February 23, 2012

Posts Comments

Great Reads

There is nothing better than to curl up and read a great book. The only thing that can top that is knowing some of the books available to choose from, and knowing that you will not end up with that bad ending. There are so many stories out there where you can invest 95% of the book, and love it, only to have the ending be so bad that you are frustrated with even wasting your time.

Dracula: Origin

Image via Wikipedia

How to Avoid the Bad Book

Go from word of mouth. Talk to friends or read review boards that are online to see what books are good, in the genre that you like. For instance, if you are a sappy vampire fan, then Twilight is a hit, but if you need more blood and guts, then Dracula might prove to be on the menu. It all depends on what you love to read, and the type of style you like to read it in.

The other bad book avoidance tip is to check out the critique and reviews from author sites. For instance, most of Steven King is awesome to read, but there are those few where the endings might really have you up in arms. This leads to the next big tip. Before starting a major series, make sure people seem to like the entire set of books. There is nothing worse than getting to that last book of eight, only to find out that the good guy lost, the world ended, and no one got the girl.

Filed Under: Famous Books, Reading Tagged With: , ,

Keeping Your Gadgets Going

With the intense amount of focus presently being shown towards smartphones and their wide range of capabilities, it can be sort of easy to forget that other gadgets exist out there. Whether you’ve made the leap to a smartphone or not, this gadget is likely to garner your interest if you have the range of toys such as an mp3 player, cell phone, e-Reader, GPS unit, and a USB camera. What do all of these have in common? They offer their services in a portable package that requires battery power.

If there is one common denominator – or Achille’s heel – to electronic gadgets, it is that they all use batteries. Rechargeable batteries are great because they offer portability, but they require charging at some point. Often that point comes at inconvenient times, in inconvenient places where power isn’t readily available. Fortunately, a multi-gadget power solution exists in the form of the xeMini hybrid charger.

This handy device can charge two devices at a time, which is pretty sweet right off the bat. Then, consider that the built in battery of the charger allows you to charge your devices on the fly – essential when you need to keep moving, but need power. Think about when you’re using your GPS to navigate to a job interview, and you’ve forgotten to charge it up beforehand. The xeMini could be a lifesaver, getting you to the interview on time with feathers unruffled. Forgot to charge the xeMini too? Don’t worry, it comes with a solar charging feature as well, so you really won’t be left out in the cold.

Filed Under: eBooks, Famous Books Tagged With: , ,

4 Bestselling Fiction Writers Based on Lifetime Sales

Authors become popular for different reasons, and this usually changes depending on trends and other factors in entertainment and leisure. Some authors continue to be popular even after they have died. No matter what the reason for success, some authors sell more books than others . Here are some of the bestselling fiction writers of all time, based on most sales.

  1. William Shakespeare: With over 40 plays and collections of poetry, Shakespeare is the number one bestselling author. His gross sales have reached over four billion, as of 2011. You may have heard titles like Hamlet, and A Midsummer’s Night Dream.
    William Shakespeare 

    Cover of William Shakespeare

  2. Agatha Christie: Most popularly known for her mystery novels, Christie has 85 published books, and her estimated lifetime sales are between two and four billion. You may have heard titles like Five Little Pigs, A Murder is Announced, and Peril at End House.
  3. Barbara Cartland: She is a romance novelist with 723 published books, a phenomenal amount for any author. Her estimated lifetime sales are between 500 million and 1 billion.
  4. Harold Robbins: He is an adventure novelist with 23 published books. His lifetimes sales reached 750 million in 2011.

One additional author to watch out for is JK Rowling. She has gross sales of 450 million already, and has not been an author nearly as long as the bestselling authors mentioned on this list.

If you haven’t read any books from one of the authors mentioned above, you should get one and see why they are so popular. You can purchase an ebook, check out a book at the library, or buy a tangible copy to include in your book collection.

Filed Under: Famous Books Tagged With: , ,

All-Time Best Selling Books and Authors

10 Bestselling Books of All Time:

  1. The Bible. A precise figure of how many has been sold is not known but is the best seller of all history.
  2. Little Red Book by Mao Tse-tung. Between 1966 through 1971 it was made compulsory for each Chinese adult to own a copy of this book.
  3. American Spelling Book by Noah Webster. Published first in 1783 it remained bestseller all through the nineteenth century.
  4. The Guinness Book of Records. This book was published in 1955, and annually from 1964, and stands out as one great publishing achievement.
  5. McGuffey Readers by William Holmes McGuffey. This educational textbook was published in 1853.
  6. A Message to Garcia by Elbert Hubbard. This book on labor relations achieved great sales because American employers bought bulk copies for their employees.
  7. The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care by Dr. Benjamin Spock. This manual of 1946 became a bible for infant care through generations of parents.
  8. World Almanac. A constant best selling reference book since 1868.
  9. The Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. A tale of sex, drugs, and violence surprisingly has sold more copies than Gone With the Wind
  10. In His Steps: “What Would Jesus Do?” by Rev. Charles Monroe. Clergyman Charles Sheldon is almost unknown today, but achieved fortune and fame in 1896.

Books having sold over 10,000 copies are:

  • Bach, Richard. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
  • Benchley, Peter,Jaws
  • Blatty, William. The Exorcist
  • Heller, Joseph Catch-22
  • Caldwell, Erskine. God’s Little Acre
  • McCullough, Colleen, The Thorn Birds
  • Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Mitchell, Margaret, Gone With the Wind
  • Metalious, Grace. Peyton Place
  • Puzo, Mario. The Godfather
  • Salinger, J.D. Catcher in the Rye

Some bestselling children’s authors are; Herge, Enid Blyton, Dr. Seuss, Beatrix Potter, and Lewis Carroll. The best sales in one year were Harry Potter, best selling diary is The Diary of Anne Frank, and best children’s book is Charlotte’s Web.

Filed Under: Famous Books Tagged With: ,

Mark Twain: American Literary Icon

Known better by the pen name of Mark Twain, he was born Samuel Clemens, an American humorist and author. His parents were John and Jane Clemens, little did they know, that he would come to be known as a famous literary icon in America. The novels he is most known for are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ((1885) considered American literature’s greatest novel. In his novels he addresses race issues and racism of America with such frankness that still startles people even after a hundred years have passed. Twain spent his childhood in Hannibal, Missouri, where steamboats arrived night and day from New Orleans and St. Louis. He started out working at typesetting and wrote articles for his brother’s newspaper. He worked in several cities as printer and became a master pilot for a riverboat and then headed west to join his brother. After failing at gold mining he turned his hand to journalism. He received much praise for his satire and wit and wrote The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, winning attention nationwide. He gained much success as a public speaker and a writer. He became friends to presidents, industrialists, artists, and European royalty.

Even though he gained a lot of money from his literary works, he squandered the most of it on his various ventures and was forced into declaring bankruptcy. He worked hard after that ensuring his creditors got paid all they were owed and overcame his financial woes.

The Prince and the Pauper was his first try at fiction, and didn’t go over as well, blaming the shortcomings on his lacking experience in the English community. He then wrote A Tramp Abroad, following his travels through southern and central Europe. The novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is mandatory reading in most schools throughout America. The Postal Service is honoring Mark Twain on the 27th stamp of their literary arts series, going on sale June,2011.

Filed Under: Famous Books Tagged With: ,

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

The best selling author, Laura Hillenbrand presents “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption”. “Seabiscuit” has already made her an excellent best selling author, but the inspiring story of Louie could possibly be one of her best. It is a true story that was written just after meeting Louie Zamperini, the former juvenile delinquent that turned his life around, went to the Olympics as a runner and became a hero in the Army. He truly lived through catastrophic events that are unbelievable to most and even crossed paths with Hitler. While on a normal, routine search mission with the Army over the Pacific, his plane crashed down into the ocean. The three years of his amazing life from that point will keep you interested in the book, so interested that it will be hard to put down. You will eagerly wait each and every turn of the story with an incredibly overwhelming fear as you stay glued to the book. There are incidents of heroism, despair and monumental degradations that are suffered by the man, though he never looses his humanity. It will make you want to cheer along with him as he overcomes such trials and soon you will be sharing the inspiring book with friends and family.

While Hillenbrand was writing “Seabiscuit” she heard of Louie because he was a track star in the 1930s. As she was researching for the book, she spent much time with the racehorse owners. After her book was complete, she tracked him down to find out more about his life. Hillenbrand recalls hearing the story that the old man had told her and it took her breath away with amazement. For the next eight years, she couldn’t stop thinking about the dramatic life of the man that was almost incomprehensible to her. She was so transfixed that she was compelled to write ‘Unbroken’. It was published by Random House in November 2010.

Filed Under: Famous Books Tagged With: ,

Extraordinary Books About the Extraodinary Louis Vuitton

If you are searching for your next book purchase and would like to own a few that are sure to become classics, you should check out the latest coffee table books that feature the works of the extraordinary Louis Vuitton.

“Louis Vuitton: Art, Fashion and Architecture” is an excellent coffee table book to display in your home. It has 400 pages that includes three separate books within the book of art, design and couture with a collaboration with photographers, architects and artists. Art and luxury have never been linked more closely than as they are today. Almost every one of the world’s luxury houses are influenced by the works of Vuitton and the collaborations with such an elite group of architects, artists, photographers and designers. Such a list as Jun Aoki, Olafur Eliasson, Zaha Hadid, Vanessa Beecroft, Shigeru Ban, David LaChapelle, Annie Leibovitz, Richard Prince, Jean Larivière, Vinoodh Matadin, Stephen Sprouse, James Turrell, Takashi Murakami and Inez Van Lamsweerde helped shape the richest associations with the art world. With Marc Jacobs as Artistic Director, this could be the best coffee table book to own in the twenty-first century.

“Louis Vuitton: 100 Legendary Trunks” in hardback would make a good addition to your coffee table book collection. Almost 500 pages full of extraordinary photographs of some of the boxes and trunks that were made for people all over the world. With the invention of steamships and trains came the necessity for practical luggage. Louis Vuitton understood this need and began working on the solution; that was the birth of the travel trunk. Among the famous people that ordered the finest Louis Vuitton travel trunks were Sharon Stone, Douglas Fairbanks, Karl Lagerfeld, Ernest Hemingway, Damien Hirst and Jeanne Lanvin. The great-grandson of Louis Vuitton handles all matters of public relations for his great-grandfather. Patrick-Louis Vuitton is also in charge of directing the custom workshop production of the company.

Filed Under: Famous Books Tagged With: ,

Canada’s Best-Sellers in Literature

History of modern literature
Image via Wikipedia

Well-written literature is written for those who can truly appreciate what it takes to make a good story a great one. Canadian literature is one such type of literature that is both appealing appreciated by readers. Some of the top best-selling books in Canada are written by authors who are well-known in their genre area and know what readers are looking for. Many of the best sellers seem to target a demographic with mass appeal that makes their stories come to life.

Some of the top best sellers in Canadian literature include:

Room by Emma Donohgue

The story is about a five-year-old boy who is confined with his mother in a tiny, against his will.

Changing My Mind by Margaret Trudeau

The memoir tells about the author’s life before and after her bipolar disorder diagnosis.

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

About a baby girl born in India and adopted by an American couple.

Visions of British Columbia by Bruce Grenville & Scott Steedman

This book won a Canadian Literary award (City of Vancouver Book Award) for the best fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry about the city which included collections from the Vancouver Art Gallery along with images and text entries from Vancouver and British Columbia writers.

Annabel by Kathleen Winter

The story is of an intersex child (has different outside and inside genitalia) who is raised as a boy in backwoods Labrador. This book was nominated for all three of Canada’s major book categories including the Writers’ Trust Award, The Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award.

Mordecai: The Life and Times by Charles Foran

Mordecai Richler gave Charles Foran the first-hand account and full access to the family letter ad private archives of the Richler family. The focus of the book is primarily on Mordecai’s relationships, particularly with his family.

These best-sellers can be found by accessing Canada 411 to find a local bookstore from which to purchase the book.

Filed Under: Famous Books

Always Keep a Book Handy

We’ve all heard people say they would read more often if only they had the time. We’ve also heard people state they rarely can read a book to the end. These dilemmas are easily remedied when you learn to always keep a book handy.

First of all, you should locate or purchase a briefcase, backpack, tote or purse that is large enough to hold at least a paperback in addition to your necessities. Consider this your primary daily carrying case. Next, purchase or borrow from the library a book that you’ve been wanting to read. Place the book in your primary carrying case and let your reading adventure begin!

As you go through your day, you will discover many opportunities exist to escape into a book. For example, if you travel to work by bus or train, take out your novel instead of the daily newspaper Рor at least spend half the time of the commute absorbed in a good book. One of the more common ways to add more reading time to your day is to enjoy a few chapters at lunch time. Particularly on days when you have no lunch partner, a handy book is welcomed company at your favorite diner or caf̩.

In addition to the above daily opportunities for expanding your reading time, you can take advantage of leisure reading when waiting at doctor’s and dentist’s offices. And, once you’ve completed your physician visits, most likely you will have a chance to finish that chapter in the pharmacy line! No doubt, if you are living in a metropolitan area, waiting in line is a fact of life. Banking, government registrations, grocery checkout lanes, fast food drive-throughs are all other opportunities to catch up on your favorite character or topic.

By always keeping a book handy, not only will you be successful in accomplishing more reading time, but you will be amazed at how much more pleasant waiting can become!

Filed Under: Famous Books Tagged With: , , ,

Books that Teach

Whether you wish to enhance your current career, explore a new vocation, learn a hobby or take on your own income tax return, you can certainly find a book to guide you. Oftentimes we forget that it was the textbooks of our early school years that provided us the foundation of our knowledge today. Sure, our teachers were there to help expand upon our ideas and also, to guide us back on the right track if we ventured off of it, but overall, the mighty textbook formed the backbone of our education. Why would our method for learning stop after we graduate?

Of course, learning a trade or hobby by observation is a quick and easy manner in which to develop a skill. However, to fully understand and appreciate your new trade, wouldn’t including a little history and written instruction to your observations create a more fulfilling and passionate pastime? Besides, while it is very helpful to receive individual instruction, it is also incredibly worthwhile and convenient to have written instructions on hand for when you have to recreate a task and your “teacher” is unavailable.

There are many options available today regarding instructional books. In fact, you can probably find an instructional book on any niche of a topic, such as Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers by Bridgette Thompson. In Ms. Thompson’s book, she not only provides valuable tax tips but also provides examples of the actual forms required of the federal government for freelancers. If you are a bit intimidated by your new venture and prefer the very basic of instruction, another option would be selecting one of many of the “for Dummies” books. Again, these books are available on a very wide range of topics, from Your Dream Career for Dummies to Home Maintenance for Dummies.

Once you’ve decided on a new chapter in life, pun intended, consider adding a few topical books to your collection for reference!

Filed Under: Famous Books Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts