Stuff to carry? Need a present? Don't forget the library tote bag!

Got stuff to carry? Need a last minute present? Don't forget the May Contain Books jute library bag, much beloved by fashionistas everywhere. Just £2.50 from all good Manchester libraries. The perfect gift: useful, eco-friendly - and cheap!

Random House launches Facebook App for readers

Random House has launched a book-except sharing app for Facebook, with 7000+ titles available.

The new app allows users to read and share free extracts from books and book jacket covers to their profiles, walls and homepages.

Clicking on the book jacket launches the app which contains an extract of the book, information about the author and related books, and options to email to a friend or buy the book. The extracts are searchable, and text size can be changed to suit the reader.

‘Random Reads’ opens up multiple online ways to encourage reading as users discover, share and discuss books. Authors can choose to share their latest work with their Facebook fans and reading groups can display several titles at a time to help them decide which should be their next book.

Two slightly different versions of the application are available. ‘Random Read’ allows users to choose a single title to remain on their profile page until they change it, while ‘Random Reads’ allows them to select a number of different titles to be added to their homepage and wall where friends can view in their news feed.

More than 7000 titles are currently available as ‘Random Reads’. Authors include Irvine Welsh, Peter Kay, James Patterson, Andy McNab, Kathy Reichs, Lee Child, Sebastian Faulks, Jack Dee, Lisa Jewell, Richard Branson, Katie Fforde, Danny Wallace and Sophie Kinsella.

Ros Lawler, Head of E-Commerce, Random House Group Digital, added: "’Random Reads is the only book app on Facebook that lets you read extracts for free: we think it will become a popular way for Facebook users to share their favourite books and discover new authors’.

How to use 'Random Reads’

To add your favorite book to your profile or page:

–Log in to Facebook.com and search for ‘Random Read’.

–Click ‘view application’, then ‘go to application’.

–Search for the book title or author using the search box.

–Choose the book you wish to add by clicking ‘select’.

–Tell your friends what you like about the book, then click ‘publish’.

–Click ‘add to profile’ then ‘add’.

–Your favorite book will then appear within your wall and also on your wall and info tab.

To add a selection of books to your Facebook page:

–Log in to Facebook.com and search for ‘Random Reads’.

–Click ‘view application’, then ‘go to application’.

–Search for the book title or author using the search box.

–Tick the books you wish to add, then click ‘add to list’.

–Check your selection, then click ‘use these books’.

–Tell your friends what you like about the book, then click ‘publish’.

–Click ‘add to profile’ then ‘add’.

–Your selection of books will then appear within your wall and in your boxes tab.

11 of the coolest bookcases

You may have noticed by now we are very fond of bookcase related blog posts here at the Lit List so here is a Huffington Post slide show of some very cool bookcases and bookshelves from 2009...

Manage your ebooks with Calibre

I must admit that I don't own an ebook reader even even when I am a bit of a book worm in real life. I'm not one of those people who believes nothing can replace the smell and feel of real books - I just want to read books on my phone, and not on another piece of kit which costs nearly £200!

Anyway, if you are into ebooks Calibre is a solution for the managing your growing collection. Using it you can take care of a wealth of aspects such as the downloading of new titles and the syncing of these titles to eBook reader devices. Moreover, the provided dashboard makes it possible for anybody to download news from the WWW and have them turned into an eBook.

Calibre is available both for Windows and Mac users. Linux is fully supported, too. All you have to do to set going is to visit the Calibre site and download the app (for free) and install it. Note that the project is still gaining pace, so make sure to pay the “Get involved” and/or “Bugs” section of the site a visit afterwards.

France To Digitise Its Own Literary Works

President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged nearly $1.1 billion on Monday toward the computer scanning of French literary works, audiovisual archives and historical documents, an announcement that underscored his government's desire to maintain control over France's cultural heritage in an era of digitization.read more about the French digitisation plans in the New York Times.

2010 Literary Prize Season Begins With UK's Costa Awards

In 2010, the season of major literary prizes begins on January 5 with the announcement of the Costa Book Award-winners.

The Costa Book Awards, previously called the Whitbread awards, are given annually to authors based in the UK and Ireland. Launched in 1971, the awards recognize the "most enjoyable books of the year," and are a more populist version of the Booker Prize.

Winners are chosen in five categories, and an overall winner (to be announced January 26) is named Costa Book of the Year.

Yesterday the final judging panel was announced. Novelist Josephine Hart will chair and writer and model Marie Helvin, actresses Caroline Quentin and Dervla Kirwan, musician, actor and writer Gary Kemp, and ITV News Political Editor Tom Bradby are confirmed as final judges. Actor and writer Neil Pearson, authors Sandra Howard, Robert Lacey and William Nicholson and journalist Tom Fleming complete the panel.

This year's Costa Book Awards attracted 592 entries - the second highest-ever number of submissions in one year.

