Saturday, February 5, 2011
Historian and the introduction writer of Mary Chesnut’s Diary (Penguin, pb., 384 pp, $15), Catherine Clinton, will sign the newly released edition at Blue Bicycle Books on Mon., Apr. 11, 5-7 pm. Documenting the period between 1861 and 1865, Mary Chesnut’s Diary is widely considered to be one of the most compelling personal narratives of the Civil War. As the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner and the wife of an aide to the Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, Chesnut was well acquainted with the Confederacy’s prominent players. Written with urgency and surprising nuance, this diary is also a rich commentary on race, status, and power within a nation divided.
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Tuesday, February 1, 2011
River Jordan will be signing her new book, Praying for Strangers, at Blue Bicycle Books on Thurs., Apr. 14, 5 – 7 pm. In 2008, author River Jordan was planning a family reunion to see her two sons off to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Overwhelmed with emotion and anxiety for her son’s safety, all she could do was pray for them. As the year 2009 approached, New Year’s Resolutions were the last thing on her mind until she stumbled across the perfect one. In addition to praying for her sons, Jordan resolved to pray for a complete stranger every single day for a year. Her personal memoir, Praying for Strangers (Berkley, hb., 336 pp., $24.95) tells the story of her remarkable journey, the unexpected connections she made, and they people who ended up helping her along the way.
Couldn’t make the event? We have signed copies available.
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Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Join Brad Taylor in celebrating the launch of his debut novel, One Rough Man, at the Windjammer on Mon. Feb. 21., 6:00 pm, signing from 6:30 – 7:30. This espionage thriller follows Pike Logan, a former member of the U.S. Government’s most powerful special force group, as he goes rogue to expose the truth.
Buy a signed copy here!
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Do you like watching internet video clips on MSN.com? Then you’ll love Re:Discover Charleston, a travel series brought to you by your friends at Buick. Watch BBB owner Jonathan Sanchez and Charlie Magazine’s Caroline Nuttall pretend to affectionately greet one another and talk about our favorite local spots as we tool around in a sporty domestic sedan.
Here are some hot spots highlighted in the video:
Fast and French, also known as Gaulart et Maliclet (an amalgamation of the owner’s names, Gallilmard and Mauclet), one of the oldest restaurants in Charleston, and always a fine time.
Tattooed Moose. Hooray for uptown.
Smoky Oak Barbecue. Terrific food and beers. It doesn’t get any more James Island than this.
M. Dumas. Stacks and stacks of pants.
O-Ku and Hall’s Chophouse. Where Caroline likes to go out at night.
Charleston Grill and Cypress. So glad we could give these up-and-comers a leg up.
Folly Beach. The Edge of America.
Lana’s Restaurant. Love it here. Owner Drazen Romic has just opened a tapas bar, Barsa, on Upper King.
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Saturday, January 22, 2011
It’s a wonder the Charleston Library Society is still standing since rock star poet Billy Collins parked his flame-decal-covered tour bus in front last month. Collins powered through a ninety-minute set to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the Poetry Society of South Carolina, joining the list of PSSC speakers that includes Edna St. Vincent Millay, Gertrude Stein and Robert Frost. We still have signed copies of The Trouble with Poetry, Picnic, Lightning,Questions About Angels, Nine Horses and a piece of his shirt. We were a bit starstruck.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Celebrate the history of Italian Cuisine on Wed. March 2 as Trattoria Lucca presents a night with food critic and author John Mariani in honor of his latest book, How Italian Food Conquered the World. The book signing is from 6 – 7 pm followed by a special four-course dinner by Chef Ken Vedrinski. Tickets are $72 per person and books will be available for purchase. Please call 843-973-3323 for reservations.
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Blue Bike welcomes Ginny Dent Brant, author of Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, on Mon. Feb. 28, 2 – 4 pm. Brant is the daughter of Harry Dent, Republican Southern Strategist for the Nixon campaign. When the Watergate scandal broke, Dent was accused along with the rest of the Nixon administration. He was one of only two staff members who did not receive a prison sentence. Seeing God’s hand in the entire crisis, Brant’s memoir of her father tells this story of redemption and true freedom.
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Thursday, January 13, 2011
Mount Pleasant’s Nicole Seitz, author of The Spirit of Sweetgrass, Trouble the Water, A Hundred Years of Happiness, and Saving Cicadas is celebrating the release of her newest novel, The Inheritance of Beauty, at Blue Bike on Sat., Feb. 12, 4 – 6 pm.
In her new book, Seitz paints a portrait of beauty, memory, and mystery following the characters of George and Maggie from youth to old age. Two childhood sweethearts who have grown old and senile together, the couple must face a demon of their past when an old stranger shows up in their small hometown of Levy, SC.
Seitz, who also paints the watercolor covers of all of her books, lives in Mount Pleasant with her husband and two children.
Order a signed copy of the book here!
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Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Blue Bike Books welcomes Jillian Wright on Fri., Feb. 25, 3-5 pm to sign copies of her new novel, The Man Under the Bridge, a compelling work inspired by her interactions with the homeless. As a child, Wright remembers her mother feeding a homeless person lingering around her house. As she got older, she remembers the presence of a similar man referred to by locals as “The Man Under the Bridge.” Always curious about the stories carried by destitute people, she took a volunteer position at a homeless shelter where she started doing research. Her new novel is a collection of these stories, giving a voice to people who are often unheard.
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Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Local tour guide John Young will be signing his new book, A Walk in the Parks, on Sat. Feb. 19, 1 – 3 pm at Blue Bike. Young is a registered tour guide and docent at the Powder Magazine. His book enables readers to self-tour Charleston’s four major parks: White Point Garden, Marion Square, Waterfront Park and Washington Square. Young provides the reader with user-friendly maps of the parks and monuments, as well as a detailed history. This book appeals to both tourists and locals. Bonus — it’s waterproof.
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