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Google Doodle lets you play all day

Today's Goodle Doodle honors the birthday of Robert Moog, the engineering genius and music pioneer who brought us the synthesizer. It's one of those super-creative doodles, allowing you to play...

Great Gatsby trailer promises greatness

The trailer for "The Great Gatsby," Baz Luhrmann's new adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's...

What to Expect movie reviews

The reviews are lukewarm at best for "What to Expect When You're Expecting,"

Baltimore 365: A year in pictures

Pictures: Atomic Books through the years

Darkroom: Sowebo Festival through the years

If you're in the market for a home with a literary heritage -- and have a few million dollars to spend -- check out this English estate that once was the home of Christopher Milne (1920-96), who was immortalized in the Winnie the Pooh books.

Book art for your wall

I'm always interested in finding new ways to use books as art -- whether it's creating a spectrum from shelved books or recycling books as craft projects. Here's another: Litographs, colorful wall prints that incorporate the words of Moby Dick and other classics into designs.

Top baby names have literary theme

Twilight continued its influence on the top baby names in 2011, as Jacob was the most popular name for boys, and Isabella was #2 for girls. Sophia captured the top spot for girls, according to the Social Security Administration -- a nod, perhaps to "Tom Jones"," or a twist on "Sophie's Choice"? Next year I have my money on variations of Katniss, Gale and Peeta.

Harry Potter novels available for loan via Kindle

Harry Potter novels will be available through the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, Amazon said today, in announcing a deal with J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore website. announced today.

Maurice Sendak dead at 83

The death of Maurice Sendak, author of "Where the Wild Things Are" and other wonderful children's books, is a great loss for children's literature. His books, which included "In the Night Kitchen," "Alligators All Around," and the Little Bear books, were favorite reads for my children. Each one carried just the right tone of whimsy, and the illustrations had a classic beauty.

Madeleine Albright sheds light on long-hidden family secrets

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will be at the Enoch Pratt library's main branch on Thursday to discuss her new memoir, "Prague Winter," which delves into a family background that had been shielded from her for decades.

The Free World -- 60-second review

My book club, which focuses on works with a Jewish theme, is reading "The Free World" by David Bezmozgis. It was one of the better novels we've read, though it conntinued a common theme of a rootless people looking for a safe haven.

Free Comic Book Day on Saturday

There must be some sort of cosmic alignment this weekend, because just as "The Avengers" movie is released, Free Comic Book Day is upon us. I don't read comics often anymore, but I have fond memories of my parents buying a bunch for me and my sister for our two-hour family trips from Connecticut to New York. I was a super-hero fan; she leaned toward Archie. We sometimes read while curled up on the floor of the family's massive Chevrolet, in the pre-seatbelt days. (Don't try this at home.)

Avengers movie reviews

Early reviews for "The Avengers" movie are in, and the adaptation of comic book super-heroes appears to promise non-stop action, surrounding sub-plots of intrugue. I always considered the Marvel grab bag as B-list superheroes, trailing well behind Batman and Superman. But the group, which includes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America, has developed into movie powerhouse. Here are excerpts from some reviews of the movie, which will be widely released Friday.

May Day books

May Day (May 1) seems a bit old-fashioned these days, as union membership is squeezed, but it recounts the bitter fight for organized labor in American and around the world. Much of that fight traces back to Baltimore in 1866, when trade union representatives created the National Labor Union, which advocated for an eight-hour workday. That issue became the centerpiece of May Day demonstrations in the United States and around the world, politicizing a day that had previously marked the coming of spring.

Barnes & Noble, Microsoft team up behind Nook

Barnes & Noble has teamed up with Microsoft to create a powerful competitor to the Amazon Kindle -- setting up a mano a mano battle for dominance of the e-reader market. The deal is built around the Barnes & Noble Nook and related digital business.

Save the date: Baltimore Reads donation day

Want to do a good deed -- and clean out those books lying around the house? Head to the parking lot of Poly-Western High School next Saturday, May 5, as Baltimore Reads holds its annual Books for Kids Day.

Testimony at Johns Edwards trial recalls The Politician

A storm of recriminations and denials followed the publication of "The Politician," but the testimony inJohn Edwards' criminal trial reads like the book's key chapters.

Edgar Allan Poe to get new statue in Boston

Boston may be slipping ahead in the Edgar Allan Poe arms race -- the city is preparing for a new bronze statue to honor the great author, even as Baltimore struggles to preserve his former home.

Baltimore's Lia Purpura awarded Guggenheim fellowship

Congratulations to Baltimore author Lia Purpura, winner of a prestigious Guggenheim fellowship.

Dave Rosenthal came to The Baltimore Sun as a business reporter in 1987 and now is the Maryland Editor. He reads a wide range of books (but never as many as he'd like), usually alternating between non-fiction and fiction. Some all-time favorites: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole; Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupery; and anything by Calvin Trillin or John McPhee. He belongs to a book club with a Jewish theme.

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