Joelle Charbonneau, author of The Testing.
Joelle Charbonneau is author of two popular mystery series for adults. The Testing is her first novel for young adults. Move rights have been sold. You can read more on last week's blog. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say?
But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?
The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies – trust no one.
But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.
Download the free prequel here.
Tuesday, July 9, 7 pm, at Boswell:
Melissa Mohr, author of Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing.
In Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing, Milwaukee-native Melissa Mohr looks at swearing over thousands of years (Rome, Middle Ages, Renaissance) to show that as long as there has been swearing, there have been fears that it would bring about some sort of moral collapse, the end of civility, and eventually civilization. Holy Sh*t is partly a record of how swear-words have changed throughout the years. But it is also a study of the cultural concerns that gave rise to those words, and a look at what has mattered most to English-speakers over hundreds of years, and how this is revealed by swearing.
Steven Poole writes in the Wall Street Journal "Ms. Mohr leads us on an often ear-boggling tour of verbal depravity, through the medieval and early-modern periods (via a fascinating analysis of scatological phrasing in early Bible translations) to the Victorian era and then our own time. She also makes a serious point, cutely captured in the book's title. Our idea of 'swearing' is irredeemably muddled—caught between the sacred, as in the taking of oaths (the title's 'Holy'), and the profane, as in the use of terms for evacuatory and erotic adventure (the title's other word)."Wednesday, July 10, 7 pm, at Boswell:
Barry Blackwell, author of Bits and Pieces of a Psychiatrist's Life.
In addition to his work as chairman and professor of psychiatry, pharmacology, and behavioral medicine at two medical schools, Barry Blackwell worked at a local hospital, studied religion and philosophy at a Catholic seminary, developed a not-for-profit program to provide support for people dealing with mental illness in faith communities, and ended his career at age 76 after working for four years at a women’s prison.
From the Shepherd Express: "Born in the United Kingdom and a Royal Army veteran of World War II, Barry Blackwell eventually became a psychiatric professor at UW-Madison as well as working in the trenches at Milwaukee’s Mount Sinai. Retired now, he has put many thoughts and memories about medicine and life into an engaging set of essays (and even a few poems) in Bits and Pieces of a Psychiatric Life. Blackwell reminds us that Apollo was both the god of poetry and of healing." Thursday, July 11, 7 pm, at Boswell:
Claire Conner, author of Wrapped in the Flag: A Personal History of America's Radical Righ.
Claire Conner's father was a national spokesperson for the John Birch Society for more than thirty years; her mother was also a staunch follower. Drawing on records and documents, her parents’ files and personal writings, historical archives and firsthand knowledge, Conner’s book weaves back and forth between personal memoir and history to give readers an insider’s look at The John Birch Society and its legacy.
From Frank Schaeffer, author of Portofino, and Keeping Faith: "The John Birch Society had a huge impact on American politics. They were responsible for the lurch into insanity. The religious right, the Tea Party and the takeover of the Republican Party by extremists can’t be understood unless you understand the paranoid xenophobia Birchers injected into America. This book is about a journey through and out of that Bircher netherworld. It’s a vital piece of the puzzle to understanding the madness that overcame America and a moving story about one person’s journey back to sanity." Friday, July 12, 7 pm, at Boswell:
Tricia O'Malley, author of The Stolen Dog.
Within hours, Tricia jumped into action and the search began, starting with the neighbor who witnessed a man getting into a car with the dog, continuing with police and friends, and ending with an entire community of people who posted flyers, shared alerts across social and traditional media, and even the rescue of another Boston Terrier.A mere 18 days later—an eternity for the O’Malleys—Briggs was spotted wandering by a church near the home where he had been living before his disappearance. Within hours, he was back in the arms of his owners, and an entire city rejoiced.
And a preview for next week:
Monday, July 15, 7 pm, at Boswell:
All Star Break Baseball Night.
Tom Haudricourt, author of 100 Things Brewers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
Greg Pearson, author of Fenway Fanatics: 50 Boston Red Sox Fans Tell Their Stories
Dave Heller, author of Facing Ted Williams: Players from the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived.
Whatever your team loyalties, you should have a good time.
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