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05/11/11--11:40: What your literary tote bag says about you? (chan 2557600)

Check it out here.\

I kind of wish there was an entry for South By Southwest tote bag. Though it is not technically literary, it says, “I own at least as many records as books.” OK, I guess it’s really not literary.




05/24/11--11:23: Austin Poetry Society celebrates 2011 award winners (chan 2557600)

Austin newcomer Bronmin Shumway (which is one of the best names I’ve heard in a long time) won this year’s Austin Poetry Society Award at this year’s APS ceremony, which was held at the ND May 21.

Shumway moved to Austin from Chicago last June and joined the APS as a new member in March.

Twenty-eight different contests resulted in nearly 80 awards and prizes totaling more than $2,000.

Other first place winners honored at the 2011 ceremony: Mary Ellen Branan, G.E. Martt, Mariann Garner-Wizard, Von S. Bourland, Ralph Hausser, Mia Avramescu, Margie McCreless Roe, Elaine Hosage, Nona Blanchard, Monty Jones, Bradley R. Strahan, Dr. Charles A. Stone, Neil Meili, Glynn Monroe Irby, Michal Mahgerefteh, Sheree Rabe, Nancy Fierstien, George Klawitter, Greg Silver, and Thom the World Poet.




05/30/11--09:03: Outtakes from my chat with H.W. Brands (chan 2557600)

My column on H.W. Brands new book “The Murder of Jim Fisk for the Love of Josie Mansfield” can be found here.

Here are some thoughts from Brands we couldn’t fit into the print edition.

On Brands’ next book: “The plan is to do a series of these American Portraits. The next is called ‘The Heartbreak of Aaron Burr and his daughter Theodosia.’ Burr was one of the most notorious characters of his time, considered the worst scoundrel. He was also a reflection of the bitter partisan politics of the 1790s, which culminated in the duel between Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Burr goes into exile, but he misses his daughter, so he returns to the States. It’s an amazing story.”

On people who could run for president: “The only people who could run for President who were not professional politicians were victorious generals. Victorious generals were national figures. They could jump to the top of the political pile.”

On contemporary parallels to Fisk: “When Fisk tried to corner the gold market, which would have put him in control of the gold supply in the U.S. and thrown our economy into chaos, it was perfectly legal. It had never occurred to the regulators that this was the kind of thing that needed to be guarded against. It’s a lot like what happened to our economy in 2008. “Similarly, during 1880s and 1890s, there was great concern at the polarization of wealth and income. By 1900, our average standard of living was the envy of the world, but some people were getting really, really rich and there was a feeling that the country could not hold together with this kind of disparity.”

On the Gilded Age and bubbles: “One problem with bubbles, and this was true of the gold bubble in the Gilded Age and the real estate bubble now, is that even if people know it’s a bubble, there’s a really strong temptation to get in and get out before the roof collapses.”




07/11/11--08:21: "Paul Harper" and more (chan 2557600)

— “Paul Harper” appears tonight at BookPeople.

— Austin author Amanda Eyre Ward’s new new novel “Close Your Eyes” arrives in stores July 26.

— The Writers’ League of Texas is planning an anniversary celebration on Oct. 1. The League’s scholarships are awarded each year by the League’s Bess Whitehead Scott Scholarship Fund. The event will honor two decades of scholarship winners and the volunteers who have helped raise funds for the awards. Karen Tumulty, formerly of Time magazine and now a national political correspondent for the Washington Post,is the featured speaker. There will be a silent auction and entertainment by Shannon Sedwick of Esther’s Follies. Tickets are $15, $20 at the door.2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Edward’s University, Maloney Rm., 3rd floor, Main Building. Go here for more information.

—




08/03/11--11:44: Texas Book Festival announces gala lineup (chan 2557600)

Jim Lehrer, Susan Orlean, Molly Shannon and Jon Scieszka head this year’s lineup at the Texas Book Festival’s First Edition Literary Gala.

The annual event, which will be held Oct. 21 at the Four Seasons Hotel, helps raise funds for the festival’s programs as well as features literary stars and prominent guests.

Lehrer, the recently retired host of the PBS show ‘NewsHour,’ is the author of ‘Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, from Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-McCain.’ Orlean, the author of ‘The Orchid Thief,’ has a new book in release, ‘Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend.’ And former Saturday Night Live comedian Shannon will speak about her new book, ‘Tilly the Trickster.’

The evening will be hosted by Jon Scieszka, the children’s author. He spoke two years ago at the Gala. His new book is called ‘Spaceheadz: SPHDZ Book #3.’ Scieszka is an advocate for encouraging children to read.

