Category: Book news

Upcoming release: ‘Dark Tides’ by Philippa Gregory

‘Dark Tides’ is Philippa Gregory’s upcoming new historical novel. Photo: amazon

Philippa Gregory is the author of many The New York Times bestselling novels, including “The Other Boleyn Girl,” and is a recognized authority on women’s history. Many of her works have been adapted for the screen including “The Other Boleyn Girl.” She graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent. She holds honorary degrees from Teesside University and the University of Sussex. She is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff and was awarded the 2016 Harrogate Festival Award for Contribution to Historical Fiction. She is an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck, University of London. She founded Gardens for the Gambia, a charity to dig wells in poor rural schools in The Gambia and has provided nearly 200 wells. Her new book “Dark Tides: A Novel,” Book 2 of 2 of The Fairmile Series, will be released on Tuesday November 24, 2020.  This historical drama tracks the rise of the Tidelands family in London, Venice, and New England. (Simon & Schuster, 2020)

In “Dark Tides,” two unexpected visitors arrive at a shabby warehouse on the south side of the River Thames. The first is a wealthy man named James Avery. He is hoping to find the lover he deserted twenty-one years before. He has everything to offer, including the approval of the newly restored King Charles II, and he believes that the warehouse’s poor owner Alinor has the one thing his money cannot buy—his son and heir. The second visitor is a beautiful widow from Venice who is in mourning. She claims Alinor as her mother-in-law and has come to tell Alinor that her son Rob has drowned in the dark tides of the Venice lagoon. Alinor writes to her brother Ned, who is newly arrived in faraway New England and trying to make a life between the worlds of the English newcomers and the American Indians as they move toward inevitable war. Alinor tells him that she knows, without a doubt, that her son is alive, and the widow is an imposter. This is a novel of greed and desire: for love, for wealth, for a child, and for home. It is set in the poverty and glamour of Restoration London – 1670, in the golden streets of Venice, and on the tensely contested frontier of early America.

Book review: ‘You Were Not Born to Suffer’ by Blake D. Bauer

‘You Were Not Born to Suffer’ by Blake D. Bauer. Photo: amazon

Blake D. Bauer is a wisdom teacher with an extensive background in psychology, alternative medicine, nutrition, traditional healing, and mindfulness meditation. Based on both his personal experience overcoming deep suffering, addiction and adversity, as well as his professional success with thousands of people worldwide, his work combines what he has found to be the most effective approaches to optimal mental, emotional and physical health. He is the author of the international bestselling book “You Were Not Born to Suffer: Overcome Fear, Insecurity and Depression and Love Yourself Back to Happiness, Confidence and Peace.” In this life-changing book, Blake Bauer explains why depression, addiction, physical illness, unfulfilling work and relationship problems are caused by years of hiding true emotions, denying a life purpose and living in fear.

First published in 2012, “You Were Not Born to Suffer” begins with an author Preface where he states that this updated edition contains insights that have helped thousands of people around the world improve their personal and professional lives. He faced his own battles with depression and now sees his purpose as sharing what he learned from his own suffering so that others can enjoy their lives as fully as possible. He acknowledges that life is short and people often take it for granted but assures readers that their happiness lies in their own hands and is “a daily choice we each need to make to overcome fear, negativity and guilt.” In the Introduction, he explains how the material in the book came from his search for freedom from his personal suffering, mental, emotional and physical, and a desire for the truth about life, himself and life’s purpose. The book is divided into thirty-three chapters ranging from Healing Guilt, Shame and Insecurity, Healthy Self-Esteem, Confidence and Trust in Life and Live Fully Before You Die. Each one begins with an inspirational quote and a reminder to take deep breaths and some end with “Practical Questions” and “Key Affirmations” to summarize key elements.

