BOOKS

Literary news & reviews, Alabama authors, and book signings

This year, Alabama Bound is taking a different track and falling in line with the state-wide The Big Read initiative. It’s still free (except lunch) and runs from 10a-3p, tomorrow (Saturday, march 20th) at the Central Branch in downtown Birmingham. Since this year’s Big Read is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, they are going to [...] Full story »

It’s finally here! Click here to go download it (download will start automatically). There’s nothing super special about it. With all the delays, since last year, I thought they were cramming in all of the annotations and such, but it looks like those are coming later. This app, which lets you buy and read kindle books [...] Full story »

"Anna, Washing" By Ted Genoways University of Georgia Press, $16.95 Reviewed by JENNIFER HORN/Special to the Press-Register Historical novels have been with us for some time — think of Sir Walter Scott’s “Ivanhoe” — and offer the pleasing experience of feeling that you are being entertained and educated at the same time. In the past two decades historical fiction... Full story »

Good lord, how time marches on. It’s already been over a decade since the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal and the ensuing struggle to impeach President Bill Clinton riveted the nation. And now, in a project begun before the smoke had even cleared, we have a massive (800 pages, counting notes, bibliography and index) new book about the whole mess.... Full story »

I love promotional programs like the new Read It Forward here in Birmingham/Jefferson County. They seem to merge all of the fun parts of technology, connects a community and has FREE books! This year Tom Sawyer has been selected as the book for Alabama Reads and the JCLC system is stepping up to make reading [...] Full story »

Doubleday deal has Keith Thomson hustling to finish sequel. Full story »

She’s been called the First Lady of Country Music, and more than a decade after her death, the title appears more secure than ever. During her tragic and all too short life, Tammy Wynette (1942-1998) belted out 17 number-one hits including “I Don’t Wanna Play House,” “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” “Good Lovin’ (Makes it Right),” “Another Lonely Song” and, of course, “Stand... Full story »

Jimmy McDonough loved the country star for a long time and it comes through in his book. Full story »

Spring is in the air. And when the pollen count begins to rise, so does the level of fun stuff happening on the Gulf Coast. Some notes on the first wave of spring activity follow:   “American Idol” winner Ruben Studdard of Birmingham will make an appearance Saturday at Wind Creek Casino in Atmore. The bad news: He won’t... Full story »

They were the decades of American exceptionalism – the 1940s through the ’70s – defined by industrial and military might, a booming economy, technological breakthroughs and a surging youth culture famous for its vibrant expressions in music, literature and the arts. Philip D. Beidler, born in 1945 and now an English professor at the University of Alabama, was there... Full story »

Crescent Theater hosts ‘Oscar Night’      MOBILE, Ala. — The Crescent Theater in downtown Mobile will host a gala for the Academy Awards telecast beginning at 6:30 p.m. March 7 at 208 Dauphin St. The event is a benefit for the downtown movie house and will feature the Academy Awards broadcast on the big screen, red carpet photos and... Full story »

The French Quarter is world-famous for its incredible architecture, mouthwatering cuisine and colorful human panoply. Situated on slightly elevated ground in a tight bend of the Mississippi, this “Sliver by the River” has long defined New Orleans. In the last century, however, it has undergone profound changes, and its very existence has been occasionally threatened by man and nature.... Full story »

By MARTHA JANE BRAZY/Special to the Press-Register The University of South Alabama Department of History and the University of South Alabama Foundation will present the Ninth Annual Howard F. Mahan Lecture on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Laidlaw Performing Arts Center on the main USA Campus. The evening’s lecture, “Race, Medicine and Research: Re-examining the Infamous... Full story »

Fox Sports columnist to tell how Woods built a public persona at odds with his private life. Full story »

"Stealing with Style" by Emyl Jenkins (Algonquin, $12.95) "The Big Steal" by Emyl Jenkins (Algonquin, $13.95) Reviewed by RUSS ADAMS. Special to the Press-Register When asked to review Emyl Jenkins’ mystery series, I embarked on a little sleuthing of my own. I found that Jenkins’ detective novels “Stealing with Style” and “The Big Steal” were defined as “cozy” mysteries. Cozies... Full story »