Zombie Sisters Rule

As you know if you've been reading this blog over the last few weeks, The Morning News Tournament of Books has been enthralling me. It is interesting to me to see how people read and review (and disagree on) certain "top shelf" titles.

Today, the winner was announced for this year's tournament. And it's The Sisters Brothers, a book that has been in award announcements and reviews all year. It's also a "zombie book," which means it was originally knocked out of the tournament by a judge, but the fans voted it back into contention.
I first noticed this book last fall when I wrote about the Man Booker competition (click here). I don't always like to read the books that everyone is talking about because they often don't deliver for me.
The Sisters Brothers is particularly hard for me to pick up because it's a genre I don't normally find interesting (Westerns), it has been compared often to Cormac McCarthy (not my fave), and it is often described as incredibly violent (which is neither a con nor a pro for me).
The interesting thing for me about this year's Tournament of Books, though, has been the very thoughtful and thought-provoking reviews by the judges. Today, all of the judges weighed in on The Sisters Brothers, and I have to admit that their views have changed my mind about the book.
I'm intrigued by the humor that is often referenced, by the idea that the author is "an amazing storyteller" with a "stellar future ahead of him." And who couldn't love that incredible cover design?
So, okay Morning News, you hooked me with your zombie by going right for my brain. I'll let you know what I think about the book after I read it.
And I know how you love lists (well, I do and I hope you do). The tournament commentator John Warner has provided readers with his list of "books to watch" this year for the 2013 tournament.
Even though it's only March, John? Oh well, I do like to see what's on a list like that, so here you go. And note the Zombie book. Probably has an unfair advantage with a title like that:

The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson

Threats by Amelia Gray

Brain on Fire by Susanna Cahalan

Canada by Richard Ford

The Master Blaster by P.F. Kluge

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

Arcadia by Lauren Groff

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

The Flame Alphabet by Ben Marcus

The Vanishers by Heidi Julavits

Flatscreen by Adam Wilson

The Angry Buddhist by Seth Greenland

Enchantments by Kathryn Harrison

You and Me by Padgett Powell

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

In One Person by John Irving

Home by Toni Morrison

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

The Cove by Ron Rash

Pure by Julianna Baggott

Dead Low Tide by Bret Lott

The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

How Should a Person Be by Sheila Heti

Zombie by J.R. Angelella

That’s Not a Feeling by Dan Josefson

Carry the One by Carol Anshaw

Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Dogma by Lars Iyer

Gorilla Beach by Nicole Polizzi

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Mountains of the Moon by I.J. Kay

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

The Sugar Frosted Nutsack by Mark Leyner

Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon

Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures by Emma Straub

Black-Velvet Books

On Monday, yet another publishing program entered the "publish your own e-book" arena. Vook says it provides an easy-to-use platform that will create a "professionally styled" book and then the program will help you distribute that e-book to Amazon, BN.com, and other online sellers.

The finished books do look much more professional and offer more interactivity than some of the free or low-cost services I've seen (like CreateBaby, Sigil, more), but Vook is much more expensive in return.
While I applaud the idea that many talented authors who are overlooked by publishing houses will be able to get their work in front of an audience, I have an issue with self-publishing. Many of the books aren't, well, worth the time.
Think about all of the people out there who truly believe that they are artists and that the world really does need another black-velvet painting of clowns. The only thing saving them from us is the fact that there is no venue for them to get their "art" in front of the world through an online gallery...yet.
Some of the self-published writers have to print their own books for a reason. They are writing stories that are the equivalent of black-velvet paintings. I've had a LOT of those books emailed to me in the last few months, so I know what I'm talking about.
There is a certain element of curation that takes place in publishing, and maybe Amazon, BN.com, Apple and others are going to have to start providing that curation. Or maybe reviewers will have a bigger role to play in helping people decide what's good, and what isn't. But some sort of curation will be needed.
And I don't like black velvet.

Eating Up the Brackets

Now I've seen everything. You've read the recent posts I've done about The Morning News and its book bracket. Well Garden & Gun magazine is now doing a Southern food bracket. And someone out there is even doing a basketball bracket, apparently.

