California Book Notes

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10/27/09--11:57: Call for essays on the future of print media (chan 1837584)

The 100-year-old California Writers Club invites everyone to submit predictions on the future of print media, for inclusion in a time capsule to be opened in 2035 on the occasion of Mark Twain’s bicentennial.

What will we be reading in 2035? Will we still have conventional newspapers, magazines and books? Will we still have e-books, or will something have come along to replace them? What impact will state-of-the-art technology have on news reporting? On fiction and nonfiction? Short stories and poems? Reference works and other resources? Memoirs and love letters? What collateral effect will it have on the various aspects of daily life?

“It seems hard to believe, but that year will just about mark the mid-century point for the Internet,” said California Writers Club president Casey Wilson. “This isn’t a contest. We’re not holding our breath for deathless prose. We just want to collect people’s thoughts now and, in 2035, see how accurately they predicted what it would actually be like.”

The CWC will receive submissions through August 25, 2010 (174th birthday of Bret Harte, one of California’s first great storytellers). Anyone interested in participating should mail his or her essay to California Writers Club, P.O. Box 484, Ridgecrest, CA 93556, and include the author’s name, age, address, and permission to publish all or part of the essay when the capsule is opened.

California had only been a state for about 50 years when Jack London and some of his friends started their informal get-togethers. These gatherings became the California Writers Club, the oldest professional writing organization in the West. Today the CWC has more than 1200 members in 18 branches throughout the state. The organization encourages everyone to check www.calwriters.org periodically for membership information and updates on branch and centennial activities.






11/18/09--10:57: Water articles online (chan 1837584)

Lots of California libraries are hosting programming about water these days, and many will be using the theme of water in their 2010 summer reading activities. We've found some thought-provoking articles that would be interesting discussion-starters for your adult or teen book group and that are available online.

You'll find a PDF of web resources at http://calbook.org/special/water.html in the "download water resources" section. Articles include "Is Water the New Oil?" from CommonDreams.org, "The Drying of the West" from National Geographic Magazine, "Facing the Freshwater Crisis" from Scientific American, and a Forbes Magazine special report on water.






12/08/09--11:04: If you stress out during the holidays... (chan 1837584)

...you might like to settle in with one of the many titles out there about simplification, de-commercializing the holidays, getting a grip on family conflicts, make-ahead meals, household organizing, and regaining your perspective. Just a few examples:

The complete tightwad gazette : promoting thrift as a viable alternative lifestyle by Amy Dacyczyn. Villard Books, 1998. Topics include beating the “fulfillment drama,” inexpensive gifts and decorations, and changing familial expectations.

Debt proof the holidays by Mary Hunt. DPL Press, 2007. Financial strategies and money-saving tips for the holiday season and for the entire year.

Do it for less! Parties: tricks of the trade from professional caterers' kitchens by Denise Vivaldo. Terrace Publishing, 2005. Time– and money-saving tricks for easier, less stressful parties.

The family gathering survival plan by Herbert Rappaport, PhD. Running Press, 2000. Originally published as Holiday Blues. Helps you identify whether your biggest problem area is anxiety, sadness/depression, or frustration/anger. Addresses expectations and hidden meanings of holiday gatherings.

How to get red wine out of a white carpet: and 2000 other household hints, tips and formulas for cleaning, repairing and organizing your home and simplifying your life by Erik Bruun. Workman Pub. Co., 2001. Evidently stale popcorn is easier to string than fresh popcorn.

It’s all too much: an easy plan for living a richer life with less stuff by Peter Walsh. Simon & Schuster, 2007. “Organizational guru” from TLC’s Clean Sweep helps you re-assess your possessions.

The power of kindness: the unexpected benefits of leading a compassionate life by Piero Ferrucci. Penguin, 2006. A blueprint for a happy life from a leading psychologist. Introduction by His Holiness the Dalai Lama — what else do you need to know?

Simple pleasures for the holidays : a treasury of stories and suggestions for creating meaningful celebrations compiled by Susannah Seton. Red Wheel/Weiser, 2000. Remembrances, tips and recipes for a multinational, multicultural menu of holidays.

Simplify the holidays by Allana Baroni. Reader’s Digest, 1998. Includes checklists for party planning and a timetable for how far in advance you can shop, cook and set up.

