BACK • LIST (n.): A book published over one year ago.

The Secret of Childhood, by Maria Montessori

Today is famed childrens education specialist Maria Montessori's birthday. While Maria has written several books on educating children, we've selected her seminal work, The Secret of Childhood. Originally published in 1936, The Secret of Childhood has led a radical revolution in the concepts that guided teaching kids.

Transformation, by Mary Shelley

Today is the great gothic writer Mary Shelley's birthday. While everyone knows Shelley as the author of the wonderfully macabre Frankenstein, she also wrote a lesser-known short gothic novel called Transformation, our pick for today's backlist book of the day.

Preston Sturges by Preston Sturges: His Life in His Own Words, by Preston Sturges

In continuing with our birthday extravaganza, we've selected Preston Sturges by Preston Sturges: His Life in His Own Words, by Preston Sturges because today is Sturges' birthday! Sturges wrote and directed Sullivan's Travels and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, two fims that are considered among the funniest films every made.

Great Short Works of Leo Tolstoy, by Leo Tolstoy

While people have heard of Anna Karenina and War and Peace, few have read Tolstoy's shorter fiction. On today, Leo Tolstoy's birthday, we've selected Great Short Works of Leo Tolstoy.

LBJ: Architect of American Ambition, by Randall B. Woods

Today is President Lyndon B. Johnson's birthday and to celebrate the occasion we've selected LBJ: Architect of American Ambition, by Randall B. Woods. There are lots of great books about LBJ, but we chose this one because President Johnson looks like he's laying down some law on the cover and that's pretty sweet.

A Single Man, by Christopher Isherwood

In keeping with our birthday theme, we've selected A Single Man, by Christopher Isherwood for today, the author's birthday! This short novel garnered fantastic reviews from numerous sources and is Isherwood's personal favorite of all the novels he's written!

Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll

Since Tim Burton's re-make of the classic "Alice in Wonderland" is set to hit theatres soon AND today is his birthday, we've selected Alice in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll.

Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card

Today we've elected the young adult, science-fiction classic, Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card in commemoration of the authors birthday. Decades before Harry Potter, Six-year-old Ender Wiggam is thrust into military training in hopes that he will grow up to become the commander Earth needs to stop the invading "Buggers." This epic novel, the first of a four book series, introduced countless young readers to science fiction and thrilling, multi-book adventure series'.

The Naked Roommate, by Harlan Cohen

It's off to college or back to college time for a lot of young people this time of year, so what better way to re-induct them into college life than with the book The Naked Roommate, by Harlan Cohen. Cohen discusses a variety of things students will encounter or be faced with in college from laundry to homesickness to drinking to STDs. This is a hilarious book that's good for anyone who doesn't quite know what they're getting into when they leave for college (everyone leaving for college).

Meet the Pink Panther, by Hope Freleng Shaw

Today is Friz Freleng's birthday, animator of several Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies cartoons, and the producer and creator of the animated Pink Panther film intro sequences.To celebrate Freleng's iconic Pink Panther animation, we have selected Meet the Pink Panther, by Hope Freleng Shaw .