But we had tickets…

Posted by trav in Authors, Birmingham, Events, News      No comments

Jun
24

I read today that Khaled Hosseini (author of The Kite Runner) has canceled the remainder of his promotional tour, including this Tuesday’s appearance, here in Birmingham.

Oh well. It would have been a great meet and greet. I heard his presentation about displaced peoples around the world was fantastic. Not too mention the signed editions of A Thousand Splendid Suns ticket holders were supposed to get. Oh well. But, I do hope the family emergency that called him home isn’t anything too terribly serious though.

Let us groc together

Posted by trav in Authors, Book Talk, Events      No comments

Jun
22

I’m not a “re-reader”. In fact, there is only one book that I have re-read, on purpose and under my own free-will. It is Robert A. Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land. I think it stands just as tall as Huxley’s Brave New World.

Apparantly, I’m not alone. This year,on July 7th, folks all over the world are celebrating (ok, maybe just recognizing) the centennial of Heinlein’s birth.

Adding to the TBR

Posted by trav in Book Talk, On the Web      No comments

Jun
22

I have just stumbled upon a review of The Camel Bookmobile. I have to say I’m intrigues and have to move it towards the top of my TBR list. I think it’s a novel, but with just enough ‘real world’ to keep it really interesting.

But I have to say I am currently digging Silverman’s Typo. The insights into the business world are great and his reflections on them all are even better. I don’t see how he can keep it up throughout the whole book. We’ll see…

Pushing the people out

Posted by trav in Events, Media, News, On the TV      No comments

Jun
20

Apparantly, I am one of the three people that watched The Quill Book Awards last year. Now, organizers say public interest has been so bad, that they are taking voting privleges away from the public and giving them to 6,000 booksellers and experts.

Us commoners used to get to vote in all the categories. Now, the experts pick the winners in 19 areas, while the public gets to pick the winner for a single 20th category “Book of the Year”. Organizers say that this will “streamline consumer participation and add to the credibility of those who are named winners”.

We’ll just have to wait and see how all this pans out on October 27, 2007.

Two new blogs to dig

Posted by trav in Book Talk, On the Web      No comments

Jun
20

The first one I stumbled upon via LibraryThing. If you like book talk, then BookChase is a good one to keep up with.

Also, here’s a really cool book cover design site. Lots of fantastic pictures to devour of some unique designs, all from an illustrator’s private collection. (via fade theory)

Laptop Lesson

Posted by trav in Book Talk, News, Publishers      No comments

Jun
19

I just read this post about a book publisher stealing Google’s laptops at BEA, in order to teach them a lesson. I wonder what Google would say in response.

Just finished…

Posted by trav in Book Talk, Groups, On the Web      No comments

Jun
19

J. Ray’s The Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, for the Deep South group‘s “book of the month” reading challenge. Thoughts are posted on LibraryThing. Though I only thought it so-so, I still liked it better than the last one I read for the group, back in December.

This month the group is reading James Still’s River of Earth. So find yourself a copy and join up! It’s a group of some well-read folks and is a neat way to discover books that you would have otherwise never picked up.

BEA Wrap Up

Posted by trav in Book Talk, Events, News, On the Web, Publishers      No comments

Jun
19

Well, I have run out of beer. So, since I can no longer drown my sorrows (for not being able to make this year’s BEA), I decided to see what all I missed.

Reed Next did make it to the show, worked his booth and took it all in. He said that wi-fi on the floor was horrible…

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Score!

Posted by trav in Bookstores      1 comment

Jun
18

We made our way to St. Augustine, Florida recently. If you ever find yourself traveling down I-75S, keep an eye out for the yellow signs…

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