Texas Pages

John Ferling's title refers to George Washington's statement that the American victory was “almost a standing miracle.” He himself was the standing miracle, almost certainly a born soldier and leader. At six foot three, he was eight inches taller than the average man of his day, and General of the British colonial Army at 22. He had brown hair, which he wore in a ponytail, and was a lady charmer despite his bad teeth (not wooden) and small pox complexion. He was an excellent horseman and always in the battle, riding through the ranks urging his men on. His officers apparently revered him though at 43 when the war started he was younger and less experienced than some of them and hardly a better strategist than Charles Lee, Benedict Arnold, and some others.

Colonel Arnold was one of his favorite officers as well as one of his best and bravest. His desperate march through Maine and Canada to attack Quebec almost succeeded despite his losing 450 men who went over the hill with all his provisions. It is an irony that Arnold was betrayed by one of his officers. His remaining men marched, or Arnold drove them, 650 miles in six inches of snow in six months, surviving on boiled shoe leather and candle wax. He seemed to be a compulsive dude, giving no quarter to the enemy, his own men, or to himself. And you might add hot head to that mixture as he ran one of his soldiers through with his sword for failing to aid the wounded.

His obsessive impulses went out of control, I think, when he courted and married his second wife, a Tory, Margaret (Peggy) Shippen, who was half his age. She liked expensive pretties and maybe the British offer of L20,000 to surrender West Point, and turn coat, seemed a good idea at the time. The outcome of the war was very much in question at the time and if the British won, he would be a national hero (and Washington would be hanged as a traitor). But as a result he ended up the traitor (as every school child knows) and was shunned by many in London, where they lived the rest of their lives. The tainted money ran out but the once-frivolous girl became the steadfast wife. She had not been loyal to the revolution but she was loyal to her husband. She survived him by three years, dying in 1804 at age 43.

The Tony Hillerman Conference: Focus on Mystery in Albuquerque November 1-4 includes a mystery short story contet in collaboration with Cowboys and Indians magazine. The magazine publishers the winner. So if there's a western short story simmering in your mind, put it on paper now. Then contact Jean Schaumberg and Anne Hillerman for deadlines and submission info.

Parents with sons swap ideas for good books for boys the way other folks trade cherished recipes or gardening tips. So I was all ears when my sister, whose 12-year-old son is the same age as my Jackson, called a few weeks ago to tell me about a book that I might like to read with him. It's called "The Dangerous Book for Boys." While on vacation last week, I met up with my sister, and she was so disappointed that I hadn't gotten the book yet, she went out and bought a copy for me. Later that evening, Jackson was spread out on our hotel bed with his nose buried in the book -- completely ignoring his GameBoy and the cartoons and Animal Planet shows on the television. The book is partly a guide to timeless, boyhood skills, such as how to build the best paper airplane and tree house, how to skim rocks and tie knots. But it's also full of stories about risk-taking. I'm sure some will view this as gender bias and politically incorrect, but it doesn't feeling intentionally stereotypical and certainly doesn't come across as having an agenda. The audio book just came out, so I'm looking forward to learning such things as how to make a great slingshot. After all, my name is David.

The Writer's Garret is seeking a reliable self-starter for part-time position. Must be familiar with the contemporary and / or local literary scene and have some prior administrative experience. Most likely this will be contract work for 9-10 months a year, approximately 60-80 hours a month, with two "peak" periods, but duties can be spread out over several months, so as not to be too stressful. Pay is negotiable. Chief responsibilities include scheduling, promoting, and hosting literary programs and events for the community. Some weekend and evening work as needed. Must be friendly, as well as a team player, and able to relate to a varied and educated audience. A natural appreciation for diversity is a real plus.

We are an equal opportunity organization.

