Tim Huggins, owner of Newtonville Books, should give lessons on how to run a successful, indie bookstore. This is from his newsletter, telling about his newest venture:
"At the store, something very exciting started happening last month. In
cooperation with the Boston Globe and iTunes, Newtonville Books is now
part of the new Great Writers podcast series on Boston.com. Each week, the
Globe is digitally recording an event from the Books & Brews series and
posting it in the Podcasts section of Boston.com (look for the link in the
upper-right-hand corner of the Boston.com home page). You can even
subscribe to the series and have it delivered to your computer or iPod
every week automatically through iTunes. So far, events available for
digital listening include Rachel Sherman and Ben Fountain, Nell
Freudenberger, and Katherine Weber. New events are posted every Friday,
and past events are available at the Books page on Boston.com at
http://www.boston.com/ae/books. Go hear what you've been missing and make
plans to hear it live when you can."
Of course, it's always more fun if you can hear a reading done live, and maybe join the author for a beer afterwards. Tim's Books & Brews series is the answer.
~Fischlipps
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Friday, October 13, 2006
What I think is wrong...
...with many of the excellent younger writers these days is echoed by Luke O'Neil in this book review for The Weekly Dig.
There's no denying that these kids are learning to write beautifully in their grad programs at Iowa Writer's Workshop or, more locally, Emerson College. Problem is, they have nothing to say. Put it as prettily as you will, but when there's no experience to write about, it's all kind of vapid, in the end.
And no, it's not just "chick lit" that falls victim. McSweeney's, is a great idea, and stuffed to bursting with smart contributors, but after about 10 minutes, it's just too precious and self-congratulatory. I get to wondering what these writers could come up with if they really tried to do something original and thoughtful, rather than cleverly mimicking more seasoned authors.
~Fischlipps
There's no denying that these kids are learning to write beautifully in their grad programs at Iowa Writer's Workshop or, more locally, Emerson College. Problem is, they have nothing to say. Put it as prettily as you will, but when there's no experience to write about, it's all kind of vapid, in the end.
And no, it's not just "chick lit" that falls victim. McSweeney's, is a great idea, and stuffed to bursting with smart contributors, but after about 10 minutes, it's just too precious and self-congratulatory. I get to wondering what these writers could come up with if they really tried to do something original and thoughtful, rather than cleverly mimicking more seasoned authors.
~Fischlipps
Thursday, October 05, 2006
LitPac Reminder...
Do NOT miss the grand finale of the Litpac Boston Progressive Reading series on October 7. The evening will include readings by Sue Miller, Charlie Pierce, as well as a performance by singer/songwriter Merrie Amsterberg and a scene selection from Elizabeth Searle's "Tonya & Nancy: The Opera." Save by buying in advance:
http://www.thedise.tickets.musictoday.com/ParadiseLounge/calendar.aspx.
Coming up at Brookline Booksmith:
Wednesday October 11 6PM Coolidge Corner Theatre tickets $2
ANDY SUMMERS - One Train Later
Andy Summers was once a member of rock groups like The Animals and The Soft Machine. And while rock archivists tend to get off on such minutiae, the rest of the world knows him as the former guitarist of The Police. Selling 75 million records worldwide and nailing down five Grammys, they were known for their punk spirit and reggae inflected pop/rock hits. One Train Later is the famous guitar slinger’s rise-to-fame memoir, where the only thing to be expected, and happily we might add, are the infamous sex and drugs anecdotes.
Thursday October 12 7PM
JON KATZ - A Good Dog
“Owning and loving a dog is a very individual experience,” writes Jon Katz of his beloved border collie soulmate, Orson. A beautifully written requiem delivered in the only way the author of A Dog Year and The Dogs of Bedlam Farm could, A Good Dog is the moving tale of a relationship between a man and his remarkable companion.
Tuesday October 17 6PM Coolidge Corner Theatre SOLD OUT
ANNIE LEIBOVITZ - A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005
She has immortalized John wrapped around Yoko like a wilted weed and framed Demi as proud emblem for golden motherhood. She’s probably seen more celebrities naked and vulnerable than a gym class full of dirty-minded teens could ever imagine. She creates icons before lunchtime. She is Annie Leibovitz, the most well known living portrait photographer in the world. And she's stopping by the Coolidge to share with us the second installment chronicling her artistic life’s achievements.
TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT ARE SOLD OUT, BUT AS USUAL WE WILL HAVE A STANDBY LINE THE NIGHT OF THE EVENT, AND THE IN-STORE SIGNING AT 7PM IS OPEN TO EVERYONE.
I just finished a Lisa Carey fest and am sated and exhausted. Her writing is so emotionally effusive! If you've never read her, you might get the impression from that last statement that her style is flowery or over-written, but quite to the contrary, it's spare and brilliantly evocative.
Every Visible Thing is her latest novel, and I read that first. Those of who who live in and around Boston will get the added pleasure of familiarity with the settings of the book. Those who don't, will get a glimpse into some of the places you might not see as a tourist. But most everyone who reads it will probably be able to recall the difficulty of growing up. We throw around the term "dysfunctional family" so often, but really, whose family isn't warped in its own way? Dysfunction seems to be the way we function, don't you think? Lisa's examination of family dynamics in the setting of her book, can be translated to so many other situations that it can't help but make you think a bit about how you're handling your own life.
Next, I read the haunting, upsetting and beautiful Love in the Asylum. I'm not sure if I'm a cynical optimist, or a romantic cynic, but in either case, this tale of how we handle mental deviation from the norm--not well. not well at all--is as thought-provoking as it is horrifying. I loved this book, ached for its characters and am still kind of lost in a reverie about how we as a society interpret sanity. It freaks me out a little. How 'bout you?
More soon, but first you should have a look at a couple of good book sites: librarything.com and http://bookslut.com. Get busy!
~Fischlipps
http://www.thedise.tickets.musictoday.com/ParadiseLounge/calendar.aspx.
Coming up at Brookline Booksmith:
Wednesday October 11 6PM Coolidge Corner Theatre tickets $2ANDY SUMMERS - One Train Later
Andy Summers was once a member of rock groups like The Animals and The Soft Machine. And while rock archivists tend to get off on such minutiae, the rest of the world knows him as the former guitarist of The Police. Selling 75 million records worldwide and nailing down five Grammys, they were known for their punk spirit and reggae inflected pop/rock hits. One Train Later is the famous guitar slinger’s rise-to-fame memoir, where the only thing to be expected, and happily we might add, are the infamous sex and drugs anecdotes.
Thursday October 12 7PMJON KATZ - A Good Dog
“Owning and loving a dog is a very individual experience,” writes Jon Katz of his beloved border collie soulmate, Orson. A beautifully written requiem delivered in the only way the author of A Dog Year and The Dogs of Bedlam Farm could, A Good Dog is the moving tale of a relationship between a man and his remarkable companion.
Tuesday October 17 6PM Coolidge Corner Theatre SOLD OUT ANNIE LEIBOVITZ - A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005
She has immortalized John wrapped around Yoko like a wilted weed and framed Demi as proud emblem for golden motherhood. She’s probably seen more celebrities naked and vulnerable than a gym class full of dirty-minded teens could ever imagine. She creates icons before lunchtime. She is Annie Leibovitz, the most well known living portrait photographer in the world. And she's stopping by the Coolidge to share with us the second installment chronicling her artistic life’s achievements.
TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT ARE SOLD OUT, BUT AS USUAL WE WILL HAVE A STANDBY LINE THE NIGHT OF THE EVENT, AND THE IN-STORE SIGNING AT 7PM IS OPEN TO EVERYONE.
I just finished a Lisa Carey fest and am sated and exhausted. Her writing is so emotionally effusive! If you've never read her, you might get the impression from that last statement that her style is flowery or over-written, but quite to the contrary, it's spare and brilliantly evocative.
Every Visible Thing is her latest novel, and I read that first. Those of who who live in and around Boston will get the added pleasure of familiarity with the settings of the book. Those who don't, will get a glimpse into some of the places you might not see as a tourist. But most everyone who reads it will probably be able to recall the difficulty of growing up. We throw around the term "dysfunctional family" so often, but really, whose family isn't warped in its own way? Dysfunction seems to be the way we function, don't you think? Lisa's examination of family dynamics in the setting of her book, can be translated to so many other situations that it can't help but make you think a bit about how you're handling your own life.
Next, I read the haunting, upsetting and beautiful Love in the Asylum. I'm not sure if I'm a cynical optimist, or a romantic cynic, but in either case, this tale of how we handle mental deviation from the norm--not well. not well at all--is as thought-provoking as it is horrifying. I loved this book, ached for its characters and am still kind of lost in a reverie about how we as a society interpret sanity. It freaks me out a little. How 'bout you?
More soon, but first you should have a look at a couple of good book sites: librarything.com and http://bookslut.com. Get busy!
~Fischlipps
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Damn...
...it's been a long time. And if I ever knew how to do this, I've surely forgotten by now. But let's give it a whirl.
It's Banned Books Week ! Do your bit to read everything you can, while you still can, and be glad you're in a state--Commonwealth, in this case--that lets you do that!
Events:
It's Banned Books Week ! Do your bit to read everything you can, while you still can, and be glad you're in a state--Commonwealth, in this case--that lets you do that!
Events:
And to round out this week's news, we'd like to note that this Saturday and Sunday, September 30 and October 1, is JP Open Studios Weekend, and Brookline Booksmith's very own Paul Theriault - esteemed bookseller, sculptor, and friend to mankind - will have work on display at the JP Art Market at 36 South Street in JP.
Also at the Booksmith:
Wednesday September 27 7PM
JOHN HODGMAN - The Areas of My Expertise
Here is why John Hodgman rules. He is a corresponding “expert” on the Daily Show. He has been a regular contributor to Mcsweeney’s, the Believer, the Paris Review, and This American Life. He is also the author of an absurd almanac, The Areas of My Expertise - a book destined to never leave your bookcase or your bathroom. An amalgamation of charts, graphs, newspaper columns and long-winded tales of misinformation, Hodgman spins a yarn right around our necks and chokes us up with laughter. Stop by just to see if your name pops up on his infamous “700 Different Names For Hobos” list.
I think John also grew up around here.
