Horror history made as the Raven debuts

On January 29, 1845 the world was introduced to Edgar Allan Poe when the New York Evening Mirror published The Raven. The narrative poem, which was the first work attributed to Poe by name was an instant hit with readers and secured Poe’s place in literary history. Although it made Poe a household name and was widely popular during his lifetime, Poe earned only $9 for the poem’s publication.

Although the first stanza is the most often quoted and many individual lines and phrases have entered popular culture, it is the final stanza which makes The Raven a preternatural classic. It states:

---

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
                                                                                          shall be lifted — nevermore!

Preternatural Best Sellers in Hardcover

Looking for something good to read? Being a bestseller doesn’t automatically make a book a great read, but chances are, preternatural fans will find something to enjoy in these 8 books five fiction, three nonfiction). From Dragons, Vampires and even psychopaths, there is a little of something for everyone on this week’s list.

Hardcover Fiction

A Song of Fire and Ice

Returning to the Number 1 spot this week is A Dance with Dragons, the fifth addition to the popular series, “A Song of Fire and Ice” by George R. R. Martin, the hunt for power and the ultimate prize of the iron throne is still on. In the wake of a devastating battle, it is still unclear as to what is in store for the fate of the Seven Kingdoms. Daenerys Targaryen rules over a city of dust and waste as her enemies begin to surround her. Will the last of the House of Targaryen survive with the help of her three dragons, or is doom looming just over the horizon? Only time will tell as the Dance of Power begins to take its toll. (Ranked 1st overall on the New York Times and Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher is the thirteenth installment into the Dresden Files find Harry Dresden in a pickle. A mighty wizard detective, Harry doesn’t let anything, not even a little thing called death, stop him from trying to help his friends when he’s in danger. Now if only he could overcome the annoying lack of body and magic in order to succeed. Published by ROC Hardcover, a smaller section of Penguin Group. (Ranked 6th overall on the New York Times and 5th on the Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

Debuting on the best sellers list this week is Christie Golden’s Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Ascension. With control of the Galactic Alliance at stake, factions form to try and stake their claim. Meanwhile the Jedi’s limits are tested as they must prevent galaxywide devastation and prevent a cunning and purely evil entity from ascending to become a god. Published by LucasBooks. (Ranked 7th on the New York Times and Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list)

Also debuting on the bestsellers list, is The Magician King by Lev Grossman. In the sequel to the popular The Magicians, the new High Kings and Queens of Fillory find that living the life of a royal isn’t always what it is believed to be. Bored with his new found Quentin embarks on a quest that doesn’t go exactly as planned. How will he manage to get out of the trouble he’s stumbled in to? Published by Viking, a smaller sector of the Penguin Group. (Ranked 8th on the New York Times and 9th on Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

The final spot on this week’s list belongs to Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Retribution. Living his life, one foot in the grave, William Jessup Brady was surprised to be saved from death by a Greek goddess. Now bond to her as one of her Death-Hunters, he’s given his immortal soul to protect those he once considered prey. Published St. Martin’s Press. (Ranked 10th on the New York Times and 11th on Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

Hardcover Nonfiction

We were sad, but not entirely surprised to find there was a lack of preternatural-related books in this week’s Hardcover Nonfiction.

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman explores the mysteries of the brain beyond (beneath, behind?) the conscious mind. Eagleman, a renowned neuroscientist, reveals the truths, or at least parts of the truth, to many surprising mysteries in what turns out to be a very engaging and oddly easy read. Incognito is published by Pantheon Books, a division of Knopf Doubleday. (Ranked 19th overall on the NYT bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction.)

Falling from the top position on the list is Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen. This is a compelling and at times revealing account of the most famous military installation that doesn’t exist. Once considered science fiction, Area 51 is full of myths and conspiracy theories that captivated imaginations for much of the last half of the 2oth century. Based on interviews from those who have lived and worked there, this is the first non fiction book chronicling the history of Area 51 in a fascinating eye-witness narrative demonstrating that fact can be as gripping as fiction and sometimes even more incredible. Published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Books Group. (Ranked 27th on the New York Times overall non-fiction bestsellers.)

