Books have many benefits for us – leisure, education, business, and even a way of sharing stories with other people. See what the books of today have brought us with our stories in store for you:

• Start off the week with a fresh list of USA Today’s top picks, from John Grisham to Emma Donoghue. See their full list from this post.
• Jamie Stengle’s report talks about the presidential pets who not only impacted the way White House life has become, but also made it into the latest coffee table book.
• Jenna Milly’s post shares Stephenie Meyer’s latest thoughts on the probability of having another Twilight book in the future.
• Matthew Albright’s post discusses the gift of books and reading, and how celebrity Dolly Parton has found a way to help kids receive their share of literature for free.
• Aviva Truffield’s opinion page tackles the existence of “overlooking” women’s books by the male readers. Is it a sexist thing or an inevitable part of a non-ideal world?
• Finally, we talk about the importance of reading from an early age up until adulthood. How big is the impact of reading to our daily lives? Read more from our commentary “The Gift of Reading.”

My father once told me that the best gift you can give to anybody is education. This speaks to parents and their children, and to many other cases, such as non-profit organizations and youth programs. Being able to read and write are the most basic elements in becoming an educated person, which by today’s societal standards is pretty important. Education is one of the pillars of a person’s background that is required by most companies and employers. The ability to read is also just as essential in the most practical of applications in daily life – from ordering food to traveling to reading the morning paper, and so on.

Needless to say, reading is a skill, a privilege, and a gift. This is probably the best gift that celebrity turned advocate Dolly Parton had in mind when she started her program, called the Imagination Library. The program accepts monetary support from locals which in the end is utilized to provide books to kids of all ages, whatever their status in life is. Parton’s movement has helped a great deal in – and is continuing to –  giving kids a headstart with their reading skills even before they enter kindergarten.

Read more of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library from Matthew Albright’s post.

It is unfortunate to hear that books authored by female writers are often “overlooked” by male readers – sometimes, even subconsciously. The fact that there are literary awards exclusively for women says so much. Kate Grenville shares her sentiments about this truth in a non-idealistic world for women. Read more from Aviva Truffield’s opinion page.

Dolly Parton isn’t just a celebrity and renowned musician – she is also a kindred spirit. Her program, the Imagination Library – was created to give books to children for free. Donations are accepted from locals who are willing to pay for the books. The program is very helpful in giving kids a kickstart on reading even before entering kindergarten. Read more from Matthew Albright’s post.

The last book from the Twilight series may have been read by all the fans, and the final movie may be showing in a week’s time, but the whole experience may not be ending just yet. Author Stephenie Meyer says that there is a possibility for more Twilight books in the future. As for the date, Meyer is keeping fans on their toes, but one thing is for sure – it’s not any day too soon. Read  the full details from Jenna Milly’s post for Entertainment Weekly.

In a new coffee table book, the lives of presidential pets are revealed. How much do the royal pets affect the lives of the first family and others who reside in the White House? And just why did President Bush sent a note to his staff asking them to stop feeding Ranger? Find out more in Jamie Stengle’s report.

Here are this week’s top picks for all book lovers to enjoy: Astray by Emma Donoghue, The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro, The Racketeer by John Grisham, Mrs. Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn, and Marvel Comics: The Untold Story by Sean Howe. USA Today gives comments and recommendations in their post.

It’s a new month, and we’ve got plenty of new articles for November. Everything from why books are disappearing to how to earn some cash from your very own audio book business. Don’t be shy, check some of them out!

• Jeffery Brown talks about a childhood favorite and his journey to meeting the author that influenced his writings:  “Cartoonist talks about his favorite children’s book.”
• Want to earn some cash? Learn about how to start your own audio book rental business! Tap into the audio book market here: “How to start an audio-book rental business.”
• Books are disappearing. Technology is taking over. Is this the end of the world or a new beginning? Or both? Find out more at: “Books: the ultimate vanishing species.”
• Looking for a cozy mystery to snuggle up with? Well, you won’t find any luck here. Check out some mysteries that are bad to the bone here: “Books to die for.”
• Voting starts . . . now! No, not for the presidential election. For the Goodreads Choice Awards. Learn more at: “Goodreads launches its 2012 awards.”
• Last, but certainly not least, we have an in depth article about The Case of the Vanishing Books– a study in the gradual changes our society is making.

No, it’s not the next cheap mystery novel. This is an actual phenomenon that’s happening today – books are gradually disappearing. It’s happening slowly (a sudden change would be far too obvious) but it’s definitely happening. Who’s the culprit? What’s his or her motive?

Technology is taking over. And why not? It’s efficient, it’s time-saving, it’s easier. But is easier always better? You’ll hear different opinions from different people. On the one hand, easier is . . . well . . . easier! On the other hand, it comes at a price.

‘lol u fnny xD’ This kind of text is extremely common. Abbreviations, misspellings, awful grammar, and, of course, the smiley face. It wouldn’t be a text without the smiley face. Is this really an improvement over face-to-face, deep discussions? Books force our minds to stay focused and think about what’s happening in the story. People actually talk in books. Time-consuming, I know. In today’s culture, books are just too much. Every one’s so busy texting, browsing Facebook and Twitter, and watching TV, that books are really a bit of a chore.

So, what’s the solution? Or is this really a problem? It’s hard to give an answer to either question. The march of progress must continue – but sometimes it feels like we’re heading the opposite direction. Read another opinion on this sad change here.