Happy Birthday, Edith Wharton!

Today is the 150th anniversary of the birth of Edith Wharton.  If you haven't yet discovered this classic author, you should give yourself an Edith Wharton birthday present today!  I recommend:

Ethan Frome

The Custom of the Country

The Age of Innocence











You are in for a real treat!!!

Man Asian Literary Prize Shortlist Announced!

Are you familiar with this literary prize?  In an effort to widen my reading, geographically speaking, I have followed the Man Asian Literary Prize with interest.  (It is sponsored by the same people who sponsor the Man Booker Prize, so sometimes this award is referred to as the Man Asian Booker Prize.)  The shortlist for 2011 has just been announced, and the judges were evidently spoiled for choice.  Instead of the usual five books chosen, there are seven.  Here they are courtesy of the Man Asian Literary Prize website, which you can find here.

• The Wandering Falcon by JAMIL AHMAD, Pakistan
• Rebirth by JAHNAVI BARUA, India
•  The Sly Company of People Who Care RAHUL BHATTACHARYA, India
  
• River of Smoke by AMITAV GHOSH, India
• Please Look After Mom by KYUNG-SOOK SHIN, South Korea
• Dream of Ding Village by YAN LIANKE, China
• The Lake by BANANA YOSHIMOTO, Japan

Reading Is Fantastic for Your Mental Health!

I've always said that at Literary Masters book groups and literary salons, we 'dig deep' into literary treasures, and each discussion is like an aerobics class for our brains!  Now, medical research shows that reading, yes, reading is good for your mental health, and can reduce your stress level by 68%.  How great is that?

Here's the article; read it and relax!

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/health/314426/reading-cuts-stress-levels-by-68.html

Costa Prize Winners Announced!

The winners of the Costa Prize have been announced!  The Costa website doesn't seem to be updated as of this blog post, as you can see here, but you can read about the winners in this article.

I am very excited to read Pure by Andrew Miller!  I'll let you know what I think of it once I've read it.

Hey, by the way, Happy 2012!  What are your resolutions this year?