Thursday, August 30, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/30/2007

8/30/1972:
You can never tell what gems are waiting to be discovered on the field courts at the U.S .Open. In today's first round at Forest Hills, Australian Roy Emerson, winner of 12 grand-slam singles titles, defeats up-and-coming Swede Bjorn Borg, who will eventually win 11 of his own. And working the match is a 13-year-old ballboy from Douglaston, Queens, named John McEnroe.

Birthdays:
Ted Williams b. 1918
Coy Bacon b. 1942
Jean-Claude Killy b. 1943
Tug McGraw b. 1944
Robert Parish b. 1953


FICTION THRILLER

Dirty Sally is my kind of novel—tough, dark and gritty.”—James Ellroy

If James Ellroy is your kind of novelist, then you’ll agree with his assessment of Dirty Sally. It’s got a lot in common with L.A. Confidential: a murder to be solved, a cop with problems of his own, political corruption, and more. And if the pages weren’t turning so fast you’d notice smart, smooth prose. An incredibly satisfying thrill ride.

DIRTY SALLY, by Michael Simon (Penguin, 2005)

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/29/2007

8/29/1951:
Kid Gavilan of Cuba retains his world welterweight title with a controversial 15-round split decision over New Yorker Billy Graham at Madison Square Garden. A 3-1 betting favorite, Gavilan builds up an early lead on points to withstand a fast finish by the challenger. After the verdict is announced, Graham's ardent supporters unleash a shower of debris, and several of them try to enter the ring to further demonstrate their displeasure. Referee Mark Conn needs a cordon of New York's finest to escort him from the premises.

Birthdays:
Wyomia Tyus b. 1945
Bob Beamon b. 1946
Jerry Bailey b. 1957
Pierre Turgeon b. 1969
Roy Oswalt b. 1977

SPIRITUALITY

Accomplished memoirist Rosemary Mahoney had a complicated relationship with religion, despite her very traditional Irish-Catholic upbringing. So she embarked on a series of pilgrimages—both Christian and Hindu—to see what propelled the faithful onward. Go with her to Lourdes, Santiago de Compostela, and the Ganges River, among other places, where she explores faith in her trademark introspective, surprising style.

THE SINGULAR PILGRIM, by Rosemary Mahoney (Mariner Books, 2004)

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Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/28/2007

8/28/1990:
Stefan Edberg of Sweden is ambushed in the opening round of the U.S. Open by Aleksandr Volkov of Russia in straight sets. After winning Wimbledon two months ago, Edberg seized every commercial venture and exhibition opportunity that came his way and arrived in New York fairly well used up. The power-serving, unseeded Volkov makes short work of the top-seeded Swede, who learns a cruel lesson about the vagaries of properly managing his time and tournament workload. Edberg will return next year with renewed vigor and win this event in 1991 and '92.

Birthdays:
Andy Bathgate b. 1932
Lou Piniella b. 1943
Ron Guidry b. 1950
Joel Youngblood b. 1951
Janet Evans b. 1971


“Fierce, wise, gripping, and true, Girls marks the continuing evolution of a first-rate American storyteller.”—The New York Times Book Review

“About as close to perfect as a novel gets.”—Men’s Journal

“Nearly as intricate and mysterious as life itself.”—The Washington Post Book World

Frederick Busch’s books, usually set in upstate New York, plumb the depths of the soul. Girls is the story of an ordinary man who tries to solve a grisly murder and in the course of doing so, saves his dignity and his marriage, and gives meaning to his fractured life.

GIRLS, by Frederick Busch (Ballantine Books, 1998)

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Monday, August 27, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/27/2007

8/27/1954:
Schenectady, New York, wins the Little League World Series with a 7-5 win over Colton, California. Pitcher Bill Masucci, son of Schenectady coach Lou Masucci, goes the distance on a four-hitter and also hits a two-run homer. Twelve years from now, Schenectady team captain Jim Barbieri will earn the distinction of becoming the first player to appear in the LLWS and the real World Series when he plays for the 1966 National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Birthdays:
Nikki Pilic b. 1939
Buddy Bell b. 1951
Bernhard Langer b. 1957
Adam Oates b. 1962
Jim Thome b. 1970


HISTORIES

The crew of the trading ship Commerce left the port of Middletown, Connecticut, in May 1815 bound for the islands of Cape Verde. Working on a merchant ship was not without dangers, but certainly none of the men could have imagined that their fates would include being shipwrecked off the coast of Africa, wandering lost around the Sahara, becoming enslaved by an abusive Arab, being saved by a merchant, collecting a bounty for the merchant, and finally (for several) returning home. King makes the grueling saga terrifyingly real with his explanations of famine, dehydration, sun blindness, and other horrors. People calls it a cross between Master and Commander and Lawrence of Arabia. Do you dare?

SKELETONS ON THE ZAHARA: A TRUE STORY OF SURVIVAL, by Dean King (Back Bay Books, 2005)

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Sunday, August 26, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/26/2007

8/26/1990:
Powerful two-sport star Bo Jackson of the Kansas City Royals returns from a six-week stay on the disabled list for a separated shoulder by unleashing a 450-foot homer on the first pitch he sees from Randy Johnson of the Seattle Mariners. Added to the three in a row he hit before being injured at Yankee Stadium on July 17, the prodigious clout gives Jackson an MLB record-tying four homers in four at bats. The 1985 Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn also has a double and a single in four at bats as K.C. rips Seattle, 8-2.

