Sunday, October 05, 2008
I know I am not the first person to wonder why the sticker prices quoted on the back of books are still significantly higher for Canadians than Americans when it has been a full year since the US and CND dollar achieved parity. "So why don't books cost the same in Canada as the US?" Consider the list price on Alan Greenspan's The Age of Turbulence is $35 U.S. and $42 Canadian. Suggested retail prices for James Patterson's You've Been Warned are $27.99 and $32.50. I took a look at the history of the two currencies and what the Association for Canadian Publishers (ACP) and the Association of American Publishers (AAP) had to say. Read this and weigh-in with your thoughts. If you are a publisher, share your experience.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Yves Behar demonstrates the new XO Laptop in this convincing video. It's the result of a 2005 competition challenging designers and manufacturers to come up with an affordable, resiliant product for the One Lap Top Per Child program headed by Nicolas Negroponte (the founder of MIT lab) and consists of leading mathematicians, programmers, psychologists, engineers, musician/activists, businessmen and humanitarians. Design forward construction and materials that make even the happiest Mac user envious: a screen that you can see in full sunlight, light, compact, strong, requiring very little energy and having the ability to be powered by solar panels or cranks or foot pedals. Bono of U2 was involved in the project from the beginning and gives his unbridled support.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time, By Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin is the prize-winning bestseller you have by now certainly heard of if not read. It has been the book of the month for many book clubs including both of mine, and before reading it I must say I was surprised at its popularity. A book about building schools in the Middle East is hardly the sort of terrorist expose we’ve seen hogging airport bookshelves since 9/11. It is a much simpler, yet far less reductionist story of a mountain climber cum philanthropist who made a sustainable impact in a part of the world known for its remote inaccessibility, both geographically and some would say ideologically. "Tea" succeeds in providing access to what is, of course, a universally human desire to improve the lives of our children.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
On the West coast we have 100 international writers speaking at the 2008 Vancouver International Writers Festival, held October 21-26th. From André Alexis to Ting-xing Ye check out the entire list on the festival website. Then on the East coast, it's the annual NewYorker Magazine Festival.
It's always a difficult process to choose the next book for our Whistler Reads - village book group. I read all the latest reviews of newly published books, sift through the advance reader copies that come to me from publishers, scour the bestseller lists and literary prize short lists, and dutifully return to the classics. I keep in mind current events, and try to balance genres, eras, nationalities, translations and subject matter. I think it's important to include a healthy dose of Canadianna.
Since we are in the throws of an election on both sides of the border, and are facing challenging economic times worldwide I think it's important to have something we can escape into. We've paid our dues reading a heavy book on economics, and another book dealing with politics. So I invite you to join me in reading a wonderful story based on the life of one of Canada's most famous personalities and artists, pianist Glenn Gould. A Romance on Three Legs: Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano is written by Katie Hafner and published by Random House.
Not only was Gould a prodigy who achieved great fame, (his recording of the Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C Major was etched onto the golden record placed in the NASA Voyager) this book chronicles three interesting facets into a well-told story. We'll learn about the man, his obsession for music and his instrument. Purchase your discounted copy online here, or locals can stop into Armchair Books in the village, where we have reserve copies for WR members at 10% discount. Then join us for the discussion Thursday November 6th, 7:30pm at the Whistler Public Library. Get your ticket now.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Donigan Merritt is a graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop and the author of seven novels. He lives in Washington, DC. A world traveler who has lived a rich life, Merritt imbues his novels with the same variety and intensity. He writes of love and loss and adventure in many different settings. The Common Bond is set in Hawaii in the '80s. The protagonist, Morgan Cary is a s a commercial fishing boat captain, who trolls the Pacific for yellowfin tuna and blue marlin. After a decade of life spent in California, Morgan flies home to Hawaii arriving with a broken heart and an overwhelming sense of guilt surrounding the death of his wife, Victoria. He finds comfort in the wet green mountain slopes, the pearl-colored volcanic haze, and the tropical perfume of gardenia, plumeria, and eucalyptus, but he cannot escape painful and persistent memories. "Resonant with human emotion and insight, The Common Bond is an exquisite novel of precision and grace that captures the depths of the human capacity for guilt, and the traps of compassion and hope in redemption."—Other Press. Join BookBuffet reviewer, Dee Raffo who untangles the unconventional story line of this novel, and follows with her interview with the author over SKYPE.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Step into Interior BC, Canada for this month's Wine & Book Pick. Red Dog, Red Dog by Patrick Lane is available in bookstores Sept 30th, 2008 but available online here. McLeland Stewart publishers write, "[This is] an epic novel of unrequited dreams and forestalled lives. Set in the mid-1950s, in a small town in the interior of BC in the unnamed Okanagan Valley. The novel focuses on the Stark family, centering on brothers Eddy and Tom, who are bound together by family loyalty and inarticulate love." It's shortlisted for the 2008 Giller Prize for fiction. We've matched local wines from the same region where this virtuoso debut novel is set. Road 13 Winery is owned by Mick Luckhurst and located near the town of Oliver, just across the way from the renowned Tinhorn Creek Winery which shares the same terroir. Enjoy these surprisingly true and tasty, "earthy" wines—a brilliant match for your October book group and tasting.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
David Foster Wallace, the author best known for his 1,000 plus page 1996 novel Infinite Jest was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Friday night, according to police. He was 46. Sadly, this ends his long battle with depression, in which his father says, "Everything had been tried." Michiko Kakutani, chief book critic of The New York Times wrote in 2006. “He can do sad, funny, silly, heartbreaking and absurd with equal ease; he can even do them all at once.” David has been called one of America's most important young authors and is often compared to Thomas Pynchon. Of course the best way to know an author is through their books, but if you haven't taken the opportunity yet, there are ample places to read and "meet" him. My most illuminating moment of Wallace was in his television interview with Charlie Rose, taped in March of 1997. His brilliance and vulnerability, his modesty and honesty were all mixed up in a somewhat defiant, verbosity that bordered on pressure of speech in places where his thoughts were coming faster than he could form the words. Here is a small tribute to David Foster Wallace with some links for further reading and viewing.
