Yesterday True Compass: A Memoir by Edward M. Kennedy (Twelve Books, $35) landed with a thud in my office.

It weighs in at 534 pages, and billed as the Senator's complete memoirs of his life and times, it's clearly poised to be one of the biggest books of the fall.

I read a hefty piece of it last night into the wee hours.  It's extremely engrossing, and fascinating to hear the Senator speak in his own voice about his dramatic life. 

But to me it still leaves questions unanswered.  I wanted more about his amazing wife, Victoria Reggie Kennedy; more about the difficulties of his earlier years; more behind-the-scenes feelings and failings and perceptions along the way.

I may be in the minority, though.  The fullness of this book may more than satisfy most readers, especially so soon after his unfortunate passing.  (Will share more thoughts.)

Meanwhile, Dan Brown's follow-up to his enormously successful The Da Vinci Code (the bestselling hardcover novel of all time) goes on sale today:  The Lost Symbol (Doubleday, $29.95) hits bookstores with a 5-million first print.

It's set in Washington, D.C., and features Brown's earlier protagonist, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon. 

It's on my Kindle as of this a.m.  More to come on it.

Also just out:  Deborah Tannen's new book, You Were Always Mom's Favorite!:  Sisters in Conversation Throughout Their Lives (Random House, $26).

Can you say sibling rivalry five times fast?

It's great reading for anyone with sisters, brothers, friends, or family members, period.