Birthdays:
Billy DeMars b. 1925
Tom Heinsohn b. 1934
Swede Savage b. 1946
Donnie Shell b. 1952
Ricky Bottalico b. 1969


MEMOIRS

Life was sweet in 1950s Wisconsin. And David Benjamin’s memories of it are the cherry on top. The Life and Times of the Last Kid Picked depicts a world of peewee baseball, penny candy, Doris Day movies, and frog hunting at the swimming hole. Funny, vivid, and nostalgic. Perfect for Lake Wobegone fans and Baby Boomers who like to remember when.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE LAST KID PICKED, by David Benjamin (Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2003)

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Saturday, August 25, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/25/2007

8/25/2002:
Paradorn Srichaphan becomes the first player from Thailand to win a tournament on the ATP Tour when he defeats Argentinian Juan Ignacio Chela in three sets to win the TD Waterhouse Cup at the Hamlet Club on Long Island. After upsetting Andre Agassi at Wimbledon this summer, it's a well-deserved breakthrough for the Thai star at the U.S. Open prep event. His strong serve and powerful forehand prove an unbeatable combination on the hard court surface against Chela, a South American clay court devotee.

Birthdays:
Althea Gibson b. 1927
Rollie Fingers b. 1946
Albert Belle b. 1966
Cornelius Bennett b. 1966
Doug Glanville b. 1970

“An astonishing piece of fiction, one that expands the boundaries of the thriller genre.”—The Washington Post

It’s hard to believe Tropic of Night is Michael Gruber’s first novel. Here is nail-biting, spine-tingling reading at its most confident and agile. No matter how complicated the plot becomes, no matter how far-flung the setting, or how frightening the twists, you know Gruber is in control. Submit to the master, and let his eerie story of an anthropologist fleeing from her madman shaman husband keep you up all night.

TROPIC OF NIGHT, by Michael Gruber (HarperTorch, 2004)

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Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/24/2007

8/24/1921:
Art Nehf and Shufflin' Phil Douglas hurl companion five-hitters as the New York Giants sweep first-place Pittsburgh, 10-2 adn 7-0, turning the National League pennant race completely around. Irish Meusel has five hits in the twin bill as the McGrawmen rough up the visiting Corsairs, who boasted a nine-game lead in the loss column at the start of play. The Giants will sweep this five-game series from Pittsburgh, finish the year on a 24-9 run to win their first of four straight NL pennants and go on to beat the Yankees in the World Series.

Birthdays:
Mike Shanahan b. 1952
Cal Ripken Jr. b. 1960
Reggie Miller b. 1965
Tim Salmon b. 1968
Rafael Furcal b. 1980


How did you spend your summer vacation? William Dalrymple decided to retrace Marco Polo’s footsteps during one of his. The Cambridge University student traveled overland from Jerusalem to Beijing, encountering bazaars, mosques, cathedrals, oases, ancient cities, eccentric people, and wonders of the world. It’s a glorious, madcap, epic adventure (“a quest,” the book promises) by a first-class travel writer.

IN XANADU, by William Dalrymple (Lonely Planet Publications, 2000)

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Thursday, August 23, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/23/2007

Late-night host David Letterman, on Tiger Woods' fourth Masters title: "What an amazing accomplishment. Tremendous. I was not aware of this, but if Tiger Woods wins one more Green Jacket, he officially becomes a Christo project."

Birthdays:
Sonny Jurgensen b. 1934
Nancy Richey b. 1942
Julio Franco b. 1958
Rik Smits b. 1966
Kobe Bryant b. 1978


LITERARY FICTION

A woman may have committed a terrible crime. Will the governor of her small town follow the law or succumb to the general public who demands she be destroyed? Bennett’s ambitious literary novel is set in 17th-century England when religious extremism was rampant and destructive, but his themes are eternal. A thought-provoking book, an heir to The Scarlet Letter.

HAVOC, IN ITS THIRD YEAR: A NOVEL, by Ronan Bennett (Simon & Schuster, 2006)

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Fargo, ND: Gateway to the West

I just couldn’t resist passing this blog entry along. So nice to see Fargo appreciated and not laughed at. ~Susan


http://www.peacescooter.com/uncategorized/fargo-nd-gateway-to-the-west/

Fargo, ND: Gateway to the West

Category: Uncategorized |


(Those postcards look familiar, yes I know. They were used on a previous entry. It’s encouragement to fill out the postcard I have given you along the way!)

The trip up from Sioux Falls was pretty uneventful. Traveling by way of Routes 81, to 11, to 34 to 18 to some other little roads and finally to Broadway St., it was a long drive with few towns or gas stations. From Salina, KS on, fueling stations have been sparse. I regularly questions locals as to what’s ahead in the next town-often stopping if even at three quarters a tank. Except, someone from Circle, MT just gave me a gas can yesterday-but I don’t want to get ahead of the updates….

I rode into Fargo quite cheerfully, around 6pm. It was August 17- the day being my one month on the road anniversary point. Also, I have waited patiently for about 12 years to visit Fargo. And this has nothing to do with the Coen Brothers movie Fargo-which, by the way, wasn’t even filmed there. There were only four states left for me to visit in this country-North Dakota being one and now being done!

