LibraryThing Local

Join Diesel Bookstore as investigative journalist & author, Nena Baker presents and signs her compelling new book, The Body Toxic: How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens Our Health and Well-being. Nena spent a quarter century in the trenches of journalism before writing THE BODY TOXIC. ... (more) She began her career in New York as a copy editor for GQ magazine, later moving on to positions at TV Guide and a jewelry trade magazine, where she exposed the illegal disposal of toxic chemicals by retail jewelers. She also worked as a reporter and editor on the national financial desk of United Press International in New York before returning to her home state of Oregon, where, as an awrd-winning staff writer for The Oregonian, she was the first U.S. reporter to investigate deplorable conditions at Nike's Indonesian factories. Her writing has appeared in SELF, Town & Country, Seventeen, and Mademoiselle. A graduate of Lewis & Clark College, Baker currently lives in Portland, OR, where she is a licensed private investigator specializing in interviewing, database, and public-records research.

Join fellow garden enthusiasts and book lovers as they discuss books about plants, nature, and the environment. “Nature’s Narratives” is a book discussion group sponsored by the Scott Arboretum where readers come together to discuss a book once a month and share in the reading experience. The ... (more)discussions are free and open to the public and will take place in the Scott Library. Participants will need to read each month’s selection prior to the discussion. Feel free to bring your lunch for our lunchtime discussions. Refreshments and coffee will be provided for our evening discussions. One copy of each of these books is available for members to check out of the Scott Arboretum’s Horticultural Library. Advance registeration is required.

Adam Raphael's new collection of photographs is Barely Working (powerHouse, $39.95, less 10% discount in the store).Adam Raphael, photographer of the widely praised Room Service, offers a delicious collection of young men in his newest book, Barely Working. Once again documenting a racially diverse group ... (more)of the finest faces and bodies, Raphael has captured his models in various working situations including auto repair, car washing, landscaping, and other similar settings. Of course, work soon gives way to play, and the unique combination of laughter, competition, and youthful energy converge to create a sensual tension that can only be made by a photographer who has the skill and talent to work closely with his models without ever overshadowing or crowding them. To quote Reed Massengill, “Adam Raphael’s photographs are immediately likable and sexy as hell-—a testament to his ability to make his guys comfortable and trusting in front of his camera. Some photographers try twice as hard, but seldom achieve half as much.”

Diesel Bookstore is proud to welcome back Irvine Welsh, the bestselling author of Trainspotting as he presents his newest book, Crime. As Welsh's very first novel set in the U.S., CRIME is a shocking and gripping story about the corruption and abuse of the human soul, and the possibilities for redemption.

Openly gay sports writer Bill Konigsberg is the author of "Out of the Pocket" (Dutton, $16.99 hb, less 10% in the store). Star quarterback Bobby Framingham, one of the most talented high school football players in California, knows he’s different from his teammates. They are like brothers, but they ... (more)don’t know one essential thing: Bobby is gay. Can he still be one of the guys and be honest about who he is?When he’s outed against his will by a student reporter, Bobby must find a way to earn back his teammates’ trust and accept that his path to success might be more public, and more difficult, than he'd hoped. An affecting novel about identity that also delivers great sports writing.

Join the book discussion group "Nature's Narratives" as they discuss a classic in nature writing. Pine Barrens is one of John McPhee’s best. Considered one of the finest essayists of the 20th century, McPhee explores the largest essentially untouched wilderness east of the Mississippi with insight ... (more)into the botanical, geological, and cultural aspects of the Pine Barrens. Join us for this discussion a week before our bus trip to the Pine Barrens! Connect with fellow garden enthusiasts and book lovers as they meet to discuss books about plants, nature, and the environment. “Nature’s Narratives” is a book discussion group sponsored by the Scott Arboretum where readers come together to discuss a book once a month and to share in the reading experience.

Join Diesel Bookstore for a green event with Van Jones, author of Green Collar Economy! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Van Jones is the founder and president of Green For All, based in Oakland. The mission is to help build an inclusive, green economy - strong enough to lift millions of people out of poverty. Van ... (more)is a tireless advocate, championing "green-collar jobs and opportunities" for disadvantaged people. He is committed to creating "green pathways out of poverty," while greatly expanding the coalition fighting global warming. He's worked to combine solutions to America's two biggest problems: social inequality and environmental destruction. Under the slogan "green-collar jobs, not jails," he is calling for green economic development in urban America. As an advocate for the toughest urban constituencies and causes, he has won many honors, which include the 1998 Reebok International Human Rights Award, the international Ashoka Fellowship, selection as a World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader," and the Rockefeller Foundation "Next Generation Leadership" Fellowship. He's also served on the boards of numerous national environmental organizations. Presently, he is a board member of the National Apollo Alliance, which advocates for clean energy jobs. He is also a founding board member of 1Sky, a national coalition working to avert catastrophic climate change. In 2007, Van helped the City of Oakland pass a "Green Jobs Corps" proposal; the City allocated funds to train Oakland residents in eco-friendly "green-collar jobs." At the national level, Van worked successfully in 2007 with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), U.S. Rep. John Tierney (D-MASS) to pass the Green Jobs Act of 2007. That path-breaking, historic legislation authorized $125 million in funding to train 35,000 people a year in "green-collar jobs." Van is also a co-founder of a new national coalition that promotes the idea of a national "Clean Energy Jobs Corps." This multi-billion-dollar federal initiative would put hundreds of thousands of people to work rewiring and retrofitting the energy infrastructure of the United States. In 2005, Van produced the "Social Equity Track" for the United Nations' World Environment Day celebration. UNWED 2005 drew dozens of mayors from around the world to San Francisco, where they developed policies promoting the concept of "Green Cities." In 1996, Van co-founded (with Diana Frappier) the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, now located in Oakland, California. Named for an unsung civil rights heroine, the award-winning Center promotes alternatives to violence and incarceration. The Center, for which Van serves as board president, incubated Green For All in 2007 and spun it off in 2008. His many media appearances includes the popular Peabody award-winning show, The Colbert Report.

