Now that Dan Brown has successfully defended himself against a copyright suit in a London court, the juggernaut that is The Da Vinci Code continues on, with the movie set to open in May. The paperback is now out, but it seems like everyone has already read the book in hardcover, so why bother?

The Da Vinci phenomenon has resulted in a whole new literary genre encompassing both fiction and nonfiction. Among the fiction titles out now are The Last Templar (Raymond Khoury), The Templar Legacy (Steve Barry), The Secret Supper (Javier Sierra), and Labyrinth (Kate Mosse). On the non-fiction side, Holy Blood; Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln is back on the bestseller list. These are the authors who brought the complaint against Dan Brown, and their book, originally published in 1983, is selling more now than it did the first time out—so there really were no losers in the lawsuit. Other non-fiction titles include What Jesus Meant, from the brilliant and analytical mind of Garry Wills, and Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why by Brad D. Ehrman. Even that outrageous social satirist, George Carlin, has gotten in on the act, with When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops. These titles barely scratch the surface of all the new books about Jesus, the Templars, Judas and other arcane matters related to Christianity.

Pleasures and Delights

For those who love food and travel, Frances Mayes offers A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller. In a similar vein, Alex Prud'Homme completes the memoir of his great aunt, the late Julia Child, in My Life in France. The Book Club Cook Book by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp features recipes and food references in 100 book club selections, ranging from honey cakes from The Secret Life of Bees to ambrosia from To Kill A Mockingbird. Yum!

Stephanie Laurens sets her latest Cynster novel (What Price Love?) In the world of thoroughbred racing in the 1830s. Coming up soon are books from well-established authors like James Patterson (Beach Road) and Patricia Cornwell (At Risk). There will be plenty of diverting books to savor as summer approaches, but for a more serious read, try Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson—a story of real-life pursuit better than any movie.

Regardless of Age

There are some books that adults and younger readers alike can enjoy (and not just Harry Potter fans.) Among these are Flyte: Septimus Heap Book Two by Angie Sage, illustrated by Mark Zug. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is certain to become a classic, and has already received rave reviews from The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Library Journal, Publishers Weekly and more.

Prehistorica: Sharks and Other Sea Monsters continues the trend of extraordinary pop-up books by the grand masters of them all, Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart. In their latest, the prehistoric underwater world comes vividly alive.

Younger readers will also enjoy Night of the New Magicians, #35 in the Magic Tree House series, and Junie B., First Grader: Aloha-Ha-Ha. Kate DiCamillo gives us Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, due out mid-May, and of course, there's the ever-popular Walter, who makes another appearance in Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise. Children simply love these books by Glenn Murray.