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PopSugarUK's Must Haves For December

PopSugarUK — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:00:00 -0800

I've been bringing you gift ideas and now I'm turning my attention to goodies released this month, including eagerly-anticipated albums and books. Fab DVDs are also due out in December, from a summer blockbuster and long-awaited TV treat to a hugely popular tour. Check out FabUK's most wanted too.
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What Ways Are You Reading Books These Days?

BuzzSugar — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:30:42 -0800

The book publisher Random House recently announced that it will be releasing thousands more of its books in digital format over the next few months. The idea is that while the market for regular ol' words-on-paper books is struggling, electronic books have grown by leaps and bounds over the past year, thanks to Amazon's Kindle (Oprah's favorite gadget), among other things. Still, the overall number of people buying electronic books is still estimated to be pretty small — which got me wondering how you're reading books these days. Have any of you jumped on the e-book bandwagon? Do you download or rent audiobooks? Or are you content with paper?Source

What Ways Are You Reading Books These Days?

I stick to good ol' paper.

I download/rent audiobooks and read regular books too.

I download digital books and read regular books too.

I do digital, audio, and paper.

I just do digital and/or audio — no paper for me.

I'm just not a big book reader.

Other (tell me below)

PopUK Gift Guide: Book Loving Babe

PopSugarUK — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 23:00:00 -0800

Today I'm bringing you my final gift ideas for female friends and sisters, before I move onto pressies for the men in your life next week. This gift guide is for those pals of yours who love to read and then compare the book with the film adaptation.

First up I've got The Secret Life of Bees, about female solidarity in segregated 1960s South Carolina: the film version hits our cinemas next week. If your friend loves left-field literature, go for my October Book Club choice Choke. In cinemas this week, it's a hilarious story about a sex-addicted colonial-village-working con artist. For a non-fiction off-the-wall comedy, choose Danny Wallace's Yes Man: Jim Carrey's bringing it to the big screen on Boxing Day.

Vampire lovers will be pleased with a copy of Twilight, another December film release, and your friend can stay ahead of the game if you buy her a copy of The Time Traveler's Wife, The Lovely Bones or The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic: she can read the novels before the film versions' 2009 releases. Classics also have 2009 film adaptations, like F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (with Brad Pitt in the eponymous role come January) and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray (which will star Colin Firth and Ben Barnes).

Buy your buddy Revolutionary Road and The Reader, and by the time the films are released in January she'll be ready to make comparisons. Kate Winslet stars in both, alongside Leo DiCaprio in the former, and Ralph Fiennes in the latter. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller also has a starry-cast film version out soon.

Finally, for the child at heart, I've got three kiddies' tales which have that crossover appeal as well as forthcoming film versions: Cornelia Funke's fantasy Inkheart, and Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux, both come to the big screen in December, while Alice in Wonderland is a wonderful read at any time, and Tim Burton has a film version coming out in 2010 with an all-star cast including Johnny Depp.

Most of these books are on my list for future PopUK Book Club reads, so your friend can join in our discussions when the book club resumes later next year.

To get more ideas for the festive season, visit HolidaySugar.

"Flying" LED-Lit Books Light Up San Francisco's North Beach

geeksugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:30:22 -0800

On Sunday night, I witnessed the unveiling of a new art piece consisting of LED-lit books, hung high above a square in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco. Called "Language of the Birds," artists Dorka Keehn and Brian Goggin participated in the literal unveiling — at first, each book was shrouded and unlit, and one by one, a string was pulled to reveal each book, which were then lit up as the night darkened.

If you find yourself in the city, go by Columbus and Broadway at night, for it's not everyday you can see a flock of illuminated books in flight.

To see more beautiful photos,

PopUK Gift Guide: Celebrity Secrets Seeker

PopSugarUK — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 07:00:00 -0800

So far we've brought you gift ideas for your older and younger family members, and this week it's the turn of those other wonderful women in your life, like sisters, best friends and cousins.

Each day I'll bring you a new themed gift guide, and today I've got a selection of recent biographies and autobiographies for those people in your life who just love finding out celebrities' secrets!

I'll start off with Jonathan Ross' book, which was published just before Manuelgate, and Russell Brand's Booky Wook, which came out in paperback in the summer. Both are perfect pressies for your pals who'd like to find out the background stories of those involved in recent headline-making scandals.

The Celeb Diaries by ex-Heat editor Mark Frith is a great choice for the fan of celebs in general, and Ant and Dec fans will love the new unofficial biography. Girls Aloud's joint autobiography gives an insight into the world of TV talent contests as well as the lives of pop stars, and there's an unofficial Cheryl biography for those who like their gossip uncensored. To see what it's like from the other side of TV shows there's Strictly Come Dancing judges Craig Revel-Horwood and Len Goodman's tales.