I just found the food bracket, which is genius. Its point is to crown the king-daddy of all Southern dishes. A tournament like that could spark some serious slap-fights at the next family reunion.
Garden & Gun splits its bracket into four categories: Classic, Barbecue, Low Country, and Cajun/Creole. This fight is almost down to the Final Four (which sounds familiar, no?). And you can vote on all of your favorites.
Evidently, Cornbread beat out Mac & Cheese to advance in the Barbecue segment. Does that even make sense? First, there is no barbecue involved. And second, how in the world could Mac & Cheese beat Cornbread? My Southern-girl roots are deeply offended.
Oh, and why isn't biscuits-and-gravy included? Was the person who compiled this bracket even Southern? But I digress.
Yesterday, I voted for Shrimp & Grits over Hoppin' John in the Low Country category, but Hoppin' John won. Over grits. Oh, and did I mention the grits? The one foodstuff that originated in the South? Humph.
Today's vote will cause family rifts – it pits Fried Chicken against Country Fried Steak. My husband and I could have a fight over that one (I voted for Fried Chicken).
And tomorrow it's Beignets vs. Gumbo in the Cajun/Creole segment. Duh – fried dough with sugar wins every time. Just go to any county fair in the South if you don't agree and you'll see what I mean. The overall winner will be announced on April 9.
I'll keep an eye on this bracket, just like I'm keeping you up to date on The Morning News Tournament of Books. Time to check in on the Zombie Rounds.
As I told you on Monday, this is the one chance for fans to vote books back into contention (raising them from the dead, so to speak). And what do you know, some freaks people voted The Sisters Brothers back in! Seriously? Sigh. Moreover, the scary book won today's round and moves into the championship bout on March 30. It will go up against the winner of tomorrow's fight between Open City and the zombie vote Art of Fielding.
Never thought I'd root for baseball, but "Go Fielding!"

Do Mad Men Read?

Finally caught up on the season launch of Mad Men last night. Yes, I know that I'm behind, but someone has to keep reading to feed this blog beast.

Anyway, there has been a lot of (deserved) hoopla surrounding the show's new season, and I thought the episode lived up to the hype.
Mad Men offers one of those few defining moments in pop culture, literally changing the way we dress (Banana Republic), wear makeup (Lauder), and design our homes (think of all the companies out there touting mid-century modern furniture).
The show's characters get into our heads and burrow in there more than we probably realize. In a turn-about-is-fair-play move, Book Riot is getting into the characters' heads, imagining the books that each person should have on her/his nightstand.
I'm not sure how any of them would have time between all the drinks, sex, fights, and cigarettes to actually read anything, but it's a fun parlor game.
Book Riot would suggest The Great Gatsby to Don Draper, for example. While I applaud that selection, can you imagine the raised eyebrow you'd get from Don?
And while I think Betty could definitely benefit from The Feminine Mystique, I'm not sure she has the intelligence or energy to pick it up. I probably would have recommended Grow Up and Get a Job.
What do you think the Mad Men crew should read?

The Zombies Approach

If you have been following The Morning News Tournament of Books (what? like there's another tournament?), you will realize that we are down to the semifinal rounds.

Today, judge Michelle Orange took 1Q84 out of contention, which is good because I am scared of that book. Its sheer size could flatten you. Instead, she chose Lightning Rods to move up the bracket. Tomorrow, another book that scares me will be in contention when The Sisters Brothers faces off against Open City. The Sisters Brothers is supposed to be a tour de force, but it's just a violent incomprehensible dialog to me.
Never fear, though, the zombies are coming! Well, at least the "zombie round" is coming. This is the type of fan-input that I believe would greatly benefit the NCAA.
You see, The Morning News asks readers to vote for their favorite books from the past year while the judges are doing their thing. The books that have been knocked out have a chance to come back from the dead, with the top two fan favorites re-entering the play. We'll know the first zombie on Wednesday. Please please please do not let it be 1Q84. I'm scared enough already.

