Friday, May 23, 2008
Sneak Preview for July 2008
Faithful blog readers, You are ahead of the curve!
For July, we'll be reading Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food."
We're working on details for a very special event! Stay tuned!
Alison
CW Celebrates Third Anniversary with Lisa See
Next month with will mark the third year of Charlotte Weekly/Union County Weekly's book club, Speaking Volumes. It's been an honor leading the club for these three years. And to celebrate we have a wonderful evening planned.
Best-selling author Lisa See's own life story is as interesting as the books she pens. And when she puts pen to paper it’s easy to see amazing results. Her latest novel, “Peony in Love” is Charlotte Weekly’s book club selection for June.
Ms. See was born in Paris but grew up in Los Angeles, spending much of her time in Chinatown. Her first book, "On Gold Mountain: The One Hundred Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family" traced the journey of Lisa’s great-grandfather, Fong See, who overcame obstacles at every step to become the 100-year-old godfather of Los Angeles’s Chinatown and the patriarch of a sprawling family. That book not only hit the top of the best-seller’s lists, it also became an opera, for which See wrote the libretto and it debuted in June 2000 at the Los Angeles Opera.
Following her nonfiction success, See, who was a journalist and book reviewer, decided to write novels including two mystery thrillers and the smashing hit “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.” With “Peony” See continues her historical fiction trip to China. This book takes place in 17th-century China in the Yangtzi River delta. It’s based on the true story of three "lovesick maidens," who were married to the same man – one right after the other, not one reaching age twenty. Together they wrote the first book of its kind to have been written and published anywhere in the world by women. Interestingly enough, the lovesick maidens were part of a much larger phenomenon. In the 17th century, there were more women writers in China who were being published than altogether in the rest of the world at that time. Ultimately, Peony in Love about the bonds of female friendship, the power of words, the desire that all women have to be heard, and finally those emotions that are so strong that they transcend time, place, and perhaps even death.
Join us as we discuss “Peony” with author Lisa See via a phone conference and celebrate CW’s third anniversary with wine and Chinese appetizers on Monday, June 23 at 7 p.m. Please R.S.V.P. by e-mailing alison@thecharlotteweekly.
Ms. See was born in Paris but grew up in Los Angeles, spending much of her time in Chinatown. Her first book, "On Gold Mountain: The One Hundred Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family" traced the journey of Lisa’s great-grandfather, Fong See, who overcame obstacles at every step to become the 100-year-old godfather of Los Angeles’s Chinatown and the patriarch of a sprawling family. That book not only hit the top of the best-seller’s lists, it also became an opera, for which See wrote the libretto and it debuted in June 2000 at the Los Angeles Opera.
Following her nonfiction success, See, who was a journalist and book reviewer, decided to write novels including two mystery thrillers and the smashing hit “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.” With “Peony” See continues her historical fiction trip to China. This book takes place in 17th-century China in the Yangtzi River delta. It’s based on the true story of three "lovesick maidens," who were married to the same man – one right after the other, not one reaching age twenty. Together they wrote the first book of its kind to have been written and published anywhere in the world by women. Interestingly enough, the lovesick maidens were part of a much larger phenomenon. In the 17th century, there were more women writers in China who were being published than altogether in the rest of the world at that time. Ultimately, Peony in Love about the bonds of female friendship, the power of words, the desire that all women have to be heard, and finally those emotions that are so strong that they transcend time, place, and perhaps even death.
Join us as we discuss “Peony” with author Lisa See via a phone conference and celebrate CW’s third anniversary with wine and Chinese appetizers on Monday, June 23 at 7 p.m. Please R.S.V.P. by e-mailing alison@thecharlotteweekly.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
What I'm reading right now...
OK, it's official. My love affair with Anthony Bourdain continues. Following Kitchen Confidential, I headed head first into HEAT by Bill Buford. The swaggering story about Mario Batali (star of Food Network's Molto Mario and owner of Babbo and a number of other fabulous eateries in NY) is charming. But despite the somewhat interesting banter of a journalist who takes to the kitchen, I seriously missed Bourdain's "voice."So heading to my neighborhood library (one of the handful of exceptional things about non-NY living is the amazing libraries there are out here) on Rea Road, I loaded up on all things Bourdain. Not the fiction. I have to pace myself. But I walked away with Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook, No Reservations and The Nasty Bits.
The Les Halles cookbook may be one of my all-time favorite cookbooks ever. Not because I'm going to make pot au feu anytime soon. But more because it's what I would think it would be like having the man himself standing over my shoulder guiding my every step. Be warned. This cookbook is not for the meek of heart. His commentary is on target and hilarious. When discussing the preparation and right temperature for grilling steak, he writes, "F*** the health department. The meat needs to be room temperature." Though it may seem hard-core and uncaring the truth is he does care. Passionately. About the food. And that shines throughout each page.
No Reservations was OK but not a must-read. It's mostly tidbits of the behind-the-scenes action of his show on the Travel Channel. Your time might be better off reading his blog. But the pictures are phenomenal and colorful. And if you're a fan of the show (like me!) you get to see some of the most memorable photos and bits of the stories that didn't make the show. My all-time favorite episode is the one he did on Hong Kong (where I was born) and the incredible food culture that exists there. It's like no where else on the planet.
But The Nasty Bits is a delight. Treading the material similar to Kitchen Confidential, it's more from the life and times of bad-boy chef Bourdain. I'm reading it very slowly, savoritng it like a nine-course meal. It's the first time I can truthfully, Nasty is lovely. It's well worth the read and should be savored.