Simplify your Christmas: 100 ways to reduce the stress and recapture the joy of the holidays by Elaine St. James. Andrews McMeel, 1998. Daringly simple, empowering advice and strategies.

Thank you power: making the science of gratitude work for you by Deborah Norville. Thomas Nelson, 2007. Research and anecdotes about how “thank you” can change your life.






01/07/10--10:38: 10 Librarian Blogs to Read in 2010 (chan 1837584)

Blake Carver's "10 librarian blogs" list at LISNews is worth a look. He writes: “Each year, we’ve attempted to gather a group of librarians whose writing helps increase our understanding of the profession and its place in our rapidly changing world. Again this year, we tried to choose 10 writers who cover very different aspects of our profession, 10 sites that inform, educate, and maybe amuse."

The post includes lists of top librarian blogs from past years.

http://lisnews.org/10_librarian_blogs_read_2010






01/21/10--15:33: Santa Monica Citywide Reads 2010 (chan 1837584)

Santa Monica Public Library launches its eighth annual Citywide Reads program with the novel Little Bee by British author Chris Cleave. The New York Times called Little Bee "immensely readable and moving...Cleave uses his emotionally charged narrative to challenge his readers' conceptions of civility, of ethical choice."

Between February 12 and March 13, the library will host book discussions, author talks, movie screenings, storytelling, dramatic readings and more -- see www.smpl.org/cwr for details.






02/17/10--14:27: Literary Orange 2010 is on the way! (chan 1837584)

Don't miss the fourth annual Literary Orange on Saturday, April 10, at the UC Irvine Student Center. Dean Koontz and Karen Joy Fowler are keynote speakers, and about 50 other authors will take part in lively panels about mysteries, journalism, romance, graphic novels, memoirs, and much much more! For details go to:
http://www.literaryorange.org/






04/12/10--15:10: 2010 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (chan 1837584)

This beloved event hardly needs any introduction, but just in case you've missed it: this year's LA Times Festival of Books will take place April 24 and 25 on the UCLA campus and will feature 450 authors, 300 exhibitors, 100 author panels and presentations, and many other readings and events. Be one of the 130,000 people who will come together to think and talk about books. There's nothing quite like it!

http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/






04/21/10--08:43: Looking for a literary event? (chan 1837584)

There are tons of online resources to help you find a book fair, writing workshop, poetry reading, literary conference, or author talk. Here are just a few:

http://www.californiaauthors.com/resources/literary-events-search/

Poets & Writers: http://www.pw.org/calendar

http://booktour.com/

http://www.readerscircle.org/

http://redroom.com/

California independent booksellers' organizations:
http://www.nciba.com/index.php
http://www.scibabooks.org/home/

And don't forget the website of your local public library.






05/04/10--11:07: California Young Reader Medal winners (chan 1837584)

The California Young Reader Medal program encourages recreational reading of popular literature among the young people of our state. Since its inception in 1974, millions of California children have nominated, read, and voted for the winners of the California Young Reader Medal.

The 2010 winners:

Primary - Millie Waits for the Mail by Alexander Steffensmeier

Intermediate - No Talking by Andrew Clements

Middle School/Junior High - Alabama Moon by Watt Key

Young Adult - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Picture Book for Older Readers - Owney: The Mail-Pouch Pooch by Mona Kirby

This year almost 500,000 students participated in the program. You can get more details at http://www.californiayoungreadermedal.org/






07/12/10--18:25: Operation Redwood wins Beatty Award (chan 1837584)

California author S. Terrell French has won the 2010 John and Patricia Beatty Award for her book Operation Redwood (Amulet Books, an imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc, 2009). The Beatty Award annually honors the author of a distinguished book for children or young adults that best promotes an awareness of California and its people.

The story: When twelve-year-old Julian Carter-Li intercepts an angry e-mail message intended for his high-powered uncle, he finds himself caught up in the fight to save the ancient redwoods of the northern California coast. Over the course of the summer, normally cautious Julian will do many things he would never have dreamed of doing before: promise to help a girl he's never met, milk a goat, take a vow of silence, mastermind an office break-in, live in a tree, and, most important, stand up for what he believes.