As a gift for the P.E.A.C.E SCOOTER anniversary, Phillip gratuitously offered to pay for my lodging at his favorite hotel, the Hotel Donaldson.
And I graciously accepted. I suspect he had a hunch about my physical and mental condition being a bit ragged by then. Me and Audrey scooted up curiously, covered in road dust. Now this was quite a grandiose palace, and as I unsaddled Audrey, I hoped there were no highfalutin characters inside. My room was nicer than my apartment, or any apartment I might ever have. And not a pretentious nice, but a really decadent, artistically pleasant kind of nice. The artwork caught my eye and I perused an informative folder that detailed all the local artistry throughout the building. This excited me-to see that this hotel was actually a community hub. The CD’s laid out in the room, next to the BOSE stereo, were all local musicians. Fighting the urge to nest for the evening on the plush bed, I grabbed the camera and headed out for a walk. At this point, I felt a bit like a reporter from the Travel Channel, but I was grinning ear to ear to be in Fargo and have such a swell place to boot.

I had a couple hours of sunlight left to snap some shots. The first guy I ran across was parking his car, which was packed with instruments. I inquired if he was in the jazz band playing in the lounge. He was. And it turned out he had jammed/partied with some favorite local musicians of Charlottesville, VA-the Hackensaw Boys. A nice coincidence to meet someone who had a connection to my hometown-a world separated by six degrees. Don’t ever doubt how interconnected we are-and what possibilities you might share with a seemingly total stranger! Greeting strangers like friends is how I avoid being lonely on the road!

The downtown area really impressed me. I was searching for a salad somewhere and staring at a sculpture when some nice girls stopped to tell me the point of the painted buffalo.
It’s part of a city art project. They also told me Fargo has more restaurants and coffee shops per capita than anywhere else. But everyone says that it seems. Anyhow, people were really cordial everywhere I went. The evening walk took me well around and through the parameters of downtown. Fargo was founded in 1871 and has a lot of character. It was obvious that the area had been revitalized, but tastefully so. I was informed that private investors and city planners all work well together at long range urban planning. Hope you aren’t bored-but urban planning is exciting stuff to me! I enjoyed that the historic integrity was mostly still intact. It seemed as though many buildings were renovated versus razed. I could feel some old Western culture present amid the tasteful, shiny, modern touches and lighting. I bet early downtown Fargo saw some wild times during its heyday as a railway stop. I also suspect that the Hotel Donaldson (HODO) is a big contributing player in Fargo’s revival. Sightseeing concluded, I went back to explore inside the HODO.

I pushed open a heavy door into the packed low lit, smoky lounge. My only complaint-heavy doors. And I’m not a wimpy spring chicken either! Immediately people made eye contact with me. A classy gentleman at the bar, Tony, clad in pink shirt, introduced himself and a great conversation was born. It turns out he is involved with film making. His latest project is a docu-drama about Fargo, so he spends a lot of time there, otherwise he lives in Chicago. He told me all about the interesting characters that make up the town. It was nice to pick his brain a bit for movie advice. He and the friend he introduced me too were truly engaging fellows. They both took postcards and I hope to get a response from whomever they send ‘em off to. I said goodbye and went over across the lobby, into the fancy dining room.

Kate, the server closing up for the night, took this picture of me, pretending to play the piano. We wound up talking for almost an hour. All of the employees at the HODO were so supportive and intrigued by my trip. I also enjoyed hearing their unique stories and appreciated that they all took time to be so candid. I didn’t get to meet the owner of the Hotel Donaldson, she was out of town, but everyone applauded her for creating a family at the HODO. It really shined through too. Of course-I never could have afforded a room there-but the rest of the place was pretty accessible to anyone. I went to the upper floor, also full of locals having a good time. There were some nice views of Fargo from the top.

Before hitting the sack I rolled one last time through the HODO lounge. Igor and Ted gave me big smiles and an invitation to chat-so I obliged. These locals are splendid! While chatting with them, the manager Ben came over to the table and said the HODO had heard about P.E.A.C.E SCOOTER and stood in full support. Generously, he said that the chef had been informed to prepare anything I wanted the next day for the road. I asked how he knew about the trip and he said Kate, the server had mentioned it. Kate walked up just then to return a completely filled out postcard to me! My first month anniversary and the first postcard return! Bonus! It was all very surreal. I hope to see many more postcards make it back to me!

I retired up to the room but couldn’t sleep for the sheer lavishness of it all. My pillows had been turned down-something the campground always forgets to do. I nibbled on the chocolate cookies left for me and read the weather report that had been placed by the bed. At some point I passed out-it all seemed like a dream anyways. I might have jumped up and down on the bed too……

The next morning I poked around some shops looking for a Fargo sweatshirt. It was safe to say I would need one for the road ahead through colder state and plus, I heart Fargo. I never found one though. The chef prepared me a salad and sandwich for the road and couldn’t help wishing they supported my cause enough to offer me a free room for the night.

Before leaving town I needed to pick up a box I had mailed to myself, of extra postcards and stickers. Crystal had sent me a package too, with a dazzling seat cover for Audrey.
It’s fleecy and cushy for my cushion and adds vivid color to my black bike. The peace signs are perfect for the tour-a deep bow to Crystal for her generosity. It was cool to have a present waiting and fortunately, the boxes were located after some searching. The pick up point was a certified Genuine dealer, but the place, Scheels, is more like a sporting goods Disney World. There is even a ferris wheel inside.
Having left the cosmopolitan area of Fargo, I wasn’t too impressed with the rest of what I experienced in Fargo. Fortunately, a kind guy led me to the road I needed to get out of town. I opened up the throttle and headed towards Devil’s Lake. A beautiful ride was waiting and my frustration with some sales people quickly dissipated.

Thank you to everyone who shared in my long awaited sojourn to Fargo. It was great-you betcha!

