Archive - February 9, 2015

2,000 Miles Around the Tree of Life: A Naturalist Hikes the Appalachian Trail by Richard W. Carroll (Central Africa Republic 1976–82) A Peace Corps Writers Book December 2014 126 pages $10.00 (paperback), $8.95 (Kindle) Reviewed by Mary-Ann Tirone Smith (Cameroon 1965–67) • Readers of Richard W. Carroll’s 2,000 Miles Around the Tree of Life about his extraordinary five-month journey from the southernmost point of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, to his arrival at the northernmost end (or beginning depending on where you start) in Maine, need to understand that is not a memoir as the jacket copy states. It is, rather, a journal — something Carrol explains on the final page of the book — meant to “keep the memories alive.” So expect grand courage, an oh-so impressive stoicism as he suffers the often dire rigors of such a momentous hike, and experience his joy vicariously with each discovery he . . .

The WSJ reports that a group of publishers are (finally!) getting together and creating a website for readers. The site, scheduled to go live on April 8, 2015 is called Literary Hub. It will focus on literary fiction and nonfiction, and it will present personal and critical essays, interviews and book excerpts contributed by 70 partners ranging from small press New Directions to heavyweights such as Scribner, Knopf and Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Literary magazines such as the Paris Review will also contribute. The site at www.lithub.com will commission original content. Literary Hub partners said that by funneling readers to one central place, they hope that each would be able to reach a broader audience. Duh! Another way to fight Amazon, I guess, finally since we have no bookstores or newspapers writing reviews of what we publish. Well, it is about time. COMING APRIL 8, 2015 LITERARY HUB There is . . .