My colleague Stephanie Naylor has interviewed author Philippa Gregory, famous for her historical fiction novels and particularly The Other Boleyn Girl. Gregory’s latest novel is called The White Queen as she switches from the Tudors to the Plantagenets.
Archive for September, 2009
Bed Bugs Force Destruction of Rare Books
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009Bed bugs in the Denver Public Library in Colorado have forced the library to quarantine and fumigate four areas at the main branch and to destroy 31 books.
In a sad irony, the infected books were borrowed by a man who checks out historic books to help archive them online for the Gutenberg Project. When 69-year-old Roger Goffeney returned the historic books, some unwanted guests from his apartment hitched a ride.
Goffeney wasn’t too concerned, “I thought that they could easily be cleaned if they had discovered that to be the problem.”
After discovering the problem and its source, the library says they banned Goffeney from the library and asked that he return any outstanding books to a secure drop-off point. They claim that rather than following these instructions, Goffeney returned the books to the main book drop and reinfected the library.
The library has asked Goffeney to pay for the replacement of the rare books and the fumigation costs. Goffeney is considering a lawsuit to have his borrowing privileges reinstated.
Whoops!
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009“Gloopy” romance author Danielle Steel has misplaced $2.7 million, the Independent reports. That’s just careless. She didn’t spend it on a new PC or laptop because the story reveals she still writes on a 1946 typewriter.
A Beheading in Hay-on-Wye
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009If you have any doubts that secondhand booksellers are a completely unique bunch of people, then read this story about recent events in Hay-on-Wye – the world’s epicentre for used and rare books.
Brand New Niffenegger – ‘Her Fearful Symmetry’
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Audrey Niffenegger, author of the much-beloved book The Time Traveler’s Wife has written her second novel. Her Fearful Symmetry was released today.
I really liked The Time Traveler’s Wife (but am skeptical to see the movie, since I don’t believe the story can translate well enough to screen to do it justice), so am excited to read Symmetry. Has anyone already read it? Leave a comment here on the blog, and tell me what you thought!
And from my perspective, if you like Audrey Niffenegger and The Time Traveler’s Wife, you might also like:
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Banned Book Week – Top 10 most frequently challenged books of 2008
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009It’s that time of year again – Banned Book Week. And from the American Library Association (ALA) here are the top 10 most frequently challenged books of last year:
- And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Reasons: anti-ethnic, anti-family, homosexuality, religious viewpoint, and unsuited to age group - His Dark Materials trilogy, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, and violence - TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group - Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
Reasons: occult/satanism, religious viewpoint, and violence - Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
Reasons: occult/satanism, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and violence - The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: drugs, homosexuality, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, suicide, and unsuited to age group - Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group - Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, by Sarah S. Brannen
Reasons: homosexuality and unsuited to age group - The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited to age group - Flashcards of My Life, by Charise Mericle Harper
Reasons: sexually explicit and unsuited to age group
Weird Book Room Update: Weird Book of the Week
Monday, September 28th, 2009
This week’s weird book room update contains orgies, bird poo, jello and more. And my favourite, the book of the week:
“While the title Le Petomane may not sound so weird, and may even sound quite classy to English-speaking ears, the direct translation is, roughly, “The Fart Maniac” or, as a creative profession, “The Fartiste”. Therefore, it is the subject matter of the book which earns it Weird Book of the Week this time around. Le Petomane tells the story of Joseph Pujol, who from 1887 to roughly 1914, delighted French audiences with the multi-faceted musical and impersonator skills of…well, his anus. A baker by profession, Pujol nevertheless discovered his rare derriere’s ability to inhale or suck water or air, and expel the same with great force. Onstage, these abilities translated to blowing out candles, imitating animals and musical instruments, and even smoking cigarettes, all via the back entrance. Audiences were enthralled and appreciative, and included the Prince of Wales, Belgium’s King Leopold II, and even Sigmund Freud (whose comment, if one was made, we sadly do not have).”
Wow. Three words to describe that guy:
Fun. at. parties.
History of the paperback
Monday, September 28th, 2009Nicholas Clee recounts the history of the paperback in The Times. He explains how Allen Lane, the founder of Penguin, didn’t invent them but popularised the format in the face of disbelief from the rest of the publishing industry. Back in 1935, publishers was resistant to change and stuck in the mud. And in 2009, it’s….oh.
