Quote de jour

"No one ever commmitted suicide while reading a good book, but many have tried while trying to write one."
~Robert Byrne

A publicist sent me an ARC of Attachments a novel to be released April 14, 2011 by the colorfully named Rainbow Powell. The first thing I do when I pick up a new book is to examine the book design even before paying attention to the title or author's name. Then I read the cover and flap copy, flip randomly through the pages noting the page number, quality of paper, read the odd sentence and finally read the first page.  Regular readers know I'm a fiend for good book design and this beige cover left me cold. If I spotted in across a crowded aisle I would not pick it up. When I learned the book consists largely of an exchange of emails between two BFF co-workers, I wrinkled my nose (who writes intelligent emails like that?) but as I continued to read I was happily surprised at this sweetly funny crack at modern day romance. The author has a clever and quirky website based on the book design RainbowRowell.com I think I'll email her and let her know how much I liked it. Fingers crossed for a smashing debut.



The Rolling Stone's icon Keith Richards has written (with the help of writer James Fox) a memoir of his jaw-dropping life simply called Life. It's a best seller (it better be with a 7 million dollar advance) and an addictive pleasure to read. With the harrowing details and gut-wrenching honesty of his entire life, this ain't just drugs, sex and rock and roll. The best part about books like these are the collections of photographs, the cover portraits included, but enough with the cigarettes already. I can smell the smoke from where I'm sitting.



Best magazine article from this week's stack and more scary than any Stephen King novel is the article about the planet's population explosion in Nat Geo. Population 7 Billion.