--
Thea Temple
Executive Director
The Writer's Garret
(214) 828-1715 www.writersgarret.org

This story about the antics of fun-lovin' librarians is a hoot. It's about the Third Annual Bookcart Drill Team World Championships -- I'm sure it's on ESPN Ocho -- and was published today in the Christian Science Monitor. Here's the top:
The librarian from Ohio popped a wheelie on his book cart, and the audience went wild. The team of librarians from Texas wore red, white, and blue feather boas as they danced the boogie-woogie while pushing their book carts in pinwheel formation. The Delaware team outfitted their performance vehicles in silver lame and dressed in rhinestones, as they executed their signature "wave-canon" maneuver. Welcome to the Third Annual Bookcart Drill Team World Championships, where librarians in elaborate costumes choreograph spinning carts, execute dance and gymnastic routines to jazzy soundtracks, and shake their booties to shake up the public perception of the stuffy librarian.

From Karen King at Haggard Library in Plano:

A potpourri of romance writers from across the country will be featured at the Plano Centre on Thursday, July 12, from 7 to 9 p.m. to showcase their latest books, reveal their inspiration and share ideas with fans.

Authors Lisa Scottoline, Julia Quinn, Victoria Alexander, Dixie Cash, Teresa Medeiros, Eloisa James and Lorraine Heath will discuss romance writing, moderated by Michelle Buonfiglio, romance columnist for LifetimeTV.com. Sponsored by Avon Publishers and Friends of the Plano Public Library, the evening will also feature authors Cathie Linz, Adele Ashworth, Kathryn Caskie, Laura Lee Guhrke, Anna Campbell and Gayle Callen.

All authors will be available for book signing. Fans may bring their own well-worn favorite or purchase the latest hot seller from Barnes & Noble Booksellers during the event.

Seating is limited to 300, and tickets are on sale now at all Plano public libraries for $5. For further information, call (972) 769-4250 or visit www.planolibrary.org.

Atheist Christopher Hitchens and Dallas mega-church pastor T.D. Jakes both have books on the Publishers Weekly hardcover nonfiction bestseller list.

To see who's on top, click here.

Publishers Weekly has a feature on the self-published book "God Without Religion," which has quietly built a strong following and picked up a commercial publisher - independent BenBella Books of Dallas.

Here's a question for Harry Potter fans. According to the New York Times, a hacker claims to have broken into the computers of the British publisher of the Harry Potter series and discovered the climax to the seventh and final book. If this is true -- and the veracity of hte hacker is under debate -- would you check out his link? Or would you prefer to wait until the book comes out? I asked my personal ethical adviser -- my ten-year-old, Josh -- and he told me to wait for the book. He actually said it in a rather exasperated voice as if it were a total no-brainer. So that's what I'm planning to do.

Joerg Rieger, professor of systematic theology at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, is the author of "Christ & Empire: From Paul to Postcolonial Times." It's out in paperback from Fortress Press.

One of the blurbs says: "In this stunning book, Joerg Rieger reveals the hidden grammar of Christology by elucidating how theological depictions of Christ have been laden with colonial biases ... "

We shine a spotlight on some women writers of the Southwest this Sunday in GuideLive. To wit:

“Forgive Me,” by Austin's Amanda Eyre Ward. "Like her previous efforts, 'Forgive Me' packs a wallop of emotion into tightly paced prose that fills under 250 pages," says our critic.

“What Wildness Is This,” which our critic calls a "powerful and important anthology of prose and poems by nearly 100 women who write about the Southwest. "

Beyond Texas, we have:

"Varieties of Disturbance," by Lydia Davis. "If you have not read Lydia Davis before, it’s time to start. Her stories are works of art that will charm you, even as they entice you to take a fresh look at everyday situations."

"Cabin Pressure: One Man’s Desperate Attempt to Recapture His Youth as a Camp Counselor," by Josh Wolk. Extreme nostalgia, anyone?

"After Dark," by Haruki Murakami. "In book after book, more than a dozen of them now, mostly novels and short story collections, Mr. Murakami offers more surprises for readers than any other foreign writer working today."

“Tearing Down the Wall of Sound,” by Mick Brown. A new biography of Phil Spector, as reviewed by a critic who knew him.

Look for it all Sunday, in print and online.

I finally got around to reading Bill Henderson's "Simple Gifts," which came out last year. It's about hymns, including the Shaker one that begins, "Tis a gift to be simple ..."

