hangin' out in D.C.

Jeff & I just got back from Washington, D.C. LATE last night. The National Book Festival was a success from all the signs we saw -- long lines, sold out books, sore feet....I was the last person to get a book signed by Diana Gabaldon...she signed books for two hours -- and there were STILL people waiting in line!

Once more...

Cornell University has an online exhibition honoring Vladimir Nabokov and the 50th Anniversary of the publication of Lolita. I know, I know -- I sound obsessed, but the site is pretty impressive.

Library of Congress tomfoolery...

Imagine! The Library of Congress stuffed into the size of a sugar cube -- oh, the possibilities!

Man Booker finalists announced

The finalists for the Man Booker Prize were announced today....

National Book Festival

If only I were closer....The National Book Festival will be held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, September 24, 2005, sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by First Lady Laura Bush. My favorite author, Diana Gabaldon is going to be there signing her new book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes! Hmmm....my birthday is the following week...maybe somebody will surprise me with a ticket??

NYC

Some days I miss NYC...like today when I open up the Times and see a two-page ad for the 2005 Fall Season for the 92nd Street Y, "At once a lecture hall, a performance space, a school, a health center and a community organization, the Y remains focused on its mission of enriching the lives of the people who pass through its doors...". The 92nd Street Y Reading Series will feature authors like Salman Rushdie, Louise Erdrich, Joan Didion, Bobbie Ann Mason and more...

The Man Booker Prize 2005

Ok -- so they announced the Man Booker Prize Longlist a month ago -- so sue me! I've been a little busy this summer. This prestigious British Commonwealth award always has some surefire good reads in contemporary fiction -- take a look...

a global warming reading list...

I saw an especially interesting Meet the Press with Tim Russert this past Sunday. Mr. Russert's several interviews included people in Bush's cabinet, local & state officials from Louisiana & Mississippi, as well as a few scientific experts talking about global climate change and the impact this has had on the low-lying coastal areas of the U.S. I thought it would be relevant to put together a reading list for those interested in how a hurricane of Katrina's magnitude can have such a devastating affect on the region...

Some websites...
EPA Global Warming Site
Global Warming Primer (from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network)
Global Warming: Early Warning Signs
Global Warming (from the The Cooler Heads Coalition, a subgroup of the National Consumer Coalition)

Some books...
Bayou Farewell : The Rich Life and Tragic Death of Louisiana's Cajun Coast, by Mike Tidwell
Climate Change : Impact on Coastal Habitation, edited by Doeke Eisma (this title has chapters such as "Impact of climatic change on coastal cities" and "River flux to the sea: impact of human intervention on river systems and adjacent coastal areas")
The Discovery of Global Warming, by Spencer R. Weart
Firefly Guide to Global Hazards, by Robert L. Kovach and Bill McGuire (Abstract states, "A compelling, richly illustrated guide to the many large-scale natural disasters that affect life on Earth, both globally and locally. The guide is vital reading for those interested in the environment, geophysics and current affairs. It provides clear descriptions of all types of hazards and the threats they pose")
Holding Back the Sea: The Struggle for America's Natural Legacy on the Gulf Coast, by Christopher Hallowell

disaster relief

The Louisiana Library Association is accepting monetary donations to help schools, public, and academic libraries cope with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina...