Summer Reading List
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June 8, 2013

Good writers read good writing. While you are writing your work-in-progress, keep reading great books. Here’s our recommendations for a super summer reading list. Non-Fiction Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan Death in the Baltic: WWII Sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff by Cathryn Prince Dirty Wars by Jeremy Scahill Good Prose: The Art of Non-Fiction… [Read More]

Prose: Good, Better, Best
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June 4, 2013

Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd have co-authored Good Prose: The Art of Non-Fiction and opened a window into writing and editing, writer and editor. Author of Strength in What Remains, Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World, Tracy Kidder won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1981 non-fiction narrative, The Soul of a New Machine. Kidder established… [Read More]

Not Sure Digital is for You? Give an eReader Alternative a Try
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February 9, 2013

If you are a voracious reader — even if you will never give up the pleasure of paper — you may be considering an eReader device. But wait!  You don’t need to commit just yet. You can try before you buy. “After 5 years, eBooks is a multi-billion dollar category for us and growing fast — up approximately 70% last year,” said Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. “In… [Read More]

Read eBooks from Your Desktop with Calibre – Even if you Own an eReader
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February 5, 2013

eReading devices are one of the most polarizing topics among bibliophiles – but whether you’re glued to your Kindle or loyal to print-and-paper, being able to easily read ebooks on your computer is a revolutionizing experience. Why on a desktop? If you’ve got an eReader, you might not see the point in having a eReader program on your home computer. But consider: Being able to… [Read More]

2012 Austin Jewish Book Fair
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November 10, 2012

The 29th Austin Jewish Book Fair was held October 28 through November 1 at the Dell Jewish Community Campus. It was a pleasure to sit with my “sistahs” again at the fair (Sisterhood members of Congregation Agudas Achim), but the contrast between last year and this was noticeable. Last year the fair opened with the book lover’s luncheon, and this year it closed with it,… [Read More]

Texas Book Festival 2012
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October 30, 2012

Austin hosted another Texas Book Festival over a beautifully crisp and sunny fall weekend, October 27-28. Having gone over budget at the vendor tents last year, I resisted temptation this time by heading straight for the capitol to hear authors speak. Not realizing that I would have to stand in line for a security check and then make my way through the bowels of the… [Read More]

For the love of (old) books: Cornell University Kroch Library Division of Rare & Manuscript Collections
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September 1, 2012

Labor Day weekend is an omen of the new school year. It’s an exciting time of year for those who love books. Last fall Lindsay Debach shared this adventure on the campus of Cornell University when she toured the unique collection of manuscripts and rare books. This fall Lindsay begins her graduate students in English Literature in the UK. We wish her well in her… [Read More]

Leigh Stein’s “Dispatch from the Future”
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August 28, 2012

“Have you ever been in love? Have you ever dreamed of revenge? Have you ever felt like no one knows who or where you are, and so your body may never be discovered? Have you ever wanted for a night to never end? Have you ever wanted to run away? Have you ever gone outside and seen the sky?” In an interview with girlslikegiants.wordpress.com, Leigh… [Read More]

A Day at BEA: Swenson Book Development does Book Expo America
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June 16, 2012

Swenson Book Development, LLC was in the thick of publishing madness two weeks ago  – two members of our team, myself and Jill Swenson, checked out the trade floor and events at Book Expo America.  BEA is the place for movers and shakers of the North American publishing industry. From event interviews of famous musicians-come-authors to Harlequin Romance shilling for their latest salacious-covered paperback, from bustling New… [Read More]

Reading Non-Fiction for Pleasure
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April 17, 2012

I’m going to ‘fess up: I don’t read enough nonfiction for pleasure. Fiction has always been more compelling to me. The fantasy, the adventure, the imagination, the characters – this is the stuff of storytelling. But there are some exceptional books of non-fiction and memoir that trump my fandom of fiction. Here’s my top 4 picks for NF and memoir. These books are not only… [Read More]