“We’ll hear from someone who’s on the front lines with US journalism and newsmakers to an icon from Saturday Night Live,” said Heidi Marquez Smith, executive director of the festival. “The Book Festival relishes this fantastic celebration of a variety of authors, who are at the heart of all the rich creative content we offer during the festival weekend. It’s invaluable to get a chance to hear their personal thoughts and observations.”

The First Edition Literary Gala helps provide grants to Texas public libraries, literacy outreach to economically disadvantaged schools, and year-round author events and happenings.

Gala tables can be purchased at texasbookfestival.org or by calling 512-477-4055. The Texas Book Festival will take place on Oct. 22 and 23 in the State Capitol and venues nearby.




08/12/11--04:00: Teen Book Festival announces lineup (chan 2557600)

The Austin Teen Book Festival announced the lineup today for its third annual event on Oct. 1, with Texas author Scott Westerfeld as the keynote speaker.

Panels will be moderated by Central Texas authors Margo Rabb, Cristina Garcia, Varian Johnson and Cynthia Leitich Smith.

Panels and their participants are:

Pen Fatale, moderated by Margo Rabb, with fellow authors Gabrielle Zevin (“All These Things I’ve Done”), Alyson Noel (“Everlasting”), Mary Pearson (“The Fox Inheritance”), Jessica Brody (“My Life Undecided”) and Alexandra Adornetto (“Hades”).

Realistic/Romance Fiction, moderated by Cristina Garcia, with fellow authors Simone Elkeles (“Perfect Chemistry”), Stephanie Perkins (“Lola & the Boy Next Door), Jenny Han (“We’ll Always Have Summer”), Jennifer Zeigler (“Sass & Sensibility”) and Christina Mandelski (“The Sweetest Thing”).

Edgy Panel, moderated by Varian Johnson, with John Corey Whaley (“Where Things Come Back”), David Levithan (“Every You, Every Me”), Melissa Walker (“Small Town Sinners”), Coe Booth (“Bronxwood”) and Geoff Herbach (“Stupid Fast”).

Fantasy Panel 1, moderated by Cynthia Leitich Smith, with Heather Brewer (“Vladimir Tod”), Jackson Pearce (“Sweetly”), Tera Lynn Childs (“Sweet Venom”), Sophie Jordan (“Vanish”) and Andrea Cremer (“Wolfsbane”).

Fantasy Panel 2, featuring Scott Westerfeld (“Goliath”), Maureen Johnson (“Name of the Star”), Jonathan Maberry (“Dust & Decay”) and Brian Yansky (“Alien Invasion”).

The Austin Public Library Friends Foundation is hosting the festival at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road. It’s free and includes music from teen bands, food and other entertainment.

More information can be found here.




08/15/11--15:10: 'Big Nate' illustrator offers cartoon workshop (chan 2557600)

BookPeople will host a cartoon workshop on Aug. 27 and 28 with Lincoln Peirce, the illustrator of the nationally syndicated comic strip “Big Nate.”

Registration is required and can be done via BookPeople’s website, www.bookpeople.com. The workshop will end with a book-signing at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 28, open to the public.

Each cartoon workshop session will start at 10 a.m. and last till 3 p.m. Enrollment is open to cartoonists and Big Nate fans between the ages of 8-12. BookPeople will provide art supplies, snacks and drinks for the young cartoonists, who must bring their own lunch. Registration for the two-day workshop is $199. Registration forms are available in-store and for download at: http://www.bookpeople.com/event/big-nate-literary-camp. Completed registration forms must be submitted in-store, along with payment.

Peirce will visit BookPeople as part of his tour for the latest book in the series, Big Nate on a Roll (HarperCollins, $12.99.)




08/16/11--10:18: A book release party for Ataturk, (chan 2557600)

Tonight: BookPeople hosts the book release party for Austin author and retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve Austin Bay for his new book “Ataturk: The Extraordinary Life and Achievements of the Greatest General of the Ottoman Empire.” Bay is the co-author of “A Quick & Dirty Guide to War” and has appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition, Fox News, C-SPAN and more. The party starts at 7 p.m.




08/31/11--13:56: Austin Teen Book Festival coming Oct. 1 (chan 2557600)

Scott Westerfeld, Heather Brewer and Texas writer Rosemary Clement-Moore are just three of the dozens of writers of young adult literature appearing at the Austin Teen Book Festival (ATBF), coming Oct. 1 to the Palmer Event Center.

