Library Love Fest

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

We've been lucky to have Gayle Lemmon appear at both ALA Annual (2009) and ALA Midwinter this past month.  And with this new pre-pub blurb from Angelina Jolie, it looks like Gayle's librarian fans will have some company! Jolie wrote the following: “The Dressmaker of Khair Khana gives voice to many of our world’s unsung heroines. Against all odds, these young women created hope and community, and they never gave up. This book is guaranteed to move you—and to show you a side of Afghanistan few ever see.” Check out this message from Gayle, and see for yourself!

-Kayleigh

Furious Love

If you attended our title presentation at ALA Midwinter in January, you may recall that I confessed to having an intense teenage crush on Richard Burton.  If you missed it, here's some auditory blackmail. 

Furious Love hits shelves on June 15th and there's a reason I'm ridiculously excited: for years, I haven't had anyone to talk to about Richard Burton and Liz Taylor.  Now, suddenly, there are stories in Vanity Fair and Time Magazine, coverage on Good Morning America, blog posts...it's the best excuse for my inner granny to come out at full force.  So what did I, a die-hard Taylor/Burton fan, think of Furious Love? 

Reader, I loved it.  Biography buffs, tabloid addicts, cinephiles, jewelry collectors, romantics...will all find something to sink their teeth into in this compulsively readable dual biography.  Burton's love letters to Taylor, many of which are excerpted, are incredibly intimate--I was visibly choked up by the end of the book, and wandered from cubicle to cubicle, telling anyone who would listen how sad it was, how tragic, that two people who loved each other so well could end up apart in the end.  But Furious Love isn't all tragedy--rather, it is the story of a flawed but timeless passion that began on a movie-set and changed the face of American culture forever.  Take a peek inside the book, check out some of the quoted love letters in Time, and know that summer flings--quite simply--pale in comparison.

-Kayleigh  

Five HarperCollins Authors Nominated for NAACP Image Awards!

Congratulations are in order for five outstanding authors!  Attica Locke, Steve Harvey, Chris Gardner, Nikki Giovanni and David Bergen Brophy have been nominated for NAACP Image Awards.  For more information, including a complete list of the nominees, please visit: http://www.naacp.org/news/press/2010-01-06/lit/index.htm

NAACP Image Awards – Nominees

Literary Work – Debut Author

Black Water Rising
by Attica Locke
9780061735868

Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional


Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man
by Steve Harvey
9780061728976

Start Where You Are
by Chris Gardner
9780061537110

Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry

Bicycles
by Nikki Giovanni
9780061726453

Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens

Michelle Obama: Meet the First Lady
by David Bergen Brophy
9780061779916

We wish them all the BEST of luck!  If you have not read their books, please check them out!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger

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

Push, by Sapphire

Here at HarperLibrary we love our books…I mean we REALLY LOVE OUR BOOKS.  Every now and then, you do have to give credit where credit is due.  I’m sure by now everyone has heard the major buzz about the movie “Precious,” which is based on the book Push by Sapphire.  I just had the opportunity to read Push and was BLOWN AWAY!

While reading Push, a multitude of emotions overcame me…anger, sadness, hurt, and hope.  I was angry and sad because of the realization of what this young woman truly had to endure.  Feelings of hurt came because in some way, I wish there was something that could have done to help prevent such a thing from happening in the first place.  Finally, I was hopeful because I realized that by telling Precious’ story, she is helping so many others overcome (and hopefully prevent) similar situations.  Push will help someone make a total turnaround, by turning tragedy into triumph. 

If you haven’t read Push, please make it part of your reading list…and go see "Precious"!

Enjoy,

-Bobby

"Wild Wednesday" Madness

As you all know, we here at HarperLibrary are just WILD about our books.  We get even wilder when it comes to sharing them with you.  I have to tell you about this book…it is full of useful tips and information that I know will make your lives just a little easier.

Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon:  A Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There, by Mark Di Vincenzo (on sale now) is a fascinating book that gives you information on everything you could possibly imagine…and a few things you didn’t.  Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon is a complete guide that tells you the best time of the day, week, month or year to do just about everything.  Whether you are contemplating the best evening to catch your favorite play or the best season to buy your favorite fruit, Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon will help you make the best decision that will comfort your mind and your wallet!

I enjoyed Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon so much that I just had to share some of the tips Mark Di Vincenzo provides with you.  Here are a few my favorites (with a brief description):

1. When is the best time of the day to buy shoes? (My all time favorite…you all know why!)
Late afternoon.  That’s when your feet have swelled and are at their largest size. Buying shoes in the late afternoon means they'll fit just fine in the morning when your feet are at their smallest.

2. When is the best time of the month to buy a car?
The end.  That’s when dealerships are most desperate to make their quotas.

3. When is the best day of the week to eat dinner out?
Tuesday.  Most restaurants don’t receive deliveries on Saturdays and Sundays and many are closed on Mondays…food deliveries start early in the week, so the food served on Tuesday is fresh.

4. When is the best time to go to a Department of Motor Vehicle Office?
Midmorning, mid-afternoon, middle of the week, and middle of the month.  The worst time of the month is the end…the worst day of the week is Saturday.

5. When is the best month to buy toys?
October or November.  New toys often arrive in stores in September, and retailers will wait a few weeks before lowering prices to try to beat their competitors’ prices.

6. Which is the best day of the week to shop for airline tickets?
Monday or Tuesday.  That’s when airlines often lower fares, and in fact, Tuesday is when most travelers buy tickets. Airlines raise fares later in the week.


I really enjoyed reading this book.  Given the times we live in…an uncertain economy, over the top prices and no clear end to it all, this book gives us ways to make life easier and hopefully better. 

I am SO wild about this book that I would love to hear your comments.  I will send free copies to the 25 lucky people who send us a comment or an email at [email protected]  If you would be so kind as to send a brief review of the book, I would greatly appreciate it!  I hope you find Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon as informative and entertaining as I have.

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Highest Duty, Amazing Video

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

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

The Financial Lives of the Poets

Here on 53rd street we are all about showing love to Jess Walter's latest book, The Financial Lives of the Poets.  And, it turns, out, we're not alone.  Sara Nelson hailed it as the "ultimate something-for-everyone-don’t-skip-must-read," Time Magazine called it “the funniest way-we-live-now book of the year,” and the hilarious-in-his-own-right Nick Hornby said it “made me laugh more than any other book published this year. Walter is one of my favorite young American writers, and he deserves to be huge.” I have to add my voice to the chorus: Walter's writing is sharp, authentic, and very, very funny.  Be sure to browse inside, watch the trailer, or head on over to The Olive Reader for your chance to win a free copy!
 

-Kayleigh 

Banned Books Week!

What reminds you of Autumn? Pumpkins, apple-picking, that first brisk chill in the air? How about Banned Books Week? BBW takes place every year during the last week of September and recognizes the efforts of booksellers, teachers, and librarians who ensure that we, as citizens, have open access to information.  It's a time to reflect on the vital importance of our First Amendment rights. Take a peek at what Ken Davis has to say about BBW, get more info from the American Library Association, and check out this list of frequently challenged titles, including To Kill A Mockingbird, Native Son, Rebecca, and Brave New World.  What's your favorite challenged book? 

-Kayleigh