Ever wonder why Maenads believe so strongly in Dionysus that they will themselves into becoming immortal? Or if there is life after death? Michael Shermer’s The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths, expresses his theory on the birth and actualization of beliefs. From superstitions, believing in aliens to economic and political beliefs, this book doesn’t discriminate in its analysis of beliefs, regardless of how realistic or bizarre they may be. Published by Times Books. (Ranked 31st on the NewYork Times best seller list)

We form our beliefs for a variety of subjective, personal, emotional, and psychological reasons in the context of environments created by family, friends, colleagues, culture, and society at large; after forming our beliefs we then defend, justify, and rationalize them with a host of intellectual reasons, cogent arguments, and rational explanations. Beliefs come first, explanations for beliefs follow.

That’s it in hardcover fiction and nonfiction for this week. Which ones have you invested in? We’d love to hear your thoughts so leave us a comment below (since we aren’t Sookie and can’t read your mind)!

The Preternatural Post’s book lists are compiled from the best-seller lists published by The New York Times and Publishers Weekly. 

fais dodo mon bebe petit, fais dodo mon cheri

Top selling preternatural e-books

We never dreamed it could happen. Nothing, Nothing! Could ever lure us away from reading books. Real books, not some book file on a computer screen. Hard bound or paperback, it didn’t matter. Reading was about more than just the words on the page. Or so we thought. Lately, however, we’ve had a change of heart.

You see, we’ve been on the road and our iPod, GalaxyTab, Kindle, Nook, NetBook and even laptops hold so many more books than our carry-on luggage ever could. And we’d be lugging them anyway, even if we were carrying books. So we’ve started reading e-books. And we have to admit, we’re hooked. Here are just a few of the reasons why.

Fiction

A Song of Fire and Ice series

This week’s list of 5 bestselling e-books is entirely tied to the popular HBO original series Game of Thrones. In fact, four of the top five selling fictional paperback books are related to the series and written by George R.R. Martin and published by Bantam Dell. The top 5 bestselling e-novels are:

1. A Dance of Dragons
2. A Game of Thrones
3. A Clash of Kings
4. A Storm of Swords
5. Ghost Story

A Game of Thrones, the first in the series and the bestselling paperback fiction book of the week was nominated for a Nebula award and introduces readers to the vividly real world and characters of the Seven Kingdoms. Each subsequent book picks up the thread of the tale and carries it forward through complex plotting and such beautiful prose it’s almost a shame it was ruined by being performed.

 

Trailing behind the ever popular A Song of Fire and Ice is, Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. The thirteenth installment into the Dresden Files find Harry Dresden in a pickle. A mighty wizard detective, Harry doesn’t let anything, not even a little thing called death, stop him from trying to help his friends when he’s in danger. Now if only he could overcome the annoying lack of body and magic in order to succeed. Published by ROC Hardcover, a smaller section of Penguin Group. (Ranked 1st overall on the New York Times and Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

Nonfiction

At the top of the nonfiction ebook list is Heaven is for Real: A little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent. This book, told in the voice of a young Nebraska boy who had a near death experience, offers a remarkable glimpse into heaven wrapped in a charmingly simple message: Heaven is for Real. Published by Thomas Nelson. (Ranked Number 2 on the NYT list.)

Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen, is a compelling and at times revealing account of the most famous military installation that doesn’t exist. Once considered science fiction,Area 51 is full of myths and conspiracy theories that captivated imaginations for much of the last half of the 2oth century. Based on interviews from those who have lived and worked there, this is the first non fiction book chronicling the history of Area 51 in a fascinating eye-witness narrative demonstrating that fact can be as gripping as fiction and sometimes even more incredible. Published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Books Group. (Ranked Number 13 on the NYT list.)

90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life offers another glimpse into heaven, this time through the eyes of Baptist minister (and author) Don Piper. After years of keeping this remarkable experience to himself, friends and family have finally prevailed upon him to share (with a little help from Cecil Murphey)  the tale with the world. After being declared dead at the scene of an accident, Piper spends 90 Minutes in Heaven, before coming back to life and a long painful recovery. This book, published by Revell Books, a division of the Baker Publishing Group, reveals a story that may just change a life. (Ranked Number 15 overall on the NYT list)

That should give you something to get your e-book collection started. Oh, and did we mention that when you pre-order e-books (like, say the next Sookie Stackhouse novel from Charlaine Harris) they get delivered directly to your device, wherever it is, as soon as they become available? Beats waiting for the UPS guy….

