\;
Trekking the Globe with Mostly Gentle Footsteps\: Twelve Countries in
Twelve Months is an account of their trials and tribulations on a
journey across four continents. Their personal challenge was to travel
for the same cost as staying at home\, while still adhering to their
older traveller’s motto “we are not here to suffer.” As they immersed
themselves in other cultures\, their intention was to tread with Gentle
Footsteps leaving behind favourable impressions. The Mostly refers to
times when their footsteps\, as a result of misunderstandings\, were less
than ideal leading to bizarre\, hair raising or humorous incidents.
However\, nothing could deter these intrepid Canadian travelers --
not even being forced off a train at gun-point at the Polish border or
having their motor scooter collide with a truck in India. Join the
Butlers as they learn many valuable travel lessons\, including the most
valuable lesson of all “expect the unexpected.” Conclusively\, their year
away was more daring\, enlightening and wondrous than any previous
twelve months in their lives.
Irene Butler is an award-winning Freelance Journalist whose travels
have led her to Europe\, Australia\, Africa\, Asia\, North and South
America\, and Mexico. Articles about her travel adventures have appeared
in a variety of magazines including Air Canada Vacations\, Canadian
Traveller\, Outpost Magazine\, and Senior Living Magazine. She won an
award in the Destination Category at the 2005 B.C. Association of Travel
Writers Symposium. She continues to travel the world with her
photographer and fellow adventurer Rick.
\;
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120517T221316Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20100926T230000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20100927T010000Z UID:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/illuminated-landscape-gary-noy URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/illuminated-landscape-gary-noy SUMMARY:Author Event (Sacramento) - The Illuminated Landscape by Gary Noy DESCRIPTION:\;
The Illuminated Landscape\: A Sierra Nevada Anthology is a sweeping
consideration of the remarkable Sierra Nevada region. This book includes literary
descriptions of what the famous naturalist John Muir called the “Range of Light” from
the earliest native origin myths to contemporary accounts of those who have recently
been inspired by the Sierra experience.
Among the authors represented are Sierra Nevada Native American authors and poets\, John C. Frémont\, Mark Twain\, Bret Harte\, Isabel Allende\, Dame Shirley\, Horace Greeley\, Maxine Hong Kingston\, Walt Whitman\, James Houston\, Robert Louis Stevenson\, John Muir\, Jack London\, Mary Austin\, Chiura Obata\, Ansel Adams\, Jack Kerouac\, David Brower\, Wallace Stegner\, Tom Knudson\, Gary Snyder\, Ishmael Reed\, and more than fifty others who have written about the magnificent but threatened range.
The anthology also includes original prose and a poem written especially for the book. The anthology is illustrated by biologist and author Joe Medeiros. The book features a foreword written by Robert Hanna\, great-great-grandson of John Muir and a former Sierra College student.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120517T221316Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101002T023000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101002T023000Z UID:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-dead-love-linda-mcferrin URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-dead-love-linda-mcferrin SUMMARY:Author Event (Davis) \: Dead Love by Linda McFerrin DESCRIPTION:\;
\;
Zombies in Japan? You bet your life! Dead Love is an artful
supernatural thriller that follows a cast of nefarious characters—both
human and otherworldly—as they foul one another's plans and power plays
in a conspiracy of global proportions. It begins when Clément\, a
lovesick ghoul\, falls for beautiful young Erin. Unfortunately\, she is
marked for death by the Japanese mob (the yakuza). Using secrets
learned from a Haitian witch doctor\, and taking us to Tokyo\, Amsterdam\,
and Malaysia\, Clément finds a way to rescue and possess her—but not at
all in the manner he expected.
Linda Watanabe McFerrin is a
Bay Area–based contributor to numerous journals\, newspapers\, magazines\,
anthologies\, and online publications. She received the Katherine Anne
Porter Prize for Fiction and is the author of the award-winning novel Namako\: Sea Cucumber and the short story collection The Hand of Buddha.
\;
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120517T221316Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101002T210000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101002T210000Z UID:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-how-be-sick-toni-bernard URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-how-be-sick-toni-bernard SUMMARY:Author Event (Davis) - How to be Sick by Toni Bernhard DESCRIPTION:\;
\;
How To Be Sick is about living
skillfully with the challenges of any chronic illness or condition. I
wrote it for sufferers and for their caregivers (the latter includes
people involved in hospice\, chaplaincy\, and elder care)\; for those
interested in chronic illnesses and conditions (health professionals\,
family and friends)\; and for people interested in Buddhism (illness can
function as a metaphor for suffering which\, along with the cessation
of suffering\, is at the heart of the Buddha’s teaching).
Chronic illnesses or conditions – such as
arthritis\, heart disease\, and diabetes (three among dozens) – while not
immediately life-threatening\, are life-disrupting and stressful. The
book is unique in that each chapter contains easy-to-learn tools and
practices to help the chronically ill and their caregivers live
skillfully\, maintain equanimity\, and even find joy despite the profound
changes in their lives. A recurring theme in the book is that\,
although one’s body may be sick\, one’s mind can be at peace.
