The countdown has begun for the sixth, and final, book in Jean M. Auel’s epic Earth’s Children series. What started with Clan of the Cave Bear will conclude with Land of Painted Caves, due out on March 29, 2011.
I’ve never read the books but they have been bestsellers since the first one came out in 1980. Check out what staff thought of Auel’s books in the Reading Room.
— Julie
Some eighth graders in Kutztown, PA have experienced their first taste of literary fandom after writing and then reading sci-fi books to local third graders. Check out the story. Very cool!
I remember writing my first book for a school assignment…it was an exciting mystery about a mummy’s curse, complete with an illustration! Nobody ever encouraged me to write any more…
—Julie
No, not Sherlock Hemlock (although I love him too), but Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s masterful detective, Sherlock Holmes. Orion Publishing Group has announced that Anthony Horowitz, author of the Alex Rider series and the BBC series “Midsomer Murders” and “Foyle’s War,” has been chosen to bring Holmes back to literary life. 
Horowitz has said he will try to “produce a first rate mystery for a modern audience while remaining absolutely true to the spirit of the original.” According to the Vancouver Sun, this is the first time Doyle’s estate has approved a new Sherlock Holmes story. It is due to be published in England this September, and I for one will be on the lookout for it’s arrival in the US!
— Julie
For most of us the start of a new year brings attempts to try to do more. I know I have a ridiculous list of things I want to accomplish beyond just what has to get done. (It’ll all happen – not!) But I recently rediscovered one of my favorite phrases languishing in a corner of my brain and I thought I would stop and dust it off for all of us.
Dolce far niente is an Italian phrase which literally means: “sweet doing nothing.” For me this means a restorative kind of pleasant, carefree idleness.
I know, words of heresy in our perpetual motion society, but doesn’t it sound nice? When’s the last time you stared out the window at the snow falling, or laid on a summer blanket of grass just looking up at the clouds? <sigh>
I wish you success with your goals and resolutions and hope you also have moments of “dolce far niente.”
— Julie
And in case you’re wondering who would buy it, check out this report from the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/11/snooki-book-signing-nyc_n_807546.html?ir=Books
— Julie
Wanting to ban books for various reasons is nothing new, and language is often cited as the reason. Well, those who have sought to ban Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn because of his copious use of the word “nigger” in that novel now have an option. According to the L.A. Times, NewSouth Books is publishing an edition of the work that replaces each instance of the offensive word with the word “slave.”
I understand the power of words to denigrate an entire group of people, to cheapen their worth as individuals and in society. I don’t understand the need to sweep our history of doing so under the verbal rug, especially when the message of the book ultimately contradicts the hatred and ignorance embodied in the word, and a society where it was acceptable.
Unfortunately, racism, sexism, prejudices of all kinds are still alive and well in America, perhaps that is what makes being confronted with these hateful words so difficult. I’m not sure what the answer is, but am doubtful that it is in the rewriting of Mark Twain. I would love to hear his response to such a thing – maybe I’ll have to tackle the new edition of his autobiography to gain some more insight on that…
— Julie
As we all know, life can get pretty busy and stressful. This past year has been especially so for me and let’s just say if I had a better prescription for Valium, I would’ve been keeping the pharmacist busy. So when I sat down to list my top books of the year, I realized I had begun many but finished few. Due to no fault of the author – many I started were very good (or seemed to be starting out well) – I just didn’t finish them for various reasons. Can anyone guess what one of my New Year’s resolutions is going to be?
Hunting and Gathering by Anna Galvada – good writing about damaged people with threads of hope woven in, that will hopefully be tied together when I do finish it.
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – and it’s a trilogy, ack!
Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin – opened up a world so unknown to me.
Little Bee by Chris Cleave – one of the best opening chapters I’ve read in a while.
Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay – why no one has optioned this for a movie, I don’t understand…of course the ending could stink.
Timothy, or, Notes of an Abject Reptile by Verlyn Klinkenborg – come on, with a title like that…
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer – a part of WWII I’ve not read about before.
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender – magical realism and food? Win-win.
The last two are mysteries from authors I always enjoy that I haven’t yet deluded myself into thinking I’ll make the time:
Stranger in Mayfair by Charles Finch and Hypothermia by Arnaldur Indriaasen
Enjoy – but don’t tell me about any of the endings!
—Julie
It’s time for another edition of “wisdom from my car stereo.” Well, perhaps wisdom isn’t quite it, but certainly “things-I-should-remember-when-life-is-bogging-me-down” applies. Today’s was courtesy of Butterfly Boucher from her CD: Scaryfragile. The song is “I found out” and the stanza I liked in particular:
I found out I can only be who I am
I can only do what I can
I won’t try to describe the relief
Retrieved 10/29/10 from: http://www.lyricsreg.com/lyrics/butterfly+boucher/I+Found+Out/
I’ve only listened to half of the CD so far but really like it and am looking forward to the drive home so I can finish! Put it on hold in the catalog and read more about her.
— Julie
P.S. Check out the bass line and drums on track 2, “For the Love of Love” – nice.
Just thought everyone would be anxious to know that reality TV personality the Situation from MTV’s Jersey Shore is writing a book:
“The Sitch told EW.com’s Tim Stack that it will be “a tell-all book. Sorta like how I came about and everything like that.” “
Apparently he is going to have someone help with the writing…
— Julie
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has opened in Universal Studios Orlando!! It looks like it an amazing experience for fans of the books (which would seem to include a great proportion of the world’s population). An interesting note is that althougth there are no doubt numerous opportunities to shop in the park, Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods is the only place to buy Rowling’s books. Fun, no?
I need to start planning my trip to Florida – do you think the Floo Network operates between Cleveland and Orlando?
— Julie
Read it or Weep 
