Beah’s book isn’t in stores here yet, so none of us can review it. But the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has posted on its site http: http://www.wagingpeace.org/ an essay the Beah wrote as a high school student about his experiences as a child soldier. It’s poignant. And while Albom is writing at a third-grade level, Beah was writing seven years ago (when he wrote the essay) at the level of grade 7.5. I’ve put up a brief post about this on One-Minute Book Reviews.

Starbucks didn’t explain its decision to show Albom the door. But Entertainment Weekly magazine recently named “For One More Day” one of the five worst books published in 2006. Also on the list: Thomas Harris’s “Hannibal Rising” and the latest book by Paul Burrell, butler to Diana, Princess of Wales. You can read list and descriptions of the five worst books on http: http://www.ew.com/, the Entertainment Weekly site.

In many of its stores in Scotland, and I think around England, too, Starbucks has indeed forged links with local writers, artists and photographers to give a more individual look to the stores. It is up to the individual store manager to submit ideas and then the “head office” in the UK has to give its approval.

In my case, when Starbucks re-fit its flagship store on Princes Street in Edinburgh, the manager approached me to ask for ideas and I suggested a collage with my book covers and sample manuscript and journal pages. I worked with the designer on various drafts, with my comments being incorporated; in the end, Starbucks decided to make a permanent mural from the collage.

The funny thing for me being “local” and have written parts of four books in Edinburgh cafés, I’m still not considered a Scottish or even a British author. This is after 17 years living here including kids born in Edinburgh and sporting strong Scottish accents. It’s true that parts of my books have been written on the road in Russia, Argentina, Japan, France, usually in cafés. I suppose I will always be called an American-Canadian writer but really I have become a sort of international citizen specializing in café culture…

The Albom story has an interesting dimension that relates to the U.K. In the States, Albom’s “For One More Day” is the ONLY book sold in Starbucks coffee shops. (Disheartening, isn’t it?) Starbucks shops the U.K. apparently have the freedom to make their own decisions about about promoting books and are doing are better job of it.

Take, for example, the flagship Starbucks on Princes Street in Edinburgh (the one that’s upstairs and overlooks Princes Gardens). This Starbucks has put up a handsome display about the acclaimed science writer Erich Hoyt, who lives in an Edinburgh suburb. Hoyt has won many awards for his books about whales, dolphins, and other sea creatures, including the 2002 “Outstanding Book of the Year Award” from the American Society of Journalists and Authors for “Creatures of the Deep” (Firefly). Think of how much good the U.S. Starbucks shops could do if each honored an author like Hoyt instead of Albom!

You can learn more about the Edinburgh Starbucks display by going to Hoyt’s Web site, http://www.erichhoyt.com/, and clicking on the link that says “Cafes and Libraries.” I will also encourage Erich to post a comment on BookInfo.Net about his experiences with Starbucks.

Early in 2007, I will post on One-Minute Book Reviews names of the finalists for the site’s Delete Key Awards (for authors who aren’t using their delete keys enough), which will recognize some of the worst writing published in the U.S. in 2006. Dare I say that Albom has a head start on making the short list?

But you are so kind! Not to mention courageous to make it through my ridiculously long-winded posts. I’m so glad you enjoy them.

This is one of the wittiest publishing blogs I’ve come across, and since it’s mostly writers and editors behind those sites’ keyboards, you’re in good company.