New Release: To Hell on a Fast Horse
By Mark Lee Gardner
HarperCollins Publishers | 336pgs
Release Date: February 09, 2010
Western historian Mark Lee Gardner weaves the life stories of Sheriff Pat Garrett and outlaw Billy the Kid (William Bonney) together in the twin biography To Hell on a Fast Horse: Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and the Epic Chase to Justice in the Old West. Drawing from extensive research and historical documents, Gardner separates myth from the truth, following the lawman’s intense quest to bring the notorious criminal to justice. From Billy the Kid’s initial capture in Las Vegas in December of 1880, to his reckless daylight escape from a courthouse in April of 1881, Gardner documents one of the Old West’s most iconic rivalries. “I am not going to leave the country,” states the Kid upon his escape, “and I am not going to reform, neither am I going to be taken alive again.” These words prove to be prophetic.
Read more…
Historian Alison Weir builds a case for Anne Boleyn’s innocence in the charges of adultery and treason that lead to her death sentence, in her new book The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn (Ballantine, 464pgs). Boleyn has remained a striking historical figure through the centuries, and volumes have been written about her life and marriage to King Henry VIII. “She’s the Other Woman in an eternal triangle,” states Weir in an interview with NPR, “and Katherine of Aragon is the Good Wife whom Henry dumps for her.” In this latest book, Weir conducts “a forensic investigation” of the queen’s downfall and focuses on the last four months of her tragic life.
The fight for supremacy on the eBook frontier has gotten ugly. Last week, book-selling giant Amazon battled with Macmillan, one of the largest publishers in the U.S., over eBook prices. The New York Times reports that Macmillan CEO John Sargent flew to Seattle on Thursday to meet with Amazon execs and push to move to a pricing model where the publisher would set consumer prices for eBooks, with new releases ranging from $12.99 to $14.99, and Amazon taking a 30% sales commission. These terms are similar to the agreement Macmillan now has with Apple, to sell its titles on the new iBooks app for the iPad. However, Amazon remained adamant about maintaining its current $9.99 price point for new releases, and after a tense stand-off, stopped selling books from Macmillan and its family of imprints on Friday (though the publisher’s titles could still be purchased from third party vendors on the site.)
Earlier this morning, Steve Jobs introduced the world to Apple’s latest technological marvel: the iPad. The slick new interactive tablet, which looks a lot like an iPhone on steroids, allows users to browse the web, get e-mail, view photos and video, play music and games… and read books.
For more than half a century, a mysterious visitor would make an annual pilgrimage to Edgar Allan Poe’s grave site to leave three roses and a bottle of cognac to mark the anniversary of the author’s birth. The Seattle Times reports that for the first time in six decades, the illusive mourner failed to show on January 19 of this year. This unexpected absence has left many wondering if the stranger in the black hat and white scarf has met an untimely end, and if he’ll ever return. “I’m confused, befuddled,” said Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum. “I don’t know what’s going on.” The first written reference to the visitor was published in a 1949 issue of The Evening Sun of Baltimore. Since then the mysterious mourner has developed a following of his own, with Jerome and many other Poe enthusiasts staking out Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, to watch the dark figure leave his gifts at Poe’s grave stone each year.
Public libraries throughout the country are coming up with creative compromises to clear fines and help those in need. According to the New York Times, several branches in Illinois, Ohio and New Hampshire have started accepting donations of groceries or canned goods, instead of money. The food is then donated to local food banks and shelters. Librarians nationwide have feared that in this down economy, overdue fines are keeping people from visiting libraries and returning materials. These donation programs have proved very popular in their communities, allowing people to clear their record and re-gain access to library resources, while helping the less fortunate. Robert Rice, the public library director in Pelham, N.H is proud of what their food-for-fines program has achieved so far. “We got our materials back and did something positive for the community. Use is up greatly, and budgets are being cut.”