Some of the practices presented are
traditionally Buddhist. Others I devised after becoming ill. Two are
from the work of Byron Katie. Each practice is illustrated with
examples from my own experience\, so the book is also highly personal.
The practices are intended to help with the following types of challenges\:
At the end of the book is a handy
reference guide\, summarizing the specific tools and practices that can
help with each of the above challenges.
\;
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120517T221316Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101002T210000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101002T230000Z UID:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-sacramento-along-fortune-trail-harvey-goodman URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-sacramento-along-fortune-trail-harvey-goodman SUMMARY:Author Event (Sacramento) - Along the Fortune Trail by Harvey Goodman DESCRIPTION:\;
One man's
reward.
One man's journey.
One man's fight for a new life.
From the time Sammy Winds pulled on his first pair of spurs\, he understood the difficulties
living in the new American West. An orphan since he was a small child\, Sammy grew
up working long\, dusty days as a ranch hand on the Twin T.\,busting broncs\, herding
cows\, and learning to spit his tobacco with contest-winning precision. Sammy became
used to sweat and toil and tough ranch life\, but after an encounter with a murderous
outlaw leaves Sammy the prospect of a fortune\, the cowboy leaves behind his love
and everything he has ever known to embark on a journey across the untamed West.
Only he doesn't know just how dangerous his adventure is about to become.
Follow the rugged excitement as Sammy treks Along The Fortune Trail\, fighting off
cruel weather\, attacking renegade Apaches\, and overcoming the evil ploys of enough
crooks and villains to send any regular saddle-sore hombre heading home to the hills.
But Sammy isn't just any man. With his eyes set on the chance of a lifetime\, Sammy
Winds tilts his hat toward the mysteries of the trail\, ready to gallop his way to
the riches awaiting him in Denver and prepared to stomp on any obstacle in his way.
\;
\;
In October 2005\, two mountaineers climbing above Mendel Glacier
in the High Sierra found the mummified remains of a man in a WWII
uniform\, entombed in the ice. The "\;Frozen Airman"\; discovery drew author
Peter Stekel to investigate the case of a navigation training flight
crew missing since 1942. Early attempts at recovery were thwarted due to
botched records\, bad weather\, bad luck\, and bad timing.
Then\, in
2007\, Stekel discovered a second body in the glacier. Through
meticulous research\, interviews\, and trips to the crash site\, Stekel
uncovered the story of these four young men. Final Flight
explores their ill-fated trip and the misinformation surrounding it for
over 60 years. It's a gripping account that's part a mystery\, part
history\, and a personal quest to uncover the truth of what occured
November 18th\, 1942.
In the process Stekel narrates the young aviator's last days and takes us on their final flight.
"\;An
invigorated appreciation of the dedication of the men and women of the
Greatest Generation."\; - Michael Sledge\, author of Soldier Dead\: How We
Recover\, Identity\, Bury\, and Honor Our Military Fallen
"\;Peter
Stekel has captured the history\, geography\, and the mystery surrounding
this inspiring tale of the High Sierra."\; - G. Pat Macha\, author of
Aircraft Wrecks in the Mountains and Deserts of California
\;
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120517T221316Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101003T230000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101004T000000Z UID:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-sacramento-final-flight-peter-stekel URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-sacramento-final-flight-peter-stekel SUMMARY:Author Event (Sacramento) - Final Flight by Peter Stekel DESCRIPTION:\;
In October 2005\, two mountaineers climbing above Mendel Glacier in the High Sierra found the mummified remains of a man in a WWII uniform\, entombed in the ice. The "\;Frozen Airman"\; discovery drew author Peter Stekel to investigate the case of a navigation training flight crew missing since 1942. Early attempts at recovery were thwarted due to botched records\, bad weather\, bad luck\, and bad timing.
Then\, in 2007\, Stekel discovered a second body in the glacier. Through meticulous research\, interviews\, and trips to the crash site\, Stekel uncovered the story of these four young men. Final Flight explores their ill-fated trip and the misinformation surrounding it for over 60 years. It's a gripping account that's part a mystery\, part history\, and a personal quest to uncover the truth of what occured November 18th\, 1942.
In the process Stekel narrates the young aviator's last days and takes us on their final flight.
"\;An invigorated appreciation of the dedication of the men and women of the Greatest Generation."\; - Michael Sledge\, author of Soldier Dead\: How We Recover\, Identity\, Bury\, and Honor Our Military Fallen
"\;Peter Stekel has captured the history\, geography\, and the mystery surrounding this inspiring tale of the High Sierra."\; - G. Pat Macha\, author of Aircraft Wrecks in the Mountains and Deserts of California
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120517T221316Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101009T023000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101009T040000Z UID:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-poetry-architecture-mike-corbett URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-poetry-architecture-mike-corbett SUMMARY:Author Event (Davis) - Poetry of Architecture by Mike Corbett DESCRIPTION:\;
\;
More information to come.