Sponsored by the Austin Public Library Friends Foundation, the ATBF gathers YA authors from all over the country to celebrate teens and reading. Other participating writers include Jenny Han, Coe Booth, David Levithan and local authors such as Cynthia Leitich-Smith, Margo Rabb, and Varian Johnson.




09/08/11--06:00: Author lineup for Texas Book Festival 2011 (chan 2557600)

Authors for the 16th annual Texas Book Festival:

Acheson, Hugh. “A New Turn in the South.”

Akers, Monte. “The Accidental Historian: Tales of Trash and Treasure.”

Alexander, Jill S. “Paradise.”

Anderson, Jessica Lee. “Calli.”

Asher, Jay. “Thirteen Reasons Why.”

Baker, T. Lindsay. “Gangster Tour of Texas.”

Banks, Russell. “Lost Memory of Skin: A Novel.”

Barnett, Mac. “Mustache!”

Barson, Michael. “Agonizing Love: The Golden Era of Romance Comics.”

Barton, Chris. “Can I See Your I.D.?: True Stories of False Identities.”

Bay, Austin. “Ataturk: Lessons in Leadership…”

Beeman, Cynthia J. “History Ahead: Stories Beyond the Texas Roadside Markers.”

Berryhill, Michael. “The Trials of Eroy Brown: The Murder Case That Shook the Texas Prison System.”

Bill, Frank. “Crimes in Southern Indiana: Stories.”

Bird, Sarah. “The Gap Year.”

Borowitz, Andy. “The 50 Funniest American Writers…”

Brands, H.W. “The Murder of Jim Fisk for the Love of Josie Mansfield.”

Bray, Libba. “Beauty Queens.”

Bresenhan, Karoline. “Lone Stars III: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1986-2011.”

Brinkley, Douglas. “The Quiet World: Saving Alaska’s Wilderness Kingdom, 1879-1960.”

Brower, Sam. “Prophet’s Prey: My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs…”

Brown, Alton. “Good Eats 3.”

Browning, Domique. “Slow Love: How I lost My Job, Put on My Pajamas & Found Happiness.”

Bullock Prado, Gesine. “Sugar Baby: Confections, Candies, Cakes & Other Delicious…”

Burckhardt, Marc. “When Bob Met Woody: The Story of the Young Bob Dylan.”

Bush, William S. “Who Gets a Childhood? Race and Juvenile Justice in Twentieth-Century Texas.”

Call, Wendy. “No Word for Welcome: The Mexican Village Faces the Global Economy.”

Caro, Ina. “Paris to the Past: Traveling Through French History by Train.”

Casey, Nell. “The Journals of Spalding Gray.”

Charleson, Susannah. “Scent of the Missing: Love & Partnership with a Search-and-Rescue Dog.”

Christelow, Eileen. “Five Little Monkeys Reading in Bed.”

Clark, Marcia. “Guilt by Association.”

Clark, Roy Peter. “Help! For Writers: 210 Solutions to the Problems Every Writer Faces.”

Clement-Moore, Rosemary. “Texas Gothic.”

Cline, Ernest. “Ready Player One.”

Coben, Harlan. Shelter: “A Mickey Bolitar Novel.”

Coel, Margaret. “The Perfect Suspect: A Catherine McLeod Mystery.”

Cole, Tyson. “Uchi: The Cookbook.”

Cortez, Sarah. “You Don’t Have a Clue: Latino Mystery Stories for Teens.”

Cronin, Doreen. “M.O.M. (Mom Operating Manual)”

Crosby, Jeff. “Weiner Wolf.”

Cullerton, Brenda. “The Craigslist Murders.”

Dashner, James. “The Death Cure: The Maze Runner Trilogy.”

Davis, David. “The Green Mother Goose: Saving the World One Rhyme at a Time.”

Deb, Siddhartha. “The Beautiful and the Damned: A Portrait of the New India.”

Deen, Paula. “Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible: The New Classic Guide to Delicious Dishes with More Than 300 Recipes.”

Dessen, Sarah. “What Happened to Goodbye.”

DiCamillo, Kate. “Bink and Gollie.”

Dingus, Rick. “Llano Estacado: An Island in the Sky.”

Duff, Gerald. “Home Truths: A Deep East Texas Memory.”

Eagleman, David. “Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain.”

Eckstut, Arielle. “The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published …”

Edwards, Bob. “A Voice in the Box: My Life in Radio.”

Engelhardt, Elizabeth S.D. “ A Mess of Greens: Southern Gender and Southern Food.”

Erwin, Will. “Texas State Cemetery.”

Evans, James H. “Crazy from the Heat: A Chronicle of Twenty Years in the Big Bend.”

Fain, Lisa. “The Homesick Texan Cookbook.”

Farrell, John A. “Clarence Darrow: Attorney for the Damned.”

Fenberg, Steven. “Unprecedented Power: Jesse Jones, Capitalism, and the Common Good.”

Fisher, William M. “The Defeat of Grandfather Devil.”

Foose, Martha Hall. “A Southerly Course: Recipes and Stories from Close to Home.”

Frazee, Marla. “Stars.”

Frederick, Heather Vogel. “Home for the Holidays: The Mother-Daughter Book Club.”

Freeman, Doug. “The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology.”

Frost, Susan Toomey. “Timeless Mexico: The Photographs of Hugo Brehme

Furman, Laura. “The Mother Who Stayed: Stories.”

Gantos, Jack . “Dead End in Norvelt.”

Garcia, Kami. “Beautiful Chaos: A Beautiful Creatures Novel.”

Ghosh, Amitav. “River of Smoke: A Novel.”

Gidwitz, Adam. “A Tale Dark & Grimm.”

Gilb, Dagoberto. “Before the End, After the Beginning: Stories.”

Glusker, Susannah Joel. “Avant-Garde Art & Artists in Mexico: Anita Brenner’s Journals of the Roaring Twenties.”

Godiwalla, Nina. “Suits: A Woman on Wall Street.”

Goldfield, David. “America Aflame: How the Civil War Created a Nation.”

Gordon, Jaimy. “Lords of Misrule.”

Graeber, David. “Debt: The First 5,000 Years.”

Graham, Don. “State of Minds: Texas Culture and Its Discontents.”

Graves, Keith. “The Orphan of Awkward Falls.”

Gregory, Philippa. “The Lady of the Rivers: The Cousins’ War; The Women of the Cousins’ War…”

Grillo, Ioan. “El Narco: Inside Mexico’s Criminal Insurgency.”

Grossman, Lev. “The Magician King.”

Guinn, Jeff. “The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral…”

Hamilton, Gabrielle. “Blood, Bones & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef.”

Hancock, Butch. “If I Was a Highway,”

Harbach, Chad. “The Art of Fielding: A Novel.”

Harrigan, Stephen. “Remember Ben Clayton.”

Hatfield, Thomas M. “Rudder: From Leader to Legend.”

Hinojosa-Smith, Rolando. “A Voice of My Own: Essays and Stories.”

Hollinghurst, Alan. “The Stranger’s Child: A Novel.”

Holt, K.A. “Brains for Lunch: A Zombie Novel in Haiku?!”

Hopkins, Ellen. “Perfect (YA); Triangles: A Novel.”

Hornfischer, Jim. “Neptune’s Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal.”

Hosford, Kate. “Big Bouffant.”

Inskeep, Steve. “Instant City: Life and Death in Karachi.”

Isay, Jane. “Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents.”

Jacobs, Sally H. “The Other Barack: The Bold and Reckless Life of President Obama’s Father.”

Jenkins, Emily. “Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences…”

Johnson, Craig. “Hell Is Empty: A Walt Longmire Mystery.”

Johnson, Donna. “Holy Ghost Girl: A Memoir.”

Johnson, Mary. “An Unquenchable Thirst: Following Mother Theresa…”

Johnson, Mat . “Pym.”

Jordan, Hillary. “When She Woke.”

Jordan, Jonathan W. “Brothers-Rivals-Victors: Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley and the Partnership…”

Kalil, Susie. “Alexandre Hogue: An American Visionary, Paintings and Works on Paper.”

Kaye, Jordan. “How to Booze: Exquisite Cocktails and Unsound Advice.”

Klosterman, Chuck. “The Visible Man: A Novel.”

Kasper, Lynne Rossetto. “The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Weekends…”

Kilmer-Purcell, Josh. “The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook.”

Koryta, Michael. “The Cypress House; The Ridge.”

Knudsen, Michelle. “Argus.”

Kurzweil, Allen. “Potato Chip Science: 29 Incredible Experiments.”

Lambert, Louis. “Big Ranch, Big City Cookbook.”

Lansdale, Joe R. “Devil Red: A Hap and Leonard Novel; YA title: All the Earth, Thrown to the Sky.”

Larson, Jeanette. “Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas.”

Lauren, Jillian. “Pretty: A Novel.”

Lauterbach, Preston. “The Chitlin’ Circuit: And The Road to Rock and Roll.”

Lehmann, Chris. “Rich People Things: Real Life Secrets of the Predator Class.”

