Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Exclusive movie screening "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead"
Charlotte Weekly and Ballantyne Village Theatre will host a special advanced screening of Sidney Lumet's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke and Marisa Tomei. The movie is garnering great Oscar buzz and our screening will be held Tuesday, Nov. 20, at 7:15 p.m. at Ballantyne Village Theatre in Charlotte.
Seating is limited and you must R.S.V.P. to attend. Please e-mail your tiquet requests as soon as possible to Sean O'Connell at sean@thecharlotteweekly.com, Be sure to include the film's title in the subject line, and the number of people who will be attending the screeing in the body of your e-mail.
The screening will be a first-come, first-served affair, and all winners will be notified by e-mail.
Hope to see you there!
Alison
Check out the "Atonement" trailer
The movie is already garnering Oscar buzz as a potential Best Picture nomination. Check back here to find out the date and location for an exclusive showing of the movie.
CW Book Club Pick for Holiday season 2007: Atonement by Ian McKewan
This month, we're reading "Atonement" by Ian McKewan.We're working on securing a date. Most likely it will be in early December. We're also working on securing a date for an exclusive movie preview. But in the meantime, I know a lot of readers are eager to start reading our pick.
Ian McEwan's symphonic novel of love and war, childhood and class, guilt and forgiveness provides all the satisfaction of a brilliant narrative and the provocation we have come to expect from this master of English prose.
On a hot summer day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses a moment's flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant and Cecilia ' s childhood friend. But Briony's incomplete grasp of adult motives - together with her precocious literary gifts - brings about a crime that will change all their lives.
As it follows that crime' s repercussions through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the twentieth century, Atonement engages the reader on every conceivable level, with an ease and authority that mark it as a genuine masterpiece.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Charlotte book events for November
With tons of great events this month, it's hard to choose which ones to go to. Circle your calendars and try to make as many as you can!
At Joseph-Beth Booksellers, SouthPark, 4345 Barclay Downs Dr., (704) 602-9800
Thursday, November 8 at 6:00 P.M
International Bestselling AuthorPATRICIA SCHULTZ discusses and signs 1,000 Places to See in the USA & Canada Before You Die . Join us for the latest installment of this very popular book. Mann Travel will be here to present brochures and information. We will also have Sharon Luggage here to give us some packing demonstrations. Join us for a wonderful time that will make you want to catch the next plane to...well, you will just have to wait and see the destinations that are covered. The demos begin at 6pm and Patricia Schultz will join us at 7pm.
Wednesday, November 14 at 11:30 a.m.
CHEF RODNEY FRIEDANK
Discusses and signs Soby’s New South Cuisine Cookbook
Rodney Freidank is a transplanted New Yorker whose first job, at age 16, was at a Long Island delicatessen. He later headed south to help out at a family-owned restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina. Then he moved to Greenville to take a job at The 858 Restaurant, where he displayed his talent for bold flavors and his insistence on topnotch ingredients. He worked at the highly rated Occasionally Blues before signing on as chef de cuisine at Soby's. Check out this great cookbook highlighting Soby’s talented chefs.
Saturday, November 17 at 1:00 P.M.
Charlotte AuthorCURTIS CHISHOLM signs Balloons Filled with Water Balloons
Filled With Water is a reflective and engaging poetry collection which captures the pleasant and unpleasant experiences of life. The collection is made even more inviting as the author effectively blends information and imagination that make the work accessible for the novice and entertaining for the more seasoned poetry reader.
Tuesday, November 20 at 7:00 P.M.
Charlotte Writer’s Club host Novello Press Winner MIRIAM HERIN discusses and signs Absolution
Absolution is the story of Maggie Delaney, an idealistic wife and mother whose world implodes when her husband is murdered in a seemingly random act. When Maggie attempts to find out what really happened, her search leads her back to her Carolina roots and through the streets of modern-day Boston. In the jungles of Southeast Asia, she uncovers a legacy of secrets about the man she thought she knew – and the troubled world they shared as they came of age together.
Thursday, November 29 at 7:00 P.M.
