Rod Dreher, a conservative columnist at The Dallas Morning News — and a former Sarah Palin supporter — reviewed Palin’s newly published book, Going Rogue, for public radio. Berkeley gets more than an honorary mention therein: Sarah Palin is back to tell us that she loves Alaska. And America. And Todd, the First Dude. She […]
Books
Big Sur author brings Bohemian tales to Berkeley
It’s always tricky to write about a pal’s book, you don’t want to come off sounding like a fawning friend, frankly. So, in the case of My Nepenthe by Romney “Nani” Steele, I’m going to let others hand out the praise. Sunset describes Steele’s cookbook-cum-memoir as “a valentine to one of the most beautiful places […]
Walk on the wild side
The Velvet Underground with Andy Warhol in 1967 Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground is about as New York as anything can be. But tonight at the Berkeley Central Library you can imagine yourself in a different downtown. At 6:30 this evening, Richie Unterberger will be presenting rare film of the Velvet Underground and talking about […]
Mystery Writing Conference at Claremont Hotel
When Berkeley resident Cornelia Read was struggling to finish her first mystery, she showed the first 20 pages to bestselling-author Lee Child at the annual Book Passage Mystery Conference. Child liked the pages so much, he offered to write a blurb for Read. Read encountered Child the next year at another Book Passage conference. She […]
Who is the man you want to see to fix that novel? Alan Rinzler’s the man.
Alan Rinzler is a familiar sight around Berkeley. The executive editor of Jossey-Bass Publishing, Rinzler is a walker, and it’s common to see him strolling to and from Bart on his daily commute to San Francisco, his head of bright white hair like a beacon on the street. Rinzler is another beacon of sorts, a […]
The return of Black Oak Books
Black Oak Books, which closed its wonderful store on Shattuck in June this year, will be resurrected on San Pablo. The booksellers are renovating the space at 2618 San Pablo formerly leased by Rountrees (hat tip: Jim). Since the closure, Black Oak Books has been buying and selling books out of a warehouse on San […]
C’est si bon!
As if local recognition were not enough, the Elmwood’s Mrs Dalloway’s has also won a national contest for the best Julia Child window display. The prize is round trip tickets to New York, a two-night stay in a hotel, and dinner with Julie & Julia director Nora Ephron. According to co-owner Ann Leyhe a date […]
Bargains galore at UC Press sidewalk sale
UC Press is holding its annual sidewalk sale today until 5:30pm in front of its offices at 2120 Berkeley Way. Hardbacks are $10.00 and paperbacks are $5.00. My favorite find? “California Gold Camps,” by Erwin G. Gudde, who made a career writing books that revealed the origins of the state’s towns. (This books sells for […]
Two Berkeley businesses honored
Two Berkeley businesses have won 2009 Women-Owned Business of the Year Awards in the Alameda County category. They are Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary & Garden Arts bookstore, founded by Marion Abbott and Ann Layhe (pictured above), and BioFuel Oasis, run by Novella Carpenter, Margaret Farrow, Ace Anderson, Melissa Hardy and Jennifer Radtke. The awards are sponsored […]
Mr Chabon is on the road
Photo: www.michaelchabon.com Berkeley author Michael Chabon has just embarked on one of those “If it’s Tuesday it must be Pittsburgh” type book tours that make you exhausted just reading about them. He is promoting his newly published collection of essays “Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and Regrets of a Husband, Father and Son” and the media […]
Berkeley boy at helm of new bookstore
Books Inc opened its Berkeley store at 1760 Fourth Street today. The doors opened early to welcome the crowd that had gathered outside eager to experience a new book store after witnessing so many go the other way in recent years. Co-owner and president Michael Tucker told Carolyn Said at the Chronicle: “I’m a Berkeley […]