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- Editor's Letter
- Q&A: Paul Hendrickson, Author of Hemingway's Boat
- 9/11 Ten Years On: 15 Titles
- Short Takes: Choice Translations for Reading Groups
- Memoir Short Takes: Idyllic Retreats and Harrowing Journeys
- Prepub Alert: Mystery Previews: November 2011 to January 2012
- Books for Dudes: Can't-Miss NBCMAs for Summer
- Library Journal Events
- RA Crossroads: Stephen Greenblatt's The Swerve
- Classic Returns: Reprints, Updates, & Bargains
- Starred Reviews: August 2011
- The Magazine Rack: New Reviews, August 2011
Editor's Letter
By Anne Horowitz
As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 draws near, LJ reviewer Elizabeth Hayford takes a look at some forthcoming books that examine the legacy of that day, from the perspective a decade has brought us. LJ also marks another anniversary—the 50th year since Ernest Hemingway's death—with a conversation between Media Editor Mike Rogers and author and journalist Paul Hendrickson about his stellar new book, Hemingway's Boat, and the celebrated writer's prodigious talent, turbulent life, and lasting literature. Additionally, Charlene Rue of the Brooklyn Public Library and Miriam Tuliao of the NYPL recommend translations of world literature that work especially well for reading groups; we take a peek at some upcoming mystery titles; and, inspired by Stephen Greenblatt's The Swerve, we explore ancient texts and the origins of modern Western culture. All this and more in this issue of BookSmack!—Anne Horowitz (in for Heather McCormack)
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Q&A: Paul Hendrickson, Author of Hemingway's Boat
By Mike Rogers
This July 2 marked the 50th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway's suicide. In the half-century since his self-destruction, every facet of Hemingway's life and work has been dissected and analyzed by scholars and biographers. The results vary. In Hemingway's Boat: Everything He Loved in Life, and Lost, 1934–1961 (Knopf) coming this September, Paul Hendrickson offers a refreshing take on Hemingway's life by framing it within the 27 years he owned his fishing yacht Pilar. LJ Media Editor and Hemingway aficionado Mike Rogers chats with Hendrickson about the volume. Read More...
By Elizabeth R. Hayford
As we approach the tenth anniversary of 9/11, Elizabeth R. Hayford rounds up new books that, through different lenses, consider the events of that tragic day and their impact upon our world. There are new personal remembrances of the tragic day itself, but, with a decade gone by, there are also formal studies that assess longer-term security concerns and social and cultural changes, from micro to global. Read More...
By Charlene Rue and Miriam Tuliao
English-language translations of world literature are rapidly becoming staples in reading groups across the country. Yet identifying rich, accessible, and thoroughly discussable books can be challenging, especially given that only three percent of all books published in the United States are works in translation. Charlene Rue and Miriam Tuliao recommend some new and recently released titles perfect for shared reading. These books span the globe and include spellbinding page-turners, supple novels exploring questions of faith, books for the armchair traveler, and intricate stories about families and women's lives. Read More...
Memoir Short Takes: Idyllic Retreats and Harrowing Journeys
By Therese Nielsen
This month's memoirists take us along on their journeys through middle age, hell, and everywhere in between. We voyage far and wide, through landscapes dreamy and terrifying. Standouts include Lou Ureneck's retreat to the Maine woods, where he builds a log cabin and takes stock of his life, and Lauren Manning's frightful journey to the brink of death, after she was swallowed by fire at the World Trade Center on the morning of 9/11.Read More...
By Barbara Hoffert
Summertime means looking forward to what you'll be reading come winter. This week's Prepub Alert focuses on mystery titles being published from November 2011 to January 2012. From award-winning authors (Marcia Muller, City of Whispers) to exciting debuts (forensic anthropologist Clea Koff's Freezing) to more cold winds from Scandanavia (Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis's The Boy in the Suitcase and Jan Costin Wagner's Silence), there's a range of whodunits for everyone. Lots of other hot January titles, too. All at Prepub Alert.By Douglas Lord
Douglas Lord gets cranky in the summer heat, but he takes refuge in refreshing streams and shady groves. He generally takes along some cool reads to pass the time. Here, he recommends some awesome new books (and some awesome books that are just new to him) for these sweltering times. Some of his favorites include Nuriddin Farah's Crossbones, John Sellers's The Old Man and the Swamp, and S. J. Watson's Before I Go to Sleep.Read More...
| Peace, love and ereaders To get everyone into the spirit of ebooks for our upcoming virtual summit on October 12th, Ebooks: The New Normal, Library Journal raffled off a Kindle 3G, a Nook Color and two free passes to our virtual summit at the Digipalooza conference in Cleveland this past week. And the lucky winners were... Peggy Murphy of the Los Angeles Public Library won a Nook Color Barbara Hauer of the Mentor Public Library, OH, won a Kindle 3G Leslie Scherer of the Wallington Public Library, CT and Alissa Williams of the Pekin Public Library, IL won free registration to our virtual summit | |
| To find out more about the LJ/SLJ virtual summit Ebooks: The New Normal—How libraries are leveraging the ebook opportunity visit www.ebook-summit.com. And hurry, early bird pricing as low as $19.95 ends August 16th! |  |
RA Crossroads: Stephen Greenblatt's The Swerve
By Neal Wyatt
Neal Wyatt recommends a trove of related reading (and watching) after being inspired by Greenblatt's enthralling tale of how an ancient text led to the dawn of modernity. She explores fiction, such as Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, nonfiction on the history of books (Henry Petroski's The Book on the Bookshelf) and science (Dava Sobel's Longitude), and even ancient texts (Lucretius's long poem On the Nature of Things). Read More...
By Mike Rogers
As we head into the final weeks of summer, there's still plenty of heat left, and Mike Rogers has a list of hot books readers will want. In fiction, there's a Harlan Coben thriller, a book on drinking by Scott Fitzgerald (he was an expert), and a Goethe heartbreaker. Nonfiction includes three standards, plus a killer Ambrose Bierce collection, and an intimate photographic take on touring with Patti Smith. Read More...
By Sarah Dinowitz & Anne Horowitz
August 2011 brings 67 starred reviews. Among several notable biographical works are Erica Heller's memoir of life with her dad, Yossarian Slept Here, and Tim Riley's Lennon, a comprehensive new look at the magnetic songwriter. Fiction lovers are offered a range of delectable options, including the new Jeffrey Eugenides title, The Marriage Plot, Ha Jin's latest, Nanjing Requiem, and The Wandering Falcon, Jamil Ahmad's gorgeous literary debut. Daniel Yergin's The Quest stands out among the current crop of science and technology books. Read More...
By Steve Black, Coll. of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
We bring you reviews of five new periodicals: The Red Bulletin, a sports magazine; Sugar House Review and Debacle, both literary journals; Atlantic Wire, a news site; and one scholarly journal, called Interiors. Read More...
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