THE GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS BOOK in The New York Times

The Great American Christmas Book is reviewed in today's round-up of holiday books in The New York Times:

“The Great American Christmas Book,” compiled by Aaron Schlechter, recommends large snowballs rather than snow bricks as the building blocks for an igloo. It also gives the ground plan for an igloo McMansion with kitchen, pantry, parlor and den. This seems like overkill, but the book also explains how to pick a Christmas tree (or grow your own), how to make whirligigs and how to sing all verses of “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Recipes, old games, favorite stories and the “Yes, Virginia” editorial round out the nostalgia-fest.

Gift Books for the Holidays: I AM BLIND AND MY DOG IS DEAD

Finally back in print in its original form after 30 years, Sam Gross’s I Am Blind and My Dog Is Dead is now available in a new hardcover edition, introducing a new generation of readers to his unforgettable and original brand of dark humor, little match girls, confused pets, bewildered children and blind men. A long-time contributor to The New Yorker, Sam, a legendary pioneer of bad taste, has become one of America’s best-loved cartoonists and inspired many to take up the art, including John Callahan.
Whether it is already an old favorite or a new discovery, this book will delight readers and have them laughing for a long time to come. Have yourself a twisted little Christmas!

Overlook Excerpt: From SUNLESS by Gerard Donovan

Gerard Donovan, author of Julius Winsome and Schopenhauer's Telescope, offers a bold and chilling statement on drugs, dealers, doctors, and the American condition in his new novel Sunless.


"The next morning, when I was getting my mother her morning dose, I slipped another pill into my mouth to layer the first, to keep the momentum going. I did that for a few days as each day crossed namelessly into the next. Could have been days, could have been weeks. The pills kept me pressed down and out of any place. Sometimes my mind seemed attached to my brain at the end of a string. I was on one side of the room, what I felt was the other side of the room, this is what I mean. Under a heap of blankets I waited for the shadows and lights that filled my dreams. One night I opened the windows wide to stay awake and the room filled with a white pale light from the salt and lit my lungs. I burned a candle and put it on the window sill to warm my face while I watched the dark. To anyone driving past I'd look like a spirit, a face in a long night with no body.

If they knew me they might say, That's Jimmy, he has no body. He puts himself at the window to be seen, even in a dream."

Come to the INDEPENDENT AND SMALL PRESS BOOK FAIR in NYC, December 1-2

Join us on Saturday and Sunday, December 1-2, at the 20th Annual Independent and Small Press Book Fair in New York City! The Overlook Press will be exhibiting on the Library Floor at the New York Center for Independent Publishing in the landmark building of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesman in midtown Manhattan. We'll show off the best of 2007, in hardback and paperback, and preview some of our new titles that are coming in January 2008. See you there!

More Praise for CHARLES McCARRY

With the paperback releases of The Tears of Autumn and The Miernik Dossier, and the hardcover reissue of Second Sight, the great Charles McCarry is back in the spotlight.

The December issue of Men's Journal magazine features a list of the Top Literary Thrillers ever written and coming in at #5 is The Tears of Autumn, McCarry's international bestseller now available in a new trade paperback edition. This classic Paul Christopher novel, originally published in 1974, explores the JFK assasination. In the current issue of The Kenyon Review, Andre Bernard writes of his own recent discovery of The Tears of Autumn: "McCarry's style is just terrific. He's wonderfully fluid, writing elegantly yet succintly about the underbelly of government. His characters are fully formed, his landscapes and cities are real breathing things. He fills his tale with casual yet vital tidbits about the trade of spies, and whether they are true to life or imagined the resulting picture is stunningly vivid. He has a flair for summing up history and conjuring a vision of an out-of-control American military establishment. . . If you haven't discovered McCarry, now is the time to head to your local bookstore."

