National Book Festival

Having left Washington DC in 2002 I rarely have missed living there however today is an exception. Today is the "National Book Festival" being hosted by the Library of Congress in Washington DC (http://www.loc.gov/bookfest).

The festival's co-hosts are First Lady Laura "Librarian -in-Chief" Bush and the Librarian of Congress, Dr. James Billington, whom I had the pleasure of meeting when he was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Washington DC several years ago. Imagine having Laura and James as members of your book club!! Now that would generate an interesting conversation.

On a side note the Library of Congress (LOC) was established by an Act of Congress in 1800 via an appropriation of $5,000 as an agency of the legislative branch of the US Government. Today the LOC is the "world's largest library" according to their website. While I do not want to see more tax dollars spent overall I would like to see the LOC create a network of "affiliates" in key cities around the USA. Essentially I want to de-centralize the LOC a bit by having perhaps five cities around the USA such as -- Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, and Miami -- "assign/donate" one of their current public libraries to become an official "LOC Affiliate/Branch Location" so the resources of the LOC have more geographic reach as a resource for researchers and the general public via traveling collections and guest lecturers -- paid for via their privately-funded James Madison Council which book worms like me should contribute to as concerned citizens.

Enough said on that -- let me return to the book festival which features 70 authors reading their work on the National Mall in Washington DC. The lead sponsor of this event is Target Corporation -- a great corporate citizen in Minnesota -- so I have some local pride in this festival beyond my love of books.

Since I won't be in Washington DC for the festival today I plan to read some personal selections at home today thus avoiding the crowds :-)

Todd

Book Club Survey

If any of my readers are or have been a member of a "book club" may I ask you to please complete the following survey so I can gather some field intelligence for a future posting on this subject?

SURVEY QUESTIONS:

1.) How many members typically attend your gathering?

2.) Does your book club have a "theme/subject" that guides your selection of books?

3.) If your club does have a theme/subject what is it? ______________

4.) How long has your book club been meeting together?

5.) Does your book club tend to be dominated by one or two members or is the conversation very free flowing?

6.) What is the average age of your book club membership?

7.) Which book have your club's members enjoyed the most from your perspective?

8.) Is there a certain book that was so bad you would encourage other clubs to avoid reading?

9.) Is your club membership increasing or decreasing in size?

10.) In what setting does your club meet -- home, library, university, other?


Thanks for your assistance with this basic research,

Todd

Words that Work

While attending the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting and issues conference today I heard a great presentation by Dr. Frank Luntz (http://www.mnchamber.com) regarding which words actually work with voters and consumers since he not only does political work but he is also a consultant to corporations.

At the end of the meeting I talked with Dr. Luntz during his book signing event for his current book, Words that Work, which I started reading while I waited for the traffic to clear out of the parking garage. One basic example of Dr. Luntz's work is altering the phrase "drilling for oil" to the more palatable "exploring for energy" which is supported by a much greater percentage of voters.

I look forward to reading Dr. Luntz's book since correct word usage is essential in my line of work but for now the book sits in my "books to read this year" pile. Please watch this space for my annual "End of the Year Review of Books" where I complete mini-reviews of all the books I have read during the calendar year. This has come to be a popular posting with my readers.

Your suggestions regarding great books to read are always welcome but be sure to use the right "words" which you recommend a book so you capture my attention :-)

Todd

Libraries

While scanning a recent Men's Health magazine I noticed a short article that promoted the concept of buying books from our local libraries (www.librarybooksales.org). This article quoted US President Franklin D. Roosevelt as calling that libraries are "essential to the functioning of democratic society."

The writer of this article, Kyle Western, went on to advise readers to "instead of buying from Amazon.com check www.librarybooksales.org first................" So Mr. Western -- it is more noble for citizens to buy books from the local library (a little capitalism by our local librarians) instead of a corporate entity like Amazon.com? The public libraries that President Roosevelt celebrated in his quote were primarily built by one of the USA's kings of capitalism -- Andrew Carnegie - via his foundation's philanthropic activities so let's not show favoritism here. In fact this library website you mention can easily become a seller on Amazon.com as one of their affiliates thus getting public libraries in front of a HUGE online audience via Amazon.