Lehrer, Jim. “Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, from Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-McCain.”

Levithan, David. “Every You, Every Me.”

Liss, David. “he Twelfth Enchantment: A Novel.”

Loeb, Lisa. “Lisa Loeb’s Silly Sing-Along: The Disappointing Pancake and Other Zany Songs.”

Longmire, Sylvia. “Cartel.”

Lopez, Rhonda Lashley. “Don’t Make Me Go to Town: Ranchwomen of the Texas Hill Country.

Loving, Jerome. “Mark Twain: The Adventures of Samuel L. Clemens.”

Luna, James. “The Runaway Piggy / El cochinito fugitive.”

Lyga, Barry. “Mangaman.”

Machart, Bruce. “Men in the Making.”

MacNeal, Noel. “10-Minute Puppets.”

Mansbach, Adam. “Go the * to Sleep.”

Martin, Jeff. “The Late American Novel: Writers on the Future of Books.”

Martínez, Alberto A. “Science Secrets: The Truth About Darwin’s Finches, Einstein’s Wife, and Other Myths.”

Matthews, Sherry. “We Were Not Orphans: Stories from the Waco State Home.”

McGarr, Kathryn J. “The Whole Damn Deal: Robert Strauss and the Art of Politics.”

McGilligan, Patrick. “Nicholas Ray: The Glorious Failure of an American Director.”

McWhirter, Cameron. “Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awakening of Black America.”

Millard, Candice. “The Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine & the Murder of a President.”

Mitchard, Jaquelyn. “Second Nature.”

Morgan, Robert. “Lions of the West: Heroes and Villains of the Westward Expansion.”

Morgenstern, Erin. “The Night Circus.”

Moses, Shelia. “Joseph’s Grace.”

Mullen, Thomas. “The Revisionists.”

Needham, Hal. “Stuntman!: My Car-Crashing, Plane-Jumping, Bone-Breaking, Death-Defying Hollywood Life.”

Nelson, Kadir. “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans.

Newton, Jim. “Eisenhower: The White House Years.”

Niven, Jennifer. “Velva Jean Learns to Drive.”

O’Brien, Michael. “Hard Ground.”

O’ Connor, Kevin. “The Best Homes from This Old House.”

O’Rourke, Meghan. “The Long Goodbye: A Memoir.”

Oppel, Kenneth. “This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein.”

Orlean, Susan. “Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend.”

Palahniuk, Chuck. “Damned.”

Peck, Jan. “The Green Mother Goose: Saving the World One Rhyme at a Time.”

Pells, Richard. “Modernist America: Art, Music, Movies, & the Globalization of American Culture.”

Pennebaker, James W. “The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us.”

Pennebaker, Ruth. “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough.”

Perrotta, Tom. “The Leftovers.”

Petrow, Steven. “Steven Petrow’s Guide to Gay & Lesbian Manners.”

Pollock, Donald Ray. “The Devil All the Time.”

Post, Peggy. “Emily Post’s Etiquette, 18th Edition.”

Powell, Austin. “The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology.”

Priest, Dana. “Top Secret America: The Rise of the New American Security State.”

Prud’homme, Alex. “The Ripple Effect: The Fate of Fresh Water in the Twenty-First Century.”

Puentes, Nancy O’Bryant. “Lone Stars III: A Legacy of Texas Quilts, 1986-2011.”

Raffles, Hugh. “Insectopedia.”

Reichs, Kathy. “Seizure: A Virals Novel.”

Reichs, Kerry. “Leaving Unknown: A Novel.

Rice, David. “Heart-Shaped Cookies and Other Stories.”

Riddlesperger Jr., James. “Lonestar Leaders: Power and Personality in the Texas Congressional Delegation.”

Ridge, Brent. “The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook.”

Rivas, Spelile. “No Time for Monsters/No hay tiempo para monstrous.”

Rhodes-Pitts, Sharifa. “Harlem Is Nowhere: A Journey to the Mecca of Black America.”

Rodriguez, Artemio. “The Defeat of Grandfather Devil.”

Romero, Mary. “The Maid’s Daughter: Living Inside and Outside the American Dream.”

Rosen, Michael J. “My Dog!”

Russell, Karen. “Swamplandia!”

Sachar, Louis. “The Cardturner.”

Saldaña Jr., René. “The Lemon Tree Caper: A Mickey Rangel Mystery…”

Saltzberg, Barney. “Beautiful Oops.”

Sanchez, Alex. “Bait .”

Saylor, Steven. “Empire.”

