Random House has released this preview of Lorna Graham's soon to be released debut novel on Scribd.It includes a map of the writers and poets who appear in or inspired Lorna Graham's debut novel The Ghosts of Greenwich Village. The story centers around a young woman who moves to Manhattan only to find that her apartment is haunted by the ghost of a writer from the Beat Generation. The book is a trade paperback original published under the Ballantine Books imprint.The preview also includes the cover image and the first chapter.
Keep the Kids Reading All Summer Long
About 1,000 volunteers gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. yesterday to ring in summer by preparing 50,000 "summer reading" backpacks for distribution to low income children.The event was part of United Way's Day of Action. First Book, the non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to new books for children in need, donated 150,000 books for the event. Each backpack was filled with three new books, and a "reading kit" featuring tips, activities and bookmarks. Original flyer for the event: Libraries across the country are offering Summer Reading programs for kids so no excuses. Keep the kids reading all summer long!My...
Making Books in California: Five Contemporary Presses on View
"During the last 50 years, the conception and production of the book has evolved into an art form that exceeds all former standards for the book as object. Book arts have become a mature medium, and California artists and printers are leaders in the fine arts of the book," - Roberto G. Trujillo, head of Stanford Library's Department of Special Collections.Currently on view at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University is the exhibit, The Art of the Book in California: Five Contemporary Presses. Featuring nearly 50 books the exhibit highlights some of the amazing book art and fine press work...
25 cent e-books: Unbridled success or just the nature of the Internet?
The numbers are in from Unbridled Books catchy 25 e-books for 25c promotion.For those who missed this one it was a partnership between Unbridled Books and the ABA (American Booksellers Association) in which independent bookstores across the country that where set up for e-book commerce could offer a range of books from the publisher for 25 cents each.During the three day event 145 independent bookstores sold a total of 15,807 e-books (this number does not include the e-books sold at Powells or other large shops that do not use the ABA e-commerce platform). Though acknowledging that the model is indeed...
The Knowledge Taxis of Cairo
Egyptians on the whole are not big readers. So what's a bookstore to do to try and help shift the cultural attitudes toward books and get people reading? Last year the ALEF Bookstores in Cairo came up with a brilliant idea. Since the streets of Cairo are in an almost continuous state of gridlock why not put books in the back of taxis so people can pass the time reading.The initiative, called “Taxi of Knowledge,” launched with 50 cabs, each carrying 5 books. Here's how it works:All the books for the program have been donated.The bookstore lends each taxi driver 5...