Henderson's book is personal, describing how certain hymns have affected him, particularly as an adult groping back to the Christian faith he grew up with. But he's just as good in the passages explaining how his favored hymns came to be.

His summary explanation of the Shakers - especially leader Mother Ann Lee - is particularly fine. Suffice to say the Shakers' story isn't simple. Nor is that of John Newton, author of "Amazing Grace."

Nor, now that I think of it, is Henderson's. But he writes well, and the book feels honest. I learned from it, and was moved by it. And I'm still humming some of those hymns.

Potterheads, we know that you'll be spending the weekend of July 21 holed up in an isolated place devouring The-Book-That-Everyone-Has-Named.

Here's a travel agent who wants to help you spend thousands of dollars in the process.

I was recently handed a copy of "If They Only Listened to Us: What Women Voters Want Politicians to Hear." The author is Melinda Henneberger, who cut her journalistic teeth right here at The Dallas Morning News as a night cops reporter. She actually revisited her old haunts for a chapter set in Fort Worth titled, "In the Belly of the Bubba."

Publisher's Weekly calls the book a "compelling and surprising look at what most sways women's votes." And The Rocky Mountain News says: "Despite the serious subject matter, Henneberger's book flows in a comfortable, conversational style. The deep concerns of these voters will be hard for both political parties to swallow."

This was just forwarded to me from country music critic Mario Tarradell:

Annie Golightly will be autographing her new book "Dreams and a White Horse" 6 p.m. Thursday at Billy Bob's. She will be joined by authors Jim Ainsworth ("Follow the Rivers Trilogy") and Michael Johnson ("Healing Shine").

You read the book. You saw the movies. You bought the extended DVD set.

Now ... see the musical stage spectacular?

Out on the coasts, that phrase might be used as a punch line. It might not even be taken seriously in some corners of our own fair city.

But at a reception tonight celebrating the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference of the Southwest, in the course of 90 minutes I found myself chatting with (or at least elbowing past) a couple of successful mystery novelists, a best-selling nonfiction writer, a successful poet, at least one Pulitzer-winning journalist, a friend with a great historical narrative waiting to be published, an award-winning undergraduate just starting to make his mark on the literary world, and more.

Represented were at least three institutions of higher learning that constantly seem to be expanding their offerings, leaders in a local group that offers seemingly endless opportunities for new writers to hone their skills, magazine writers, newspaper editors and more.

All this took place at the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, a homegrown group that wants nothing less than "to enrich and deepen the practical life of the city with the wisdom and imagination of the humanities."

It's easy to take potshots at all the things Dallas lacks culturally. But those who would say there is no literary culture here ... well, you should get out more.

I tore through Sara Gruen's captivating, brilliant Water for Elephants this weekend -- well, OK, in one five-hour sitting -- and it has just entered my personal Top 10 Books of All Time list. I've been reading two or three books a week since I was a teenager -- which was a long time ago, so I've got a lot to choose from for that list.

We didn't review it when it first came out, and it would be hard for me as a reviewer to say anything about it without slipping into undignified gushiness. I'll tell you this much: It's about a train circus traveling the Northeast and Midwest during the Depression. It's got a feisty old guy, an elephant heroine with astonishing depth of character, a cuddling baboon, a grumpy dwarf and what is probably The Best Ending I've ever read.

It's out now in trade paperback, sitting deservedly atop The New York Times best-seller list this week. Trust me. Just go buy it. Right now.

Friday July 6 to Sunday July 8, 2007
The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library is hosting an international book fair the first weekend in July to promote the love for books, reading and writing. The event is free and open to the public.

Over 60 authors including international, national and local will be reading and signing books. Fifteen cultures will be represented at the fair. The cultural program includes artistic performances, poetry reading, theater, music and children activities including story time, puppet shows, theater, face painting, balloons, arts and crafts. There will also be a short-story writing contest.

Austin-based blogger Stephanie Klein's memoir about life and love in New York is out in paperback.

As they say, 200,000 blog readers a month can't be wrong. Which is why I interviewed her last fall.