A social comment before I go to work:
Call it naivete, but I was sickened to hear a piece on NPR this morning about a Russian soldier who was beaten/hazed so badly that he lost his legs and privates (no, that's not a military term in this case) to gangrene. What the hell could possibly compel someone to do that to another human being?!?!?!?!!?!??
~Fischlipps
Friday, August 18, 2006
In The Country of the Young and In the country of the dumb
I just finished reading Lisa Carey's In the Country of the Young. It's a book I've had sitting on a shelf for years. That's the curse of those of us who love books...we never have enough time to read them all! Anyway, it's a really gorgeous story about the dead...both the really dead, and the living dead. You could call it a fairytale, or you could call it a parable, but in either case, it shows us how our ghosts (or the skeletons in your closet, if you will)--if we listen to them--can teach us about life.
Oisin (Oh-sheen) is alive, but just barely. He's closed himself off from most of life, both the joys and the sorrows, because of a series of tragic events in his younger years. In truth, he's always been much better at communicating with ghosts than with the living...
"Last week, on the night of the full moon equinox, Oisin had left his front door open until morning. He has done this every November for almost thirty years, but it's been ages since he truly expected anything to come of it. Now the light in a house that should be dark pulls him toward his door with a combination of thrill and panic. He swings it open, propping it with a tree-trunk stool from the porch. Please please please, he repeats in his mind, and he hopes this begging will serve as an invitation.
"He knows wht happened to his tobacco. Something has entered his hermitage, something he has anticiapted for more than half of his life. Something that most people--if they believed in such things at all--would not welcome with an open door."
And that's how the "visitation" began. That's how Oisin was able to look at his life up until then, and finally move on. It's a brilliant metaphor for self-examination. But the tale isn't just one about the dreariness of figuring out one's life. It's a celebration of everything that we cherish: childhood, love, lust, wisdom.
I spent the last pages of the book in tears, so I need to reread it. I was so carried away by the emotions of the characters, and by my own emotions, that it was more like reading with half my brain and all of my heart. It's not so often that a book enables a personal epiphany. In my superstitious Irish mind, I think that maybe I was supposed to read this lovely piece when I did, six years after it was first published. Maybe my own ghosts weren't ready to come to me until now. Who knows?
Lisa will be reading from her new novel, Every Visible Thing, at Brookline Booksmith on August 31st. Go see her!
Note: The book I read was an uncorrected proof, and before any of you English majors start bellyaching about a light in a house being able to be thrilled or panicky, just keep the uncorrected part in mind.
As for the country of the dumb, I just came across these two tidbits in The Week. First, in a section entitled "Only in America," there was this:
"A camper is suing the U.S. government because he fell off a cliff while looking for somewhere to pee during the night. Jerry Mersereau, 23, was camping Mount Hood National Forest when misadventure struck. 'While finding a place to relieve himself,' his lawsuit says, 'plaintiff walked off the unguarded and unprotected creek, falling approximately 20 to 30 feet to the creek bed below.' Mersereau says the government should have known that campers might wander off the cliff, and is demanding compensation for his 'mental anguish.'"
That piece sits right beside another interesting tidbit in a section called "Good Week For..."
"...the future of the human race, after scientists at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics announced the invention of the first pill to combat stupidity. The drug has been shown to improve the attentiveness and short-term memory of fruit flies and mice."
Too little, too late for Jerry Mersereau, hm?
~Fischlipps
Oisin (Oh-sheen) is alive, but just barely. He's closed himself off from most of life, both the joys and the sorrows, because of a series of tragic events in his younger years. In truth, he's always been much better at communicating with ghosts than with the living...
"Last week, on the night of the full moon equinox, Oisin had left his front door open until morning. He has done this every November for almost thirty years, but it's been ages since he truly expected anything to come of it. Now the light in a house that should be dark pulls him toward his door with a combination of thrill and panic. He swings it open, propping it with a tree-trunk stool from the porch. Please please please, he repeats in his mind, and he hopes this begging will serve as an invitation.
"He knows wht happened to his tobacco. Something has entered his hermitage, something he has anticiapted for more than half of his life. Something that most people--if they believed in such things at all--would not welcome with an open door."
And that's how the "visitation" began. That's how Oisin was able to look at his life up until then, and finally move on. It's a brilliant metaphor for self-examination. But the tale isn't just one about the dreariness of figuring out one's life. It's a celebration of everything that we cherish: childhood, love, lust, wisdom.
I spent the last pages of the book in tears, so I need to reread it. I was so carried away by the emotions of the characters, and by my own emotions, that it was more like reading with half my brain and all of my heart. It's not so often that a book enables a personal epiphany. In my superstitious Irish mind, I think that maybe I was supposed to read this lovely piece when I did, six years after it was first published. Maybe my own ghosts weren't ready to come to me until now. Who knows?
Lisa will be reading from her new novel, Every Visible Thing, at Brookline Booksmith on August 31st. Go see her!
Note: The book I read was an uncorrected proof, and before any of you English majors start bellyaching about a light in a house being able to be thrilled or panicky, just keep the uncorrected part in mind.
As for the country of the dumb, I just came across these two tidbits in The Week. First, in a section entitled "Only in America," there was this:
"A camper is suing the U.S. government because he fell off a cliff while looking for somewhere to pee during the night. Jerry Mersereau, 23, was camping Mount Hood National Forest when misadventure struck. 'While finding a place to relieve himself,' his lawsuit says, 'plaintiff walked off the unguarded and unprotected creek, falling approximately 20 to 30 feet to the creek bed below.' Mersereau says the government should have known that campers might wander off the cliff, and is demanding compensation for his 'mental anguish.'"
That piece sits right beside another interesting tidbit in a section called "Good Week For..."
"...the future of the human race, after scientists at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics announced the invention of the first pill to combat stupidity. The drug has been shown to improve the attentiveness and short-term memory of fruit flies and mice."
Too little, too late for Jerry Mersereau, hm?
~Fischlipps
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
LitPAC...
Don't miss the next LitPAC event, featuring some of Boston's best, local authors, and sponsored by some of the best, local, indie bookstores. No excuses...it's Sunday night. Perfect way to top off the weekend.
The LitPAC blog is fun, too, with all sorts of good links. Check it out.
~Fischlipps
The LitPAC blog is fun, too, with all sorts of good links. Check it out.
~Fischlipps
Friday, August 11, 2006
Alone on a plane...
The following is from a site for the book biz called, Shelf Awareness...
"'If they hadn't been able to get books, I think they would've been quite frustrated.'--Jonathan Daniel, the supervisor of a Borders store at Heathrow Airport, in a Los Angeles Times article about business travelers' reactions to not being allowed to take laptops as carry-on luggage on flights to or from London yesterday. Daniel noted that 'laptop-free travelers' were among the store's best customers; popular titles included Freakonomics and The World Is Flat. It was unclear whether the travelers could take the books on planes or whether they read them during the long waits."
In fact, I was just listening to NPR and they were saying that in flights out of London, you can't take anything with you, other than your wallet and your passport. It would really be a drag not to be able to take a book on a flight. To me, there's not much that's more relaxing than knowing that I have a few uninterrupted hours to get lost in a good read.
But what bothered me most about that article wasn't the possibility of being separated from my favorite author, but the sentiment that so much working time will be lost now that laptops aren't allowed on planes! We are a society gone either maddeningly stupid or stupidly mad. So many of us have forgotten how to detach from work. Very few offices seem to respect "vacation" time anymore. Yeh, you're not in the office, but if they can call you on the beach or up in the mountains, are you really away from it? Is your spirit regenerating the way it was supposed to? I don't think so. And really, is what most of you are doing, all that important? No offense, but I doubt it. We're all racing like crazy, day in and day out, but to where? I haven't managed to spot any finish line yet. What's the damned rush? Why are we so consumed with work? Fischlipps thinks it's because most of us aren't doing anything we think is really worthwhile, so we rationalize that we're too busy...just can't get around to it. Well, your next plane ride might just be your chance. While you're sitting there with no computer, gaze out the window and daydream. Talk to the person next to you. Make a list of things you want to do, and start carving out the time to do them. I can't go so far as to say that this averted horror might be a blessing in disguise, but while you're sitting there, maybe you can come up with a better way to put it.
"'If they hadn't been able to get books, I think they would've been quite frustrated.'--Jonathan Daniel, the supervisor of a Borders store at Heathrow Airport, in a Los Angeles Times article about business travelers' reactions to not being allowed to take laptops as carry-on luggage on flights to or from London yesterday. Daniel noted that 'laptop-free travelers' were among the store's best customers; popular titles included Freakonomics and The World Is Flat. It was unclear whether the travelers could take the books on planes or whether they read them during the long waits."
In fact, I was just listening to NPR and they were saying that in flights out of London, you can't take anything with you, other than your wallet and your passport. It would really be a drag not to be able to take a book on a flight. To me, there's not much that's more relaxing than knowing that I have a few uninterrupted hours to get lost in a good read.
But what bothered me most about that article wasn't the possibility of being separated from my favorite author, but the sentiment that so much working time will be lost now that laptops aren't allowed on planes! We are a society gone either maddeningly stupid or stupidly mad. So many of us have forgotten how to detach from work. Very few offices seem to respect "vacation" time anymore. Yeh, you're not in the office, but if they can call you on the beach or up in the mountains, are you really away from it? Is your spirit regenerating the way it was supposed to? I don't think so. And really, is what most of you are doing, all that important? No offense, but I doubt it. We're all racing like crazy, day in and day out, but to where? I haven't managed to spot any finish line yet. What's the damned rush? Why are we so consumed with work? Fischlipps thinks it's because most of us aren't doing anything we think is really worthwhile, so we rationalize that we're too busy...just can't get around to it. Well, your next plane ride might just be your chance. While you're sitting there with no computer, gaze out the window and daydream. Talk to the person next to you. Make a list of things you want to do, and start carving out the time to do them. I can't go so far as to say that this averted horror might be a blessing in disguise, but while you're sitting there, maybe you can come up with a better way to put it.
Monday, August 07, 2006
It's not easy...
...to name a "best" bookstore in a town like Boston. Not when you have the likes of Harvard Bookstore, Porter Square Books, the New England Book Fair, Village Books and Newtonville Books, to name a few. But this year, once again, Brookline Booksmith was the winner!!!
