Bookfest
Last weekend I attended Bookfest, a one-day event in my community designed to showcase local literary talent. The keynote speaker this year was Mary Doria Russell, a New York Times best-selling author and Chicago area native. Her books, The Sparrow, Children of God and Thread of Grace to name a few, are probably familiar to many of you. Needless to say I was thrilled to get a ticket to hear her speak.
It was an enjoyable and entertaining hour and the time flew past. The focus of her speech was her new book, Doc, a fictionalized story about the life of Doc Holliday. I was amazed to find out how much of this novel is based on fact. She did extension research on the real life Doc Holliday, his early years, his family and the time he spent in Dodge City with the Earp brothers to separate fact, fiction and myth.
If you ever have the opportunity to hear Mary speak, don’t pass it up, you will not be disappointed. I’ve already read Doc and loved it. My review will be posted soon.
Literary Giveaway Blog Hop
The Literary Giveaway Blog Hop will be taking place from Saturday June 25th until (and including) Wednesday June 29th and is hosted by Judith at Leeswamme’s Blog. The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, June 22nd, and there are already 60 blogs participating. That’s tomorrow, so you still have time to join.
Under My Apple Tree will be participating and my giveaway will be open internationally to any country the book depository will deliver. I’ll be giving away a copy of Doc by Mary Doria Russell.
Summer Solstice
The Summer Solstice is the longest day and the shortest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, the first day of summer. Conversely it is the beginning of winter for the southern hemisphere.
For centruies this major celestial event was celebrated with Midsummer Festivals (ie Shakespeare), dancing and bonfires. It is still celebrated today and can be see in such events as the gatherings at Stonehenge and our local festivals such as the annual Taste of Chicago, a 10-day outdoor food and music fest that begins next week. The sun itself unleashed a powerful flare today as a new solar storm erupted, perhaps in it’s own celebration of the solstice.
The beginning of summer is my favorite time of the year. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing and the days are long and pleasant. For those of us up north it’s time to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. Before we know it winter will be back.
Really Random Tuesday is hosted on random Tuesdays by Suko at Suko’s Notebook. It’s a way to post odds and ends–announcements, musings, quotes–any blogging and book-related things you can think of.
Mailbox Monday was created by The Printed Page. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their home last week.
Mailbox Monday is currently on tour, hosted by a different blog each month. This month’s host is Bluestocking at The Bluestocking Guide.
I received two new books this week.
From Random House for review:
Sisterhood Everlasting
by Ann Brasharess
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ann Brashares comes the welcome return of the characters whose friendship became a touchstone for a generation. Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting.
As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one.
A win from Trees and Ink sent by Hachette Books:
The Arrivals
by Meg Mitchell Moore
It’s early summer when Ginny and William’s peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt. First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood – only this time around, their children are facing adult problems.
I spotted this robin digging furiously in the wood chips and dirt under my large maple tree. Then he flew into the magnolia and sat there for a few minutes with a beak full of what I will refer to as ‘dinner’. At the very least there is caterpillar, worm and some kind of flying insect on the menu. The nestlings should be pleased with the selection!
I know this was dad robin because male robins grow black head feathers during breeding season to attract females. The difference is subtle until you see a pair of them together. Then you will notice that one has black head feathers and the other dark gray.
I’m hoping to see some young robins any day now.
I link up my bird photos on Saturday Snapshot hosted by Alyce at At Home With Books. Visit her blog to see more great photos or add your own.
Prophecy
by S.J. Parris
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Doubleday
Publish Date: May 3, 2011
Format: Hardcover | 384 pages
Thanks to the publisher, Doubleday Books, I have two copies of Prophecy to give away to my readers.
Giordano Bruno returns to solve another mystery in this historical thriller by S. J. Parris. If you haven’t read the first book, Heresy, no problem, you can begin with book two. I have just started reading my copy and will have a review in the next week or so.
Description from the publisher:
It is the year of the Great Conjunction, when the two most powerful planets, Jupiter and Saturn, align—an astrological phenomenon that occurs once every thousand years and heralds the death of one age and the dawn of another. The streets of London are abuzz with predictions of horrific events to come, possibly even the death of Queen Elizabeth.
