Memoir

365 Thank Yous, American Library Association, Book Buzz, Book Clubs, Books, CBS Evening News, Collection Development, Family, Happiness, HarperCollins Publishers, Hyperion, Inspiration, John Kralik, Katie Couric, Libraries, Memoir, Relationships, Thank You

365 Thank Yous

Kralik We at HarperLibrary are very excited about the buzz surrounding an extremely fascinating book entitled, 365 Thank Yous by John Kralik.  Kralik's book, published by Hyperion (on sale now), is an amazing story of how John turned his life around simply by learning the importance of two simple words…Thank you.

John Kralik tells how his life was on a downward spiral, and by simply writing thank you notes to those he interacted with changed his perspective and his life overall.  John was recently featured on the CBS Evening News.  If you missed the interview, you can watch it here!

If you haven't picked up 365 Thank Yous, what are you waiting for?  I know you'll be glad you did…and you can say "thank you" later (hahaha!).

Enjoy!

-Bobby

BEA, Books, Collection Development, Family, Family Lineage, Grandparents, HarperCollins Publishers, Inspiration, Libraries, Library of Congress, Memoir, The House at the End of the Road

BEA Fun!

House at the end hc c If you attended Book Expo America last week, I'm sure your schedule was just like ours…jam-packed!  While we were extremely busy and productive, we did manage to have some fun along the way.  One of my biggest challenges to date has been mastering the art of tying a bow-tie.  I love them, however tying one can be a bit of a problem. 

One of our authors, W. Ralph Eubanks (The House at the End of the Road) took time out of his day to show me the fine art of tying a bow-tie.  Ralph makes it look SO easy.  In fact, he can accomplish this WITHOUT looking in a mirror.  Check out both videos…one where he ties the bow-tie on me and the other where he demonstrates on himself.


In between mastering this fine art if you haven't picked up his book, The House at the End of the Road, PLEASE do yourself a favor and check it out.  You will not be disappointed.  I have to give a special thank you to W. Ralph Eubanks…a true inspiration and a great person!  If I had a Brother, it would be him!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

A Pearl in the Storm, Books, HarperCollins Publishers, Inspiration, Libraries, Memoir, Tori Murden McClure

A Pearl in the Storm

PearlintheStorm pb c We are still very excited about A Pearl in Storm by Tori Murden McClure. A Pearl in the Storm, new in paperback this month, is the fascinating memoir of the first woman to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.  This story will leave you mesmerized and it will stay on your mind and in your heart.  It is truly a story of survival, adventure and having the guts to accomplish any goal, big or small.  If you haven't read this book, I urge you to do so!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Alison Arngrim, Books, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Little House on the Prairie, Memoir, Nellie Oleson

Nellie Oleson

 
Confessions pb c Who didn't love to hate that kid? For everyone who has ever watched an episode of Little House on the Prairie, this book, CONFESSIONS OF A PRAIRIE BITCH is for you. Alison Arngrim, the actress who played the pouty spoiled Nellie Oleson on the hit TV show has written a dishy fun book about her years on – and off – the set.

It's funny, insightful and moving.

– Virginia

Grandparents, Happiness, Inspiration, Life Lessons, Making Toast, Memoir

Review Round-Up: Making Toast

9780061825934 We love getting your feedback on our books, almost as much as we enjoy reading them! With that in mind, here are three new reviews of Roger Rosenblatt's Making Toast from our trusty readers.  And while you're here, don't miss Virginia's review

Our first comes from 20something Lauren Gibaldi, who blogs on halfdesertedstreets.com.  Lauren calls the book "an absolute beautiful read, a truly wonderful tribute." Her full review can be found here

Next up is Diane LaRue. of LaRue Marketing & Public Relations.  She writes: "Their story will touch (and sometimes break) your heart."  Her review is here

Nancy Renfro, director of the Watauga Regional Library, writes:

