The Regulator on Ninth Street kicked off the month of May with Duke professor and literary great Reynolds Price on Friday night, followed by a look at the real life of Doc Graham -- featured in "Field of Dreams" -- with ex-Duke baseball coach Bob Reising.
Still this month: the kickoff of a new quarterly series in which local notables present their take on a well-known book, with Duke economist Dan Ariely taking on the century-old book "Three Men in a Boat" for a reading and discussion. Also up: political strategist and blogger Michael Lux, Durham native and novelist John Hart, Hillsborough author Michael Malone, and more.
Read the list of remaining events at the Regulator this month after the jump.
WARREN ST. JOHN
Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Warren St. John will discuss and sign copies of his new book, Outcasts
United: A Refugee Team, an American Town. This is the remarkable
story of a group of refugee kids from all over the world (Sudan, Congo,
Kosovo, Liberia, Iraq, Afghanistan) who all play on the same soccer team
in Clarkston, Georgia, a small town 13 miles from Atlanta. St. John
chronicles their struggle to make a new life in America alongside the
story of their astonishing Jordanian female coach, Luma Mufleh, who shows
the players that anything is possible with dedication and hard
work.
STEPHANIE GRANT
Thursday, May 7, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Stephanie Grant will read from and discuss her book, Map of Ireland,
which is newly available in paperback. In this coming-of-age novel
set in 1970s Boston, Grant tells the story of Ann Ahern, who is coming to
terms with her sexuality against the backdrop of a very Catholic
community. Map of Ireland also captures the emotional landscape of
a Boston in chaos as its school system is forced into desegregation
through busing. Grant is a visiting writer at Duke and a recipient
of the Lambda Award for Best Lesbian Fiction.
ANNE LECLAIRE
Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Anne LeClaire will discuss and sign copies of her new book, Listening
Below the Noise: A Meditation on the Practice of Silence. What
started as an experiment-spending a day in silence-turned into a lifelong
practice of being silent and tuning into her deepest self several times
each month.
MICHAEL LUX
Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Noted political strategist and blogger Michael Lux will discuss and sign
copies of his new book, The Progressive Revolution: How the Best in
America Came to Be. The book argues that progressives today are
fighting to improve America, as they always have, in contrast to
conservatives, who have always worked to defend the status quo and the
interests of elites. Lux draws on both a deep knowledge of American
history and the ways of Washington. This event is co-sponsored by
Traction.
DAN ARIELY-READING WITH THE STARS
Thursday, May 14, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
We're starting a new quarterly series featuring local community
luminaries choosing a favorite book to present and discuss. We're
thinking Insightful. Thought-provoking. Stimulating.
Challenging. To kick off the series, Duke professor Dan Ariely has
chosen Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K.
Jerome. Why? Ariely writes, "Three Men in a Boat takes a
deep and humorous look into human nature. Though it was first
published 120 years ago, the observations and humor are timeless and the
story remains relevant to a modern audience." (And many people
consider this "the funniest book in the English
language.") Ariely is the author of Predictably Irrational:
The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions and is the James B. Duke
Professor of Behavioral Economics at the Fuqua School of Business.
JOHN HART
Friday, May 15, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Durham native John Hart will read from and sign copies of his new
thriller, The Last Child. The hero of The Last Child is 13-year-old
Johnny Merrimon, whose Mayberry-esque North Carolina childhood ends fast
when his twin sister Alyssa goes missing. Hart's first novel, The
King of Lies, was on the NYT bestseller list in 2006 and his second book,
Down River, won the Edgar Award for best mystery in 2007.
MICHAEL MALONE
Monday, May 18, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Hillsborough author Michael Malone will read from and sign copies of his
new novel, The Four Corners of the Sky. The NYT writes,
"Malone peoples his fiction with large, quirky casts, and his
readers come to know not only what these characters eat, drink, chew,
whistle, sing, listen to, read, hang on their walls, and dream, but-most
importantly-what they believe." Malone has won the Edgar, the
O. Henry, the Writers Guild Award, and the Emmy.
CLAY CARMICHAEL
Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Free Sculpture to Good Home! Come hear local author Clay Carmichael
read from and sign copies of her new young adult novel, Wild Things, and
enter to win a one-of-a-cat sculpture by NC metal sculptor Mike
Roig. The drawing will be held right after the reading. (One
entry per person and you must be present to win.) Carmichael-author
and illustrator of three picture books-teaches fiction and poetry
writing, illustrating, and bookmaking in schools.
