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Bending Toward the Sun – Review

christine (booktumbling) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:53:27 +0000

A beautifully written family memoir, Bending Toward the Sun explores an emotional legacy—forged in the terror of the Holocaust—that has shaped three generations of lives. Leslie Gilbert-Lurie tells the story of her mother, Rita, who like Anne Frank spent years hiding from the Nazis, and whose long-hidden pain shaped both her daughter and granddaughter’s lives. Bringing together the stories of three generations of women, Bending Toward the Sun reveals how deeply the Holocaust lives in the hearts and minds of survivors and their descendants.

Leslie Gilbert-Lurie’s memoir is more than a story of the horrors her mother, Rita, and 13 other family members endured for two years while hiding in an attic from the Nazis. It is a intimate portrait on how fear of loss, guilt and depression can unknowingly be handed down generation to generation.

Rita’s first-hand description of her family’s existence in the attic is harrowing. The elation and relief that is felt when they learn of their “freedom” is short-lived when they discover they are free to be transported from one location to another, one country to another, while searching for someplace to call home. Years later, Rita still struggles with the foreboding worry of losing those she loves and inadvertently passes these worries onto her own daughter.

Leslie has a need to know of her mother’s childhood and finds a way for her mom to disclose those dark times – by writing a memoir together. Leslie also fears loss and is constantly battling feelings of guilt and anguish and she wants to understand why since her own life has been full of stability and love. She is concerned that she sees these same traits in her own daughter but to a lessened degree.

I finished this book a week ago and am still in wonder. The personal account of Rita was difficult yet beautiful in its simplicity and honesty. I found the story of the family’s struggles after the war especially traumatic. Imagine living in hiding for so long then being freed to go nowhere with nothing and having to search for a place to call home. The ability to overcome this struggle, to survive and prosper (to some extent) is amazing! Ms. Lurie-Gilbert has done more than write a memoir of her mother’s survival, it a story of her own self-examination and research into the trickle down effects tragedy and horror can have on a person and their descendants. This is truly a stunning work!

Book information:

Paperback: 528 pages
Publisher: HarperLuxe; Lrg edition (September 8, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061885134
ISBN-13: 978-0061885136

Ms. Gilbert-Lurie has a wonderful website that only adds to the reading experience with photos, a family tree and additional resources concerning the Holocaust and its survivors. I would encourage everyone to visit!

Ms. Gilbert-Lurie will also have an appearance on the Today Show this Tuesday, September 1st to speak of the release of her book.

Ms. Gilbert-Lurie also has a blog on The Huffington Post and recently posted an insightful article:

10 Ways to Minimize Your Child’s Stress
By Leslie Gilbert-Lurie
Author of Bending Toward the Sun: A Mother and Daughter Memoir

In many respects my children are lucky. They have traveled extensively, attended outstanding schools, and have had the occasion to pursue talents and passing fancies. My childhood was not so privileged. I never imagined having had many of these opportunities. And yet I often find myself feeling sad for them and their peers. They feel a stress I also could never have imagined.

As a child, I generally had nothing better to do after school than play with my neighbors. Today, many of the children I know are too busy after school with lessons and sports to idly play.

When I was growing up, my family sat down together for dinner almost every night. Today, even when my children’s schedules don’t conflict, my husband or I are likely to be stuck in traffic, arriving too late for a family dinner.

When I was in school, many of my classmates tried out a new sport by joining a high school team. Today, children often need to have been playing sports like baseball, basketball or tennis for years to make the team.

Needless to say, we live in trying times, and many of the buffers my generation had no longer exist. Our children not only have less time for fun or family, but they know that their world is polluted, over-populated, and at risk of terrorism. They also have a sense that if they don’t try their hardest, determined young people in developing countries around the world are prepared to take their spots in colleges and the working world.