There never can be too many books on the subject of the death of a loved one.  We all mourn in different ways, and each memoir about death has its own perspective that lends credence to our own unique ways of suffering.  When faced with death, we need reassurance that others have made it through the first numbing days of sorrow, survived, and even created beauty out of their suffering.  Making Toast is a sad, but welcome addition to the growing list of titles of regular humans going about their lives with the people they love and then, unexpectedly, tragically, having the specter of death thrust upon them.  Some of the most readable, poignant and noteworthy of these memoirs are from already published authors.  They already are adept at writing, and thus can explain the emotional tangle they experience in a coherent way.  There have been several over the years  from well-known women authors: Isabel Allende ‘s moving tribute to her daughter “Paula”, Joan Didion’s heart wrenching “The Year of Magical Thinking”, where she deals not only with the death of her beloved husband John Gregory Dunne, but the continued care for her daughter in critical condition in the hospital.  But this memoir is different.  From the perspective of a father, it is less emotional and inward looking, and more a chronicle of how he, his wife, and extended family get through the day to day living that must go on after the death of a vital, healthy wife, mother, and career woman.  How does a parent bury a child in the prime of her life, and then continue to live and find meaning in the life that is left?  Rosenblatt answers that question through his own life and the lives of the family members left behind.  This book is highly recommended.

Inspiration, Making Toast, Memoir, Roger Rosenblatt, Shelf Awareness

Making Toast

9780061825934 I have been talking about this book since I read it in manuscript form last year. It has never left me.  This is the true story – told through the eyes of a father – about the sudden loss of his 38 year old daughter and how he and his wife step in to help their son-in-law care for their 3 young grandchildren.

This is not a maudlin tale. Yes, it’s sad.  But it’s also inspiring, hopeful and even humorous at times.  If you want to meet a family who will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page of their story, read Making Toast.  For more coverage on the book, including a fantastic interview with Roger Rosenblatt, check out yesterday's dedicated issue of Shelf Awareness

I’ll send a copy to you if you send a review to me at librarylovefest atharpercollins dot com.  Really, I’d love to hear what you think.

Many thanks.

-Virginia

Airplane, Airport, Books, Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger, Current Affairs, Highest Duty, Inspiration, Memoir, Television, TLC

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger

9780061924682 The Learning Channel has produced a documentary, Brace for Impact, in which Captain “Sully” Sullenberger retraces how he skillfully glided US Airways Flight 1549 onto the surface of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard.  The documentary airs this Sunday, January 10th at 9pm.  Brace for Impact also follows Sully's personal story leading up to that fateful moment.  Captain Sullenberger is the author of Highest Duty: My Search For What Really Matters.

-Virginia

Alcoholism, Books, Catholicism, Cherry, Family, Lit, Mary Karr, Memoir, New York Times, The Liars' Club

Lit (in more ways than one!)

9780060596989 You might have heard a little something in print, or cyberspace, about the New York Times' list of the 10 Best Books of 2009.  Here at Harper, it was a major thrill to see that Mary Karr's white-hot memoir, Lit, made the list. The New York Times writes:

This sequel to “The Liars’ Club” and “Cherry” is also a master class on the art of the memoir. Mordantly funny, free of both self-pity and sentimentality, Karr describes her attempts to untether herself from her troubled family in rural Texas, her development as a poet and writer, and her struggles to navigate marriage and young motherhood even as she descends into alcoholism. 

Browse inside the book and click here for the full Top 10.

-Kayleigh

Books, Death Row, Family, Foster Care System, Inspiration, Jarvis Jay Masters, Libraries, Memoir, Prison, Relationships

That Bird Has My Wings

That Bird has my Wings hc c Earlier in the year, I blogged about a book entitled, That Bird Has My Wings: the Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row, by Jarvis Jay Masters.  That Bird Has My Wings is a compelling memoir about a man who endured an extremely hard life and is now on death row.  Check out my article.

We received a great review from Zandra Blake, Teen and Public Services Librarian for the Capital Area District Library.  Here is the link.

Many thanks to Zandra and everyone at the Capital Area District Library for featuring That Bird Has My Wings on your blog!  I hope you add That Bird Has My Wings to your reading list.

Enjoy!

-Bobby

American Library Association, Books, Celebrities, Diahann Carroll, Family, Happiness, Inspiration, Libraries, Marriage, Memoir, Race, Relationships, Television, The Legs Are The Last to Go, Wendy Williams Show, Women

The Legs Are The Last to Go!

