Reading
Reading
More Than a Memoir
Ten things you always wanted to know about being a Russian-American Gypsy
July 5th, 2012
American Gypsy is a fun, humorous and sometimes heartbreaking memoir of a teenage Russian immigrant. Now based in Henderson, first-time author Oksana Marafioti (née Kopylenko) details her move at age 15 from a comfortable life in Moscow to one of struggle in Los Angeles. Read more »
Reading
Nuclear-powered Funnies
A new book explores how the Atomic Age shaped the world of comics
June 21st, 2012
Nuclear energy—whether used as a power source, a weapon or in medicine—has become so ingrained in our existence that few of us give it thought beyond what basics we learned in high school science. Read more »
Reading
Dynomite! Lacks Blast
After countless rejections, Jimmie Walker finally tells his story ... part of it, at least
June 21st, 2012
There weren’t many TV stars more popular than Jimmie Walker in the 1970s. Portraying J.J. Evans on the groundbreaking CBS comedy Good Times, his catchphrase “Dyn-o-mite!” became one of the most iconic in television history—named the second greatest of all time by TV Guide in 2009. Read more »
Bookini
This memoir of magic will mesmerize you
June 14th, 2012
Alex Stone’s Fooling Houdini is truly something special. A fan of magic since age 5 and an accomplished performer, Stone has written a deeply personal memoir of his love affair with magic that successfully juggles centuries of history, personal anecdotes and scientific concepts. Read more »
Reading
The Writer’s Kit
Las Vegas native Vicki Pettersson creates a vibrant rockabilly hero in her latest novel
June 14th, 2012
When writing a novel, Vicki Pettersson’s favorite part of the process is world building. The New York Times best-selling author creates lush universes with their own complex theologies. In these places, evil can be smelled, angels masquerade as police sergeants and a door in a sleazy motel can open onto eternity. Read more »
Bookini
Reverend America preaches a twisted gospel
May 31st, 2012
There are flashes of brilliance throughout Reverend America, Kris Saknussemm’s ambitious new novel about an albino faith healer who becomes the unlikely guardian of a pregnant teenage prostitute. Read more »
Reading
Captain Vegas
A bulletproof comics adaptation of Tony Hsieh’s Delivering Happiness
May 31st, 2012
Sure, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is a real-life Asian-American superhero and the would-be savior of Las Vegas’ urban core. But does he cut it as a comic-book character? Read more »
Reading
Lord of His Own Destiny
This author used a sports injury to make his political thriller a reality
May 24th, 2012
Kurt Divich always aspired to be a novelist, but it took some misfortune to get him going in the right direction. The local freelance writer and publicist conceived the premise for his debut novel in the ’90s, but he had barely written a chapter over the next several years before he blew his knee out playing soccer in 2005. Laid up following surgery, Divich wrote 140,000 words in 11 months, laying the groundwork for the political thriller Lords of Las Vegas. Read more »
Bookini
Say ‘goodbye’ to this Pulitzer Prize winner’s 19th novel
May 24th, 2012
I have enormous respect for Anne Tyler, which is why I’ve struggled for several days with the following statement: “I’ve just read The Beginner’s Goodbye (Knopf Publishing Group, $25), and I’m sorry to report that it isn’t very good.” Is that even possible? Tyler, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1989 for her novel Breathing Lessons, has been writing best-selling, award-winning fiction for almost five decades. Read more »
Librarian Loves
Hamlet’s Blackberry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age
May 24th, 2012
Here’s a fresh take on what has already become a rather tiresome topic. Hamlet’s Blackberry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age (Harper, 2010), by William Powers, makes the case that in our screen-obsessed age, we need to take time to disconnect from all our assorted gadgetry. Read more »
