BTW News Briefs

PEN American Center Joins Lawsuit Challenging Patriot Act

On January 25, 2006, PEN American Center joined two national academic associations and the American Civil Liberties Union in filing a lawsuit challenging a Patriot Act provision that the government has used to bar prominent writers and scholars who are critical of U.S. policies from visiting the U.S. Section 411 of the Patriot Act, which was further expanded in 2005, allows the government to refuse admission to the U.S. to individuals who "endorse or espouse terrorist activity" or "persuade others to support or espouse terrorist activity."

However, the groups say that a Department of Homeland Security official cited the provision as the basis for revoking the visa of Swiss-born, internationally recognized Muslim scholar and writer Tariq Ramadan, a move that effectively stopped him from assuming a tenured position he had been offered at the University of Notre Dame.

"PEN was founded on the belief that writers play a vital role in promoting international dialogue and that a free exchange of ideas and information across borders is essential to decrease the risk of conflict and war," said Salman Rushdie, president of PEN American Center. "We are joining this lawsuit because the government's exclusion of Professor Ramadan illustrates how the Patriot Act and other post-9/11 laws and policies may be serving to increase American isolation at a time when international dialogue is more critical than ever."

Christian Bookstores Seek Help From a Higher Margin

One would think that a growing number of bestselling Christian titles, such as The Purpose-Driven Life and the "Left Behind" series, would only help independent Christian bookstores. Not so, according to a recent Associated Press article. That's because the success of such titles has attracted chain stores and discount giants to the Christian book market and the big box stores are selling these bestsellers at price points that Christian booksellers are unable to match.

As it becomes harder and harder and harder for independent Christian bookstores to compete with the influx of chains and retailing giants, a growing number are doing what many other general independent bookstores have been doing for years: looking "beyond books and selling music, gifts, jewelry, stationery, and church supplies," reported A.P.

Whether that will help Christian booksellers compete is uncertain, but presently Christian booksellers are struggling: A.P. noted that "membership in the Christian Booksellers Association [CBA] peaked at around 3,000 in the early 1990s, but now fewer than 2,300 stores belong to the association. In 2005, 337 Christian retailers closed, according to the CBA."

Mystery Writers of America Announce Edgar Nominees

This week, the Mystery Writers of America announced its Nominees for the 2006 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, nonfiction, television, and film published or produced in 2005. The Edgar Awards will be presented to the winners at the 60th Gala Banquet, April 27, 2006, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, in New York City.

Nominees for the best novel are: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown); Red Leaves by Thomas H. Cook (Harcourt); Vanish by Tess Gerritsen (Ballantine Books); Drama City by George Pelecanos (Little, Brown); and Citizen Vince by Jess Walter (Regan Books).

For a complete list of nominees, go to the Mystery Writers of America website, www.mysterywriters.org.

CBC Releases Print-on-Demand Awards & Prizes Online

For the first time since 1996 and since the launch of Awards & Prizes Online in 2003, a print edition of Children's Books: Awards & Prizes is available to libraries, schools, bookstores, and the general public. This new edition of Children's Books: Awards & Prizes, the 11th since 1960, follows the format of the previous edition and contains 288 of the 318 awards and prizes in the online database. The print edition is up-to-date through September 2005. The online database is updated monthly.

Children's Books: Awards & Prizes (Children's Book Council, 0-933633-07-6, December 2005) is available in paperback for $150. Awards & Prizes Online costs $150 for a one-year subscription and $9.95 for a one-day subscription. The print edition and a one-year subscription to the online database can be purchased together for $200. For more information, go to awardsandprizes.cbcbooks.org. To place an order, go to the CBC Online store at www.cbcbooks.org or call (800) 999-2160.