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Sure, it's not as bad as the year-end glut, but the awards-season is still generating its share of to-read lists. (The Oregon Book Award nominees are here, if you missed 'em.) The National Book Critics Circle just announced its 2012 nominees, which include Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (I was apparently the only book critic in the country who couldn't finish this book), Zadie Smith's impressive-but-frustrating NW, Lydia Millet's Magnificence (could someone infect me with the flu again so i have time to stay home and read this? Thanks in advance), and Katherine Boo's great Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity.

Media Bistro has kindly compiled the nominees with links to excerpts, if you want to check them out. (It's odd seeing a nominee or best-of list that doesn't have Cheryl Strayed's name on it.)

Speaking of books: There's a great reading at Powell's tonight with Dan DeWeese (we reviewed his book Disorder here) and Michael Heald (his Goodbye to the Nervous Apprehension is reviewed here), publishers of Propeller Books and Perfect Day Publishing, respectively. That's 7:30 pm at the downtown store.