Edith Wharton satirized New York carriage society's attitudes to love, marriage and fidelity at the turn of the century in her novel, The Age of Innocence (Oxford World's Classics). Richard Yates captured married life in the bedroom communities struggling outside of New York in the '50s in his novel, Revolutionary Road. In this week's BookBuffet podcast interview we speak with best-selling author Joshua Henkin who tells us about his second award winning novel, Matrimony: A Novel recently published in paperback by Vintage, 2008. Matrimony captures contemporary couples dealing with the complexity of relationships in today's age. Julian, Mia, Carter and Pilar meet in an East coast liberal college and the book follows their lives for the next twenty years as they navigate adulthood and the most important aspects of life: love, friendship, careers and commitment. If you love Wharton and you know Yates, then you'll enjoy meeting Henkin.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
The Man Booker 2008 Shortlist was announced today. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the most important literary prize in the English speaking world. Winners of the prize become household names. This year there are two debut novelists and a broad geographical representation of authors from India, England, Australia and Ireland. The works are being touted as "intensely readable, page turning stories." For the first time extracts are available for download onto mobiles - that's just in time for my new iPhone! LIsten to: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga and five more. Details inside.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Marguerite Dorn and Carol O'Day are the founders of a new website and consulting business that addresses the work-life and work-family balance that women face. Check out www.thenewhavingitall.com. It's the age-old modern dilemna: stay home to be with your children or leave them to keep a job? There are likely as many variations to this spectrum as there are women with families. Everyone's circumstances are different. Some things are within your control, many things are not. How do we, as a society, rate on the scorecard of motherhood? Join us at BookBuffet as we explore the business concept that two former power-house professional women are carving out for themselves to help make a difference for the rest of us, while they maintain balance in their own lives.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Here is another creative technology websites that uses a unique mapping system to help readers find, compare and explore published authors. It's called www.literaturemap.com and it works like this. Type the name of any writer you wish to research. The site will come up with a page listing that writer's name as well as all the writers whose work is similar to them. The closer the names appear to each other, the more alike their body of work is supposed to be, and the more likely - it is said - that you will enjoy the style, subject matter or body of work of the close relation. TRY IT! I entered John Irving and got this.
May 28th was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond 007. To commemorate the date the Fleming estate commissioned renowned British fiction author, Sebastian Faulks to write a new novel for the series, released around the world in 21 languages amid a blaze of publicity not seen since the last Harry Potter book. It's titled Devil May Care (James Bond). It was the Whistler Reads pick for the summer, and members had frivolous fun at the September 13th party! Check out the event pictures and the resources we collected for you. Consider making a donation to Whistler Reads
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The Vicious Circle Writing Group hosts The Whistler Writers Festival each September, and the marketing blurbs by Lisa Richardson just keep getting better and better. This year they have a host of classes planned on Saturday, Sept. 13th. Check out the 7th annual lit-fest offerings: 15 different seminars in fiction, non-fiction and magazine, and memoir/writing from life streams, with free sessions as well as ticketed events starting from $20. Participants can dabble and cross-genres, or devote a day to a particular focus. If the course content is half as entertaining as the creative titles - you'll be in for a treat! I recommend Shena Lambert's class. Shena attended BookBuffet's four author panel discussion last April. It's great to have her back in Whistler again!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Reading, researching and interviewing an author whose book comes across my desk for review at BookBuffet is a fun process. It's fascinating to be able to speak intimately with authors about: the source of their inspiration and characters, their methods of writing, the values they attach to their work, and who their mentors are. When it's time to say goodbye, you really feel as though you've gained some insight into an interesting life. So when we hear back from writers about their latest book, film or television projects, we love to share the updates with you. Here are (in alphabetic order): Zoe Archer, Joseph Boyden, Kit Bakke, Julian Fellows, Margaret MacMillan, Kem Nunn, Susan Orlean, Jonathan Safran Foer, Tracy Quan and Michela Wrong. Find out about their latest novels, tv pilots, babies, academic appointments, and life in general. We've been sent review copies of some of their new books and will give you a quick run-down.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Web analytics are the gurus of online companies. They collect information about who visits their sites and they know your age, sex, income, education, marital status, what browser you use and system platform you use, and lots more. Why is that useful? If you are a website owner, it pays to know who your site visitors and customers are. If you are the web editor, it pays to know which articles people are reading, how long they stay on your site, where they browse and where they bail. It's not just for the purposes of matching future content to visitor tastes. It's key information in determining advertisement placement and maximizing revenue. All the big websites have a web analytics department. Even if you are a little guy—it is worth your while to pay attention to web analytics. The New York Times and NBC, to use two examples, track site visits minute to minute. They titrate content and advertising that is specifically geared to your viewing tastes, as breaking news develops or gains particular traction. The articles are repositioned on the page and the ads are matched to your past viewing tastes and geographics. The head of the companies meet with their analytics department each and every day and get regular updates throughout the day. For a taste of what you can learn, visit Quantcast Media Planner and key in your own search variables.
Monday, July 28, 2008
BookBuffet reviewer, Dee Raffo enjoys the historical fiction genre. Here is her July book review: "As I pick up Karen Essex’s fourth novel, Stealing Athena: A Novel (Doubleday 2008) I am struck by its beautiful cover. It is an 18th century self-portrait by French painter Marie-Genieve Bouliard, as she envisioned herself as the Greek courtesan and philosopher, Aspasia. The cover certainly does match the dual narratives of the book, where two characters 2300 years apart, one in ancient Greece, the other, 18th century Scotland, find themselves inexplicably linked with the Elgin Marbles, and the controversy and passion that surround them."