If your pal wants to read about British stars' lives in their own words, pick up a recently released autobiography from Dawn French, Fern Britton, Michael Parkison, Paul O'Grady or Alan Carr. Some celebs have such fascinating lives they bring out more than one autobiography, and that's the case with Jade Goody and Jordan/Katie Price, whose latest installment is outselling Gordon Brown's book by the thousands!

Finally, I've got books written by those who know the stars best: their family. Choose from Christopher Ciccone's book on his sister Madonna, Lynne Spears' revelations about Britney, or Tony Cowell's version of his brother Simon Cowell's diaries.

View my gift ideas for family members, and visit HolidaySugar for all our coverage.

More Nicholas Sparks Movies? Really?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:30:42 -0800

We all know that author Nicholas Sparks wrote The Notebook, which became a movie starring the sweet duo Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Before The Notebook Sparks's novel Message in a Bottle became a movie. Later came A Walk to Remember starring Mandy Moore, and this year his book Nights in Rodanthe arrived on the big screen towing Richard Gere and Diane Lane in its wake.

Now there are not one, but two more Sparks-induced movies in the works: Dear John and the recently announced adaptation of The Lucky One.

Sparks's writing is rather recognizable now for its combination of desperate romance and heartbreaking tragedy. Do you like these movies? Do you think they'll work if they have a good combination of actors (like Ryan and Rachel)? Or should we just stop with the Nicholas Sparks already?

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Texts and Tunes: Always

lilsugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:00:00 -0800

We love our kids despite their imperfections much like they love us. The book Always ($11) celebrates this sentiment and assures youngsters that the love stands when they're well behaved and when they aren't.

The pages are filled with questions a son poses to his mother like, "Do you love me when I eat my peas?" and "Do you love me when I don't?" From finger painting with toothpaste on the mirror to splashing in puddles while wearing his new sneakers, the adorable boy gets into harmless mischief, which is beautifully illustrated. You and your wee one will get a kick out of this text that reminds us all of what's really important — unconditional love.

Texts and Tunes: Gallop!

lilsugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:00:00 -0800

Most tots like to move around as much as they love to sit down with mommy for a good book. Gallop!: A Scanimation Picture Book ($11) unites both in a fun book for everyone to enjoy.

Unlike any text I've seen, Gallop! brings movement to the story with each turn of the page. Your child will want to read it again and again to see the horse gallop, the turtle swim, the dog run, as well as watch other animals magically move around. Simple questions like, "Can you gallop like a horse?" will make your lil one eager to mimic the movement and keep her excited for the pages that follow. Younger children will get a kick out of the book, but it's the older children who will be amazed at how the images float across the page. I am still in awe when I read the tale to my tots.

PopUK Gift Guide: Book Worm Grandma

PopSugarUK — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Today we're sharing our gift ideas for grandmas across the Sugar sites, so I've chosen a selection of books and audio CDs for those grandmothers who just love to curl up with a great read.

In honour of the 90th anniversary of Armistice Day, I've selected three fascinating books about wartime: The Last Fighting Tommy, Kitchener's Last Volunteer and Nella Last's Peace.

For the fiction lover, there are new offerings from Maeve Binchy, Joanna Trollope and Danielle Steel, and those who favour a romantic read can enjoy Jackie Collins' latest bonkbuster. Romances and crimes are also available in Large Print versions, for grandmas with troublesome eyesight.

A lot of grandmas love a gripping crime, thriller or mystery, and you'll be spoilt for choice with new novels from Ruth Rendell, Dick Francis and P.D. James.

If your grandma prefers non-fiction, you can take your pick from newly released autobiographies from Tony Curtis, Cliff Richard and Sheila Hancock, or grab a book of crosswords or word games from newspapers like The Times, Telegraph and Mail.

For a relaxing treat, there's always audio CDs for radio fans, like I'm Sorry I Haven't a Christmas Clue and Hancock's Half Hour. If you're looking to splash the cash you can get The Complete Sherlock Holmes Radio Collection for under £100.

Remind yourself of my tips for period drama loving mamas plus my ideas for funny guy fathers, and visit HolidaySugar for all of our gift guides and Festive coverage.

Casa Quickie: Ditch the Book Jackets

casasugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:00:48 -0800

Do you spend too much time ensuring that all of your coffee-table books maintain perfect jackets? In a recent LA Times article, Trey Russell, owner of Laguna Beach gift boutique Aris tells you to ditch that thinking — and those jackets. Russell maintains that "Book jackets just get torn, anyway, you might as well get rid of them . . . It creates a more monochromatic, less chaotic look." Try it in your own casa, perhaps in a display similar to this one, from Russell's home.

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