Category Archives: Events

Birmingham, Book Sale, Book Talk, Events, library

Book Sales in the Birmingham Area

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There are two annual book sales coming up. Both are coordinated by local library friends’ groups and have been worth attending in the past. They are usually a solid mix of used-library books as well as fantastic copies and hardbacks donated by neighborhood folks. Hard to pass up on a sale where good clean hardbacks are only a buck or two, isn’t it?

I know the weather is supposed to warm up and there is some big race in town this weekend, but the annual Book Sale at the Emmet O’Neal Library kicks off tonight. The official date/times are:

*Thursday, February 19th from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday, February 20th from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 21st from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 22nd from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

On Sunday only, all the books, in the upstairs area of the sale, will be half-price and all the books in the downstairs area can be included in a $10 “stuff a bag full of books” deal.

*note that the Thursday evening event is for Friends of the Library members only. You can join for $25 online.

Two weeks later, the annual Friends of the Hoover Public Library Blowout Book Sale takes place. I don’t have any pricing specifics on this sale yet, but in previous sales you were hard pressed to find a book over $4. The date/times are:

Saturday, March 7th from 10:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 8th from 2:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Also, for more information you can call the Used-Book Store at the Hoover Library at 205-444-7774.

 

 

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.

The_Localist_01

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.

Birmingham, Book Talk, Events, On the Web

National Readathon Day 2015

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Penguin Random House has joined forces with a few other companies to found the National Readathon Day event. Mark your calendar for January 25, 2015, if you’d like to participate. The hashtag is #timetoread.

The event is a fundraiser with aims to raise money to combat illiteracy as well as shine a spotlight on the fact that younger folks are turning away from books. You can click through and get more details on how to participate and even info on how to set up your own reading party for the National Readathon Day.

But even if you don’t get to participate, if you are reading these words, I would like to encourage you to volunteer at an adult literacy program in your area. Somehow I’m always surprised when reading the stats on literacy in America. The National Readathon page states that:

  • 40% of American adults are at or below basic reading levels
  • 14% of American adults are completely illiterate

Literacy_CouncilHere in Birmingham, AL you can check out the Literacy Council over on 2nd Avenue North. They do a really good job and offer training classes for tutors and volunteers. The schedules are good too. There is a small cost involved for materials so make sure you read up on everything.