I find Bjorn Lomborg to be one of the most persuasive voices on the planet. Money quote: An African safari trip once confronted America’s new president with a question he could not answer: why the rich world prized elephants over African children. Today’s version of that question is: why will richer nations spend obscene amountsContinue reading “Bjorn Lomborg”
Category Archives: Books and Authors
The Medea Hypothesis
So much for James Lovelock’s Gaia hypothesis–the idea that life sustains habitable conditions on earth. Enter The Medea Hypothesis. Peter Ward argues that most of Earth’s mass extinctions were caused life itself, and we have the hydrogen sulfide markers to prove it. There’s an interesting TED Talk here (about 20 minutes).
From Idea to Bookstore
This may be just a tad tongue-in-cheek. I love the footage of the trees being cut for the paper.
Holiday Message from Roy Blount Jr.: Buy Books From Your Local Bookstore, Now
Roy Blount Jr’s post on the Authors Guild site: December 11, 2008. I’ve been talking to booksellers lately who report that times are hard. And local booksellers aren’t known for vast reserves of capital, so a serious dip in sales can be devastating. Booksellers don’t lose enough money, however, to receive congressional attention. A governmentContinue reading “Holiday Message from Roy Blount Jr.: Buy Books From Your Local Bookstore, Now”
Oh my, shoganai
Over at Pink Tentacle is a list of the Top 60 popular Japanese words/phrases of 2008. The number one Japanese word for 2008 is (drum roll, please….): “Guu” — a corruption of the English word “good” and the signature line of comedienne Edo Harumi, delivered with the thumbs-up gesture. Comedy comes from the culture.
Hook 'em Danno
Think about how you are drawn into a book and then the story—especially by an author you’re not familiar with. Perhaps you saw a book review, perhaps you heard how good it was from a friend, or perhaps when you walked into the bookstore (or Costco) you saw the book on a table. First, youContinue reading “Hook 'em Danno”
Hook ’em Danno
Think about how you are drawn into a book and then the story—especially by an author you’re not familiar with. Perhaps you saw a book review, perhaps you heard how good it was from a friend, or perhaps when you walked into the bookstore (or Costco) you saw the book on a table. First, youContinue reading “Hook ’em Danno”
I wonder what an electronic book reader would look like if Apple designed it?
I wonder what an electronic book reader would look like if Apple designed it? Tribes author Seth Godin has an interesting take on free content and the publishing industry: [Publishers] are not in the printing business. [They are] in the business of leveraging the big ideas authors have. … The market doesn’t care a whitContinue reading “I wonder what an electronic book reader would look like if Apple designed it?”
Michael Crichton – storyteller
Best-selling author Michael Crichton died unexpectedly in Los Angeles Tuesday, November 4, 2008, losing a private battle against cancer. He was 66. Crichton did not write literature. I cannot name one protagonist, any antagonist from any of his books I read. Yet I couldn’t put them down, okay I didn’t finish Timeline or Prey. PreyContinue reading “Michael Crichton – storyteller”
Creating Book Buzz
One of the tenets of selling books is the need for word of mouth. Thomas Nelson publishing has come up with one way to create that buzz about a book–give books away. Bloggers can receive free copies of select Thomas Nelson products. Their stipulation is that, in exchange, you must agree to read the bookContinue reading “Creating Book Buzz”