The John and Patricia Beatty Award has been given annually since 1989. Since 1999, BWI Books has co-sponsored the award with the California Library Association. The winning author receives an engraved plaque along with a prize of $500 which is presented at the annual CLA Conference.

For more info: http://cla-net.org/awards/beatty.php






08/19/10--13:13: The 10th Annual National Book Festival (chan 1837584)

This year's National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, will be held:
* on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2010
* on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
* between 3rd and 7th streets
* from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are honorary chairs for the event. The festival, a celebration of the joy of reading for all ages, is free and open to the public. More than 70 authors and illustrators will speak and sign their books, including:
* international best-selling author Ken Follett
* Rae Armantrout, winner of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for poetry
* National Book Award winner Julia Glass
* Pat Mora, one of the nation’s most beloved writers for children
* Elizabeth Kostova, author of the worldwide sensations "The Historian" and "The Swan Thieves."

Check out the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress for lots of fun reading activities and resources: http://read.gov/






08/23/10--09:37: Over 115 Latino authors at Latino Book and Family Festival (chan 1837584)

The Latino Book & Family Festival will be held on the weekend of October 9 and 10, 2010 at the Cal State University-Los Angeles campus (Greenlee Plaza). This year the festival will feature over 115 Latino authors, making it the largest gathering of Latino authors in the country. Come celebrate the cultural and linguistic treasures of our Latino communities.

Authors include Victor Villaseñor,Sonia Nazario, Juan Felipe Herrera, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, Josefina Lopez,Stella Pope Duarte, Reyna Grande, Sam Quiñones, Gustavo Arellano, Alex Espinoza, Luis J. Rodriguez, Rene Colato Lainez, Amada Irma Perez, Jose Luis Orozco, and Michele Serros, among many others. There will be 36panels/sessions on poetry, fiction, journalism, publishing, art, music and dance, followed by a book signing. Families can enjoy the festivities at the main stage featuring singers, folklorico dances, music, and more. Children can enjoy the Children’s Area & Stage featuring arts & crafts, story-telling, and music.

There will be over 100 exhibitors, a food court, and a dinner reception,
“An Evening with the Authors” at the Golden Eagle Ballroom at CSULA, where
you can dine with your favorite authors. The keynote will be delivered by
Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries. The festival and panels are free to
the public. The reception is $30.00 per person or $25.00 for students.

For more information visit www.LBFF.US, call 323 314 1330, or email
reynagrande@yahoo.com. Don’t miss out on this unique event, which is the
largest gathering of Latino authors in history!






10/07/10--12:36: Join us in Sacramento! (chan 1837584)

There will be a ton of great programs and events at this autumn's combined conference of the California Library and California School Library Associations. It's all happening Friday, November 12 through Monday, November 15, at the Sacramento Convention Center.

** Authors galore, including a special appearance by Steven Johnson (Where Good Ideas Come From and Everything Bad is Good for You)

** Renowned master speakers on the topic of innovation: Tom Kelley of IDEO and designer/engineer Bran Ferren

** Over 160 concurrent sessions on every topic under the sun!

It's all available at http://www.cla-csla.org.






12/01/10--12:56: We're looking for a few great books! (chan 1837584)

Join us and the California Council for the Humanities in a new program in which we'll explore and discuss the important topic of democracy. Please nominate a fiction or nonfiction title for the statewide read which will take place in 2012: www.calhum.org/nominate

And learn more about the entire program at: http://calhum.org/programs/democracy_intro.htm






12/14/10--10:41: Join the 2011 African American Read-In this February (chan 1837584)

The 22nd national African American Read-In invites schools, churches, libraries, bookstores, community and professional organizations, and interested citizens to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month by hosting and coordinating Read-Ins in their communities. Hosting a Read-In can be as simple as bringing together friends to share a book, or as elaborate as arranging public readings and media presentations that feature professional African American writers.

In February 2011, you may hold an African American Read-In event any day of the month: Tuesday, February 1-Monday, February 28, 2011. To be counted as participants, simply:

•Select books authored by African Americans;
•Hold your event during the month of February; and
•Report your results by submitting the 2011 African American Read-In Report Card.

Forms and information are available at: http://www.ncte.org/action/aari/packetinfo

The Read-In is sponsored by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English and by NCTE, and it has been endorsed by the International Reading Association. Over a million readers of all ethnic groups from the United States, the District of Columbia, the West Indies, African countries, and more have participated. The goal is to make the celebration of African American literacy a traditional part of Black History Month activities.






