get it then? Will it end up in the hands of al-Kuwaiti’s next of kin? What are the chances that they’re tied in with al-Qaeda or some other terrorist organization? How long will it be before the facility will be used to house and hide other wanted terrorists and international criminals?
Maybe the thing to do, after killing Osama, would have been to have the SEALs clear the building of people and raze it to the ground. I have no doubt that our SEALs could have taken care of that project with some well-placed explosives.
Speaking of the SEALs, the already-highly respected elite commando unit, has received a huge amount of publicity and well-deserved public praise after the raid. It’s also sparked a number of news stories about the SEALs and their origins.
In Wednesday of last week’s Mobile Press-Register, Political Editor George Talbot told readers that U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six – the elite special forces, counter-terrorism unit that took down bin Laden – was founded by an Auburn University graduate.
Richard Marcinko, who created the elite unit and served as its commanding officer from 1980 to 1983, has a master’s degree in political science from Auburn, Talbot said.
In addition to his military career, Marcinko, also known as “Demo Dick” and “Shark Man of the Delta,” is also widely known as an accomplished writer. Probably his best-known book is 1992’s “Rogue Warrior,” which I highly recommend to anyone out there with an interest in the SEALs and SEAL Team Six. If half the stuff in this book is true, Marcinko and his SEALs are some bad dudes.
His other non-fiction books include “Leadership Secrets of the Rogue Warrior: A Commando’s Guide to Success” (1997), “The Rogues Warriors Strategy for Success” (1998) and “The Real Team” (1999).
In addition to the books mentioned above, Marcinko has either written or co-written 14 novels.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Sports Flashback from the May 12, 2011 edition of The Evergreen Courant
SIX YEARS AGO
MAY 12, 2005
“State Record: Sparta’s Erica Palmer set a new state record in the 400-meter run with a time of 1:06.74. She was also third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 29.61. She also placed fourth in the high jump with a jump of four-feet, four inches. She was fifth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 14.31.”
“Hand takes reigns of Warriors: On May 20, 18 years since he last held a coaching position, Don Hand will assume the head coach’s duties at Sparta Academy.
“Hand is replacing Gerry Watson as the Warriors head coach. Watson will remain on staff and is helping conduct spring drills with Coach Russ Brown.”
“Hillcrest High School’s Jaguars will wrap up spring football drills Tuesday in East Brewton when the team takes on the W.S. Neal High School Eagles.”
Players on Hillcrest’s team that year included Derek Paige, Aaron Dees, Frank Likely, John Dees, Antonio Jordan and Teridas Wilson. Arlton Hudson was head coach.
“Sparta Academy’s junior varsity girls track team recently won the state championship.”
Members of the team were Sally Matlock, Grace Matlock, Sarah Nielsen, Morgan Harden, Hayden Armuelles, Susan Ann Cook, Christin Booker, Erica Palmer, Mallory Kendrick, Maddie Black, Camarena Godwin, Pia Cumagun, Savannah Brown, Mary Ryan Nielsen, Kelsey Cope and Shaina Hutcheson. Coaches were Terry Jackson and Russ Brown.
21 YEARS AGO
MAY 10, 1990
“World Champion Turkey Caller Eddie Salter added more trophies this year to his already full trophy case. Salter won the 1990 Mossy Oak Call of the Wild Championship and the 1990 Southeastern Open Turkey Calling Championship. He placed second in the World Turkey Calling Championship and second in the Alabama State Contest. Salter’s nephew, Gary Hanks, proves that the turkey calling ability runs in the family. Gary placed second in the junior division of the Alabama State Turkey Calling Championship and third in the Demopolis contest. Dewan Salter, Eddie’s brother, also won some turkey calling contests this year. Dewan won the 1990 Alabama State Turkey Calling Championship, placed first in a contest in Cummings, Ga., third in the World Contest, third in the Hall of Fame contest, third in the Southeastern Open and third in Demopolis.”
“Babe Ruth Baseball Results: Tues., May 1:
“Evergreen Auto Parts 7, Wolff Motors 6: Aaron Gessner doubled down the right field line and scored on a throwing error to give Evergreen Auto Parts a 7 to 6 come from behind win over Wolff Motors. Gary Reymundo got credit for the win on the mound.
“Presley-Fluker 7, McKenzie Merchants 4: Presley-Fluker held off the McKenzie Merchants by a score of 7 to 4 in the second game of the night. Shalane Lowery took the win on the mound, going the distance.”
36 YEARS AGO
MAY 8, 1975
“The Northcutt’s team won first place in the Evergreen Men’s Softball League preseason tournament recently.”
Members of the team were Waynard Price, John David Adams, Wendell Burt, Jacob Coleman, Bill Van Horn, Jimmy Brown, Clayton Barlow, Ronnie Jones, Bill Bailey, Sammy Brown, Eddie Hooks, Terry Chapman, Rogene Booker, Jerry Peacock, Ronnie Pugh and Don Owens. Terry Coleman was coach, and Ray Griffin was the bat boy.
“Mr. and Mrs. Pete Pettis, Ronnie Cathy, Gail Garrett and Larry Bethune attended the Winston 500 race at Talladega Sunday.”
“The fifth grade all-star team coached by Leon Randolph participated in May Day activities at Southside Elementary School.”
“This fourth grade all-star team coached by Wayne Hammonds were victors in May Day activities at Southside Elementary School.”
“Lyeffion QB’s meet tonight: The Lyeffion High School Quarterback Club will meet tonight at 7:30 at the school. All members and others interested in Yellow Jacket sports are urged to attend.”
51 YEARS AGO
MAY 12, 1960
“Aggies End Season With Win Over Tigers: The Evergreen Aggies won their last game of the season Tuesday by taking T.R. Miller High School by a score of 1-0.
“Frank Pugh was on the mound for Evergreen, and Billy Melton was behind the plate.
“James Reeves and Johnny Ivey got two hits apiece in Tuesday’s game.”
Jeff Moorer was Evergreen’s head baseball coach.
“Aggies Trounce Repton: The Evergreen Aggies bombed the Repton nine last week to the tune of 15-4 with the splendid pitching of Billy Bateman. The local squad collected 11 hits, one of which was a circuit blow into the right field stands, but they were not ruled as homers because of the proximity of the bleachers. Repton claimed their share of the long balls with two four-baggers.
“This leaves the Aggies’ record unblemished except for one dark mark with Atmore.”
“Evergreen vs. Castleberry: The Aggies turned back the Blue Devils for Castleberry 7-1 this week. The Aggies supported Frank Pugh with seven runs on nine hits. The Castleberry nine scored their long run in the sixth on an error. The Aggies record now is 8-1, one of the best in the state.”
Compiled by Sports Reporter Lee Peacock from past issues of The Evergreen Courant. To read The Courant’s weekly Sports Flashback feature online, visit leepeacock2010.blogspot.com.
MAY 12, 2005
“State Record: Sparta’s Erica Palmer set a new state record in the 400-meter run with a time of 1:06.74. She was also third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 29.61. She also placed fourth in the high jump with a jump of four-feet, four inches. She was fifth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 14.31.”
“Hand takes reigns of Warriors: On May 20, 18 years since he last held a coaching position, Don Hand will assume the head coach’s duties at Sparta Academy.
“Hand is replacing Gerry Watson as the Warriors head coach. Watson will remain on staff and is helping conduct spring drills with Coach Russ Brown.”
“Hillcrest High School’s Jaguars will wrap up spring football drills Tuesday in East Brewton when the team takes on the W.S. Neal High School Eagles.”
Players on Hillcrest’s team that year included Derek Paige, Aaron Dees, Frank Likely, John Dees, Antonio Jordan and Teridas Wilson. Arlton Hudson was head coach.
“Sparta Academy’s junior varsity girls track team recently won the state championship.”
Members of the team were Sally Matlock, Grace Matlock, Sarah Nielsen, Morgan Harden, Hayden Armuelles, Susan Ann Cook, Christin Booker, Erica Palmer, Mallory Kendrick, Maddie Black, Camarena Godwin, Pia Cumagun, Savannah Brown, Mary Ryan Nielsen, Kelsey Cope and Shaina Hutcheson. Coaches were Terry Jackson and Russ Brown.
