North America’s largest library honours Robert J. Sawyer

Science-fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer has just received the Toronto Public Library Celebrates Reading Award. Established in 2001, this is one of Canada’s top book-related honours.

The award, which includes a cash prize of $2,500 and a crystal sculpture, was presented in front of a sold-out audience of 640 at the second annual Book Lover’s Ball, a gala, $350-a-plate black-tie event held at Toronto’s Liberty Grand on Thursday, February 15, 2007. Among those on-hand were Toronto Mayor David Miller and legendary Canadian authors Peter C. Newman and Allan Fotheringham. The master of ceremonies was Seamus O’Regan, co-host of Canada AM.

Margaret Atwood joined the proceedings from the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo via LongPen — the remote-controlled autographing and video-conferencing device she helped invent. Atwood was last year’s winner of the TPL Celebrates Reading Award and, by way of passing the torch, she used the LongPen to autograph a copy of her latest novel to Sawyer. Other previous winners include authors Dennis Lee and Kenneth Oppel, and the provincial educational television network, TVOntario.

Sawyer is also one of the judges for the L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future contest, and, in that capacity, has an essay — “Eight Things New Writers Need to Know” — in the latest anthology.

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future
1592123457 | $9.99 mm | in stock
Galaxy Press

Peaceful Warrior movie starring Nick Nolte opens in theatres everywhere this March

 

Way of the Peaceful Warrior has become one of the most beloved spiritual sagas of our time. Shared among friends and families, this million-copy word-of-mouth bestseller has inspired men and women of all ages in twenty languages worldwide.

Despite his success, college student and world-champion athlete Dan Millman is haunted by a feeling that something is missing from his life. Awakened one night by dark dreams, he wanders into an all-night gas station, meets an old man named Socrates, and his world is changed forever. Guided by this eccentric old warrior, drawn to an elusive young woman named Joy, Dan begins a spiritual odyssey into realms of light and shadow, romance and mystery, toward a final confrontation that will deliver or destroy him.

This classic tale, told with heart and humor, speaks to the peaceful warrior in each of us. Countless readers have been moved to laughter and tears “even moments of illumination” as they rediscover life’s larger meaning and purpose. Journey with Dan on the peaceful warrior’s path to unreasonable happiness. Find out for yourself why this book changes lives.

Way of the Peaceful Warrior
9781932073201 | $15.95 pb | in stock
New World Library / Publisher’s Group Canada (Raincoast)

Commonwealth Writer’s Prize Shortlisted Titles

We have three books on the 2007 Commonwealth Shortlists!

For Canada and the Caribbean, Best Book:

The Law of Dreams by Peter Behrens
0887842070 | $32.95 hc | in stock
House of Anansi (HarperCollins)

For Canada and the Caribbean, Best First Book:

De Niro’s Game by Rawi Hage
088787765X | $18.95 pb | available March
House of Anansi (HarperCollins)

For Europe and South Asia, Best First Book:

The Mathematics of Love by Emma Darwin
0755330633 | $24.95 pb | in stock
Headline Review / McArthur & Co. (HarperCollins)

Spend Smarter, Save Bigger in the media

Margot Bai’s Spend Smarter, Save Bigger has had a fair share of media attention lately. Full details on her website, www.spendsmarter.ca.

From the site:

Spend Smarter, Save Bigger gives Canadians practical advice on
how to save money in BIG ways! Instead of wasting your money on
short-lived luxuries, spend it on things that have lasting benefit.
Saving money is the one reliable path to wealth that anyone can follow.
You can turn an average income into significant wealth, just by making
smarter choices on spending and saving your money.

Recent Media:

Web
Book Review by “Canadian Capitalist” personal finance blog
Jan. 30, 2007

Print
“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” article, The Vancouver Sun
Jan. 4, 2007

Spend Smarter, Save Bigger
0978057031 | $19.95 pb | in stock
White Knight Books (Georgetown)

Peter Godwin to publish next installment of Mukiwa with Little, Brown in April

Many of you might remember when we published Peter Godwin’s wonderful
memoir MUKIWA: A White Boy in Africa (978-0-8021-4192-7), which The
Washington Post raved, “So good it grips American readers by their
hearts.” Peter’s latest installment, When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir of Africa (don’t you just love that title) will be published by
Little, Brown in April.

Mukiwa
9780802141927 | $19.50 pb | In stock
Grove Press / Publisher’s Group Canada (Raincoast)

Stephen King praises Meg Gardiner

Stephen King hands Meg Gardiner’s new novel, Kill Chain, high praise in his Entertainment Weekly column.

Kill Chain
0340898348 | $24.95 pb | in stock
Hodder / McArthur & Co. (HarperCollins)

The Peacock Throne getting great UK reviews

“The Peacock Throne is a dark intricately composed farce of epic proportions. . . the compelling narrative drive is shot through with a sly vein of humour that keeps you turning the pages.”

Tina Jackson in the Metro

“This sprawling novel teems with memorable characters and historical figures, plots and subplots. Saraf’s rambunctious commentary on the nature of greed and mendacity is enthralling, but it’s the lives of the ordinary people that provide the real drama in this huge novel”

Eithne Farry in the Daily Mail

“Sujit Saraf’s novel The Peacock Throne, for all its farcical plot and sardonic tone, gives a more truthful picture of 21st century India than anything in the earnest pages of the Wall Street Journal. The novel recreates the chaos, violence and stench of Indian urban life with enormous skill and fidelity. Saraf’s detached, mordant tone highlights the horrors far more effectively than any self-righteous rant ever could. . . . a masterly work.”

Chandak Sengoopta in the Independent

“Saraf has a gift for showing how politics arises from competing personal interests while never failing to tell a gripping story”

Literary Review

“this is a story considerably darker, more cynical and yet more rewarding than Hollywood would ever permit. . .the characters are lively and are the main reason that this novel succeeds. Whirlwind tours of modern Indian history and lavish descriptions are incidental treats relative to spending time with Gopal Pandey and his determination to seize all that life has to offer, as well as the supporting characters who make this book a treat.”

thelondonpaper

The Peacock Throne
09780340899700 | $24.95 pb | available April
Sceptre / McArthur & Co. (HarperCollins)