CHERYL RENEE HERBSMAN
Thursday, May 21, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Durham native and Duke graduate Cheryl Renee Herbsman will read from and
sign copies of her debut young adult novel, Breathing. What if the
guy who took your breath away was the only one who could help you
breathe? Breathing has an endearing, funny, hopelessly romantic
main character; lots of down-home Southern charm; and a sunny, salty
beach setting that will transport you to the North Carolina
coast.
PHIL FITZPATRICK
Friday, May 22, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Phil Fitzpatrick will read from and sign copies of his new book, A
Beautiful Friendship: The Joy of Chasing Bogey Golf. Fitzpatrick
describes golf as "a hard distance traveled well" instead of
Twain's "a good walk spoiled." His book is a deep
conversation about Taoism, Humphrey Bogart and Phil Mickelson-and a
healthy dose of easy good-heartedness, plain language, and common
sense.
P. MURALI DORAISWAMY
Tuesday, May 26, 2009, 11:00 a.m. (please note the time)
Duke professor P. Murali Doraiswamy will discuss and sign copies of The
Alzheimer's Action Plan: The Experts' Guide to the Best Diagnosis and
Treatment for Memory Problems, which is newly available in paperback. The
book looks at the best tests to determine whether someone has Alzheimer's
and examines the best treatments, along with how to gain access to the
latest clinical trials.
BEN GEORGE/CLYDE EDGERTON/SEBASTIAN MATTHEWS/DAVID GESSNER
Tuesday, May 26, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
These contributors will read from and sign copies of the new book, The
Book of Dads: Essays on the Joys, Perils, and Humiliations of Fatherhood
edited by Ben George. In this collection of essays-contributors
also include Ben Fountain, Nick Flynn, Charles Baxter, Anthony Doerr, Jim
Shepard, Brock Clarke, Rick Bass, Steve Almond, Michael Thomas, Darin
Strauss-the writers cover a range of seminal fatherhood experiences that
have helped them figure out what exactly it means to be a good
dad.
LISE FUNDERBURG
Thursday, May 28, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Lise Funderburg will read from and sign copies of her memoir, Pig Candy: Taking My Father South, Taking My Father Home, which is newly available in paperback. Edwidge Danticat writes, "Pig Candy is a candid and moving memoir of a daughter's deep love for her father both when he is most difficult to love and impossible not to. Unforgettable and powerful, we are changed for the better by every page of it." A regular contributor to O, The Oprah Magazine, Funderburg is the author of Black, White, Other: Biracial Americans Talk About Race and Identity.
MYSTERIOUS WOMEN
Friday, May 29, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Mystery writers Rosemary Harris (Big Dirty Nap, a Dirty Business Mystery), Cathy Pickens (Can't Never Tell, a Southern Fried Mystery), and Jane Cleland (Killer Keepsakes, an Antiques Mystery) will discuss and sign copies of their latest works.
RICK DOBLE
Saturday, May 30, 2009, 3:00 p.m. (please note the time)
Rick Doble will discuss and sign copies of the new book he co-authored, Cheaper: Insiders' Tips for Saving on Everything. This guidebook will help people start saving money and adjust their shopping/saving habits. Doble is the king of haggling and has been teaching people how to save money on his web site, in his newsletter, and in magazines for over 15 years.
Kevin, great Regulator Coverage. The Regulator is also generously supporting Durham Public Schools Bookmark Initiative to provide books this summer to students who otherwise would not have access. Reading in the summer is key for student sucess. More info here:
http://www.dpsnc.net/community/get-involved/leave-your-mark2014bookmark
Our family loves having an independent bookstore in our city. It's worth the extra trip for us to support the Regulator.
Posted by: tina | May 06, 2009 at 10:59 AM