face of the hero, 1950. Harcourt Brace & Company.Jacket designed by S.K.A."First war novel to picture air combat from the enlisted men's point of view". There were accusations of plagiarism made regarding Joseph Heller's Catch-22. They were "both Air Force veterans from Russian-Jewish families in Brooklyn who served in Italy during the war. Both novels are set at the Mediterranean base of an American bomber squadron in World War II, the Times said. Each writer used the powerful and evocative image of a wounded soldier whose body is encased in a white cast."
Seattle and the New Koolhaas Central Library: Is the Honeymoon Over?
Before we dive into the current flurry of the form vs. function debate regarding our Rem Koolhaas designed Central Library lets step back and take a look at the big picture.The library is one of the many gifts of The 'Libraries For All' 1998 bond measure that passed by the largest margin of victory for a bond measure in Seattle history.Seattle got a new Koolhaas designed Central Library, 5 other new branches and improvements to all 22 existing branches in Seattle.The impact on our city has been profound:-library usership is up citywide- the Central Library has become a top tier...
Shakespeare in the City
"What Bards These Mortals Be" is the title of the Ron Barrett cartoon that appears in the Book Review section of the Sunday New York Times.A day in the life of a 21st Century Shakespeare. An amusing journey.
Books by Prescription
bib·lio·ther·a·py - the use of reading materials for help in solving personal problems or for psychiatric therapy; also : the reading materials so used.The Irish Medical Times reports that "A scheme to promote bibliotherapy as a form of medication has been launched in Ireland"Doctors and other mental health professionals will now have the option of "prescribing high quality self-help books to people with mild or moderate psychological problems."The Dublin public library system plays a major role in the process. The patient goes to one of the participating libraries and "hand their prescription in over the library counter and then receive...
Powell’s Goes to the Movies
On the heels of their successful author blogs and podcasts Powell's Books is getting into the movie business. Welcome to "Out of the Book."The plan:To produce short films of up to 23 minutes by accomplished directors "about a frontlist title and giving a broad sense of the author"The films will be distributed free to other booksellers around the countryThe inaugural film will be the centerpiece of events at nearly 40 bookstores.They will produce "as few as one a quarter to as many as one or two a month."The premier event will take place at the Bagdad Theater in Portland, were...