Banter that occurred while in Fargo or around the area:

ME: “Do you have any Fargo sweatshirts?”
THEM:”Could you be more specific?”
ME: ” A sweatshirt that says Fargo…”

HIM: “You drive that thing on roads?”
ME: “(as scooter is by a highway, gassing up) No sir, sidewalks only, if its not raining. ”
*note, scooter has VIRGINIA license plates*

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/22/2007

8/22/1957:
Floyd Patterson retains his heavyweight crown by knocking out Olympic champion Pete Rademacher of Yakima, Washington. Rademacher becomes the first boxer ever to win an Olympic gold medal and then make his professional debut in a title bout. To capitalize on Rademacher's box office appeal, the fight is staged at Sicks' Stadium in Seattle, where over 16,000 fans watch Patterson score seven knockdowns before ending matters at 2:57 of the sixth round.

Birthdays:
Carl Yastrzemski b. 1939
Bill Parcells b. 1941
Diana Nyad b. 1949
Paul Molitor b. 1956
Mats Wilander b. 1964

BROWSING PLEASURES

For the literate coffee table, may we recommend John Hodgman’s quirky miscellany? Hodgman is a writer at The New Yorker, so he’s a pretty clever guy. His heir to Poor Richard’s Almanack promises hours of browsing pleasure on topics wide and weird, including hobos, haircuts, and presidential arcana. It’s a vaudeville show in a book. Not to be missed.

THE AREAS OF MY EXPERTISE, by John Hodgman (Dutton Adult, 2005)

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/21/2007

8/21/1977:
Batting .336, second in the National League behind teammate Dave Parker, Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Rennie Stennett breaks his right ankle sliding into second base to break up a double play and is lost for the season. He'll never hit above .244 again, and much of his base-stealing speed and fielding mobility will be gone when he returns next year. He'll lose his job to Phil Garner in 1979, move on to the Giants as a free agent and by 1981, at age 30, be out of baseball.

Birthdays:
Toe Blake b. 1912
Wilt Chamberlain b. 1936
Archie Griffin b. 1954
John Wetteland b. 1966
Craig Counsell b. 1970


The spiritualism craze of the 1920s is the rich fodder for Gangemi’s colorful first novel. Mina Crawley is a Philadelphia medium so convincing in her art that she will win a whopping $5,000 in a contest sponsored by Scientific American. Unless she can be exposed as a fraud. Harvard psychology student Martin Finch has unmasked many other phonies as one of the contest judges, but he falls in love with Mina and lands in prison for murder. A spellbinding tale based closely on a true story.

INAMORATA, by Joseph Gangemi (Penguin, 2005)

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Monday, August 20, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/20/2007

8/20/1994:
A much-anticipated duel between Holy Bull and Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Tabasco Cat turns into a mismatch in the 125 running of the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. With Mike Smith up, Holy Bull edges Concern by a neck for his 11th win in 13 lifetime outings, while Tabasco Cat finishes 17 lengths back. Redeeming his three-year-old campaign after finishing an abysmal 12th in the Kentucky Derby, Holy Bull will be named Horse of the Year at season's end.

Birthdays:
Sihugo Green b. 1933
Graig Nettles b. 1944
Mark Langston b. 1960
Duffy Waldorf b. 1962
Todd Helton b. 1973

TRUE CRIME

A true-crime story with a plot that seems to have been ripped from the pages of an Agatha Christie novel. Who poisoned Londoner Charles Bravo? Was it the wife he cruelly dominated? Her loyal maid who couldn’t get her story straight? Her jilted lover, a doctor? Or one of the servants he dismissed without cause? Journalist Ruddick reopens the never-solved mystery and emerges with a vivid portrait of Victorian marriage, solving the case once and for all.

DEATH AT THE PRIORY: LOVE, SEX, AND MURDER IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND, by James Ruddick (Grove Press, 2002)

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Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/19/2007

8/19/2004:
The Houston Astros score seven runs in the seventh inning and turn a round-the-horn triple play to defeat the Phillies, 12-10, at brand-new Citizens Bank Park. Eric Bruntlett, Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman all homer during the seven-run salvo. Struggling badly this season, the Astros finally get to the .500 mark with this win under new manager Phil Garner. They'll go 36-10 down the stretch to win the National League Wild Card and reach the seventh game of the NLCS before bowing to St. Louis.

Birthdays:
Bill Shoemaker b. 1931
Anthony Munoz b. 1958
Ricky Pierce b. 1959
Morten Andersen b. 1960
Mary Jo Fernandez b. 1971

EPICS

“Vivid, entertaining. Its visceral, cinematic descriptive beauty truly impresses.”—USA Today

“Inspired storytelling.”—People

“Shantaram is a true epic. It is a huge, messy, over-the-top irresistible shaggy-dog story.”—Seattle Times

Shantaram is a 900-plus-page, turn-off-the-phone, and sink-your-teeth-in read. A gritty, sweeping saga about an Australian convict who escapes to India to meet his fate in Bombay, the book—unbelievably—is a thinly veiled account of the author’s own life. A dashing, exuberant page-turner.

SHANTARAM, by Gregory David Roberts (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2005)

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Saturday, August 18, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/18/2007

Disdaining the whirlpool and reflecting the credo of NFL players who routinely compete with varying degrees of pain andn discomfort, Hall of Fame running back Tony Dorsett maintained: "You can't make the club in the tub."