My mind has turned toward thinking about stress in children after my recent experience in writing Bending Toward the Sun, a mother-daughter memoir that will be released September 1. I became more aware of the ways in which my mother’s experiences in the Holocaust influenced the stress I experience, and the ways in which I contribute unnecessary anxiety to my own children. I also realize that even if we could wave magic wands and eliminate all stress from our children’s lives, we might be ill-advised to do so. The lessons children learn in coping with small stresses make them more resilient; better able to cope with more complex problems later on. But the high levels of stress which many of them experience today deprives them of much of the joy of growing up, and, I fear, will render them ill-prepared to function optimally as adults. Some of this excessive stress, I believe, can be minimized. Toward a more “stress less” existence for our children — and hopefully I will be the first to be taking my own advice — here are a few of my suggestions:

Accept square pegs. Parents are constantly told what is “normal.” They, and their children, are made to feel inadequate when the child does not act like every other kid, or reach milestones at a preordained time. Unless it is clear that a serious problem exists, encourage your child’s unique interests, approaches to learning, or ideas about socializing. As adults, we rarely consider it a compliment to be called average, so why should we want our children to be?
Encourage children to participate in physical activity. Physical activity reduces stress and helps maintain a healthy balance between mind and body.
Help children to find balance in their lives. While academic and/or athletic successes are obviously important, these successes must coincide with other factors in order for children to remain healthy and stress levels to be kept in check. Children need time for nutritious meals, a good night’s sleep, and fun. Families should set aside time, when possible, to have fun together as well. While not always possible, it’s helpful when parents can model balance in their own lives.
Allow children to be bored. Children need free time to discover where their own imaginations will lead them. Educators, parents, and coaches should refrain from scheduling every minute in their day.
Help children arrive on time. Children are often reprimanded publicly when they arrive late to school or other activities, adding an unnecessary layer of stress.
Expose children to spiritual activities. In an uncertain world, rituals and traditions reduce stress. Children are comforted by sensing that there are forces in the universe greater than themselves.
Introduce children to nature and the outdoors. Exposing children to plants, animals, and the stars gives them a sense of wonder. Teaching them to garden and be in nature gives them confidence that they can take care of themselves.
Meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises help children, as well as the rest of us, to relieve stress.
Teach children deep breathing and ways to calm themselves.Encourage children to have a hobby. Stress is reduced when children get to pursue interests and hobbies about which they are passionate, particularly when competition is not the primary goal.
When a parent experiences stress due to a traumatic past, expose children to healthy relationships and activities away from the family. As I discuss inBending Toward the Sun, children can inherit stress from their parents. The impact of my mother’s traumatic childhood was transmitted to me, and years later, to my young daughter. Parents can help mitigate the stresses in their own lives from being transmitted to their children by exposing their children to healthy relationships, activities, and points of view outside of the family.

Also, I would recommend that a parent attempt to answer a child’s questions regarding the parent’s traumatic past. Children imagine the worst when a parent refuses to discuss a painful past, or seems evasive in answering questions. Parents do not need to reveal more than the child asks about, however, or is mature enough to understand.

My long journey in writing Bending Toward the Sun has convinced me that not all stress can, or should, be avoided. But let’s do what we can to raise not only high-achieving children, but healthy and happy ones as well.©2009 Leslie Gilbert-Lurie, author of Bending Toward the Sun: A Mother and Daughter Memoir

Author Bio
Leslie Gilbert-Lurie, author of Bending Toward the Sun: A Mother and Daughter Memoir, is a writer, lawyer, teacher, child advocate, and a member and past President of the Los Angeles County Board of Education.

Gilbert-Lurie also is a founding board member and immediate past President of the Alliance for Children’s Rights, a non-profit legal rights organization for indigent children, chair of the education committee for the Los Angeles Music Center, and a board member of several schools including Sierra Canyon and New Visions Foundation. Finally, she has just completed serving as a member of the mayor’s task force charged with developing a new cultural plan for the City of Los Angeles.

Previously, Leslie spent close to a decade as an executive at NBC, where, at various times, she oversaw NBC Productions, Comedy, wrote television episodes, and co-founded a new NBC in-house production company, Lurie-Horwits productions. As a lawyer, Leslie worked briefly at the law firm of Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg and Tunney and served as a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Law Clerk. She is a graduate of UCLA and UCLA School of Law.

Leslie lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, daughter and step-son.