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Each summer in London's Hyde Park the Serpentine Gallery asks a different modern architect to design and build a temporary structure for public display. This year it happens to be Canadian-born uber-architect, Frank Gehry. This is his first built structure in the UK. Known for his dramatic fluid titanium sheet metal skins on the amorphous Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao in Spain, and the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Frank has this year designed a pavilion of glass and wood that could easily be adapted to a garden space connecting buildings on your property. Find out more about his inspiration for the project and browse through a collection of architecture books and films on the master. (photo credit, Paula Shackleton)
Summer is here and all the folks at BookBuffet who have surfing on the brain decided to re-post an earlier interview [Nov 13 2004] with Kem Nunn, the legendary surf noir novelist. In addition to his own novel adaptations, Kem has a successful streak of screenplays to his name, Wild Things and his newest collaborations are with HBO Producer David Milch on the show "Deadwood" and he co-produced the HBO series "John from Cincinnati", a surfing series set in Imperial Beach, California which premiered on June 10, 2007. Kem spoke to BookBuffet about the third book in his surf-trilogy, Tijuana Straits, Random House (2004)
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Each year the BBC sponsors the Samuel Johnson Prize for Nonfiction recognizing excellence in nonfiction writing. BookBuffet editor Paula Shackleton attended the discussion and provides audio excerpts with the five out of six shortlisted authors whose books vary in subject matter from the history of the Congo, to life in the Soviet during Stalin, to the biography of V.S. Naipaul, to an encapsulated view on the vitality of twentieth century classical music and its connections to popular culture, and finally to the first murder case in Victorian history that sparked an entirely new genre in literature and crime fighting—the detective novel and the professional crime detective. Meet Tim Butcher, Mark Cocker, Orlando Figues, Patrick French, Alex Ross and Kate Summerscale.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Haruki Murakami has a wonderful article in the "Life and Letters" section of The New Yorker magazine (June 9 &16, 2008) that reveals the Japanese novelist's inner workings and how he became both a runner and a writer. It's not surprising that discipline, with a capital D is at the root of both, providing fascinating biographical insights into the author's life, his motivations and his writing. If you're a runner, a wannabe writer, or simply a lover of Murakami's books: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1997) Kafka on the Shore (2005) and After Dark (2007) to name three titles for starters... read on.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
I've always been a fan of Glen Gould. His playing of Bach and particularly the Goldberg Variations is like trance for the piano—starting at the first variation one is swept away in space and time. I always imagine that my math skills are subliminally being enhanced just by listening to the contrapuntal melody. The other fascination I have with Gould is hearing the stories of his unusual personality quirks. Declared a child prodigy by age three when he demonstrated perfect pitch, it is said that he could read a music score through just once and play the piece perfectly from memory. He had an obsession with his hands. He always wore gloves, even in summer, and never shook hands with people. He would stand for long periods of time at the sink running warm water over his hands. This month I'm recommending the Wine & Book Group pick-up a new book about this fascinating musical genius. (Your dinner conversations will sparkle and entertain even the most die-hard pop or rock fan.) A Romance on Three Legs: Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano borrows heavily on a previous biography on the artist, but it also tells the story of Gould's relationship with a particular piano and the blind farm-boy technician he relied upon to keep the instrument tuned to his grueling specifications. See what you think as you read further, and download Gould's music from iTunes as a wonderful accompaniment. For wines to go with this selection we've chosen a few delicious ones from the Niagara escarpment wine growing region of Ontario. (Gould was a native of Toronto, not far away.) The area is as physically beautiful as this love story and the music. Enjoy!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Digital resources are used as often, if not more often, than print books says 6,500 students at around 400 institutions across the globe who participated in a survey by Ebrary, the Palo Alto-based digital content service and delivery company. Craig Morgan Teicher who writes for Publishers Weekly, (6/25/2008 7:00:00 AM) says that "while the survey does indicate some skepticism and ignorance about e-books in institutional libraries, it also clearly shows that students are increasingly using e-books and other digital reference sources for research and other assignments."
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Rose Tremain has twice been a Booker Prize judge and this year she wins the prestigious Orange Prize for her tenth novel, The Road Home: A Novel (Chatto and Windus 2007) The story is about an Eastern Eurpean migrant worker who travels to London for employment that can support his family. He discovers London is awash with money, celebrity and complacency. The contrast underscores the new East-West economic dichotomy that exists between disparate EU countries resulting in the flow of population to Western urban centers who must then grapple with a cultural divide.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Poetry, that exacting science of words, art, expression and sometimes distance, has spoken to me through the voice of Galway Kinnell. Well, actually through the audio excerpt at the Paris Review. To be bitten by poetry you need to have it read to you. To have the author read it, is a delight most exquisite. Treat yourself to 07:55 minutes of escapism today: A cigarette break for the imagination. Then click on the link to purchase your own copy and get to know more of Kinnell's words. A New Selected Poems published by Mariner Books (2008).
Sunday, June 01, 2008
One of my favorite authors is Jumpha Lahiri because she writes about people I relate to who have experienced things I could not. Her latest book is a collection of short stories and critics are hailing it as her masterpiece. She writes about family and generational interactions, about immigrants and aspects of cultural identity and assimilation from her Bengali perspective. She writes about human emotions in exquisite variety - all of it rendered in delicious prose. With mentors in Hawthorne and Hardy, how could she go wrong? Pick up a copy of Unaccustomed Earth (Knopf April, 2008) and take it to the cottage, the beach or read it in installments at the leafy park near your work place on extended lunch breaks.
The Whistler Reads initiative is fashioned on the "One Book One City" programs popular across North America. Want to be a part of this exciting community venture, meet authors, discover new books, join the biggest book group in BC?
Read more and sign yourself and your group up today!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Looking for a source of good literary reviews? The place to go is a trusted literary magazine, but last time we checked there are hundreds. For the ultimate web resource go to New Pages website. Here are a few of our favorites and others that piqued our interest.
Jackfish, The Vanishing Village (Inanna Poetry & Fiction) is not a regular fish story—but it will hook you. Clemance-Marie Nadeau is haunted by memories unraveling from a traumatic past. Her story begins as she boards a train bound for Sault Ste. Marie and falls under the spell of a charming stranger who promises her a life of adventure. Nothing she will experience could be further from that promise. Based on her own life and stories from the trauma/torture survivors that Sarah Felix Burns has counseled over the years, Jackfish will mesmerize and invoke a gamut of emotions. Not since, Bastard Out of Carolina will you be so moved by a book of this kind. Don't let your group miss Jackfish. The author writes, “This book is dedicated to all those people who battle with the demons of guilt, shame addiction, and mental illness.” Take a look at BookBuffet Reviewer Dee Raffo's review.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Last year the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) of the United Arab Emirates launched “Kalima,” a project to translate books into Arabic; its stated aim was to translate 100 works. Late last month, the ruler of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, upped the ante: His eponymous foundation launched a similar project, albeit one that aims to translate 365 books in its first year – or, in other words, one per day.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Since I don't have television, it's difficult to keep up with daytime shows like Oprah. But I happened to be traveling and turned on the hotel tube to see Barbara Walters' appearance on Oprah — talk about female power! Surprisingly, it sounds like Barbara has written an interesting book, which she titled, Audition: A Memoir because she's been doing just that her whole life. I picked up a copy and thumbed through it and here what is in store for all you BW fans. Auditions is published by Knopf May 6th,2008.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
You may not have realized that the website you visit frequently for concise biographical information on world authors is coming from an obscure Finnish library near the Russian border! Meet Petri Liukkonen, Director of The Kuusankoski Library, Finland.