If you've never worked in a bookstore, you probably haven't given much thought to the details. You may not realize that the profit margin is small, the competition is fierce, the hours are long. It's retail! In, say, the GAP, you have t-shirts, sweaters, pants and a few accessories. Most anybody with an eye for color can help you, right? But how many times have you gone in and come out annoyed with the "help" you got from the hired hands? First you have to find one who's not talking to a colleague or trying to look busy enough that they can ignore you. If you do corral someone, what you get in reply to your questions is oftentimes, a kind of way off look and a finger pointing in the direction of the newest pile of (albeit nicely) folded shirts. Ach, Gott!
When you go into the Booksmith, however, you're going to find a whole store full of book-loving clerks, who take pride and joy in helping you find the book you want. Customers walk in there knowing one word of a title, the color of the cover or that they heard/read about it somewhere three weeks ago...and they walk out with that book, thanks to people who know their business.
But books aren't the only thing people go to the Booksmith for. They go for the events, they go for the funny and unusual things they'll find in the Card & Gift Room, they go because it's a neighborhood haven where they can meet their friends, or sit are read. They go because their dogs are welcomed with treats and smiles. They go because of the clever signage, the creaky wooden floors, the way the books make the place smell. They go because they're getting married, they want to know how to fix their computer, they need a new diet, they have a thing for science fiction novels, they're going to take the MCATs, they're planning a trip or they're depressed. I think that working in a bookstore is a very intimate occupation...you get to glimpse a lot of the private lives of customers by what they buy. It's a trust.
So why did the Booksmith win this year? Well, there's no question that it has everything a bookstore should have (see above). And no one can deny that Marshall Smith, the founder of the store, had a great idea when he started the Paperback Booksmith all those years ago. But I think that the driving force behind the store--the real heart and soul of Brookline Booksmith--is it's manager and part owner, Dana Brigham. Dana is one of the most warm, generous, nurturing, liberal and tolerant women I know, and without her spirit, I don't think the store would be the one we all know and love.
Congratulations, you all!
~Fischlipps
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Been a long time...
...but I've read two great books! Yeh, you'd think I'd have gotten more done, but there've been extenuating circumstances too boring to cite, so let's get to the interesting stuff.
Louis Bayard's The Pale Blue Eye, first: It's really rare these days to read something so special. A couple weeks ago, I took a few days off and went away to sit by a pool, read, recharge and do a little of my own writing. Louis was the man I took with me. He was a splendid traveling companion! His story, a murder(s) mystery, has more twists than a twizzler, and a lot more flavor. I want to compare him to Donna Morrissey, in that both of these writers are dazzling in their skill and their ability to transport us to a different time and place through dialogue. Their characters are complex and sympathetic. And maybe most importantly, they're actually telling an interesting story about human relationships. One of the biggest problems I have with some of the hip, young writers these days--the McSweeny's crowd, for instance--is that while they're oftentimes striking wordsmiths, they just as oftentimes, have nothing to say. They're just talking to hear the clever way words flow from them. They entertain me for about 5 minutes, then bore the bejesus out of me with their preciousness. Maybe they'll be great writers when they grow up.
Before I get to the next book, I need to vent about something. I saw a piece the other morning about GPS systems, and decided that I think that they're the next step in dumbing down and isolating us.
Think about it...where's the adventure in a road trip if you don't get lost? It tests our relationships ("You idiot! I told you we should have turned left!" "Yeh, well the last time you said that, we ended up in a cornfield." "Ok, but we got a bunch of free corn and had sex in the backseat." "True. Hm....."). And what about the great little restaurants you visit, because you stopped and asked directions from a flesh'n'blood person? You'd never have come across that place with your nose in a gps screen...AND you'd have missed that deer drinking from the pond at the side of the road, too. Naw, I say steer clear of gps systems. Just think of all the places Christopher Columbus, Magellan and Balboa would've missed if they took the most direct route to their discoveries.
Ok, next book: Talk Talk by T.C. Boyle. This book, which just came out, made me so nervous, I couldn't stop reading it! I was furious with the pig-headedness of the protagonists, terrified of the seething rage of the antagonist, riveted by the inner dialogues of all the diverse characters and can't wait to read more by this scary and brilliant guy. If you've ever felt like you got the raw end of a deal (and who hasn't?) and want to take matters into your own hands, this fast and clever read is an excellent release for those feelings. Not pleasant, but not to be missed.
And last, for this morning, but far from least, what about this horror in the Middle East? I have an idea: what if all of us, everywhere, who don't want this to be happening, step up one day and say to the governments involved and the terrorists involved, "STOP!!! Cut it the hell out!!! We are not going to vote for you, support you, or be afraid of your crazy asses any longer. We are family, neighbors, friends, people just trying to make our existence a nice one. We may not agree with each other, we may have radically different lifestyles, but we can live side by side and learn to tolerate these differences. We don't even have to like each other, but we will tolerate each other!" Think about it. There are so many more of "us" than there are of "them." We could do this. All we need are leaders (real leaders, not politicians) in all the countries to get together and organize a big sit-in or peaceful protest on a huge, world-wide scale, and we could do it. Yes, it's incredibly idealistic and not so simple to pull off...but what are the alternatives? Just look at the devastation. And it's not just the Middle East. These injustices in the name of ego and greed are going on all over the world. Have been forever, really. But they're perpetrated by a few on millions and that just don't make sense, do it?
What's the world coming to, you ask?
~Fischlipps
Louis Bayard's The Pale Blue Eye, first: It's really rare these days to read something so special. A couple weeks ago, I took a few days off and went away to sit by a pool, read, recharge and do a little of my own writing. Louis was the man I took with me. He was a splendid traveling companion! His story, a murder(s) mystery, has more twists than a twizzler, and a lot more flavor. I want to compare him to Donna Morrissey, in that both of these writers are dazzling in their skill and their ability to transport us to a different time and place through dialogue. Their characters are complex and sympathetic. And maybe most importantly, they're actually telling an interesting story about human relationships. One of the biggest problems I have with some of the hip, young writers these days--the McSweeny's crowd, for instance--is that while they're oftentimes striking wordsmiths, they just as oftentimes, have nothing to say. They're just talking to hear the clever way words flow from them. They entertain me for about 5 minutes, then bore the bejesus out of me with their preciousness. Maybe they'll be great writers when they grow up.
Before I get to the next book, I need to vent about something. I saw a piece the other morning about GPS systems, and decided that I think that they're the next step in dumbing down and isolating us.
Think about it...where's the adventure in a road trip if you don't get lost? It tests our relationships ("You idiot! I told you we should have turned left!" "Yeh, well the last time you said that, we ended up in a cornfield." "Ok, but we got a bunch of free corn and had sex in the backseat." "True. Hm....."). And what about the great little restaurants you visit, because you stopped and asked directions from a flesh'n'blood person? You'd never have come across that place with your nose in a gps screen...AND you'd have missed that deer drinking from the pond at the side of the road, too. Naw, I say steer clear of gps systems. Just think of all the places Christopher Columbus, Magellan and Balboa would've missed if they took the most direct route to their discoveries.
Ok, next book: Talk Talk by T.C. Boyle. This book, which just came out, made me so nervous, I couldn't stop reading it! I was furious with the pig-headedness of the protagonists, terrified of the seething rage of the antagonist, riveted by the inner dialogues of all the diverse characters and can't wait to read more by this scary and brilliant guy. If you've ever felt like you got the raw end of a deal (and who hasn't?) and want to take matters into your own hands, this fast and clever read is an excellent release for those feelings. Not pleasant, but not to be missed.
And last, for this morning, but far from least, what about this horror in the Middle East? I have an idea: what if all of us, everywhere, who don't want this to be happening, step up one day and say to the governments involved and the terrorists involved, "STOP!!! Cut it the hell out!!! We are not going to vote for you, support you, or be afraid of your crazy asses any longer. We are family, neighbors, friends, people just trying to make our existence a nice one. We may not agree with each other, we may have radically different lifestyles, but we can live side by side and learn to tolerate these differences. We don't even have to like each other, but we will tolerate each other!" Think about it. There are so many more of "us" than there are of "them." We could do this. All we need are leaders (real leaders, not politicians) in all the countries to get together and organize a big sit-in or peaceful protest on a huge, world-wide scale, and we could do it. Yes, it's incredibly idealistic and not so simple to pull off...but what are the alternatives? Just look at the devastation. And it's not just the Middle East. These injustices in the name of ego and greed are going on all over the world. Have been forever, really. But they're perpetrated by a few on millions and that just don't make sense, do it?
What's the world coming to, you ask?
| |||||
~Fischlipps
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Global warming. Political hotbed.
If this article about Tom Brokaw's Discovery Channel special on global warming tonight, weren't so sad and scary, it would be hilarious. You can see from the seal above, that the Senate Committe already has a skewed view of the world. Or...is the Capitol building really that close to the mountains???
I'm not a scientist and I have no political stake in this issue. However, as a reasonably intelligent and observant human being, I can't ignore these points: weather patterns these days are seriously out of whack from the norm which we all know; it's much, much easier to get a sunburn at the beach, riding your bike, or with your arm sticking out the car window on a drive; enormous glaciers that have been on earth longer than we have, are suddenly disappearing. And what about all the cars and factories and homes and businesses that are heated and air-conditioned each day, how can we not think that we're generating a lot of CO2?
No matter what side of the political fence your possibly lazy asses are sitting on, you need to be aware of what you're doing to this gorgeous orb you call home! It's not hard to do little things that will help in big ways, if enough of us participate.
- People are not fresh meat, therefore they don't need to be refrigerated. Turn down the A.C.!
- You keep whining about your weight. Hop out of the SUV and walk to the supermarket.
- On SUV's: What happened to the good ole station wagon?
Do college kids need to drive tanks? Parents, what are you thinking?!?
Shouldn't there be a luxury tax on every one of those that comes into a city?
- Building a new home? Think about using some solar energy.
- Do you recycle?
I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but I can't just sit back and not say anything. Thanks to my friend, Jim Corrigan, for passing on the article by the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. As he pointed out, it's our (yes, even if you're an independent or a democrat) tax dollars at "work."