02/01/11--10:33: Read Across America on March 2 (chan 1837584)

California observes Read Across America on Wednesday, March 2, in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. This year’s theme is Serve Up a Good Book!

The California Library Association encourages California’s libraries to celebrate Read Across America by hosting programs and activities to encourage reading: invite local politicians or community leaders to participate in your Read Across America activities; invite local athletic teams to read to your students; ask members of the local media, or local firefighters, to come and take part in an event at the library; plan activities that community members can attend.

More information and ideas are available from the California Teachers Association at www.cta.org.










03/07/11--10:55: It's Literary Orange time again! (chan 1837584)

When: Saturday, April 9, 2011
Where: UC Irvine's student center
What: the fifth annual Literary Orange, a full day of author panels, keynote talks and book signings.
Over 50 authors in a celebration of books, writing and reading.
Sponsored by Orange County Public Libraries and UC Irvine/UCI Libraries.

Complete info and the registration form can be found at http://www.literaryorange.org/.






04/12/11--11:05: Happy National Library Week! (chan 1837584)

Each year, we celebrate all things library during National Library Week (April 10-16, 2011). We'd like to salute the librarians of California for all you do to make a difference to adults, teens and kids in your schools and communities. And April is also School Library Month; call your favorite school librarian any day in April and thank them for their hard work.

http://www.ala.org/nlw
http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/slm






05/05/11--15:20: Books for Fathers Day (chan 1837584)

Need a gift suggestion for June 19th? Here are some authors to consider:

Fiction

Bruce Alexander: eleven mysteries set in 18th-century London, featuring a character based on the real-life Sir John Fielding, who was a blind magistrate and founder of the Bow Street Runners

J.G. Ballard: intriguing explorations of reality and identity, in a variety of genres. Best known for Crash and Empire of the Sun

James Lee Burke: crime novels featuring Dave Robicheaux, detective. Evocative Louisiana settings.

James M. Cain: hard-boiled classics of the 1930’s and 40’s, including The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity.

Lee Child: thrillers featuring ex-MP Jack Reacher, various US settings.

Michael Crichton: medical thrillers and science “what-if’s” with a huge audience, including The Andromeda Strain, Congo, Sphere, Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, Timeline, Prey

Michael Connelly: mysteries featuring Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch, LAPD homicide investigator

Robert Crais: crime novels featuring private eye Elvis Cole and his sidekick, mercenary ex-cop Joe Pike

Patricia Highsmith: literate suspense novels including Strangers on a Train and five novels featuring Tom Ripley

Stephen Hunter: thrillers featuring Bob Lee Swagger, Vietnam veteran, or his father, Earl Swagger, World War II veteran, Arkansas State Police officer (the Earl titles are set in the 1940’s and 1950’s)

Cormac McCarthy: gritty modern westerns including No Country for Old Men, the Border trilogy (All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain), The Road

Larry McMurtry: many award-winning explorations of western manhood, including Lonesome Dove and sequels, Texasville, Last Picture Show. Writes both period and contemporary stories.

George Orwell: clean, muscular prose on a variety of social issues, fiction and nonfiction.

Richard Russo: chronicler of men’s lives in America’s declining small towns. Empire Falls (Pulitzer 2002), Nobody’s Fool, The Risk Pool, Straight Man.

Dan Simmons: ambitious and prolific writer of science fiction and thrillers

Neal Stephenson: genre-leaping author of substantial books: the Baroque Cycle novels, science fiction and adventure (Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon)

Don Winslow: one-off thrillers, always fast-paced: The Death and Life of Bobby Z, California Fire and Life, The Dawn Patrol, The Winter of Frankie Machine, The Power of the Dog
 
Nonfiction

Stephen Ambrose: historian of World War 2 (Band of Brothers, The Good Fight), Lewis and Clark (Undaunted Courage) and others

Anthony Bourdain: edgy modern writing about food, chefs and restaurants.

Bill Bryson: humorous writing about countries and societies. In a Sunburned Country, I’m a Stranger Here Myself, A Walk in the Woods, and many others.