More than a self-help book, “You Were Not Born to Suffer” is a gentle reminder that even though our childhoods might have been difficult, it is time to move on and take charge of our lives.  Blake D. Bauer has gone through these challenges and is more than eager to share what he learned: plainly put, you alone are responsible for your own happiness, stop blaming others and take control of your own destiny/purpose. To do that, it is important to heal the past to affect the present. He includes inspirational quotes, mindfulness and breathing exercises as well as personal exercises such as writing letters to your younger self. The language is simple and easy to understand and he does not come across as preachy or condescending. Some of the topics dealing with spirituality and how the universe works may not be for everyone, but the overall guidance and advice is universal. Regarding self-esteem “Anyone who judges or rejects us only does so because they are still judging and rejecting themselves, so their reaction to us actually has little to do with us.” Standout chapters: Chapter 24: Practical Nutrition and Lifestyle Guidance – contains nutrition advice (drinking plenty of water and avoiding highly processed foods) and lifestyle tips (mindfulness, meditation, journaling); and Chapter 15: Inhale Life Deeply and Slowly – focuses on the importance of slowing down and deep breathing. “You Were Not Born to Suffer” is a practical guide filled with positive messages on how to effectively handle financial worries, loneliness, guilt and self-doubt, among other issues. It is recommended for readers who appreciate advice on learning to take better care of themselves, heal old pain and live life to the fullest.   

“Because the purpose of human life is to enjoy it fully, while learning what it means to love unconditionally, filing our days with the small things that make us feel great is vital to creating a fulfilling life.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Code 7: Cracking the Code for an Epic Life’ by Bryan R. Johnson

‘Code 7: Cracking the Code for an Epic Life’ by Bryan R. Johnson. Photo: google

Bryan R. Johnson is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist and author.  He is the founder and CEO of Kernel, a company that has developed devices that can monitor and record brain activity and OS Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage science and technology companies.  His published works include “Code 7: Cracking the Code for an Epic Life” and “The Proto Project: A Sci-Fi Adventure of the Mind.” “Code 7” is the story of life at Flint Hill Elementary School, where life may seem normal, but seven friends find themselves on a path to crack the code for an epic life.  It has received Wishing Shelf Book, Royal Dragonfly Book and Mom’s Choice Awards.

“Code 7” begins with an Introduction by the author, made to look handwritten, where he invites his readers to “crack the code” that will lead them to an epic life.  It is divided into seven chapters, each a different child’s story where they each learn a life lesson: A World of Possibilities – Jefferson is given the job at school to paint a mural that represents the community; Smash Mouth Taffy – Sebastian opens a successful taffy business, but it is based on a lie; Handle With Care – Genevieve, an aspiring veterinarian, is given an egg to take care of for seven days; The Monster – Talmage helps his father in an epic effort to catch a “monster” fish that likes in a lake; Break a Leg – Samantha, a shy singer, who wants to try out for her school’s musical; Oh Rats! – Alec is a constant battle with his parents regarding cleaning his room and Code 7 – Kaitlyn, who wants to be a film maker and brings all six characters together for one final story.  

These short stories all revolve around different students who each have their own life experience with a lesson learned: from lessons in caring, to having a strong work ethic and learning to work together as a group for a common goal. The chapters are short and the language is easy and simple enough for the youngest of readers to follow and enjoy. Even if sometimes the characters come across as bratty and the stories may be hard to believe, they serve the purpose of teaching a lesson and promoting discussions. At the end, there is a reference website that includes a discussion guide and insights into the Code 7 Challenges. It is a children’s book recommended for age level 6 and up and grade Level 1 and up.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Virtual Texas Book Festival highlight schedule

The Texas Book Festival is going virtual this year and begins today and goes through Sunday November 15, 2020. Photo: google

The 2020 virtual Texas Book Festival, the largest book festival in Texas, starts today with its lineup of adult fiction and nonfiction authors participating from November 6 through November 15. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the festival will bring together thousands of readers and authors across Texas and beyond for engaging, enlightening and educational virtual programming. (Texas Book Festival, 2020)

The Texas Book Festival includes 150+ authors, illustrators, poets, journalists, artists and thought leaders across a diverse array of genres and topics. Highlights include:

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 at 12p.m.: “A Better Man” Michael Ian Black in Conversation. Comedian and actor Michael Ian Black writes a letter to his college-bound son in this heartfelt meditation on masculinity. As he looks back on his relationship with his father, Black reexamines the lessons he learned about being a man and makes the case for radical vulnerability.

12:45p.m:  PEN America Presents: Killing the Story: A Conversation with Journalist Témoris Grecko. Journalist and filmmaker Témoris Grecko (“Killing the Story: Journalists Risking Their Lives to Uncover the Truth in Mexico”) joins Univision’s Hugo Chávez Montes to discuss a profession sometimes fraught with danger and to showcase his journalist colleagues’ courage, bravery and tenacity. This conversation will be in Spanish with English subtitles.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14 at 12p.m:  “Caste:” Isabel Wilkerson in Conversation with Saeed Jones. In her new book, Pulitzer Prize winner and Texas Book Festival alum Isabel Wilkerson describes the United States’ own invisible caste system: A hierarchy informed by race, class and gender that affects everything in which we participate, from baseball games to presidential elections. Caste is a portrait of American inequality that shows how privilege and power shape our lives every day. Texas Book Festival alum and Kirkus Prize winner Saeed Jones leads the discussion.

4p.m:  Environmental Activists Erin Brockovich and Catherine Coleman Flowers in Conversation. Erin Brockovich (“Superman’s Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It” and MacArthur genius grant recipient Catherine Coleman Flowers (“Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret”) illuminate—in a conversation about sustainability and environmental justice—the failures and dangers of our water and water-management systems and policies, from California to Appalachia.

Texas Book Festival books are available at the BookPeople festival store to receive exclusive perks such as signed books, Texas Book Festival merch, activity bundles and more. For the full list of TBF books and more information, visit Book People.

With a vision to inspire Texans of all ages to love reading, the Texas Book Festival connects authors and readers through experiences that celebrate the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination. Founded in 1995 by former First Lady Laura Bush, Mary Margaret Farabee, and a group of volunteers, the nonprofit Texas Book Festival promotes the joys of reading and writing through its annual Festival, the Texas Teen Book Festival, the Reading Rock Stars Title I elementary school program, the Real Reads Title I middle and high school program, grants to Texas libraries, and year-round literary programming.

Book review: ‘No One Will Hear Your Screams’ by Thomas O’Callaghan

‘No One Will Hear Your Screams’ by Thomas O’Callaghan is the third in the John Driscoll series.

New York City native and graduate of Richmond College, internationally acclaimed author Thomas O’Callaghan is a member of both the Mystery Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers associations. His work has been translated for publication in Germany, Slovakia, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, China and Italy. “Bone Thief,” his debut novel, introduces NYPD Homicide Commander Lieutenant John W. Driscoll. “The Screaming Room,” is the second in the John Driscoll series and the third, “No One Will Hear Your Screams” was released on May 9, 2020.  In “No One Will Hear Your Screams,” Lt. John Driscoll is on the case involving a sociopathic killer who is on the loose and murdering prostitutes in New York City.

“No One Will Hear Your Screams” is set in the dark and violent streets of New York City and begins as a woman helplessly calls out for help when she realizes that she is being held captive.  Her head, wrists and ankles are bound with rope and when she lets out a “bestial scream,” there are only trees outside her grave, but they are “deaf to her howling. Indifferent to her plight.” That is where the book’s title comes into play and the serial killer, only known as Tilden, keeps killing prostitutes, embalming them alive. He claims to have been sexually abused as a child by this mother’s john, but that is only one of the reasons why he focuses on prostitutes; he is also viciously attacked by one in the present . Lieutenant Driscoll, together with Sergeant Margaret Aligante and Detective Cedric Thomlinson, who each have their own issues to deal with, team up to stop the killings and bring Tilden to justice.  They stop the killings, but justice evades them because Tilden gets away too easily. He is taken down by ‘suicide by cop’ and does not get his due punishment.  Even though they stop the killings, “The Lieutenant knew the public sighs of relief would be temporary because evil always metastases. So, closure eluded him.” He will always be haunted by his inadequacies to stop evil in general. It ends with Driscoll’s final thoughts on the matter:  “Would he ever find reconciliation? He doubted he would.”