This week’s top preternatural hardcover books

Looking for something good to read? Being a bestseller doesn’t automatically make a book a great read, but chances are, preternatural fans will find something to enjoy in these 10 books six fiction, four nonfiction). From Dragons, Vampires and even psychopaths, there is a little of something for everyone on this week’s list.

Hardcover Fiction

Dresden Files

Debuting at Number 1 this week is Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. The thirteenth installment into the Dresden Files find Harry Dresden in a pickle. A mighty wizard detective, Harry doesn’t let anything, not even a little thing called death, stop him from trying to help his friends when he’s in danger. Now if only he could overcome the annoying lack of body and magic in order to succeed. Published by ROC Hardcover, a smaller section of Penguin Group. (Ranked 1st overall on the New York Times and Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

A Dance with Dragons is the fifth addition to the popular series, “A Song of Fire and Ice” by George R. R. Martin, the hunt for power and the ultimate prize of the iron throne is still on. In the wake of a devastating battle, it is still unclear as to what is in store for the fate of the Seven Kingdoms. Daenerys Targaryen rules over a city of dust and waste as her enemies begin to surround her. Will the last of the House of Targaryen survive with the help of her three dragons, or is doom looming just over the horizon? Only time will tell as the Dance of Power begins to take its toll. (Ranked 2nd overall on the New York Times and Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

Also debuting on the bestsellers list, is the twelfth installment into the Otherworlds series, Spell Bound by Kelley Armstrong. Having given up her powers in exchange for the safety of a young girl, Savannah Levine finds herself hunted. Isolated and without her magic, it is up to her to discover a way to overcome the challenges ahead. Published by Dutton, another of the Penguin Groups subdivisions. (Ranked 19th overall on the New York Times and 21st Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

Dead Reckoning, the 11th book in the popular Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mystery series by Charlaine Harris, takes the Number 2 spot among preternatural hardcovers this week. This time, Sookie, Eric, Pam and the whole Bon Temps/Shreveport crew discover that sometimes you don’t always get what you want and even when you do things don’t always work out the way you planned. Published by Ace Books, a division of Penguin, Dead Reckoning, takes readers deeper into a southern fried world where vampires (and shape shifters) have come out of the coffin that is both similar to and vastly different from that of the HBO original series True Blood which take their inspiration from the books. Read our review of Dead Reckoning. (Ranked 23rd overall on the New York Times and Publishers Weekly hardcover fiction best seller list.)

Also debuting this week is Star Wars – Choices of One by author Timothy Zahn. Set after the Battle of Yavin, an attempt to offer sanctuary to the Rebels, sets into motion a game of betrayals within betrayals. Things are never easy, even in a galaxy far, far away. Published by Lucasbooks. (Ranked 26th overall on the New York Times hardcover fiction best seller list.)

The Last Werewolf, by Glen Duncan, rounds up the list in the Number 6 spot. Life’s hard when you are a 201 year old werewolf, or so, Jake Marlowe believes. The last of his kind, Jake is left with nothing more to do that have meaningless sex and working out all the time. Trapped in a lonely existence, he must make a choice: to continue on or to end a thousand year old legend by ending his own life. Published by Random House. (Ranked 32nd overall on the New York Times hardcover fiction best seller list.)

“Yes, there are vampires here . . . But don’t give this book to Twilight groupies; the frank tone, dark wit, and elegant, sophisticated language will likely do them in. . . .  smart, original, and completely absorbing. Highly recommended.”
—­Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal (Starred review)

Read an excerpt of The Last Werewolf.

Hardcover Nonfiction

We were sad, but not entirely surprised to find there was a lack of preternatural-related books in this week’s Hardcover Nonfiction.

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman explores the mysteries of the brain beyond (beneath, behind?) the conscious mind. Eagleman, a renowned neuroscientist, reveals the truths, or at least parts of the truth, to many surprising mysteries in what turns out to be a very engaging and oddly easy read. Incognito is published by Pantheon Books, a division of Knopf Doubleday. (Ranked 10th overall on the NYT and 16th on the Publishers Weekly bestseller list for hardcover nonfiction.)

Falling from the top position on the list is Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen. This is a compelling and at times revealing account of the most famous military installation that doesn’t exist. Once considered science fiction, Area 51 is full of myths and conspiracy theories that captivated imaginations for much of the last half of the 2oth century. Based on interviews from those who have lived and worked there, this is the first non fiction book chronicling the history of Area 51 in a fascinating eye-witness narrative demonstrating that fact can be as gripping as fiction and sometimes even more incredible. Published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Books Group. (Ranked 21st on the New York Times overall non-fiction bestsellers.)

