Author: peterwesley

Top 5 Reasons (book wise) To Be Excited For Fall

Top 5 Reasons (book wise) To Be Excited For Fall Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. Franzen fans (like myself) have long awaited a follow-up to his brilliant 2001 novel, The Corrections. The ways in which he wrote about family, with all its joy and pain and angst and anger, captured the hearts and minds of many a reader and the praise of many a critic. I am one of those who counts it among the best fiction of the past decade. But the questioned remained; can he do it again? I am here to tell you, he can and he did. Freedom touches upon similar themes, but creates an entirely new cast of characters, as fully realized and alive as those he imagined almost 10 years ago. I cannot wait to sell you this book. You cannot wait to buy it. Trust me.

This just in: FEATHERS OF BOOK LOVERS EVERYWHERE RUFFLED.

Boy oh boy, there’s nothing I love more than incensed bibliophiles. The most recent offender? Anis Shivani at the Huffington Post, who wrote a petty, pithy little thing called The 15 Most Overrated Contemporary American Writers. His article might be startlingly inaccurate and small-minded and ill-conceived, but it’s generated a fair amount of buzz in the tiny world of literary fiction since it appeared over the weekend. That’s 1,639 comments on the article at last count, most not worth reading, and several outraged and reasoned responses across the web.

Peter’s top picks for the summer

Well, we're really in the thick of it now, and it's starting to get HOT! To beat the heat, I drink plenty of fluids and hole up in the office to do some "research" on the newest books we have in the store. As I've been making my way through the pile, a few have really stood out. I wanted to share with you my top three books of the summer. Likewise, leave a comment and let me know what you have been digging on this season.

Awesome 80’s Photo Contest Winner

Congrats to Debbie Delk for winning our Awesome 80's Photo Contest! Her photo recieved the most votes at last night's event. Debbie was super excited to win the prize basket, which included a few VHS copies of 80's classics (like Say Anything), leg warmers, a bottle of Aquanet, a Rubik's cube, some cassingles, and a copy of Rob Sheffield's new book Talking to Girls About Duran Duran. Thanks to everyone who came to the event. We had a great time.

Road Tripping

I’m a member of The Voyage Out Book Club here at BookPeople. Built on the idea that we can tell a lot about a place from its stories, we read regional fiction. We’re finishing up our three-month visit to New York with Paul Auster’s three-pronged book “The New York Trilogy”. I’m, as always, excited. But, while my mythical vacation to New York ends, I’ll be on an actual trip through the South. My wife, my son, and I will pack our car and head east, all the way to Richmond, Va. On the way we’ll stop in Little Rock, Oxford, and Asheville. We’re giddy. The most important part of any road trip, of course, is the music, next is the junk food, but a strong third is the reading list.

Rob Sheffield’s Top Ten Karaoke Jams

Rolling Stone journalist Rob Sheffield is coming to BookPeople this Wednesday, July 28th at 7PM, to celebrate his new book Talking to Girls About Duran Duran. We're going all out for this event, preparing a special 80's themed prize basket (which includes a copy of the new book) to the winner of our 80's Photo Contest. In order to get everyone in the right spirit, Sheffield sent us a list of his TOP TEN 80's KARAOKE JAMS. Enjoy.

Second Annual Austin Publishing University starts Aug. 1st

Attention local writers! Working on a novel, but not sure what to do with it once it's finished? The world of professional publishing can be confusing and tricky... a labyrinth of query letters, book agents, cold calls and mountainous slush piles. The second annual Austin Publishing University, set to start on August 1st at 1pm, is here to help. Held on the third floor of BookPeople, the APU is a five part series that teaches the basics of publishing - how to create quality content, the essentials of book design, and the secrets of succesful marketing strategies.

Noir at the Bar, Tuesday 7/27 at 7PM

A new night out is starting to catch on in crime fiction circles. Noir At The Bar, an evening of drinks and readings by some of the darkest authors, started in Philadelphia with alums like Dennis Tafoya and Duane Swierczynski and moved to St. Louis with the likes of Ice Harvest author Scott Phillips. Now it’s time to move the party to the live music capitol of the world with three great authors and do it Austin style.

Joshua Long’s Weird City and the Future of ATX

This city is changing. New residents and new money are flooding in, causing some to celebrate and others to mourn. Joshua Long, a former Austin resident and scholar, wrote Weird City: A Sense of Place and Creative Resistance in Austin, TX to discuss these municipal changes and document the grass roots movements dedicated to preserving the local customs and flavor. Long will be in-store this Saturday (7/17) at 3PM and was kind enough to answer a few questions for the blog via email from his current residence in Switzerland.