Scanlon, Liz Garton. “Noodle & Lou.”

Schiff, Stacy. “Cleopatra: A Life.”

Schmidt, John R. “The Unraveling: Pakistan in the Age of Jihad.”

Schreiber, Joe. “Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick.”

Scieszka, Casey. “To Timbuktu: Nine Countries, Two People, One True Story.”

Scieszka, Jon. “SPACEHEADZ: SPHDZ Book #3!”

Scott, Elaine. “Space, Stars, and the Beginning of Time: What the Hubble Telescope Saw.”

Shannon, Molly. “Tilly the Trickster.”

Shea, Bob. “Dinosaur vs. the Library.”

Sierra, Judy. “ZooZical.”

Smith, C.W. “Steplings: A Novel.”

Smith, Clete Barrett. “Aliens on Vacation.”

Smith, Cynthia Leitich. “Tantalize: Kieron’s Story.”

Smith, Dominic. “Bright and Distant Shores: A Novel.”

Sobel, Dava. “A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos.”

Srinivasan, Divya. “Little Owl’s Night.”

Stead, Rebecca. “When You Reach Me.”

Steiner, Frederick. “Design for a Vulnerable Planet.”

Sterry, David Henry. “Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published.”

Stevens, Taylor. “The Informationist.”

Stohl, Margaret. “Beautiful Chaos: A Beautiful Creatures Novel.”

Stokes, David R. “The Shooting Salvationist: J. Frank Norris and the Murder Trial That Captivated America.”

Styron, Alexandra. “Reading My Father: A Memoir.”

Sweets, Ellen. “Stirring It Up with Molly Ivins: A Memoir with Recipes.”

Swift, Edward. “The Daughter of the Doctor and the Saint: A Novel.”

Tillman, Nancy. “The Crown on Your Head.”

Tobar, Héctor. “The Barbarian Nurseries: A Novel.”

Torres, Justin. “We The Animals.”

Troncoso, Sergio. “Crossing Borders: Personal Essays; From This Wicked Patch of Dust.”

Unferth, Deb Olin. “Revolution: The Year I Fell in Love and Went to Join the War.”

Utley, Dan K. “History Ahead: Stories Beyond the Texas Roadside Markers.”

Ventura, Michael. “If I Was a Highway.”

Waldman, Amy. “The Submission.”

Walker, Jason. “Texas State Cemetery.”

Ward, Amanda Eyre. “Close Your Eyes.”

Weinberg, Steven.. “To Timbuktu: Nine Countries, Two People, One True Story.”

Wiesinger, Chris. “Heirloom Bulbs for Today.”

Welch, William C. “Heirloom Gardening in the South.”

Wells, Rosemary. “Love Waves.”

Wendelboe, C.M. “Death Along the Spirit Road.”

Wickenden, Dorothy. “Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West.”

Whitehead, Colson. “Zone One: A Novel.”

Whittemore, Jo. “Odd Girl In.”

Whorff, John. “Kayaking the Texas Coast.”

Wilkinson, Andy. “Llano Estacado: An Island in the Sky.”

Williams, Juan. “Muzzled: The Assault on Honest Debate.”

Willis, Virginia. “Basic to Brilliant, Y’all: 150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress Them Up for Company.”

Wilson, Daniel H. “Robopocalypse: A Novel.”

Wingfield, Jenny. “The Homecoming of Samuel Lake.”

Winkler, Adam. “Gunfight: The Battle over the Right to Bear Arms in America.”

Wolitzer, Meg. “The Uncoupling; The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman.”

Wolman, Baron. “Every Picture Tells a Story - Baron Wolman, The Rolling Stone Years.”

Woodrell, Daniel. “The Outlaw Album: Stories.”

Wright, Robin. “Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World.”

Wright, Lawrence. “The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11.”

Yañez, Richard. “Cross Over Water.”

Yu, Charles. “How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe.”

Zelinsky, Paul. “Toys Come Home: Being the Early Experiences …”

Zepeda, Gwendolyn. “I Kick the Ball/Pateo el balón.”

Ziegler, Jennifer. “Sass & Serendipity.”

Zogby, James. “Arab Voices: What They Are Saying to Us, and Why It Matters.”




09/14/11--11:41: Chuck Palahniuk, Jim Uhls,Tom Perrotta to appear on joint AFF/TBF panels (chan 2557600)

Authors such as Chuck Palahniuk, Jim Uhls, Kathy Reichs, Ernest Cline and Tom Perrotta are all slated to appear on panels about the relationship between prose and the screen co-sponsored by the Austin Film Festival and Texas Book Festival on Oct. 22.