McCarry's latest novel, Christopher's Ghosts, was published in May, and continues to earn rave reviews from all over the world. In the November Commentary, Brian M. Carney offers a thoughtful review of McCarry's compelling tale of a young Paul Christopher in pre-war Berlin, and concludes: "You need not have read a Paul Christopher novel to appreciate Christopher's Ghosts. (In my opinion, the masterpiece among McCarry's works is The Last Supper). But if this is your first, it is unlikely to be your last." And from down under, The Sydney Morning Herald declares "McCarry has written an elegant historical novel elaborating the formative moments in the life of his recurring character, CIA operative Paul Christopher. Christopher's Ghosts is a kind or prequel for those lucky enough to have discovered McCarry earlier. And if you haven't, it may be a good place to start before backtracking through the catalogue of an author whom P.J. O'Rourke describes as the best modern writer on the subject of intrigue."

Gift Books for the Holidays: BUILDINGS FOR TOMORROW

The holiday season is here and The Winged Elephant is happy to start unwrapping a few of our big holiday gift books for the season. Buildings for Tomorrow is a lavishly illustrated survey of forty of the world's most visionary architectural projects from the around the world. The book features the work of more than forty architects from nineteen countries - from famous names to little-known innovators.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

From all of us at The Winged Elephant and The Overlook Press . . .

We Have a FREDDY Winner!

Eve Heidtmann of Portland, Oregon is the lucky winner of our FREDDY THE PIG giveaway, sponsored by Overlook in honor of Children's Book Week. We have a dazzling collection of Freddy books, including Freddy and the Perilous Adventure, in the mail to Eve, who plans to share the joys of Freddy with her great-nieces, who are in first and third grade. Congratulations, Eve, and thanks to all those who entered the contest; we had a terrific response from Freddy fans all over the country.

Edward Albee's COLLECTED PLAYS 1958-1965 Now Available in Paperback

Celebrating his 80th birthday next March with "The Albee Season" is the great playwright Edward Albee, and Overlook is honored to release a new trade paperback edition of his Collected Plays 1958-1965. These plays from his early career include the four brilliant one-act plays with which he exploded on the New York theater scene, to his early masterpiece, Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? A three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Edward Albee is one of America's most popular and imaginative dramatists.

Overlook Celebrates Daniil Kharms and TODAY I WROTE NOTHING with Matvei Yankelevich

Win a Selection of FREDDY the PIG Books for Children's Book Week

In honor of Children's Book Week, The Overlook Press will give away a starter collection of Freddy books to one lucky, Freddy-lovin' winner. Enter to win by email, sending your name, mailing address, and the title of your favorite Freddy book to publicity@overlookny.com using "Freddy the Pig" in the subject line. The winner will be selected on Monday, November 19. To learn more about Freddy the Pig, visit Friends of Freddy.

Paul Cartledge's THERMOPYLAE in The New York Review of Books

Paul Cartledge's masterful Thermopylae: The Battle That Changed the World is the subject of an excellent review ("East v. West: The First Round) by Jasper Griffin in the December 6 issue of The New York Review of Books: "Paul Cartledge, professor of ancient history at Cambridge, gives a good account of this memorable expedition and its unforgettable failure . . . Cartledge does full justice to these events, which even the most pacific or unmilitary reader must find soul-shaking."

Margaret Drabble Salutes JOHN COWPER POWYS in The Times Literary Supplement

Novelist Margaret Drabble has high praise for Morine Krissdottir's biography of John Cowper Powys, Descents of Memory, and Porius, in a lengthy essay in The Times Literary Supplement: "One can only help that this mythic masterpiece will now find the readers it deserves, for it is, as critics have argued, fit to be compared both for ambition and achievement with Ulysses, while the biography, Descents of Memory, deserves to stand with Richard Ellman's James Joyce as a major work about a major artist."

Per Olov Enquist's THREE CAVE MOUNTAIN

Acclaimed Swedish author Per Olov Enquist's first foray into children's literature is Three Cave Mountain, published in hardcover earlier this year. Fascinating and dream-like, this tale for children by tells the story of Mina, who wakes up one night to find that a crocodile has bitten her on the bottom. Her tired parents don’t recognize the seriousness of the situation, but Mina’s Grandpa knows what to do. He takes Mina, her sister, and their cousins on a dangerous journey up Three Cave Mountain. What they find there will leave them changed forever. Offering a sweet and original glimpse into the mind of a perky and irrepressible child, this book will thrill younger and older readers alike. Enquist is also the author of two novels for adults: The Book About Blanche and Marie and The Royal Physician's Visit.

