Latest DVDs, CDs, books: April 12, 2011

A look at some of the DVDs, CDs and books hitting stores this week:

DVDS

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" (PG-13) -- It's the beginning of the end for everyone's favorite boy wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) and his faithful Hogwarts companions Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) as they continue their life-or-death battle against the villainous Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).

Just one other recent theatrical release hits DVD today: "Country Strong" (PG-13), with Gwyneth Paltrow as a self-destructive country star who hits the comeback trail alongside a honky-tonk hunk ("Tron: Legacy's" Garrett Hedlund) and a pageant princess ("Gossip Girl's" Leighton Meester) eager to make good. Turning to movies that never made it to local theaters, "A Summer in Genoa" (R) stars newly minted Oscar-winner Colin Firth as a widower trying to help his two daughters weather their grief during a trip to Italy. Willem Dafoe, meanwhile, headlines the French Cold War thriller "Farewell" (not rated). Leading today's documentary list: the burlesque chronicle "Behind the Burly Q" (not rated) and the high-surf competition "Highwater" (not rated).

Today's TV-to-DVD transfers (all unrated) include "Car 54, Where Are You: The Complete First Season," "Dallas: The Movie Collection," "Dragnet 1970: Season Four" and "H.R. Pufnstuf: The Complete Series."

CDS

Foo Fighters, "Wasting Light": Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl says that the band has finally escaped the shadows of Grohl's former group, Nirvana.

And so what do the Foos do for their latest disc? They track it with producer Butch Vig, most famous for recording Nirvana's seminal "Nevermind."

Ah well, no biggie.

Grohl is right when he says there's no comparison between the two bands: Nirvana was far, far more interesting.

Also in stores: Atmosphere, "The Family Sign"; Bass Drum of Death, "GB City"; Between the Buried and Me, "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues"; Alison Krauss & Union Station, "Paper Airplane"; k.d. lang and the Siss Boom Bang, "Sing It Loud"; Low, "C'mon"; Meat Puppets, "Lollipop"; Paul Simon, "So Beautiful or So What"; Thursday, "No Devolución"; TV on the Radio, "Nine Types of Light"; Ultraviolet Sound, "Ultraviolet Sound"; and Vivian Girls, "Share the Joy."

BOOKS

"Chasing Fire" by Nora Roberts: Smoke jumper Rowan Tripp will have more than fires to fight when she returns to Montana. After losing her jump partner the previous season, Rowan becomes a target for blame, but she just might find someone to lean on in Gulliver Curry, a hotshot rookie.

And for fans who feel they just haven't forked over enough money to Stephenie Meyer, "The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide" offers another chance to line her pockets while revelling in the encyclopedic reference book filled with photos, new material and more.

Also in stores: "The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives" by Katie Couric; "Elizabeth Taylor, A Passion for Life: The Wit and Wisdom of a Legend" by Joseph Papa; "The Final Summit: A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity" by Andy Andrews; "The Gathering" by Kelley Armstrong; "Hiss of Death" by Rita Mae Brown; "The Long Goodbye" by Meghan O'Rourke; "Midnight and the Meaning of Love" by Sister Souljah; "One Was a Soldier" by Julia Spencer-Fleming; "The Pale King" by David Foster Wallace; "Save Me" by Lisa Scottoline; "This Is Gonna Hurt: Music, Photography and Life Through the Distorted Lens of Nikki Sixx" by Nikki Sixx; and "Two Kisses for Maddy" by Matt Logelin.