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120517T221316Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101016T023000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101016T040000Z UID:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-illuminated-landscape-gary-noy URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-illuminated-landscape-gary-noy SUMMARY:Author Event (Davis) - Illuminated Landscape by Gary Noy DESCRIPTION:
The essays\, poetry\, and stories presented in The Illuminated Landscape
encompass the entire Sierra Nevada experience\: an ancient creation myth
involving an unlikely contest between Hawk and Crow\, vignettes of life
in mining camps\, a curious deer taking a stroll through Beetle Rock\, the
impact a simple camping trip can make\, the solace felt by a family held
in an internment camp\, and an enlightening attempt to climb Matterhorn
Peak. Excerpts from well-known writers such as Henry David Thoreau\, Mark
Twain\, Mary Austin\, Wallace Stegner\, Gary Snyder\, T. Coraghessan Boyle\,
and Ishmael Reed as well as original works from local authors reveal
how important the Sierra has become to our cultural psyche as an
irreplaceable refuge for our spirits.
The Illuminated Landscape comes at a critical point. With
the power of the written word to inspire\, energize\, and challenge\, this
anthology shines a light on what is at risk for the Sierra Nevada today
and reinforces the importance of sustaining its beauty and ecological
diversity.
A Sierra Nevada native and current resident\, Gary Noy taught history at
Sierra College from 1987 to the present. A graduate of UC Berkeley and
CSU Sacramento\, he is the founder and director of the Sierra College
Center for Sierra Nevada Studies and coordinator of the college’s Sierra
Nevada Virtual Museum. He is the author of Distant Horizon\: Documents from the 19th Century American West.
\;
The Wind Doesn’t Need a Passport\: Stories from the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands\,
by award-winning journalist Tyche Hendricks\, was published by the
University of California Press in June 2010. Hendricks\, a veteran
immigration reporter\, shows that decisions about how we handle the
border and immigration have wide-ranging implications.
From a distance\, the border looks like a dividing line. In fact\, it’s
a binational region – more borderlands than borderline. Many people
have lives on both sides\: they cross daily for work\, school\, family\,
shopping. Pollution and disease flow back and forth. Extensive trade and
economic activity tie the United States and Mexico together. And
there’s a shared history and culture.
But with a stalled immigration policy and a raging drug war\, it’s the
people who live in the borderlands who are bearing the brunt of the
violence and the political friction. The renewed debate about
immigration has focused attention on the U.S.-Mexico border once again.
Hendricks brings a fresh perspective to one of the most debated and
least understood of regions.
Hendricks traveled through the borderlands and gathered remarkable
stories — from emergency rooms and factory floors\, farm kitchens and
jail cells. She saw American and Mexican cowboys\,
environmentalists\, doctors and nuns wrestling with shared binational
problems. A better understanding of the border – and the way the United
States and Mexico are connected there – could help policymakers reach
more lasting solutions that benefit both countries.
\;
Is California beyond repair?
The state is mired in perpetual budget crisis and its government is paralyzed by partisan gridlock...
Frustrated Californians know something is wrong\, but not what's broken and how it can be fixed...
Groups across the political spectrum are pushing reforms\, even a constitutional convention...
\;
In California Crackup\, Joe Mathews and Mark Paul provide clear and informed answers.
Their
fast-paced and often humorous narrative deftly exposes the origins of
our current political and fiscal problems—from the ugly 1879
constitutional convention to Hiram Johnson’s Progressive reforms to the
Prop 13 tax revolt and its legacy of supermajority requirements and
voter initiatives.
Mathews and Paul then furnish a uniquely
California fix\: innovative solutions that allow Californians to debate
their choices\, settle on the best ones\, hold elected officials
accountable for results\, and choose anew if something doesn’t work.
Concise\, lively\, and provocative\, California Crackup offers something new\: a genuinely democratic operating system for the state.
\;
\;
END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20120517T221316Z DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101023T203000Z DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20101023T220000Z UID:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-granny-annie-lives-airport-annie-king URL;VALUE=URI:http://www.avidreaderbooks.com/event/author-event-davis-granny-annie-lives-airport-annie-king SUMMARY:Author Event (Davis) - Granny Annie Lives at the Airport! by Annie King DESCRIPTION:
For years\, West Sacramento author Annie J. King has enjoyed writing and reading stories to her grandchildren. Now\, they have given back to her by serving as the inspiration of her new children’s book released nationwide in October\, 2009.
In “Granny Annie Lives at the Airport\,” Ava is sure she knows something her sister Sarah does not. This charming tale is a great discussion-starter that will have the whole family remembering the hilarious things they imagined when they were young.
King\, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Animal Science\, has a BS from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. from North Carolina State University.
END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR