A Barnes & Noble Exclusive: Bestselling Author Christopher Paolini to Host the Barnes & Noble Brisingr Release Party in New York City on Friday, September 19

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller, today announced Christopher Paolini, bestselling author of Brisingr, the third book in the Inheritance cycle, will host the Brisingr book release party to be held at the Union Square Barnes & Noble (33 East 17^th Street) in Manhattan on Friday, September 19. Paolini will discuss his series with fans, take questions and sign copies of the books. He will be joined by Gerard Doyle, narrator of the Inheritance cycle audio books. The Union Square Barnes & Noble will remain open late Friday, September 19 and begin selling copies of Brisingr at the stroke of midnight.

The epic tales in Christopher Paolini’s bestselling Inheritance cycle have ignited both teen and adult readers who have been captivated by this fresh voice in the genre of fantasy-adventure. Paolini began writing Eragon, the first book in the Inheritance cycle followed by Eldest, at the age of fifteen. Barnes & Noble stores across the country will celebrate the September 20 release of Brisingr by hosting special in-store events throughout the weekend. Select stores will stay open late on Friday, September 19, and begin selling copies of Brisingr at the stroke of midnight. For information on all things related to the Inheritance cycle at Barnes & Noble, and for a listing of all Brisingr release parties visit www.bn.com/inheritance.

Leading up to the September 20 release date, Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com) will have exclusive Paolini content available. From September 17-19, Christopher Paolini will host the Fantasy & Sci Fi Book Club (www.bn.com/bookclubs). Fans will have the chance to chat with Paolini about the series and watch videos with the author. Fans can also join a discussion of Inheritance cycle series in the Barnes & Noble.com Teen Reads Book Club (www.bn.com/bookclubs). And, the September 15 episode of Barnes & Noble Tagged! (www.bn.com/tagged) will feature special guest Michelle Frey, Paolini’s editor at Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers (an imprint of Random House Children’s Books).

About Barnes & Noble, Inc.

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 796 bookstores in 50 states. The company is the nation’s top bookseller in quality, and for the fifth year in a row, the top bookseller brand, as determined by a combination of the brand’s performance on familiarity, quality, and purchase intent, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web’s largest e-commerce sites.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company’s corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.