21 YEARS AGO
MAY 10, 1990
“World Champion Turkey Caller Eddie Salter added more trophies this year to his already full trophy case. Salter won the 1990 Mossy Oak Call of the Wild Championship and the 1990 Southeastern Open Turkey Calling Championship. He placed second in the World Turkey Calling Championship and second in the Alabama State Contest. Salter’s nephew, Gary Hanks, proves that the turkey calling ability runs in the family. Gary placed second in the junior division of the Alabama State Turkey Calling Championship and third in the Demopolis contest. Dewan Salter, Eddie’s brother, also won some turkey calling contests this year. Dewan won the 1990 Alabama State Turkey Calling Championship, placed first in a contest in Cummings, Ga., third in the World Contest, third in the Hall of Fame contest, third in the Southeastern Open and third in Demopolis.”
“Babe Ruth Baseball Results: Tues., May 1:
“Evergreen Auto Parts 7, Wolff Motors 6: Aaron Gessner doubled down the right field line and scored on a throwing error to give Evergreen Auto Parts a 7 to 6 come from behind win over Wolff Motors. Gary Reymundo got credit for the win on the mound.
“Presley-Fluker 7, McKenzie Merchants 4: Presley-Fluker held off the McKenzie Merchants by a score of 7 to 4 in the second game of the night. Shalane Lowery took the win on the mound, going the distance.”
36 YEARS AGO
MAY 8, 1975
“The Northcutt’s team won first place in the Evergreen Men’s Softball League preseason tournament recently.”
Members of the team were Waynard Price, John David Adams, Wendell Burt, Jacob Coleman, Bill Van Horn, Jimmy Brown, Clayton Barlow, Ronnie Jones, Bill Bailey, Sammy Brown, Eddie Hooks, Terry Chapman, Rogene Booker, Jerry Peacock, Ronnie Pugh and Don Owens. Terry Coleman was coach, and Ray Griffin was the bat boy.
“Mr. and Mrs. Pete Pettis, Ronnie Cathy, Gail Garrett and Larry Bethune attended the Winston 500 race at Talladega Sunday.”
“The fifth grade all-star team coached by Leon Randolph participated in May Day activities at Southside Elementary School.”
“This fourth grade all-star team coached by Wayne Hammonds were victors in May Day activities at Southside Elementary School.”
“Lyeffion QB’s meet tonight: The Lyeffion High School Quarterback Club will meet tonight at 7:30 at the school. All members and others interested in Yellow Jacket sports are urged to attend.”
51 YEARS AGO
MAY 12, 1960
“Aggies End Season With Win Over Tigers: The Evergreen Aggies won their last game of the season Tuesday by taking T.R. Miller High School by a score of 1-0.
“Frank Pugh was on the mound for Evergreen, and Billy Melton was behind the plate.
“James Reeves and Johnny Ivey got two hits apiece in Tuesday’s game.”
Jeff Moorer was Evergreen’s head baseball coach.
“Aggies Trounce Repton: The Evergreen Aggies bombed the Repton nine last week to the tune of 15-4 with the splendid pitching of Billy Bateman. The local squad collected 11 hits, one of which was a circuit blow into the right field stands, but they were not ruled as homers because of the proximity of the bleachers. Repton claimed their share of the long balls with two four-baggers.
“This leaves the Aggies’ record unblemished except for one dark mark with Atmore.”
“Evergreen vs. Castleberry: The Aggies turned back the Blue Devils for Castleberry 7-1 this week. The Aggies supported Frank Pugh with seven runs on nine hits. The Castleberry nine scored their long run in the sixth on an error. The Aggies record now is 8-1, one of the best in the state.”
Compiled by Sports Reporter Lee Peacock from past issues of The Evergreen Courant. To read The Courant’s weekly Sports Flashback feature online, visit leepeacock2010.blogspot.com.
Major League Baseball all-star voting is underway online
Major League Baseball’s 82nd Annual All-Star Game will be played on Tues., July 12, at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. and you can now cast your ballot for your favorite players online.
Just type the following link into your Web browser and vote away: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2011/ballot.jsp.
You’ll be asked to selected a first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, catcher and three outfielders from both the American and National Leagues and you can vote up to 25 times before midnight on June 30. From American League players, you’ll also be asked to select a designated hitter.
Eight pitchers, that is, five starters and three relievers, and one back-up player for each position are elected for the game by players, coaches, and managers.
All this makes me think of an interesting “What If?” question: What if you could pick one team consisting of the best players from both the American and National Leagues.
If that were possible, here are the current major leaguers I’d pick for the team – Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers, first base; Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers, second base; Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies, shortstop; Placido Polanco, Philadelphia Phillies, third base; Russell Martin, New York Yankees, catcher; Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals, left field; Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers, center field; Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays, right field; and Michael Young, Texas Rangers, designated hitter.