North Carolina AuthorNANCY SMITH THOMAS discusses and signs Moravian Christmas in the South
This inviting book explores the Christmas celebrations of the Moravian Church in the South, whose members were marking the holiday as early as the 1780s in ways recognizable to modern Americans. This abundantly illustrated volume explores the many facets of traditional Moravian Christmas celebrations, including decorations, food and beverages, gifts, services, and music. Thomas discusses how these traditions evolved over time, within and outside the Moravian communities, as well as how certain non-Moravian Christmas traditions were incorporated into the Moravian customs.
For more information, visit www.josephbeth.com
At Park Road Books, 4139 Park Rd. (704) 525-9239
November 8th Thursday 7 pm
Notes From A Classroom: Refections on Teaching Charlotte Observer community columnist Kay McSpadden will be here to sign copies of her fascinating accounts of teaching school for over 30 years in South Carolina.
November 9th Friday 6 pm
Perils and Promises Francis Seymour will be here to sign copies of her book. Perils and Promises is a moving account of the spiritual calamity faced outside one's one's comfort zone.
November 10th Saturday 1pm
Cooking: First Presbyterian Church Recipes and Reflections from the Heart of Charlotte Come by and have some samples from this beautiful cookbook.
November 12th Monday 6 pm
Boone: A Biography Robert Morgan, bestselling author of Gap Creek & Brave Enemies, will be here to talk about and sign copies of his new biography of the American scout.
November 17th Saturday 2pm
Broken Hearts Pamela Miller will be here to sign her book.
November 18th Sunday 2 pm
Prince of War: Billy Graham’s Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire Cecil Bothwell will be here to sign books.
November 23rd Friday 2 pm
Jack’s Christmas J. Paige Straley of Charlotte will be here to sign copies of his new Christmas classic.
November 24th Saturday 11:30- 1:15
The Care & Feeding of an Athlete and The Care & Feeding of a Dancer Toni Branner will be here to talk about and sign copies of her books.
For more information, visit www.parkroadbooks.com.
At Joseph-Beth Booksellers, SouthPark, 4345 Barclay Downs Dr., (704) 602-9800
Thursday, November 8 at 6:00 P.M
International Bestselling AuthorPATRICIA SCHULTZ discusses and signs 1,000 Places to See in the USA & Canada Before You Die . Join us for the latest installment of this very popular book. Mann Travel will be here to present brochures and information. We will also have Sharon Luggage here to give us some packing demonstrations. Join us for a wonderful time that will make you want to catch the next plane to...well, you will just have to wait and see the destinations that are covered. The demos begin at 6pm and Patricia Schultz will join us at 7pm.
Wednesday, November 14 at 11:30 a.m.
CHEF RODNEY FRIEDANK
Discusses and signs Soby’s New South Cuisine Cookbook
Rodney Freidank is a transplanted New Yorker whose first job, at age 16, was at a Long Island delicatessen. He later headed south to help out at a family-owned restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina. Then he moved to Greenville to take a job at The 858 Restaurant, where he displayed his talent for bold flavors and his insistence on topnotch ingredients. He worked at the highly rated Occasionally Blues before signing on as chef de cuisine at Soby's. Check out this great cookbook highlighting Soby’s talented chefs.
Saturday, November 17 at 1:00 P.M.
Charlotte AuthorCURTIS CHISHOLM signs Balloons Filled with Water Balloons
Filled With Water is a reflective and engaging poetry collection which captures the pleasant and unpleasant experiences of life. The collection is made even more inviting as the author effectively blends information and imagination that make the work accessible for the novice and entertaining for the more seasoned poetry reader.
Tuesday, November 20 at 7:00 P.M.
Charlotte Writer’s Club host Novello Press Winner MIRIAM HERIN discusses and signs Absolution
Absolution is the story of Maggie Delaney, an idealistic wife and mother whose world implodes when her husband is murdered in a seemingly random act. When Maggie attempts to find out what really happened, her search leads her back to her Carolina roots and through the streets of modern-day Boston. In the jungles of Southeast Asia, she uncovers a legacy of secrets about the man she thought she knew – and the troubled world they shared as they came of age together.
Thursday, November 29 at 7:00 P.M.
North Carolina AuthorNANCY SMITH THOMAS discusses and signs Moravian Christmas in the South
This inviting book explores the Christmas celebrations of the Moravian Church in the South, whose members were marking the holiday as early as the 1780s in ways recognizable to modern Americans. This abundantly illustrated volume explores the many facets of traditional Moravian Christmas celebrations, including decorations, food and beverages, gifts, services, and music. Thomas discusses how these traditions evolved over time, within and outside the Moravian communities, as well as how certain non-Moravian Christmas traditions were incorporated into the Moravian customs.