LegsAreTheLast hc c We at HarperCollins were thrilled to publish The Legs Are The Last to Go: Aging, Acting, Marrying and Other Things I Learned the Hard Way by the legendary Diahann Carroll.  Some of you may have had the opportunity to see her at the Closing Session of the 2008 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California.  In her book, she gives us a candid look at her life and everything she has had to overcome to be the success that she still remains today…a true inspiration for us all!  The buzz on Ms. Carroll (what I like to call her) continues!  Make sure you tune in tomorrow (November 13) to The Wendy Williams Show for Wendy's interview with Diahann Carroll.  Please check your local listings for time and channel.  This is definitely something you will not want to miss!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Books, Brooklyn Public Library, Family, Libraries, Life Lessons, Manhood for Amateurs, Marriage, Memoir, Michael Chabon, Padgett Powell, Pittsburgh, Relationships, Religion, The Interrogative Mood, The Roaring 20s

Manhood for Amateurs

9780061490187 A couple of weeks ago, I was determined to see Michael Chabon during the New York leg of his book tour for Manhood for Amateurs.  (As you can see here and here, I'm a huge fan of The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.)  So it wasn't a big deal for me to hop on the 2/3 and make the hour-long trek into the deep reaches of Brooklyn.  Chabon gave a wonderful talk on non-fiction writing, reading a few essays from Manhood for Amateurs, which manages to be insightful, wonderfully written, and truly poignant.  He took questions from the audience at the tail-end of the event, and even mentioned an idea he has for a book based on the life of Queen's Freddie Mercury.  (Fingers crossed!)

The talk is part of a Brooklyn Public Library series curated by editor Matt Weiland on the Art of Non-Fiction.  The next event, this Thursday night, features Padgett Powell, author of The Interrogative Mood.  For more info on the series, click here.  And while you're at it, be sure to browse inside Manhood for Amateurs.  You can also read one of the essays here courtesy of the New York Review of Books. 

-Kayleigh  

Airplane, Books, Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger, Current Affairs, Highest Duty, Inspiration, Libraries, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Memoir, New York

Highest Duty, Amazing Video

9780061924682 By now just about everyone has seen the surreal footage of the US Airways plane that glided into the icy waters of the Hudson River in New York City last January in an emergency landing.   We saw the passengers standing on the wings of the plane – knee deep in water – waiting to be pulled into the boats that immediately converged on the scene.  It’s hard not to imagine what it must’ve been like for the passengers on that plane.   Harder still would be to imagine what it was like to be the man at the controls of that plane.

In his new book Highest Duty, Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, the pilot of US Airways flight 1549, details not only the events of that unforgettable day, but he also reveals the inner workings of his life: where he comes from, his military background, and the important people, places, and events that have shaped him. Sully has a very strong work ethic and has always pushed himself to achieve excellence in every endeavor.

FYI…a few weeks after the crash, Sully discovered that he’d lost a library book about professional ethics, Just Culture: Balancing Safety and Accountability, in the downed plane’s cargo hold. When he called the library to notify them, they waived the usual fees. Mayor Michael Bloomberg replaced the book when he gave Sully the Key to the City in a New York ceremony.  Check out this great video and fasten your seatbelts.  This is quite the story…

-Virginia

Africa, Books, Current Affairs, Inspiration, Libraries, Life Lessons, Malawi, Memoir, Readers Advisory Book/Review Swap, TED Conference, Television, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The Daily Show, William Kamkwamba

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind on The Daily Show!

We’ve been talking about The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind for months – telling everyone who’d listen how inspiring and downright unbelievable this story is.  A boy from a village in Africa – too poor to attend school – is inspired by a librarian to read.  He picks up a book on windmills and figures out how to build one out of scraps found in a junkheap.  He generates electricity and changes the trajectory of his life and the lives of his community.  From Malawi to the Daily Show with Jon Stewart.  What a difference a windmill makes.  Here's a link to our previous posts.  Take a look…

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
William Kamkwamba
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes
Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

-Virginia

Africa, AIDS, Collection Development, Current Affairs, Inspiration, Libraries, Life Lessons, Malawi, Memoir, Readers Advisory Book/Review Swap, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

9780061730320

Librarians, we want to hear from you!  As you can see here, here, and here, we're wild about this book and we hope you will be, too.  Send an email to librarylovefest at harpercollins.com.  We'll send a copy of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind to you with our compliments.  The only thing ask for in return is a review of the book which we would then post on our blog. We know how busy everyone is these days so don't get hung up on the length of the review.  We just want to get the word out to readers about a book that has everyone buzzing in house.  Now we want the buzz to be outside the house! Thanks so much.

Now send us an email! (Please note, this particular offer is for librarians only.) Thanks!