For my starting pitchers, I’d pick Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels; Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins; Roy Halladay, Philadelphia; Dan Haren, Los Angeles Angels; and James Shields, Tampa Bay Devil Rays. My three relief pitchers would be Johnny Venters, Atlanta Braves; Mike Adams, San Diego Padres; and Drew Storen, Washington Nationals.
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Speaking of baseball, Wednesday of last week’s edition of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! posed the following question, “Only two Major League Baseball players have hit home runs during their first two times at bat in the World Series – Who was the first?”
The following day, “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” let readers know that it was Gene Tenace, who in 1972 became the first player to hit home runs in his first two times at bat in a Major League Baseball World Series.”
Tenace, 64, of Russellton, Pa. hit home runs in his first two at bats during Game One of the 1972 World Series as a catcher for the Oakland Athletics, driving all three of Oakland’s runs in a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Oakland won the World Series, four games to three, and Tenace was named the World Series MVP.
What last Thursday’s “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” doesn’t tell you is the name of the second player to match Tenace’s home run-hitting performance.
As it turns out, it was former Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones, who now plays for the New York Yankees. So far, he is the only other player to have hit back-to-back home runs in his first two World Series at bats. He did so as a 19-year-old Atlanta Braves rookie when he blasted home runs in his first two at bats against the Yankees in the 1996 World Series.
Just type the following link into your Web browser and vote away: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2011/ballot.jsp.
You’ll be asked to selected a first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, catcher and three outfielders from both the American and National Leagues and you can vote up to 25 times before midnight on June 30. From American League players, you’ll also be asked to select a designated hitter.
Eight pitchers, that is, five starters and three relievers, and one back-up player for each position are elected for the game by players, coaches, and managers.
All this makes me think of an interesting “What If?” question: What if you could pick one team consisting of the best players from both the American and National Leagues.
If that were possible, here are the current major leaguers I’d pick for the team – Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers, first base; Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers, second base; Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies, shortstop; Placido Polanco, Philadelphia Phillies, third base; Russell Martin, New York Yankees, catcher; Matt Holliday, St. Louis Cardinals, left field; Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers, center field; Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays, right field; and Michael Young, Texas Rangers, designated hitter.
For my starting pitchers, I’d pick Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels; Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins; Roy Halladay, Philadelphia; Dan Haren, Los Angeles Angels; and James Shields, Tampa Bay Devil Rays. My three relief pitchers would be Johnny Venters, Atlanta Braves; Mike Adams, San Diego Padres; and Drew Storen, Washington Nationals.
Speaking of baseball, Wednesday of last week’s edition of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! posed the following question, “Only two Major League Baseball players have hit home runs during their first two times at bat in the World Series – Who was the first?”
The following day, “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” let readers know that it was Gene Tenace, who in 1972 became the first player to hit home runs in his first two times at bat in a Major League Baseball World Series.”
Tenace, 64, of Russellton, Pa. hit home runs in his first two at bats during Game One of the 1972 World Series as a catcher for the Oakland Athletics, driving all three of Oakland’s runs in a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Oakland won the World Series, four games to three, and Tenace was named the World Series MVP.
What last Thursday’s “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” doesn’t tell you is the name of the second player to match Tenace’s home run-hitting performance.
As it turns out, it was former Atlanta Braves outfielder Andruw Jones, who now plays for the New York Yankees. So far, he is the only other player to have hit back-to-back home runs in his first two World Series at bats. He did so as a 19-year-old Atlanta Braves rookie when he blasted home runs in his first two at bats against the Yankees in the 1996 World Series.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
My movie picks this week are 'Priest' and 'Black Death'
It’s Wednesday, so today I give you my weekly list of movies that will open in theatres this week as well as a list of movies that will be released this week on DVD.I hope this will serve as a useful guide as to what’s going on this week if you happen to be near a movie theatre or if you’re looking for something to drop into your NetFlix queue.
Movies that are scheduled to hit theatres this Friday include:
- Bridesmaids (Comedy, R): Directed by Paul Feig and starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper.
- Everything Must Go (Comedy, Drama, R): Directed by Dan Rush and starring Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, Laura Dern, Stephen Root and Michael Pena.
