04:52 PM by zelda_pinwheel in Miscellaneous | Lounge

This is certainly the hardest thing I've ever had to write, and my heart is very heavy trying to find the words.

I am very sad to have to tell you that Patricia has died after 2 weeks in hospital. Her partner requested that this be kept private while she was ill, but he has given me permission to share this news now and I felt that her friends would want to know.

She was loved by so many of us for her kindness, intelligence, humour, wit... for the beautiful books she so generously made and shared with us, for the even-tempered perspective she brought to all discussions, for her readiness to help, for her compassion and the friendship she showed us. She was at the heart of MobileRead, one of the people who made it the place it is, one of the reasons I (and many of us, I know) wanted to spend time here.

She will be sorely missed. Some of us in Paris got to know her personally when she came to our meetups and we will always feel her absence now.

Words can't express my grief knowing that I won't see her again and I know that many of you who knew her well will share it. I am sorry to bring such tragic news. Today is a dark day and we are all poorer for the loss of one of the finest souls I have ever known, someone I was happy and privileged and proud to count as my dear friend.

Please feel free to share some stories and memories of Patricia here to honour her, if you like. I think she would have liked that.

UPDATE :

I have sent the link to this thread to Patricia's partner who shared it with her sister and daughter and they are all very moved by all your heartfelt words. i wish i had the eloquence of some of you ; you all seem to speak from my heart so much better than i can right now.

i also asked if there were any charities we might give to, in Patricia's name. after discussing it, Patricia's family has proposed three, the combination of which would best represent Patricia :

Gingerbread (which helps single parents, and which did help Patricia),
http://www.gingerbread.org.uk/portal...portal/Website

the Stroke Association (which helps stroke victims - in a way, this is what Patricia was)
http://www.stroke.org.uk/

and Medical Aid for Palestine.
http://www.map-uk.org/

According to her partner, the tradition in the UK is that cheques are sent to the funeral directors, who would then send donations to those charities. However since we are such an international population, this may not be practical for everyone, so i've included direct links to the charities sites. When i have the information about the funeral director i will add it here, as well.

06:00 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Week in Review

It was the week that was. Here's what MobileRead's been talking about since last Sunday:

E-Book General - News

• 3 New Sony Readers announced today, apps coming this fall

E-Book Readers - Sony Reader

• New readers: shops, manuals and other offical links

11:01 AM by igorsk in E-Book Readers | Sony Reader

Pocket Edition, PRS-350
Marketing specs: Silver, Pink
User Guide: English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian.
SonyStyle.com (Pink, Silver)
SonyStyle.ca $199.99 (Silver, Pink)
Waterstones.com Ј159.99 (Pink, Silver)

Touch Edition, PRS-650
Marketing specs: Black, Red
User Guide: English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian.
SonyStyle.com (Red, Black)
SonyStyle.ca $249.99 (Red, Silver, Black)
Waterstones.com Ј199.99 (Black, Silver)

Daily Edition, PRS-950
Quick start gude
SonyStyle.com (Silver)

Regional Reader sites:
sony.com
sony.ca
sony.co.uk
sony.fr
sony.nl
sony.de
sony.at
sony.ch
sony.it
sony.es (inactive)
sony.com.au
sony.co.nz

06:49 AM by Nate the great in E-Book General | News

A couple of blogs have broken the embargo, so I got permission to post this now. Here's the highlights:

Sony have updated all 3 current models. All 3 models have the new Pearl screen with an improved touch screen component. They also have 12 dictionaries now (2 English, 10 translation). The Pocket and Touch now has 2GB Flash. The Daily Edition now has Wifi, 4GB Flash. Prices haven't changed ($299, $229, $179).

The Android, iOS apps are coming in November (ish).

Sony will be expanding into new markets this year: Spain, Italy, Australia, China, and Japan.

You can find the complete write up over at The Digital Reader:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...ing-this-fall/

06:00 AM by Alexander Turcic in Miscellaneous | Week in Review

If you've been a bit too busy to keep up, here are a few of our favorite stories from the past week.

E-Book General - News

• Pandigital Novel (black) review roundup

E-Book General - Reading Recommendations

• September 2010 Book Club Nominations
• September 2010 Mobile Read Book Club Vote

10:44 AM by pilotbob in E-Book General | Reading Recommendations

Help up choose a book as the September 2010 eBook for the Mobile Read Book Club. The poll will be open for 5 days. We will start the discussion thread for this book on September 20th. Select from the following books.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
Harry T says: "The Moonstone", published in 1868, is widely regarded as the precursor of the modern mystery and suspense novels. T. S. Eliot called it "the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels"...A fabulous story. Both a classic and fun to read...

Killing Floor by Lee Child
Amazon Review
When Jack Reacher suddenly decides to ask a Greyhound bus driver to let him off near the town of Margrave, Georgia, he thinks it's because his brother once mentioned that the famed blues guitarist Blind Blake died there. But it doesn't take long for the footloose ex-military policeman to discover that there are plenty of strange--and very dangerous--things going on behind Margrave's manicured lawns and clean streets that demand his attention. This first thriller by a former television writer features some of the best-written scenes of action in recent memory, a crash course in currency and counterfeiting, and a hero who is just begging to be called on for an encore.

Boston Blackie by Jack Boyle
I always enjoyed the radio series about the jewel thief turned detective, and listening to his run-ins with the police who are never fully persuaded his reform is genuine. This book contains 28 chapters, and not having yet read it, I don't know if they're stand-alone short stories or an actual novel. Wikipedia says "Boyle's stories were collected in the book Boston Blackie (1919), which was reprinted in 1979 by Gregg Press," so I am assuming this 2008 Pulpville Press reprint is actually a collection of short stories. At any rate, it should be fun. Boston Blackie was one of the greats.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman by E.W. Horning
Just in case anyone isn't familiar with it, Raffles is a "gentleman thief", who commits daring robberies (mainly jewel robberies) in upper-class Victorian society, while at the same time maintaining his outward persona as a respectable gentleman and England cricketer. He is accompanied in his adventures by his faithful sidekick Harry "Bunny" Manders.

Hornung was Arthur Conan Doyle's brother-in-law (and the book is dedicated "To A.C.D.") and Raffles was deliberately created as a mirror image to Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.

The book contains eight separate short stories, but they form an on-going story and should be read in order.

Hornung died in 1921, and the book is in the public domain everywhere. It can be downloaded here at MR, eg as the first book in my "Raffles Omnibus" (which contains all of the "Raffles" stories: three books of short stories and a novel).

Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman
Description: Vibrant with the spirit of the Navajo people of the Southwest, Hillerman's new story is a spellbinder, like his Edgar Winner Dance Hall of the Dead and other praised novels. Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee of the tribal police work together here, trying to solve crimes that resist logic. There are no clues to three homicides or to the attempted murder of Chee. Leaphorn thinks a "skinwalker," or witch, could have attacked the victims, all adherents of shamanism, as they are otherwise unrelated. The skinwalkers represent a schism between witchcraft and the traditional Navajo Way. A second attempt on Chee bolsters Leaphorn's suspicion since Chee is an aspiring shaman. The story gathers momentum and tension as the partners get closer to the moment when the murderer comes into the open, and the tragic reason for the crimes becomes painfully clear.

Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout
As any herpetologist will tell you, the fer-de-lance is among the most dreaded snakes known to man. When someone makes a present of one to Nero Wolfe, Archie Goodwin knows he's getting dreadully close to solving the devilishly clever murders of an immigrant and a college president. As for Wolfe, he's playing snake charmer in a case with more twists than an anaconda -- whistling a seductive tune he hopes will catch a killer who's still got poison in his heart.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a ""baby farmer,"" who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs. Sucksby s household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves fingersmiths for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home. One day, the most beloved thief of all arrives Gentleman, an elegant con man, who carries with him an enticing proposition for Sue: If she wins a position as the maid to Maud Lilly, a naïve gentlewoman, and aids Gentleman in her seduction, then they will all share in Maud s vast inheritance. Once the inheritance is secured, Maud will be disposed of passed off as mad, and made to live out the rest of her days in a lunatic asylum. With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to the plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless mark and care for Maud Lilly in unexpected ways...But no one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals. The New York Times Book Review has called Sarah Waters a writer of ""startling power"" and The Seattle Times has praised her work as ""gripping, astute fiction that feeds the mind and the senses."" Fingersmith marks a major leap forward in this young and brilliant career.

White Seed: The Untold Story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke by MR member Paul Clayton
From Publishers Weekly: White Seed…hews closely to the record of Sir Walter Raleigh's second doomed attempt to plant the British flag in Virginia… The depiction of the colony's physical and moral disintegration between 1587 and 1590 -- as drunken, cannibalistic soldiers mutiny and brutalize the settlers they were meant to protect, and as colonists confront disease, starvation and madness -- evokes a harrowing sense of human fallibility. Readers…will find this saga, which…soon achieves page-turner velocity, to be both a dandy diversion and an entertaining education.

The Tin Roof Blowdown: A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke
The pain, dismay and anger brought on by the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina explodes from the pages of this new Dave Robicheaux novel. For nearly a quarter of a century, Burke has used this series, despite their dark subject matter, to show his obvious love of the land, the people and the cultures of the South and specifically New Orleans. There is a mystery for … more »Robicheaux to solve, but it's the destruction of Burke's beloved New Orleans that resonates like thunder throughout the book. Will Patton, who has come to embody the heart and soul of Burke's weary, Southern knight, matches the author's prose in all its intensity and pain. Adept as he is at portraying the eccentric, the evil and the endearing characters found in Burke's books, it is the actor's reading of Burke's descriptive passages, whether it be a storm forming off the Louisiana coast or the shock of blood escaping from a gunshot wound, that creates a fully realized world for the listener. Patton's insightful interpretation of Burke's darkly expressive imagery makes for a rich literary experience rarely achieved in crime fiction today. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Ever since Hurricane Katrina ravaged southern Louisiana in August 2005, James Lee Burke's fans have been waiting for this book, and Burke does not disappoint. Outraged and eloquent, the two-time Edgar Award-winner delivers a gut-wrenching portrayal of the storm's ferocity and devastating aftermath, venting through Robicheaux his frustration at the human incompetence and greed that magnified nature's destructive fury. His evocative, heartfelt prose, sympathetic characters, and intricately interwoven plotlines grip the reader from the first page. Burke's admirers will savor this latest installment, while those not yet acquainted with Robicheaux can start here, thanks to the comprehensive background information Burke provides in what critics call his best book yet.