Review + Recipe(s) – Famine and Feast

I am suspicious by nature, particularly about hype and advertising. Show me a book that "everyone" is talking about, and you'll have to force me to read it.
I know by this point you've heard a lot about the movie The Hunger Games, and you may be wondering if the story is getting too much publicity. The answer is no. The trilogy by Suzanne Collins is worth all the attention it's getting, and I am really looking forward to seeing the movie this weekend.
If you are still unfamiliar with the plot at this point, The Hunger Games imagines a futuristic world where 12 districts are controlled by a Big Brother-style government. Each district must hold a lottery to choose one boy and one girl to fight to the death in televised combat. The home district for the winner will be rewarded with feasts and wealth, a much-needed relief for the districts that are struggling with crippling poverty and hunger.
When Katniss Everdeen's young sister is chosen to compete, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She is taken to the capitol city to be groomed and trained for the competition by a strange team of coaches and stylists. Unwilling to be a pawn in this ongoing chess match between the government and its people, Katniss decides to find her own way through the competition without losing herself, literally and emotionally.
Collins' trilogy describes a harsh and often brutal world, while at the same time shining a light on our own. It's a clever riff on our obsession with violent video games and reality television, and a lesson in dictatorial governments.
Even if you see the movie this weekend before reading the book, be sure to read the trilogy at some point. They are quick-read and compelling books that will grab you and drag you right into the 12 districts. Just ask my husband. When I finally convinced him to read the books, he read all three in about four days, a personal record for him (just kidding, Matt).   (Scholastic - 2008)

Recipes Inspired by The Hunger Games

It seems ironic that a book with "hunger" in the title would inspire a cookbook, but food is a central part of the Suzanne Collins books. After all, when you have so little food, the composition of your next meal can become all-consuming.

Emily Ansara Baines was so inspired by the descriptions of food in The Hunger Games trilogy that she decided to try to recreate every dish. Her new book, The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook, offers 150 recipes, including the lamb stew with dried plums that is a favorite for Katniss.
Recipes run the gamut form the breads made in Peeta's family bakery to the roasted parsnips that Katniss' sister loves. And, luckily, Baines substituted some ingredients, like putting chicken in place of squirrel.
Recently, the Huffington Post ran a review of the book and showcased lucious photos of the editors' picks for the top 12 dishes. Click here to view the slideshow.
To see four of the actual recipes from the book, click here to go to the Daily Mail's review of the cookbook.

Booking Fashion – and More Madness

Books are definitely back in fashion. For some of us, they were never truly out of style, but others needed a little persuading.

Thankfully, designers have discovered the pull of geek chic, fashioning books into fabrics, jewelry, rugs, and handbags.
Prideletto is featured in the April issue of Town & Country, showcasing its Books ring, which can be yours for the low price of  $9,800. The company also has a book motif on earrings and a bracelet.
If that doesn't strike your fancy, you can carry one of Kate Spade's new book bags, seen on red carpets all over Hollywood during award season. The original book bag may have been designed by Olympia Le Tan. Whoever came up with the first idea, the bags are very cool trompe l'oeil style.

Madness Marches On
And now let's check the book bracket from The Morning News. Today's competition seemed unfair from the outset – you pit two vicious criminals against a 13-year-old (even though she wrestles alligators) and logic tells you who will come out on top. And that's just what happened when judge Missy Mizzoli gave the win to The Sisters Brothers over Swamplandia!.
We're now into the quarterfinals, boys and girls, in The Morning New Tournament of Books. My daughter will be thrilled to see that 1Q84 is still in the hunt, going up against Lightning Rods on March 26 in the only semifinal match we're already sure of.
The other semifinal will be between The Sisters Brothers and tomorrow's victor in the battle between crowd favorite The Marriage Plot and Open City.
Bracket as it stands is below. Stay tuned for more!

http://www.themorningnews.org/tob/#

Baking Old School

Bakeries can be a dime a dozen (pardon the pun), but one that has staying power can be hard to find. The Back in the Day bakery has been serving up comforting dishes of sugar and spice for 10 years. To celebrate that amazing anniversary, owners Cheryl and Griff Day are showcasing some of their top recipes in the new Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook.

The old-fashioned fare has a distinct Southern accent and a sense of community, as if the duo is lending you their dog-eared recipes to copy down over a cup of coffee.
As Cheryl writes in the introduction, "We are inviting those who can't make it to our bakery to slow down and taste the sweet life in their own kitchens."
And how sweet it is – with recipes for Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes, Drunk Blondies, Lavender Shortbread, and Salted Caramel Apple Pie.
Savory dishes aren't ignored, but are celebrated, including Vegetable Potpie, Pancetta Fontina Bread Pudding, Southern Corn Cakes, and Hot and Spicy Mixed Nuts.
There's a genuineness to the Days that makes this a more-than-special cookbook with a piquant charm. (Artisan - 2012)