And as much as your humble books editor would love to have 200,000 blog hits a month, you will not find him pandering to the search engines by mentioning that her book has references to sex, adultery, olive oil and other terms that tend to drive up hits. Because we are a literary blog.

You have a chance to catch two lauded Texas authors in back-to-back signings this week.

At 7 p.m. Monday, Dominic Smith will read from and sign The Beautiful Miscellaneous at Barnes & Noble, Preston Road at Royal Lane.

24 hours later, catch Ben Fountain will reading from and signing Brief Encounters With Che Guevara at the same place.

Ben is a contributor to this blog. I saw both authors on a panel last fall at the Texas Book Festival in Austin and think that seeing either one or both would be worth your while.

Today's topic is fathers in literature. The forum is open for your nominees on the best and worst.

(Joy, this is your cue to enthuse about "To Kill a Mockingbird.")

Although "The Shining" comes to mind, and Hamlet's dad deserves a prize for being able to screw up his son's life from beyond the grave, I want to nominate Odysseus for something: Here's a guy who goes to work one day, has a 20-year commute, comes back home to check in on things for a bit, and then heads back out again. Sounds pretty modern to me.

Ralph Ellison biographer Arnold Rampersad and UNT prof/Ellison scholar Walton Muyumba both had plenty to say about the author that didn't make it into today's story. But that's why God created blogs. (He did, didn't he?). Here are some pearls wisdom on Ellison and his masterpiece, Invisible Man, that got left on the cutting room floor.

Thanks to the clerk at the Prestonwood Barnes & Noble for this delightful anecdote earlier today:

"Someone came in once and asked for Leo Tolstoy's Anna Kournikova."

Somebody asked me a while back about Deborah Crombie titles, and I advised reading them in order. Unfortunately, I'd lost my list of the titles n chronological order and gave a vague answer, including the absurd advice to check copyright dates as you buy. Now, I'm pleased to report, I've found the list and will be glad to share it. Just email me at j.alter@tcu.edu

Here's what's coming in Sunday's GuideLive.

First, we have a feature on Ralph Ellison, subject of an exhasutive new biography by Arnold Rampersad. (Be sure to check the blog Sunday for some bonus material with that one.)

Review-wise, we'll have:

"Love Kills" by Edna Buchanan: the latest from the journalist-turned-crime writer provides two mysteries in one.

"On Chesil Beach" by Ian McEwan: A perfect guide to a disastrous honeymoon.

"Falling Man" by Don DeLillo: Trying to make sense of life after 9/11.

"This Time, This Place: My Life in War, the White House, and Hollywood" by Jack Valenti" The late Texan's memoir of a life lived in full.

"The Kings of New York: A Year Among the Geeks, Oddballs, and Geniuses Who Make Up America’s Top High School Chess Team" by Michael Weinreb: The title says it all.

"The Beautiful Miscellaneous" by Dominic Smith: The latest from the Austin-based author of the acclaimed "The Mercury Visions of Louis Daguerre."

The San Antonio publisher annouces:

"Our book by Marjorie Agosin, "Among the Angels of Memory / Entre los angeles de memoria" just won the Latino Book Award for best book of poetry in Spanish.

Lorna Dee Cervantes' "Drive: The First Quartet" took 2nd place-- Latino Book Award for best book of poetry in English, and it won the Balcones Poetry Prize."

JT Leroy, aka Laura Albert, is in the news again.

I'm not sure how well the new Nancy Drew movie is going to do this weekend. But I imagine it'll bring back a lot of nostalgia.

I was a Hardy Boys reader myself. So I can't offer a decent conversation starter. In fact, one of the amazing things to me about those books is that, even though I read all 57 or so that had been written as of 1978, I can't remember a single detail about any of them. I could go on at length about most of the other books I was reading back then ... but Hardy Boys just didn't stick.

How about you? Did Nancy Drew help turn you into the kind of person who would frequent a books blog? Are you passing them along to your daughters? Or are they relics of an era when it was odd to consider that a girl might be able to use her brain?