Diane Plumley Or at least, 50 million Americans aren’t readers. Of books, in any form. In a phone survey funded by The Gates Mega Couple, Bill and Melinda, 21% read an e-book. And those with e-readers, read 8 books more a year than those who prefer to open a physical thing . We who are the latter, … Read more
I am a teeny bit embarrassed to admit, I’ve not read Vonnegut. Although certainly aware of his work. I’ve never had the inclination to pick his titles. Perhaps until now. On the Banned Books Week’s site, they linked to a letter Vonnegut wrote in 1973 to the head of a school board who had burned … Read more
After Lou left Lorry’s Book Company, one of many times–this one sticking, he disappeared from the book world, and mine, for years. I’d no idea where he was, what he was up to, if he was surviving in a world he seemed to shun, or hide from. Not that he was a total recluse, at … Read more
I had a recent conversation with a few writers about the common practice of writing a nice bunch of things about another person’s book. You’ve seen blurbs–on the back of paperbacks, mostly, but also on dust jackets. Hypothetical example; a new book by Denis Lehane has just been published, and fellow writers, Michael Connelly, Ridley … Read more
For some odd reason I’m posing questions lately. This one popped into my head as I ran my finger down a to be read pile, to chose something, because my Peter Robinson crime novel has disappeared. And right there, is an answer. I like Mr. Robinson a great deal, as a person, and certainly as … Read more
I know I’ve said no one can have too many books. And I mean that, if you have enough space in your hemisphere. If, like me, that space has now run out, and the tottering stacks could fall and kill a ferret, it’s time to think up new solutions. Naturally, getting rid of books is … Read more
A link from author Laura Lippman had me intrigued, so I clicked, and had a great gut laugh. Two men got into an argument ‘over literature’. The teeny article had no specifics as to what the argument entailed. Which got me thinking, what aspect of the literary world would I be so het up about, … Read more
The last time I attended the festivities surrounding the Edgar Allan Poe Awards, given out yearly for the best in crime fiction, I was working for A&E mysteries.com as their online mystery book moderator. As such, I was responsible for choosing an author to read and discuss each month. I’d chosen a variety of wonderful … Read more
