Saturday, September 25, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Will there be a 39 Clues Series # 2?
The ending to Into The Gauntlet was the most shocking ending to any book I've ever read.
Isabel Kabra is going to prison. For life.
Speaking of her, by the way, I managed to hack into a Lucian e-mail account & retrieve her final e-mail that she will ever be sending:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Isabel Kabra
The final push
Lucians—
We’re approaching a crucial moment in our history. In the next few days, you’re going to have to ask yourselves a life changing question: How far are you willing to go to find the final Clues?
For those of you sitting there twiddling your thumbs, I’ll make it easy for you. The answer is: WHATEVER IT TAKES.
For the past 500 years, our ancestors have shaped the world through their hunt for the 39 Clues. They’ve overthrown kings, toppled empires, and even waged war in pursuit of the most precious items on earth. But the Clues are more than a mere hidden treasure. They are the key to our destiny.
Lucians are born to lead. We’re made to rule. And with the power of the 39 Clues, we’ll be unstoppable. Because of you, we’re almost unbearably close to assembling all the Clues. And soon, if everything goes according to plan, we’ll be in the position to seize the remaining Clues from our enemies.
You’ve all done incredible work on the hunt. We can’t back down now. The other branches are growing desperate, and I suspect there may be some last minute surprises.
I’m ordering all active agents to accompany me to England. Ian, Natalie, and I will need your help.
I hope you’re ready. There will be no second chances.
— Isabel
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Oh, speaking of all agents being in England, Ekat's: If you haven't returned to the strongholds since the dramatic ending to the clue hunt on Cahill Island, here is Bae's latest e-mail. It is before the encounter in England:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Bae Oh
The moment of truth
Fellow Ekaterinas,
For the past 500 years, the hunt for the Clues has pushed our ancestors to achieve greatness. It’s what drove Howard Carter into the bowels of long forgotten Egyptian tombs, gave Marie Curie the strength to continue her research despite personal tragedy and illness, and inspired the Wright brothers’ dreams of flight.
Their genius, commitment, and sacrifice were only the beginning. Because of you, our branch has collected nearly all 39 Clues. We are within striking distance of victory—of achieving everything we’ve ever hoped for.
As you read this, Alistair is en route to England where, we believe, a crucial secret is hidden. There are rumors that the other branches are sending their top agents to investigate. I know Alistair has disappointed us in the past, listening to his heart instead of his questionably-sized brain. But even he knows what’s at stake.
The Ekats MUST be the ones to find the Clues. We are the only ones equipped for that sort of power. The only Cahills fit to handle that level of responsibility. I know most of you understand this, and I think Alistair has come to understand as well. He’ll do whatever necessary to secure our victory.
I need all agents prepared to head to England. If there is some sort of final confrontation, we won’t have any time to lose. This is what we’ve been working for. Five centuries of Ekaterina history comes down to this moment.
It’s time to make Katherine proud.
—Bae
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We all know, of course, that the freaking MADRIGALS(Amy & Dan) won the hunt. Even more stunning, it turns out that they weren't as evil as we thought. They were trying to get the Cahill Family united, and here is why, so all branches, listen up:
There is another family like us Cahills, called Vespers. They are interested in our clue hunt. And the Madrigals Leader, a newly found Fiske Cahill, has sent us messages that proclaim that some of the things the Vespers have done make Isabel Kabra look like Mother Teresa...
Watch your backs. All of you.
Isabel Kabra is going to prison. For life.
Speaking of her, by the way, I managed to hack into a Lucian e-mail account & retrieve her final e-mail that she will ever be sending:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Isabel Kabra
The final push
Lucians—
We’re approaching a crucial moment in our history. In the next few days, you’re going to have to ask yourselves a life changing question: How far are you willing to go to find the final Clues?
For those of you sitting there twiddling your thumbs, I’ll make it easy for you. The answer is: WHATEVER IT TAKES.
For the past 500 years, our ancestors have shaped the world through their hunt for the 39 Clues. They’ve overthrown kings, toppled empires, and even waged war in pursuit of the most precious items on earth. But the Clues are more than a mere hidden treasure. They are the key to our destiny.
Lucians are born to lead. We’re made to rule. And with the power of the 39 Clues, we’ll be unstoppable. Because of you, we’re almost unbearably close to assembling all the Clues. And soon, if everything goes according to plan, we’ll be in the position to seize the remaining Clues from our enemies.
