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Saturday, May 04, 2024
The independent student publication of The University at Buffalo, since 1950

Bundles of books


With the holidays right around the corner, it's no small comfort to know that the book world has plenty to offer this season, even for the most fickle readers.


The indispensible Amazon.com offers a wide variety of methods to track down the perfect title for every individual on shoppers' lists.


Amazon is the premier novel shopping search engine, with its many 'What's Hot' titles, bestseller lists in almost every genre and the recommendations that appear when searching for items.


Mothers and grandmothers enthralled by the Republican party, yet oblivious to any other form of media coverage, will find former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's memoir, 'Going Rogue: An American Life,' to be a perfect pick.


For dad and the many, many others amazed and riveted by Dan Brown's 'The DaVinci Code,' there's reason to rip a copy of the author's new thriller, 'The Lost Symbol,' off the shelves.


Siblings may be happy to find that the legendary Stephen King is at it again with the release of his newest book, 'Under the Dome,' which is sure to satisfy his legions of fans, and ideally garner some new readers this holiday season.


With King in mind, readers will be pleasantly surprised that popular fiction is alive and well. James Patterson, perhaps the most popular author of this generation, is back with his latest novel in his Alex Cross mystery series, 'I, Alex Cross.'


Popular mystery writer Sue Grafton is also looking to cash in this Christmas with the release of the latest volume in her Kinsey Millhone alphabet series, 'U is for Undertow.'


Legal eagles have reason to rejoice. The author of such legendary legal thrillers as 'A Time to Kill,' 'The Firm' and 'The Client,' Mississippi scribe John Grisham has released his first collection of short stories, 'Ford County.'


The celebrity tell-all memoir is alive and well this December, with the most notable new release, 'Open: An Autobiography,' written as a confessional by tennis phenomenon Andre Agassi.


Basketball legend Larry Bird, comedienne Kathy Griffin and the late Sen. Ted Kennedy have similar narratives available. Weekly readers of 'In Touch' and 'People' will be thrilled.


In a time where literary popularity is determined by an author's presence on either television or the big screen, it is reassuring to know that serious fiction continues to remain a legitimate voice on a Web site as influential as Amazon.


The fantastic John Irving, author of 'The World According to Garp,' 'A Prayer for Owen Meany' and 'The Cider House Rules,' has found popularity with his top sellers and subsequent film adaptations for decades.


This holiday season, he has returned with his newest novel, 'Last Night in Twisted River,' an opus that is sure to reach bestseller lists across the country.


Canadian author Margaret Atwood, the richly nature oriented Barbara Kingsolver, and Pulitzer Prize winners Philip Roth and Richard Russo also recently released new titles. Holiday shoppers' favorite literary curmudgeon friend will be pleased with any of these selections.


Beloved writers Mitch Albom, author of 'Tuesdays with Morrie,' and Nicholas Sparks, author of 'The Notebook' and 'A Walk to Remember,' are ideal selections for significant others or those searching for inspiration and self-improvement.


And shoppers can't forget staunchly conservative uncles at the end of such a liberal year. Glenn Beck's new book of political commentary, 'Arguing with Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government,' is an ideal gift for friends and relatives from every red state.


This holiday season offers a rich, yet sometimes overwhelming selection of holiday gifts and reads for literary lovers and casual readers alike, but with reliable Web sites like Amazon.com, the search for the perfect gift just got a little easier.



E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com



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