Join Clare Langley-Hawthorne at Diesel Bookstore as she presents the second book in her fantastic new historical mystery series! Featuring the strong, outspoken, intelligent and sassy Ursula Marlow, THE SERPENT AND THE SCORPION is a thrilling story of scandal and betrayal that's richly detailed and ... (more)action-packed. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Clare Langley-Hawthorne was raised in England and Australia. She practiced law in Melbourne until 1995 when she emigrated moved to the United States and began work as a health economist. Clare has since put her pursuit of a PhD on hold to focus on her career as a writer. She lives in the San Francisco bay area with her husband and twin sons. This is her second novel. For more information, visit her web site at www.clarelangleyhawthorne.com

Shawn Stewart Ruff is the author of Finlater (Quote, 292 pp., $15.50 pb). The course of growing up in just-this-side-of-segregation 1970s Cincinnati, Ohio, seems predictable if uninspiring for Cliffy Douglas. That is, until the deadbeat father of this gifted 13 year-old black kid from the Finlater Gardens ... (more)Projects appears out of nowhere. The real fun and trouble begin when Noah, a Jewish boy he meets in junior high school, takes him on a joyride to lust and love. For a thrilling review, see http://www.xtra.ca/public/viewstory.aspx?AFF_TYPE=1&STORY_ID=4968&PUB_TEMPLATE_ID=2

DIESEL, A Bookstore in Malibu is excited to welcome legendary surfer and Malibu resident, Laird Hamilton to the store! As one of the most famous big-wave surfers today, Laird is known for his physical and mental toughness when out on the waves, and has achieved worldwide fame for his accomplishments. He'll ... (more)be joining us to discuss and share from his highly anticipated book, Force of Nature, and open a window into the unique physical regimens, mental strategies, and spiritual beliefs that has allowed him to do what he loves, while being surrounded by family and radiating peak health and fitness. We'll see you there!

Join the book discussion group "Nature's Narratives" as they discuss an anthology edited by Jamaica Kincaid, which includes essays from many of the most famous horticulturists today, several of whom have joined us here at Scott for lectures. They range from practical how-to essays to poetic musings by ... (more)the likes of Dan Hinkley, Christopher Lloyd, Tony Avent, and Thomas Fischer. Connect with fellow garden enthusiasts and book lovers as they meet to discuss books about plants, nature, and the environment. “Nature’s Narratives” is a book discussion group sponsored by the Scott Arboretum where readers come together to discuss a book once a month and to share in the reading experience.

Join the book discussion group "Nature's Narratives" as they discuss one of Orion Magazine’s finalists for its 2008 Book Award. The Wild Trees is a story of Northern California’s redwood forests and the exceptional people who have devoted their lives to their exploration. This book is rewarding as ... (more)an information source about these magnificent trees, but also as a narrative describing the characters who are so in love with these trees. Connect with fellow garden enthusiasts and book lovers as they meet to discuss books about plants, nature, and the environment. "Nature’s Narratives" is a book discussion group sponsored by the Scott Arboretum where readers come together to discuss a book once a month and to share in the reading experience.

Join the book discussion group "Nature's Narratives" as they discuss The Wild Braid: A Poet Reflects on a Century in the Garden. Twice named the U.S. Poet Laureate, Stanley Kunitz was not only a distinguished and celebrated poet, he was also an avid gardener up until his death at age 100. This book is ... (more)a collection of conversations, essays, and poetry on the topic of Kunitz’s Provincetown, Massachusetts garden. Connect with fellow garden enthusiasts and book lovers as they meet to discuss books about plants, nature, and the environment. “Nature’s Narratives” is a book discussion group sponsored by the Scott Arboretum where readers come together to discuss a book once a month and to share in the reading experience.

oin the book discussion group "Nature's Narratives" as they discuss Bringing Nature Home. Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware, wrote Bringing Nature Home as a manifesto to suburban gardeners to help them make decisions based not just on their garden’s appearance, but also how ... (more)their gardens affect biodiversity and populations of insects, birds, and other mammals. Join us for the discussion of his book just two days before Doug Tallamy joins us at the Scott Arboretum for a lecture on February 12, 2009 at 7:30pm! Connect with fellow garden enthusiasts and book lovers as they meet to discuss books about plants, nature, and the environment. “Nature’s Narratives” is a book discussion group sponsored by the Scott Arboretum where readers come together to discuss a book once a month and to share in the reading experience.