Safeway Helping to Create Young Readers

I discovered this this morning while feeding my son breakfast. I always enjoy seeing when those who aren't obligated to help do so.

http://ilovelibraries.org/loveyourlibrary/safeway/index.cfm

74-year-old Boise woman arrested on suspicion of damaging library books with mayonnaise, liquids

I know the Pleasant Hill Library has to deal with budget cuts but at least this does not seem to be a problem.

74-year-old Boise woman arrested on suspicion of damaging library books with mayonnaise, liquids | Local News | Idaho Statesman

Please also read the similar stories on the right side of the link. I can't wait to find out the motive.

More fun with quizzes

http://www.sporcle.com/games/ekweizn/literatureformulas

I scored 15 of 18. Not too bad me thinks.

Not Looking Good

Almost every conceivable web address name change seems to be taken. "PHBC", "PHbookclub", "ilovereading", "bookblog", "books", "read", "reading", "literacy", "booksandliteracy", "readinglife", "letsread", "ilovebooks" .blogspot.com! ALL TAKEN! And the sad thing is that these sites either have ONE (1) or ZERO (0) posts on them!

Any creative types out there want to lend a hand at some suggestions?

thanks!

New Design Opions

As you can tell, the design for this blog has changed. Blogger has created a vast new array of design options. There are dozens of new layouts, templates, and themes. I'm thinking that, once we start-up our meetings again, I will change the theme monthly to reflect the theme of our book of the month. Thoughts?

New Web Address?

For the few people who haven't bookmarked this blog, typing the web address can be quite a task. I was thinking of shortening the address and was looking for some input. My first thought was "PHBC.blogspot.com" but that is taken by some defunct blog. Please leave your thoughts in the comment section.

THANKS!!

Prison Book Club- The Wire

Since the book club forum I have been thinking more about the fact that I was the only (relatively) young male in attendance. This thinking brought me back to a scene from the HBO show The Wire. This book club takes place in a prison. They are discussing F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Warning: There is some adult language.

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

Tonight was the Book Club Forum hosted by Random House at the Pleasant Hill Library. During this 90 minute event a representative from Random House spoke about several newly released books by the publishing company. I thought the presenter did a great job of creating interest in all of the books without giving away any spoilers. The books that caught my eye (ear?) are the following:

Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada

In The Shadow of the Cypress by Thomas Steinbeck (John's son)

The Devil's Company by David Liss

Nose Down, Eyes Up by Merrill Markoe

American Rust by Philipp Meyer

The Vagrants by Yiyun Li

Conversations with Mr. Prain by Joan Taylor

I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Najood Ali and Delphine Minoui

and

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood

These are books that I think would be great for book club discussions or just personal reading.

At the end of the night there was a raffle for a bag of advanced uncorrected proof books. Guess who won? That's right, your humble blogger. Don't worry I plan on sharing the wealth at our next book club meeting.

Random House holds two of these forums every year. One at the Orinda Library in February and one in Pleasant Hill in June.

By the way, one thing I couldn't help noticing from the forum that I was the only male in the room (besides the presenters) and the only person under 40 (maybe 50) in the room. This is perhaps a topic for another post.

Summer Reading Festival: Dave Eggers

This past Sunday I attended a lecture by author/publisher/editor/philanthropist Dave Eggers put on as a part of the CCC Library Summer Reading Festival. Eggers spoke for about an hour about his journey becoming an author, his work with students in San Francisco, and read excerpts from various anthologies his publishing company, McSweeney's, has put together and from his latest novel, Zeitoun.

Afterward I had a chance to speak with him briefly during the book signing. I left the event with a new found interest in his work and respect for all of the work he and his company are doing to promote literacy in the Bay Area and around the country.

Below are some pictures from the event as well as some cover art of the readings.

If you too were at the event please leave your thoughts in the comments section.

More Quiz Fun!

http://www.sporcle.com/games/juicydrink/book_antonym

I scored 14 out of 20. Should have had 16.

A Must Read

Lately I have seriously been debating two very important things. 1: "Do I get an E-Reader?" and 2: "Do I get an IPad?" This article is the best I have found in answering these questions. I highly recommend you read this article if you share my dilemma.

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/jun/10/ipad-revolution/?pagination=false

By the way, after reading the article, my answers and not yet and no.