Perhaps the next generation of public libraries will be funded by today's capitalists such as -- Google, Microsoft, Exxon, and others who work everyday to please their consumers and make a profit.

Wealth builds libraries not good intentions Mr. Western.

Todd

Gift Books

While reading a recent issue of Best Life magazine (a great men's magazine if any of my readers - especially if you are ubersexuals like me -- are interested is looking for a copy) I read a short interview of Rose Byrne who is an actress/former model who LOVES books. Ms. Byrne was quoted saying, "The novel is the last sacred form of art" commenting on what men should buy for their women - antiquarian books -- as a unique gift.

Regarding Ms. Byrne (star of "28 Weeks Later), she is a "tall drink of water............." who could probably increase the readership statistics that claim only 25% of Americans read one book per year if an entity like the National Book Festival hired her for a photo shoot and promotional tour across the nation's sports bars and Hooter's Restaurants ;-) The Byrne interview went on to recommend that readers utilize the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America website (www.abaa.org) in search of the perfect text for the woman you love.

I plan to scan the website for a gift for my own wife -- no doubt regarding a subject I like in case she doesn't so I have a nice book for the collection!!

Spoil your woman (and/or yourself),

Todd

Freedom in Fiction Prize

Opportunities like this one make me wish I had the ability to write a novel!! But as I tell me friends and family -- there is even fiction in my professional work so that is why I read mostly non-fiction books :-) -- thus I realize I am not a novelist.

However as a service to my readers out there I want to promote this contest which is managed by my friends as the highly-respected (unless you love Big Government!!) Mackinac Institute. Mackinac has issued a "Call for Book Proposal" for their US$10,000 Freedom in Action Prize. This international prize - --

"honors the best unpublished works of fiction with the greatest potential for imparting the ideas of free markets, liberty, and personal responsibility across a wide audience in a positive manner."

For more information on this opportunity please contact --

www.mackinac.org/freedominfiction
Mr. Justin W. Marshall
+1 989 631 0900
marshall@mackinac.org


Granted I rarely read fiction but will plan on reading the completed book chosen for this prize since having the freedom to read whatever book we want is one of the most fundamental for a free society.

Good luck to all aspiring authors,

Todd

Reviews of Books

While visiting my county library recently I picked up a copy of the "Book Page - America's Book Review" newspaper which was provided "Compliments of Your Library" (www.bookpage.com)

This was my first time reading this book review but I have to say it looks to be a nice publication although I have to wonder how many copies go unused (and at what cost to taxpayers) since I found a stack in the front atrium alongside other tabloid publications. This is a key question since major newspapers in the USA -- like New York Times and Washington Post -- have extensive book review sections that interested readers could subscribe to separately.

Beyond the cost to taxpayers I have to pause to think about publications like "book reviews." Do they exist simply to help promote books and drive reader demand? I can't even read all the books I have on my shelf already but yet I read these reviews of books which historically have inspired me to read other books thus I am trapped in a viscous cycle!!

I would love to hear from readers regarding what they think of these reviews of books publications.

Keep turning pages,

Todd

Book of Knowledge

If you are an American college football fan you know about the great rivalries where certain football teams plan an annual game for some "trophy" such as the Little Brown Jug or Floyd of Rosedale but here comes one I have never heard of until this week. The "Book of Knowledge" is the trophy that Carleton College and Macalester College's football teams play for each year in Minnesota.

The game is set for September 15th at 6 pm at Macalester Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota but I can't attend due to a wedding but I am marking the calendar for the 2008 season!!

The Book of Knowledge apparently is a "wooden book signaling supremacy among two of the state's top-ranked institutions of higher learning..............." so what could be better for a blog posting that combines two of the things I love in this world -- football and books!!

Such a trophy highlights the key concept we should all support on our campuses -- the student athlete.

Todd

25%

Several weeks ago (August 22) the Associated Press (AP) published a story entitled, "Poll: 1 in 4 adults read no books last year" (2006) so I clipped it out knowing I would have to gather my thoughts for a future posting.