Ok, how 'bout this for a fun and environmentally positive pursuit? In Harwich, MA, you can take your friends or family (or both...or maybe they're one in the same) and go diggin' for clams! You have to get a license, but it's a cheap date at $15/day or $30 for the year. And don't worry, the town replenishes the beds every year with about 2 million baby clams. Not only is this good exercise out in the fresh ocean air, but you'll be communing with and learning about nature, and you'll be providing your own sustenance! When was the last time you did that?
Just don't forget the double digit sunscreen.
Was all this leading up to some chit chat about books on the environment? No. Not this entry. The books I want to tell you about now have been culled from a cool magazine I get, call The Week. If you like to get your news from a variety of sources in a succint manner, this magazine is for you. You'll get a bit of everything--political analysis, world news, gossip, real estate, money matters, reviews of books, movies, music, theatre and art...and that's just naming a few of the things covered. There are articles from all over the world, so you don't just get the American point of view. It's a really splendid publication.
Advertisement over, though, and on to the books~
The "Novel of the Week" sounds wonderful, if you're a fan--like me--of magic realism. Any author who's likened to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is one I'd like to have a look at...and will.
There's another book section called "The Book List", to which I'm having trouble linking right now. Maybe they're just having some heavy traffic or maintenance. You should be able to have a look at it if you click the link above and go to "the list" on the left-hand column. However, if you can't, here's the roundup on that:
The books this week were chosen by author, Robert N. Butler, who won a Pulitzer Price in 1976 for his book, Why Survive? Being Old in America. The books he's named below are his favorites about the "struggle for liberty."
Rights of Man by Thomas Paine
On Liberty by John Stuart Mill
A Room of One's Own by Virginai Woolf
The Road to Serfdom by E.A. Hayek
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
Freedom From Fear by David M. Kennedy
Not really beach reading, but in light of the article that started this session, well worth the time, I'd imagine.
~Fischlipps
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Oh, to be lying in a hammock reading...
I was just listening to Nancy Pearl, talking on WBUR about books to call in sick for. I can't seem to find the link to that piece yet, but check out Nancy's site. Not only is she a riot, but she's really smart, and you can't go wrong taking her advice on what to read.
And while you're just hanging out, you might want to pick up Telegraph Days by Larry McMurtry, the author of Lonesome Dove. I'm not usually much for cowboy books or movies...those guys never seemed to be romancing anyone other than their horses. However, in this newest novel, Harry Levins at the St. Louis Post Dispatch goes so far as to wonder if the author has turned into "a dirty old man." He doesn't seem to cotton much to the book, but it sounds like it could be a great beach read, if you ask me. It's been awhile since I've read anything by McMurtry, but I loved his style, his humor and his ability to make cowboys more than gnarly, dusty, under-sexed and stoic figures on a horse.
~Fischlipps
And while you're just hanging out, you might want to pick up Telegraph Days by Larry McMurtry, the author of Lonesome Dove. I'm not usually much for cowboy books or movies...those guys never seemed to be romancing anyone other than their horses. However, in this newest novel, Harry Levins at the St. Louis Post Dispatch goes so far as to wonder if the author has turned into "a dirty old man." He doesn't seem to cotton much to the book, but it sounds like it could be a great beach read, if you ask me. It's been awhile since I've read anything by McMurtry, but I loved his style, his humor and his ability to make cowboys more than gnarly, dusty, under-sexed and stoic figures on a horse.
~Fischlipps
Saturday, July 01, 2006
More Almond delight...
In an earlier entry, praising Steve Almond for taking a moral stand about Condoleeza Rice speaking at BC's graduation ceremony, I also mentioned his new book and said I'd say a little more about it once I finished reading it. Well, I finished awhile ago, and just haven't had the time to remark, but here's what I think...
Julianna Baggott co-wrote "Which Brings Me to You" with Steve. Both are accomplished writers with other books to their credit and lots of devotees, of which I'm one. In this current duet of a novel, Julianna's writing is good--real good. But for a decent chunk of the book, it's kind of self-conscious. You can tell she's trying. I don't know if this was intentional or not, but if you think about it, it works. The story is that of two people getting to know each other through (often the subtext of their) letters. As Julianna went along, she became more and more herself and less the person she was trying to convey. Since she and Steve hadn't ever written together before, perhaps this was them getting to know each other, as well.
Steve, on the other hand, is so natural in his writing, that it feels as if you're in his head, listening to his thoughts, or living his memories right along side him. He gives more in his exchanges, and does it without asking for anything back or trying to make a certain impression. Sometimes Julianna seemed to be trying to evoke a response or seek approval...or disapproval. Steve just told the story simply, honestly, lushly.
Here are a couple examples:
Julianna/Jane wrote...
"So now the difficult part. I'm supposed to be mantling things here. (Why only dismantle? Why not mantle every once in awhile?)
"I'm afraid that there are endless versions of my self--one broke Michael Hanrahan's heart and let him go racing off on a wet night into a telephone pole, one deserted Elton Birch becuase she wanted to survive, one was a sweet, innocent housemaid in Paris, and one punched Pascal in the mouth in a bus station. I am afraid that I'm like my mother, and I feel sorry for my father, who fell in love with a debate team champ, a debutante, and that's not who she turned out to be at all. I'm afraid that someone will fall in love with one version of me, but that version will shift and change until a new me emerges, maybe wholly from an old wound. It's a confession. It's a warning.
"I broke a finger when I punched Pascal in the face. It hurt like hell. It turned fat and blue. I didn't go to the doctor. I didn't get i it X-rayed. I just let it pain me until eventually one day it didn't pain me anymore. It healed crookedly, and so now when I try to point out a direction straight ahead, my finger is veering off center to some unintended locale."
To which Steve/John replies...
"Dear Sonny Liston,
I am going to restrain myself, just barely, from making any cracks about your French maid outfit. You're raising a serious concern and all I can say, really, is that the past is always too much. That's what makes the past such a tough customer. One minute you're waltzing down memory lane, the next you're beseiged by what could have been. Pascal doesn't sound like a guy who would have survived your twenties. But who knows? And, at any rate, the possibility of Pascal persists. He remains dreamy and tender, bathed in milk and bleeding from the mouth. (Note to self: Jane punches. Hard.)"
Or in a later letter, Steve/John wrote:
"So, for instance, last time around, when you wrote, He had practiced skill, but those don't impress me, I scribbled in the margins: Oh, thank God! And when you wrote, I don't have to tell you what it's like ot have sex with a woman, I wrote back, Well then, I'm not going to tell you what it's like to have sex with a man. And when you asked whether we were actually sharing some kind of epistolary confessional booth, I slipped into a pair of lacey black underthings and--wait a second, scratch that. What I did was jot down a joke my dad once told me which goes like this:
Old Jewish man slips into a confessional booth and says the the young priest, "Father! Father! I'm ninety-six years old and I just made love to a girl who's twenty!"
"But sir," the priest says, "this is a Cahtolic church. Why are you telling me this?"
"What do you mean? I'm telling everyone!"
"I could go on, but counterpunching only gets you so far. I've got business to take care of, more splendid ruin to unspool.
"Let me say, though, before we duck back into the confessional--Say, what are you wearing over there? Am I the only one in this booth wearing sexy underwear?--that I don't blame you for getting into it with the Paglias. not one little dirty-girl bit. If I put myself in your shoes (what size are you again?) It feels like a no-brainer. Those Paglias, they were full of love, sexy and sure of themselves, destructive, sure, but in a way that offered an expansion of your world. That's what you seem to be after."
Anyway, that's just a tiny bit from the book. It's so rich in foibles, so funny and sad, so unabashedly human in its regret and longing. It is a truly wonderful read, for both women and men.
By the way, do you know that according to research, men read very little fiction?
Anyway, it's a great summer read, a great couples read (those are rare) and a great read for anyone trying to learn how to write. You won't find two young authors more worthy of both your enjoyment and your close observation. These two know their stuff. Head out to your favorite independent bookstore today, the start of a long, lazy weekend, and get yourself a copy of Which Brings Me to You.
That's all for now. Off to camp in New Hampshire and start reading Louis Bayard's The Pale Blue Eye. Anyone read it yet?
~Fischlipps
Julianna Baggott co-wrote "Which Brings Me to You" with Steve. Both are accomplished writers with other books to their credit and lots of devotees, of which I'm one. In this current duet of a novel, Julianna's writing is good--real good. But for a decent chunk of the book, it's kind of self-conscious. You can tell she's trying. I don't know if this was intentional or not, but if you think about it, it works. The story is that of two people getting to know each other through (often the subtext of their) letters. As Julianna went along, she became more and more herself and less the person she was trying to convey. Since she and Steve hadn't ever written together before, perhaps this was them getting to know each other, as well.
Steve, on the other hand, is so natural in his writing, that it feels as if you're in his head, listening to his thoughts, or living his memories right along side him. He gives more in his exchanges, and does it without asking for anything back or trying to make a certain impression. Sometimes Julianna seemed to be trying to evoke a response or seek approval...or disapproval. Steve just told the story simply, honestly, lushly.
Here are a couple examples:
Julianna/Jane wrote...
"So now the difficult part. I'm supposed to be mantling things here. (Why only dismantle? Why not mantle every once in awhile?)
"I'm afraid that there are endless versions of my self--one broke Michael Hanrahan's heart and let him go racing off on a wet night into a telephone pole, one deserted Elton Birch becuase she wanted to survive, one was a sweet, innocent housemaid in Paris, and one punched Pascal in the mouth in a bus station. I am afraid that I'm like my mother, and I feel sorry for my father, who fell in love with a debate team champ, a debutante, and that's not who she turned out to be at all. I'm afraid that someone will fall in love with one version of me, but that version will shift and change until a new me emerges, maybe wholly from an old wound. It's a confession. It's a warning.
"I broke a finger when I punched Pascal in the face. It hurt like hell. It turned fat and blue. I didn't go to the doctor. I didn't get i it X-rayed. I just let it pain me until eventually one day it didn't pain me anymore. It healed crookedly, and so now when I try to point out a direction straight ahead, my finger is veering off center to some unintended locale."
To which Steve/John replies...
