Want to learn about the art of writing short stories from a successful Madison author? Then you may be interested in a free copy of “How to Write A Short Story” byLeslie W. Quirk.
Leslie Quirk graduated from Madison High School in 1900, attended the University of Wisconsin (but didn’t graduate), and went on to become a successful author of novels for young people, as well as a short story writer. In 1906, The Editor Publishing Company in New York published Quirk’s book of advice for aspiring short story writers — and most of it is still valuable, even if the market for short fiction may not be as welcoming as it was a century ago.
Quirk’s book is now available for FREE download at Internet Archive in a variety of formats, including PDF, which we think is the most convenient form. You may also read it online.
For those of you unfamiliar with the true story told in Skloot’s book, here is a brief description from her website:
“Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the effects of the atom bomb; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.”
Until now, Henrietta Lacks remained virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.
This event is free and open to the public. Some lots near the Health Sciences Learning Center, including Lot 60, offer free parking after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Join master printmaker Warrington Colescott and Mary Weaver Chapin, associate curator of prints and drawings at the Milwaukee Art Museum, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10th UW-Madison at Main Lounge in the Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, for a combined discussion, exhibit, book signing, and reception to welcome the publication of The Prints of Warrington Colescott: A Catalogue Raisonne, 1948-2008.
Colescott and Chapin will discuss the career and artistic process of the self-described “research printmaker and mad-dog attack artist,” who who taught at the UW-Madison from 1949-1986.
Colescott prints from the Wisconsin Union’s permanent collection of the Wisconsin Union will be on display at the event.
From March 7th to 13th, you can download a free copy of Human Goodness by Yi-Fu Tuan, Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, courtesy of the UW Press.
Here’s why: “UW Press has begun selling its e-books through its website for the first time, offering everything from novels and poetry to scholarly works on Classical literature and African history. Throughout the month of March the Press will introduce hundreds of new e-books on the site, making over 400 titles available by the end of the month.”
And here;s a bit more information about Tuan’s book: “Combining autobiographical reflection and philosophical investigation with sketches of exemplary men and women throughout history, Tuan probes the many faces of goodness—from simple courtesy to heroic acts of altruism—and suggests a common and complex thread which unites them.”
Kevin Henkes, a Madison resident whose popular children’s books include Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purseand A Good Day, will discuss and read from some of his books at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 7th at Borders Books, 3750 University Avenue.
Henkes’ appearance is part of Literacy 24/7, a series of events sponsored by Literacy Network, a broad collection of community members working together to advance the cause of literacy in Dane County.
If you visit a Madison Borders this weekend (March 6th and 7th, 2010) and mention Literacy Network at the counter, you’ll save 10% on your order and 10% will be donated to Literacy Network. There are two Borders locations in Madison: 3750 University Avenue and 2173 Zeier Road.
Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin (CHEW) is “an informal, non profit, educational organization dedicated to the celebration of food, ethnic cuisines, and culinary customs from all parts of the world.” This event is free and open to the public. Annual membership is encouraged.
More information about “People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin’s Love Affair with an Ancient Fish” and its contributors is available from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press.
Disclosure: Madison on the Cheap has an affiliate relationship with the Amazon.com. If you click through on a link in this post and purchase something, we will receive a small commission. We only post what we think are good deals, but once in a while it’s nice to share something that may generate some money for our coffee fund. This book is also available from local booksellers and copies will be for sale at the CHEW event.
According to her publisher, “In between posting recipes for the busy-but-thrifty, Erway explored the underbelly of the city’s home-cooking culture, visiting urban farms, foraging, trash-diving and hosting cook-offs and supper club dinners. In the end, she came away with a greater conscience about where food comes from, what it takes to produce it, and most importantly, how to have a great time cooking it with others.”
A few weeks ago, we received an e-mail from author Tim Dorsey inviting us to download a free copy of his novel “Atomic Lobster.” Alas, when we tried to do so, we discovered the download was a Kindle Edition.
We don’t own a Kindle and it’s not high on our list of things we really want for Christmas or Valentine’s Day or our birthdays. We prefer real books. We like the way they look and feel — and if we accidentally leave a paperback in the seat pocket of an airplane, we haven’t lost a lot of money. Forget your Kindle Wireless Reading Deviceand you’ve lost more than enough money to check a couple of bags and buy a pillow and blanket for your journey through the crowded skies.
