On the Books: Pat Conroy wants film adaptation of memoir

Who does Pat Conroy have in mind to star in a film adaptation of his memoir? Which books will be given away for World Book Night? Who’s on all the shortlists? Answers to those and more top headlines below:

Author Pat Conroy, whose novel The Great Santini was adapted into a 1979 film starring Robert Duvall, is offering his latest memoir’s film rights “for “free” to Duvall. The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son will be published Oct 29. [USA Today]

The third annual World Book Night will feature 25 books including Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Maria Semple’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette. The event, to be held on April 23, 2014, will promote reading by giving away 500,000 free books across the country. [World Book Night]

Awards news: The shortlist for this year’s TS Eliot Prize has been announced. The winner will receive £15,000 and will be announced Jan. 13, 2014. [The Telegraph]

…And more awards news: The shortlist for this year’s Roald Dahl Funny Prize was also released this morning — the winner is chosen based on votes from children in schools across the U.K. and a panel of experts. [The Telegraph]

Back in the States, the Texas Book Festival, to be held this weekend, has been criticized for its lack of diversity. The festival Literary Director Steph Opitz responded Tuesday, saying “I, too, am disappointed that there is not more diversity in this year’s line-up.” [LA Times]

On to the must-reads for today: Haruki Murakami published a new short story in The New Yorker. [The New Yorker]

The New Republic has a fascinating profile of Jeremie Ruby-Strauss, a Simon & Schuster editor who tackles the lowbrow titles at the publishing house, including books by Snooki and a Real Housewife of Beverly Hills. [The New Republic]

A previously unpublished story by Flannery O’Connor has been released. [The Atlantic]