The Book Shopper

Churchill's Handler

I have just finished reading Clive James' recently published book of essays, Latest Readings on the books he has revisited since he was diagnosed with terminal leukemia in 2010. "If you don't know the exact moment when the lights go out," writes James, "you might as well read until they do."

When you read James whether it be his Cultural Amnesia: Necessary Memories from History and the Arts (2008) or Cultural Cohesion (2013) you can't help but start making lists of books and writers that require further investigation. This book was no different. 

One of  the especially enlightening chapters was Sir David Fraser's Alanbrooke, a biography of  Alan Brooke, who later became Lord AlanBrooke. I pride myself on having a good working knowledge of World War II history having read Rick Atkinson's The Liberation Trilogy, but Alan Brooke's name drew a blank. Brooke was quite an influential figure (and Atkinson wrote plenty about him including his expertise in ornithology ). As a general, Brooke engineered the miraculous retreat of British forces at Dunkirk and for a time was in charge of England's island defenses, but later Brooke did the greatest service to his country  as Winston Churchill's Chief of Imperial Staff, acting as a buffer between Churchill and the French and American allies. James quips, "...He (Brooke) was just in time to help save his nation from the deadly  combination of Nazi barbarity and Churchillian enthusiasm."

It is doubtful that I will even get through a first passing at Fraser's voluminous biography on Brooke, but that's why I appreciate James so much. At least I get a taste of what's it like to be well-read. 

 

 

Book vs. Baseball Dilemma (with revisions)

At the time of this posting I am still debating whether to hear the international novelist and writer Salman Rushdie's read at the Carter Center or go to Turner Field and watch American League MVP candidate Josh Donaldson (.312 avg, 38 hr, 119 rbis) crush baseballs at the expense of the woeful Atlanta Braves pitching staff. Both events are scheduled to begin on Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m.

 

Factors to Consider

1. Rushdie will read from his new novel Two Years Eight Month and Twenty-Eight Nights. I am expecting Donaldson (@BringerofRain20) to launch baseballs in the left field seats.  Also appearing with Donaldson is fellow Toronto Blue Jay rainmakers Edwin Encarnacion (.271, 32, 99) and Jose Bautista (.252, 35, 101).
2. If Rushdie is not sold out it will be standing room only. There are ~30,000 seats available at Turner Field, which you would expect from a team that is 57-89. 
3. Braves tickets are about $20 for a terrace level seat -- the view to watch baseballs sailing into the night. Admission to Rushdie is $30 which includes a signed book. Not much of a chance for an autograph of Donaldson.
4. Parking is free at the Carter Center compared to about $15 at Turner Field, but tailgating is not frowned upon at the Ted. 

Such a decision for a baseball and book blogger. For a followup see the Postgame Postscript.

Postgame Postscript (September 19th)

I ended up going to the game, but I wasn't the only one because in between innings,  former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn were on Kiss-Cam (instead of being at The Carter Center ?!?). Their appearance went viral. They received more and louder cheers than the Braves who were shutout by the Blue Jays,  5-0.

The Blue Jay bats did not disappoint. Edwin Encarnacion hit a line drive homer to left center and Cliff Pennington a deep three-run shot to right in Toronto's four-run fourth.  It was a school night, so I wasn't there for Josh Donaldson's opposite field homer in the 9th inning.

 

 

A History of Decatur Festival Bookshopping 2015

Some people go to the Decatur Book Festival to wait in line to see authors, (like the queue to see Ron Rash, bottom of page)  others go take their children to expose them to written word and have their face painted, but I like to watch people search for books like these intense bibliophiles in front of the library.

I did most of my book shopping at the Georgia Antiquarian Book Association's  (GABA) Fair, which was located in the First Baptist Church gymnasium (shown left). This was a return for GABA who had not been to the festival for several years.

Ironically, my only purchase was from the Dekalb History Center booth near the Old Courthouse where I bought a thin copy of The Battle of Decatur, July 22, 1864 (2003)  a small pamphlet written by Albert Rauber. I am becoming more and more interested in the history of Decatur especially events that happened near my doorstep.   One unique aspect of the book is that it comes with a mylar map overlay that you can place over a page showing a 1860s map,  which gives the reader a sense of  where the battle took place in relation to current Decatur landmarks.

Later at the GABA booth I was chatting with Ken Beebe  one of the vendors of history books ( had a gorgeous set of Shelby Foote's Civil War trilogy hardbacks), who observed that he could see e-readers being popular with fiction, but with history books -- and especially those with maps -- he didn't see how the e-book could replace paper.  Especially the ability to stick your finger in the book and flip back and forth between map and text with ease.  I never thought about it until then, but he's correct. Another history lesson from the Decatur Book Festival (#dbf2015).