For more information please visit http://www.bendingtowardthesun.com/

————————————–

Thank you to the following for the opportunity to review this wonderful book and forwarding this article:

Julie Harabedian

Senior Publicist

Main line (908) 204-9340

——————————

FSB Associates
180 Mount Airy Road, Suite 205
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920

www.fsbassociates.com

Bending Toward the Sun – Review is a post from: booktumbling

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The Wild Things are almost upon us!

christine (booktumbling) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:44:52 +0000

Maurice Sendak’s classic tale, Where the Wild Things Are, is not only being released to the big screen October 16th, there is also a novelization based on the screenplay written by Dave Eggers and Spike Jonze due to be released on October 1st. Mr. Eggers has stated that his 300 page book is somewhat derived from the original tale while taking a deeper, darker look at Max and the Wild Things. Amazon has the following description:

The Wild Things — based loosely on the storybook by Maurice Sendak and the screenplay cowritten with Spike Jonze — is about the confusions of a boy, Max, making his way in a world he can’t control. His father is gone, his mother is spending time with a younger boyfriend, his sister is becoming a teenager and no longer has interest in him. At the same time, Max finds himself capable of startling acts of wildness: he wears a wolf suit, bites his mom, and can’t always control his outbursts. During a fight at home, Max flees and runs away into the woods. He finds a boat there, jumps in, and ends up on the open sea, destination unknown. He lands on the island of the Wild Things, and soon he becomes their king. But things get complicated when Max realizes that the Wild Things want as much from him as he wants from them. Funny, dark, and alive, The Wild Things is a timeless and time-tested tale for all ages.

I am very interested in taking a gander at Mr. Eggers interpretation of the story. Hopefully, readers will not walk away feeling that some things are better left as is and I hope those that pick up this version will also embark on Max’s original journey with the Wild Things.

Now, do you see the book cover above? That is not the only choice you will have if you decide to spend some duckets. There will also be a furry version which should raise some eyebrows at the local coffee shop.

The New Yorker has actually published the first chapter of Mr. Eggers adaptation along with an interview with Mr. Eggers.

As I am sure most everyone has seen the trailer and I have to say, I am excited. I am hopeful the movie honors the original work and it may be possible since Mr. Sendak was a fixture on set and has given his approval to the final product calling it gorgeous a controversial. Here is a short video featuring Mr. Sendak with appearances by the directors:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3idqJVVYwA&hl=en&fs=1&]

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Review – Under this Unbroken Sky

christine (booktumbling) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:27:08 +0000

Spring 1938. After nearly two years in prison for the crime of stealing his own grain, Ukrainian immigrant Teodor Mykolayenko is a free man. While he was gone, his wife, Maria; their five children; and his sister, Anna, struggled to survive on the harsh northern Canadian prairie, but now Teodor—a man who has overcome drought, starvation, and Stalin’s purges—is determined to make a better life for them. As he tirelessly clears the untamed land, Teodor begins to heal himself and his children. But the family’s hopes and newfound happiness are short-lived. Anna’s rogue husband, the arrogant and scheming Stefan, unexpectedly returns, stirring up rancor and discord that will end in violence and tragedy.

Under This Unbroken Skyis a mesmerizing tale of love and greed, pride and desperation, that will resonate long after the last page is turned. Shandi Mitchell has woven an unbearably suspenseful story, written in a language of luminous beauty and clarity. Rich with fiery conflict and culminating in a gut-wrenching climax, this is an unforgettably powerful novel from a passionate new voice in contemporary literature.

This book is…wonderful, tragic, joyous, disturbing. It made me smile, cry and want to scream in anger. I fell in love with certain characters and despised others. It has been a while since a book has sparked so many emotions. Ms. Mitchell’s writing is so vivid, stark, truthful, beautiful and painful. I could hear the wind, smell the grasses during the spring and summer and feel the quilts the children slept under during the harsh winters. Each character in this book came alive in my mind. They are written with such simple complexity and realism that I wanted to reach out and hug the children and strangle the sister. I felt like a voyeur peeking through windows and hiding behind rocks in order to watch the daily interactions of this family. There are a few instances of violence that caused a cringe but are integral to the story of this family’s love and the wonder and tragedy that befall them over a year on the Canadian prairie. I do not want to summarize this book. I could not do it justice. When someone asks “Do you know of a good book?”, this one will be at the top of my list.

Following are some photographs gathered by the author while researching this amazing novel.

The author, Shandi Mitchell:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyvV6eBkhq0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]

Oh, and this is also my pick for Booking Through Thursday.

Review – Under this Unbroken Sky is a post from: booktumbling

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Giveaway/Interview/Review – Dancing With Ana

christine (booktumbling) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:55:15 +0000

She comes from a loving family. She has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she’s grown up with has the most amazing green eyes…

Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed. Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat? Sixteen year old Beth Baxter’s life merely resembles the one she’s always known. Her father has left. She is falling for Jeremy Duscana and the diet she started has somehow turned into an obsession. Yet her three best friends remain the same, always there for her. But even their love can’t save her from herself. Dancing With Ana. A story about the journey to acceptance of one’s own reality, the incredible bond that exists between friends and a love that truly endures all things.