Edward Conlon: author of a wonderful memoir, Blue Blood, about being a New York City cop

Doris Kearns Goodwin: popular, readable histories of Lyndon Johnson, the Kennedys, the Roosevelts, and Lincoln.

Stephen J. Gould: very appealing essays on natural history and biology, from a beloved paleontologist. The Panda’s Thumb, The Mismeasure of Man, Bully for Brontosaurus, many others.

Pico Iyer: elegant literary travel. Video Night in Kathmandu, Tropical Classical, Falling Off the Map

Jon Krakauer: Into the Wild, Into Thin Air, Under the Banner of Heaven

David McCullough: addictive histories with lots of narrative and humanity. 1776, The Great Bridge, The Path Between the Seas, John Adams, Truman, Mornings on Horseback

Joe McGinniss: big-selling true crime, plus minor-league soccer, horseracing, and politics

Mary Roach: science writing with a touch of humor: Stiff, Spook, Bonk

Elizabeth Royte: journalistic examinations Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash and Bottlemania: How Water Went On Sale and Why We Bought It

Oliver Sacks: graceful, compassionate writing from a neurologist. Awakenings, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

Calvin Trillin: humorous travel/culinary adventures from a beloved New Yorker writer. Also publishes true crime stories.

Paul Theroux: literary travel writing, with a strong interest in trains.

Barbara Tuchman: two-time Pulitzer-winning historian. The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam; Guns of August (World War 1); A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century

Simon Winchester: readable, literate histories including The Professor and the Madman, A Crack in the Edge of the World, The Map That Changed the World






06/29/11--11:04: If you love reading, if you love writing... (chan 1837584)

...enjoy these beautiful comments made at our affiliated Center for the Book in Iowa, by the author and teacher Stephen Lovely:

http://www.iowacenterforthebook.org/letters/LAL-celebrationaddresses/sla/sla2






08/18/11--16:05: National Book Festival -- now bigger and better! (chan 1837584)

Come to the 11th annual National Book Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The festival is free of charge and is organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress.




More than 100 authors will speak and sign books, including David McCullough, Russell Banks, Dave Eggers, Terry McMillan, Pulitzer Prize-winners Siddhartha Mukherjee and Jennifer Egan, Garrison Keillor, Amy Chua, Toni Morrison, and the California Poet Laureate, Carol Muske-Dukes.

For the first time, the Festival will extend over two days:
Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011: 1 to 5:30 p.m.

Enjoy authors, poets and illustrators, plus three new genre pavilions (State Poets Laureate, The Cutting Edge, and Graphic Novels) and performances for all ages at the Family Storytelling Stage. And don't forget the special bookend events leading up to the festival: http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/events.


http://www.loc.gov/bookfest
http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/author






10/07/11--15:12: New California Writing 2011 (chan 1837584)

Check out this marvelous new anthology from Heyday Books:




http://heydaybooks.com/book/new-california-writing-2011/




It's the first installment of a visionary new series, an annual literary anthology that will collect thought-provoking writing about California, with a special emphasis on Californian writers, publications, and publishers.






11/15/11--18:02: 'Tis almost the season... (chan 1837584)

Don't forget your local booksellers when it comes to holiday shopping. They'll help you find the perfect book for every person on your list, and they feature lots of author events where you can get signed copies of everything from cookbooks to true crime stories.




In Northern California: http://www.nciba.com/




In Southern California: http://www.scibabooks.org/






12/22/11--10:52: I Love My Librarian! (chan 1837584)

Videos of the 2011 "I Love My Librarian" winners can be seen at:

http://atyourlibrary.org/ilovemylibrarian/2011-winners

The Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award encourages library users to recognize the accomplishments of exceptional public, school, college, community college, or university librarians. Every year, ten librarians receive a $5,000 cash award, a plaque and $500 travel stipend to attend an awards reception in New York, hosted by The New York Times. This year's reception took place on December 8, 2011.






01/24/12--14:46: Literary Orange 2012 (chan 1837584)

This year's Literary Orange will take place on Saturday, April 14, at UC Irvine. Come hear fabulous keynote speakers Paula McLain and Lisa See, and enjoy author panels about mysteries, poetry, memoirs, science fiction, fantasy, history, war, inspirational fiction and much more.

Presented by OC Public Libraries, UC Irvine and the UCI Libraries.
http://literaryorange.org/