Omni Yearly News: 2008
by Dave Callanan
on January 21, 2010
In the News: Perhaps the dismal reports from Wall Street had something to do with it, but readers in 2008 strayed from the headlines and dove into the worlds of J.K Rowling (Beedle the Bard), Stephenie Meyer (Breaking Dawn), and Christopher Paolini (Brisingr). Fans of David Foster Wallace were shaken by news of his suicide in September, while Randy Pausch battled terminal cancer long enough to see his inspiring story, The Last Lecture, become one of the bestselling books of the year.
Dragon Storm: Already a bestseller in Europe, the first book in the late Stieg Larsson's "Millennium Series" made its U.S. debut in September. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was an immediate hit with American readers, and continues to rank among the top bestselling fiction paperbacks today.
Love for Edgar: Another debut with a considerable following, David Wroblewski's The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, was embraced by thousands - including the very influential Ms. Winfrey - and described by my colleague Mari as a story that "takes you to the extremes of what humans must endure, and when you're finally released, you will come back to yourself feeling wiser, and flush with gratitude."
Great Debuts of 2008: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, The Forever War, Atmospheric Disturbances, Telex from Cuba
Top Five 2008 Amazon Editors' Picks: The Northern Clemency, Hurry Down Sunshine, Nixonland, The Forever War, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
Top Five 2008 Amazon Bestsellers: Breaking Dawn, The Last Lecture, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Brisingr, Outliers
Dragon Storm: Already a bestseller in Europe, the first book in the late Stieg Larsson's "Millennium Series" made its U.S. debut in September. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was an immediate hit with American readers, and continues to rank among the top bestselling fiction paperbacks today.
Love for Edgar: Another debut with a considerable following, David Wroblewski's The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, was embraced by thousands - including the very influential Ms. Winfrey - and described by my colleague Mari as a story that "takes you to the extremes of what humans must endure, and when you're finally released, you will come back to yourself feeling wiser, and flush with gratitude."
Great Debuts of 2008: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, The Forever War, Atmospheric Disturbances, Telex from Cuba
Top Five 2008 Amazon Editors' Picks: The Northern Clemency, Hurry Down Sunshine, Nixonland, The Forever War, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
Top Five 2008 Amazon Bestsellers: Breaking Dawn, The Last Lecture, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Brisingr, Outliers
In Memoriam: David Foster Wallace, Randy Pausch, Michael Crichton, Arthur C. Clarke, William F. Buckley, Studs Terkel
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