Wondering what's coming from the big names in publishing this fall? Burning Questions has the scoop. Though the presidential campaign has stolen some of the book world's luster this year, and diverted much of the media attention, many top-notch books remain on the fall calendar. If you're the kind of reader who likes to plan ahead, have your reading "to-do" list handy as you check out this rundown of what to look for on bookstore shelves in the months ahead.

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld (September)
The author of Prep and The Man of My Dreams returns with a novel based on the life of first lady Laura Bush. Though Sittenfeld shifts the location from Texas to Wisconsin, she includes many real-life details from Bush's life, including a tragic car accident and her husband's ascent to the presidency.

Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas L. Friedman (September)
The New York Times columnist and author of the mega-bestseller The World Is Flat explains why it's imperative that America take a leading role in the Green Revolution.

A Tale Out of Luck by Willie Nelson (September)
The long-haired country crooner teams with Western writer Mike Blakely on his first novel, a mystery featuring a retired Texas Ranger on the trail of a brutal killer.

Ghost Train to the Eastern Star by Paul Theroux (September)
Theroux retraces the route he chronicled in The Great Railway Bazaar, 30 years after his initial journey, noting the incredible changes as he travels through Europe, Asia and Siberia.

The Given Day by Dennis Lehane (September)
New England writer Lehane is known for his suspenseful, literate mysteries, two of which have become successful feature films. He changes paths with this epic historical novel, set in Boston during the years following World War I. Will it win over mystery fans? Early readers say yes.

Midnight by Sister Souljah (October)
The activist, musician and author who kicked off the "urban lit" trend is back with a long-awaited follow-up to her best-selling debut, The Coldest Winter Ever.

The Widows of Eastwick by John Updike (October)
Thirty years on, the heroines of The Witches of Eastwick have become widows. It's perfect timing for a return to their old haunt to see if the magic is still there.

A Mercy by Toni Morrison (November)
The Nobel Prize recipient turns again to the topic of slavery in her ninth novel, focusing on 1680s New England and the origins of the slave trade.

2666 by Roberto Bolaño (November)
Though this Latin-American writer and poet died two years ago, interest in his work is alive and well. American fans have been waiting since 2004 for a translation of the novel that Spanish-language critics hailed as his masterpiece. Weighing in at a Pynchon-esque 900-plus pages, 2666 is a literary event.

Call Me Ted by Ted Turner (November)
In what's described as a "riveting life story," the outspoken founder of CNN takes readers from his lonely childhood through his business success and his marriage to Jane Fonda.