Cut the Crap

Dear Famous Writer,

Remember when no one knew who you were? Those were the days. You worried over your new book like a clucky mother hen, polishing every word until it was shiny and solid.
Back then, there was a person sitting right beside you with a metaphoric set of scissors, ready to help you snip things into shape. Sure it could be frustrating, but the editor kept things moving for you and helped shape you into the Famous Writer you are today.
So now here you are, pots of money, lots of great books. But where is your good friend the editor?
Let me spell it out for you – every word you write is not a pearl dropping to the ground. Just because you feel it is imperative for your story to take that left turn at Albuquerque does not mean it should. And just because your legions of fans have been clamoring for your new book doesn't mean they want it to be 698 pages.
Bring back the editor! Give her a sharp pair of scissors and let her cut your ego, make that your book, down to size.
We want the fast-paced narrative, the small pool of creative characters, and the sharp tone that you had in your last book. Oh, and that editor will also help you find spell-check on your computer.
Sincerely,
Your (don't make me say former) fan

Nordic Noir

There's a chill in the air. Yes, I know it's practically spring (and some of us are enjoying 80-degree weather), but a cold wind is ushering in a fabulous new trend for mysteries. It's Nordic Noir, featuring twisty tales and freezing landscapes. Long nights and little sun seem to produce taciturn detectives and deeply disturbed villains. Here are three of my favorite dark tales.

The Keeper of Lost Causes
by Jussi Adler-Olsen
His name may not be familiar to those of us in countries other than his native Denmark, but Adler-Olsen is one of his country's top crime writers. This first installment in the Department Q series shows us why.
Carl Mørck was also at the top of his game, until a shootout with a criminal left him with a wound, and a serious case of survivor's guilt. He's shocked when he is promoted as soon as he returns to his detective post, until he finds out he's in charge of a cold-case department with few prospects for success. Saddled with an assistant he doesn't understand, in a steamy basement office with leftover goods, Mørck is prepared to sleep his way through the job. That is, until a missing person's case grabs his attention.
This engrossing mystery is as dark as any in Nordic Noir, but with a gentle sense of humor that lightens the mood, and puts you firmly behind Department Q and its lost causes. The next book from Adler-Olsen (The Absent One) will appear in August, just in time to cool us down. (Penguin Group - 2011)

Hypothermia

by Arnaldur Indridason
Blowing in from the island of Iceland is a cold tale of suicide. Or is it murder? Inspector Erlunder has a feeling that all is not as it seems, even though the coroner has deemed the death a clear suicide.
A loner by nature, Erlunder follows his hunch, quietly probing the idea that the victim did not hang herself and was helped to her death. But who did the deed? Was it the grieving husband who seems to have something to hide? Or perhaps it was one of the many psychics that the poor woman visited after her own mother's death.
At the same time, Erlunder is visited by the father of a long-ago missing person. The same intuition leads him to re-examine the details of that case, determined to find resolution in both mysteries.
This is the sixth book in what is known as the Reykjavik Thriller series, but the first I've read. After finding myself pulled into the spell of Indridason's writing, I'll be searching out the previous five. (Picador - 2011)

The Leopard

by Jo Nesbø
I first discovered Jo Nesbø with The Devil's Star and I've been hooked ever since. His taut writing and fast-paced storylines are reminiscent of Stieg Larsson, but better.
Don't get me wrong, I love Larsson's trilogy, but I do think it could have used a little editing to quicken the pace and clear out a few "dead" spots (pardon the pun). Unfortunately, at 528 pages, the only thing about this book that gave me pause, other than the unexpected turns, was the fact that it would have been much better if it had a been a bit shorter. See tomorrow's post on editing.
Meanwhile, back to The Leopard, which is still an amazing return to detective Harry Hole's strange world. As defective as the criminals he hunts, Hole has descended into his addictions and is hiding in Hong Kong. He refuses to return home, until he's enticed there by the idea that another serial killer is on the loose. Two women have died, but there is nothing at all to link them except very strange stab wounds in their mouths. Hole travels back to Norway and then to the Congo in his quest to track an elusive animal.
Nesbø is a thrilling writer who never fails to surprise – I have to say that the murder weapon in this case completely freaked me out. If you've never read his books, see my review here of The Snowman. (Knopf Doubleday - 2011)

And now for a personal note - happy birthday to my daughter, Aana! I can't wait to see how the story of your life unfolds.

You Be the Judge

Last week, the winners were announced for the National Book Critics Circle Awards (click here). I think critics pride themselves on finding that one book that hasn't received all the hype, the title that slid under the radar. This year's winners definitely fit that description.