CS Richardson has worked in publishing for over twenty years. He is a multiple recipient of the Alcuin Award, Canada’s highest honor for excellence in book design, and a frequent lecturer on various facets of publishing, design, and communications. The End of the Alphabet: A Novel, published by Doubleday Canada, is his first novel and it has just been awarded the Commonwealth Writers Prize for A Writer's First Novel. Congratulations Scott!! [interview Feb 2008]
The cello is both the most beautiful and sorrowful of stringed instruments. And so, it is only fitting that The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway (Knopf, Canada April 2008) is a story of extraordinary beauty and imagination that will sweep you off your feet with its compelling prose. "One day a shell lands in a bread line and kills twenty-two people as the cellist watches from a window in his flat. He vows to sit in the hollow where the mortar fell and play Albinoni’s Adagio once a day for each of the twenty-two victims... " Entice your book group to read this month's Wine & Book selection, The Cellist of Sarajevo, based on the true story of Vedran Smailovic. Listen to the music while you taste the old-world wines from the region for a truly moving discussion and a memorable experience.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
The NYPL's "LIVE" series presents, BOOKS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE with a stunning line-up of authors: Annie Proulx, Olivier Rolin, Yousef Al-Mohaimeed, Antonio Muñoz Molina, Catherine Millet & Paul Holdengraber, moderator. And PUBLIC LIVES-PRIVATE LIVES from the PEN Society's "International Voices Festival". This year’s theme couldn't be more timely. How do we draw a line between our private and public selves? When must we tell private stories for the public good? How, as readers, writers, and citizens, do we confront threats to our privacy? What is still considered private in the Internet age? Do we need to redefine the meaning of public and private in the 21st century? The writers in this year’s Festival will mine this rich theme in a variety of literary conversations, panels, readings, and performances. Links and details inside.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
"In Farewell, My Subaru: An Epic Adventure in Local Living, Doug Fine writes about his hilarious adventures in green living and some surprising facts he discovered about energy consumption; such as, it takes several thousand gallons of jet fuel to fly an organic banana from Honduras to Silver City, NM, or three times the amount of fuel he uses in his car each year. After graduating from Stanford, Doug Fine strapped on a backpack and traveled to five continents, reporting from remote perches in Burma, Rwanda, Laos, Guatemala and Tajikistan. He is a correspondent for NPR and PRI and the author of Not Really An Alaskan Mountain Man. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, Wired, US News and World Report, Christian Science Monitor, and Outside magazine. A native of Long Island, he lives in an obscure valley in Southern New Mexico alongside many goats and coyotes. Visit his web site at www.dougfine.com
Sunday, April 13, 2008
With the news of world-wide protests over China's behavior in Tibet, and the resulting disruptions of the Olympic torch ceremonies for the Summer Games in Beijing, it seems appropriate that this year's PEN Freedom to Write Award go to imprisoned Chinese writer Yang Tongyan who is serving a 12-year prison term for posting anti-government articles on the Internet. What role does the PEN society perform and why should we care?
Monday, April 07, 2008
The winners of this year’s Pulitzer Prizes were announced on Monday, April 7, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The awards honor books in five categories — fiction, poetry, history, biography, and general nonfiction – though the judges may decline to give an award in any of them. The Pulitzer site, www.pulitzer.org, has all the results. A special citation was awarded to Bob Dylan for his profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power. Click on quick links to purchase.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
"Transforming learning from on campus to off campus to where there's no campus at all," that's what iTunes U is all about. Load up on lectures from the top professors at the top universities in the country. And it's FREE. This is the most thrilling discovery for me in years. I love the trend of podcasts and v-casts to access online education. Presentations, performances, lectures, demonstrations, debates, tours, archival footage — it's all about getting inspired. Listen to "An Evening with Leonard Cohen and Philip Glass" from Stanford U, watch a linear alegbra class at MIT, or catch a lecture by Thomas Friedman on how technology has made Beijing, Bangalore and Bethesda "next door neighbors." Just download to your iPod and listen on the way to work or in the comfort of your living room by plugging into your TV.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
The next Whistler Reads (WR) meeting will take place May 10th at the WPL. This is our eighteenth book pick. Alternating between fiction and nonfiction titles, we have chosen The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama. With the Democratic primaries heating-up in the neck-to-neck race between Hillary and Obama, this is going to be a stunning meeting. We have a political skit planned by a former Second City actor and his team. Conservative candidate John Weston (Sea to Sky Corridor + Sunshine Coast) will discuss the book and field questions. John is himself an author, and he is passionate about Obama's non-partisan politics. Listening to John's voice message I learned he is muliti-lingual, and speaks English, French and Mandarin fluently. Don't forget - Sunday is Mothers Day. Bring yours and we'll have a long-stemmed rose waiting for her.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The New York Review of Books (NYRB) is moving offices from their current location to Hudson Street in Greenwich Village. Take advantage of the 40%-60% discounts on excellent titles not often available at these prices. Sale ends March 9th. Just browsing the list of fiction, translated fiction, essays and criticism along with other genres, I have pulled a few titles from my own shopping list. Aside from personal reading interests, it's always nice to have a few extra books on hand for gift occasions in the coming months; these are books suitable for most everyone. Learn more about this important literary and publishing force in America.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Put your FACE to a BOOK! It's a Whistler Public Library and WR-BookBuffet joint program. To celebrate the opening of the grand new Whistler Public Library, BookBuffet-Whistler Reads will be filming locals, resort visitors, World Cup and Olympic athletes as part of a video presentation putting your FACE to a BOOK. There is a child, teen, adult and athlete category. Everyone is welcome. Just pick a book and tell us, in about two minutes, what you loved about it. The video-book reviews will be compiled into a short feature film that will be previewed at the Whistler Library Opening Gala festivities April 12th-17th and available online here. Find out how you can participate below.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
It’s the variety that makes Joe Hill’s collection of 20th Century Ghosts, (William Morrow, 2007) stand out from the crowd of horror novelists. The stories range from the grotesque, to unnerving, even poignant and nostalgic.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Libration joins "celebration" with "library," though I'm uncertain whether it's a noun or a verb - possibly both! April 11th-19th. Details are inside, but Save The Date for Saturday April 12th when BookBuffet/Whistler Reads Founder, Paula Shackleton hosts four stunning Vancouver writers: David Chariandy, Shaena Lambert, Timothy Taylor and Teresa McWhirter come to Whistler. What do they have in common? They each live in Vancouver. They each published a new book in 2007 that is garnering popular and critical acclaim. Join us fireside at the WPL from 6-8 pm for "Writing On The Edge: Perspectives of BC Writers." What is it about Vancouver's geography, economy, politics, history, climate, multiculturalism, or our proximity to the border that affects these writers? Check-out the Libration poster for all the events and activities
Sunday, February 10, 2008
It is interesting to consider which books and authors are most popular with lending libraries versus the bestseller lists and literary fiction. James Patterson has just made the top spot, reports the Guardian, having tallied over 1.5 million copies of his books lent in the past year. He is the third author to have earned the distinction since they began keeping such records in 1982. J.K. Rowling and Ian McEwan only made it to 107 and 252 respectively on the library lending list, whereas their novels, Harry Potter and Atonement made it to 1 and 13 respectively on bestseller lists for the year. What does this say about borrowers? Check out the top 10 borrowed books list and see for yourself.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Cellophane (Dial Press) by Marie Arana is a novel set in the Peruvian rain forest during the 1930s where Don Victor Sobrevilla and his wife, Doña Mariana, venture to find a location for their papermaking factory. Along with the discovery of the secret to making cellophane (a fascinating story in itself) the family is drawn into an erotically charged landscape of surreal history and obsession. Nominated as a National Book Award finalist, Arana's writing has been compared to other literary giants, Allende, Marquez and Conrad. We think this novel is the perfect choice for February, when romance and exotic locations can sweep you away in the best literary tradition. Marie Arana, editor of Washington Post Book World Wines recommended for this book naturally derive from Peruvian sources. Enjoy!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
While browsing through the stacks at a favorite independent bookstore, I came upon a copy of Fifth Business, a Canadian classic by Robertson Davies, the first novel of his acclaimed Deptford Trilogy. I cannot resist a Penguin paperback—the combination of superior cover art and binding make them a pleasure to hold, read and collect. If you've not yet discovered Canada's prominent novelist, playwright, critic, and journalist, then pick up a copy of Fifth Business as it is his most autobiographical work of fiction. It tells the story of three characters—Dunstan Ramsey, Boy Staunton, and Paul Dempster, whose life paths are haunted by a single boyhood event. Davies' prose is reflective of his academic study of mythology and archetypes, his career as a repertory actor and theater advocate. He was one of the founders of the Ontario Stratford Shakespearean Festival, North America's leading classical theater.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Facebook, the social network site, invites members to invent applications for its users. The most popular of these is an online game called "Scrabulous" which is based on the Mattel-Hasbro board game Scrabble. The software was developed by Rajat and Jayant Agarwalla, who are based in Kolkata, India. Lawyers for the board game say the online version infringes their client's copyright and must be removed.