But we regress… What we want to tell you about is today’s exciting discovery: Amazon is offering a FREE download of a Beta version of its “Whispersync” software that allows you to read hundred of thousands of Kindle books on your PC (sorry Mac fans your version is still “coming soon”).
We downloaded and installed the software on a PC. It was quick and easy. We opted not to register. This proved to be a meaningless gesture, since you’ll need to register with your Amazon.com account in order to download free Kindle Editions of books.
If you decide to give this Kindle software a twirl, here are some free Kindle editions you can download and read on your computer:
Like Julie (“Julie and Julia”) Powell, Gretchen Rubin is one of those fortunate/talented writers who has managed to use her blog to secure a book contract — and perhaps fame and fortune. Today Rubin announced that her book, “The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun,” is now #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
Rubin began her blog in March 2007 and you may enjoy reading some of her many posts online. If you do so, you may well decide you want to read her book, too.
The cheapest way to read Rubin’s book is to place it on reserve at the Madison Public Library; but we just checked and there are currently 197 people waiting to read one of seven copies of the book. Needless to say, it may be out in paperback before you get your chance to borrow it from the library. If you’re interested in reading it sooner rather than later, Amazon has it on sale for $14.50, which is 44% off the $25.99 list price. It’s also eligible for FREE Super Shipping on orders of $25 or more.
Disclosure: Madison on the Cheap has an affiliate relationship with the Amazon.com. If you click through on a link in this post and purchase something, we will receive a small commission. We only post what we think are good deals, but once in a while it’s nice to share something that may generate some money for our coffee fund.
Julia Mickenberg, Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, will deliver a talk titled “In Love With Russia: U.S. Women, Sexual Revolution, and Revolutionary Tourism, 1921-1935″ from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 21st in Room 7191 in Helen C. White Hall on the UW-Madison campus.
The book is published by NYU Press, which offers the following synopsis:
In 1912, a revolutionary chick cries, “Strike down the wall!” and liberates itself from the “egg state.” In 1940, ostriches pull their heads out of the sand and unite to fight fascism. In 1972, Baby X grows up without a gender and is happy about it.
Rather than teaching children to obey authority, to conform, or to seek redemption through prayer, twentieth-century leftists encouraged children to question the authority of those in power. Tales for Little Rebels collects forty-three mostly out-of-print stories, poems, comic strips, primers, and other texts for children that embody this radical tradition. These pieces reflect the concerns of twentieth-century leftist movements, like peace, civil rights, gender equality, environmental responsibility, and the dignity of labor. They also address the means of achieving these ideals, including taking collective action, developing critical thinking skills, and harnessing the liberating power of the imagination. Continue reading Julia Micklenberg delivers a talk on “Sex and the Soviet Union” Thursday at Helen C. White Hall
Part travel guide, part cookbook, Scherb’s book surveys the fine food and drink made by Catholic religious orders in America, Belgium, France, and Germany. It also contains more than 30 recipes from notable chefs incorporating the products made at these monasteries, as well as a helpful guide to buying and ordering these ingredients for those unable to travel to the monasteries themselves.
A Madison native, Scherb was recently interviewed on Wisconsin Public Radio, and you may hear that interview here.
Disclosure: Madison on the Cheap has an affiliate relationship with the Amazon.com. If you click through on a link in this post and purchase something, we will receive a small commission. We only post what we think are good deals, but once in a while it’s nice to share something that may generate some money for our coffee fund.
Disclosure: Madison on the Cheap has an affiliate relationship with the Amazon.com. If you click through on a link in this post and purchase something, we will receive a small commission. We only post what we think are good deals, but once in a while it’s nice to share something that may generate some money for our coffee fund.
See him on Oprah on Thursday and meet him in person on Friday!
Greene, an exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer specializing in fitness, metabolism, and weight loss, is scheduled to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show today, according to promotional material oh Hilldale’s website.
When we talked to customer service at Metcalfe’s, a worker told us this event would be held in the Pucci’s Gallery space (and that there would probably be tastings as well as signings).
Metcalfe’s Market (the grocery story formerly known as Sentry Hilldale) is located at 726 North Midvale Boulevard.
“Deal Me In, written by Stephen John and Marvin Karlins, “showcases 20 of the world’s top poker players as they share their colorful and inspiring stories of how they became professionals.”
