Does My Head Look Big In This by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Does My Head Look Big In This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah is one of the most entertaining books I've read this year.  It starts with a simple premise: a young Muslim Palestinian-Australian high school student decides (while watching Friends) that she will begin wearing her hijab full-time.  And from there, Abdel-Fattah takes on all the trials and tribulations of high school: test prep stress, racism, dating, choosing not to date, weight, running away - even pimples.  And not only does she cast these disasters in the appropriate context of "this is the end of my world!" of teenage angst, but she makes it fun and engaging.  As a writer, I was particularly impressed by the delicate use of voice - it's a rich cast of characters, each one unique, and each one revealed with both humanity and interest.

After the Apocalypse - Three Books on the Third World War

Few topics offer the scope and interest of a world war.  In terms of creative and historical interest, the Second World War continues to resonate with readers today.  Simply Searching for WWII in Amazon yields nearly 45,000 book titles, and an additional 2,700 in movies and television.

Here we'll consider three books which the prospect of global war and break it down into what such a war would mean to our daily lives: War Day, End in Fire, and World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War.

Glimmer Train Short Story Award for New Writers

Glimmer Train announces their Short Story Award for New Writers, deadline of May 31st: 1st place wins $1,200, publication in Glimmer Train Stories, and 20 copies. 2nd place: $500 and possible publication. 3rd place: $300 and possible publication. Glimmer Train is one of the best magazines for aspiring writers to publish in.  They are always open to new talent, and they pay significant earnings for contributors and contest winners.  Because of this, competition is also fairly stiff.

Learn to Write Fiction, Poetry, and Drama with X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia

Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Interactive Edition (9th Edition) On the outside, it resembles a classic literature textbook - a hard cover, lots of pages, and a rich collection of stories, poems, and screenplays.  What separates this text from the others, though, are the essays on craft.  I own the 3rd Edition of Kennedy's book, and I regularly refer to it for everything from teaching meter to understanding plot.  In addition to the literary and critical essays, it offers a great selection of authors and several complete novels.  As an introduction to literature and writing, it's hard to beat this book - especially at the used-book price.  (I bought my copy for fifty cents at a used book store)

SciFi Book Pick: Armor by John Steakley

John Steakley's Armor takes the brooding male of literature, drops him on a planet filled with dust and wind and insects that give Starship Troopers a run for its money, and provides us a moving story of a man who must face loss, a disbelieving military, and his own deepest fears.

Book Pick: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

The book I Am Legend, in many ways, is more chilling than the movie. And the ending is very different - in the book, you'll learn the true source of the title.  As the back cover says, "The Last Man On Earth Is Not Alone..."

Harvard Lampoon Parodies Twilight

The Harvard Lampoon has taken aim at Twilight, and the result is pretty funny.  I just found Nightlight at Barnes and Noble last night, and the first few pages were so funny I had to buy it.