From this article I noted the following poll (AP's Ipsos Poll) results that were of most interest to me:

• Women and senior citizens were the most avid readers
• Religious books and popular fiction (perhaps one in the same for some people out there!!!) were the most popular subjects
• Of the 75% of American adults who read a book last year the usual number of books read was seven (7).
• Overall book sales have been flat during recent years
• Demographics of the non-readers include: older, less educated, lower income, minorities, from rural areas, and less religious

The poll's results noted that these limited reading results were caused by "the Internet and other media" that consumes our leisure time versus choosing to read books. Given the demographics of non-readers noted above and the role the Internet/media has played in reducing reading levels I can't help but think of the "digital divide" that many big government politicians (like Al Gore) have talked about over the years. This "divide" mind set notes that Internet/broadband networks are not extensive enough because "the poor" do not have access.

Now I am online everyday for work and blogging but yet I also read over 30 books each year so I will never buy into the "poverty industry's" argument that we need to spend more money on getting the poor connected. I have a better solution -- they should shop in the bargain book section like I do at my local book store. Yesterday I purchased (finally!!) Frederick Douglas' story of his rise from slavery for only $4.98. Now this is an inspirational, very affordable book that our modern day slaves living on our modern day plantations commonly known as "public housing projects" -- kept there by the poverty industry led by Jesse Jackson -- should read as soon as possible.

Read and be free,

Todd

Bill Clinton

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show on September 4th to promote his new book (side note -- I recently saw his autobiography in the bargain section for only $8.00 but I avoided buying it but if one of my left wing friends wants to buy it for me I promise to read it) entitled, "Giving", which focused on philanthropy and civic action according to the Associated Press account I read.

Philanthropy? What an interesting topic for the man who declared in 1995 that the "era of Big Government is over.............." Should his wife Hillary become President in January 2009 I have to wonder if his 1995 statement will hold true.

But back to Billy Boy's new book -- "Giving" -- based on his career in public policy at the state and federal level a better title for his book might be "Taking" since his policies took money from us tax slaves for his programs such as Midnight Basketball leagues and a "100,000 cops on the streets............." We would have all been better off if Mr. Clinton had believed in private philanthropy like Oprah's "Angel Network" more than he believed in government programs.

Granted I have not read "Giving" yet so my assessment might be completely wrong so I will rely on my left wing fans out there to educate me if needed :-) However, if I am right in my thinking that Mr. Clinton has reformed himself now that he has become part of the private and non-profit sectors to the point that he is an advocate of personal philanthropy then I will cheer his efforts and will buy his book!!

Hopefully he is becoming a "Todd-let" as my friends say,

Todd

Common Readings

Recently my local newspaper and the USA Today ("McPaper" as my fraternity brother, Harvey, calls it) newspaper have published articles regarding the growing practice whereby American universities/colleges are requiring their incoming freshmen to read one designated book. The thought behind these programs is to give the entire freshman class some "common ground" to generate conversations and unity on campus - or perhaps "group think" if campus lectures built around these common readings come with personal agendas by those faculty leading the conversation.

That said -- I still find the Common Reading concept very interesting primarily because it gets students to read at least one book before they graduate and of course if I ever get my book (a biography) published I would want a university to select it as their common book due to the royalties I would receive so I can live the lifestyle of a government employee on full pension!!!!

Perhaps I missed their announcement but it appears my Alma mater - Iowa State University - does not have a common reading program in place but if they are considering it here is a book I find very intriguing --

"Little Heathens -- Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm during the Great Depression"
by
Mildred Armstrong Kalish

I have not read it yet but plan to make it a Christmas gift for 2008 reading.

If readers out there have experience with these common readings programs I would be interested in hearing your perspectives.

Read on Macduff and damned be the man that cry, "hold, enough",

Todd

Canoeing

As noted on my flagship blog (http://spacebeaglenotes.blogspot.com) I was on my annual "sabbatical" which consisted of nearly 8 days of canoeing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Northern Minnesota (www.ely.org).

This year I took a hammock with me specifically to aid me in my plan to read a few books on this trip. I am happy to report that I read two books and began a third book so not only was the trip relaxing but also educational.

So now I am back home to catch up on work and blogging so please continue reading my future commentaries.

Pages and Paddles,

Todd