Birthdays:
Roberto Clemente b. 1934
Rafer Johnson b. 1935
Matt Snell b. 1941
Bobby Higginson b. 1970
Jeremy Shockey b. 1980

BIOGRAPHIES

What was life like in Renaissance Italy? You’ll find many of the answers here in this surprising and lively biography of Ippolito d’Este. The second son of Lucretia Borgia, d’Este ended up a decadent, powerful cardinal—at once party boy, patron of the arts, and notable charitable giver. More fascinating than his life is the picture of the times in which he lived. Hollingsworth’s meticulous research results in a brilliantly clear and detailed account of Italian court life.

THE CARDINAL’S HAT: MONEY, AMBITION, AND EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE COURT OF A BORGIA PRINCE, by Mary Hollingsworth (Overlook, 2005)

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Friday, August 17, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/17/2007

8/17/1976:
Never known as a speed merchant, George Brett pulls off a surprise steal of home in the last of the 10th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 4-3 win over Cleveland. On his way to the first of three American League batting titles, Brett Singles with one out off Dave LaRoche. Then, after stealing second base and going to third on an overthrow, he catches everyone off guard - especially LaRoche, who was working from a full windup - as he canters home.

Birthdays:
Boog Powell b. 1941
Guillermo Vilas b. 1952
Christian Laettner b. 1969
Jim Courier b. 1970
Jorge Posada b. 1971

The setting: 1940s San Francisco. The players: A big band music arranger and a pretty, young composer. The problem: murder. Holmes’s Edgar Award-winning second novel introduces a mystery, and the CD that accompanies it provides some clues to the solution. Ingenious!

SWING, by Rupert Holmes (Random House, 2005)
Holmes’s Broadway musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, won five Tony Awards.

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Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/16/2007

8/16/1949:
After Red Wings defenseman Bill Quakenbush wins the Lady Byng Trophy in 1949 for gentlemanly and disciplined play, Detroit general manager Jack Adams decides to trade the first-team All-Star to the Bruins because he isn't "tough enough." It's hard to question the move in retrospect, since the rough-and-tumble Red Wings will win the Stanley Cup in four of the next six years, but Quackenbush gives the Bruins seven solid seasons. He'll coach at Northeastern and Princeton before earning Hall of Fame enshrinement in 1976.

Birthdays:
Frank Gifford b. 1930
Tony Trabert b. 1930
Ron Yary b. 1946
Christian Okoye b. 1961
Ben Coates b. 1969

NONFICTION

The dirty secrets of trash are revealed in journalist Royte’s investigation. The journey from curb to landfill makes for fascinating reading. Did you know that a New York City garbage collector may heave 5 or 6 tons of weight a day? That garbage men call maggots disco rice? And if you think that’s disgusting, wait till you read about how politicians and refuse bigwigs determine safety standards. An enlightening, entertaining exposé.

GARBAGE LAND: ON THE SECRET TRAIL OF TRASH, by Elizabeth Royte (Little, Brown, 2005)

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Author King 'mistaken for vandal'

Best-selling horror author Stephen King was mistaken for a book vandal when he paid an unannounced visit to a bookshop in Australia, according to local media.

read more | digg story

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/15/2007

8/15/1975:
Brilliant but cantankerous Orioles manager Earl Weaver gets himself ejected from both games of a twi-night doubleheader as the Birds split a pair with the Texas Rangers at Memorial Stadium. After getting tossed in the opener by Ron Luciano while arguing about a double play, Weaver continues his harangue while exchanging the lineup cards for the nightcap and is again sent packing. Weaver just might have wanted an easy night anyway. He's scheduled to miss tomorrow night's game and fly to St. Louis to give away his daughter in marriage.

Birthdays:
Lionel Taylor b. 1936
Ivan Boldirev b. 1949
Craig MacTavish b. 1958
Scott Brosius b. 1966
Yancey Thigpen b. 1969


THRILLERS

“As much a blazing good yarn as it is an exceptional piece of scholarship.”—San Francisco Chronicle

If four Princeton students can crack the code in a mysterious Renaissance-era book, they will learn the location of a treasure buried in Rome...But someone might die in the process. Crackles with intrigue and creepy academic atmosphere.

THE RULE OF FOUR, by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason (Dell, 2005)
If you’d like to know the true story of the Renaissance text Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, read The Real Rule of Four, by scholar Joscelyn Godwin (The Disinformation Company, 2005).

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/14/2007

8/14/2004:
Michael Phelps of Baltimore earns his first gold medal in the Summer Olympics at Athens, setting a new world record in the 400-meter individual medley. Embarking on an arduous competition schedule, Phelps will win the 200-meter medley, sweep the butterfly events at 100 and 200 meters, and end a week of racing with six golds and two bronzes for the U.S.A.

Birthdays:
Earl Weaver b. 1930
John Brodie b. 1935
Debbie Meyer b. 1952
Magic Johnson b. 1959
Wayne Chrebet b. 1973

MEMOIRS

A hilarious memoir of becoming an adult. Each chapter is a confession (“I played golf.” “I am a figure of authority.” “I take pride in my lawn.”) in which Zevin reflects on how, almost without realizing it was happening, he went from a hip, free-wheeling slacker to a responsible suburban husband.

THE DAY I TURNED UNCOOL: CONFESSIONS OF A RELUCTANT GROWN-UP, by Dan Zevin (Villard, 2002)
Don’t miss Zevin’s Web site (www.danzevin.com), where you can read funny essays and see praise for Zevin’s books from luminaries and relatives alike, including P. J. O’Rourke and Zevin’s mom, Linda.