The Psychopath Test, by Jon Ronson, adds a bit of insight to this week’s list. With a mistrust for psychiatry, he sets out to prove that psychopath checklist and DSM-IV can be used to as a means to classify nearly anything and everything an individual does as being suspect for psychopathic behavior. If you thought you were crazy for role-playing on Twitter, this book may help ease your fears. (Ranked 27th overall on the New York Times hardcover nonfiction best seller list.)

Ever wonder why Maenads believe so strongly in Dionysus that they will themselves into becoming immortal? Or if there is life after death? Michael Shermer’s The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths, expresses his theory on the birth and actualization of beliefs. From superstitions, believing in aliens to economic and political beliefs, this book doesn’t discriminate in its analysis of beliefs, regardless of how realistic or bizarre they may be. Published by Times Books. (Ranked 31st on the NewYork Times best seller list)

We form our beliefs for a variety of subjective, personal, emotional, and psychological reasons in the context of environments created by family, friends, colleagues, culture, and society at large; after forming our beliefs we then defend, justify, and rationalize them with a host of intellectual reasons, cogent arguments, and rational explanations. Beliefs come first, explanations for beliefs follow.

That’s it in hardcover fiction and nonfiction for this week. Which ones have you invested in? We’d love to hear your thoughts so leave us a comment below (since we aren’t Sookie and can’t read your mind)!

The Preternatural Post’s book lists are compiled from the best-seller lists published by The New York Times and Publishers Weekly. 

Top preternatural e-books (fiction and nonfiction)

We never dreamed it could happen. Nothing, Nothing! Could ever lure us away from reading books. Real books, not some book file on a computer screen. Hard bound or paperback, it didn’t matter. Reading was about more than just the words on the page. Or so we thought. Lately, however, we’ve had a change of heart.

You see, we’ve been on the road and our iPod, GalaxyTab, Kindle, Nook, NetBook and even laptops hold so many more books than our carry-on luggage ever could. And we’d be lugging them anyway, even if we were carrying books. So we’ve started reading e-books. And we have to admit, we’re hooked. Here are just a few of the reasons why.

Fiction

A Song of Fire and Ice series

This week’s list of 5 bestselling e-books is entirely tied to the popular HBO original series Game of Thrones. In fact, four of the top five selling fictional paperback books are related to the series and written by George R.R. Martin and published by Bantam Dell. The top 5 bestselling e-novels are:

1. A Dance of Dragons
2. A Game of Thrones
3. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
4. A Clash of Kings
5. A Storm of Swords

A Game of Thrones, the first in the series and the bestselling paperback fiction book of the week was nominated for a Nebula award and introduces readers to the vividly real world and characters of the Seven Kingdoms. Each subsequent book picks up the thread of the tale and carries it forward through complex plotting and such beautiful prose it’s almost a shame it was ruined by being performed.

Breaking up the A Song of Fire and Ice reign among paperbacks is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, a new twist to an old tale. While still maintaining about 85 percent of Jane Austen’s original text, author, Seth Grahame-Smith spices things up in the world of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy as they are paired together as skilled fighters to overcome the zombie epidemic that has taken over England. Can love triumph or will this couple be doomed to join the ranks of those they so desperately seek to destroy? The only way to find out is to pick up a copy and get to reading!

Nonfiction

At the top of the nonfiction ebook list is Heaven is for Real: A little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent. This book, told in the voice of a young Nebraska boy who had a near death experience, offers a remarkable glimpse into heaven wrapped in a charmingly simple message: Heaven is for Real. Published by Thomas Nelson. (Ranked Number 2 on the NYT list.)

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman explores the mysteries of the brain beyond (beneath, behind?) the conscious mind. Eagleman, a renowned neuroscientist, reveals the truths, or at least parts of the truth, to many surprising mysteries in what turns out to be a very engaging and oddly easy read. Incognito is published by Pantheon Books, a division of Knopf Doubleday. (Ranked Number 17 on the NYT list)

Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen, is a compelling and at times revealing account of the most famous military installation that doesn’t exist. Once considered science fiction,Area 51 is full of myths and conspiracy theories that captivated imaginations for much of the last half of the 2oth century. Based on interviews from those who have lived and worked there, this is the first non fiction book chronicling the history of Area 51 in a fascinating eye-witness narrative demonstrating that fact can be as gripping as fiction and sometimes even more incredible. Published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Books Group. (Ranked Number 18 on the NYT list.)