"Dear Sonny Liston,
I am going to restrain myself, just barely, from making any cracks about your French maid outfit. You're raising a serious concern and all I can say, really, is that the past is always too much. That's what makes the past such a tough customer. One minute you're waltzing down memory lane, the next you're beseiged by what could have been. Pascal doesn't sound like a guy who would have survived your twenties. But who knows? And, at any rate, the possibility of Pascal persists. He remains dreamy and tender, bathed in milk and bleeding from the mouth. (Note to self: Jane punches. Hard.)"
Or in a later letter, Steve/John wrote:
"So, for instance, last time around, when you wrote, He had practiced skill, but those don't impress me, I scribbled in the margins: Oh, thank God! And when you wrote, I don't have to tell you what it's like ot have sex with a woman, I wrote back, Well then, I'm not going to tell you what it's like to have sex with a man. And when you asked whether we were actually sharing some kind of epistolary confessional booth, I slipped into a pair of lacey black underthings and--wait a second, scratch that. What I did was jot down a joke my dad once told me which goes like this:
Old Jewish man slips into a confessional booth and says the the young priest, "Father! Father! I'm ninety-six years old and I just made love to a girl who's twenty!"
"But sir," the priest says, "this is a Cahtolic church. Why are you telling me this?"
"What do you mean? I'm telling everyone!"
"I could go on, but counterpunching only gets you so far. I've got business to take care of, more splendid ruin to unspool.
"Let me say, though, before we duck back into the confessional--Say, what are you wearing over there? Am I the only one in this booth wearing sexy underwear?--that I don't blame you for getting into it with the Paglias. not one little dirty-girl bit. If I put myself in your shoes (what size are you again?) It feels like a no-brainer. Those Paglias, they were full of love, sexy and sure of themselves, destructive, sure, but in a way that offered an expansion of your world. That's what you seem to be after."
Anyway, that's just a tiny bit from the book. It's so rich in foibles, so funny and sad, so unabashedly human in its regret and longing. It is a truly wonderful read, for both women and men.
By the way, do you know that according to research, men read very little fiction?
Anyway, it's a great summer read, a great couples read (those are rare) and a great read for anyone trying to learn how to write. You won't find two young authors more worthy of both your enjoyment and your close observation. These two know their stuff. Head out to your favorite independent bookstore today, the start of a long, lazy weekend, and get yourself a copy of Which Brings Me to You.
That's all for now. Off to camp in New Hampshire and start reading Louis Bayard's The Pale Blue Eye. Anyone read it yet?
~Fischlipps
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Thrillin' to Trillin
Calvin's got more
con-Bush verse
In a book you can carry
In your purse.
It's funny and smart
With the usual bite.
Calvin's voice is soft,
But his words hold might!
He was on Today
And The Daily Show,
But Comedy Central
is just a bit slow
Updating their site.
So you'll see Campbell Brown
Not my man, Jon Stewa't
Talking to Calvin...
Where's my cadence?
I think I blew it.
Ok, doggerel might be the word of the day (now I'm sounding like Stephen Colbert [also from Comedy Central, and also very funny]), but you really should pick up a copy of Calvin Trillin's newest Bush-whacking book, A Heckuva Job: More of the Bush Administration in Rhyme, which follows Obviously On He Sails: The Bush Administration in Rhyme.
Both those books, and more Calvin Trillin can be found at your neighborhood, independent bookstore. If you're in the Boston area, call Brookline Booksmith to see if they still have some signed copies from Calvin's visit! You could even check that out when you go there tonight to see Louis Bayard read from his newest novel!
Thursday June 22 7PM
LOUIS BAYARD – The Pale Blue Eye
When a detective is sent to West Point to investigate murder and mutilation among the ranks, you've got an interesting story. But when cadet Edgar Allen Poe is assigned to help him as an inside source, you know something weird is going to happen. Louis brilliantly fictionalizes Poe's short time at West Point in a story of intrigue, dark forces, and, inevitably, a beating human heart.
con-Bush verse
In a book you can carry
In your purse.
It's funny and smart
With the usual bite.
Calvin's voice is soft,
But his words hold might!
He was on Today
And The Daily Show,
But Comedy Central
is just a bit slow
Updating their site.
So you'll see Campbell Brown
Not my man, Jon Stewa't
Talking to Calvin...
Where's my cadence?
I think I blew it.
Ok, doggerel might be the word of the day (now I'm sounding like Stephen Colbert [also from Comedy Central, and also very funny]), but you really should pick up a copy of Calvin Trillin's newest Bush-whacking book, A Heckuva Job: More of the Bush Administration in Rhyme, which follows Obviously On He Sails: The Bush Administration in Rhyme.
Both those books, and more Calvin Trillin can be found at your neighborhood, independent bookstore. If you're in the Boston area, call Brookline Booksmith to see if they still have some signed copies from Calvin's visit! You could even check that out when you go there tonight to see Louis Bayard read from his newest novel!
Thursday June 22 7PMLOUIS BAYARD – The Pale Blue Eye
When a detective is sent to West Point to investigate murder and mutilation among the ranks, you've got an interesting story. But when cadet Edgar Allen Poe is assigned to help him as an inside source, you know something weird is going to happen. Louis brilliantly fictionalizes Poe's short time at West Point in a story of intrigue, dark forces, and, inevitably, a beating human heart.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Love will out...
...or in this case, it's more like love will in. Inter, that is. Next Monday, the 26th of June, the bodies of the wife and daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne will be returned to Concord, from England, and will be laid to rest beside the famous, local author in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
Details:
Monday, June 26, 2006. 2:30 - 5:00 pm.
In a private ceremony sponsored by Hawthorne's family and the order of The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the remains of Sophia and Una Hawthorne will be transferred to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord and buried next to Nathaniel. Following the interment, the public is invited to attend a public reception at The Old Manse from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. Rumor has it (living) author, Megan Marshall will be onhand to say a few words. The Old Manse is located at 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA. For information please call 978-369-3909.
In truth, I'm a firm believer that our bodies are just shells that house our spirits. Nonetheless, I think this is kind of cool...if only symbolic. Even if you don't attend the ceremony at The Old Manse, you might want to stop by The Concord Bookshop where you'll find a table of book by Hawthorne and Peabody Sisters books signed by Megan Marshall.
What better reason to visit Sleepy Hollow Cemetery??
See you there~
Fischlipps
Details:
Monday, June 26, 2006. 2:30 - 5:00 pm.
In a private ceremony sponsored by Hawthorne's family and the order of The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the remains of Sophia and Una Hawthorne will be transferred to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord and buried next to Nathaniel. Following the interment, the public is invited to attend a public reception at The Old Manse from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. Rumor has it (living) author, Megan Marshall will be onhand to say a few words. The Old Manse is located at 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA. For information please call 978-369-3909.
In truth, I'm a firm believer that our bodies are just shells that house our spirits. Nonetheless, I think this is kind of cool...if only symbolic. Even if you don't attend the ceremony at The Old Manse, you might want to stop by The Concord Bookshop where you'll find a table of book by Hawthorne and Peabody Sisters books signed by Megan Marshall.
What better reason to visit Sleepy Hollow Cemetery??
See you there~
Fischlipps
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Da Vinci Mysteries...
Will we ever really know the truth? Well, since everyone who could have the last word on the point of the relationshiop between Mary Magdalene and Jesus (among other issues) has long since passed into the realm of the seance, that one will never be solved. However, according to the journal Editor & Publisher, Vanity Fair is about to publish a piece continuing the Dan Brown plagarism controversy, and there's a bit in there about mysterious emails that's starting to sound like the makings of a followup book...or movie: the boggle behind the conundrum?
What does Fischlipps think about all this? Well, there's no arguing that stealing someone's writing is dead wrong. Sometimes it's hard to say. I once wrote a treatment for an episode of Northern Exposure. I hadn't done anything to protect it. I just hoped they'd like the idea, and apparently (to me) they did, as an uncannily similar episode showed up that fall. But who's to say their writers didn't come up with it on their own? Most of our ideas aren't so awfully unique. But if, as has been rumored, Dan purposely took quite a bit from other people's writing, it's wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
As for "the truth." Well, I'm pretty much of the same mind over Da Vinci as I was about the brouhaha (what a fun word!) over A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. If you enjoyed either book--or the movie--or if they made you think, then who cares if they're fact or fiction? The point in life is to observe, analyze and learn from everything around you. If you need to believe the conventional take of the Church on Jesus, then believe it! For you, it's the truth. If it doesn't shatter your faith to imagine that Jesus had a ladyfriend, that's fine, too.
And there you have the Saturday gospel according to Fischlipps.
Peace be with you.
~Fischlipps
What does Fischlipps think about all this? Well, there's no arguing that stealing someone's writing is dead wrong. Sometimes it's hard to say. I once wrote a treatment for an episode of Northern Exposure. I hadn't done anything to protect it. I just hoped they'd like the idea, and apparently (to me) they did, as an uncannily similar episode showed up that fall. But who's to say their writers didn't come up with it on their own? Most of our ideas aren't so awfully unique. But if, as has been rumored, Dan purposely took quite a bit from other people's writing, it's wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.
As for "the truth." Well, I'm pretty much of the same mind over Da Vinci as I was about the brouhaha (what a fun word!) over A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. If you enjoyed either book--or the movie--or if they made you think, then who cares if they're fact or fiction? The point in life is to observe, analyze and learn from everything around you. If you need to believe the conventional take of the Church on Jesus, then believe it! For you, it's the truth. If it doesn't shatter your faith to imagine that Jesus had a ladyfriend, that's fine, too.
And there you have the Saturday gospel according to Fischlipps.
Peace be with you.
~Fischlipps
Pretty Good Gore...
I saw that you asked for comments on the Gore movie; I saw it last night.
It's like Stop Making Sense or Swimming to Cambodia, except it's Al Gore giving a lecture on global warming.
I liked it, but it needs a bit of work. Say what you want about Michael Moore, but he is the master of the entertaining documentary. And because the movie touches on Gore's career and 2000 defeat, you can't help but think of Fahrenheit 911. Obviously Gore had more reasons not to use Moore than to use him, but if he could have snuck in some anonymous help, it would have helped.