New Gift Edition of EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES Arrives This Week

A beautiful hardcover edition of Emil and the Detectives, featuring a new translation by W. Martin and an introduction by Maurice Sendak, is now in bookstores. This lavish volume of Erich Kastner's classic story is the perfect gift for Children's Book Week, or for the holidays. Originally published in Germany in 1929, Emil and the Detectives has been translated into over 60 languages and been the subject of many films, including the famous 1964 Disney pic. "Emil is a little masterpiece," writes Sendak. "It shows us the heroic nature of children, how they stick together and accomplish wonders without the help of inept grownups. What a marvelous gift! Read it and you will be happy."

BEASTLY FEASTS! Book Tour Rolls On: Next Stop Borders in Columbus, OH on Saturday, November 17

Here's the mischievous poet and author of Beastly Feasts! at the Connecticut Children's Book Fair last weekend. Hey Buckeyes, catch Robert Forbes reading and rhyming this Saturday, November 17, 11:00am, at Borders Books and Music in Columbus, Ohio.

Celebrate Children's Book Week with FREDDY THE PIG

The Overlook Press is the proud publisher of one of the true landmarks in children's literature: Freddy the Pig. Freddy and his fellow animals were the subject of 26 books by Walter R. Brooks, a New York advertising man and a staff writer for the New Yorker, that appeared between 1927 and Brooks's death in 1958. The Freddy books were illustrated by Kurt Wiese, who deftly brought to life hundreds of hilarious events throughout the books. The 26 volumes in this remarkable series contain more than 250 humorous characters. Today, Freddy is championed by his own fan club, Friends of Freddy, who produce the Bean Home Newsletter.

Celebrate National Children's Book Week!

This week, November 12-18, is National Children's Book Week. A celebration of the written word, Children's Book Week introduces young people to new authors and ideas in schools, libraries, homes, and bookstores. Sponsored by the Children's Book Council, this week-long event promotes children's books and reading awareness through a wide variety of activities.

Beginning tomorrow and continuing through the week, The Winged Elephant will feature some of the best children's books published by The Overlook Press over the last 35 years.

Susan Hill's THE PURE IN HEART Gets Top Grade in Entertainment Weekly

Susan Hill's new mystery The Pure in Heart is reviewed in this week's Entertainment Weekly: "Although heinous crimes often go unsolved in real life, that's never the case in fiction. Well, almost never. In Susan Hill's pensive mystery, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Serrailler — called back to his English cathedral town from a Venetian vacation — can't figure out who abducted a small boy, even after months of painstaking police work. He's also consumed with worry for his two sisters, one severely disabled, the other pregnant. And worse still, he's being stalked by a crazy ex-girlfriend. Hill is a fine writer, and, despite the lack of a crash-bang finale, The Pure in Heart ends on a brooding, downright ominous note. A- "

Veteran's Day Reading

A tip of the cap to all veterans on Veteran's Day 2007. The Overlook backlist is filled with great reading on history and military history for anyone looking to spend the day with a good book. New in paperback is Robert Harvey's American Shogun, a dual biography of General MacArthur and Emperor Hirohito, whose wartime confrontation and eventual reconciliation shaped the future history of U.S. Japanese relations. Another contender for today is Robin Neilland's engrossing study of the 1944 post-Normandy campaign of World War II, The Battle for the Rhine.

Hail to the Chief! PETER MAYER to Receive 2007 Poor Richard Award

Peter Mayer, President and Publisher of The Overlook Press, will be this year’s recipient of the New York Center for Independent Publishing’s (NYCIP) Poor Richard Award for outstanding contributions to independent book publishing. The award will be presented to Mr. Mayer by special guest presenter Ed Victor, the internationally renowned literary agent, at the NYCIP’s Winter Benefit. The Center is an educational program of the non-profit organization, The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen (GSMT). The Benefit will be held on Thursday, December 13, 2007, at The General Society’s literary landmark building at 20 West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan.