Friday, May 02, 2008
CW Book Selection for May 2008 "Then We Came to An End" by Joshua Ferris
If you’ve ever worked in an office, then you are keenly aware of the interesting blend of personalities and family unit that forms when individuals are thrown together for a common purpose. As Americans we spend more than 80 percent of our lives at work. The resulting formula means that most of our live we are engaged with behavior ranging from madcap comedy, high drama, peculiar personalities and friends we will bond with for life—sometimes all in one setting. Author Joshua Ferris offers the most modern and insightful look at our workplace relationships, which are rich for examination in his novel, “Then We Came to An End,” Charlotte Weekly’s book club selection for May.
Ferris’ novel is set at an advertising agency in Chicago just after the dot com bust. Be warned: this book is not for the meek. Be prepared to laugh hard. Really hard. You will see yourself and everyone you’ve ever worked with in this novel. People either get fired or die – the former being worse because they keep hanging around the office and finding reasons to return. The workers lament about the infrequent appearance of free bagels and the office worker who is always happy and sees goodness in everyone and everything (you know who you are). The pointless meetings are lambasted with equal measure to the coworkers who e-mail the entire group about personal trivialities.
My best advice: Don’t read this book in public. The continual outpouring of rip-roaring laughter may send people scurrying away. Join us on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble at 11025 Carolina Place in Pineville. Please R.S.V.P. at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/.
Ferris’ novel is set at an advertising agency in Chicago just after the dot com bust. Be warned: this book is not for the meek. Be prepared to laugh hard. Really hard. You will see yourself and everyone you’ve ever worked with in this novel. People either get fired or die – the former being worse because they keep hanging around the office and finding reasons to return. The workers lament about the infrequent appearance of free bagels and the office worker who is always happy and sees goodness in everyone and everything (you know who you are). The pointless meetings are lambasted with equal measure to the coworkers who e-mail the entire group about personal trivialities.
My best advice: Don’t read this book in public. The continual outpouring of rip-roaring laughter may send people scurrying away. Join us on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble at 11025 Carolina Place in Pineville. Please R.S.V.P. at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/.
Monday, April 07, 2008
What I'm reading right now...
Having a blog means never having to say...I'm lacking for things to say. I've been so immersed in some great books recently. Although I'm usually juggling at least 6-8 great reads at time, the one I take with me to bed has been Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential".
If you've seen his show on the Travel Channel, you'll know that Bourdain is no lightweight. Condeming of so-called chefs such as Rachel Ray, he is tough, abraisive and sometimes crude. But what he always is is true.
Agents and publishers talk about the need for books to have a "strong voice." If you've ever wondered what that is, run, don't walk to pick up his book.
His tales of woe and wow in the kitchen are revelational. I shall never look at a Sunday brunch the same way again. As someone whose father owned several succesful restaurants, this is the stuff I never heard of. And as someone who frequents great restaurants quite often, I can honestly say I never look at anything in them -- from the bread to the waiters -- quite the same way. If you like to eat, read this book!
CW April 2008 Pick: "The 13th Tale by Diane Setterfield
One of the joys of reading an unforgettable book is the passion that comes in sharing what the reader has read and learned. When Diane Setterfield’s “The Thirteenth Tale” was published in hardcover in 2006, many of my book-loving friends called and e-mailed to say how amazing it was and how I needed to race to the bookstore to get it. But sometimes life gets in the way of a great read, and the novel remained on my list of books to read in the not-too-distant future.
After discussions with our passionate book club members, it’s clear this is indeed the perfect time. Charlotte Weekly’s Speaking Volumes book club selection for April is “The Thirteenth Tale.”
After discussions with our passionate book club members, it’s clear this is indeed the perfect time. Charlotte Weekly’s Speaking Volumes book club selection for April is “The Thirteenth Tale.”
Borrowing from literary classics such as “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre,” the story is set in the mists of England, where glamorous, well-known author Vida Winter asks Lea’s Antiquarian Bookshop owner Margaret Lea to come to her estate and write her life story. While living in the stately Gothic home, Lea tries to untangle fact from fiction as family secrets, lost loves and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the last page entwine her and her subject. Setterfield’s first novel may be one of the most well-written books of the decade. She possesses incomparable storytelling skills; the result is a book you won’t want to put down.
New book, new location
To reach out to more book club members and see more of Charlotte, our well-established book club of three years will visit several bookstores in the months to come. Join us to discuss this riveting tale on Monday, April 21, at 7 p.m., at Barnes & Noble at Carolina Place Mall, 11025 Carolina Place Parkway, Pineville. Please RSVP at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Oprah launches a Webinar
It was great. For 10 minutes. The best part was author Eckhard Tolle and Oprah chatting amongst themselves. It tanked when they took questions. Oprah, ditch the questions. Stick to what you do best. The information is great. Keep it comin'!
March 2008 Book Club Selection: "The Friday Night Knitting Club"
Knitting is hot! We chose the best of the literary bunch for our March pick. Join us Monday, March 17 at 7 p.m. to talk to author Kate Jacobs and find out more about this delightful book.
Februrary 2008 Book Club Pick " One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd"
Our February pick, suggested by book club member Audrey Li, is the entrancing tale that asks "What if?" duing America in the 1850s.
January 2008 Book Pick "Like Water for Chocolate"
This is my dream book! And our January selection. If you have time, read Laura Esquivel's other books, such as "Law of Love," "Swift as Desire" and "Malinche."
Monday, January 21, 2008
New Year, New Posts
Hello all!
It's happened to me: life!
I'm sorry I haven't posted in awhile. Life took its tool.
But the most important news is that we're meeting tonight to discuss my all-time favorite book, "Like Water for Chocolate."
Join us at 7 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark Mall.
Be there or be square!
It's happened to me: life!
I'm sorry I haven't posted in awhile. Life took its tool.
But the most important news is that we're meeting tonight to discuss my all-time favorite book, "Like Water for Chocolate."
Join us at 7 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark Mall.
Be there or be square!
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/.
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