For more information, visit www.josephbeth.com
At Park Road Books, 4139 Park Rd. (704) 525-9239
November 8th Thursday 7 pm
Notes From A Classroom: Refections on Teaching Charlotte Observer community columnist Kay McSpadden will be here to sign copies of her fascinating accounts of teaching school for over 30 years in South Carolina.
November 9th Friday 6 pm
Perils and Promises Francis Seymour will be here to sign copies of her book. Perils and Promises is a moving account of the spiritual calamity faced outside one's one's comfort zone.
November 10th Saturday 1pm
Cooking: First Presbyterian Church Recipes and Reflections from the Heart of Charlotte Come by and have some samples from this beautiful cookbook.
November 12th Monday 6 pm
Boone: A Biography Robert Morgan, bestselling author of Gap Creek & Brave Enemies, will be here to talk about and sign copies of his new biography of the American scout.
November 17th Saturday 2pm
Broken Hearts Pamela Miller will be here to sign her book.
November 18th Sunday 2 pm
Prince of War: Billy Graham’s Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire Cecil Bothwell will be here to sign books.
November 23rd Friday 2 pm
Jack’s Christmas J. Paige Straley of Charlotte will be here to sign copies of his new Christmas classic.
November 24th Saturday 11:30- 1:15
The Care & Feeding of an Athlete and The Care & Feeding of a Dancer Toni Branner will be here to talk about and sign copies of her books.
For more information, visit www.parkroadbooks.com.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Rowling Says Dumbledore Is Gay
The news broke on Saturday. I'm more surprised about the reaction than the news itself. Not that I ever really thought about Dumbledore and his sexual preferences. I don't have the time or inclination to think about what anyone does in the privacy of their own home. But a firestorm of conversation has started.
Here are my two cents: It doesn't matter!
The people who love and admire Dumbeldore will continue to love him. Those who have banned the Potter books will just see it as another reason why they won't let their children read them. Why must we pretend to live in a world of moral absolutes when the rest of the world is grey? That's madness!
Here's the story, if you missed it.
For the full story in Newsweek, click http://www.newsweek.com/id/50787
J. K. Rowling, author of the worldwide best-selling Harry Potter series, met some of her American fans Friday night and provided some surprising revelations about the fictional characters who a generation of children have come to regard as close friends.
In front of a full house of hardcore Potter fans at Carnegie Hall in New York, Rowling, sitting on the stage on a red velvet and carved wood throne, read from her seventh and final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," then took questions. One fan asked whether Albus Dumbledore, the head of the famed Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, had ever loved anyone. Rowling smiled. "Dumbledore is gay, actually," replied Rowling as the audience erupted in surprise.
She added that, in her mind, Dumbledore had an unrequited love affair with Gellert Grindelwald, Voldemort's predecessor who appears in the seventh book. After several minutes of prolonged shouting and clapping from astonished fans, Rowling added. "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy."
In answer to the question "Did Hagrid marry?" Rowling replied that sadly, no. The half-giant had a flirtation with a giantess but she found him "a tad unsophisticated" and the relationship never went forward. In response to the audience's groans of dismay, Rowling said, jokingly, "OK, I'll write another book." And when the audience continued to express disapproval added, "at least I didn't kill him."
Other minor characters, according to Rowling, came to happier ends. Neville Longbottom, Harry's meek and hapless classmate, married Hannah Abbott, another classmate.
Here are my two cents: It doesn't matter!
The people who love and admire Dumbeldore will continue to love him. Those who have banned the Potter books will just see it as another reason why they won't let their children read them. Why must we pretend to live in a world of moral absolutes when the rest of the world is grey? That's madness!
Here's the story, if you missed it.
For the full story in Newsweek, click http://www.newsweek.com/id/50787
J. K. Rowling, author of the worldwide best-selling Harry Potter series, met some of her American fans Friday night and provided some surprising revelations about the fictional characters who a generation of children have come to regard as close friends.
In front of a full house of hardcore Potter fans at Carnegie Hall in New York, Rowling, sitting on the stage on a red velvet and carved wood throne, read from her seventh and final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," then took questions. One fan asked whether Albus Dumbledore, the head of the famed Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, had ever loved anyone. Rowling smiled. "Dumbledore is gay, actually," replied Rowling as the audience erupted in surprise.