According to the Scrabulous website it has 594,924 daily active users - about a quarter of the total that have signed up to play it - meaning that at any one time in the day there are half a million people worldwide playing the game online. Users admit to having never played the board version, but after becoming hooked on Scrabulous...
Saturday, January 12, 2008
If one of your New Year's resolutions is to start a book group -- you're in good company. But it's important to lay the ground rules early and get into good habits. Here are some of the ways you can -- avoid the pitfalls.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
If you attended any fine art gallery shows this past year, chances are that the art book created for one of the collections was designed by Ed Marquand's team in Seattle, Washington. The New York Times this past December featured four Marquand titles in their "Ten Best Art Books of 2007" one of a series of "Bests" that the world waits to peruse before shopping for the bibliophiles on their holiday list. Marquand Books, one of the most respected companies of its kind in the United States, produces fine illustrated books for museums, galleries, publishers, artists, collectors, and architects.
Our next Whistler Reads book selection is going to appeal to all the male (and female) members who joined last month who tend to nonfiction. Challenge yourself to some world-class fiction. To our regular members, you are in for a treat. The spare, haunting prose of Per Petterson, Norway's most prominent fiction writer, has been receiving critical acclaim worldwide for his third novel, Out Stealing Horses: A Novel. Published by Graywolf Press, this story will captivate you from the first page forward. The style is nothing like typical North American prose. Here is a book I would encourage you to read out loud to family or friends in segments each night,for the pure pleasure of capturing this beautiful translated work. Join us at the Whistler Public Library on Thursday, March 6th 7-9 pm. Discussion Questions Below
Monday, December 31, 2007
My 2008 New Year's Resolution is to take the National Endowment for the Arts "To Read or Not to Read" report seriously and take action. The NEA produces the most comprehensive and reliable survey on reading there is. It draws from consistent, widespread sources that produce measurable conclusions: Only one in four Americans read a book last year. "Despite improved reading abilities in elementary school . . . all progress appears to halt in teenage years at age thirteen. There is a general decline in reading among teenage and adult Americans, and they read less well. Even college graduates' regular habit of reading has declined. These declines have demonstrable social, economic, cultural, and civic implications." What can we do? Read this and find out.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
For January we thought you'd enjoy reading Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia (Viking 2007), the runaway bestselling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert. Facing a difficult divorce and a punishing affair, the New York journalist decides to escape her personal hardship by traveling to Italy then India, finally ending up in Bali. At once funny and profound, Gilbert's self-indulgent journey can be your guilty pleasure this month, along with fine wines picked by our partners at Women & Wine. Paramount Pictures has acquired the rights and will star Julia Roberts, according to Variety.com
Sunday, December 16, 2007
This is the list of authors and books that won awards in 2007.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
It is always a delight to speak with authors in the UK. BookBuffet caught up with Lucy O'Brien, who hails from London. Lucy is the author of several female rock biographies and female rock historical bestsellers. Her latest is the groundbreaking biography of pop icon Madonna. The Material Girl turns fifty in 2008 and in anticipation, Lucy has produced a thorough, sensitive, and illuminating treatise that will help demystify the woman who has made history as the most successful female singer to date.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
In our household every member receives a book for the holidays. When the busy social schedule calms down and before we have to return to work or school, it's nice to read a hand-picked book. Check out our highly personalized gift list, and make your shopping easy with one trip to the bookstore or order online, (make that "express, wrapped and labeled with free shipping") and save yourself the hassle of parking, shopping, and schlepping.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
A poet from the age of fifteen, Xiaolu Guo first came to London in 2002 as an experienced novelist and filmmaker from mainland China. Her observations led to her third book, the first in English, a remarkable mix of eastern and western ideals with a clever, funny, often profound and engaging writing style. Titled A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers: A Novel (Published by Nan A. Talese, September 4, 2007), The novel explores a subject that many people can relate to, the acquisition of a new language. This book was nominated for the 2007 Orange Prize for fiction. Read the review then listen to the interview, and view clips from her filmography. Xiaolu Guo is a talent we will see and hear more.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
"Prometheus stole fire and gave it to men."
-Apollodorus, The Library, book 1:7, second century B.C.
"My two great loves are physics and New Mexico. It is a pity that they can't be combined." So wrote J. Robert Oppenheimer, the enigmatic and mystic genius who managed to do just that at Los Alamos following his appointment as Scientific Director of the Manhattan Project.
The father of the atomic bomb was a unique polymath who can justifiably be credited with founding the foremost school of theoretical physics in America. Moreover, in contrast to many gifted mathematicians and physicists, Oppenheimer's intellectual curiosity extended well beyond the limits of his chosen career. He was a prolific reader and loved the arts, especially poetry. He was also fascinated by mysticism and with his remarkable facility to acquire languages with astounding ease, he learned Sanskrit so that he could study the ancient Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Short Message Service (SMS) allows users to "text" a message between cell phone, pocket PC's. More than 500 billion SMS messages were sent across the world's global system messenging in 2004. But just like the annoyance we've all experienced in public places when someone is talking loudly, endlessly and personally on their phone, SMS has its own set of issues. Learn some SMS etiquette
Thursday, November 29, 2007
The End of the Alphabet
by CS Richardson (Doubleday, 2007) is a one-hundred-and-nineteen-page gem coming out in paperback that you can read in one sitting. Be prepared to be taken on a roller coaster of emotion. It is the story of a couple, one of whom has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness and told will not live past one month. It is a story of love, of courage, and of loss. It is a story you will read and pass on to friends, because we all admire this kind of love; we all fear this kind of devastation and find ourselves compelled to look into their abyss. The End of the Alphabet has just been awarded the Commonwealth Writers Prize for First Novel. Congratulations Charles!!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
The folks at Bluerectangle.com have a great idea -- one I've been working towards myself -- video book reviews you can watch in about a minute or two delivered by (what appears to be) regular folks. It's a great concept for those of us attempting to look past the hype of a book by mainstream publishing marketers and get a peer review of a new book. It's like taking the Amazon visitor reviews one step further. With Blurectangle.com you get to see the reviewer and determine their sincerity and honest opinion. Click on title for more details.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Help us with our goal to break the top 100,000 websites. Today we're at 115,886 which is up there with www.health.com (117,423) and www.readinggroupguides.com (168,348). Did you know there are over 140 million domains registered world wide. That places Bookbuffet.com in the top 8.27%. How can you help? (a) Browse our latest features and click on the social networking links at the bottom of each to post it to Digg, Facebook or your own blog or favorite social networking sites. (b) Subscribe to our RSS feeds and get the latest book news, author interviews, member generated reviews and timely editorials. Our podcasts are a great way to discover new authors. (c) Register your book group. Easy as A B C - Click, Share, Join, Subscribe. Prizes to the lucky members who join on day 100,000! Stay tuned.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Will libraries holding book stacks become a thing of the past? Amazon's Jeff Bezos plans to announce his new electronic book-reader device called The Kindle on Monday in New York City at the W Hotel's swanky Union Square location. The Kindle will cost $399 but the W Hotel has a corporate alliance with Amazon that will allow guests to check out devices like a library book, with downloaded books coming straight off Amazon's website. Marketing research by the company followed iPhone's launch strategy that used celebrity endorsement. Rumors have it the year-long awaited e-readers will come with a pre-loaded bestseller. Watch for the announcement Monday. For a re-cap on the battle between Google and Amazon technology click feature title.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
American novelist, playwright, journalist, screenwriter and film director Norman Mailer died on this day of renal failure following lung surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award once, he was awarded the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters from The National Book Foundation in 2005. His break-out novel in 1948, The Naked and the Dead, published when he was just twenty-five, describes the face of war from his military experience when drafted into the US army serving in WWII Philippines theatre. It is on the Top 100 Novels List. Mailer and co-founder Dan Wolf started The Village Voice in Greenwich Village in 1955. Mailer was married six times and is survived by four children and one adopted son. For a list of his other creative works and links to noted obituaries, click feature title.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Madonna is the most famous female pop artist of our time; singer-songwriter, dancer, record and film producer, actress, and a fashion icon. She has won multiple Grammy and Golden Globe awards and is known for her controversial music videos, stage performances, and use of political, sexual, and religious themes in her work. Discover the woman behind the mystery. Journalist Lucy O'Brien's groundbreaking biography, Madonna: Like an Icon (HarperCollins, Nov 2007) gets at the heart of Madonna's chameleonlike existence. Extensively researched and perceptively written, it explores the complex personality and legendary drive that made her "the world's most successful female musican" (Guinness Book of World Records). A great book to discuss with your group over equally provocative wines picked for you by our partners at www.womenwine.com
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Follow the example of Whistler Reads - a village book group that is now on its sixteenth book selection, The Age of Turbulence by Alan Greenspan. This discussion promises to be one of the most thought provoking of the year. It is a must-read for anyone involved in business, finance, economics, politics or who simply wants to understand how the world operates. Penguin writes, "This book is the distillation of a life's worth of wisdom and insight into an elegant expression of a coherent world view. The Age of Turbulence will stand as Alan Greenspan's personal and intellectual legacy." Hosted by BC Entrepreneur of the Year Lukas Lundin, and with special guest speaker Glen Donaldson PhD from the Sauder School of Business. With economists forecasting a recession, the changes to the Cnd-US currency exchange rates, and the banks reeling from the sub-prime mortgage crisis - it behooves you to attend this talk. Don't miss the chance to meet Mr. Greenspan at a sold out event in Vancouver later in January. Sponsorship generously provided by Lundin Mining. Plus, Lukas Lundin has donated two tickets to see Greenspan that will be up for raffle at the January 4th discussion.
Join WR and get your ticket for Jan 4th online today! $20 advance/ $25 at the door
Your receipt is your ticket.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
The Financial Times last week unveiled the results of an online poll of readers to find the best business book of all time, and the winner, by a wide margin, was The Wealth of Nations
, Adam Smith's influential economic treatise published in 1776.
Friday, November 02, 2007
What makes us women? Whistler Reads fifteenth reading selection November 1st at the Durlacher Hof was a resounding success as members new and old (with tourist visitors attending from Mexico and Switzerland) had a one-hour conversation with the author, Dr. Louann M. Brizendine, via speaker phone. Available as podcast shortly As a neurobiology undergrad at Berkeley in the '70s, Louann asked the question, "Why is there no research study results of female animal behavior and brain physiology?" Since that time, researchers like Louann have, along with advances in non-invasive MRI and PET scanners, learned a wealth of information encapsulated in Dr. Brizendine's book, The Female Brain. Written in an easy to read, "Ahhah!" format that weaves what Publisher's Weekly calls "a trove of information and stunning facts" and that Huffington exclaims is "bloody brilliant ... answers questions that have plagued me for years, as well as ones I hadn't even formulated yet."
Monday, October 29, 2007
The iPhone is a multimedia and Internet-enabled quad-band GSM EDGE-supported mobile phone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Its single-touch screen technology is so easy to use, they've sold more than 1.4 million iPhones since the release date on June 29th. To stop people from buying phones and reselling them, Apple announced last Thursday that it will limit sales to two per person (down from five) and you can no longer pay cash - they want to track credit cards and checks. What's so great about the iPhone? It's a virtual office enabling you to multi-task with a single finger. Take a look at what this amazing piece of technology can do, then read on to discover some of the perks and quirks of how people are using the phone.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
I heard the first firecracker go off in the street outside my office window just now, reminding me that Halloween is approaching for all the happy, carefree school children here in the West. This is not the case for the millions of children in Africa. Last evening the third in a series of talks put on by Whistler Community Services Organization hosted world-renowned Canadian human rights advocate, UN ambassador and HIV-AIDS speaker, Stephen Lewis. The sold-out 800-seat crowd gathered in the Whistler High School gymnasium gave organizers a fright just two days away from the event when only a quarter of them had purchased their $20 ticket. Proceeds go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Click title for full article.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Ms. Lessing, who turned 88 on October 22, never finished high school and largely educated herself through her voracious reading. She was born to British parents in Persia (now Iran), was raised in colonial Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and now lives in London. She has written dozens of books of fiction, as well as plays, non-fiction, and an autobiography. She is the 11th woman to win a Nobel Prize in literature. Here is the latest coverage of the announcement with links to books.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
When Canadian Joseph Boyden came on the literary scene he wowed readers with his powerful historical fiction set during WWI about brotherhood, native identity, and the raw face of war. To meet and speak with Joseph is a pleasure. He's handsome, and has a quick smile and a generous personality. His self-effacing modesty makes him accessible to people despite his success and obvious talent. Please join me in listening to Joseph talk about his life, his writing, and his upcoming new novel, which will follow on the success of Three Day Road.
Monday, October 01, 2007
With the harvest and Thanksgiving on everyone's mind, BookBuffet invites you to take a look at Barbara Kingsolver's nonfiction treatise Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
for this month's Wine & Book pick. It's about eating local, eating seasonal, supporting small farms, and saving the planet from extinction through your everyday purchasing choices of food that is not trucked, flown or shipped using fossil fuels to your market. Don't miss the opportunity to drink a lovely local wine along with this book when you meet to discuss it with your group. Women & Wine have lots of ideas on wine makers whose products are organic, too. Learn about wine as you read the wonderful titles selected especially for this group.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
It's Film Festival season in Canada again, which means right after Toronto, comes Vancouver and then Whistler. With so many excellent novels adapted to film we are going to list some of our favorites and introduce a "Books to Film" night on alternate months. Grab your book group members for a feature film in your neighborhood and meet for coffee to compare the book with the film. We'll provide details to spice up your discussion, but obviously everyone reads and views things from their individual perspective. Bring your expertise and share it liberally -- with the popcorn.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Let's eat, John. (OR) Let's eat John. The first is a request to John about a meal. The second is suggesting that John become the meal. "A misplaced comma can be a big deal!" says Jeff Rubin, the founder of National Punctuation Day®. What a brilliant idea. If you despised all that grammar stuff in school, now is your chance to brush up on punctuation. While your spell check program can hide one bad habit, it only takes a few memorized rules to keep you out of punctuation purgatory. A properly punctuated document can mean the difference between getting your point across, or losing your audience (or client, or job) altogether. Take this one day to celebrate the comma, apply the period, learn when to use a semicolon or a colon, and ensure you know where to put the apostrophe or how use a dash. An ellipsis -- what's that? Check out this website dedicated to punctuation, and purchase a copy of one of these excellent resource books for yourself or someone in need.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
The Whistler Writers and Readers Festival takes place September 14-16th. This year event organizer Stella Harvey and her Vicious Circle team invited Whistler Reads to take part. Sign up for a class. Don't miss our readers and writers mixer, Saturday Sept 15th 8-10 pm at Millennium Place. This evening is arranged and moderated by Whistler Reads founder, Paula Shackleton. It's Book Club Night when you get to chat with author Jen Sookfong Lee about her wonderful novel that is set in Vancouver's Chinatown, The End of East
(Knopf, Canada). Thanks to our sponsors who are providing door prizes. WR now boasts ~200 members. Everyone is welcome. "Whether you live, work or play in Whistler -- read what Whistler is reading." Join the WR Shanghai Tang After-
Party, 10-12 pm at Ric's Mix Lounge located nearby. Tickets and how to join WR below.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
As a book group moderator in a ski-resort town, I like to say, "You already exercise your body, come exercise your mind!" in my bid to get people to join our village book group. But studies show aerobic exercise actually doubles blood flow to the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for neurogenesis (new brain cell growth, new memory). It works for everyone: from aging brains to children, and everyone in between. Exercise in combination with social stimulation is even better, they say. That old adage "the body feeds the mind" turns out to be true. Here are three excellent books on fitness for three age groups. Motivation for everyone. Click the title for the full article describing the science and some cool products to use while working out.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The Whistler Writers and Readers Festival takes place September 14-16th. This year event organizer Stella Harvey and her Vicious Circle team invited Whistler Reads to take part. Sign up for a class. Don't miss our readers and writers mixer, Saturday, Sept 15th, 8-10 pm at Millennium Place.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
They have been negotiating for decades, but just this week Canada, Quebec, and Nunavik came to an "agreement in principle" between the three sides, with a formal signing ceremony to follow within weeks. What does it mean for residents north of the 55th parallel in Quebec consisting of one-third of the land mass? Residents -- regardless of ethnicity -- will be given an opportunity to vote for their own government. A Nunavik Assembly of five members will act as the cabinet and elect a speaker. Each member will be responsible for one governmental department, such as health, education, and local and regional affairs. This treaty is different from BC's Nisga'a Treaty, which is based on ethnicity. Learn more about the treaty, the region, and the people with links to literature from the region.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Now in its thirty-ninth year, the Man Booker aims to reward the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. It has the power to transform the fortunes of authors and even publishers; last year's winner Kiran Desai has traveled the world since winning in 2006. The 2007 longlist of thirteen books -- the Man Booker's 'Baker's Dozen' -- was chosen from 110 entries; 92 were submitted for the prize and 18 were called in by the judges. Browse the list (below), click on book titles to purchase; challenge yourself to read as many as you can. Each book is a gem crafted this year by authors from around the world. See list below... -photo credit ManBooker
Thursday, August 02, 2007
For the first time the rarest and most exquisite examples of the sacred texts of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths are on display together at the British Library: Torahs, Bibles and Qur’ans. If you are in London this summer it is worth a visit. If not, browse the BL's interactive online exhibit for a look at what these texts have meant to "people of the book" all around the world for centuries. It includes videos with discussions by historians and religious experts, a chance to "flip through" the books that are on display, and more. In these troubled times, it behooves us to understand the similarities between world religions. Here is a taste of my visit...
Monday, July 30, 2007
The Saxon word for pebble is chesil. Ian McEwan's brilliant new novelette, On Chesil Beach: A Novel
is this month's Wine & Book Group pick. Set in 1962, it begins on the wedding night of a young virgin couple, Edward and Florence. After meeting and falling in love at a London college, they anticipate their vows as the entry into 'real adult' life; however, naiveté brings disappointment. The story is a touching examination of relationships, love, sex, the era, and how, despite best intentions, people somehow manage to get it wrong. McEwan asks, "Can the entire course of a life can be changed –- by a gesture not made or a word not spoken?" Despite differences in sexual politics today, readers will resonate with these two characters. Chesil Beach is an excellent choice for the last month of the summer. So pack your beach bag and slip in a delicious wine selected by our partners at Women and Wine. McEwan calls this a movie-length book that will take about three hours to complete -- just right for a lazy afternoon picnic!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
TORONTO (Reuters) - An Italian writer decided to put his mobile phone to good use during his daily commute to and from work -- by writing a book. Robert Bernocco, an IT professional, took advantage of his travel time by writing a 384-page science fiction novel, Compagni di Viaggio (Fellow Travelers), on his Nokia using the phone's T9 typing system.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Is it the pitter-Potter of little feet I hear? In case you are like me, the only person left on the planet who has not managed to run out on Day One to purchase a copy of the latest and last Harry Potter books published by Bloomsbury, here is an excellent round-up on BBC of all the books in the series. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. J.K. Rowling is richer than her Queen from the royalties earned from book sales and associated film and merchandizing revenues. Click on feature title for excerpts and links to purchase.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
When Sir Ernest Shackleton was looking for men to join his expedition to the South Pole in 1914 at the outbreak of WWI, the advertisement is supposed to have gone like this: "Men wanted for hazardous journey. Safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success." My initial thoughts wandered to that when I was asked to travel for a book commission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the spring of 2006. Just eight weeks shy of the first democratic election in forty years, Global Watch was reporting rebel bands still roaming the eastern countryside, preying on civilians after the civil war that brought rape, starvation and genocide to 4 million people. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned of malaria and a host of curable and incurable endemic diseases. What follows is an account of my trip and the fruit of my travels, a 217 page photographic coffee-table book with accompanying essays on - the history, land and people of the richest undeveloped copper region in the world - Katanga: Land of Copper (Marquand Books, Dec 2006) Take a look at this snap shot of a country on the brink of change with renewed optimism for peace and prosperity. There is no Lonely Planet guide to the Congo as yet, but there soon will be!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Your job as a participant of a book group discussion is not to understand. It’s a search, a seeking. A close-reading and discussion of a novel or short story does not require conclusions. Some writers write against easy answers, and endeavor to explore the ambiguities and paradoxes of life in their fiction.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
The RAND Institute is the original socio-political and scientific think tank. Everyone who read A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar, or saw the movie based on the book, is familiar with the story of the Nobel Prize-winning mathematician, John Nash. Nash worked at RAND, the scientific think tank established in 1946.
An acronym for "research and development," RAND is a non-profit institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis. Much of this research is available to the general public through the institute's publications.
Residents in Whistler, BC are being treated to a visit by Graham Fuller - CIA and RAND Corporation Expert Sunday July 22 Spruce Grove Field House Public Talk and Forum at 4:30 Friends of the Forum BBQ at 6 pm. This event is being hosted by
The Whistler Forum for Dialogue. Don't miss it, and come prepared with some light pre-reading material. (Click title for details)
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Are you a literary snob? Take this Quiz And Find Out
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
&deThe Whistler Reads group is set to discuss this year's Mann-Booker prize winner, Inheritance Of Loss
by Kiran Desai on Thursday July 5th at 7pm at the Tandoori Grill restaurant in Whistler. With the group membership approaching 200, Founder Paula Shackleton is thrilled to see the support of the Sea to Sky corridor that includes the communities of West Vancouver, Squamish and Pemberton. "It is very exciting to see members from each of these communities participating in Whistler Reads. We welcome everyone - individuals, member of other groups, locals and visitors. Our mantra is, 'whether you live, work or play here'. Exciting opportunities are on the way!" Here is a list of research and discussion points the group will cover. Why not join WR today?
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Michael Moore's latest documentary "Sicko" deals with the healthcare debate in America. BookBuffet's Political Books Contributer, Loree Fayhe brought this excellent movie review by Isaiah J. Poole to our attention. It was posted on the affiliate website of the Institute for America's Future. Whether you agree with Moore's political bent or not, the film stirs the political pot and it will be interesting to see how the public responds and the pundits react. As Poole says, "Go see "Sicko" this week, and since members of Congress are in their states and districts, invite them to accompany you—especially if they think that the nation's medical care ills can be solved by Bush's little tax cut pills.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
July is the month that promises long summer days and time to escape into a delicious novel set in far-away lands. This month’s Wine & Book Pick take us to Beijing, China, where Nicole Mones (bestselling author of Lost in Translation) brings us an enticing story of friendship, love and, cuisine The Last Chinese Chef
(HoughtonMifflin, 2007)
Friday, June 29, 2007
The 2007 CBC Literary Awards competition is now open! The deadline for submissions is November 1st, 2007. The Awards are Canada's only literary competition celebrating original, unpublished works in both official languages. There are three categories: short story, poetry, and creative nonfiction, with cash prizes totaling $60,000, courtesy of the Canada Council for the Arts, publication in Air Canada's enRoute magazine and visibility for the winners and their winning entries offered by CBC.
To find out how to enter, visit their website at http://www.cbc.ca/literaryawards, email them at literary_awards@cbc.ca or call toll-free at 1-877-888-6788.
Stress is an endemic fact of life for people juggling career, family and personal needs. How do you recognize the signs, and how do you restructure your priorities to reduce stress and return to balance? Monica Magnetti is the author of, Outsmart Stress and Being in the Present Moment: How to Create the Blueprint of your Life, she is and the founder of Luna Coaching. BookBuffet spoke with Monica about this social phenomenon and the ways her life coaching practice has helped clients. Listen to the podcast of this interview, and read along with the transcript. Then click to Monica's site for an appointment or book purchase.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
The Authors Guild is the nation's largest and oldest society of published authors and the leading writers' advocate for fair compensation, effective copyright protection, and free expression. They have just been sent a check for $537,000 from the Dutch Lending Libraries for royalties on US books lent out. The practice is not done in North America - but it is in 19 countries in the EU. Read on to see how it works.
Monday, June 25, 2007
I am a big fan of the NewYorker magazi
