Non-bestseller books of spring

If you aren't into books about war, corrupt politicians, oil, intelligence [or lack thereof], Iraq, Islam, the Atkin's Diet, the Chicken Soup series or some variation on the theme of horseracing ala Seabiscuit there are precious few new books to interest or excite. One bit of good news is that Tom Wolfe's upcoming novel has finally been given a title and a publication date.

Tom Wolfe has a title for his next novel - "I Am Charlotte Simmons" - and Farrar, Straus & Giroux said it'll publish the book in November.

Wolfe's last novel, "A Man in Full," came out six years ago. There was an 11-year gap between that one and his classic "The Bonfire of the Vanities."

Wolfe said his new work grew from his poking around several college campuses.

An article on Wolfe's book and his research for the story.

I spent a little while combing through about a dozen publisher's upcoming books and it looks like it's going to be a slow summer for good books.

• New Words ~ New words from the OED.
• Shakespeare's Words: A Glossary and Language Companion ~ Looks interesting since he coined so many new words and new uses for old words.
• Language Death ~ Coming soon to a language near you.
• The Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusion ~ But the question is, will the skeptic's believe the definitions? :)
• Freedom Just Around the Corner : A New American History: 1585-1828 ~ Apparently the first of a series, this book is getting rave reviews from even the most snobbish of American History academics.
• Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World ~ An empire revealed as far more civilised than history has previously led us to believe.
• River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West ~ The story of the man who pioneered the moving picture.
• I am Charlotte Simmons ~ The new Tom Wolfe college novel is finally due out in November.
• Window Seat: Reading the Landscape from the Air ~ Now this book looks really interesting as the author attempts to tell you how to identify things on the ground from the air.
• City Walks: Paris: 50 Adventures on Foot ~ This is a brilliantly simple concept since seeing a city on foot is the best way to get to know it and the 50 walks on cards are terrifically portable. A great idea for other cities.
• Underground London: Travels Beneath the City Streets ~ A very entertaining travelogue through the undergound :)
• What's in a Name?: Origins of Station Names on the London Underground ~ Should be full of useless but interesting facts about the underground station names.
• Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim ~ A new David Sedaris book of collected essays.
• Something From the Oven: Reinventing Dinner in 1950s America ~ A history of the modern space age frozen dinner.
• Perfection Salad : Women and Cooking at the Turn of the Century ~ Victorian women who revolutionized food preparation but were forgotten by history.
• Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking ~ The author studied at the Sichuan version of the CIA and produced this book from what she learned there. I keep fantasizing that I'll cook more often instead of just getting take-away.
• Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America ~ A man, an addiction, a charleston chew and a typewriter.
• Bicycling Science : third edition ~ A new edition of a classic.
• Position of the Day Postcards ~ Priceless.
• Buzzin' Fly Vol. 1 ~ Ben Watt of Everything But The Girl returns with a new album on a new label.