When several of the queen’s maids of honor are found dead, rumors of black magic abound. Elizabeth calls upon her personal astrologer, John Dee, and Giordano Bruno to solve the crimes. While Dee turns to a mysterious medium claiming knowledge of the murders, Bruno fears that something far more sinister is at work. But even as the climate of fear at the palace intensifies, the queen refuses to believe that the killer could be someone within her own court.
Bruno must play a dangerous game: can he allow the plot to progress far enough to give the queen the proof she needs without putting her, England, or his own life in danger?
About The Author
S. J. Parris is the pen name of Stephanie Merritt, a contributing journalist for various newspapers and magazines, including the Observer and the Guardian.
Giveaway Information
Contest is open to US addresses only, no PO Boxes. The book will be shipped by the publisher.
- To enter fill out the Entry Form. Comments are always welcome but you need to fill out the form to enter the drawing.
- The deadline for entry is June 30th, midnight, central time. I will draw 2 winners using random.org. Winners will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond with a mailing address.
Contest has ended
Robopocalypse
by Daniel H. Wilson
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Doubleday
Publish Date: June 7, 2011
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Rating: 4 of 5
In the near future an experiment with artificial intelligence goes wrong and a lifeform is created that cannot be turned off, shut down or deleted. The AI calls himself Archos. He is aware that humans have created and destroyed versions of him in the past and this time it will be different, he will not let them shut him off.
Archos wants to rid the world of all humans by spreading a computer virus to create a global network of machines with a mission to kill. Robot servants attack their owners, cars come to life and run people down, elevators drop to the ground at high speed splattering their occupants and children’s toys come alive with evil intent like Chucky. At first it was familiar, everyday items that were to be feared. Later the machines began to evolve and build themselves. Technology had turned against humanity.
The story begins after the war has ended and humans have prevailed. I usually like the technique of starting towards the end and then going back and telling the tale, but it does take away some of the tension and suspense because in science fiction, humans don’t always win. The story is narrated by Cormac Wallace, a survivor and war hero. He has in his possession a cube, like a black box recorder, containing a record of the events leading up to and during the robot war. Using the information contained in the cube he reconstructs what occurred and we, the reader, follow along as he puts the pieces together.
This book does not use a standard writing style but, instead, a series of short vignettes, each telling an individual but interconnected story. I liked it. The writing is crisp and clean and the plot moves quickly. We are not following an individual character; a few eventually meet up during the climax of the robot wars, but there is little character development. The story is not about any one person but is about all humans and how they cope under these circumstances.
I would have liked to know a little more about Archos, the artificial intelligence, other than the fact he is the enemy and he is an evil entity. It makes me wonder, could an intelligent, evolving artificial intelligence arise either deliberately thorough experimentation or spontaneously on the web? Scary thought if it turns evil rather than benevolent.
In the end, this book offers a few hours of fun, escapist entertainment. This is not hard science fiction. Although the author has a Ph.D. in robotics he does not burden us with a lot of engineering or computer detail; what we get is a fast-paced futuristic tale filled with action and adventure. It left me with the thought that I don’t want to ever annoy or mistreat my appliances, mobile phone or computer equipment. Someday they may seek revenge.
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Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Almost wordless.
A Swallowtail butterfly in my Verbena this past weekend. I had a lot of the caterpillars in my parsley last year so I was hoping for a lot of butterflies this year.
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More Wordless Wednesday.
Mailbox Monday was created by The Printed Page. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their home last week.
Mailbox Monday is currently on tour, hosted by a different blog each month. This month’s host is Bluestocking at The Bluestocking Guide.
I received two new books this week.
From HarperAudio for review:
The White Devil
by Justin Evans
When seventeen-year-old Andrew Taylor is transplanted from his American high school to a British boarding school—a high-profile academy for the sons of England’s finest—his father hopes that the boy’s dark past will not follow him from across the Atlantic. But blood, suspense, and intrigue quickly surround Andrew once again as he finds himself struggling with a deadly mystery …
An Armchair BEA win from Judith at Leeswammes’ Blog:
The Radleys
by Matt Haig
Peter, Helen and their teenage children, Clara and Rowan, live in an English town. They are an everyday family, averagely dysfunctional, averagely content. But as their children have yet to find out, the Radleys have a devastating secret
Under My Apple Tree 