Oscar nominees = best-seller list

You'll be excused if you get the Oscar nominations for Best Picture mixed up with a best-seller list. Most of the nominees drew their inspiration from the printed page, and I hope one of them wins the prize, to reinforce the value of literature. Here's a look at the nominees, and the books they drew on:

-- "Hugo," a charmer adapted from "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick.

-- "Moneyball," adapted from Michael Lewis' book about the impact of statistical analysis on major league baseball.

-- "The Help," Kathryn Stockett's novel about the South -- a tear-jerker and book club favorite.

-- "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," Jonathan Safran Foer's look at the impact of the World Trade Center collapse.

-- "The Descendants," the family drama adapted from Kaui Hart Hemmings' novel. 

-- "War Horse" adapted from Michael Morpurgo's novel about World wai I.

Although "Midnight in Paris" wasn't drawn from a novel, I'd give that nomination an asterisk because it features the glamorous,  Paris of Hemingway and other ex-pat literary giants. So that leaves "The Artist" as the only non-book nominee. Not bad.