The 2010 shortlists were announced in late November and this year's lists include Hilary Mantel, Colm Tóibín, Clive James, William Fiennes and Penelope Lively. Catch up with all the Costa Book Award news http://costabookawards.com/

The Christmas Poetry Pillow

There's more poetry on offer on Friday at the Christmas POETRY PILLOW where Steve and Dominic present a prize open mic, plus special guest Allan Gray and the wonderful zine launch of Benny-Jo Zahl, raising money for the NSPCC. If you like, come in festive fancy dress - your hosts will be! Come along and grab your 2 minute open mic spot - there's no need to book in advance - all welcome!

7.30 pm at An Outlet, Carver’s Warehouse, 77 Dale Street, M1 2HG £3/£2

Contact thepoetdominic@hotmail.co.uk for more information

Don't miss Julian Daniels at Manky Poets on Friday

Julian Daniels is guest poet at this Friday's Manky Poets night, held at Chorlton Library. Julian is a Manchester based poet,comedian and co-author of How to Dump Your Girlfriend. Julian is also a Speakeasy host, appears on local radio with Andy Crane and blogs at http://juliandaniel.weebly.com In 2009, Julian has hosted the Rochdale Sports Awards and the 6 Book Challenge in Liverpool.

Here's one of Julian's poems in a video made by Tamzin Forster.



There's also the chance to read you own work at the read around - where anyone can read a poem and after the finish at 9.30 there's the option of popping along to the Spread Eagle pub for a chat.

Doors open at 7.30pm
Chorlton Library, Manchester Rd, Chorlton, Manchester, Northwest M21 9PN
Cost: £2/£1

Bookish gifts: Sleepy Joe book cover

Ever read a book so boring you just had to take a nap? Well this is the gift for you! Not only does this device protect your book it also doubles up as a handy pillow.

Now which book would you nominate to slip inside?

More pictures and information over at the Yanko Design blog.

Still waiting for a nook?

If you were hoping to get a Barnes & Noble Nook e-Reader as a way to survive Christmas, there’s bad news: you might have to talk to your relatives after all.

The device has already officially “sold out” for Christmas delivery, but the firm had said anyone who ordered it before November 20th would get it in time for the big day. However, in an e-mail to Information Week, the firm backtracked a little from that certainty: “We are starting to ship this week and are committed to doing everything we can to ensure everyone who ordered a Nook before November 20th will receive it in time for the holidays.”

Read more at [Geeks Are Sexy] Technology News

Salt Cellar

As part of its tenth birthday celebrations next year, Salt Publishing will launch a network of ten Modern Writing Centres, - Salt Cellars. The centres will coordinate tours, readings and events for its authors and will also act as hubs for the development of its UK and Irish publishing plans.

The initiative will support Salt’s authors through co-ordinated outreach programmes working with local groups, venues, booksellers, libraries, festivals, schools, colleges and universities.

“There’s been tremendous support for this exciting initiative,” says Lee Smith. “We wanted to develop something ambitious and this outreach programme will take contemporary literature and our authors into the hearts of communities. It’s about Salt working with our authors in new ways and developing new audiences for them.”

You can find out more about Salt, and if there is a Salt Cellar near you at: www.facebook.com/l/2a365;blog.saltpublishing.com/2009/11/26/salt-to-launch-ten-modern-writing-centres-in-2010/

Poets at Central Library: Chris McCully & Anthony Dunn

Chris McCully was born in Bradford and now lives and works in the Netherlands, where he writes poems, textbooks and works on fly-fishing.

He is chairman and co-director of the Modern Literary Archives programme at the John Rylands University Library. His latest poetry collection is Polder (Carcanet). “... alights on the surface of the reader’s mind with absolute integrity, judgment, and profound allure.” The Observer. Chris's website is here.



Antony Dunn won the Newdigate Prize in 1995 and received a Society of Authors’ Eric Gregory Award in 2000. He has published three collections of poems, Pilots and Navigators, Flying Fish and his latest, Bugs.

He is Head of Communications at Yorkshire Dance, and an Artistic Associate of Useful Donkey Theatre Company. You can read more about Anthony on his website.

Central Library, Committee Room, Friday 11 December, 1pm Free

Meet Paul Magrs at Central Library

Paul Magrs is Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. He has always wanted to write the kinds of book he could never find when he was a teenager and now writes for both adults and children.

His works includes a series of acclaimed Dr Who novels, the creation of transtemporal adventuress Iris Wildthyme and tales of terror featuring investigators Brenda and Effie.

Their latest outing, Hell’s Belles, is a dark comedy of evil and dangerous forces, drawing in and spewing out monsters in a gothic, yet chintzy Whitby. Alan Bennett meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Central Library, Committee Room (second floor), Thursday 10 December, 6pm

Libraries go deeper underground in New Moston & North City

Popular author and local historian Keith Warrender is back in North Manchester with more fascinating talks about Manchester’s underground city.