Dancing With Ana by Nicole Barker would definitely fall under the young adult category when being shelved at the bookstore, but I believe any parent of a teenage girl would benefit from reading this story of friendship, despair, love and acceptance. The story focuses on 16 year old Beth and her three best friends – Rachel, Jenny and Melanie. The girls have different personalities and come from different home lives but this seems to bring them closer together as each girl has a place in the group. Problems arise when the girls decide they need to lose “a few pounds” and start a severe diet to reach their goal weights. One of the girls may be taking it too the extreme. Will the devotion of her friends (and a great new boyfriend) help her before she goes too far?

I am a mother of a teenage daughter and I am constantly trying to put myself back in time to when I was a teen in an attempt to understand some of the things she is going and has gone through during this tumultuous time in her life. This story is a good reflection of teen friendship, love and disappointment. Teens think with their hearts instead of their brains. They fall in love in a split second, they are hurt by the smallest word or gesture, they internalize and personalize everything and life seems to move in fast forward. The book flowed like a teens day. Ms. Barker seems to have the knack of looking at life through a teenager’s eyes and heart.

Ms. Barker was generous enough to spend some time answering a few questions concerning her new book. Please enjoy!

Is this your first published work?
Yes
When did you discover you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always written, even when I was a little girl. My writing became more consistent during college.
Why did you decide to write a book for the young adult audience?
I feel a special affinity with this audience. I vividly remember what it’s like to be this age. It is such an important, fantastic and crazy time!
You mention on your website that you were cleaning up after breakfast and the idea for the book came to you. Was there a particular experience you or someone close to you had or was the idea like a bolt of lightning?
The premise of the book just came to me out of the blue. I sat down, started typing and forgot about the breakfast dishes.
You also said that the original thought was a story about four teen girlfriends. Did the main “character” of Ana (anorexia) come later or was it part of the original conception?
I knew I was writing a book about friendship as much as I was writing a book about coping. From the start, anorexia was going to be the mechanism of the main character.
What was the most difficult part of writing this book?
Rewriting it, over and over and over…
The title is wonderful. How did you come up with it?
Anorexia is tricky. I think our society struggles to understand the “why” of anorexia. Just as there are thousands of girls and women, and boys and men, who suffer from this disease, there are just as many who merely dance with it. They are in pain, it’s just not as apparent. The dilemma is when they lose sight of the choice to face their issue in a healthy manner. At that moment, they are no longer dancing with ana…they are living, breathing, worshipping her.
The four main girlfriends are a close group of very different personalities. Were their individual stories based on women you have known or are still in your life?
These girls represent a tapestry of the phenomenal women in my life. The friendships I’ve had enabled me to write about the relationship between the four girls.
Your dedication is beautiful! It conjured up memories of those girls that have influenced me throughout my life – friends and family – and what my daughter means to me. You also mention your husband. By any chance, is he your Jeremy?
Thank you! It’s a gift to be able to look back at all the girls and women who’ve been a part of your life and understand the impact. There is no question, without a doubt, my husband is my Jeremy.
Do you have any other projects in the works? If so, can you tell a little about them?
Yes, currently I’m working on another YA (Young Adult) book set in the Northeast. My main character is Lily, and she has two best friends. There’s a love story…
Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?
I love hearing from you!

Okay, now for a couple of non-book questions:

Tea or coffee?
Coffee, with soy milk and Truvia.
When you have to run errands, what 3 things must you have with you?
Cell phone, purse and chapstick.
What is on your bookshelf?
Lyrics 1962-1985, Bob Dylan, Skinny Bitch, Fory Freedman and Kim Barnouin and The Twilight Series, Stephenie Meyer.
What is on your IPod/CD player?
The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, The Doors, No Doubt, Linkin Park…too many to name. I’m obsessed with music!

Winners announced!

Please check the giveaway tab for the list.

Thank you for stopping by!