Virginia Stanley
Director
Library Marketing
HarperCollinsPublishers
(212) 207-7592
virginia.stanley at harpercollins.com
www.librarylovefest.com

Africa, AIDS, Books, Collection Development, Inspiration, Libraries, Malawi, Memoir, Readers Advisory Book/Review Swap, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba

Readers Advisory Book/Review Swap

9780061730320 We send you a book and you send us your review.  Sometimes this offer will be open to the general readership and other times it will be open to librarians only.  Either way, we’ll keep your name on our list for future reviews! We’d like to kick this off with a book we’re extremely excited about. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba is a terrific book about a young boy in South Africa who discovers a book in the library and learns how to build a windmill and generates electricity.
We hope you enjoy this book as much as we do.  Check out Marketing Director Tavia Kowalchuk's guest blog on the book, as well as our original post.  Let us know if you’d like to review it on our blog by emailing your name, mailing address and library affiliation to librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. Again, this one’s for librarians only. Thanks!

-Virginia

Books, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Family, Family Lineage, Inspiration, Long Past Stopping, Memoir, Oran Canfield

Long Past Stopping

Everyone is buzzing about Long Past Stopping (9780061450754), Oran Canfield's hotly anticipated memoir, on sale everywhere! Oran is the son of Jack Canfield, creator of the phenomenal bestselling self-help series Chicken Soup for the Soul.  His memoir is hilarious and wry, loaded with oddball characters and stories that have to be read to be believed.   Check out the e-card, browse inside the book, or order a copy

LPS jpg new

-Kayleigh

Books, Death Row, Family, Foster Care System, Inspiration, Jarvis Jay Masters, Libraries, Memoir, Prison

That Bird Has My Wings

Earlier in the year, I blogged about a forthcoming book entitled, That Bird Has My Wings, by Jarvis Jay Masters.  Check out my article:

http://tinyurl.com/n2o3s7

That Bird Has My Wings, on sale September 22nd is the compelling memoir of Jarvis Jay Masters which chronicles his early life, growing up with his four siblings and being surrounded by drugs at the hands of his mother and stepfather.  He also shares how he survived violence at the hands of his biological father.  They were left home alone days and weeks at a time, with no food or even the proper basic care.  After he and his siblings were taken out of the home by social services, they were put in the foster care system where his life became extremely unstable.  He was sentenced to prison at 19 for armed robbery and was put on death row at age 23 for being named an accessory in the death of a prison guard.  Since being in prison, he has written one book and several articles.  He also won a PEN Award for one of his poems.  What is even more amazing is that he does all of his writing with ball point pen filler, as that is the only writing instrument available to those in maximum security prison.

I hope you add That Bird Has My Wings to your reading list.

Enjoy!

-Bobby 

Books, Coop, Family, Libraries, Life Lessons, Marriage, Memoir, Michael Perry, Nancy Pearl, Population: 485, Truck: A Love Story

Nancy Pearl interviews author Mike Perry

Coop hc c The beloved author of Population: 485 and Truck: A Love Story moves to the country (with pigs, chickens, and a baby on the way). Read all about it in Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting, a humorous, heartfelt memoir that revisits his offbeat childhood as a farm boy raised in an obscure religious sect.  Check out the full interview and be sure to visit Nancy Pearl's new blog.

-Virginia

Africa, AIDS, American Library Association, Books, Family, Happiness, Inspiration, Libraries, Malawi, Memoir, TED Conference, William Kamkwamba

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

We are so thrilled to have Tavia Kowalchuk, Marketing Director for William Morrow, Eos and Cookbooks (imprints of HarperCollins Publishers) as a guest blogger today.  Tavia is excited about the publication of the forthcoming title, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

Enjoy!

-Bobby 
—————————————————————————————————————

BoyWhoHarnessed hc c The buzz is building for the soon-to-be-released THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND –the inspirational true story about an enterprising teenager in Malawi who built a windmill from scraps found around his village and brought electricity—and a future—to himself and his family.

William Kamkwamba, grew up poor in Malawi, Africa, a country suffering from poverty, famine, AIDS and lack of basic services like plumbing and electricity. When William was 14 and unable to attend school because his family couldn’t afford the $80 tuition, he began thinking a lot about electricity. After being given a book about windmills by his local librarian, he decided to build his own using scrap metal, tractor parts, and blue-gum trees, which grew near his village. William’s home-made contraption succeeded in supplying electricity to his family’s compound. You can click here to read an excerpt from his memoir before the book is on sale (September 29th), but in the meantime, here is an exclusive interview with the librarian in Malawi who gave William the book that changed his life.

