About "The Enchantress of Florence", the fatwa and life in general for Salman Rushdie.

Quoted: In Salman Rushdie's new novel, "The Enchantress of Florence," the exasperated Mughal emperor Akbar the Great agrees to let a mysterious Florentine adventurer, Mogor dell'Amore, finish a tale. But as the troublesome Mogor prepares to continue, Akbar says with a touch of venom: "A curse on all storytellers. And a pox on your children, too."

This is fantastic. I just re-read Midnight's Children a few weeks ago and appreciated it again.

Quoted: LONDON (Reuters) - British author Salman Rushdie won the Best of the Booker prize on Thursday to mark the 40th anniversary of one of the world's most prestigious literary awards. Midnight's Children won the Booker Prize in 1981, and the Indian-born writer was hot favorite to take the award decided by the public from a shortlist of six in an online poll.

After a quick count, I think I have read 74 of these ... only 927 to go!

I just started a new blog called "We Be Reading" ... it's a mixture of reviews for books I read and those that the kid reads. I have 4 posts up so far. Someday I hope to convince T to talk about what he is reading too. Add me to your reader!

Quoted: A few years ago we took Z to Toys R Us and, for the first time, he picked out a book all on his own.

Good news for Kevin!

Quoted: Sean Connery is set to shake and stir this year's Edinburgh Book Festival by unveiling an autobiography on his 78th birthday.

Cool.

Quoted: BERLIN (Reuters) - The first screen portrayal of Dracula was so eerie, some critics asked whether the actor himself could be a vampire. But since his death, little has been done to resurrect Max Schreck's reputation -- until now.

Schreck is best remembered for playing the cadaverous vampire Count Orlok in F.W. Murnau's 1922 silent classic "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror," the first, unauthorized cinematic adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula."

The rest of his career has been largely forgotten -- unjustly, in the view of German author Stefan Eickhoff, who has written what he says is the first biography of Schreck.

"Whoever hopes to discover a vampire will be disappointed, but they will find an actor of real skill and versatility," said Eickhoff. "Yet he himself remains somewhat shrouded in mystery."

Was this woman not around during the Abercrombie and Fitch magazine fiasco a few years back? And is her name really Milfs?!?

Quoted: Marci Milfs went to Urban Outfitters to find clothes for her teenage son.

She was surprised to find sexually charged books that she believes have no place in a clothing store for teens and young adults.

On one end of the spectrum was "Porn for Women," a photo book showing men doing housework. On the other was "Pornogami: A Guide to the Ancient Art of Paper-Folding for Adults," a guide for making anatomically correct artwork.

She didn't live with wolves when she was four, she didn't kill a nazi officer and after all, she isn't even jewish. All she is is a big liar.

Quoted: A Belgian writer has admitted that she made up her best-selling "memoir" depicting how, as a Jewish child, she lived with a pack of wolves in the woods during the Holocaust, her lawyers said Friday.

I think my vote would be for "Cheese Problems Solved". If you have read "The Eyre Affair" you will know why this book could acutally be relevant. ;)

LONDON (Reuters) - They may not leap off the shelves into the best-seller category, but the books shortlisted for the oddest book title prize certainly grab the attention. I was Tortured by the Pygmy Love Queen" recounts the tale of a fictional U.S. World War Two fighter pilot who is captured by jungle pygmies led by a sadistic woman.