The most interesting characters are those who are flawed but still manage to help others.  In “No One Will Hear Your Screams,” every character is damaged or flawed in some way, but the detectives are still out there, catching the bad guys. They might be temporarily distracted, but they have a goal, something to keep them grounded. In Driscoll’s case, he had a rough childhood and is still haunted by the loss of his wife and daughter on a regular basis and that is what makes him relatable. The third person point of view narrative gives the reader an insight into the characters’ minds.  This is especially true with Tilden, who just before he is shot down, ponders: “If this was the end, and it appeared it was, he’d go out in a blast.”  Aided by short chapters, the dialogue driven-action is fast paced and captivating.  The character development is excellent all around, including Tilden’s traumatic childhood experiences, particularly in Catholic school, which is what partially fuels his violent tendencies.  With descriptive language such as: “Tilden moaned as shards of metal bored through his lungs, ripped tears through his tendons, lacerated muscle, sliced thorough viscera, shattered bone,” it is easy to envision the goriest parts. Because of this, it is not for the squeamish, since some of the details are too graphic, especially his last victim, whom he intended to consume. Even though it is disappointing that the last victim was not saved in time, “No One Will Hear Your Screams” is an impressive work of crime fiction and is recommended for readers who appreciate the hauntingly darker side of storytelling.

“The relevance, Cedric, is in the motive.  The ex-soldier confronts and kills his brother’s tormentors. Remember, nothing fuels murderous tenacity like revenge.” – NYPD Homicide Commander Lieutenant John W. Driscoll

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Upcoming release: ‘Intermittent Fasting for Dummies’ by Dr. Janet Bond Brill

‘Intermittent Fasting for Dummies’ will be released on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

Janet Bond Brill, PhD, RDN, FAND is a nationally recognized nutrition, health, and fitness expert and author of “Blood Pressure DOWN,” “Prevent a Second Heart Attack” and “Cholesterol Down.”  She is a prolific writer with contributions to numerous scientific journals and lay publications worldwide and currently writes a column for Bottom Line Health, Inc. Dr. Janet believes whole-heartedly in the role that good nutrition and exercise play in the prevention of chronic disease and achieving optimal health. She teaches the importance of a healthy lifestyle and has helped thousands of people across the nation improve their health and wellbeing. In her new book “Intermittent Fasting for Dummies,” she explains how intermittent fasting can lead to a leaner, healthier and longer life and helps readers choose the fasting method that suits them better. It will be released on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. (Black Château, 2020)

Intermittent fasting fascinates health and fitness seekers from all over the world. “Intermittent Fasting for Dummies” is a detailed guide that helps readers follow an intermittent fasting plan of their choice. It includes several variations of intermittent fasting; each one is outlined in a step-by-step plan that anyone can follow so readers can choose the style that works best for their lifestyle. Dr. Janet Bond Brill conveys the extraordinary health benefits of intermittent fasting, backed by science. People can achieve sustainable weight and fat loss, increase mental clarity and revitalize their energy levels. The book also provides tips to help readers ramp up their metabolism, reduce the risk of disease and supercharge their workout or diet programs. She makes a case for intermittent fasting as a safe practice that allows people to stop counting calories, weighing, measuring or denying themselves their favorite foods. Readers can start following one out of the five safe, effective and easy-to-follow methods that fits their individual lifestyle the best. It includes over 40 healthy and delicious nutritionist-approved recipes.