Meet librarian Edith Sikelo.  Mrs. Sikelo was sitting behind her desk at the library when William first walked in.
Mrs. Edith Sikelo William Kamkwamba's Community Librarian

Wimbe Community Lending Library pic 2 (not as good)

She quickly noticed his interest in science books and encouraged him to keep reading. His library card soon grew to several pages, which Sikelo now keeps to show visitors, and to brandish to younger students as an example of success.
William's library card part 1 
Mrs. Sikelo was recently interviewed by Tom Rielly, Community Director of the TED Conference, a major party in promoting William’s story throughout the world.

American Library Association, Books, Collection Development, Early Word, Francine Prose, Happiness, HarperCollins Publishers, Kaylie Jones, Libraries, Lies My Mother Never Told Me, Memoir, Mystery/Suspense, Relationships, Shelf Discovery, Lizzie Skurnick, The Roaring 20s

Fall Title Presentation

KVB If you were unable to attend our title presentation at ALA in Chicago this past July, fear not!  We’re bringing our book buzz to you! Click on the links below to watch us talk about the hot books coming out in Fall 2009.  Each link is about 10 minutes long and we’ve listed the titles being discussed in each video.  Also attached is the handout that we made available to all attendees of the presentation.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments, Academy Award nominations, etc.

Thanks!

-Virginia, Bobby and Kayleigh

Video 1A
Included in this video: Introduction, information on HarperCollins Catalogs, eGalleys, Book Club Girl, Library Love Fest (radio show), twitter (HarperLibrary), HarperLibrary's blog (Library Love Fest), Shelf Help, Kayleigh’s blog (The Roaring 20s), Earlyword.com and Harper Perennial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2vF140GVoQ
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1A)

Video 1B
Included in this video: Information on Harper Perennial, and the following titles, Shelf Discovery, by Lizzie Skurnick, By The Time You Read This, by Lola Jaye, and Lies My Mother Never Told Me, by Kaylie Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUe2jl8-sxE
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1B)

Video 1C
Titles included in this video: Bending Towards the Sun, by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie, Under This Unbroken Sky, by Shandi Mitchell, Evidence of Murder, by Lisa Black, How to Paint a Dead Man, by Sarah Hall and I Shudder, by Paul Rudnick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZIX7h_a8WI
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1C)

Video 1D
Titles included in this video: Beneath the Bleeding, by Val McDermid, The Financial Lives of Poets, by Jess Walter, Anne Frank, by Francine Prose and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by William Kamkwamba

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX-b-Eh06c0
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1D)

Video 1E
Titles included in this video: Not Lost Forever, by Carmina Salcido, Manhood for Amateurs, by Michael Chabon and Hummingbirds, by Joshua Gaylord
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjbIu4n5k3Y
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1E)

Video 1F
Titles included in this video:  Far from Zion, by Charles London, I am neurotic (and so are you), by Lianna Kong, The Hidden, by Tobias Hill, The Sand Fish, by Maha GargashTen Storey Love Song,by Richard Milward and The Body in the Sleigh, by Katherine Hall Page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQgzm6b72TE
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1F)

Video 1G
Titles included in this video: Notes Left Behind, by Brooke and Keith Desserich, The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver, Lit, by Mary Karr, Wishin’ and Hopin’, by Wally Lamb and This Book is Overdue!, by Marilyn Johnson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBOV0CKk68A
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1G)

Video 1H
Titles included in this video: Be Careful What You Pray For, by Kimberla Lawson Roby, Gator A-Go-Go, by Tim Dorsey, Shadow Tag, by Louise Erdrich, and Horns, by Joe Hill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmUlveJzyU
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1H)

Video 1I
Titles included in this video: Encore, Valentine, by Adriana Trigiani, Making Toast, by Roger Rosenblatt, The Lovers, by Vendela Vida and A Pearl in the Storm, by Tori Murden McClure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb6Sp0HEWk0
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1I)

 

Just Because, Memoir

Random Things, Part 2 (Bobby’s World)

BB-Casino Man As you all know by now, we (Virginia, Kayleigh and I) are ALWAYS up for a good laugh.  So to keep that tradition going, below please find some random things about me that you may find, funny, interesting and possibly intriguing.  You may even be able to relate to some portion of my life!