- The First Grader (Drama, PG-13): Directed by Justin Chadwick and starring Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Sam Feuer, Nick Reding and Israel Makoe.
- Go For It! (Drama, Family, Musicals, PG-13): Directed by Carmen Marron and starring Aimee Garcia, Al Bandiero, Jossara Jinaro, Gina Rodriguez and Louie Alegria.
- Priest (Action, Horror, PG-13): Directed by Scott Stewart and starring Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Karl Urban, Lily Collins and Maggie Q.
- Skateland (Drama, PG-13): Directed by Anthony Burns and starring Shiloh Fernandez, Ashley Greene, Haley Ramm, Heath Freeman and Taylor Handley.
New DVD releases for the week of May 10 include:
- Black Death (Action, Horror, Thriller, R): Directed by Christopher Smith and starring Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Carice van Houten, Kimberley Nixon and David Masterson.
- Blue Valentine (Drama, Romance, R): Directed by Derek Cianfrance and starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Mike Vogel, Faith Wladyka and Ben Shenkman.
- Cropsey (Documentary): Directed by Barbara Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman.
- The Hit List (Action, Suspense, R): Directed by William Kaufman and starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Cole Hauser, Jonathan LaPaglia, Ginny Weirick and Sean Cook.
- The Illusionist (Comedy, Drama, PG): Directed Sylvain Chomet and starring the voices of Jean-Claude Donda, Edith Rankin, Jil Aigrot, Didier Gustin and Frederic Lebon.
- No Strings Attached (Comedy, Romance, R): Directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Olivia Thirlby and Mindy Kaling.
If I could only watch one movie at the theatre this week, it would be “Priest,” and if I had to pick just one DVD to rent this week, it would be “Black Death.”
In the end, let me know if you get a chance to watch any of the new movies in theatres this week or if you’ve already seen any of the movies that have just been released on DVD. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Which Clive Cussler book is your all-time favorite?
I recently finished reading Clive Cussler’s 1975 novel, “Iceberg,” and I recommend it to anyone in the audience with a taste for a good adventure tale. Originally published by Dodd, Mead & Co., this adventure novel is the second to feature Cussler’s famous character, Dirk Pitt. If you’re reading Cussler’s novels in chronological order, as many of his fans choose to do, then “Iceberg” comes after 1973’s “The Mediterranean Caper” and before 1976’s “Raise the Titanic!”
In “Iceberg,” Pitt is called to the North Atlantic to investigate a luxury yacht that’s found encased inside a large iceberg. The yacht disappeared some time back while its occupants were on their way to a top-secret meeting in Washington, D.C. When Pitt finds his way inside the yacht, he and a companion discover the bodies of the crew, burned to death at their posts.
Before it’s all said and done, Pitt finds himself in the middle of a plot in which an insane multi-millionaire is attempting to overthrow several South American countries in hopes of upsetting the balance of world power.
By my count, this makes the sixth Cussler book that I’ve read, so I’ve got a long way to go in my quest to read all of his books. Those that I’ve read include:
- The Mediterranean Caper (1973)
- Iceberg (1975)
- Pacific Vortex (1983)
- Inca Gold (1994)
- Flood Tide (1997)
- Sacred Stone (2004)
Of those six, I would say that “Inca Gold” was my favorite, followed by “Flood Tide.”
Those that I haven’t read include:
- Raise the Titanic! (1976)
- Vixen 03 (1978)
- Night Probe (1981)
- Deep Six (1984)
- Cyclops (1986)
- Treasure (1988)
- Dragon (1990)
- Sahara (1992)
- Shock Wave (1996)
- The Sea Hunters: True Adventures With Famous Shipwrecks (1996)
- Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed (1998)
- Atlantis Found (1999)
- Serpent (1999)
- Blue Gold (2000)
- Valhalla Rising (2001)
- Fire Ice (2002)
- The Sea Hunters II: Diving the World’s Seas for Famous Shipwrecks (2002)
- Golden Buddha (2003)
- Trojan Odyssey (2003)
- White Death (2003)
- Black Wind (2004)
- Lost City (2004)
- Dark Watch (2005)
- Polar Shift (2005)
- The Adventures of Vin Fiz (2006)
- Skeleton Coast (2006)
- Treasure of Khan (2006)
- The Chase (2007)
- The Navigator (2007)
- Artic Drift (2008)
- Plague Ship (2008)
- Corsair (2009)
- Medusa (2009)
- Spartan Gold (2009)
- The Wrecker (2009)
- The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy (2010)
- Crescent Dawn (2010)
- The Lost Empire (2010)
- The Silent Sea (2010)
- The Spy (2010)
- The Jungle (2011)
In the end, how many of Cussler’s books have you had a chance to read? Which did you like or dislike? Which would you recommend and why? Which of his books is your all-time favorite and why? Let us know in the comments section below.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Campbell's 'The Lost Fleet: Dreadnaught' appears on PW fiction best-sellers list
It’s Sunday, so that means that it’s time for my weekly review of this week’s Publishers Weekly Best-Seller List. According to the list, we’ve got no new books at the top of the four major best-seller lists this week."The Sixth Man" by David Baldacci remained the top book on the hardcover fiction best-sellers list, and "Bossypants" by Tina Fey retained the top spot on the hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list.