Gore makes his primary case, that global warming is occurring and that the only people who deny it are corporate interests, very well. He does a lot of it in his now familiar "I'm funnier than you think I am" dry tone, which works well because it's a refreshing change from -- I'm a liberal, so I can say this -- screaming environmentalists.
Interrupting the lecture are bits about his life, several of them sad. His father grew tobacco and he loved working in the fields, but his father stopped when his sister died of lung cancer. And stories about his career inevitably end with the 2000 election results, and we all know the story, but there was Gore himself talking about it, and it was fascinating.
On the downside -- it lagged about 75% in, but then picked up. The low point is probably an animated sequence that looks like it was made by the Simpsons production team, and it's probably a great surprise when he shows it to a live audience, but in the movie, it looked stupid.
Finally, it helps if you're interested in Gore, as I am. He seems to actively struggle to be a regular guy, which is literally impossible for a former vice president, but I give him credit for the effort. And he seems very sincere about the message. Along the same lines, you could argue that he should have kept his personal political life out of the movie, but that would have reduced interest in the movie, so why separate the message from the messenger?
I think you should see it. It's eventually going to be overshadowed by the presidential campaign, but the message is important.
~Jim Corrigan
It's like Stop Making Sense or Swimming to Cambodia, except it's Al Gore giving a lecture on global warming.
I liked it, but it needs a bit of work. Say what you want about Michael Moore, but he is the master of the entertaining documentary. And because the movie touches on Gore's career and 2000 defeat, you can't help but think of Fahrenheit 911. Obviously Gore had more reasons not to use Moore than to use him, but if he could have snuck in some anonymous help, it would have helped.
Gore makes his primary case, that global warming is occurring and that the only people who deny it are corporate interests, very well. He does a lot of it in his now familiar "I'm funnier than you think I am" dry tone, which works well because it's a refreshing change from -- I'm a liberal, so I can say this -- screaming environmentalists.
Interrupting the lecture are bits about his life, several of them sad. His father grew tobacco and he loved working in the fields, but his father stopped when his sister died of lung cancer. And stories about his career inevitably end with the 2000 election results, and we all know the story, but there was Gore himself talking about it, and it was fascinating.
On the downside -- it lagged about 75% in, but then picked up. The low point is probably an animated sequence that looks like it was made by the Simpsons production team, and it's probably a great surprise when he shows it to a live audience, but in the movie, it looked stupid.
Finally, it helps if you're interested in Gore, as I am. He seems to actively struggle to be a regular guy, which is literally impossible for a former vice president, but I give him credit for the effort. And he seems very sincere about the message. Along the same lines, you could argue that he should have kept his personal political life out of the movie, but that would have reduced interest in the movie, so why separate the message from the messenger?
I think you should see it. It's eventually going to be overshadowed by the presidential campaign, but the message is important.
~Jim Corrigan
Monday, June 05, 2006
Blog, blog, blog...
Ingram Books has a few how-to's for those of you who want to delve into this blogging thing. They look like good books...and I would no-doubt benefit from reading them. I just don't have the time (or the patience)!
~Fischlipps
~Fischlipps
Inconvenient Truth, convenient location...
I'm sitting in my office, looking out at such a pretty spring day on our lovely, lovely planet. Aren't we lucky? Yes! But as any gambler would (or should) tell you, "luck" will only take you so far. If we want to keep this place, we're going to have to start to work for it. And don't start up with the "but I'm only one person, what can I do?" blather! EVERY little thing you do to help, will count toward saving the gorgeous orb on which we were fortunate enough to have landed. Now, if you live in a cool community like Brookline, you won't have to put much effort at all into heading over to the Coolidge to see Al Gore's film. If you live in a less progressive area, you may have to travel--by bike, foot or hybrid car, preferably--to view the film. And whether or not you get to see it, read the book. You can order it from your local, independent bookstore! I haven't had a chance to get it yet, but if you have, tell me what you think.
~Fischlipps
p.s. no, that picture is not what I see out my window. It's the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand. Wow.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
What to do, What to eat...
Seats will go quickly, so you'd better get your tickets right now, to this neat evening:
While on another side of town, Brookline Booksmith is also rife with author events for every taste. For the romantics, Francine du Plessix-Gray will relate the fairytale-like (remember, not everything in those stories is happy) existence of her mother and step-father. For those of you with a less romantic bent, the endlessly entertaining Chuck Palahniuk, will stoke the fires of your darkest thoughts. And for the 40-something guy who's toying with the idea of getting a Harley instead of having children, and the 40-something gal who likes to sit in the cellar of a bookstore and make eyes at a handsome and funny author, we have Douglas Lawrence. It's usually not that hard for me to pick one event a week that I think you should hit, but all three of these would be well worth your time!
Porter Square Books will be hosting an evening with "the incredible edible egg" next week, which could, for those of you who wrinkle your noses at the thought of hard-boiled or sunnyside up, being a turning point. How about smoked trout and peeper frittata, pesto vegetable quiche, Moroccan tangine with meatballs, tomatoes and eggs, almond and orange pound cake with orange glaze, or sweet potato pie with bourbon-meringue topping?
Eggs to mild a fare for you? Just wait until October when Fierce Food: The Intrepid Diner's Guide to the Unusual, Exotic and Downright Bizarre by Christa Weil, comes out! I was reading from this hilarious and sometimes unbelievable book, to my boyfriend the other day as we were driving somewhere. You know how on some menus there is a legend telling you how spicy, or how low-cal some of the offering are? Well this legend has icons that let you know how spiny, revolting, messy, or dangerous ("eating may cause pain/death) a food is. It also has an icon to clue you in that a dish "tastes like chicken" (the head of a chicken), has aphrodisiac qualities, has eyes, may require special equipment or a special technique, or may be incredibly smelly. Christa Weil is not only an adventuress eater, but she's also got quite a knack for serving up what could be dull facts, in a creative and pleasing way!
There's a chapter on chapulines. Also on on cordyceps. How 'bout fat-tailed sheep tail?! Yummy! And those are just from the beginning of the alphabet. I'll remind you when this book hits the shelves this fall. If nothing else, it's a great gag (and I mean gag) book for those of you who consider yourselves gourmets. It's also just an entertaining read that you can pick up whenever you have a minute and feel like whetting your appetite.
~Fischlipps (for which there are no recipes in Christa's book)
The Second Event in the Boston Progressive Reading Series
A monthly literary benefit to support progressive congressional candidates nationwide.
sponsored By LitPAC and Newtonville Books.
Sunday, June 18, 7pm, Donations at the door and online
at The Attic/Union Street Bar 107 R Union Street, Newton Centre, MA
FEATURED AUTHORS:
Dennis Lehane -- author of Mystic River and Coronado
Anita Diamant -- author of The Red Tent and The Last Days of Dogtown
Ed Schwarzschild -- author of Responsible Men
Paul Rieckhoff -- author of Chasing Ghosts: A Soldier’s Fight for America from Baghdad to Washington
Jennifer Traig -- author of Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood
Stephen McCauley -- author of The Object of My Affection and Alternatives to Sex
Price: $10 - $20 sliding scale. Purchase tickets online at ActBlue. Just print out your receipt and bring it to the door as your ticket. Tickets are also available the night of the event.
Click here for more information on LitPAC and to get on the Progressive Reading email list.
Also at Newtonville Books...
 | The Whistling Season Wednesday, June 14 | A paean to a vanished way of life and the eccentric individuals and idiosyncratic institutions that made it fertile, The Whistling Season is Ivan Doig at his evocative best. |
Porter Square Books will be hosting an evening with "the incredible edible egg" next week, which could, for those of you who wrinkle your noses at the thought of hard-boiled or sunnyside up, being a turning point. How about smoked trout and peeper frittata, pesto vegetable quiche, Moroccan tangine with meatballs, tomatoes and eggs, almond and orange pound cake with orange glaze, or sweet potato pie with bourbon-meringue topping?
Eggs to mild a fare for you? Just wait until October when Fierce Food: The Intrepid Diner's Guide to the Unusual, Exotic and Downright Bizarre by Christa Weil, comes out! I was reading from this hilarious and sometimes unbelievable book, to my boyfriend the other day as we were driving somewhere. You know how on some menus there is a legend telling you how spicy, or how low-cal some of the offering are? Well this legend has icons that let you know how spiny, revolting, messy, or dangerous ("eating may cause pain/death) a food is. It also has an icon to clue you in that a dish "tastes like chicken" (the head of a chicken), has aphrodisiac qualities, has eyes, may require special equipment or a special technique, or may be incredibly smelly. Christa Weil is not only an adventuress eater, but she's also got quite a knack for serving up what could be dull facts, in a creative and pleasing way!
There's a chapter on chapulines. Also on on cordyceps. How 'bout fat-tailed sheep tail?! Yummy! And those are just from the beginning of the alphabet. I'll remind you when this book hits the shelves this fall. If nothing else, it's a great gag (and I mean gag) book for those of you who consider yourselves gourmets. It's also just an entertaining read that you can pick up whenever you have a minute and feel like whetting your appetite.
~Fischlipps (for which there are no recipes in Christa's book)
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Smart Birds
If you look now, you won't miss this spectacular sight: a family of redtail hawks at MIT! This link is a live feed, which has been going on since mid-April, and it's fascinating. The "babies" are about to fly--they practice in the nest--so you won't be able to observe them for much longer. I go to this site first thing in the morning at work, and just check in on them every now and again. I'm riveted!
For more scoop and commentary on them, there's a blog you can peruse.
Just so I can stay true to the intent of this blog, however, I'll put in a link to the best bird books around, too! David Sibley, who lives just north of Boston, has written and illustrated the most informative and gorgeous books since Audubon. Another reason to like David and buy his books, is that if you go to the publications section in his site, you'll be directed to click and find out where you can buy his books from a local, independent bookstore, not one of those online behemoths!
~Fischlipps
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Not to miss...
You know how some authors look like they'd write the kind of stuff they write? For instance, Steve Almond (whom I hope you'll see at the Brookline Booksmith tomorrow--see the last entry below) just looks like he'd write the sexily. Yes, sexily. Sensitively, but sexily.
On the other hand, to behold Elinor Lipman, you might not guess that she pens such pithy, darkly ribald novels. But boy, does she!