1. As a child, I HATED wearing any type of shoe…and if you know me, you understand why that’s funny today
2. I can play the clarinet, bass clarinet and alto saxophone.  I was forced to play the bass clarinet because I was the only one in the band big enough to carry it
3. I go to the gym, but I hate every minute of it
4. I always wished I had the ability to sing and dance so I could perform on Broadway
5. I am a firm believer that watching a Tyler Perry movie (preferably the ones with Madea) will take you out of any bad or sad mood you are in
6. I have been an active Prince Hall Mason for the last eight years…and no, we do not worship the devil or dance around fire
7. In college, I was the afternoon newscaster on our campus radio station
8. I could eat turkey every day…it makes me happy and it’s good for you too!
9. I do have an alter ego…his name is Bob.  He only comes out when necessary and he takes no crap
10. I religiously watch the Real Housewives of Atlanta, Dancing with the Stars and Bridezillas

I hope you find my life half as funny as I do!  If you can relate to any of these, I would love to hear about it…so we can laugh at each other!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Alcoholism, Books, Current Affairs, Family, Family Lineage, Kaylie Jones, Lies My Mother Never Told Me, Life Lessons, Memoir, New York Times

Kaylie Jones Gets a Rave from The New York Times

LiesMyMother hc c We are so thrilled with the response to Kaylie Jones' memoir, Lies My Mother Never Told Me.  In this weekend's New York Times Janet Maslin calls the book "A bright, fast-paced memoir with an inviting spirit." Here's a longer excerpt from the review:

"When an editor suggested deleting 350 profanities from the manuscript of “From Here to Eternity,” Jones responded: “You know there is nothing salacious in this book as well as I do. Therefore, whatever changes you want made along that line will be made for propriety, and propriety is a very inconstant thing.” His daughter has learned that lesson: she doesn’t let propriety blunt her memories." 

Check out Bobby's first post on Lies My Mother Never Told Me, which includes a fabulous video of Kaylie discussing her reasons for writing it. 

-Kayleigh

Airplane, Airport, Book Amnesty, Books, Chelsey "Sully" Sullenberger, Inspiration, Late Fees, Libraries, Memoir, Publishers Weekly

Captain Sullenberger gets a Starred Review!

HighestDutyHC c Congratulations to HarperCollins author Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.  His forthcoming book, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters just received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.  Check out this wonderful review:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6678556.html

We all know Captain Sullenberger for his heroism in skillfully gliding US Airways Flight 1549 onto the Hudson River, saving the lives of all the passengers aboard.  Highest Duty, on sale in October of 2009 is his inspirational autobiography, with his thoughts on family, leadership, responsibility and service. 

Also, here is Kayleigh’s earlier post which includes a video of Captain Sullenberger talking about book amnesty at the San Francisco Public Library:

http://harperlibrary.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/05/sully-talks-about-book-amnesty-at-library.html

Please make sure you remember Highest Duty in October.  I’m sure you will agree that he is truly a hero and an inspiration to us all.

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Alcoholism, Books, Celebrities, Family, Family Lineage, James Jones, Libraries, Memoir, Relationships, Women

Kaylie Jones Finds Her Voice

LiesMyMother hc c My grandmother used to say “in order to really know someone, you have to walk in their shoes”.  Sometimes what a person projects on the outside is really not what is going on inside.  To some, novelist Kaylie Jones lived the perfect life with a beautiful mother and a famous father.  However, in Lies My Mother Never Told Me, we learn that everything that glitters is not always gold.

Lies My Mother Never Told Me,on sale August 25, 2009 is a fascinating memoir by Kaylie Jones.  In this book, Kaylie Jones recalls her relationship with her mother, particularly in the aftermath of the death of her father, prize-winning novelist James Jones.  

Check out this wonderful video where Kaylie Jones gives you a glimpse of her life and why she wrote this amazing book:

I applaud Kaylie Jones for being so open and honest.  I also commend Kaylie for her bravery in sharing something so personal.  I wonder how many of us could share a personal story in the same manner. I hope Lies My Mother Never Told Me helps readers who are going through any kind of personal struggle find their voice and a sense of inner peace, just as Kaylie Jones has.

Enjoy

-Bobby

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