Four book-to-film adaptations won Oscars at the 84th Academy Awards after a slew of nominations for 13 adaptations. Hugo was the big winner, which was nominated for 11 Oscars and won five.
Oscar winners
Hugo based on The Invention of Hugo Cabretby Brian Selznick (Scholastic) won Academy Awards in several categories. Awards included Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing , Best Sound Mixing, Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects.Nominations included Best Picture, Best Director (Martin Scorsese), Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Music Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Descendants,based on the novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings (Vintage), won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The screenplay was written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.The film was also nominated for Best picture, Best Actor (George Clooney, who played Matt King), Best Director and Best Film Editing.
The Help based on the novel of the same name by Kathryn Stockett (Penguin)was awarded Best Supporting Actress to Octavia Spencer for her role as Minny Jackson.Nominations included Best Picture, Best Actress (Viola Davis as Aibileen Clark), Best Supporting Actress (Jessica Chastain as Celia Foote).
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the US film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson (Quercus), won the award for Best Film Editing.Nominations for the film included Best Actress (Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander), Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.
War Horse, based both on the novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo (HarperCollins) and the stage adaptation, was nominated for Best Picture (Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy), Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score (John Williams), Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing.
Moneyball, based on Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis (W W Norton) was nominated for Best Picture (Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt), Best Actor (Brad Pitt as Billy Beane), Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill as Peter Brand), Best Film Editing, Sound Mixing and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer (Penguin), was nominated for Best Picture (Scott Rudin) and Best Supporting Actor (Max von Sydow as The Renter)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, based on the novel by John le Carré (Hodder), was nominated for Best Actor (Gary Oldman as George Smiley), Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Albert Nobbs, based on the novel by George Moore (Penguin US), was nominated for Best Actress (Glenn Close as Albert Nobbs), Best Supporting Actress (Janet McTeer as Hubert Page) and Best Makeup.
My Week with Marilyn, based on The Prince, The Showgirl and Me and My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark (Perseus), was nominated for Best Actress (Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe) and Best Supporting Actor (Kenneth Brangah as Laurence Olivier).
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2, based on the novel by J K Rowling (Bloomsbury), was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup.
Jane Eyre based on the novel by Charlotte Brontë (various imprints), was nominated for Best Costume Design. Drive based on the novel by James Sallis (No Exit Press), was nominated for Best Sound Editing.
Sanna Nyblad is an intern at Bookseller+Publisher.
Norwegian crime novelist Jo Nesbø is currently touring Australia and New Zealand. His latest book is Phantom (Harvill Secker) starring police detective Harry Hole. (Warning: this interview contains some colourful language.)
What was the defining book of your childhood?
I never judge a book by the publicity spin that accompanies it. This one came with the line: ‘for readers of Jonathan Safran Foer and Craig Silvey’. Given the story concerns an 11-year-old boy, I rolled my eyes at the lazy marketing hook. Set in 1959 and narrated by an unnamed boy, the story opens on the day of his twin brother’s funeral. A year later we find him exploring the streets and lanes near his Richmond home. Inspired by his heroes from comic books, radio and TV serials, he fancies himself a brave explorer, which leads him to witness a brutal murder. He decides to map his travels in order to avoid the murder house, but as his travels widen, his adventures grow more dangerous. To combat his rising fear he creates an unflappable alter-ego: The Cartographer. Our hero is an amusing and likeable character, his speech littered with racetrack phrasing and noir references. He is supported by an eclectic and intriguing cast of characters, no more so than his wheeling, dealing grandfather. So I was wrong about the marketing hook. If, like me, you enjoyed Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, you are going to want to read this book, as I suspect a lot of people will.
CIA-trained assassin Mitch Rapp has been working through a list to eliminate the men responsible for the slaughter of 270 civilians. But, the hunted men become aware that someone is hunting them and soon set a trap that finds Rapp wounded and fighting for his life, out of the control of his CIA handlers. 
Susan Orlean explores the idea of heroism in 
What I like best about this novel is that it is an adventure story that encapsulates both a physical and spiritual journey. In the beginning we meet a confused and depressed young woman, Fern, who seems to have an extreme case of the ‘teenage blues’. She has withdrawn from the world and refuses to leave her attic for months on end. Eventually she tries to run away, but she can’t outrun the frightening dreams and disturbing visions that haunt her. With the help of friends from both the physical and metaphysical world, Fern embarks on a journey that takes her from the streets of Sydney to the Tasmanian wilderness, where she will confront her past and lay her demons to rest. This is Rosie Dub’s second novel (Gathering Storm was published in 2008), and while it’s not the most suspenseful thriller I’ve read this year, it does get rather spooky in parts. Dub’s approach to the genre is interesting and original. Her writing is detailed and descriptive, with some startling contrasts between the ordinary and extraordinary. While this book is pitched at an adult readership, it will also appeal to mature YA readers.
In Alain de Botton’s 
Adelaide Writers’ Week is just around the corner (3-8 March). Eloise Keating spoke to new director Laura Kroetsch about her first festival, her favourite sessions and the themes behind this year’s program.
Losing Turtle is a younger reader novel containing three stories, all revolving around the character of Sam, his family and friends. In the first story, ‘Losing Turtle’, Sam has to cope with feeling embarrassed about a jumper with a turtle motif that his Gran has made for him. In ‘Top Secret’, we see him trying to invent the ultimate birthday present for his dad and causing chaos by mistake. The third story, ‘Scrambled Eggs’, catches Sam at his culinary worst trying to make supper for himself and his injured Gran. Although each story is different there is continuity of setting and characters, as well as all of the elements of a great younger reader novel. Adrienne Frater’s stories are told with warmth and humour and there are some lovely messages contained within. Frater really captures the child readers’ enthusiasm and curiosity for the world around them which adds a great deal of realism to the stories. The illustrations by Cat Chapman bring the characters to life and complement the text, while appealing very much to the younger reader. Overall this is a good, solid book which should be successful both in retail and educational settings and is a good addition to what can sometimes be an over-supplied and uninspiring section of the market.