Colum McCann’s book Let The Great World Spin has won the National Book Award’s 2009 fiction prize. Colum McCann Let The Great World Spin’s won 60th annual fiction prize last night over Bonnie Jo Campbell’s American Salvage.

McCann’s book is about 1970s New York, Campbell’s work about hard times in Michigan.

In June, Amazon named McCann’s work book of the month for June 2009. Amazon’s Mari Malcolm said of the book “This extraordinary, real-life feat by French funambulist Philippe Petit becomes the touchstone for stories that briefly submerge you in ten varied and intense lives–a street priest … mothers mourning sons lost in war, young artists, a Park Avenue judge. All their lives are ordinary and unforgettable, overlapping at the edges, occasionally converging. And when they coalesce in the final pages, the moment hums with such grace that its memory might tighten your throat weeks later. You might find yourself paused, considering the universe of lives one city contains in any slice of time, each of us a singular world, sometimes passing close enough to touch or collide, to birth a new generation or kill it, sending out ripples, leaving residue, an imprint, marking each other, our city, the very air–compassionately or callously, unable to see all the damage we do or heal. And most of us stumbling, just trying not to trip, or step in something awful.”

Frank McCourt said the book is about today as much as the 1970s.

“Trust me, this is the sort of book that you will take off your shelf over and over again as the years go along. It’s a story of the early 1970s, but it’s also the story of our present times. And it is, in many ways, a story of a moment of lasting redemption even in the face of all the evidence.”

Buy it here

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PHOTO! Here is a picture of the beautiful Nina Muschallik of Saving Private Ryan covered on TV today. Nina Muschallik appeared in Celebrity Fear Factor UK in 2004. She had previously starred as Emma in 2003 tv series Goal.

Nina’s other credits include Dream as Nikki Peggs, Death, Deceit & Destiny Aboard the Orient Express as Polly, High Explosive as Kat Koller, and Guest House Paradiso as the Saucy wood nymph

The British actor born in 1976 appeared in modeling ad campaigns for Pot Noodle advertisements, entitled the “Slag of Snacks”. As a child actor she appeared on ITV series Kappatoo.

Other credits include a Robbie Coltrane’s girl in the James Bond movie The World Is Not Enough.

Nina attended Redroofs Theatre School in Maidenhead, England.

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PHOTOS. Here is a picture of Brooke Phillips of Cathouse found dead last Friday. Brooke Phillips’ death, the star of HBO’s Cathouse and the Bunny Ranch, was broke first on LALATE as caused by a believed house fire in Oklahoma City.

Now reports indicate Phillips’ cause of death was a gun shot wound. A Nov. 13 Medical Examiner’s Office report determined that Brooke Phillips and Milagrous Barrera died of gunshot wounds. Both were 22 and pregnant.

Dennis Hof says of the loss: “That’s terrible, terrible, terrible. We’re sad. It’s been the saddest few days of the 54 years at the BunnyRanch.”

Oklahoma City Police Department’s Gary Knight issued a statement which reads “It’s been determined that one of them, a female, was pregnant at the time of her death which brings the death toll to 5.”

After news of the story first broke, Dennis Hof, owner of the Bunny Ranch in Nevada, told press he employed Brooke Phillips for 2 years, that Brooke left the state because she was pregnant, and that Brooke was moving back to Oklahoma.

The fire struck a rented house taking the lives of 5. They are also asking you to call Crimestoppers at 405 235 7300 if you have any information.

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Question - What is the 1964 movie that used the Syrtaki Dance? The Syrtaki Dance came to fame in what 1964 movie? That is tonight’s movie trivia question.

Do you know the answer?

Syrtaki also spelled Sirtaki is of Greek origin, a combo of slow and fast versions of the hasapiko dance. It derives from the word syrtos, a Greek word referencing the “draggin” style of Cretan ancient dance. It uses both the fast and slow elements.

Syrtaki is mostly done in a line or circle formation, line being the traditional representation. The dance also goes by nicknames the Zorbas, the dance of the Zorba or Zorba’s dance.

With that - do you know the answer? If you guessed the 1964 movie Zorba The Greek, congratulations!

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Chicago Public Schools Board President Michael Scott committed suicide. Michael Scott killed himself in a suicide shot to the head confirm police moments ago.

Michael Scott’s suicide determination comes 24 hours after the Chicago Public Schools head was found dead in the Chicago River.

Here is the latest.

Early Monday Morning, LALATE broke to you that Scott, a second term President, was found in the Chicago River. Police said the body found in the Chicago River near Merchandise Mart was Scott. Scott’s blue Cadillac was found near the river.

Now moments ago investigators confirm Scott shot himself riverside after parking his Cadillac near bye. Scott was 60 years old, last seen 6:30 pm Sunday.

Scott recently spoke about his job to the Chicago Tribune:

“This is a really interesting job, for which you get no pay. You are always second-guessed and questioned. But you always as best as you can make those decisions that you believe are in the best interests of schoolchildren.”

Scott was appointed back to Chicago Public Schools Board president after Mayor Daley fired Rufus Williams.

Rev. Jesse Jackson issued the following statement also:

“I’m stunned. Michael was so effervescent. [He] always had a capacity to solve problems, that’s why people leaned on him. Everyone felt Michael was their guy.”

“I am stunned beyond disbelief. What a Monday morning to wake up to. The suddenness of it … midday has become midnight. The sun has been eclipsed.”

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger issued the following statement:

“My wife and I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Michael Scott. Mr. Scott was a strong advocate for education. His contributions to the minority communities of Cook County will be sorely missed. In particular, his love for the upward mobility of residents from Chicago’s Westside where he spent his life.”

Send your love.

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Tonight starts the Meteor Shower for November 2009. The Meteor Shower for November 2009 starts at 4 a.m. EST 1 a.m. PST Tuesday morning.

Set your alarm clocks 4 a.m.. EST 1 a.m. PST Tuesday morning is the peak period to see this November Meteor Shower - the 2009 Leonid Meteor Shower.

Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office explains the excitement:

“A remarkable feature of this year’s shower is that Leonids will appear to be shooting almost directly out of the planet Mars.”

“We’re predicting 20 to 30 meteors per hour over the Americas, and as many as 200 to 300 per hour over Asia

“We can predict when Earth will cross a debris stream with pretty good accuracy. The intensity of the display is less certain, though, because we don’t know how much debris is in each stream.”

“Even if rates are only half … it would still be one of the best showers of the year.”

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What time is the 2009 Leonid Meteor Shower? Peak time for the 2009 Leonid Meteor Shower starts Tuesday.

The peak period to see the shower is 4 a.m. EST 1 a.m. PST Tuesday morning. Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office says you will have about 1 hour to observe in the U.S.

“We’re predicting 20 to 30 meteors per hour over the Americas, and as many as 200 to 300 per hour over Asia

“We can predict when Earth will cross a debris stream with pretty good accuracy. The intensity of the display is less certain, though, because we don’t know how much debris is in each stream.”

“A remarkable feature of this year’s shower is that Leonids will appear to be shooting almost directly out of the planet Mars.”

“Even if rates are only half …  it would still be one of the best showers of the year.”

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