Category Archives: Book Talk

Book Column, Book Talk, Events

National Science Fiction Day

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Happy New Year and happy National Science Fiction Day! Today’s sci-fi focus is due to the grand poo-bah of all things sci-fi Isaac Asimov being born today back in 1920. Asimov’s sideburns run wide and his influence runs deep through all sci-fi books these days as his books remain some of the best of the genre.

isaac_asmiovIf Asimov is new to you, check him out over on LibraryThing to get a better sense of his books. I think it’s great how science fiction is no longer just the domain of the geeks and such. It’s all pretty much gone mainstream. Niffenegger’s The Time Traveller’s Wife was the first book I remember realizing had jumped to the mainstream (back in 2004) and wasn’t considered science fiction, even though the entire story would not have been possible if time travel wasn’t allowed. Now the books are numerous and run across all genres. I think it’s great.

So, in honor of National Science Fiction Day 2015, here are three things worth checking out. It doesn’t matter if you’re a die-hard nerfherder who groks hard sci-fi over breakfast or if you are new and feel like it’s all so alien, it’s all a lot of fun and plenty to think about:

Tor.com – sign up for their newsletter. These guys are great and they totally get what makes the science fiction community tick. Even though their roots are in sci-fi books, they talk TV, movies, games and music. It’s all very fun. It’s a great site, but be sure to sign-up for their newsletter. I always look forward to it.

Singularity & Co. – these guys are on a mission. They find old pulp out-of-print science fiction books, secure the rights and then re-issue them (usually as ebooks). Plus, they now have a physical shop in Brooklyn where you can buy some of the coolest covers from eons past.

Different Engines – this one is a book. It’s a book about the history of science fiction and is very well researched. I share this book as often as I can. It’s amazing how closely tied science fiction and actual science are. If you’re into sci-fi, you probably should have this one on your shelf.

different engines cover

 

Authors, Birmingham, Book Column, Book Talk, Events, New Releases

The Localist – Birmingham Book Launch

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Mark your calendars for this Saturday (November 29th) for the book launch of local author and business owner Carrie Rollwagen’s newest project The Localist: Think Independent, Buy Local and Reclaim the American Dream. Things kick off at 10 a.m. at Church Street Coffee & Books.

The Localist is a book that is near and dear to just about everything Rollwagen espouses. It’s a book. It’s local. It’s a way of life. I have yet to get my hands on a copy, but the premise sounds like the kind of book that inspires people to be aware of what is going on around them and could even save our sense of community.

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Part memoir and part “how-to” guide for shopping local, readers will:

. . . follow Carrie on her localist adventure as she embraces slow food, small business, the locavore movement, and many quirky indie shopkeepers and unique independent shops along the way.

The Localist promises to not be anti-big-box store, just very very pro-local-indie shop, while offering tips on how to save money buying local and how to interact with the community. It’s a theme Rollwagen (@crollwagen) weaves into her writing whenever pen is put to paper or she sits at a keyboard. She blogs about buying local Alabama goods, she blogs at her local shop and she blogs about her writing.

If you’re not sold yet, then take a moment and read through a couple of excerpts:

So check out The Localist event at Church Street Coffee & Books this Saturday at 10 a.m. There are also more upcoming events listed if you’d like to meet Carrie and check out the book some other time. I have no doubts this book is worth reading no matter where you live or where you shop.

Book Column, Book Talk, Recommendations

Nonfiction November – Week Four

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I’ve been participating in Nonfiction November this month and it’s been great. So many new-to-me bloggers in my RSS reader now plus plenty of new titles added to Mount TBR and to my wish list. Which brings us to the week four’s topic being hosted by Katie over on Doing Dewey:

New to My TBR: It’s been a week full of amazing nonfiction books! Which ones have made it onto your TBR? Be sure to link back to the original blogger who posted about that book!

So here it goes. It’s a list of all the books and sites that piqued my interest enough that I am now officially “on the lookout” for these books. Thank you to each blogger that participated and surfaced these books for me. There is so much noise out there these days and Nonfiction November turned out to be a great way to cut through that and find some wonderful recommendations.

  1. Story of Ain’t found on Feminist Texan Reads
  2. Mao’s Great Famine found on The Relentless Reader
  3. The Life of I found on Brona’s Books
  4. The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer found on Savvy Working Gal
  5. Books, Baguettes & Bedbugs: The Left Bank World of Shakespeare & Co. by Jeremy Mercer found on Book Addicted Blonde
  6. The Unpersuadables by Richard Storr found on Bibliophilopolis
  7. The Age of Wonder found on The Emerald City Book Review
  8. The Creators by Daniel Boostin found on Bibliophilopolis
  9. Bottled and Sold found on Ardent Reader
  10. Fluent Forever found on A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall
  11. The Bilingual Edge found on A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall
  12. Men We Reaped found on Books Speak Volumes
nonficnov_hooverlibrary
I saw this banner in my local library this past weekend.

Nonfiction November (#nonficnov) was a blast this year. So many great books and book bloggers I had not heard of. Thank you to everyone who helped organize it and host all of the recap posts. So many great book blogs to scroll through.

Book Talk

Book Events: Nov. 23rd-Nov. 29th

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This time of year is a good one when it comes to looking for book store sales, book events and author signings around Birmingham. Everyone is looking for the perfect gift and there is little else that can be as perfect as a signed edition of a favorite author or on an interesting subject.

Here are two book events (it is a holiday week) around the Birmingham area that you should consider checking out (whether you’re gift shopping or not, these seem worthy of making the trip).

November 24th at 10 a.m. – the used-book store the Central Location of the Birmingham Public Library kicks off its annual $10 “stuff a bag with books” book sale.

November 29th at 10 a.m. – a book launch event for The Localist at Church Street Coffee & Books. The book sounds fantastic and I can’t wait to read it.