Giveaway/Interview/Review – Dancing With Ana is a post from: booktumbling

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Who killed Tut?

christine (booktumbling) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 03:04:37 +0000

Thrust onto Egypt’s most powerful throne at the age of nine, King Tut’s reign was fiercely debated from the outset. Behind the palace’s veil of prosperity, bitter rivalries and jealousy flourished among the Boy King’s most trusted advisors, and after only nine years, King Tut suddenly perished, his name purged from Egyptian history. To this day, his death remains shrouded in controversy.
Enchanted by the ruler’s tragic story and hoping to unlock the answers to the 3,000 year-old mystery, Howard Carter made it his life’s mission to uncover the pharaoh’s hidden tomb. He began his search in 1907, but encountered countless setbacks and dead-ends before he finally, uncovered the long-lost crypt.
Now, in The Murder of King Tut, James Patterson and Martin Dugard dig through stacks of evidence–X-rays, Carter’s files, forensic clues, and stories told through the ages–to arrive at their own account of King Tut’s life and death. The result is an exhilarating true crime tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal that casts fresh light on the oldest mystery of all.

James Patterson begins The Murder of King Tut with a short author’s note emphasizing the tremendous research that went into writing this “nonfiction thriller”. Teaming with fellow author Martin Dugard, travels to London, Tut’s tomb and studying books and information online gave the authors the historical perspective to turn facts into a fast-paced novel that reads like fiction.

The book covers three time periods:

The present and how the idea monopolized Mr. Patterson’s thoughts and time.
1891 – 1939 London/Egypt and how the quest for discovering a virgin tomb, ultimately King Tut’s tomb, monopolized the life of Howard Carter
1492 BC to 1319 BC Egypt and how the duty of being pharaoh monopolized the life of a young Tutankhamen

This is a straight-forward story which moves at a very fast pace. Yet, there is just enough detail concerning characters and setting that I had no trouble in picturing the great pyramids or empathizing the boy king’s plight. Explanations are given as to why young Tut married his half sister, why the tomb was so difficult to find and why there seemed to be an attempt to erase history of Tutankhamen. Tut’s ability to lead was just developing when he mysteriously died during the night.

The story of Howard Carter is also well-presented. Though he was not the most gracious of men, his zeal for all things Egypt advanced him from being a sketch artist of other men’s findings to being commissioned to conduct his own excavations. His gained knowledge over the years brought him to the highest honor but his lack of bedside manner plundered him to a street corner artist looking for his next meal. He never lost sight of his goal and through luck and determination was given another chance to discover the great Tut’s tomb. Actual snippets from Mr. Carter and some of his associates notes are included in the book (observations of Mr. Carter leave something to be desired).

The jump from time period to time period could have been confusing but I did not have any problems leaving one set of characters and picking up where I left off with another group from a previous chapter. The book is not very long or extravagantly detailed but I did learn a couple of interesting facts and it did peak my curiosity. And the Mr. Patterson divulges his own theory on what exactly happened to the king. Makes sense to me but I now may want to conduct my own investigation.

Due for release 9/28/09 and thanks to Miriam from Hachette Book Group for giving me this great opportunity to take a trip back in time!

Recommend this book: yes!

Recent Tutankhamen news:

From Discovery News:

“Lord Carnarvon, the man who funded the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun and died five months later in mysterious circumstances before he could actually see the mummy’s face, was a superstitious man who wore the same lucky bow tie all his life.

Such anecdotes are part of a unique exhibition at Highclere Castle, home of the Carnarvon family since the architect of London’s Houses of Parliament built it in the 1840s.” Click here for the rest of the story.

Some Howard Carter info:

Mr. Carter immersed himself into all things Egypt in 1891 at the age of seventeen and finally discovered King Tut’s tomb in 1922.

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Who did it?

christine (booktumbling) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:27:34 +0000

Just how far will one fan go to prove her loyalty? In her novel He Who Sings Last, Lisa Laird DiRosso expertly knits a blanket of obsession laced with suspicion and murder in a suspenseful crime novel centered on has-been celebrity Jimmy Covelli. He leads a quiet, post-fame existence until some ghosts from his past come back to haunt him after nineteen years, when an unsolved murder case is reopened by a zealous New York detective. Covelli charms and harms wherever he goes, and in his destructive path, he leaves behind a host of resentful family members and brokenhearted fans. Will the detective catch him and be able to prove his guilt? Find out in ">He Who Sings Last

Jimmy Covelli was a singer for a popular band in the 1980′s. He had fame, fortune and women but now, his star has fallen and he leads a quiet existence in California. Miranda Madison is a fan that has been obsessed with Jimmy since getting his autograph in 1983, an obsession that ultimately led to her divorce. New York Detective John Vintoni has been assigned a cold case from 1983 for which Jimmy was a originally a suspect but was never arrested due to lack of evidence. With advances in criminal investigation, will Det. Vintoni be able to finally arrest the man he knows committed the crime? Will Miranda’s meeting with Jimmy finally allow her to get over her obsession? Is Jimmy a murderer who will stop at nothing and use anyone to cover his tracks?

