ShelfLife@Texas

Oscar Casares’ novel, “Amigoland,” (2009, Little, Brown) is the ninth annual official selection of the Mayor’s Book Club. The selection was announced at a press conference held by Mayor Lee Leffingwell on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at City Hall in downtown Austin.

Casares was in attendance during the announcement. His novel, set on the South Texas-Mexico border, is the story of estranged brothers Don Fidencio Rosales, nearly 92 years old, and Don Celestino, 20 years his junior. Celestino finds himself involved with…

Mayor Will Wynn has chosen “The Septembers of Shiraz” (HarperCollins, 2008) by Dalia Sofer for the 2009 Mayor’s Book Club. The club is cosponsored by the Austin Public Library and the Humanities Institute at The University of Texas at Austin.

Sofer’s debut novel is based on her childhood in Iran during the revolution and flight from the country after her father was imprisoned. It was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year for 2008.

The Humanities Institute invites all of…