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Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/13/2007

8/13/1944:
Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe and his brother Alec dominate the proceedings at the Negro Leagues All-Star Game at Comiskey Park, leading the West to a 7-4 victory before over 46,000 wartime fans. Third baseman Alec of the Cincinnati Clowns has two hits, including a triple, while his older brother Ted of the Birmingham Black Barons has three hits, including a two-run homer to cap a five-run fifth inning, leading the West to the win. Still going strong at age 42, Ted earned his nickname by often pitching the first game of a double header and catching the nightcap.

Birthdays:
Ben Hogan b. 1912
Bobby Clarke b. 1949
Betsy King b. 1955
Shayne Corson b. 1966
Jarrod Washburn b. 1974

Washington Post book critic Michael Dirda said it best when he wrote that MacCulloch’s book is not “a history” as the subtitle suggests, but “the history.” There is no other book that comes close to approaching the scope and elegance and relevance of this one. The rift that separated Protestant from Catholic in 16th-century Europe has shaped modern Europe, and the challenges the people encountered then are familiar now—struggles with Islam, the rise of fanaticism, and clashes between church and state. A compelling, elegant read.

THE REFORMATION: A HISTORY, by Diarmaid MacCulloch (Penguin, 2005)


The Reformation won the prestigious National Book Critics Circle Award for General Nonfiction.

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Sunday, August 12, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/12/2007

8/12/1948:
The Cleveland Indians score nine runs in the first inning en route to a 26-3 annihilation of the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park. The Indians bang out 29 base hits, four by pitcher Gene Bearden, against a succession of ineffectual St. Louis hurlers. Larry Doby, Jim Hegan, Walt Judnich and Bearden all hit home runs, befitting the Tribe's power-laden lineup. Cleveland will lead the majors in team batting average (.282), lead the AL in homers (155) and win its first world title since 1920 by beating the Boston Braves in a six-game World Series.

Birthdays:
Fred Hutchinson b. 1919
George McGinnis b. 1950
Pete Sampras b. 1971
Antoine Walker b. 1976
Piaxico Burress b. 1977


YOU’VE NEVER READ GEORGES SIMENON?

“The best mystery writer today is...Georges Simenon.”—Dashiell Hammett

“A truly wonderful writer...marvelously readable, lucid, simple.”—Muriel Spark

“Simenon is in a class by himself.”—The New Yorker

Inspector Maigret is up there with the greats. Think Marple, Poirot, and Dalgliesh. And his creator, Georges Simenon, was one of the most talented and prolific mystery writers in history. If you have never read a Maigret, you are in for a top-notch investigation—this one about a murdered wine merchant.

MAIGRET AND THE WINE MERCHANT, by Georges Simenon (1970; Harcourt, 2003)

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Saturday, August 11, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/11/2007

8/11/1984:
Sebastian Coe of Great Britain becomes the first man to win two Olympic gold medals in the 1500 meters with a dominating performance at Los Angeles. Taking the lead for good with 200 meters remaining, Coe wins by a comfortable margin in 3:32.53, a new Olympic record and almost six seconds faster than his 1980 winning time in Moscow. He'll also earn a silver medal in the 800 meters here, duplicating his runner-up finish in that event four years ago.

Birthdays:
Bill Monbouquette b. 1936
Vada Pinson b. 1938
Bill Munson b. 1941
Otis Taylor b. 1942
Craig Ehlo b. 1961


WEIRD SCIENCE

David Hahn gave a whole new meaning to “nuclear family.” He was always a curious kid—mixing concoctions and building things. But curiosity nearly killed the cat and the other 40,000 residents of Hahn’s suburban-Detroit neighborhood when the nuclear reactor that young David managed to build in the family’s tool shed actually worked. Bumbling federal agents, a dysfunctional family, and a juvenile mad scientist collide in Silverstein’s suspenseful, shocking read.

THE RADIOACTIVE BOY SCOUT: THE FRIGHTENING TRUE STORY OF A WHIZ KID AND HIS HOMEMADE NUCLEAR REACTOR, by Ken Silverstein (Villard, 2005)

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Friday, August 10, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/10/2007

8/10/1923:
Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens, New York, is dedicated with the inaugural Wightman Cup matches between the United States and Great Britain. Helen Wills, "Little Miss Poker Face," has the honor of playing the first match in the impressive concrete edifice and she dispatches Kitty McKane in straight sets. Forest Hills will host the U.S. national championships through 1976 before the move to Flushing Meadows, and Wightman Cup play will continue at various sites through 1989. American women dominate Wightman Cup play, 51-10, over their British opposition.

Birthdays:
Red Holzman b. 1920
Rocky Colavito b. 1933
John Starks b. 1965
Riddick Bowe b. 1967
Samari Rolle b. 1976


CULT CLASSICS

A brilliant conceit! A virtuoso performance! Author! Author! Christopher Miller has written a hilarious novel in the form of liner notes. This book is ostensibly the text that accompanies the four-CD set that represents the only recordings of composer Simon Silber. Silber was a nutter (though his hour-long minute waltz was something to hear), and his pretentious biographer can’t stand him, which only make the details of his life and art more fun. The musically inclined must not miss this devastatingly clever riff on writing about music and musicians.