For a good time, go see her tonight at Porter Square Books in Cambridge.
Monday, May 22, 2006
Which brings me to Steve Almond, my Hero!
Attention all you Steve Almond friends and fans! Steve's put his money where his mouth is, and now it's time you did the same.
Earlier this month, Steve took a wonderfully brave and, yes, idealistic, stance, resigning his position at Boston College. Why-ever would he do that?! In his own words...
Condoleezza Rice at Boston College? I quit By Steve Almond May 12, 2006
An open letter to William P. Leahy, SJ, president of Boston College.
DEAR Father Leahy,
I am writing to resign my post as an adjunct professor of English at Boston College.
I am doing so -- after five years at BC, and with tremendous regret -- as a direct result of your decision to invite Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to be the commencement speaker at this year's graduation.
Many members of the faculty and student body already have voiced their objection to the invitation, arguing that Rice's actions as secretary of state are inconsistent with the broader humanistic values of the university and the Catholic and Jesuit traditions from which those values derive.
But I am not writing this letter simply because of an objection to the war against Iraq. My concern is more fundamental. Simply put, Rice is a liar. She has lied to the American people knowingly, repeatedly, often extravagantly over the past five years, in an effort to justify a pathologically misguided foreign policy.
The public record of her deceits is extensive. During the ramp-up to the Iraq war, she made 29 false or misleading public statements concerning Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and links to Al Qaeda, according to a congressional investigation by the House Committee on Government Reform.
To cite one example:
In an effort to build the case for war, then-National Security Adviser Rice repeatedly asserted that Iraq was pursuing a nuclear weapon, and specifically seeking uranium in Africa.
In July of 2003, after these claims were disproved, Rice said: ''Now if there were doubts about the underlying intelligence . . . those doubts were not communicated to the president, the vice president, or to me." Rice's own deputy, Stephen Hadley, later admitted that the CIA had sent her a memo eight months earlier warning against the use of this claim.
In the three years since the war began, Rice has continued to misrepresent or simply ignore the truth about our deadly adventure in Iraq. Like the president whom she serves so faithfully, she refuses to recognize her errors or the tragic consequences of those errors to the young soldiers and civilians dying in Iraq. She is a diplomat whose central allegiance is not to the democratic cause of this nation, but absolute power.
This is the woman to whom you will be bestowing an honorary degree, along with the privilege of addressing the graduating class of 2006. It is this last notion I find most reprehensible: that Boston College would entrust to Rice the role of moral exemplar.
To be clear: I am not questioning her intellectual gifts or academic accomplishments. Nor her potentially inspiring role as a powerful woman of color. But these are not the factors by which a commencement speaker should be judged. It is the content of one's character that matters here -- the reverence for truth and knowledge that Boston College purports to champion.
Rice does not personify these values; she repudiates them. Whatever inspiring rhetoric she might present to the graduating class, her actions as a citizen and politician tell a different story.
Honestly, Father Leahy, what lessons do you expect her to impart to impressionable seniors?
That hard work in the corporate sector might gain them a spot on the board of Chevron? That they, too, might someday have an oil tanker named after them? That it is acceptable to lie to the American people for political gain?
Given the widespread objection to inviting Rice, I would like to think you will rescind the offer. But that is clearly not going to happen. Like the administration in Washington, you appear too proud to admit to your mistake. Instead, you will mouth a bunch of platitudes, all of which boil down to: You don't want to lose face. In this sense, you leave me no choice.
I cannot, in good conscience, exhort my students to pursue truth and knowledge, then collect a paycheck from an institution that displays such flagrant disregard for both. I would like to apologize to my students and prospective students. I would also urge them to investigate the words and actions of Rice, and to exercise their own First Amendment rights at her speech.
Steve Almond is the author of the story collections ''The Evil B. B. Chow" and ''My Life in Heavy Metal." He will be reading from his new novel--written with Julianna Baggott--this coming Thursday at the Brookline Booksmith...
Thursday May 25 7PM
STEVE ALMOND - Which Brings Me To You
DAPHNE KALOTAY - Calamity and Other Stories
This dude and dudette are not only two of our very favorite local authors, but they're both experts in the complexities of people changing, and they wrote about it. In Which Brings Me To You, Steve and Julianna Baggott write a novel in confessions – two 30-somethings meet at a wedding, toy with the idea of a quick horizontal hokey-pokey, but decide instead to exchange letters. Each gradually unveils their regret-littered pasts in an attempt to base their relationship on "reckless honesty."
In Daphne's "delicately graceful" twelve stories, the same characters appear in different stories, at different stages of their lives, in a deceptively simple study of the way our lives overlap, and the way that defines us.
PLEASE come to the reading, buy the book (he's going to need the money until he gets a new job), and let Steve know how proud you are to know him! Or, if you can't get to the event, but you do want him to sign a book for you, just give the 'smith a buzz at 566-6660. They can get a copy signed and you can come pick it up at your leisure (or the closest thing thereto.)
Oh! I've just begun reading Steve and Julianna's book, so I'll tell you what I think of it in more detail soon. I did, however, see Julianna and Steve read on of Tim Huggins' evenings at The Attic in Newton, and they were brilliant! As usual, their writing--collectively and individually--is really sexy, really funny and beautifully insightful. Get the book!
~Fischlipps
Earlier this month, Steve took a wonderfully brave and, yes, idealistic, stance, resigning his position at Boston College. Why-ever would he do that?! In his own words...
Condoleezza Rice at Boston College? I quit By Steve Almond May 12, 2006
An open letter to William P. Leahy, SJ, president of Boston College.
DEAR Father Leahy,
I am writing to resign my post as an adjunct professor of English at Boston College.
I am doing so -- after five years at BC, and with tremendous regret -- as a direct result of your decision to invite Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to be the commencement speaker at this year's graduation.
Many members of the faculty and student body already have voiced their objection to the invitation, arguing that Rice's actions as secretary of state are inconsistent with the broader humanistic values of the university and the Catholic and Jesuit traditions from which those values derive.
But I am not writing this letter simply because of an objection to the war against Iraq. My concern is more fundamental. Simply put, Rice is a liar. She has lied to the American people knowingly, repeatedly, often extravagantly over the past five years, in an effort to justify a pathologically misguided foreign policy.
The public record of her deceits is extensive. During the ramp-up to the Iraq war, she made 29 false or misleading public statements concerning Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and links to Al Qaeda, according to a congressional investigation by the House Committee on Government Reform.
To cite one example:
In an effort to build the case for war, then-National Security Adviser Rice repeatedly asserted that Iraq was pursuing a nuclear weapon, and specifically seeking uranium in Africa.
In July of 2003, after these claims were disproved, Rice said: ''Now if there were doubts about the underlying intelligence . . . those doubts were not communicated to the president, the vice president, or to me." Rice's own deputy, Stephen Hadley, later admitted that the CIA had sent her a memo eight months earlier warning against the use of this claim.
In the three years since the war began, Rice has continued to misrepresent or simply ignore the truth about our deadly adventure in Iraq. Like the president whom she serves so faithfully, she refuses to recognize her errors or the tragic consequences of those errors to the young soldiers and civilians dying in Iraq. She is a diplomat whose central allegiance is not to the democratic cause of this nation, but absolute power.
This is the woman to whom you will be bestowing an honorary degree, along with the privilege of addressing the graduating class of 2006. It is this last notion I find most reprehensible: that Boston College would entrust to Rice the role of moral exemplar.
To be clear: I am not questioning her intellectual gifts or academic accomplishments. Nor her potentially inspiring role as a powerful woman of color. But these are not the factors by which a commencement speaker should be judged. It is the content of one's character that matters here -- the reverence for truth and knowledge that Boston College purports to champion.
Rice does not personify these values; she repudiates them. Whatever inspiring rhetoric she might present to the graduating class, her actions as a citizen and politician tell a different story.
Honestly, Father Leahy, what lessons do you expect her to impart to impressionable seniors?
That hard work in the corporate sector might gain them a spot on the board of Chevron? That they, too, might someday have an oil tanker named after them? That it is acceptable to lie to the American people for political gain?
Given the widespread objection to inviting Rice, I would like to think you will rescind the offer. But that is clearly not going to happen. Like the administration in Washington, you appear too proud to admit to your mistake. Instead, you will mouth a bunch of platitudes, all of which boil down to: You don't want to lose face. In this sense, you leave me no choice.
I cannot, in good conscience, exhort my students to pursue truth and knowledge, then collect a paycheck from an institution that displays such flagrant disregard for both. I would like to apologize to my students and prospective students. I would also urge them to investigate the words and actions of Rice, and to exercise their own First Amendment rights at her speech.
Steve Almond is the author of the story collections ''The Evil B. B. Chow" and ''My Life in Heavy Metal." He will be reading from his new novel--written with Julianna Baggott--this coming Thursday at the Brookline Booksmith...
Thursday May 25 7PM
STEVE ALMOND - Which Brings Me To You
DAPHNE KALOTAY - Calamity and Other Stories
This dude and dudette are not only two of our very favorite local authors, but they're both experts in the complexities of people changing, and they wrote about it. In Which Brings Me To You, Steve and Julianna Baggott write a novel in confessions – two 30-somethings meet at a wedding, toy with the idea of a quick horizontal hokey-pokey, but decide instead to exchange letters. Each gradually unveils their regret-littered pasts in an attempt to base their relationship on "reckless honesty."
In Daphne's "delicately graceful" twelve stories, the same characters appear in different stories, at different stages of their lives, in a deceptively simple study of the way our lives overlap, and the way that defines us.
PLEASE come to the reading, buy the book (he's going to need the money until he gets a new job), and let Steve know how proud you are to know him! Or, if you can't get to the event, but you do want him to sign a book for you, just give the 'smith a buzz at 566-6660. They can get a copy signed and you can come pick it up at your leisure (or the closest thing thereto.)
Oh! I've just begun reading Steve and Julianna's book, so I'll tell you what I think of it in more detail soon. I did, however, see Julianna and Steve read on of Tim Huggins' evenings at The Attic in Newton, and they were brilliant! As usual, their writing--collectively and individually--is really sexy, really funny and beautifully insightful. Get the book!