These are just a few of the menagerie of characters that appear in this novel. I did have a difficult time when starting this book. The story jumps between characters, places and times at a very fast choppy pace and without detail. I had no connection with any of the players and seemed to be along as just an observer, not actually involved in the story. But, as I kept reading, I began to “hear” the story as it would have been told during the old radio shows before television. I could actually hear the narrator’s voice describe Det. Vintoni leaving Sean’s (Miranda’s father) and Sean’s thoughts about the detective. “He’s not much to look at, Sean thought as he watched Vintoni walk to his car. He was sort of scrawny and elflike, but Sean liked him.” Once I embraced the narrator, the book made sense and became much more enjoyable.

">He Who Sings Last is a fast paced, no nonsense crime drama with many characters and a to the point story line. There is not a tidy conclusion but definitely room for further investigations.

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A mashable classic

christine (booktumbling) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:26:40 +0000

“Elizabeth, having rather expected to affront him was amazed at his gallantry; and Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. He really believed, that were it not for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in danger of falling in love, and were it not for his considerable skill in the deadly arts, that he should be in danger of being bested by hers – for never had he seen a lady more gifted in the ways of vanquishing the dead.”

I enjoyed this book. Ms. Austen’s classic is is about 80% intact with a smattering of zombie (or should I say unmentionables) references – whether it be how to recognize one, slay one or how one’s thoughts always turn to brains. The original characters are present as is the basic story line. It is how these characters live day-to-day in a zombie plagued land that makes the book it’s own original. The Bennet girls are still expected to be proper ladies and to master the art of being a good wife, but they have also been sent to China to master the art of battling zombies by sword, knife or hand as Mr. Bennet realizes they must live long enough to get married. Mr. Darcy is still his moody self but can slice a zombie in half before your eyes can adjust. Charlotte meets a fate no one should have to endure but only Elizabeth recognizes. There is the romantic banter, the “I love him/her” – “I hate him/her” conflict and the interactions of the families but there are also zombie conflicts, ninja assaults and general zombie mayhem sprinkled throughut. Jane Austen purists may hate it, zombie lovers may think there is not enough carnage but I was thoroughly entertained. Who knows, it may spark the interest of someone to pick up the original and make their own comparisons. Oh, the illustrations just add to the zombie fun!

Other Austen news:

I realize the hoopla of this book has long gone but I thought I would give my thoughts now in preparation for the August 1, 2009 release of Mr. Darcy, Vampyre and Darcy’s Hunger: A Vampire Retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Did I mention the September 15th release of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters? Hmmm, trend?

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August Reading Challenge (and more)

christine (booktumbling) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:18:18 +0000

Well, new blog and joining my first challenge. The goal is to who can read the most books in August. Check out the sign up at Pizza’s Book Discussion!!!

In other news:

Awards: International Thriller Writers

Recipients of this year’s International Thriller Writ ers literary awards were named during Thrillerfest in New York City over the weekend. The winners are:

ThrillerMaster Award: David Morrell, in recognition of his vast body of work and influence in the field of literature.
Silver Bullet Award: Brad Meltzer, for contributions to the advancement of literacy.
Silver Bullet Corporate Award: Dollar General Literacy Foundation, for longstanding support of literacy and education.
Best Thriller of the Year: The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver
Best First Novel: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Best Short Story: “The Edge of Seventeen” by Alexandra Sokoloff

And…

Ernest Hemingway with his fourth wife, Mary. A new, ‘restored’ edition of Hemingway’s memoir A Moveable Feast — originally completed for 1964 publication by Mary and an editor — softens the posthumous book’s harsh treatment of Pauline Pfeiffer, Hemingway’s second wife.
Read the rest of the story of Scribner’s reissuing of all of Hemingway’s novels for the 110th anniversary of his birth. The main event of this Hemingway summer is the appearance of what’s being called “the restored edition” of what might just be his greatest book, his memoir, A Moveable Feast.

Finally…

A Hunter S. Thompson finger puppet available here.

August Reading Challenge (and more) is a post from: booktumbling

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