Kudos to Saratoga Springs Jennifer Armstrong, from Missouri:
President’s Day brings to mind our country’s history, patriotism, independence, democracy and of course, our Founding Fathers. Here is a list of books on this subject:
First is a book I believe every family should own. “The American Story: 100 True Tales From American History” by Jennifer Armstrong is one of the best timelines of our history that I’ve come across.
Here’s a previous story about her.
VALLEY FALLS – The Valley Falls Free Library, 42 State St., is holding a book sale of used books at a $1 a bag with bags supplied. The sale will be held through February and March.
Here are directions: Interstate 787 North to Rte 7 into Troy. Turn left on Rte 40. Take Rte 40 to Rte 67 east at fairgrounds. Turn right. Cross the bridge. Do not turn left. Jog right onto State Street. The library is in a tan brick building on the left.
Maud Newton’s blog gives a link to an interview between the two old friends that is available in audio from the New Yorker web site.
Earlier this year, the Times Union ran a Miami Herald review of “About Alice.” Click “more” for an excerpt.
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Poet and publisher Erik Sweet has written in to announce the upcoming Behind The Egg reading series, which he co-organizes with author and College of Saint Rose professor Daniel Nester. Sweet publishes Tool a Magazine.
Behind the Egg – A Reading Series in Albany, NY
Next date: February 17, 2007 at 4PM
At Point 5: 383.5 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY
Featuring Dan Wilcox and Mary Panza
The reading series Web site is here.
Other readings include:
Saturday, March 17
R.M.Englehardt, Poet Essence, and Joseph Krausman
Sunday , April 15
Kate Greenstreet, Janet Holmes
Saturday, May 5
Sparrow, Tom Devaney
From the Herald Sun (with a reference to Russell Banks):
CHAPEL HILL — UNC officials dedicated a dormitory on Monday to George Moses Horton, a Chatham County slave and poet who contributed greatly to the intellectual life of the university.
George Moses Horton Residence Hall is the first Carolina building named after a slave.
The dorm, at Manning and Bowles drives, was formerly named Hinton James North and opened in 2002.
“It is well past time for this university to honor our native son, and to help ensure that, at least within the Carolina family, he is a known and honored hero,” UNC Board of Trustees chairman Nelson Schwab said at the ceremony at the dorm.
Horton’s poetry is still taught today, and his collection “The Hope of Liberty,” was the first book published by a black person in the South.
UNC Chancellor James Moeser named Horton alongside Thomas Wolfe, Russell Banks and Jill McCorkle as one of the most distinguished authors with ties to the university and state.
The complete story is here.
Hisham Matar’s “In the Country of Men,” which was recently released, has been getting a lot of buzz lately.
Here’s NPR on the book (with an interview):
Hisham Matar fled Libya in the 1970s as a 9-year-old boy. This week, he releases his debut novel, In the Country of Men, a story told through the eyes of a Libyan boy. Like Matar, the boy’s father is a political dissident hunted down by the Libyan government.
Here’s the Boston Globe interview.
And, even better, here’s the blog The Complete Review on it.
A bit about the Complete Review. This is how it bills itself:
A selectively comprehensive, objectively opinionated survey of books old and new, trying to meet all your book review, preview, and information needs.
Another way of thinking of it is that it is utterly fascinating and a wonderful service for readers.
For “In the Country of Men,” for example, it compiles 13 reviews of the novel (so far) and gives the book a final grade of B-.
The Complete Review has covered 1,807 books so far. Give it a look.
AP is dropping its book review package.
The Associated Press is ending its book review package.
“This is a sad turn of events for book reviews. AP reviews, even small, ran far and wide, and always helped sales,” said a book-company publicist who alerted E&P to AP’s decision. The publicist requested anonymity.
When E&P asked AP about the decision, Linda M. Wagner, the wire service’s director of media relations and public affairs, said in a statement today: “AP is revamping its Lifestyles coverage to focus more resources on topics like food and parenting, and as a result we are discontinuing the book-review package that had moved through that department.”
She added that AP “remains as committed as ever” to covering books — via reviews, features about authors, etc. — through its Arts and Entertainment Department.
The NBCC president weighs in here.
