Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe" adapted for 21st century

EDINBURGH (Reuters) - In a bid to resurrect Walter Scott's historical novel "Ivanhoe", retired Scottish medical professor David Purdie unsheathed his scalpel to cut out the early 19th century verbiage and deliver a new edition for 21st century readers.Ivanhoe is a romantic tale of fair maidens, bold knights-at-arms, merry friars, skulduggery, enmity between Saxons and Norman barons, and even a cameo...

Read More..

Book Talk: "Fun" bestsellers a big switch for Justin Cronin

TOKYO (Reuters) - Justin Cronin was writing literary fiction when he and his daughter, then eight, dreamed up a vampire trilogy set in a post-apocalyptic world just for fun - until he belatedly realized what they'd put together, and sat down to write.Cronin said he's still a little astonished by the success of "The Passage," which began the series, and now "The Twelve," which just came out last month,...

Read More..

"The Racketeer" jumps to top spot on U.S. bestseller list

NEW YORK (Reuters) - John Grisham's "The Racketeer" soared to top of Publishers Weekly's bestseller list on Thursday.The list is compiled using data from independent and chain bookstores, book wholesalers and independent distributors nationwide.Hardcover Fiction Last Week1. "The Racketeer" by John Grisham (Doubleday, $28.95) -2. "The Casual Vacancy" by J. K. Rowling (Little, Brown, $35.00) 23. "The...

Read More..

"Argo" rises above "Cloud Atlas" as Sandy spooks

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Acclaimed Iran hostage thriller "Argo" brought home its first box-office win over a quiet weekend, leading movie charts with $12.4 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales as would-be moviegoers hunkered down for Hurricane Sandy.The tally for "Argo," directed by and starring Ben Affleck, topped the $9.4 million for new sci-fi drama "Cloud Atlas". Halloween-themed animated...

Read More..

Review: 'The Impossible' overwhelms with melodrama

Based on the true story of a family swept away by the deadly 2004 tsunami that pummeled Southeast Asia, "The Impossible" is about as subtle as a wall of water.The depiction of the natural disaster itself, which killed 230,000 people, is visceral and horrifying. Director Juan Antonio Bayona has crafted an event that's impeccable from a production standpoint with its dizzying, seemingly endless sprawl...

Read More..