Keith will be at New Moston Library on Monday 7 December and at North City Library on Thursday 10 December talking about his latest book, Below Manchester, a follow-up to his previous work, Underground Manchester.

It plumbs even greater depths, going deeper underground than ever before.

Keith's talk will unravel even more mysteries about Manchester's underground city taking you on a mental adventure through the cavernous routes beneath some of Manchester's most famous streets.

Tales of secret wartime control centres, underground shelters, a system of subways and even a forgotten swimming pool are sure to excite anyone with an interest in local history or with an appetite for hidden mysteries.

Nuclear bunkers, a skittles gallery, an aquarium and even a cheese shop are just some of the treasures that lie beneath the city's streets according to Keith's first book. His discoveries have now expanded and Below Manchester includes never before seen, full colour photographs of key underground areas including a detailed look at the harrowing conditions of the city's cellar dwellers.

Keith will be speaking at New Moston Library on Monday 7 December and at North City Library on Thursday 10 December at 6.30pm.

Entry if free of charge but due to the popularity of the talks it is advisable to book a place.
For Moston Library contact 0161 219 6461
For North City Library contact 0161 219 6442

All women shortlist for the BBC National Short Story Prize

The winner of the 2009 BBC National Short Story Award will be announced on Monday and for the first time ever there's an all women shortlist.

The five shortlisted stories are:

'Other People’s Gods' by Naomi Alderman
'The Not-Dead and the Saved' by Kate Clanchy
'Moss Witch' by Sara Maitland
'Hitting Trees With Sticks' by Jane Rogers
'Exchange Rates' by Lionel Shriver

This year's panel of judges are: singer-songwriter Will Young, broadcaster and journalist Tom Sutcliffe (chair), author Dame Margaret Drabble, Orange Prize winner Helen Dunmore and BBC Radio 4’s Editor Di Speirs.

Find out more at the National Short Story Prize website an Find out what The Bournemouth Runer thinks about this on the The Art of Fiction blog...

New Channel 4 Book Club

"Richard & Judy" producer Cactus TV has revealed the follow-up to the top-selling TV book club. Stars, including comedians Jo Brand and Dave Spikey, stylist Gok Wan and Inspector Lynley actor, Nathaniel Parker,will present 10 30-minute episodes on More 4 on Sunday evenings, with a daytime repeat on Channel 4 on the following Monday. The final 10 titles for The TV Book Club will be revealed at the end of December.

Each week the revived TV Book Club will also feature a "major" celebrity interview and an author who has been selected for a previous Book Club series, discussing how the programme changed their lives.

The new show, "The TV Book Club", won't feature Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan, who were behind the original book club. Instead, five "recognisable stars"—Brand, Spikey, Parker, Wan and actress and "Strictly Come Dancing" contestant Laila Rouass—will present the shows. Series one begins on 17th January 2010. The summer series will comprise eight episodes, championing "the best in holiday reads".

Read more at The Bookseller

Crack the family code: new family research service

Delving into your family history has never been easier thanks to Manchester Libraries’ brand new research service.

For the first time, Manchester Libraries has its own research officer on hand to help people solve the mystery of their origins, reveal unknown ancestors, and unearth hidden family secrets.

The service can help anyone looking for a starting point, someone who has stalled in their research and needs help moving onto the next stage, or for people who may live out of the area, or even in another country, and who can't easily access the library themselves.

Putting the expertise of skilled researchers to use can be a cost effective, time saving way of deciphering the clues left in electoral registers and census documents, to create a more detailed picture of preceding generations.

The service is tailored to each individual's needs and will provide a full report on findings at the end of the research session.

The researcher will be based with the Manchester Archives and Local Studies Department and the service costs £30 per hour with a maximum of three hours for one enquiry.

For help building your own family tree contact 0161 234 1979 or email archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk For more Manchester Archives and Local Studies' information, including the research service visit www.manchester.gov.uk/libraries/arls

Free Christmas Read: A Christmas Carol

Free Christmas read! Read with us Charles Dicken's funny, clever and hugely enjoyable A Christmas Carol. In the run up to Christmas we are serialising A Christmas Carol. Every five days we will make another chapter available which you can enjoy for free.

1st December: Stave 1 Marley’s Ghost
5th December: Stave 2 The First of the Three Spirits
10th December: Stave 3 The Second of the Three Spirits
15th December: Stave 4 The Last of the Spirits
20th December: Stave 5 The End of It

Simply click on the book cover on the right of this page to open the book and start reading.

Don't be left out in the cold - add the Christmas Carol widget to your website:

Click on this link to open the widget
Scroll to the bottom and click on the “+” button (“Add to my site”)
Select height and width of the widget that best fits into your website page
Select foreground and background colour to reflect your website
Change the buy link if you wish
Click on the “Copy to clipboard” button at the bottom
Paste the code into your website
Voila – your free Christmas read has been integrated into your site!