She added that, in her mind, Dumbledore had an unrequited love affair with Gellert Grindelwald, Voldemort's predecessor who appears in the seventh book. After several minutes of prolonged shouting and clapping from astonished fans, Rowling added. "I would have told you earlier if I knew it would make you so happy."
In answer to the question "Did Hagrid marry?" Rowling replied that sadly, no. The half-giant had a flirtation with a giantess but she found him "a tad unsophisticated" and the relationship never went forward. In response to the audience's groans of dismay, Rowling said, jokingly, "OK, I'll write another book." And when the audience continued to express disapproval added, "at least I didn't kill him."
Other minor characters, according to Rowling, came to happier ends. Neville Longbottom, Harry's meek and hapless classmate, married Hannah Abbott, another classmate.
Books-to-movies just reached a whole new level
The conversation, and sometimes controversy, about whether great books can turn into great movies is getting even more serious. The agents who 'discovered' "The Kite Runner" manuscript have been lured to Random House from their home at Penguin and are now helping the aforementioned publisher turn great tomes into ideally, great flicks!
See the latest from Variety.
Random House, Focus take 'Dog'
Duo option Beth Raymer's gambling memoir
By DIANE GARRETT
Random House Films and Focus Features have optioned the bigscreen rights for "Lay the Favorite, Take the Dog," an upcoming gambling memoir by Beth Raymer.
Tome, which traces the scribe's journey into the world of professional sports gambling, is skedded to be published by Random House's Spiegel & Grau division in spring 2009. Division snared book and audio rights in an auction; bigscreen rights were negotiated separately.
Under their partnership, Random House Films and Focus jointly acquire bigscreen rights for lit properties and partner on all stages of development through marketing and publicity; co-productions are jointly owned, with Focus hanging onto worldwide distribution and sales rights.
Raymer fell into professional gambling in Vegas, where she started working as a cocktail waitress in hopes of making fast cash. Her gambling led her to New York and the Caribbean, with gamblers soon becoming her second family. But when she fell in love, she had to re-evaluate her life.
Raymer, an MFA candidate at Columbia U., will continue to report on offshore gambling in Central America under a recently awarded Fulbright Fellowship.
"Beth Raymer has that extremely fortunate and rare combination of having lived through some extraordinary times and having the means to write about them with assurance and style," said Julie Grau. "The world she opens up to her readers is fascinating, dangerous, memorable, and terrifically funny."
Random House Films prexy Peter Gethers said the book proposal "connected perfectly" with the shingle's literary and film sensibilities. "This is going to be a fun one," he said.
The project will be part of Focus's expanded production slate. "Reservation Road," the first film under the partnership, made its limited debut last weekend.
See the latest from Variety.
Random House, Focus take 'Dog'
Duo option Beth Raymer's gambling memoir
By DIANE GARRETT
Random House Films and Focus Features have optioned the bigscreen rights for "Lay the Favorite, Take the Dog," an upcoming gambling memoir by Beth Raymer.
Tome, which traces the scribe's journey into the world of professional sports gambling, is skedded to be published by Random House's Spiegel & Grau division in spring 2009. Division snared book and audio rights in an auction; bigscreen rights were negotiated separately.
Under their partnership, Random House Films and Focus jointly acquire bigscreen rights for lit properties and partner on all stages of development through marketing and publicity; co-productions are jointly owned, with Focus hanging onto worldwide distribution and sales rights.
Raymer fell into professional gambling in Vegas, where she started working as a cocktail waitress in hopes of making fast cash. Her gambling led her to New York and the Caribbean, with gamblers soon becoming her second family. But when she fell in love, she had to re-evaluate her life.
Raymer, an MFA candidate at Columbia U., will continue to report on offshore gambling in Central America under a recently awarded Fulbright Fellowship.
"Beth Raymer has that extremely fortunate and rare combination of having lived through some extraordinary times and having the means to write about them with assurance and style," said Julie Grau. "The world she opens up to her readers is fascinating, dangerous, memorable, and terrifically funny."
Random House Films prexy Peter Gethers said the book proposal "connected perfectly" with the shingle's literary and film sensibilities. "This is going to be a fun one," he said.