~Fischlipps
Friday, May 19, 2006
Perseveration
One entry found for perseveration. Main Entry: per·sev·er·a·tion 
Pronunciation: p&r-"se-v&-'rA-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin perseveration-, perseveratio, from perseverare
: continuation of something (as repetition of a word) usually to an exceptional degree or beyond a desired point
- per·sev·er·ate /-'se-v&-"rAt/ intransitive verb
- per·sev·er·a·tive /-"rA-tiv/ adjective
Yes, I'm perseverating about this alligator thing. The more I think about it, the more reasons I come up with to find it appalling. What kind of lesson does this teach not only our children, but all the impressionable adults in our country? It teaches us that if something scares us, or threatens us in any way, if anything inconvenieces us or keeps us from doing exactly what we want to do when we want to do it, it should be eliminated!
A few days ago, they showed more footage of the poor, enormous and truly daunting beast that some Arian-looking gator hunter bested in Florida. He was trussed in duct tape, head to toe, and a bunch of people were gawking and cheering as this creature was thrashing and fighting for its life. It didn't strike me as much different than a lynching.
As a supposedly civil society, is this really how we want to treat anything?! Is it? Or are there preserves where these guys could live and thrive where we'd be safe from them...and they'd be safe from us?
Pronunciation: p&r-"se-v&-'rA-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin perseveration-, perseveratio, from perseverare
: continuation of something (as repetition of a word) usually to an exceptional degree or beyond a desired point
- per·sev·er·ate
/-'se-v&-"rAt/ intransitive verb- per·sev·er·a·tive
/-"rA-tiv/ adjectiveYes, I'm perseverating about this alligator thing. The more I think about it, the more reasons I come up with to find it appalling. What kind of lesson does this teach not only our children, but all the impressionable adults in our country? It teaches us that if something scares us, or threatens us in any way, if anything inconvenieces us or keeps us from doing exactly what we want to do when we want to do it, it should be eliminated!
A few days ago, they showed more footage of the poor, enormous and truly daunting beast that some Arian-looking gator hunter bested in Florida. He was trussed in duct tape, head to toe, and a bunch of people were gawking and cheering as this creature was thrashing and fighting for its life. It didn't strike me as much different than a lynching.
As a supposedly civil society, is this really how we want to treat anything?! Is it? Or are there preserves where these guys could live and thrive where we'd be safe from them...and they'd be safe from us?
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Crocodile tears...
...or more precisely, alligator tears, must be being shed all over reptiledom, for the mammoth "monsters" being captured and killed in Florida these days. I don't get it. Yes, these guys are terrifying and dangerous. Then stay the hell away! Humans are encroaching upon their turf (and surf) every day, and yet we expect them to just slink meekly away into the next patch of swamp? I'm always amazed at the ego of human beings. These creatures have lived millions of years longer than we, and should be revered more than reviled. It made me sick to see a 12' alligator with his snout and eyes sealed shut with duct tape, struggling as a crane was attempting to load him onto a flatbed trailor.
Living in gator territory? Don't go swimming, jogging, fishing, toe-dangling, you dope! When will we realize that we can't impose our will upon everything in the universe?
~Fischlipps
Living in gator territory? Don't go swimming, jogging, fishing, toe-dangling, you dope! When will we realize that we can't impose our will upon everything in the universe?
~Fischlipps
Friday, May 12, 2006
According to Publishers Weekly...
"After four straight years that included some huge increases, title output fell 9.5% in 2005 to 172,000 new titles and editions, according to preliminary estimates from R.R. Bowker. Figures indicate that the largest decline occurred at small and mid-sized houses; production from the smallest house fell 7%, while new titles from small-to-medium and medium-to-large publishers dropped 10% and 15%, respectively. New titles from the largest houses fell 4.7%, to 23.017, while new titles from university press rose 1.8%.
Could that be because we're all reading more blogs than books?
>>{{{{{}})> Fischlipps
Bowker said that every broad category with the exception of legal showed significant declines in production with output in general adult fiction and children’s books down by double-digits. Religion, biography, history and technology all had big declines last year, while sports and recreation had the largest gain in output at 22%. The number of adult fiction titles rose 6.9%.
Gary Aiello, Bowker COO, said early indications are that with costs increasing, publishers are being cautious about the number of titles they will publish in 2006." -PWCould that be because we're all reading more blogs than books?
>>{{{{{}})> Fischlipps
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
What to Do...
First, let's congratulate all of our outstanding indie bookstores. Boston is, without a doubt, one of the best places in the country for un-chained bookstores. On account of that, it's also a favorite place for authors to come visit and read from their newest works. I think that all of our local bookstores attract the highest caliber writers, but I have to cast my vote this year for Newtonville Books as the absolute winner, because owner Tim Huggins has branched out and turned his readings into both literary and social events.
Here are the results of the Boston Phoenix Best Of voting...
Best Place To Hear Readings
Those kudos recognized, here are my picks for local events next week (as it's already a little late for this'n):
Here are the results of the Boston Phoenix Best Of voting...
Best Place To Hear Readings
The Harvard Book Store throbs with big brains and mighty tomes. People rub shoulders in the poetry aisle, make eyes in the lit-crit section, and listen to some of the biggest names in writing read their works. This independent force in increasingly homogenized Harvard Square draws the brightest of the literary luminaries: Franz Wright, David Mitchell, Catharine A. MacKinnon.
The space for readings at Newtonville Books offers intimacy; it’s a cozy womb of a room, stone walled and warm, and nearly every year our readers select it as one of the best spots to hear their favorite writers read. Run by the seemingly indefatigable Tim Huggins, the store draws authors like Gary Shteyngart, Tony D’Souza, and Julia Glass, plus local scribes like Steve Almond, Daphne Kalotay, and Dennis Lehane.
Harvard Book Store | 1256 Mass Ave | Cambridge | 617.661.1515 | Newtonville Books | 296 Walnut Street, Newton | 617.244.6619
Best Local Author
Boston is a literate city, no surprise, and has its fair share of active writers. This year’s pick for best author isn’t your typical novelist/journalist/essayist. J*Me is a slam-poet superstar, and he takes this category for the first time. He barrels through his fast-talking, hard-feeling spoken song and verbal dance, all passion, all rhythm.
While J*Me is a relative newcomer on the scene, Steve Almond is a familiar name around Boston. He writes about sex (My Life in Heavy Metal). He writes about candy (Candyfreak). He’s an erstwhile DJ. A short-story writer. A contributor to publications too numerous to name. A general literary man about town, whom Phoenixreaders pick as their favorite local man of letters.
Best Store for New Books
Scan the shelves at Harvard Book Store for the staff recommendations taped beneath various titles. There’s one written about one of our favorite books, a red clothbound The Elements of Style (illustrated). The recommendation reads, “page 109, #11 — Liz S.” Flip open to number 11. “Do not explain too much.” Harvard Book Store pulled more reader votes than any other best winner in shopping.
Other recommendations by best-bookstore staff: Tim at Newtonville Booksrecommends Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, and Chris at Brookline Booksmithrecommends Hand to Earth: Andy Goldsworthy Sculpture,1976–1990.
Harvard Bookstore | 1256 Mass Ave, Cambridge | 617.661.1515 | Newtonville Books | 296 Walnut Street, Newton | www.newtonvillebooks.com | Brookline Booksmith | 279 Harvard Street, Brookline | www.brooklinebooksmith
Best Store for Used Books
Grill Steve Pasechnick, a used-book man for 11 years, about the Harvard Book Store basement and the death of hardcover books. The used-book department carries old and new fiction, nonfiction, foreign-language texts, and such, but Steve talks about Natalie, the eight-year-old plant that hangs above the counter. Natalie did a stint upstairs, but, Steve says, “She thrives in the used-book department.” Suddenly, you really like this basement. Beneath the counter, behind boxes of books, are old paperback covers. Steve points out a thank-you letter from Brigitte Bardot on the back cover of Best of Balzac. He’s a book man with an eye for detail. Oh, and Hilary, another staffer, collects eight-track tapes; for more information see the hanging eight-track, next to Natalie.
For more used books, check out Loren Ipsum and McIntyre and Moore, both best-used-book contenders.
Harvard Bookstore | 1256 Mass Ave, Cambridge | 617.661.1515 | Loren Ipsum | 157 Hampshire Street, CambridgeThose kudos recognized, here are my picks for local events next week (as it's already a little late for this'n):
Newtonville Books:
Announcing The First Event in the
Boston Progressive Reading Series
Sunday, May 14 at 7pm
The Attic/Union Street Bar, 107 R Union Street, Newton Centre, MA
This is the first in a monthly series of literary benefits to support progressive congressional candidates nationwide. (These events will be happening on the third Sunday of every month through the 2006 elections). Sponsored By LitPAC and Newtonville Books.
Host and Founder: Stephen Elliott (Looking Forward To It: or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The American Political Process).
Tonight's Readers: Tom Perrotta (Little Children), Lily King (The English Teacher), Peter Orner (The Second Coming Of Mavala Shikongo), Jen Trynin (Everything I’m Cracked Up to Be), Luis Alberto Urrea (The Hummingbird's Daughter) and Steve Almond (Candyfreak)
Tickets:
Price: $10 - $20 sliding scale.
Purchase tickets online here or on the night of the event. For online purchases, please print your receipt and bring it to the Attic.
For more information go to StephenElliot.com. Get on the Progressive Reading email list by sending an email to: litpac-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Brookline Booksmith:
(You really shouldn't miss either of these; one lighter, one darker...for balance.)
Monday May 15 7PM
MARIAN KEYES - Anybody Out There?
Booksmith favorite Marian Keyes and her uproarious world of the Walsh sisters return to our famed basement. Anna Walsh, after a disfiguring car accident, retreats to the family home near Dublin to recoup where she pines for the glamour of New York City. Only Marian could make this situation joyously boffo. Not to be missed!
Wednesday May 17 7PM
AM HOMES– This Book Will Save Your Life
We'd all like to believe that those vicariously rich people in L.A. will all eventually have panic attacks and realize their lives are empty. And that's what happens to Richard in This Book Will Save Your Life. After being discharged from the hospital, the wealthy day-trader starts being extravagantly generous to marginal acquaintances and relatives and begins reconnecting with his teenage son Ben in this story of redemption gone slightly askew.
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