Monday, January 31, 2011
[Author Obit] Leisha Kelly and Diana Norman
Two authors passed away last week.
Leisha Kelly - January 25, 2011
Inspirational fiction author Leisha Kelly died suddenly, along with her son, in a traffic accident. A link to the obituary was placed on her website.
Diana Norman - January 28, 2011
"Diana Norman, the wife of film critic Barry Norman who wrote a series of historical thrillers under the name Ariana Franklin, has died aged 77." --from BBC News website
Labels: Author Obits
Friday, January 28, 2011
[Resources] Chapter 16
"Humanities Tennessee's newest project is Chapter 16: a community of Tennessee readers, writers, and passersby, at www.chapter16.org. The site posts original content each weekday: reviews, author Q & A's, original essays and poetry, and features. Chapter 16 covers new books by Tennessee writers and writers visiting Tennessee on tours."
For more details:
http://www.chapter16.org/content/about-chapter-16
Labels: Resources
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
[Book Review] THEY TELL ME OF A HOME by Daniel Black
Fiction/African AmericanKaren reviews THEY TELL ME OF A HOME by Daniel Black (St. Martin’s Press, 2005)
Talk about a Southern gothic novel! This one has it all--murder, incest, anger, lust, revenge, and a lot of secrets!
Tommy Lee Tyson returns to his hometown called Swamp Creek, Arkansas after being away for 10 years. His homecoming is far less than welcoming. I consider this novel a must read. Hopefully, the author will produce a sequel.
Karen Hall, North Branch
Labels: African-American Fiction, Reviews by Karen Hall
Monday, January 24, 2011
[Author Obit] Reynolds Price 1933-2011
Author Reynolds Price passed away Thursday, January 21, at the age of 77.
From nytimes.com:
"Reynolds Price, whose novels and stories about ordinary people in rural North Carolina struggling to find their place in the world established him as one of the most important voices in modern Southern fiction....Simply by staying in the South and writing about it, he inspired a generation of younger Southern novelists. "
Click here to read the full article.
Labels: Author Obits
[Awards] NAACP Image Award for Literature Nominees
The NAACP Image Award nominees for Outstanding Literary Work have been released. Memphis-born novelist Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of Wench, is one of five nominees for outstanding fiction.Click here to view the full list.
The televised broadcast of the 42nd NAACP Image Awards is March 4, 2011.
Labels: Awards, News and Notes
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
[Awards] 2011 Edgar Award Nominees
The nominees for the 2011 Edgar Awards have been announced today by the Mystery Writers of America. Categories include Best First Novel, Play, and TV Episode. January 19th also marks the 202nd anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe.
View the nominees here.
Winners of the Edgar will be announced at the MWA's 65th Gala Banquet on April 28, 2011.
[Book Review] THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot
Nonfiction/BiographyKaren reviews THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS by Rebecca Skloot (Crown, 2010)
This non-fiction offering, written by Rebecca Skloot, tells of the origin of the famous HeLa cells which were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the effects of the atom bomb; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.
The recounting of Mrs. Lacks childhood, years as a wife and mother, is packed with stories of living as a Southern tobacco farmer, being sent to live with other family members, "kissin'” cousins, incest, the ordeal of cancer, etc.
Readers will find this a most interesting read.
Karen Hall, North Branch
Labels: Biography, Nonfiction, Reviews by Karen Hall
Friday, January 14, 2011
[News and Notes] Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
He Had a Dream: Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement, by Flip Schulke
Mine eyes have seen : bearing witness to the struggle for Civil Rights, by Bob Adelman
Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.: his life and crusade in pictures, by Charles Richard Johnson
Click here for a direct link to the Civil Rights Collection.
Labels: News and Notes
Thursday, January 13, 2011
[Book Review] FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King
Fiction/HorrorDarletha reviews FULL DARK, NO STARS by Stephen King (Scribner, 2010)
Full Dark, No Stars consists of four short stories in which the darker side of
four main characters surface.
The first story, “1922,” is the lengthy confession of Wilfred James, a farmer from Nebraska. He devises a sinister plan to prevent his wife from selling her larger portion of the family’s farmland to a slaughterhouse. Gory details and downspiraling events make "1922" a true horror piece in this book.
In “Big Driver,” a cozy-mystery writer named Tess becomes the victim of a violent crime, when she takes a short cut on her way home from a book engagement. After she is left for dead, a vengeful Tess emerges. With the guidance of some unexpected helpers, the unassuming author pursues her attacker. The portions that reveal Tess' psychological state are unforgettable.
“Fair Extension” is the third story. Dave Streeter, a man with terminal cancer, meets George Elvid, a roadside vendor who has more to offer than material goods. Elvid gives Dave the opportunity to reverse his misfortune, but only at the expense of another person. What follows is a grim timeline in this short, ironic tale.
In “A Good Marriage,” Darcy Anderson makes a shocking discovery--her husband of over 20 years is a serial killer. What appears to be a satisfying, predictable marriage changes in an instant--simply because Darcy needed batteries for a remote control.
King uses these engrossing character-driven stories to depict what farmer Wilfred says: "there is another man inside every man, a stranger..." Be prepared to cringe at or cheer on these individuals--you won't forget them.
An interactive website is also available. Visit http://www.fulldarknostarsbook.com/
Darletha Matthews, South Branch
Labels: Horror, Reviews by Darletha Matthews, Short Stories, Suspense
Monday, January 10, 2011
[News and Notes] January 2011
Book clubs could find their next book selection from this article by Katie Stover of Book Group Buzz. She details which novels led to the best book group discussions in 2010. Click here to view the list.
An inspirational story about the importance of reading was previously posted on the New York Times website. "Daddy Read for Me" is a literacy program that allows incarcerated men to read stories to their children. Click here for the full article.
Congratulations to Nancy Pearl, who was voted Library Journal's Librarian of the Year for 2011. Her involvement in reading advocacy brought her to the Memphis Public Library in December of 2010. Click here to read the article.
*Fast fact* According to the blog, Word and Film, the number of books adapted into movies increased from 22 in 2009 to 38 in 2010.
Labels: News and Notes
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
[Library Events and Programs] What's Your Flavor? January 2011
Ever heard of Manga? Want to learn the history and trends of the Graphic Novel genre?What’s Your Flavor? is a four-part series at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library that explores different fiction titles and offers recommendations on what to read based on individual preferences."
This month's session:
Presented by Melissa Skipper, Humanities Department
Thursday January 20
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
3030 Poplar Avenue, Room L-56
Labels: Library Events and Programs