“Fight Club” (the movie) screenwriter Jim Uhls and “Fight Club” (the novel) author Chuck Palahniuk will discuss adapting the novel in a “Script-to-Screen” panel.

“Bones” writer/producer Hart Hanson will join novelist and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs to discuss “the Collaboration Process”

Authors/screenwriters Ernest Cline, Tom Perrotta and Jenny Wingfield will all discuss their moving work from the page to the screen.

Film passes can be purchased here.




09/15/11--15:00: Jonathan Franzen and Lev Grossman in conversation Oct. 14 (chan 2557600)

Award-winning novelist Jonathan Franzen sits down to chat with Time Magazine senior writer and book critic Lev Grossman Oct. 14 at at Bass Concert Hall.

Franzen’s 2001 novel “The Corrections” won the National Book Award, while his most recent “Freedom,” won the 2011 John Gardner Prize for fiction and the Heartland Prize.

Tickets are $34 to $38 and are on sale now.

A limited number of $10 student tickets/discounted tickets are available for UT faculty & staff, seniors and military. Tickets can be purchased at the Bass Concert Hall Box Office, most H-E-B stores and all Texas Box Office outlets, online at TexasPerformingArts.org, or by calling (512) 477-6060 or (800) 982-BEVO.




09/20/11--10:24: New hours for Faulk Central Library (chan 2557600)

The Faulk Central Library located at 800 Guadalupe St., also known as the main branch pf the Austin Public Library, is reducing its operating hours, opening an hour later and closing an hour earlier Monday through Thursday.

As of Oct. 3, the new hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.




09/22/11--08:35: Carolyn McBride signs "Fireflies in a Jar: Stories of Growing Up in Austin, 1938 - 1956" Saturday (chan 2557600)

Austin native Carolyn Bock McBride will be signing her book “Fireflies in a Jar: Stories of Growing Up in Austin, 1938 - 1956” from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 2810 Bowman Ave., the the home built in 1935 by her parents, Caroline and Carl Edward Bock.

McBride will sign books and share personal anecdotes of old Austin, including pieces on Tarrytown, the Austin Symphony, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church and more.




10/07/11--13:14: Texas Book Festival needs volunteers! (chan 2557600)

The Texas Book Festival is in need of volunteers. It takes a whole mess of volunteers to make the thing run, so if you’re in the mood to help out, sign up here




10/11/11--13:46: Jewish Book Fair announces lineup (chan 2557600)

The 28th annual Austin Jewish Book Fair kicks off Nov. 3, with appearances by Melissa Fay Greene, Martin Fletcher and Joe Gelman.

The annual Book Lovers Luncheon starts at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 3 with an appearance by Greene, author of “No Biking in the House Without a Helmet,” which deals with her parenting experiences.

The program continues at 10 a.m. Nov. 6 with Martin Fletcher, long-time NBC News Middle East correspondent and Tel Aviv Bureau Chief. During a bagel breakfast, the journalist-turned-author will discuss his first foray into fiction, “The List: A Novel.” The book follows an expecting couple as they flee Austria at the close of the World War II to start again in London.

At 7 p.m. Sunday, Rabbi Jamie Korngold of Boulder, Colo. will discuss her new book, “The God Upgrade: Finding Your 21st-Century Spirituality in Judaism’s 5,000-Year-Old Tradition.” Also on Sunday, Joe Gelman, will talk about “Confidential: The Life of Secret Agent Turned Holywood Tycoon- Arnon Milchan.” Gelman’s book focuses on the experiences of Milchan, who produced more than 100 movies, including “Pretty Woman,” but who also had another life as an Israeli secret agent.

Alick Isaacs will talk at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 about his latest book, “A Prophetic Peace: Judaism, Religion and Politics.”

At 7 p.m. on Nov. 8, Sharon Pomerantz will talk about first novel, “Rich Boy,” and Michael David Lukas will introduce his debut novel, “The Oracle of Stamboul.”

The fair continues at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 with Alicia Oltuski, who will discuss her memoir, “Precious Objects: A Story of Diamonds, Family and a Way of Life.” Also, Adina Hoffman, film critic and professor, and Peter Cole, poet and translator, will discuss “Sacred Trash: The Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza.”

At 7 p.m. Nov. 10, Steven Levy will discuss “In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works and Shapes our Lives.”

And the festival closes at 8 p.m. Nov. 12 with Jonathan Spyer, who will talk about “Transforming Fire: The Rise of the Israel-Islamist Conflict.” Also appearing will be Joseph Braude, who will discuss “The Honored Dead: A Story of Friendship, Murder and the Search for Truth in the Arab World.”