“Intermittent fasting isn’t a diet, but a pattern of eating. More specifically, it’s a lifestyle that you can sustain for a lifetime.” – Janet Bond Brill

Upcoming release: ‘Fortune and Glory’ by Janet Evanovich

Janet Evanovich’s new novel ‘Fortune and Glory’ will be released November 3, 2020. Photo: amazon

Over the last twenty-five years, Janet Evanovich has written twenty-three #1 The New York Times bestsellers in the Stephanie Plum series. In addition to the Plum novels, Janet has coauthored The New York Times’ bestselling Fox and O’Hare series, including “The Big Kahuna” with her son, Peter Evanovich, the Knight and Moon series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and the graphic novel, “Troublemaker” with her daughter, Alex Evanovich. In her new book “Fortune and Glory: A Novel,” Stephanie Plum is on the biggest case of her career as she and her Grandma Mazur search for her grandmother’s late husband’s treasure.  It is the twenty-seventh Stephanie Plum novel and will be released tomorrow, Tuesday November 3, 2020.

In “Fortune and Glory,” when Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair and the keys to a life-changing fortune. But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they are not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way, along with a new adversary who is even more formidable: Gabriela Rose, a dark-eyed beauty from Little Havana with a taste for designer clothes. She is also a soldier of fortune, a gourmet cook, an expert in firearms and mixed martial arts and someone who is about to give Stephanie a real run for her money.

Stephanie may be in over her head, but she has two things that Gabriela does not: an unbreakable bond with her family and a stubborn streak that will never let her quit. She will need both to survive because this search for “fortune and glory” will turn into a desperate race against time with more on the line than ever before. Because even as she searches for the treasure and fights to protect her Grandma Mazur, her own deepest feelings will be tested—as Stephanie could finally be forced to choose between Joe Morelli and Ranger.

Read an excerpt here: “Fortune and Glory”

Upcoming release: ‘The Law of Innocence’ by Michael Connally

‘The Law of Innocence’ is Michael Connelly’s upcoming new Lincoln Lawyer novel. Photo: amazon

Michael Connelly is the bestselling author of over thirty novels and one work of nonfiction. With over eighty million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. A former newspaper reporter who worked the crime beat at the Los Angeles Times and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Connelly has won numerous awards for his journalism and his fiction. His first novel, “The Black Echo,” won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, “Blood Work.” In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, “The Lincoln Lawyer,” hit theaters worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent bestsellers include “Fair Warning,” “The Night Fire,” “The Burning Room” and “The Gods of Guilt.” Michael is the executive producer of BOSCH, an Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver and streaming on Amazon Prime. His new book “The Law of Innocence (A Lincoln Lawyer Novel, Book 6)” will be released on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.

In “The Law of Innocence,” Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller must defend himself against murder charges. On the night he celebrates a big win, Mickey is pulled over by the police, who find the body of a former client in the trunk of his Lincoln. Haller is immediately charged with murder but cannot post the exorbitant $5 million bail slapped on him by a vindictive judge. He elects to represent himself and is forced to mount his defense from his jail cell in the Twin Towers Correctional Center in downtown Los Angeles. All the while, he needs to look over his shoulder because as an officer of the court he is an instant target and he makes few friends when he reveals a corruption plot within the jail. Haller knows he has been framed, whether by a new enemy or an old one. As his trusted team, including his half-brother, Harry Bosch, investigates, Haller must use all his skills in the courtroom to counter the damning evidence against him. Even if he can obtain a not-guilty verdict, Mickey understands that it will not be enough. In order to be truly exonerated, he must find out who really committed the murder and why. That is the law of innocence.

San Antonio Book Festival 2021 will be virtual event

The 2021 San Antonio Book Festival will be an online event. Photo: San Antonio Book Festival, used with permission.