The project will be part of Focus's expanded production slate. "Reservation Road," the first film under the partnership, made its limited debut last weekend.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
The Kite Runner Movie
Charlotte Weekly/Union County Weekly hosted an exclusive showing of "The Kite Runner" Monday, Oct. 8 at Ballantyne Village Theatre. Based on the best-selling book by Khaled Hosseini, the story is about two boys growing up in Afgahanistan before the revolution in the late '70s. More than 250 guests had the opportunity to watch this breathtaking movie, whose wide release date was postponed because of safety concerns over the two young Afgani actors.
This forum is a place to share your thoughts on the movie.
How did the movie compare with the book?
What impact did the movie have on you?
Would you recommend this movie to a friend? Why or why not?
Feel free to leave your thoughts here.
All the best,
Alison
*A special thanks to Sean O'Connell, CW/UCW's arts and entertainment editor for helping to make the screening happen.
October 2007 Book Club Pick: Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
From the stunning stained-glass window turned book cover, it would be easy to think that “Loving Frank” is the story of the private life of a controversial public man – Frank Lloyd Wright. But the book is far more than that. It’s an exploration of one woman’s life and her choices that brilliantly captures the struggle many women still face today.This historical fiction is based on some nuggets of truth. Wright arguably made one of the most indelible imprints on American architecture. With his emphasis on harmoniously blending nature into private spaces, and his desire to create a uniquely American style, he created many waves in the architecture community. Those soon translated to the personal level after the brilliant, but difficult architect designed a home for Mamah Borthwick Cheney and her husband in Oak Park, Illinois at the turn of the century. Both trapped in loveless marriages, the two quickly became engaged by the other’s wit and charm, and a scandalous personal relationship grew.
Horan uses her training as a journalist to convey the details of Cheney’s unraveling heart and the excruciating decisions she was forced to make. Her characters ask questions such as, “What role do women have?”, “What use is it to stay in an unhappy marriage for the sake of the children?” and “What duty do adults have to themselves when it comes to their happiness?”
Although the story of “Loving Frank” is enmeshed in the details of Wright and Cheney’s relationship, it does what great literature is supposed to do: it makes you think. Horan creates a world so beautiful, readers might slow their page-turning just to be engrossed in her lushly written world a bit longer.
Join Charlotte Weekly’s book club on Monday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark for a phone chat with the author of “Loving Frank.” R.S.V.P. at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/.
September 2007 Book Club Pick: Mockingbird by Charles Shields
CW/UCW's book club pick for September 2007 is "Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee" by Charles J. Shields.
A great book on literary's most unique authors.
Harry Potter Mania!
It's official! I'm in love!
The newest Potter book is easily the best in the entire series.
It may also be the most satisfying read I've dived into in the last five years. Great closure. Favorite chapter is the one right before the end where Harry and "the creature" are in somewhat of a limbo state. Just the best book ever!
Bravo, J.K.!
The newest Potter book is easily the best in the entire series.
It may also be the most satisfying read I've dived into in the last five years. Great closure. Favorite chapter is the one right before the end where Harry and "the creature" are in somewhat of a limbo state. Just the best book ever!
Bravo, J.K.!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Congratulations Khaled Hosseini! This week's New York Times best-selling books
Congratulations to marvelous author Khaled Hosseini, whose "A Thousand Splendid Suns" -- our book club pick for June, is No. 1 on The New York Times' best-selling list.
Here are the top 10 hardcover fiction books for this week:
1 . A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini. (Riverhead, $25.95.) A friendship between two women in Afghanistan against the backdrop of 30 years of war.
2. THE QUICKIE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. (Little, Brown, $27.99.) A police officer’s attempt to get back at her husband, whom she suspects of cheating on her, goes dangerously awry.
3. HIGH NOON, by Nora Roberts. (Putnam, $26.95.) A hostage negotiator must face down her unknown stalker.
4. THE TIN ROOF BLOWDOWN, by James Lee Burke. (Simon & Schuster, $26.) The Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux copes with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
5. LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN, by Janet Evanovich. (St. Martin’s, $27.95.) The New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum becomes a suspect when her ex-husband disappears.
6. UP CLOSE AND DANGEROUS, by Linda Howard. (Ballantine, $25.95.) After a suspicious plane crash, a woman struggles to find a way out of the Idaho wilderness.
7. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, by Brad Thor. (Atria, $25.95.) Scot Harvath, a Homeland Security superagent, is stalked by a terrorist mysteriously released from Guantánamo.
8 . SOMEONE TO LOVE, by Jude Deveraux. (Atria, $25.95.) A haunted house in England holds the key to a young woman’s mysterious death.
9 . THE JUDAS STRAIN, by James Rollins. (Morrow, $25.95.) Sigma Force operatives trained in science search for the secret behind the re-emergence of an ancient plague.
10. BUNGALOW 2, by Danielle Steel. (Delacorte, $27.) A writer must deal with the effects of Hollywood success on her family life.
For the complete list, visit http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/index.html.
This week, our book club pick for August, "Water for Elephants" is No. 1 on the Paperback Fiction list!
Here are the top 10 hardcover fiction books for this week:
1 . A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini. (Riverhead, $25.95.) A friendship between two women in Afghanistan against the backdrop of 30 years of war.
2. THE QUICKIE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. (Little, Brown, $27.99.) A police officer’s attempt to get back at her husband, whom she suspects of cheating on her, goes dangerously awry.
3. HIGH NOON, by Nora Roberts. (Putnam, $26.95.) A hostage negotiator must face down her unknown stalker.
4. THE TIN ROOF BLOWDOWN, by James Lee Burke. (Simon & Schuster, $26.) The Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux copes with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
5. LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN, by Janet Evanovich. (St. Martin’s, $27.95.) The New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum becomes a suspect when her ex-husband disappears.
6. UP CLOSE AND DANGEROUS, by Linda Howard. (Ballantine, $25.95.) After a suspicious plane crash, a woman struggles to find a way out of the Idaho wilderness.
7. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, by Brad Thor. (Atria, $25.95.) Scot Harvath, a Homeland Security superagent, is stalked by a terrorist mysteriously released from Guantánamo.
8 . SOMEONE TO LOVE, by Jude Deveraux. (Atria, $25.95.) A haunted house in England holds the key to a young woman’s mysterious death.
9 . THE JUDAS STRAIN, by James Rollins. (Morrow, $25.95.) Sigma Force operatives trained in science search for the secret behind the re-emergence of an ancient plague.
10. BUNGALOW 2, by Danielle Steel. (Delacorte, $27.) A writer must deal with the effects of Hollywood success on her family life.
For the complete list, visit http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/index.html.
This week, our book club pick for August, "Water for Elephants" is No. 1 on the Paperback Fiction list!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
What is your patronus?
Dear friend Regan White asks that question on her great blog, visit http://www.regansrants.com/.
I can't believe she took my seahorse! I had visions of Aquaman and my Avon toothbrush, circa three years old, but alas a new moniker must be found.
I do however love the idea of recognizing that there are always dementors amongst us. I'm not in for labelling, however it does reduce the stress of thinking you can reason with them. Who would want to be friends with a dementor? Only another dementor!Potter update No. 3/What house do you belong to?
I'm not as far ahead as I had wanted to. I'm still middling about in the mid 300s but it makes me ponder what is it about Harry's story that has captivated the world over? Could it be that we long for a magical world beneath our mundane existance? There must be more to life than working and daily routines. Harry reminds us that we are more than what we think we are and capable of extraordinary things.
While I get back to the book, feel free to take the Sorting Hat test and see which house you belong to.
While I get back to the book, feel free to take the Sorting Hat test and see which house you belong to.
I took two of them and the results were the same:
I'm quite surprised! I think everyone wants to be part of Gryffndor.
But alas, I'm quite happy. The description of Ravenclaw's students says:
The sorting hat says that I belong in Ravenclaw!
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."
Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable.
Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).
Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Potter update No. 2
It's 7 p.m. and do I know where my Potter book is? It's in my bag, by the door and after a long week I can't wait to dive into it.
While I check out what happens to Harry and his friends, check out this great interview USA Today did with author J.K. Rowling by clicking http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-07-25-jk-rowling_N.htm
While I check out what happens to Harry and his friends, check out this great interview USA Today did with author J.K. Rowling by clicking http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-07-25-jk-rowling_N.htm
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Potter update No. 1
First of all, major kudos to the fine people at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at Charlotte's SouthPark mall for an awesome Potter party. It was the finest I've seen with more than 1,000 people who were all entertained and thrilled while waiting for Midnight. I can't remember having that much fun in a long time. My dear friend and colleague Regan White said she found it truly heartwarming to see such mayhem and excitement surrounding reading!