That should give you something to get your e-book collection started. Oh, and did we mention that when you pre-order e-books (like, say the next Sookie Stackhouse novel from Charlaine Harris) they get delivered directly to your device, wherever it is, as soon as they become available? Beats waiting for the UPS guy….

True Blood Tainted Love #5 hits devices

Have you ever wondered how Jessica ended up being chosen to be the life the Magister demanded of Bill back in Season 1 of the HBO original Series True Blood?

Look no further than True Blood Tainted Love #5.

Cover of True Blood Tainted Love #5 courtesy of IDW

The digital comic, True Blood Tainted Love #5, was released for iDevices on 2 August, 2011 by publisher IDW, along with Zombies v. Robots Undercity #1, Dungeons & Dragons #8  and more. Tainted Love #5 continues to explore the contaminated Tru Blood storyline, even as it gives readers and fans a glimpse into Jess’ backstory. It’s also refreshing to see Bill and Pam working together with…Lafayette? Talk about your odd but somehow intriguing trios!

“Sugar, you gotta stop letting men define who you are. It is terribly gauche.” ~Pam

To find out what Sarah and Steve Newlin are up to (not to mention why Sookie is flying high with Eric), iPhone and iPod Touch users can download it through the IDW app or the True Blood Tainted Love app.

Gen Con Indy 2011 showcases Neverwinter

Return to one of role-playing most iconic and legendary cities, Neverwinter, at Gen Con this weekend. The city-state of Neverwinter, home of the first graphical MMORPG and countless Dungeons and Dragons: Forgotten Realms campaigns will be arriving in Indianapolis in force with many new and exciting offerings including sneak peeks at the 4th Edition of Neverwinter Campaign Setting, the new comic mini series and more as part of the Neverwinter Mass Adventure at Gen Con 2011.

Wizards of the Coast just announced that those attending Gen Con Indy 2011 will have the opportunity to participate in a unique Neverwinter adventure aptly named the Neverwinter Mass Adventure at Gen Con 2011. A series of QR codes will guide attendees to a variety of Wizards of the Coast sponsored special events and locations throughout the Con. Along the way, attendees will face challenges and choices on their quest for glory, power or riches. Helping them along their journey will be hints and tips provided through D&D on Facebook and Twitter.

Neverwinter fans will also be glad to discover that a new Facebook games, D&D Heroes of Neverwinter is scheduled to be released soon. This turn-based strategy game offer lighter digital fare with prefabricated and user generated dungeons, gifting and more.

Along with the Neverwinter Mass Adventure, Gen Con 2011 attendees and D&D players around the globe come together to enjoy Neverwinter Game Day on 6 August, 2011. This year’s D&D Neverwinter Game Day spotlights Gates of Neverdeath, an exclusive adventure in which characters are introduced to some of the intrigues and dangers awaiting them in Neverwinter. For the first time, players will create their own D&D at Gen Con or any of the myriad events planned across North America and around the world and play in a prelude adventure to the upcoming Dungeons and Dragons Encounters season!

D&D Organized Play

Dungeons & Dragons Returns to the Legendary City of Neverwinter; Exciting, New Suite of D&D Offerings Unveiled at Gen Con Indy 2011.

Speaking of D&D Encounters, beginning 10 August, 2011 (so after Gen Con 2011), players are invited to gather at their local game stores every Wednesday night to experience The Lost Crown of Neverwinter season. D&D Encounters is the first Dungeons and Dragons Organized Play program designed specifically and exclusively for weekly play at retail locations worldwide. The new D&D Neverwinter Fortune Cards, which hit shelves earlier this summer, enhances the D&D Encounters experience by adding an element of unpredictability. Each Fortune Card affects gameplay by enhancing attacks or defenses as well as offer other player benefits.

Sookie Stackhouse shorts in August: Charlaine Harris publishes short story and novella

It’s been nearly three months since Charlaine Harris’ Dead Reckoning arrived on bookshelves everywhere. Usually fans are forced to spend an agonizing year, anxiously salivating for the next installment of the series. The only glimmer of relief is the highly anticipated release of a short story in the fall.