06:17 PM by Nate the great in E-Book General | News

So we're 5 days past the launch of the black Pandigital Novel, and it's pretty clear all the early reviews are online. Now is a good time to gather them all in one post so they can be found easily.

No one really liked it that much.

The Digital Reader:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...ndigital-novel
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...eader-at-risk/

Engadget:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/20/p...-novel-review/

Techlicious:
http://www.techlicious.com/review/pa...-black-review/

Techland:
http://techland.com/2010/08/18/two-m...digital-novel/

CNet:
http://reviews.cnet.com/e-book-reade...-34150168.html

We have an ongoing dicussion on the merits of the Novel over here.

12:34 PM by pilotbob in E-Book General | Reading Recommendations

Help us select the next book that the Mobile Read book club will read for September 2010.

The nominations will run through Aug 26 or until 10 books have made the list.
Voting (new poll thread) will run for 5 days starting Aug 26.

Book selection category for September per the "official" club opening thread is:

September 2010
Mystery/Crime

In order for a book to be included in the poll it needs THREE NOMINATIONS (original nomination, a second and a third).

How Does This Work?
The Mobile Read Book Club (MRBC) is an informal club that requires nothing of you. Each month a book is selected by polling. On the last week of that month a discussion thread is started for the book. If you want to participate feel free. There is no need to "join" or sign up. All are welcome.
*
How Does a Book Get Selected?
Each book that is nominated will be listed in a pool at the end of the nomination period. The book that polls the most votes will be the official selection.

How Many Nominations Can I Make?
Each participant has 3 nominations. You can nominate a new book for consideration or nominate (second, third) one that has already been nominated by another person.

How Do I Nominate a Book?
Please just post a message with your nomination. If you are the FIRST to nominate a book, please try to provide an abstract to the book so others may consider their level of interest.

How Do I Know What Has Been Nominated?
Just follow the thread. This message will be updated with the status of the nominations as often as I can. If one is missed, please just post a message with a multi-quote of the 3 nominations and it will be added to the list ASAP.

When is the Poll?
The poll thread will open at the end of the nomination period, or once there have been 10 books with 3 nominations each. At that time a link to the poll thread will be posted here and this thread will be closed.

The floor is open to nominations.

Official choices each with three nominations:

09:41 AM by suncor in E-Book General | News

I didn't expect to be the first to see this, and apologies if it is elsewhere, or if I have done this wrong.

The two new Sony Reader devices will be very attractively priced, and are definitely much more compact and lighter than previous models with a possible width under 10mm. From what we’re hearing the new models will also have improved contrast and faster page turns. The PRS-650 will have a six inch screen while the PRS-350 will have a five inch screen. There will also be a bump in capacity from the usual 512MB or less found in currently Sony Reader models to 2GB of internal storage. We are not sure if that capacity bump extends to both devices, but will most certainly be true for the PRS-650. We also know that the PRS-650 will have Wi-Fi (and possibly free 3G), while the PRS-300 will not have any wireless connectivity (like the PRS-300).

http://www.sonyinsider.com/2010/08/1...s-coming-soon/

07:55 AM by Mike L in Miscellaneous | Lounge

The Edinburgh International Book Festival 2010 is getting under way. And, once again, it will be the venue for MobileRead's Edinburgh meet-up (now in its third year).

So if you're anywhere near the Scottish capital, head over here for another splendid afternoon of fun and e-literary chat.

Here are the details:

Date:
Saturday 21st August 2010

Time:
From 2.30 pm

Place:
At the Edinburgh International Book Festival venue in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. We'll meet in the cafe in the Highland Spiegeltent, which is on your left as you come in through the main entrance.

How to recognise us:
Look for the A4 Mobile Read logo. Failing that, just look for a bunch of intelligent-looking people poring over various hand-held devices.

Other details:
At present, the plan is to meet over coffee or a beer, and then perhaps to visit the festival together, with the possibility of continuing into dinner
in the evening.

About the festival
The festival is one of the largest events of its kind in Europe. Its extensive book displays and exhibits are free and open to all, as are some of the events and entertainment (but most talks and presentations require a ticket). Even without our meet-up, it would be a great place to hang out (provided you like books).

The meet-up is only a few days away now, so do your best to get here. It promises to be another excellent afternoon.

(Photo (c) Kevin Rae (Creative Commons Licence))