THE empire strikes back — as it always does. 

Lily And The Octopus is a moving story of Ted, a gay man living in California with the love of his life, Lily the sausage dog.

TriPlay today launched eStories to offer audiobook fans an alternative to Amazon’s dominance with Audible.

EVERY friendship has its share of give and take. 

FOR 20 years Connie Diamond has been playing second fiddle to her husband, Jimmy, his career — and his desire for other women.

FUCHSPRELLEN is the inspiration for Edward Brooke-Hitching’s first book. 

George Mitchell’s life and career epitomise the American dream but it was his perception and patience that made it a great success, discovers Ryle T Dwyer.

ON his 18th birthday, Wilfred Truly, better known to everyone he’s ever met as Wolf, takes the tramcar up a southern California mountain with the intention of hiking off trail and leaping to his death from Angel Peak. 

Following the success of the big-screen adaptation of Lisa Genova’s debut novel, Still Alice — an exploration of Alzheimer’s disease — the Harvard-educated neuroscientist’s fourth novel, Inside The O’Briens, cements her reputation. 

Media columnist David Carr — who wrote the Media Equation column for The New York Times and penned a memoir about his fight with drug addiction — collapsed at his office and died on Thursday. He was 58.

Majella O’Donnell is still catching up with herself. First there was the shock of the breast cancer diagnosis in 2013. 

Majella O’Donnell kept the contents of her book a secret from singer husband Daniel.

Majella O’Donnell will tell of her struggles with marriage break-up, crippling depression, and breast cancer in a "searingly moving" autobiography to be published next month.

As Hillary Clinton’s long-awaited book is finally about to be released, Bette Browne reveals why Chelsea is emerging as the power behind the throne.

Hillary Clinton’s upcoming book will be called Hard Choices, a title that reflects how the potential 2016 presidential candidate may try to define her record as president Barack Obama’s secretary of state while she considers another White House campaign.

Thrillers

THERE is a quiet revolution in the US, prompted by the recession: well-educated and smart young women are embracing domesticity, according to a new book, Homeward Bound, by Emily Matchar.

This week's book reviews in brief

Apple goes to trial today over allegations by US federal and state authorities that it conspired with publishers to raise the price of e-books.

The Storyteller

Hillary Clinton, already the frontrunner in the minds of many Democrats for the 2016 US presidential election, is writing a memoir about world affairs and her time as secretary of state. The news will likely fuel more speculation about her political future.

HarperCollins owner News Corporation is reportedly readying a £1bn (€1.24bn) offer for Penguin in an attempt to scupper plans for a new publishing giant.

The Bull My Story

Some day he’ll enter those turnstiles in Thomond Park.

Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division

Here’s an idea for improving the regulation of banks: Treat them more like restaurants.

Mick Galwey, his old sparring partner with Shannon, Munster and Ireland, last night launched John Hayes’s autobiography “The Bull” in the Sin Bin, the Limerick bar owned by another former team mate and rugby legend, Peter Clohessy, who couldn’t be present because of the death earlier in the day of his father, Noel.

Apple and four major publishers have offered to let retailers such as Amazon sell e-books at a discount to settle an EU competition investigation into their pricing deals and avoid possible fines.

The Kingmaker’s Daughter

MASS MARKETFICTION

MASS MARKETFICTION

DENYSE Woods is the artistic director of the West Cork Literary Festival, which runs in Bantry in July.

Good news is on the horizon for readers as retailers such as Amazon are on the brink of being allowed sell ebooks cheaper than Apple.

MASS MARKETFICTION

Jessie J is reportedly set to write an autobiography.

I’m Not Really Here: A Life of Two Halves

Engage: The Rise and Fall of Matt Hampson.

READERS may be paying double what an ebook really costs every time they download one online, due to an arrangement between five of the world’s major publishers and Apple.