This year fans everywhere are in for a treat! Not only has a Sookie Stackhouse short story,  ”If I Had a Hammer” been released in Home Improvement: Undead Edition, but a novella is included in The Sookie Stackhouse Companion, which will be released on August 30th.

Fans will also be pleased to learn that Charlaine has finished the twelfth book of the series, titled Deadlocked. What else is in store for everyone’s favorite fair-haired telepathic barmaid? The only way to find out is to be patient and wait for the next installment and, as we all know, waiting sucks. But Charlaine gives some hints in her blog:

Last night, Sookie got kidnapped, and I’m going to see how that shakes out. A character I thought was dead is probably alive, and I’m real happy for him. Then again, if the work doesn’t go so well today, he may be dead again.

Charlaine hasn’t given away much, but this little sneak peek into Deadlocked should have bookies everywhere speculating for months. Just who has kidnapped Ms. Stackhouse? Jaded lover, a certain Queen we have yet to be properly introduced to, or perhaps someone of the Fae-persuasion?

As for the not finally dead, but previously believed to be dead, character? My money is on Andre. There’s no logical reasoning behind this choice. Just would be a nice way for Charlaine to stir the pot. Having him return after assuming Quinn killed him, would make an interesting twist to the already hectic world of Vampires, Weres  and waitressing.

Bestselling preternatural books in paperback (fiction and nonfiction)

The bestselling paperback books with preternatural themes are a study in contrasts this week. Religion, specifically Christianity, dominates top sellers on the New York Times’ nonfiction paperback list, while mass market paperbacks having television tie-in top the bestselling lists for fiction in both the New York Times and Publisher’s Weekly.

Nonfiction Paperback

At the top of the nonfiction paperback list is Heaven is for Real: A little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent. This book, told in the voice of a young Nebraska boy who had a near death experience, offers a remarkable glimpse into heaven wrapped in a charmingly simple message: Heaven is for Real. Published by Thomas Nelson. (Also ranks Number 1 on the NYT list.)

From a glimpse inside heaven to a glimpse Inside a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know. The Number two book among bestselling nonfiction paperbacks is a must read for those seeking to become or understand shape shifters. Author (and psychology professor) Alexandra Horowitz invites readers to imagine a world colored not by sights but by smells and the incredible olfactory senses of canines. Inside a Dog is not a training book nor one that memorialize a beloved companion. It is a book about better understanding of man’s best friend and how we live together. Published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. (Ranked Number 16 overall among bestselling paperback nonfiction according to the NYT.)

90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life offers another glimpse into heaven, this time through the eyes of Baptist minister (and author) Don Piper. After years of keeping this remarkable experience to himself, friends and family have finally prevailed upon him to share (with a little help from Cecil Murphey)  the tale with the world. After being declared dead at the scene of an accident, Piper spends 90 Minutes in Heaven, before coming back to life and a long painful recovery. This book, published by Revell Books, a division of the Baker Publishing Group, reveals a story that may just change a life. (Number 19 overall on the NYT list of bestselling nonfiction in paperback.)

Have you ever wondered if Vampires and Weres could ever truly get along? Checking out Unlikely Friendships might shed a little hopeful light on the possibility of the supernatural creatures living in harmony. Jennifer Holland, a senior writer for National Geographic, grants insight to 47 unusual and yet, touching pairings within the Animal Kingdom. Published by Workman. (Ranked Number 23 overall among bestselling paperback nonfiction according to the NYT.)

Some sort of a psycho-socio-anthro-ologist person would probably look at this book and say that it has nothing to do with cuteness and really symbolizes how, deep down, humans want to see beyond differences. That we believe that love comes in many forms, and that we all can really get along if we just look past surface differences, much like the elephant on Page 4 that is best friends with a sheep. They cuddled and napped together!

Monica Hesse, Reviewer, Washington Post

Paperback Fiction

This week’s list of 5 bestselling paperback novels is almost entirely tied to the popular HBO original series Game of Thrones. In fact, four of the top five selling fictional paperback books are related to the series and written by George R.R. Martin and published byBantam Dell. The top 4 bestselling paperback novels are:

1. A Game of Thrones
2. A Clash of Kings
3. A Storm of Swords
4. A Feast for Crows

A Game of Thrones, the first in the series and the bestselling paperback fiction book of the week was nominated for a Nebula award and introduces readers to the vividly real world and characters of the Seven Kingdoms. Each subsequent book picks up the thread of the tale and carries it forward through complex plotting and such beautiful prose it’s almost a shame it was ruined by being performed.