For more complete Austin Jewish Book Fair author and schedule information and to register for ticketed events, visit www.shalomaustin.org/bookfair or call (512) 735-8076.

The Jewish Book Fair will be held at the JCC Community Hall, 7300 Hart Lane.




10/18/11--09:17: Deborah Akers, 1949 -- 2011 (chan 2557600)

The Reader would like to note the passing of Austin poet Deborah Akers, who died on Oct. 12 at the age of 62.

“Deb was a good friend to countless poets and a creative influence on Austin poetry,” said Austin Poetry Society president Elzy Cogswell.

She served on the board of directors for both the Austin poetry journal Borderlands and the Austin International Poetry Festival. For the latter, she was the longtime editor of the youth anthology, Diverse Youth. “Deb also initiated and hosted many poetry reading venues,” Cogswell said. “Austin is known for its active poetry community, and we are all mourning her loss. Her spirit continues in each of us who have been influenced by her work.” No services are planned.




10/20/11--07:59: Hamilton Book Awards announced (chan 2557600)

A UT scholar of early Christian history has won the the University Co-op’s Hamilton Book Award for a volume on how the gospel stories of Jesus changed over time.

UT professor L. Michael White took the $10,000 grand prize for “Scripting Jesus: The Gospels in Rewrite” (Harper Collins), which argues that the gospels were perhaps tailored to the particular audience to whom Jesus was speaking and reflect the various authors.

The Hamilton Book Awards, named after former Co-op Board chair and UT law professor Robert W. Hamilton, are given to UT faculty for outstanding scholarship and creative works published during the previous academic year.

White is the award’s first two-time grand prize winner.

He won first in 2006 for “From Jesus to Christianity: How Four Generations of Visionaries & Storytellers Created the New Testament and Christian Faith,” also published by Harper Collins.

The Co-op presented several other awards at its annual awards dinner Wednesday night.

Four winners took home $3,000 runner-up prizes.

History professor Richard Graham won for “Feeding the City: From Street Market to Liberal Reform in Salvador, Brazil, 1780-1860” (UT Press), biology professor David M. Hillis for “Principles of Life” (Sinauer Associates and W. H. Freeman), law professor Inga Markovits for “Music in the Hispanic Caribbean” (Yale University Press) and history professor Karl H. Miller for “Segregating Sound: Inventing Folk and Pop Music in the Age of Jim Crow” (Duke University Press).

Asian Studies professor and former department chair J. Patrick Olivelle won the $10,000 Career Research Excellence award, McDonald Observatory scientists Barbara E. McArthur and George “Fritz” Benedict were awarded the $5,000 Best Research Paper award.

Theater professor Steven Dietz won the new $5,000 Creative Research award, for which faculty in the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Communication, and the School of Architecture are eligible.




10/23/11--10:21: Bibliophiles pack Capitol for Texas Book Festival (chan 2557600)

Here is the link to our Sunday story on the Texas Book Festival.




10/24/11--18:13: Texas Book Festival: Pitchapalooza panel (chan 2557600)

There are certain words not to use when pitching a book idea to an editor.

Don’t say “I’m going to tell you a story.” Don’t ask the editor to “imagine this.” Do talk about your main character and throw in some dialogue or something funny. Do be able to pitch your book in one minute because that is about all the time you might get.

This was the advice that the authors and agents on the panel called “Pitchapalooza,” gave to the audience Saturday. A handful of people randomly chosen from the audience presented their book ideas and were only given one minute to do it. Their judges were David Henry Sterry and Arielle Eckstut, the authors of “The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published,” Laura Castro, a visiting scholar at the UT School of Law who is writing a book; Carol Dawson, the author of four books and Bill Crawford, the author of 12 books.

The book ideas that various members of the audience presented to the panel included one about a man who was a personal assistant to Andy Warhol, another man who literally visits hell while getting a divorce and a book for children about how musical instruments are made with some gross facts thrown in to catch the readers’ attention such as how some strings were made out of animal parts. There was even a book idea by a 13 year old girl about a child whose best friend is kidnapped.

The judges chose a winner named - special education teacher Amy Teague. She said she wanted to write about a boy suffering from some mental issues himself who was the only one that knew his “perfect” sister was a shape shifter.

“That’s a great subject for a book,” said Sterry. Eckstut also suggested that Teague provide more details about her main character when she pitched the book.

Crawford suggested to potential writers that think about books they could write in serials. “That’s what is selling,” he said.