In the Fiction category, the winner was Edith Pearlman for Binocular Vision, a short-story collection. For Nonfiction, the winner was Maya Jasanoff for Liberty's Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World.

For Biography, the award went to John Lewis Gaddis for George F. Kennan: An American Life (I've never heard of him, either). The Autobiography award was presented to Mira Bartok for The Memory Palace: A Memoir. And in Poetry, the winner was Laura Kasischke for Space, in Chains.
And, of course, there were awards for the critics themselves, with one honoring Geoff Dyer for his critical essays.
So, how many of those books have you read? Probably just as many as I have. In fact, I'm on hundreds of book sites every week and I've only heard of one those titles.
That isn't a bad thing, I think it's refreshing. The overhyped books tend to let me down.
Speaking of hype, let's check our Tournament of Books bracket, brought to you by The Morning News.
On March 9, Lightning Rods by Helen DeWitt took the lead over Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward.
And today, 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami beat out The Last Brother by Nathacha Appanah.
Tomorrow, The Stranger's Child is pitted against The Tiger's Wife (which sounds a bit one-sided just from the titles).
We'll keep an eye on the competition as we head into the Great Eight and then the Final Four.

Review + Recipe: Paris in Springtime

Review: The Paris Wife
by Paula McLain
Celebrity is a curious thing. Despite what even the most grounded celebrity says, fame changes people.
In his early days, Ernest Hemingway was like any other struggling writer. He had talent, spirit, and enthusiasm, but he needed a lucky break. Paula McLain takes on the story of Hemingway as he teetered on the edge between anonymity and notoriety, and as he embarked on his first marriage to Hadley Richardson. A woman eight years older than Hemingway, Hadley offers both inspiration and solace to the struggling journalist.
After their wedding, Hemingway and Hadley begin the springtime of their life together in Paris, where tout le monde seems to be drawn in the early 1920s. They are swept up in a Jazz Age whirl with luminaries like F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, Ezra Pound, and Gertrude Stein. There was little money, but a lot of alcohol and parties.
McLain's book focuses on Hadley's side of the story, as she struggles to keep up with the many moods of Hemingway. He is drawn to adventure, to grabbing life's brass ring, and to never slowing down. But Hadley has to deal with the realities of living, of loneliness, of motherhood, and of being a wife.
Hemingway moves among the luminaries of Paris, but when he returns home to Hadley it's also a thump back down to reality, and that's not necessarily where he yearns to be. As Hemingway begins to find success with his writing, Hadley faces the failure of their marriage.
This is a bittersweet book that focuses on the changing relationship between an ordinary husband and wife when the husband develops an extraordinary talent. A page-turner to the very end – even when you know what's coming.

Recipe: Sweet and Sour Tarts
Hadley Richardson finds life with Hemingway to be both sweet and sour, so I thought these lemon curd tarts would be the perfect accompaniment to The Paris Wife.
Prepared tart shells, any size
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 Tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons butter
Prepare tart shells as instructed on the package. You can use mini-tarts or normal-sized tart shells. Cool shells while continuing with recipe. Put gelatin in small saucepan. Sprinkle with the cold water. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until thick. Stir into the gelatin mixture. Heat to just boiling over low heat, stirring constantly for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and butter. Pour lemon mixture into shells. Refrigerate for one hour and then serve.

Sweet 16 Tournament

If you live in the South, spring means two things – the humidity is about to dump on us like hot Jello and it's time for March Madness. A newbie may think those two things are the same thing. But no. March Madness refers, of course, to basketball.