Rounding out the list of bestselling novels with a preternatural twist is The Shack by William P. Young. In this tragic thriller readers are Mackenzie Allen Phillips’ (Mack) receives a letter from God inviting him back to the shack in the wilds of Oregon that was the scene of his greatest sorrow four years earlier. What he finds will change him forever. Published by Windblown Media.

 

This week’s top preternatural e-books

We never dreamed it could happen. Nothing, Nothing! Could ever lure us away from reading books. Real books, not some book file on a computer screen. Hard bound or paperback, it didn’t matter. Reading was about more than just the words on the page. Or so we thought. Lately, however, we’ve had a change of heart.

You see, we’ve been on the road and our iPod, GalaxyTab, Kindle, Nook, NetBook and even laptops hold so many more books than our carry-on luggage ever could. And we’d be lugging them anyway, even if we were carrying books. So we’ve started reading e-books. And we have to admit, we’re hooked. Here are just a few of the reasons why.

Fiction

A Song of Fire and Ice series

This week’s list of 5 bestselling e-books is entirely tied to the popular HBO original series Game of Thrones. In fact, four of the top five selling fictional paperback books are related to the series and written by George R.R. Martin and published byBantam Dell. The top 5 bestselling e-novels are:

1. A Dance of Dragons
2. A Game of Thrones
3. A Clash of Kings
4. A Storm of Swords
5. A Feast for Crows

A Game of Thrones, the first in the series and the bestselling paperback fiction book of the week was nominated for a Nebula award and introduces readers to the vividly real world and characters of the Seven Kingdoms. Each subsequent book picks up the thread of the tale and carries it forward through complex plotting and such beautiful prose it’s almost a shame it was ruined by being performed.

Nonfiction

At the top of the nonfiction ebook list is Heaven is for Real: A little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent. This book, told in the voice of a young Nebraska boy who had a near death experience, offers a remarkable glimpse into heaven wrapped in a charmingly simple message: Heaven is for Real. Published by Thomas Nelson. (Ranked Number 2 on the NYT list.)

Ever wonder why Maenads believe so strongly in Dionysus that they will themselves into becoming immortal? Or if there is life after death? Michael Shermer’s The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies—How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths, expresses his theory on the birth and actualization of beliefs. From superstitions, believing in aliens to economic and political beliefs, this book doesn’t discriminate in its analysis of beliefs, regardless of how realistic or bizarre they may be. Published by Times Books. (Ranked Number 26 on the NYT lst)

We form our beliefs for a variety of subjective, personal, emotional, and psychological reasons in the context of environments created by family, friends, colleagues, culture, and society at large; after forming our beliefs we then defend, justify, and rationalize them with a host of intellectual reasons, cogent arguments, and rational explanations. Beliefs come first, explanations for beliefs follow.

Area 51: An Uncensored History of America’s Top Secret Military Base by Annie Jacobsen, is a compelling and at times revealing account of the most famous military installation that doesn’t exist. Once considered science fiction,Area 51 is full of myths and conspiracy theories that captivated imaginations for much of the last half of the 2oth century. Based on interviews from those who have lived and worked there, this is the first non fiction book chronicling the history of Area 51 in a fascinating eye-witness narrative demonstrating that fact can be as gripping as fiction and sometimes even more incredible. Published by Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Books Group. (Ranked Number 34 on the NYT list.)

90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life offers another glimpse into heaven, this time through the eyes of Baptist minister (and author) Don Piper. After years of keeping this remarkable experience to himself, friends and family have finally prevailed upon him to share (with a little help from Cecil Murphey)  the tale with the world. After being declared dead at the scene of an accident, Piper spends 90 Minutes in Heaven, before coming back to life and a long painful recovery. This book, published by Revell Books, a division of the Baker Publishing Group, reveals a story that may just change a life. (Ranked Number 35 overall on the NYT list .)

That should give you something to get your e-book collection started. Oh, and did we mention that when you pre-order e-books (like, say the next Sookie Stackhouse novel from Charlaine Harris) they ge delivered directly to your device, wherever it is, as soon as they become available? Beats waiting for the UPS guy….