Friends, the busiest season of all is nearly upon us - Oscar season approaches, which means that in the next few months many of our favorite books will be released as major motion pictures! I have mixed feelings about this phenomenon; I enjoy holding a book and my interpretation of it close to my heart. I don't want Hollywood trying to tell me how my favorite character is supposed to look and sound; that's between the author and me. Yet, it is always a favorite question of many readers, "who do you see in the movie version?" Unfortunately, the movie rarely meets expectations. There are of course exceptions, Lord of the Rings was fabulous, and Fried Green Tomatoes was brilliantly done.

Don't get me wrong; I love movies and television both, especially the ones try something new, but that is another column. It is simply a different format, feel, and experience with a book. Also, it is very satisfying to be able to turn to the people next to you and say, "Oh, the book was so much better." In addition to making you sound like the hip, up-to-date reader you are, hopefully, you can open someone else's eyes to stories off the screen. It is not unusual for an upcoming movie to push a book title higher on my "must read" list; I am guessing it is this way for many others as well, and for that reason alone, I am grateful for the exposure these films can give authors and the invitation they extend to welcome to readers to dive a little deeper into the pages.

So in the spirit of sharing great stories in many ways, let me encourage you to grab these titles coming soon to a theater or dvd shelf near you. Now is your chance to get an edge in the party chat that the season brings!

Stardust by Neil Gaiman tells the magical tale of Tristan seeking a fallen star that will ensure his wedding to Victoria. ** Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, bestselling novel of a man who returns to Afghanistan to help a friend and his son ** Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer Sean Penn wrote the screenplay and directs this true story of Christopher McCandless's trek away from priviledge in to the wilderness that claims his life ** Snow Angels by Stewart O'Nan reveals one man's emotional ties to the summer of 74 when his parents divorce and his former baby sitter is murdered. ** Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro come to life in Boston thanks to the Affleck brothers who will hopefully regenerate some interest in this well written series ** Evening by Susan Minot is a touching and beautiful book that has just left theaters starring Vanessa Redgrave, Clare Danes, Meryl Streep and many other Oscar darlings ** The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers, adapted by Michael Landon, Jr, and set in 1850s Appalachia, has almost been missed by the film community at large, but inspirational readers may be pleased to know this one is already on library shelves! ** Beowulf, the bane of many a high school English student, now has Robert Zemeckis and Neil Gaiman, offering a glimpse of the adventure tale of Grendel and his mother. This is one of the earliest English hero stories. Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, and Crispin Glover are great, but don't let them be your only version of this classic story. ** Killshot by Elmore Leonard brings a little something for the Western lover in you! Look forward to this 2008 feature with Diane Lane and Mickey Rourke. ** Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum spawned its third adaptation this summer with Matt Damon. I loved the first one, but dropped out when they (gasp) changed the storyline. The novels are set in the 70s so some changes were expected and even well done, but I hate it when they kill off characters and don't stay true to the original.

These certainly aren't all of the "Based on the Book" films this year, just my picks - don't get me started on Harry Potter; some books are just too big to be two hour films, maybe a 12 hour mini-series on the BBC... or maybe Peter Jackson will take a turn in a few years; then I'll get excited!

For more information on the films and their dates, surf on over to www.imdb.com (that's the Internet Movie Database) or contact your local librarian or me, jenniferc@pickens.lib.sc.us .

New this week at your library:

Try Dying by James Scott Bell - Attorney loses his wife when an apparent suicide lands on her car, only of course things aren't quite what they seem. This is the start of a new series, so get in early and see what you think!

Let Me In by John Lindqvist - the latest in vampire fiction from Sweden; not for the faint of heart! Fans of Anne Rice, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Lilith Saintcrow may want to give this one a chance.

Heir by Barbara Taylor Bradford - Second in the Ravenscar Trilogy, the Deravenels scheme and fight for control of the family trading company with surprising results for all. I'm sure her fans will be anxiously waiting for the final installment.

Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon - The Mitford series may be over, but Father Tim's adventures live on! He and Cynthia return to Father Tim's hometown in Mississippi and uncover unknown secrets from his past. There is sure to be a waiting list for this one, so call early!

Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel - When an earthquake hits San Francisco, more than the ground is shaken up. Four lives are changed forever as they spend the year rebuilding their community and themselves.

On Ice by Red Evans - Two West Virginia musicians take their recently deceased buddy on a "hundred thousand mile" road trip (in the back of a '59 pickup, iced down in the kiddie pool) to bury him beside his one great love in Louisiana, much to her family's protest. A new quirky Southern novel from Mt. Pleasant, SC.

This one is definitely on my personal list!

Foreigners by Caryl Phillips - Phillips reports on the three lives - Francis Barber, an almost equally treated slave of Samuel Johnson in the 1750s who squanders the freedom he is given, - Randy Turpin, a middleweight boxing champion in the 1950s, - David Oluwale, a Nigerian stowaway homeless, persecuted, and eventually drowned in 1969. These stories of being an outsider in a foreign land are set in England which provides a wider perspective on the topic of racism and immigration.