I scooped up my book and rushed home and read the first two chapters. By 2 a.m., I was snockered and had to sleep. By the time my one eye opened at 8 a.m., I couldn't wait to reach over and start reading again.
I'm only going to talk about where I am in the book without giving away major plot points. Nothing is worse than trying to stay away from all the hoopla. I was at Borders last night and the coffee servers were chatting about the book as if everyone has finished it. At 700-something pages, not likely. It's only Thursday! If one didn't have work, family and life stuff to take care of, inhaling the book would be a breeze.
Best thing so far...it feels like Dan Brown wrote the book instead of J.K. Rowling. I have the utmost respect for Rowling but, truth be told, I have found many of her previous Potter books to be slow and plodding. Even downright boring. That's why I, like my friend Kate Bacon, have loved the movies.
But"Deathly Hallows" is very different. From the first chapter the reader is engrossed! And what a thrill to have a can't-put-down book again. Ah, reading!
It's a lot like falling in love. You constantly hope this will be the one and then when it happens, it takes your breath away.
I'm leaving now to go back to get in another chapter. I'm at Chapter 15. More soon!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
August 2007 book club selection: "Water for Elephants"
We're reading the phenomenal best-selling book "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen for August. Hope to see you all Monday, August 20 at 7 p.m., at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark. To R.S.V.P., visit http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/.The novel, told in flashback by Jacob Jankowski, recounts the wild and wonderful period he spent with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus he joined during the Great Depression. When 23-year-old Jankowski learns that his parents have been killed in a car crash, leaving him penniless, he drops out of Cornell veterinary school and parlays his expertise with animals into a job with the circus, where he cares for a menagerie of exotic creatures, including an elephant who only responds to Polish commands. He also falls in love with Marlena, one of the show's star performers-a romance complicated by Marlena's husband, the unbalanced, sadistic circus boss who beats both his wife and the animals Jankowski cares for. This is a book filled with characters you will not forget!
To discuss the book, click on the comment section.
Author Will Allison
What a cool, cool guy! From now on, I'm going to have to start taping our author chats -- it was one I think all readers would have loved. I think I may even like the author even more than his book (if that's possible.) Talking to the author after reading the book actually gives one an incredible sense of completion. You finally get to ask, "What were you thinking in chapter x, what made you do this, how much you do you love or hate your characters?"
Allison's book was our featured pick for July. The author was funny, charming and witty. If I were casting the movie about him, I'd choose scrumdelicious Michael Varnet from "Alias." He had such great insight into his characters. As a stay-at-home dad, he wakes up at 4 a.m. to get into a regular rhythm of writing. Then when he gets stuck he said he reads.
He said he found it difficult to remember the title of his debut book, "What You Have Left" and thought that it sounded like a lot of other titles out there. But soon he realized how it was truly a theme for all his characters. I think what I love most about "What You Have Left" was how raw he was. The chapter where an ancilliary character muffs out his young collicky son was so heartbreakingly honest, it was breathtaking.
Allison said his dream is to see someone reading his book on the subway. Go out and pick up a copy and start reading. You won't only make his dream come true, you'll also enjoy some memorable fiction you forget for awhile.
Allison is currently working on his second novel which is set in New Jersey. Learn more about him at www.willallison.com.
What CEOs read
Ever wonder what tycoons read? It's incredible how personal reading is and you never know how those thoughts on the page intertwine with your own thoughts, words and actions.
New York Times writer Harriet Rubin interviewed several brilliant CEOs to find out what they read. For more, click the title of this post.
New York Times writer Harriet Rubin interviewed several brilliant CEOs to find out what they read. For more, click the title of this post.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
What are you reading now?
What are you reading this summer? Tell us your favorite book or help select our next book club pick. Post your comments here or e-mail me at alisonwoo@yahoo.com.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Potter pandemonium
Anticipation builds over book’s final installment
by Siva Ramesh and Alison Woo
In the Charlotte area, the signs have become clearer as the end draws near. The bookstores have laid out their witch hats, wands and brooms. Bookstores around the Queen City are barely suppressing excitement over nothing less than the most coveted book this year—the seventh and final Harry Potter book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” Potter pandemonium begins this week with the release of the “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” movie. In the meantime, bookstores around the area are getting ready to party.