For the first time ever, the San Antonio Book Festival (SABF) will take place entirely online. Featuring three full days of free virtual programming, the 2021 Festival will run Friday April 9 through Sunday April 11. The festival will bring together thousands of readers and writers across Texas, the U.S., and beyond for engaging, enlightening and educational programming. Pending the pandemic numbers in 2021, the Festival could be somewhat hybrid with select in-person, socially distanced events, which will be announced at a later date.  (San Antonio Book Festival, 2020)

SABF is a free, family-friendly event that showcases both first-time and established, prominent writers, introducing attendees to new and well-known literary talents and connecting them with their favorite authors. The 2021 Festival will feature more than 75 local, regional and national authors participating in virtual sessions, including programming for adults, young adults, middle-grade readers and children. All festival writers will be announced in early February 2021.

SABF will be using the online platform called Accelevents to run the festival, which gives each event a clear, high-quality look. Accelevents allows the Festival to offer book clubs, groups of friends and classes the opportunity to chat privately among themselves during an event. There is also a “networking” capability to mimic the in-person festival, where attendees can meet one another and talk about which events they’re attending and enjoying.

For the first time, locally owned and operated bookstore Nowhere Bookshop will be the Festival’s official bookseller, a change from Barnes & Noble in previous years. The Book Festival’s singular fundraiser, the Book Appétit Literary Feast, featuring novelist Amor Towles, has been rescheduled to April 8, 2021 and will also be held online.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak and stay-at-home measures in the U.S., the San Antonio Book Festival has produced several online programs, including a virtual mini festival for kids and teens, in collaboration with The DoSeum and a handful of stand-alone author events. SABF is excited to continue providing additional online programming in the months leading up to and through the three-day virtual Festival, offering even more book discussions, author panels and interviews, bringing these inspiring conversations from celebrated and emerging writers into the homes of readers across Texas and the country.

The mission of the San Antonio Book Festival (SABF) is to unite readers and writers in a celebration of ideas, books, libraries and literary culture. SABF was first presented in April 2013. Founding partners include the San Antonio Public Library, the Southwest School of Art, the San Antonio Public Library Foundation and Texas Book Festival. This “Fiesta for the mind” is a gift to visitors and the citizens of San Antonio, free and open to all.

“While the uncertainty of the coming months drove our decision, we are embracing the potential to reach a wider audience and elevate the Book Festival’s reputation on a national scale. Are we disappointed? Of course. It’s another year that we don’t get to celebrate books in person with our Festival friends. But the safety of our attendees, writers, moderators, and volunteers is our first priority. If we have to be virtual, we’re focusing on ways to make the online experience as close to the real thing as we can.” – Lilly Gonzalez, SABF’s executive director.

‘Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption’ now available as stand alone novel

‘Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption’ by Stephen King is now available as a stand alone novel. Photo: amazon

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes “If It Bleeds,” “The Institute,” “Elevation,” “The Outsider,” “Sleeping Beauties” (cowritten with his son Owen King) and the Bill Hodges trilogy: “End of Watch,” “Finders Keepers” and “Mr. Mercedes” (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and an AT&T Audience Network original television series). His novel “11/22/63” was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times’ Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works “The Dark Tower,” “It,” “Pet Sematary” and “Doctor Sleep” are the basis for major motion pictures, with “It” now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. His many accolades include the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Stephen King’s beloved novella, “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,” the basis for the Best Picture Academy Award nominee The Shawshank Redemption about an unjustly imprisoned convict who seeks a strangely satisfying revenge, is now available for the first time as a standalone book.
 (Simon & Schuster, 2020)

A mesmerizing tale of unjust imprisonment and offbeat escape, “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption” is one of Stephen King’s most beloved and iconic stories and it helped make Castle Rock a place readers would return to over and over again. Suspenseful, mysterious and heart-wrenching, this iconic King novella, populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, is about a fiercely compelling convict named Andy Dufresne who is seeking his ultimate revenge. Originally published in 1982 in the collection “Different Seasons” (alongside “The Body,” “Apt Pupil” and “The Breathing Method”), it was made into the film The Shawshank Redemption in 1994. Starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. This modern classic was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and is among the most beloved films of all time.