“We feel privileged to be honoring an independent publisher of Peter’s stature,” said Karin Taylor, the NYCIP’s Executive Director. “The Poor Richard Award is a way of recognizing the importance of independent publishers to our society. Peter’s decision to leave the corporate publishing world and enter the field of independent publishing full-time is an inspiration to our publisher members. Most important, in this era of thinning mid-lists, Overlook is a refuge for meritorious books that might otherwise go unpublished.”

Benefit tickets are available by calling the NYCIP headquarters (212.764.7021) or by emailing Christopher de la Torre (christopher@nycip.org). All proceeds will benefit the Center for Independent Publishing, a non-profit cultural and educational program of the GSMT, serving the independent publishing community.

Bookseller's Choice: Mervyn Peake's GORMENGHAST NOVELS

Booksellers love the Gormenghast Novels by Mervyn Peake and we proudly post this shelf-talker sent in to The Winged Elephant by Michael Fortney of the fabulous Chester County Book and Music Company in West Chester, PA. Overlook has just released the first two volumes in the classic Gormenghast fantasy series, Titus Groan and Gormenghast, in stand-alone paperback editions.

CHURCH SIGNS ACROSS AMERICA

Here's photographer and co-author Steve Paulson with one of those great church signs we see all over America. An Overlook bestseller, Steve and Pam Paulson's Church Signs Across America, is filled with wit and wisdom from more than 160 churchs across the country. We can't think of better gift book this holiday season. . .

Overlook Excerpt: From THE CITY OF DREAMING BOOKS by Walter Moers

Walter Moers, author of Rumo and The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, is one of the best-known and most successful German authors and illustrators. In his new novel The City of Dreaming Books, Moers invites readers to experience the strange world of Bookholm, a book-obsessed metropolis in the land of Zamonia. Translated from the German by John Brownjohn.

Timber-time was what Bookholmians called the tranquil evening hours, that snug sequel to a busy day of selling books or writing them. When thick balls of timber blazed in open fireplaces and pipes were lit, when heavy wines developed their bouquets in big-bellied glasses and Master Readers embarked on their public recitations - that was timber-time. That was when billets of firewood crackled on the hearth, bathing the various venues in a warm yellow glow, when ancient tomes and first editions hot off the press were opened, and when audiences crowded closer to listen to the old and tried or the new and outre, to essays or short stories, novels or collections of letters, poetry or prose. Timber-time was when the body came to rest and the mind sprang to life, when phantoms born of a literary imagination arose from the pages and danced about the heads of listeners and readers alike.

Two from Gerard Donovan: SUNLESS and JULIUS WINSOME

Two new offerings from Gerard Donovan this month: the critically acclaimed and deeply beloved Julius Winsome in paperback, and Sunless, a new novel (from which we will hear much more on The Winged Elephant) that Mr. Donovan has revised and rewritten from an earlier incarnation published in the UK as Doctor Salt. Looking ahead to 2008, Overlook will publish a stunning collection of Gerard Donovan's short stories, Young Irelanders, about his native and not-always-green Emerald Isle.

Robert Forbes at Connecticut Children's Book Fair on Saturday, November 10

Robert Forbes, author of Beastly Feasts! A Mischievous Menagerie in Rhyme, will appear at the 16th annual Connecticut Children's Book Fair on Saturday, November 10. Held on the campus of the University of Connecticut, this popular event brings together prominent children's authors and illustrators and the general public in an annual event designed to foster the enjoyment of children's literature. The Connecticut Book Fair is available to the public without an entrance fee. Children, parents, grandparents, book collectors, and interested members of the public are welcome to attend. Just don't leave without and autographed copy of Beastly Feasts!