SUDDEN NOISES FROM INANIMATE OBJECTS, by Christopher Miller (Mariner Books, 2004)

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Thursday, August 09, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/9/2007

8/9/1997:
After leading their expansion teams to surprise berths in the conference championship games last season, quarterbacks Kerry Collins of Carolina and Mark Brunell of Jacksonville are both seriously injured in preseason games tonight. Collins ends up with a broken jaw after a cheap shot by Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski, while Brunell suffers torn knee ligaments after being sacked by Jessie Armstead of the Giants. Collins will be out for over a month and will struggle mightily after his return with 21 INTs and only 11 TD passes. Brunell will miss several weeks before returning, but he'll lead the Jaguars to an 11-5 record and another playoff berth.

Birthdays:
Bob Cousy b. 1928
Rod Laver b. 1938
Brett Hull b. 1964
Deion Sanders b. 1967
Troy Percival b. 1969


SPIRITUALITY

Julia Scheeres’s recollection of growing up white with two adopted black brothers in the heart of Indiana (where a sign announces, THIS HERE IS: JESUS LAND) is spare and searing. Her distracted mother and violent father, the beauty and the racism of rural Indiana, and the harsh Christian reform school in the Dominican Republic to which she and one brother are dispatched are all rendered with a clear, unprejudiced, and wise pen. It’s a singular memoir full of grace, hope, and happy endings.

JESUS LAND, by Julia Scheeres (Counterpoint Press, 2005)

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Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/8/2007

8/8/2000:
Oakland A's closer Jason Isringhausen takes the mound at Yankee Stadium to protect a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning. Two fastballs later, he trudges to the clubhouse in defeat as Bernie Williams and David Justice hit consecutive pitches into the right-field seats to give the Yankees a stunning 4-3 victory. Justice's game-winning wallop is just part of an amazing second-half-of-the-season he puts together after joining the Yankees from Cleveland in mid-June. In 78 games, he'll hit .305 with 20 homers and 60 RBIs, helping New York win its third straight world title.

Birthdays:
Togo Palazzi b. 1932
Frank Howard b. 1936
Ken Dryden b. 1947
Nigel Mansell b. 1953
Roger Federer b. 1981


A guilty pleasure just in time for that long, boring flight or day at the beach. Look, we know Sidney Sheldon isn’t challenging, but he sure is entertaining. And reliable: Just as the sun will rise each day, so will Sheldon crank out another steamy potboiler. In this one, the sexy widows of two murdered scientists run for their lives. It’s another glittering international escapade from the master. Resistance is futile.

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, by Sidney Sheldon (Warner, 2005)

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Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/7/2007

Commenting on the difficulty of coexisting with the Vikings at the Metrodome, Minnesota Twins president Dave St. Peter lamented: "The seats at the Metrodome are oriented to the 50-yard-line, and I've yet to find one of those on a baseball field."

Birthdays:
Don Larsen b. 1929
Abebe Bikila b. 1932
Carlos Monzon b. 1942
Alan Page b. 1945
Sidney Crosby b. 1987

MEMOIRS

The secrets of interrogation are revealed in this fascinating (and pseudonymous) memoir by a real-life army intelligence corps interrogator. Mackey captures the atmosphere of holding cells and interrogation rooms, and shines a bright light on the delicate, intense, dangerous game of getting prisoners to reveal what they know. They really do have ways of making you talk.

THE INTERROGATORS: TASK FORCE 500 AND AMERICA’S SECRET WAR AGAINST AL QAEDA, by Chris Mackey and Greg Miller (Back Bay Books, 2005)

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Monday, August 06, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/6/2007

8/6/1948:
Fanny Blankers-Koen of the Netherlands, a 30-year-old mother of two, wins the 200-meter dash to capture her third gold medal in the London Olympic Games. A favorite of the large crowds attending the first Olympics in 12 years, Mrs. Blankers-Koen has already won the 100-meter dash and 80-meter hurdles and will become the first woman to earn four gold medals in one Olympiad when she anchors the Netherlands 4 x 100 relay team to victory tomorrow.

Birthdays:
Pauline Betz b. 1919
Clem Labine b. 1926
Dale Ellis b. 1960
Tony Fernandez b. 1962 (Wikipedia lists his dob as 6/30/62, not sure if this is him!)
David Robinson b. 1965


Theater geeks of all ages will cotton to this madcap coming-of-age novel. Edward Zanni is accepted at prestigious performing arts school Julliard, but Dad (and wicked Stepmom) won’t pay. He initiates a scheme crazier than the plot of a musical comedy to pay the tuition. Acito won raves for his debut: “Witty...pitch-perfect” (The New York Times), “funny, fast, satisfying” (People), and “endearing” (Details).

HOW I PAID FOR COLLEGE, by Marc Acito (Broadway, 2005)

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Sunday, August 05, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/5/2007

8/5/2004:
In a final tuneup before heading to Athens, the U.S. Olympic women's basketball team defeats a contingent of WNBA All-Stars, 74-58, in New York City. Lisa Leslie, Tamika Catchings and Tina Thompson lead the Olympians to a rather easy victory before over 6,000 fans at Radio City Music Hall, which is pinch-hitting for Madison Square Garden (then playing host to the Republican Convention). Team USA will win eight straight games in Greece, winning the gold medal over Australia in the final round.

Birthdays:
Roman Gabriel b. 1940
Patrick Ewing b. 1962
Otis Thorpe b. 1962
John Olerud b. 1968
Mark Mulder b. 1977


“A cupful of Casablanca, a dollop of Isak Dinesen, a pinch of Indiana Jones.”—USA Today

“Breathtaking...packed with daring exploits and sinister intrigues, with larger-than-life characters and exotic locales.”—Orlando Sentinel

“You finish this book almost out of breath.”—The New York Times

The Cataract Café is the Nile’s answer to Rick’s. It’s the brink of World War II, and everybody comes here, bringing romance, intrigue, and adventure. A glamorous, engrossing, old-fashioned yarn.