But there's another spring tournament I'm more interested in – the 8th Annual Tournament of Books, organized by The Morning News (click here) and sponsored by Field Notes.
Here's the general gist, according to The Morning News site: "A ridiculously small and poorly informed group of TMN editors and contributors have chosen 16 of the most cherished, hyped, ignored, and/or enthusiastically praised books of the year to enter into a month-long tournament, NCAA-basketball-madness style.
"We take these books and seed them, with the odds-on favorites receiving 1 seed and longer shots receiving 4 seeds. Then we place them in an NCAA-style tournament bracket and assign books in pairs to judges, who read both assigned books, advancing one."
Sounds as good as any other book awards set-up that I've heard of. And just as arbitrary!
This year's Sweet 16 books are:
Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending
Nathacha Appanah, The Last Brother
Teju Cole, Open City
Helen DeWitt, Lightning Rods
Patrick deWitt, The Sisters Brothers
Jeffrey Eugenides, The Marriage Plot
Chad Harbach, The Art of Fielding
Alan Hollinghurst, Stranger’s Child
Jesmyn Ward, Salvage the Bones
Haruki Murakami, 1Q84
Téa Obreht, The Tiger’s Wife
Michael Ondaatje, The Cat’s Table
Ann Patchett, State of Wonder
Donald Ray Pollock, The Devil All the Time
Karen Russell, Swamplandia
Kate Zambreno, Green Girl
In the first round, The Sense of an Ending put the smack-down on The Devil All the Time – or at least judge Emma Straub delivered the smack-down.
So now you have one name to fill in your bracket. Oh, you didn't think there was a bracket? Madness.

But I Still Won't Make Mayonnaise

I go through phases of wanting to be more like Julia Child and less like Lorelai Gilmore. I get all of my cookbooks out and decide that we will only eat homemade items. And then I come back to my senses.

With a new garden all ready to go for the spring, though, I'm getting excited about fresh soups and salads with some homemade loaves of bread. Much more doable.
When Jennifer Reese (of the great blog Tipsy Baker) lost her job, she went into a make-it-or-break-it panic, thinking that she needed to make everything that her family ate to save money. Once she started raising chickens and making her own peanut butter, though, she realized there should be a balance between the time and hassle of making everything and the convenience of purchasing some items at the store.
Make the Bread, Buy the Butter tracks Reese's learning curve with humor and great insights. She lists the items that are not worth making yourself based on a cost comparison and the amount of time/effort it takes. According to her kitchen-tested research, you should buy baguettes, rice pudding, corn dogs, and burritos. But you should cure your own meats, and make whipped cream, bagels, and pickles.
I'd rather make rice pudding than bagels (and yes, I've made both at home), but that's just me. I do draw the line at mayonnaise, which Reese says could go either way. Making mayo just has a high ick-factor for me.
Even if you don't decide to suddenly grind your own wheat, you'll get a kick out of Reese's commentary as she contemplates deep thoughts, like who in the world actually buys those frozen Uncrustables PB&J sandwiches.
She also offers some easy and fairly pain-free recipes for the things she recommends you make yourself. But my friend Julie – who desperately and strangely wants her own flock of chickens – will be bummed to learn that eggs are on the "buy" list. Chickens are a hassle, Julie. Trust me.

Hearst at 125

Given my past history with newspapers and magazines, I've always been fascinated with the Hearst family. Hearst Corp. celebrates its 125th anniversary this week.
It's grown from its first publication (the San Francisco Examiner) to a worldwide empire that includes newspapers, digital marketing services, magazines, TV stations, cable networks, online businesses, real estate and more – including my former employer Elle Decor. That's 200 businesses in over 100 countries.

This September, Hearst will publish a commemorative book to celebrate the anniversary. Meanwhile, here are some titles about the founder, William Randolph Hearst, to keep you entertained:

Passing on a Love of Books

While on a business trip in LA last week, I took two quick tours just for me. The first was to the Los Angeles Public Library, an amazing edifice with a lovely garden in front. Unfortunately, there's a sad population who literally call the front steps home, which made my visit more melancholy than I expected.
The second trip was down to Spring Street to visit The Last Bookstore, a funky book-filled space in a former retail building.
The front desk was constructed of books (above left), the music was indie-fabulous, and the shelves featured handwritten signs for interesting sections such as "Sherlockian." The Last Bookstore offers used books for sale as well as new titles, and has an area specifically designed for albums. My friend Todd would have found some gems in there.
I want everyone to feel the way I do when I'm in a library or bookstore, as if they are about to find their next great adventure.

That's why I'm joining World Read Aloud Day on Wednesday, March 7. Organized by LitWorld, last year's event reached 60 countries and all 50 states, with over 200,000 participants reading aloud to kids.
I started reading to my daughter when she was (as my husband would say) in the larval stage, and we continued reading to her throughout her childhood. That includes the infamous time that I read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire out loud for about 12 hours straight on a car trip to Florida. Can you say laryngitis?
But I do know that every book, from Hooper Humperdink to Harry Potter, gave my daughter the same love of books that I have.
So pass on your love of books by joining World Read Aloud Day. Click here to learn how.