Hellmuth, the youngest player to win the Main Event of the World Series of Poker, was born in Madison and attended the UW-Madison for several years before leaving to play poker full time.
Thanks to the Library of Congress, you can easy download copies of both “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” as PDFs — and these aren’t just any old versions. They’re copies of beautifully illustrated, digitized editions from the library’s rare books collection. You may also view them online in a easy to use reader.
Click here to download or read “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and here to download “A Christmas Carol.”
The “Nutcracker” story is traditionally told from Clara’s point of view; but in A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas,a book based on the hit musical by the popular family music rock star Ralph Covert and playwright G. Riley things have been upside down: Clara’s naughty brother Fritz is the protagonist and the Nutcracker is (gasp!) a girl.
We discovered the book on the Paper Forest blog while searching for more Christmas-related paper craft projects. There is a “paper window show” associated with the book — and you may download and print a copy.
Curious to learn more, we made a few more clicks with our mouse (which is not related to The Mouse King) and discovered a short YouTube video featuring animated versions of parts of story. The video also includes some of the music included on the bonus CD of songs, which comes with the book and features a read-aloud track with the music and story woven together.
If you missed his visit to Madison in November, here’s an encore opportunity to meet 1999 Heisman Trophy winner and former University of Wisconsin football player Ron Dayne: From 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16th he’ll be at the University Book Store at 711 State Street.
There will no doubt be copies of the book, written by Justin Doherty, Director of Athletic Communications at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, available at this event, so this is a great opportunity to buy a copy and have it autographed by Dayne.
Dayne will also be making two other appearances in southern Wisconsin this week: 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15th at The University Book Store in the Janesville Mall and 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 17th in The University Book Store in Brookfield Square Mall.
From 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16th, Scherb will participate in a tastings course at Whole Woods Market-Madison, 3313 University Avenue. She’ll talk about her book and “enlighten attendees with the fascinating histories of the divine delicacies produced by monastic marvels in the US, Belgium, France, and Germany.” Alas, it does not appear that she’ll be offering participants an opportunity to taste the Trappistine Creamy Caramels, which are available only by mail order.
Instead, this tastings event will feature fine Trappiste beer and cheeses.
The course free is $15 and advance registration, along with payment, is required 48 hours before the event. You may register in person at the customer service desk at Whole Foods, or by calling (608) 233-9566. Scherb’s recent appearance at Borders on University Avenue was reportedly very well attended; since the class size for these Whole Foods Events is limited, you’d best make those reservations sooner rather than later if you plan to attend.
If you’re 21 or over, you may want to consider attending the free book signing party and concert at 6 p.m on Sunday, December 13th at The Frequency, 121 West Main Street.
The subject is bratwurst: The party is celebrating the release of “The Brat Book,” a bratwurst cookbook by Madison’s own Noel Benedetti and Liz Baranowicz. There will be free samples of recipes from the book, a 1950s costume contest (with prizes!), and music by Roboman. If you attend, you’ll be able to buy the book at a specially discounted price during the party.
We post deals as we find them, but schedules sometimes change and everything has an expiration date. Prices and promotions are always subject to change without notice. It's always wise to call ahead and make certain a bargain is still available or an event has not been canceled.
from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 11th in Room 1306 of the 
by Yi-Fu Tuan, Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, courtesy of the UW Press.
and 
will discuss and read from some of his books at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 7th at Borders Books, 3750 University Avenue.
will share the history and lore of the lake sturgeon in Wisconsin at the the Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin (CHEW) meeting at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3rd at the Goodman Atwood Community Center, 
and you’ve lost more than enough money to check a couple of bags and 
updated 3/3/2010 to reflect increase (offer was previously $12)
at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 29th at the University Book Store in 
at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, January 20th at Borders, 
is the subject of 
) and show you how easy it is to eat healthy at Metcalfe’s Market from noon until 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 15th.
at 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 26th at the University Book Store at 
(featuring 
a book based on the hit musical by the popular family music rock star Ralph Covert and playwright G. Riley things have been upside down: Clara’s naughty brother Fritz is the protagonist and the Nutcracker is (gasp!) a girl.
In the section titled “Sweet Temptations,” she writes about what we’ve long called “Holy Caramels,” although the nuns who make these treats call them 
