Best Books of August

Every month, out of the endless stream of new books that flows through our cubicles, our editors choose a favourite few to feature on our Best of the Month page. In the spotlight for August: The Night of the Gun, New York Times reporter David Carr's riveting debut memoir.

• The Significant Seven: The Night of the Gun | The 19th Wife | Clawing at the Limits of Cool | Coventry | Can You Ever Forgive Me? | The Killing Circle | What Happened to Anna K.

›See all the Best Books of August

Top 10 Popular Pre-orders in Books

Browse the top 10 titles that have eager readers counting the days in anticipation--our most popular pre-orders. Topping this week's list are J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard and Christopher Paolini's Brisingr, the third volume in the acclaimed Inheritance series.

›See all top 10 most popular pre-orders

China Takes Centre Stage

As the Summer Games unfold, the eyes of the world turn to China, gracious and controversial host--and emerging world power. Explore the fascinating history and modern-day culture of this complex country and revisit Olympics past with these featured titles, including Simon Winchester's fantastic biography of The Man Who Loved China; Wei Zhang's award-winning novel, The Ancient Ship; and Olympic Dreams, Guoqi Xu's hundred-year history of sports in China, culminating in the 2008 Olympics.

›See more featured books on China and the Summer Games