Donation to Jackson County library makes a perfect gift
Library lovers and history buffs from all over have a singular opportunity this year to combine giving Christmas presents to…
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Lehane’s latest as good as it gets
For over a decade, Dennis Lehane’s name has been synonymous with skillfully crafted crime novels. Both Mystic River and Shutter’s Island…
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Macon County natives release book
Two Macon County natives, Gail Shepherd Diederich and Gail Kelly Lester, recently released a new book, Tales of Two Gails.…
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Find the perfect gift at your local bookshop
For many people, Thanksgiving is a holiday that delivers on its promises. The table sags beneath platters of ham and…
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Frank is always provocative and thought-provoking
Criminal Justice in America by Marshall Frank. AuthorHouse, 2008. 276 pages. In Criminal Injustice in America: Essays by a Career…
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Zafón back… but not, this time, in Barcelona
For millions of readers, Carlos Ruiz Zafon’s The Shadow of the Wind proved to be one of the most captivating…
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Poetry, storytelling and music at City Light
City Lights Bookstore in Sylva will host Karen Holmes for the bookstore’s monthly Coffee with the Poet gathering at 10:30…
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Readings at City Lights
City Lights will host several authors this weekend for a diverse selection of book readings. At 7 p.m. on Friday,…
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Magendie releases third novel
Kathryn Magendie will celebrate the release of her new novel, Sweetie, at Blue Ridge Books at 4 p.m. on Saturday,…
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Book explores the value of silence
The sound of silence. Silence is a rare commodity in our world today. Of course, perfect silence doesn’t exist. The…
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McCrumb gets sidetracked in book about famous trial
Several months ago, I reviewed a marvelous non-fiction work by Sharon Hatfield titled Never Seen the Moon: The Trials of…
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Photos, oral histories of Madison
Award-winning photographer and writer Rob Amberg’s multimedia presentation “The New Road and Today’s Mountaineers” — set for 7 p.m. on…
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Charles White to read from new historical fiction
Charles White, formerly of Cullowhee, will be at City Lights at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, to read from…
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The Swain Library will host an afternoon author talk with local author
Author Jane SpottedBird will discuss her new book, Still Here: Dancing to the Beat of My Own Drum on Saturday,…
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Secret Life of Bees to be discussed
Sally Salyards will lead a discussion of The Secret Life of Bees at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4 in the…
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City Lights book group meet and greet
Are you in a book group? Do you want to be in one? Is your book group looking for good…
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Taking readers to a warm and colorful place
As cooler weather plucks leaves from the trees, stripping the branches bare as a freshly-barbered poodle, as that wonderful green…
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Unwieldy story still packs a punch
Reading So Cold the River may give many readers a weird sense of déjà vu — a feeling that they…
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Library’s “Puppy Tales” offers remedy for shy readers
If you’ve got a young reader who has difficulty reading to parents or teachers, the Haywood County Public Library may…
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Local author to hold book signing
Author Barbara Dumas Ballew will be signing copies of her novel, George’s Creek to Georgia, on Oct. 23 at PumpkinFest…
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‘Waynesville’ authors to make store appearance
Authors Michael Beadle and Peter Yurko will discuss and sign copies of their new pictorial history book, Waynesville, from noon…
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Take a chance on Ravens
When a friend sent me an advanced reading copy of Ravens with a note that said, “There is no one…
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Young writers win recognition
Western North Carolina students captured most of the prizes in the Student Laureate Awards sponsored by the North Carolina English…
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Upcoming events at City Lights in Sylva
David Watkins of Cullowhee will offer a free personal budgeting workshop at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva at 1 p.m.…
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A new collection of mountain writers
Many of us have attended a Methodist or Baptist “dinner on the grounds.” At these events, once popular across the…
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Art and authors at Blue Ridge Books
Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville is offering a full lineup of special events this month. For more information on any…
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REACH gets help from local book author
Mary J. Messer, author of Moonshiner’s Daughter, the recently published Haywood County based Appalachian memoir, presented a check to REACH…
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Crews’ world is full of blood and bone
Getting Naked with Harry Crews, edited by Erik Bledsoe. University of Florida Press, 1998. The first time I ever heard…
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An official Star Wars party
Join the fun at a Star Wars party at 2 p.m on Saturday, July 31, at Blue Ridge Books. The…
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All about the Carltons
Dr. Barbara Carlton will autograph copies of her book, This Nearly Was Mine: A Journey Through Carlton Country at 2…
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Storytime with puppets
Jackson County resident Josie Williams will be guest storyteller at a special children’s storytime at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July…
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A grim look at Appalachia
Authors often dig into their childhood to mine for the coal and diamonds of their books. Sometimes they use the…
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Fiction author to appear at Sylva
Susan Gregg Gilmore, author of Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen, will read from her new novel, The Improper…
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Twenty regional authors at Blue Ridge Book Fest
Blue Ridge Book Fest: A Regional Author Festival will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct.…
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“Therapy Dog” sales to support animal shelters
Dianna K. Klingel will be signing her book, Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog, from…
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An irresistible adventure
Some novels ask for a close reading. Entranced by the author’s language, intrigued by an intricate plot, and in some…
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Jackson County Public Library observes twenty-ninth annual Banned Books Week
The twenty-ninth Banned Books Week Sept. 25 through Oct. 2 celebrates not only the freedom to choose what to read…
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Southern stories don’t disappoint
The publication of New Stories from the South 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of this prestigious series. Obviously, the folks…
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Words speak louder than actions
A Postcard From The Volcano: A Novel of Pre-War Germany by Lucy Beckett. Ignatius Press, 2009. 520 pages World War…
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First-ever Southeast Indian Writers Gathering lined up
Native American writers from the Southeast are invited to participate in the first-ever Southeast Indian Writers Gathering, to be held…
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First annual “Celebration of Books” in Highlands
Twenty-eight Carolina authors will be selling and signing their books at the Celebration of Books from 9 a.m. to 3…
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Meet Lin Stepp, author of the Smoky Mountain series of novels
Lin Stepp will sign copies of Tell Me About Orchard Hollow from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18,…
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Putting the spotlight on Whittier
My Mountain Granny by Matthew Link Baker. Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, Inc., 2010. In the opening pages of My…
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Literary journal honors contemporary literature from the Cherokee community
Readers will be in for a surprise when thumbing through the pages of the all-Cherokee issue of Appalachian Heritage literary…
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Learning to play the Angel’s Game
The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Doubleday, 2009. 470 pages.A few days after completing The Shadow of the Wind,…
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WCU Authors Hal Herzog and Anna Fariello at City Lights
Western Carolina University psychology professor Hal Herzog will celebrate his new book, Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We…
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Choice of victims makes this a disturbing read
Stephen Hunter’s I, Sniper (ISBN 978-1-4165-6515-4, $26) brings to readers once again that intrepid sniper, now old and aching from…
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A fascinating murder story
On a hot July night in 1935, a young Wise County, Virginia, school teacher named Edith Maxwell came home late.…
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New “Blue Ridge” Anthology features local authors
A reading and book signing for the new anthology Echoes Across the Blue Ridge will take place from 1 to…
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Coffee with poet Bill Everett
Poet Bill Everett, author of Red Clay Blood River, will appear at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, as this month’s…
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