Bible is America's favorite book

When it comes to literary pursuits in the United States most people agree on at least one thing -- the most popular book is the Bible, according to a new survey.

It came in first in a Harris Poll of nearly 2,513 adults but the second choice in the survey was not as clear cut.

"While the Bible is number one among each of the different demographic groups, there is a large difference in the number two favorite book," Harris said in a statement announcing the results.

Men chose J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" and women selected Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind" as their second-favorite book, according to the online poll.

But the second choice for 18- to 31-year-olds was J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, while 32- to 43-year-olds named Stephen King's "The Stand" and Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons."

Picks for second-favorite book also varied according to region. "Gone With the Wind" was number two in the southern and midwestern United States while easterners chose "The Lord of the Rings" and westerners opted for "The Stand."

Whites and Hispanics picked "Gone With the Wind" as their second-favorite book after the Bible, while African-Americans preferred "Angels and Demons."

"Finally, they may not agree on candidates, but one thing that brings together partisans is their favorite book. For Republicans, Democrats and Independents, the top two books are the same -- the Bible followed by "Gone With the Wind."

Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code," "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown, "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand and "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger rounded out the top 10 favorites.

Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited.

Pulitzers

Fiction
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz

History
What Hath God Wrought: the Transformation of America, 1815-1848, by Daniel Walker Howe

Biography
Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father, by John Matteson

Poetry
Time and Materials, by Robert Hass and Failure, by Philip Schultz

General Nonfiction
The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945, by Saul Friedlander

Tracy Letts won the drama prize for August: Osage County and Bob Dylan was given a special citation in music.

Laurie R. King Gives Books to Libraries!

In a celebration of National Library Week in mid-April, the Laurie R. King web site is giving away--to libraries--fifteen sets of the gorgeous Picador trade paperback editions of the first four novels in her Mary Russell series: The Beekeeper's Apprentice (included in the 100 favorite mysteries of the 20th century by the IMBA), A Monstrous Regiment of Women, A Letter of Mary , and The Moor. Readers of Laurie's blog and Virtual Book Club are being urged to nominate libraries, but there's no reason libraries can't nominate themselves.

Anyone interested should send their favorite library's name and address to info@laurierking.com with the subject: Libraries. The deadline for entering is April 15 at midnight, Pacific time, and the drawing will be conducted the next day.