--HARRY POTTER MANIA! I took my two teenage sons to buy Harry Potter and the Half Blood prince last night. HUGE mob scene at the popular local new bookstore. They gave out numbers and warned us that we might not be able to buy two books because we hadn't reserved the book ahead of time. It was great to see so many people excited about a new book coming out. Lots of kids in costumes, and adults browsing and buying other books in addition to Harry Potter. I don't spend much time in new bookstores these days so I had a chance to actually browse some new novels.. always fun.

I predict that THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova is the next blockbuster... but that's probably old news to many readers here.