A Monday Round-Up

I came across a bit of news from the world of books and reading this weekend. Here are the goodies that I thought deserved a pass-along…

The Google ebookstore is officially open. An earlier news report mentioned that Google ebooks could be read on Amazon’s Kindle. I thought that was odd, and turns out, it was. Kindle is not mentioned in the list of supported devices. But the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, the Sonny e-reader, Barnes & Noble’s Nook, and Android devices are. There’s even a web reader so you can read “on the cloud.” (Reading on a cloud sounds like a great kids fantasy, but, of course, we’re talking about a computer cloud.) Google says it has the largest selection of books, now. Plus, they’re partnering with independent booksellers, which could be a very good thing. Now it’s time to sit back and watch the e-book war among Google, Amazon and a few other players.

Another site launches today, one that’s geared for the literary teen set: Figment.com.This New York Times article describes it as a social network for young-adult fiction. It’s a place for teens to read, write and discover new content. (It’s also a place for publishers to see what teens want to read.) Wonder what S.E. Hinton would have made of this if Figment had exsisted back when she was a teenager?

‘Tis the Season for Cookbooks! OK, I don’t even cook, but I have a sister who loves to try out new recipies. So, in searching for some possible gift ideas, I discovered hese top ten cookbook lists!

The Washington Post’s Top Cookbooks of 2010

bon appetit’s Favorite Cookbooks of 2010

2010′s Best Cookbooks, courtesy of NPR.

Finally, will Barnes & Noble buy Borders? If the big box bookstores start closing, it’s another reason to make sure your Independent Bookseller survives.

Hope everyone has a very happy week of December 6!

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