Author Wally Lamb at Stevenson High School

Best Selling author Wally Lamb will be at Stevenson High School on Wednesday December 2 from 7-9 pm. His most recent book is Wishin' and Hopin'. Lamb's three previous novels are The Hour I First Believed, She’s Come Undone,and I Know This Much Is True. The Vernon Area Public Library is sponsoring Lamb's visit. You may register at www.vapld.info,in person, or by calling 847-634-3650.

2009 National Book Awards

The winners are:
Fiction: Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
Nonfiction: The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt by T.J. Stiles
Young People's Literature: Caludette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Philip Hoose
Poetry: Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy by Keith Waldrop

Gore Vidal was honored with the award for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, Letters, and Dave Eggers received the 2009 Literarian Award for Oustanding Service to the American Literary Community.

New Book on Mundelein

Mundelein resident Shawn Killackey has written Mundelein which is part of Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series. Killackey will have a book signing at the Barnes & Noble bookstore at Westfield Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills from 6 to 8 pm on Friday, November 20. He served on Mundelein's Centennial Committee. Seeing that Arcadia's series did not include a book on Mundelein, Killackey contacted the publisher, suggesting that he write one. His book contains many historical photographs showing the development of the village.

Mystery Author J A Jance In Chicago Next Month

Mystery author J.A. Jance will be in Chicago next month. Jance will be at the Morton Grove Public Library on Saturday, December 5, beginning at 2:00 p.m. The library is located at 6140 Lincoln Avenue. Seating is limited; registration is required. Call 847-929-5101 or register online Jance is promoting her new book Trial by Fire. The book will be released December 1; it is the latest in Jance's Ali Reynolds series. Jance also writes the J.P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, and the Walker series. Jance also will be signing books at the Border's in Oak Brook, at 7 pm the evening of December 5.

Film The Box Based on a Richard Matheson short story opens

The Box, a thriller based on a short story by Richard Matheson, opens today Friday November 6th. In The Box, a mysterious man (played by Frank Langella) presents a wooden box with a button to a couple (Cameron Diaz, James Marsden) which, when pressed, does two things: the couple will receive $1 million and someone, somewhere in the world will be killed. The couple has 24 hours to decide whether or not to push the button. Button, Button was first published in Playboy in 1970, and later adapted as an episode for the television series The Twilight Zone in 1986.

2009 World Fantasy Awards

Winners of the 2009 World Fantasy Awards:

Life Achievement: Ellen Asher and Jane Yolen
Novel: The Shadow Year by Jeffrey Ford and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Novella: "If Angels Fight" by Richard Bowes
Short Story: "26 Monkeys, also the Abyss" by Kij Johnson
Anthology: Paper Cities: An Anthology of Urban Fantasy, edited by Ekaterina Sedia
Collection: The Drowned Life by Jeffrey Ford
Artist: Shaun Tan