General News from the World of Literature
The following post is borrowed from the Seabrook Island Tidelines post of November 20, 2021–In 1950, the National Book Awards were established to celebrate the best writing in America. Since 1989, they have been overseen by the National Book Foundation (NBF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to celebrate the best literature in America, expand its audience, and ensure that books have a prominent place
Readers select books in a bookstore by the Xinglong lake in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Oct. 28, 2021. (Photo: China News Service/Wang Lei) Located in Tianfu New District, the “underwater bookstore” has a glass curtain wall that extends into the water on one side of the bookstore, allowing readers to see water plants and fish in the lake. (from Shelf Awareness, November 2, 2021/Issue
Today I was priviledged to hear a talk from Jonathan Haupt, director of the Pat Conroy Literary Center in Beaufort, South Carolina. Haupt was a speaker for the ongoing Our World series held on Kiawah Island. In addition to being a polished speaker, Haupt also had interesting information about Conroy and how he became a writer. I know that my next trip to Beaufort will
While living in Sandy Springs, a suburban area adjacent to Atlanta, GA, we experienced excitement throughout our neighborhood when Trader Joe’s moved into a space, right up the street, that had previously been occupied by Kiddie City. I don’t remember the exact year the store opened, but spreading neighborhood events via e-mail was not yet popular so we heard about the new store at garden
Interest in iconic American millionaires and billionaires never seems to wane, whether they are currently wealthy or were people from the past. Cornelius Vanderbilt and his descendants have captured the limelight for years. In doing some preliminary research, I learned that Cornelius and his wife (also his first cousin) had thirteen children. Cornelius had little use for his ten daughters. When he died, most of
We are coming to the end of “Banned Book Week.” This year’s theme is “Books unite us. Censorship Divides Us.” Libraries love this week, not because they are glad that books are banned but because they like to advertise the books that are banned. There is nothing like promoting a banned product. Why? — people (especially children) ask themselves. Then they read the book to
Next Monday, members of the Sandcastle Book Club will meet at the Sandcastle to discuss Of Women and Salt, a novel by Gabriela Garcia. The novel has received rave reviews from critics, much to the surprice of Garcia. She wrote it as the thesis for her MFA at Purdue. In interviews, Garcia claims the book is not so much an historical fiction as it is
The Johns Island Library has recently reopened after having been closed for renovations amid closures for Covid!! I went up there one day last week, and Lisa Williams, Circulation Manager, gave me a tour. Linda Stewart is the Branch Manager. The entire place has a new look–bright, modern, shiny and welcoming. Every good library has a special children’s section, and this one is HUGE. In
An article in Palmetto Politics, a newsletter published by the Post and Courier and written by Thomas Novelly, notes that the year 2021 is the 150th anniversary of federal attempts to prosecute members of the Ku Klux Klan who were terrorizing freed Blacks in South Carolina. In April of 1871, President Grant sent federal troops to arrest those who sought to deprive former enslaved Africans
From Cindy Standen Billie Jean King’s new autobiography “All In” should definitely be on this list. The work she did for women’s sports is unsurpassed. It’s a great story that I highly recommend. From Marty Drake ‘ditto’