A CAFÉ ON THE NILE, by Bartle Bull (Caroll & Graf Publishers, 1999)

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Saturday, August 04, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/4/2007

8/4/1932:
Lefty O'Doul is a one-man wrecking crew for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field as they sweep Pittsburgh, 7-4 and 6-5 in 10 innings. O'Doul goes four-for-eight with six RBIs during the twin bill with a double and a homer in the opener and two more home runs in the nightcap. His first homer of the day drives in three runs to clinch the opener, while his last two dingers are solo shots that serve to tie the second game in the 8th inning and win it in the 10th. Often nattily attired in green sports jackets, the gregarious Irishman O'Doul is the toast of Brooklyn after his timely batting heroics.

Birthdays:
Maurice "Rocket" Richard b. 1921
Mary Decker Slaney b. 1958
Roger Clemens b. 1962
Jeff Gordon b. 1971
Eric Milton b. 1975

NAVAL GAZING

Hunger, thirst, dating goats—life on a deserted isle is no picnic. That’s what the real-life Robinson Crusoe, Scotsman Alexander Selkirk, discovered when he was marooned after a quarrel with the captain of a pirate ship. Selkirk had longed for adventure, and he got it in spades for four long years until another ship captained by the same pirate returned to pick him up. Souhami’s account of Selkirk’s incredible adventures won her the prestigious Whitbread Book Award for Biography. The Christian Science Monitor calls it “vastly entertaining.”

SELKIRK’S ISLAND, by Diana Souhami (Harvest Books, 2002)

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Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/3/2007

8/3/1932:
More than 85,000 fans in the Memorial Coliseum at Los Angeles thrill to the exploits of sprinter Eddie Tolan of Detroit, who adds an Olympic gold medal for winning the 200-meter dash to the gold he earned in the 100 meters earlier this week. Huge crowds fill the newly constructed stadium with its distinctive peristyles for two full weeks as Team USA wins the overall medals count with 103 (41 gold), and the Depression-era economy gets a robust infusion of money placed in circulation.

Birthdays:
Lance Alworth b. 1940
Marcel Dionne b. 1951
Rod "Shooter" Beck b. 1968
Troy Glaus b. 1976
Tom Brady b. 1977


“An American author as distinctive as any of those now writing.”—The New York Times on Richard Wright

Native Son is a towering classic of American literature. It’s the life story of Bigger Thomas, a black man who accidentally kills a white woman and then becomes caught in a whirlpool of consequences that pulls him inevitably to his doom. Wright’s portraits of poverty and black culture in the 1930s still sting with pain and immediacy.

NATIVE SON, by Richard Wright (1940; HarperPerennial, 1998)

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Thursday, August 02, 2007

Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/2/2007

8/2/1970:
Tony Taylor cracks an "ultimate" grand-slam homer into the upper deck at Connie Mack Stadium, giving the Phillies a 7-6 win over the San Francisco Giants. It's only the 11th time in baseball history that a grand slam has erased a three-run deficit in the home team's last at bat. Just nine days from now, Carl Taylor (no relation) of St. Louis will author an identical wallop against San Diego.

Birthdays:
Leo Boivin b. 1932
Matt Hazeltine b. 1933
Billy Cannon b. 1937
Tim Wakefield b. 1966
Tony Amonte b. 1970


Titillating mysteries keep the pages of Alexander’s stunning debut novel of the Romanov family turning until the last. He sets his tale in the Siberian house where the erstwhile royal family was held captive attended by a small household staff, including a kitchen boy. Mikhail, a Russian immigrant to America, narrates the story that eventually offers intriguing answers to the question of his own identity, the location of the family jewels, and the kitchen boy’s fate. USA Today raves, “Ingenious...keeps readers guessing through the final pages.”

THE KITCHEN BOY, by Robert Alexander (Penguin, 2004)
Don’t miss the author’s impressive interactive Web site: www.thekitchenboy.com.

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Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 8/1/2007

8/1/1969:
The world champion New York Jets jump out to a 16-0 lead but then have to hold on for dear life before edging the College All-Stars, 26-24, at Soldier Field in Chicago. Jets quarterback Joe Namath (17-32, 292) plays most of the game for the Jets, the first AFL team to play in the charity event. Over 74,000 fans, intensely loyal to the hometown Chicago Bears and the old-guard NFL, lustily boo the Jets and vigorously support the All-Stars in their upset bid.

Birthdays:
Harold Connolly b. 1931
Cliff Branch b. 1948
Kiki Vandeweghe b. 1958
Gregg Jefferies b. 1967
Stacey Augmon b. 1968

YOU’VE NEVER READ WAYNE JOHNSTON?

The Colony of Unrequited Dreams is a gorgeous, absorbing novel—and one that is not as well known as it should be. It’s the story of Joe Smallwood, his lifelong unrequited love of his classmate Sheilagh, and his rise to power in brand-new Canadian province Newfoundland. “A brilliant and bravura literary performance,” according to The New York Times.

THE COLONY OF UNREQUITED DREAMS, by Wayne Johnston (Anchor, 2000)
For lighter fare from Johnston, try his comic novel Human Amusements (Anchor, 2004), about the early days of television and its surprising effects on one Toronto family.

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