"Water for Elephants: A Novel" by Sara Gruen was the top book on the mass market paperback best-sellers list, and "Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back" by Todd Burpo, Sonja Burpo, Colton Burpo and Lynn Vincent retained the No. 1 spot on the trade paperbacks best-sellers list.
There are four books on this week’s hardcover fiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. Those books (and their place on the list) are "Bel Air Dead" by Stuart Woods (3), "A Turn in the Road" by Debbie Macomber (4), "Born of Shadows" by Sherrilyn Kenyon (6) and "The Lost Fleet: Dreadnaught" by Jack Campbell (15).
There are five books on this week’s hardcover nonfiction best-sellers list that weren’t on the list last week. They include"20 Years Younger" by Bob Greene (3), "Stories I Only Tell My Friends" by Rob Lowe (4), "Kaboom!" by Darell Hammond (6), "The Wizard of Lies" by Diana B. Henriques (13) and "Hitman" by Howie Carr (15).
There are eight books on this week’s mass market paperbacks best-sellers list that weren’t on that list last week. They include "Savage Nature" by Christine Feehan (2), "Worth Dying For" by Lee Child (3), "Moonlight Cove" by Sheryl Woods (4), "Storm Prey" by John Sandford (9), "Any Man of Mine" by Rachel Gibson (10), "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Objective" by Eric Van Lustbader (13), "Dangerous in Diamonds" Madeline Hunter (14) and "Hannah's List" by Debbie Macomber (15).
There are two books on this week’s trade paperbacks list that weren’t on the list last week. They include "The Internet Is a Playground" by David Throne (7) and "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin (15).
As a reminder, I’m posting these lists each Sunday because they, as a whole, represent a great, contemporary recommended reading list. These lists are initially released each week on Thursday, and if you’re interested in reading them then, visit Publishers Weekly’s Web site at www.publishersweekly.com. Below you’ll find all four of this week’s best-seller lists.
HARDCOVER FICTION
1. "The Sixth Man" by David Baldacci
2. "The Land of Painted Caves: A Novel" by Jean M. Auel
3. "Bel Air Dead" by Stuart Woods
4. "A Turn in the Road" by Debbie Macomber
5. "The Fifth Witness" by Michael Connelly
6. "Born of Shadows" by Sherrilyn Kenyon
7. "I'll Walk Alone" by Mary Higgins Clark
8. "Chasing Fire" by Nora Roberts
9. "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson
10. "She Walks in Beauty" by Selected by Caroline Kennedy
11. "Save Me" by Lisa Scottoline
12. "44 Charles Street" by Danielle Steel
13. "The Paris Wife: A Novel" by Paula McLain
14. "Sing You Home: A Novel" by Jodi Picoult
15. "The Lost Fleet: Dreadnaught" by Jack Campbell
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. "Bossypants" by Tina Fey
2. "The Dukan Diet" by Pierre Dukan
3. "20 Years Younger" by Bob Greene
4. "Stories I Only Tell My Friends" by Rob Lowe
5. "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand
6. "Kaboom!" by Darell Hammond
7. "The 17 Day Diet: A Doctor's Plan Design for Rapid Results" by Dr. Mike Moreno
8. "Liberty Defined" by Ron Paul
9. "Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived" by Rob Bell
10. "My Father's Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family & Togetherness" by Gwineth Paltrow and Mario Batali
11. "The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement" by David Brooks
12. "Onward" by Howard Schultz
13. "The Wizard of Lies" by Diana B. Henriques
14. "I'm All Over That: And Other Confessions" by Shirley MacLaine
15. "Hitman" by Howie Carr
MASS MARKET PAPERBACKS
1. "Water for Elephants: A Novel" by Sara Gruen
2. "Savage Nature" by Christine Feehan
3. "Worth Dying For" by Lee Child
4. "Moonlight Cove" by Sheryl Woods
5. "Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
6. "The Search" by Nora Roberts
7. "Chasing The Night" by Iris Johansen
8. "Something Borrowed" by Emily Griffin
9. "Storm Prey" by John Sandford
10. "Any Man of Mine" by Rachel Gibson
11. "That Perfect Someone" by Johanna Lindsay
12. "The Burning Wire" by Jeffery Deaver
13. "Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Objective" by Eric Van Lustbader
14. "Dangerous in Diamonds" Madeline Hunter
15. "Hannah's List" by Debbie Macomber
TRADE PAPERBACKS
1. "Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back" by Todd Burpo, Sonja Burpo, Colton Burpo and Lynn Vincent
2. "Water for Elephants: A Novel" by Sara Gruen
3. "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
4. "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
5. "A Visit from the Goon Squad" by Jennifer Egan
6. "The 9th Judgment" by James Patterson
7. "The Internet Is a Playground" by David Throne
8. "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" by Christopher McDougall
9. "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese
10. "Something Borrowed" by Emily Griffin
11. "The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel" by Garth Stein
12. "Inside of a Dog" by Alexandra Horowitz
13. "Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
14. "Have a Little Faith: A True Story" by Mitch Albom
15. "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin
In the end, let me know if you’ve had a chance to read any of these books. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Amazon, SFBC release 'Best Books of the Month' lists
Today, I give you two book-related items all in one post.Today’s post includes Amazon.com’s editors’ list of Best Books of May and the Top 20 books from the Science Fiction Book Club’s May bulletin.
Just a few days ago, Amazon.com released its editors’ list of Best Books of May, which includes 10 books that I’m sure more than a few of you have heard about.
Books that made the list include the following titles:
1. “Lost in Shangri-La” by Mitchell Zuckoff
2. “Caleb’s Crossing” by Geraldine Brooks
3. “Orientation: And Other Stories” by Daniel Orozco
4. “In the Garden of Beasts” by Erik Larson
5. “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive” by Steve Earle
6. “The Snowman” by Jo Nesbo
7. “Doc” by Mary Doria Russell
8. “What Happened to Goodbye” by Sarah Dessen
9. “The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making” by Catherynne M. Valente.
10. “Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake” by Michael Kaplan
“What Happened to Goodbye” (No. 8) was Amazon’s Best Book for Young Adults, and “The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making” (9) was their Best Book for Middle-Grade Readers selection. “Betty Bunny Love Chocolate Cake” (10) was Amazon’s Best Picture Book selection.
For more information about these books, visit www.amazon.com.
My copy of the Science Fiction Book Club’s May bulletin arrived in the mail a few days ago, and my favorite section in each of these bulletins is the SFBC’s Top 20.
Books that made the SFBC’s Top 20 list include the following titles:
1. “Lost Gate” by Orson Scott Card
2. “The Griffin Mage Trilogy” by Rachel Neumeier
3. “Halo: Cryptum” by Greg Bear
4. “Pathfinder” by Orson Scott Card
5. “Pegasus” by Robin McKinley
6. “Hull Zero Three” by Greg Bear
7. “Treachery in Death” by J.D. Robb
8. “What the Night Knows” by Dean Koontz
9. “Farlander” by Col Buchanan
10. “Towers of Midnight” by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
11. “Masques & Wolfsbane” by Patricia Briggs
12. “The Crippled God” by Steven Erikson
13. “Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn – The Deluxe Edition” by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quitely and Phillip Tan
14. “Awakened” by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
15. “Catacombs” by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
16. “Side Jobs” by Jim Butcher
17. “The Dark Tower: Battle of Jericho Hill” by Stephen King
18. “The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms” by N.K. Jemisin
19. “Blackveil” by Kristen Britain
20. “Out of the Dark” by David Weber
For more information about these books and to view the SFBC’s Top 100 list, visit www.sfbc.com.
In the end, how many of the books mentioned above have you had a chance to read? Which did you like or dislike? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.
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