August 2, 2012
A popular author of novels featuring memorable characters, complicated plots and sub-plots, and generally uplifting and positive themes, Binchy did not publish her first novel, Light a Penny Candle, until 1982 when she turned 42. It was an instant bestseller. She went on to pen seventeen more books with the last one, A Week in […]
August 1, 2012
Prolific author, playwright, actor, and raconteur died Tuesday from complications of pneumonia at the age of 86. A versatile writer, he published 25 novels (The Golden Age, Lincoln, Myra Breckinridge to name a few), two memoirs and several volumes of essays. He also wrote plays, television dramas, and screenplays, including the the movie adaptation of […]
July 31, 2012
Publisher’s Weekly offers this interview with renowned author of the “Ender’s Game” series, Orson Scott Card, speaking about his latest work, “Earth Unaware.” It was just released as an audiobook. If you recall Ender Wiggins starts off as a brilliant six-year-old in Battle School and eventually is responsibile for leading the war to save Earth […]
July 26, 2012
Bob Riesman, author of “I Feel So Good: The Life and Times of Big Bill Broonzy,” will appear with musician Billy Bob Arnold. They’ll be at Evanston SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Aug 10, 8PM. For more information contact Miranda Sklaroff at (773) 702-1964 at The University of Chicago Press. EPL works on Broonzy. EPL material […]
July 25, 2012
The Chicago Tribune reports today that Lt. Governor Sheila Simon is so delighted the satirical newspaper, The Onion, is moving its headquarters to Chicago and bringing 100 jobs to boot, that not only has she declared July 31st “The Onion Day,” but she also will sing and play the banjo performing a piece written in […]
July 24, 2012
When NY Times critic Janet Maslin reviewed Patrick Somerville’s novel “This Bright River” her assessment was less than enthusiastic. However, she made a mistake. The error of confusing two characters added to her unflattering critique and may have proven disastrous for Somerville. An editor at the NY Times, Ed Marks, decided to begin a fictional […]
July 24, 2012
Rare Book School takes place for 5 weeks each summer at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. It brings together librarians, scholars, collectors, and “random book-mad civilians” for intensive courses in book history, bookbinding, etc – including one session dedicated to hand-marbled papers from the 18th century to the present, and another using tape measures […]
July 19, 2012
Are you using your favorite Apple device to read this post? Have you thought about what you will do with your old iPod after you buy the latest model? Interesting article and comments about Apple removing itself from the EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) list of green companies. Apparently, it’s getting too complicated to […]
July 17, 2012
In April of 2012, A Mighty Girl website was launched by Carolyn Danckaert and Aaron Smith as a tool to help parents, teachers, librarians, and friends find empowering and inspirational books for girls. Their website states, “A Mighty Girl is the world’s largest collection of books and movies for parents, teachers, and others dedicated to […]
July 12, 2012
To commemorate the centennial of folk singer Woody Guthrie’s birth, the Smithsonian Institution is releasing a three- CD boxed set of his work. “Woody at 100” includes performances from radio broadcasts, live shows, and six songs that have never been heard on record. Beginning with his most famous song “This Land is Your Land”, the […]