Penny Vincenzi's THE DILEMMA on Bookreporter

From the website Bookreporter.com comes a terrific review of Penny Vincenzi's The Dilemma: "The Overlook Press was the first American publisher to introduce the novels of Penny Vincenzi, a bestselling author in her native England, to American audiences. Although U.S. readers have yet to give Vincenzi the attention she deserves, her most recent novels have garnered the attention of a major U.S. publisher, Doubleday. Overlook Press, however, has continued its efforts to bring Vincenzi's backlist to American readers, and their latest endeavor is to release Vincenzi's debut novel (originally published in 1996) to the United States for the first time . . . The Dilemma is Vincenzi's debut novel, and readers already familiar with her subsequent fiction will notice how many elements of her successful novelistic formula have their genesis here. The quickly-shifting plotlines, the burgeoning cast of dozens of characters whose disparate lives soon become entangled for better or for worse, the oblique references to economic and political issues --- all these hallmarks of Vincenzi's more recent novels can be seen in The Dilemma, which is a hugely entertaining and even captivating read. Once American fans discover Vincenzi, they'll want to read everything she's written, and reading her debut is the perfect way to trace how Vincenzi skillfully developed the fiction-writing techniques that have served her so well in her many bestselling novels to date."

Overlook Excerpt: From TODAY I WROTE NOTHING by Daniil Kharms

Today we offer a short excerpt from Today I Wrote Nothing: The Selected Writings of Daniil Kharms, edited and translated by Matvei Yankelevich. Long heralded as one of the most iconoclastic writers of the Soviet era, Daniil Kharms (1905-1942) was born in St. Petersburg and grew up amidst the Bolshevick revolution. As a young man, he became well known, along with other writers in the OBERIU movement that he founded, as an eccentric poet and performer of the early Soviet literary scene. He died of starvation while incarcerated by the state on suspicion of anti-Soviet activities. Today I Wrote Nothing, just published by The Overlook Press, is the first comprehensive collection of prose and poetry by Daniil Kharms in the English language.

EVENTS

One day Orlov stuffed himself with mashed peas and died. Krylov, having heard the news, also died. And Spiridonov died regardless. And Spiridonov's wife fell from the cupboard and also died. And the Spiridonov children drowned in a pond. Spiridonov's grandmother took to the bottle and wandered the highways. And Mikhailov stopped combing his hair and came down with mange. And Kruglov sketched a lady holding a whip and went mad. And Perekhryostov received four hundred rubles wired over the telegraph and was so uppity about it that he was forced to leave his job.

All good people but they don't know how to hold their ground.

Fall Back with THE BOOK OF HOURS

It's time to move the clocks back! Daylight Savings Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday. For anyone who has trouble keeping track of time, and for those who sometimes wonder about the hours of the day, we recommend Kevin Jackson's delightful anthology of historical and literary facts, poems and prose, observations and jokes. The Book of Hours could not be more timely than it is this weekend. Published in a beautiful, hardbound gift book format, this entertaining volume will tell you everything you need to know about every hour of the day.

More Praise for John Cowper Powys

Overlook's new edition of Porius is reviewed in this week's New Yorker: "The line between reality and reverie is not always clearly demarcated, and the epic number of characters is often bewildering, but the astutely envisaged world and the operatic romantic couplings quickly draw in the reader."

And the brilliant new biography of Powys, Descents of Memory, by Dr. Morine Krissdottir is the subject of a lengthy review ("The Dorset Proust") in The Literary Review: "An inspired study of the tangled and precarious life an absurdly neglected writer."

2007 Miami Book Fair Takes a Look at the World in Translation

The 2007 Miami Book Fair International begins this Sunday and runs through November 11. One of the biggest, and perhaps the best, book festivals in the world, this eight day event includes a wide variety of literary activities. On Thursday, November 8, Overlook Publisher Peter Mayer will participate in The Translation Market, a one day educational forum that makes its debut this year. Peter will join Sara Nelson from Publishers Weekly; Daniel Halpern, Ecco/Harper Collins; Amy Hundley and Morgan Entrekin, Grove/Atlantic Monthly; and Barbara Epler, New Directions; in a session on the world translation market. The panel will take place in Room 1261, Bldg. 1, on the Wolfson Campus of Miami Dade College in downtown Miami.