Book Bits Part Two

(from usatoday.com
by Jocelyn McClurg)


'Pretty' woman: USA TODAY's Bob Minzesheimer sat down with actress Diane Keaton, who's written a new memoir, Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty, about aging, beauty and the men in her life. She explains why, at age 68, she hasn't had any work done. She looks pretty great to us.

'Stars'-struck: OK, John Green fans. An extended version of the trailer for the movie version of Green's best-selling young-adult novel The Fault In Our Stars has been released. Take a look.

Riot act: Two members of Pussy Riot will be attending the PEN American Center Literary Gala on May 5, PEN has announced. Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie and Robert Caro are also on the guest list. Maria Alyokhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova from the Russian group that is at odds with Russian president Vladimir Putin are expected to attend.

New USA TODAY review: In The Pink Suit, novelist Nicole Mary Kelby offers a backstage look at a fictional seamstress who worked on the suit Jackie Kennedy wore the day her husband was assassinated. Says reviewer Patty Rhule: "The Pink Suit tells an interesting back story about the first lady's fashions, but on Nov. 22, 1963, the suit was beside the point (**½ out of four)."

New e-book: First To Kill a Mockingbird goes digital, now Octavia Butler. Digital publisher Open Road Integrated Media said Tuesday it will publish a pair of recently discovered early stories by the prize-winning science fiction author as an e-book on June 24.

'Giant' project: Steven Spielberg has signed on to direct The Big Friendly Giant, Roald Dahl's 1982 children's book. The movie will be written by Melissa Mathison, who teamed up with Spielberg on E.T. "THE BFG has enchanted families and their children for more than three decades," Spielberg said in a statement.