May 10, 2012
Several weeks ago (Mar 21) I wrote about the James Beard Foundation nominations for outstanding cookbooks. Despite its huge size and hefty price (43 pounds and $625, or less on Amazon), “Modernist Cuisine” took top honors this year. The main author, Nathan Myrhvold, is an impressive person for his intellectual abilities and sense of adventure. […]
May 8, 2012
In her recent article in USA Today, Elizabeth Kantor speculates on what Jane Austen would think about the popularity of today’s online dating services. Delving back a few hundred years to the social conventions of the day, Kantor finds that Austen’s use of the highly popular “assembly ball” as a device for young people such […]
May 8, 2012
Maurice Sendak, widely considered by many to be the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century, died Tuesday at the age of 83. He wrote and illustrated more than a dozen picture books, and is most well known for Where the Wild Thing Are which won the Caldecott Medal in 1964. Other favorites include […]
May 7, 2012
Compared to the actual book, the trailer for The Family Corleone is quite lighthearted. The first chapter of the novel has just been released on PW and is anything but humorous, reflecting the grim code of the Mafia. Ed Falco sets his work in 1933 when Vito Corleone is hoping his children will succeed in […]
May 6, 2012
In a blush-worthy case of mistaken identity, Ruta Sepetys’ historical YA novel, Between Shades of Gray, is finding itself routinely mixed up by readers (and booksellers) with E.L. James’ bestselling S&M erotica book, Fifty Shades of Grey, reports Christian Science Monitor. And the two books couldn’t be more water and oil. Between is the story […]
May 3, 2012
I’m not sure if this is a step in the right direction or not– Detroit is now home to outdoor libraries which are being opened in response to recent closings. The U of M, in collaboration with students from the Marcus Garvey Academy, has arranged for several libraries. They feature waterproof bookcases, use the […]
May 1, 2012
Yesterday’s Sun Times article by Hedy Weiss announced the Chicago Public Library choice for fall One Book, One Chicago is Markus Zusak’s highly acclaimed book set in a German town just outside Munich during World War II. Originally released in 2006 as a YA title, The Book Thief quickly crossed over into the adult readership. […]
April 27, 2012
In recognition of Mother’s Day May 13, PW has a few suggestions for that most important woman in your life. Another lengthy PW article from a few months ago discussed mom bloggers and their impact on publishing. “Not only are we influencing people who are buying books but also other editors from magazines or TV […]
April 27, 2012
The Evanston Public Library (EPL) is hosting free educational programs to celebrate El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) on Monday, April 30, 2012, in the morning and after school hours at both the Main Library (1703 Orrington Avenue) and the North Branch Library (2026 Central Street). This daylong celebration […]
April 24, 2012
If you have a 3 or four-year old person in your life, or if, like me, you occasionally revert to your inner child’s reading tastes, you have probably encountered the delightful books by Mo Willems. Willems has taken the art of simple storytelling and illustration to its zenith with such intriguing titles as Don’t Let […]