Bewitching night
In Charlotte, Barnes & Noble at Sharon Corners on Fairview Road will fill a model train with Berts jellybeans to prepare for the release at midnight on Friday, July 20. Local Borders also will have a midnight celebration with a Harry Potter costume party and potion-making classes. But the largest event in the Charlotte area will be Joseph-Beth Booksellers’ “Marauding at Midnight” party.
The signature event will include a concert with Seth Boulton & the Dream Machine, in an homage to a band Dumbledore selected for a concert. Other attractions include a hedgemaze and kits that determine who is a dark wizard. Bronte’s Bistro will offer treats for adults including Hufflepuff muffins and Butterbeer.
At the 2005 event to promote Potter scribe J.K. Rowling’s previous tome, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the store had more than 1,000 visitors – at least that many are expected this year. “Charlotte readers tend to make their decisions at the last minute but we encourage people to buy tickets before the event,” said Jamie Thurman, the store’s public relations coordinator.
If staying up late isn’t your thing, consider Park Road Books who will open at 8 a.m. Saturday . “We think more people will want to be fresh and ready to read Saturday morning. We’re planning to be the place for those readers,” said Park Road Books co-owner Frazer Dobson, who plans to have plenty of copies on hand.
Most branches of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County will hold Harry Potter-themed events, ranging from showings of Harry Potter movies and costume parties to a huge release celebration at ImaginOn, where fans can purchase copies of the book, learn about owls and play a Harry Potter trivia game.
For more information on any of the stores mentioned in this article, visit the following:
Joseph-Beth Booksellers, http://www.josephbeth.com/; Park Road Books, http://www.parkroadbooks.com/; Borders, http://www.bordersstores.com/; and Barnes & Noble, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.
If you are interested in visiting a library branch for a Harry Potter event, go to www.plcmc.org/programs/harrypotterprograms.asp. Some events require registration.
by Siva Ramesh and Alison Woo
In the Charlotte area, the signs have become clearer as the end draws near. The bookstores have laid out their witch hats, wands and brooms. Bookstores around the Queen City are barely suppressing excitement over nothing less than the most coveted book this year—the seventh and final Harry Potter book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” Potter pandemonium begins this week with the release of the “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” movie. In the meantime, bookstores around the area are getting ready to party.
Bewitching night
In Charlotte, Barnes & Noble at Sharon Corners on Fairview Road will fill a model train with Berts jellybeans to prepare for the release at midnight on Friday, July 20. Local Borders also will have a midnight celebration with a Harry Potter costume party and potion-making classes. But the largest event in the Charlotte area will be Joseph-Beth Booksellers’ “Marauding at Midnight” party.
The signature event will include a concert with Seth Boulton & the Dream Machine, in an homage to a band Dumbledore selected for a concert. Other attractions include a hedgemaze and kits that determine who is a dark wizard. Bronte’s Bistro will offer treats for adults including Hufflepuff muffins and Butterbeer.
At the 2005 event to promote Potter scribe J.K. Rowling’s previous tome, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the store had more than 1,000 visitors – at least that many are expected this year. “Charlotte readers tend to make their decisions at the last minute but we encourage people to buy tickets before the event,” said Jamie Thurman, the store’s public relations coordinator.
If staying up late isn’t your thing, consider Park Road Books who will open at 8 a.m. Saturday . “We think more people will want to be fresh and ready to read Saturday morning. We’re planning to be the place for those readers,” said Park Road Books co-owner Frazer Dobson, who plans to have plenty of copies on hand.
Most branches of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County will hold Harry Potter-themed events, ranging from showings of Harry Potter movies and costume parties to a huge release celebration at ImaginOn, where fans can purchase copies of the book, learn about owls and play a Harry Potter trivia game.
For more information on any of the stores mentioned in this article, visit the following:
Joseph-Beth Booksellers, http://www.josephbeth.com/; Park Road Books, http://www.parkroadbooks.com/; Borders, http://www.bordersstores.com/; and Barnes & Noble, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.
If you are interested in visiting a library branch for a Harry Potter event, go to www.plcmc.org/programs/harrypotterprograms.asp. Some events require registration.
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