Interview: Carl Hiaasen on his latest, ‘Star Island’

The bestselling author discusses his latest Florida caper, ‘Star Island’, a story of an ‘off-the-rails’ pop star who needs surrogates to provide cover when she can no longer handle the grind of her showbiz existence. See how Hiaasen describes it from here.

Anna Quindlen Interview

Anna Quindlen discusses her highly-anticipated new novel ‘Every Last One’ in this exclusive video interview from B&N.com.

Top 10 Rock Novels Worth Reading

Ever wanted to blend your passion for books with your passion for music. Well Explore Music has made that easy with their ultimate mashup list, “Top 10 Rock Novels Worth Reading.” So, if you didn’t really get your fix sated by stopping at Nick Hornby’s “High Fidelity,” (which, of course, is on the list.) there are a number of other volumes (from William Gibson to Salmon Rushdie and even two by Bill Flanagan) that should give you more, in the words of John Mayall ‘room to move.’

Check it out here:
Top 10 Rock Novels Worth Reading

Barbara Boxer on her novel Blind Trust (Chronicle)

This second novel by Senator Barbara Boxer is the story of dirty tricks and political survival, and the battle for integrity in the corridors of power. Now married (to a Republican!) and in her second term, United States Senator Ellen Fisher (Democrat) is about to chair explosive hearings on Homeland Security. Before she goes head to head with the Vice President, whose excessive zeal in enforcing national security has begun to infringe on individual liberties, Ellen and her staff become the subjects of a barrage of charges and attacks that threaten their safety, as well as her career and marriage.

Learn more at: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_id,7911/

Hollywood Bookgroup Tackles Pride and Power

Chandler Burr’s You or Someone Like You tells the tale of Anne Rosenbaum, wife of a powerful Hollywood executive, who unexpectedly finds herself at the helm of a popular book group. Through Anne, Burr considers cultural arrogance, pride and power. Maureen Corrigan has a review.

Read more from the original source:
Hollywood Bookgroup Tackles Pride and Power

Notes From an Art Underground of the Worker Bees

For every famous artist, painter, photographer and like, there seem to be an endless array of so-called ‘assistants’ who do everything from arranging schedules, promoting events, personal errands and sometimes even, becoming engaged in the creation of the art as well. In Deborah Solomon’s attached review, she focuses on a new novel by Samantha Peale, a former assistant to famed artist Jeff Koons. Or as Solomon says. “In her witty and impressively observed debut novel Samantha Peale has given us what is probably the first novel narrated by a studio assistant in New York in the 21st century” and what holds for the bigger meaning for such ‘artistic’ assistants everywhere.

Follow this link:
Notes From an Art Underground of the Worker Bees

‘The Red Squad’ by E.M. Broner

The author brings wit and humor to the story of a group of friends in post-2001 America looking back on their activist ways in the 1960s. Does history repeat itself, or would it be better described as a tape loop on which we play our solo?

Originally posted here:

‘The Red Squad’ by E.M. Broner

Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

Book Quote: We were a Cosby family, good on paper, that was the lingo. Father a doctor, mother a lawyer. Three kids, prep-schooled, with clean fingernails and nice manners. No imperial brownstone, but our Prewar Classic 7 wasnt too shabby, squeezing us tight in old elegant bones. Did we squirm? Oh …

Read the original here:
SAG HARBOR by Colson Whitehead

‘Beverly Hills Adjacent’ by Jennifer Steinhauer and Jessica Hendra

A well-written but shallow portrait of Hollywood. God, they say, is in the details, but reading “Beverly Hills Adjacent,” one can’t help but feel that plot helps too.

See the original post here:
‘Beverly Hills Adjacent’ by Jennifer Steinhauer and Jessica Hendra

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Book Quote: “There were certainly some rounds to be made that year, from Poland to Russia to Africa and back again.” or so says The Book Thief. Read all about it here.

Originally posted here:
THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

Next Page »