Image: Book Keeping
The Book Booth is a weekly feature at The Political Carnival, relating news, notes, and reflections from the world of books and publishing. It is written by @SeattleDan and SeattleTammy, operators of an on-line bookstore (which you can find here) , who have been in the book business since shortly after the Creation, or close to 6000 years now.
The Book Booth: Don't Stand in the Doorway Edition
Well, here it is, kids. We have a big week ahead of us. For those of you who live in a mail-in state, get those ballots to the PO. And if you live in a state that has early voting, go do it. Or if you wait till Tuesday, by all means, get to the polling place. Vote like your life depends on it, because it might vey well.
Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan finally spoke about the prize. He'll be there if "he at all can" to pick up his award. I guess even Bob Dylan can feel overwhelmed.
Bob Dylan Will (probably) Attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony
As I noted last week, Paul Beatty became the first American to win the Man-Booker Prize for fiction. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, check out this illuminating interview with Guernica, where he discusses his work at some length.
Paul Beatty on His Fiction
Here are a couple of interesting articles from publisher Farrar Straus Giroux's blog, Works in Progress. First comes Witold Rybczynkski's meditation on chairs, talking about favorite chairs, and his new book Now I Sit Me Down. Do you have a favorite chair? Mine is the orange swivel chair in front of my computer. The cats like it, too, and often try to steal it from me. Being cats, they do not like sharing it with me.
Favorite Chairs
David Hadju is one of our finest writers on music. His biography of Billy Strayhorn, Lush Life, is a fascinating read about one of the great jazz composers and arrangers. And his work Positively 4th Street is one of the best books about the young Bob Dylan. His new book is Love for Sale: Pop Music in America. Here he talks about eleven popular songs and their significance today.
Love for Sale: Pop Music in America
It must be that time of year. Publishers Weekly revealed its picks for the best books of 2016.
Best Books of 2016
Bryan Cranston is not only a terrific actor (check out his turn as Dalton Trumbo in the eponymous movie, not just his work in Breaking Bad), but he's a swell guy. He's recently published his memoir A Life in Parts and has developed a penchant for buying copies of his book, signing them, and leaving them for strangers to pick up and read.
Bryan Cranston Buys and Signs Books for You!
Quiz time. Can you name the titles of these books by their cover art? I knew most of them, though I admit to missing a couple here.
Can You Tell a Book by Its Cover?
And we may as well indulge ourselves in a graph. Here is something of a pie-chart that illustrates word count and the time taken to write for certain novels. No real surprises, but still kind of cool.
A Pie Chart Graph of Word Count vs Time to Write
I suppose it is time to think about holiday gift giving, especially if shopping on line. Here are some book accessories for your friend or family member who has every book ever published and really doesn't need another book.
What to Get for the Book Lover Who Already Has Far Too Many Books? Book Accessories, Of Course!
Finally, along with my urging to vote, here's what could be at stake. Umberto Eco in 1995 defined these fourteen qualities of fascism, which all are recognizable in our politics today. H/T to my nephew Derek for posting this on Facebook where I could find it.
What's At Stake in This Election? A Fascist or a Democratic Future for the USA - No Less, Not an Exaggeration
Go vote now if you can! And then settle back with a good book and try not to let your nerves get fried. Please let us know what books have you engrossed and let's hope for the best this coming week
The post The Book Booth: Don't Stand in the Doorway Edition appeared first on The Political Carnival.