You’ve all done incredible work on the hunt. We can’t back down now. The other branches are growing desperate, and I suspect there may be some last minute surprises.
I’m ordering all active agents to accompany me to England. Ian, Natalie, and I will need your help.
I hope you’re ready. There will be no second chances.
— Isabel
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, speaking of all agents being in England, Ekat's: If you haven't returned to the strongholds since the dramatic ending to the clue hunt on Cahill Island, here is Bae's latest e-mail. It is before the encounter in England:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Bae Oh
The moment of truth
Fellow Ekaterinas,
For the past 500 years, the hunt for the Clues has pushed our ancestors to achieve greatness. It’s what drove Howard Carter into the bowels of long forgotten Egyptian tombs, gave Marie Curie the strength to continue her research despite personal tragedy and illness, and inspired the Wright brothers’ dreams of flight.
Their genius, commitment, and sacrifice were only the beginning. Because of you, our branch has collected nearly all 39 Clues. We are within striking distance of victory—of achieving everything we’ve ever hoped for.
As you read this, Alistair is en route to England where, we believe, a crucial secret is hidden. There are rumors that the other branches are sending their top agents to investigate. I know Alistair has disappointed us in the past, listening to his heart instead of his questionably-sized brain. But even he knows what’s at stake.
The Ekats MUST be the ones to find the Clues. We are the only ones equipped for that sort of power. The only Cahills fit to handle that level of responsibility. I know most of you understand this, and I think Alistair has come to understand as well. He’ll do whatever necessary to secure our victory.
I need all agents prepared to head to England. If there is some sort of final confrontation, we won’t have any time to lose. This is what we’ve been working for. Five centuries of Ekaterina history comes down to this moment.
It’s time to make Katherine proud.
—Bae
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We all know, of course, that the freaking MADRIGALS(Amy & Dan) won the hunt. Even more stunning, it turns out that they weren't as evil as we thought. They were trying to get the Cahill Family united, and here is why, so all branches, listen up:
There is another family like us Cahills, called Vespers. They are interested in our clue hunt. And the Madrigals Leader, a newly found Fiske Cahill, has sent us messages that proclaim that some of the things the Vespers have done make Isabel Kabra look like Mother Teresa...
Watch your backs. All of you.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Hopefully, The Publishing Industry Will Be A Bit More Interesting Than It Has In The Last Few Months...
If you've noticed, I haven't been posting alot lately. I think this is my 20th Post Of The Year, compared to the 200 plus in the last two years.
There is a reason for this. Now that pretty much all of the notable series' around the world have culminated, there really insn't much to talk about anymore.
The publishing of the final Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Novel (look up) this fall will mark the conclusion of yet another publishing phenomeon. And it doesn't even have a summary yet!
So, with school back in session, hopefully the publishing industry will be a bit more interesting than it has in the last few months...
There is a reason for this. Now that pretty much all of the notable series' around the world have culminated, there really insn't much to talk about anymore.
The publishing of the final Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Novel (look up) this fall will mark the conclusion of yet another publishing phenomeon. And it doesn't even have a summary yet!
So, with school back in session, hopefully the publishing industry will be a bit more interesting than it has in the last few months...
Thursday, July 15, 2010
I'm back....& some more Ekat E-Mail...
I'm back from a long, misrable vacation.
But, hey, there were some good parts to. I finally saw The Lightning Thief movie. OK, but not my cup of tea. The book is WAY better than the movie. In the movie: no Ares. No Clarisse. No Mr. D. No Mention of Kronos. Smelly Gabe looks like a senior citizen. Awesome action, however...
And finally... the next 2 Ekat E-Mails!
JUNE 25TH
From: Victor Wood
Update from the stronghold
Ekats—
Victor here, filling in for Bae. He’s in his office yelling at Alistair, and from what I can hear, it seems like they might be in there for a while. Alistair stopped in Cairo on his way back from China, and there seems to be some disagreement as to where he should go next. Bae has ordered him to investigate some strange activity in Peru, but Alistair wants to go to Jamaica. Apparently, something happened to Amy and Dan down there, and Alistair is anxious to make sure they’re “okay.”
Needless to say, Bae is not pleased that Alistair wants to waste time “babysitting the orphans.” But Alistair seems pretty adamant about it. I heard him yell something about “not letting Isabel get away with it again.”
Does anyone know what happened in Jamaica? What’s the point of having a secret stronghold in the Bermuda triangle if we can’t keep tabs on stuff like this? Bae expects a full report, stat.
— Victor
JULY 13TH
From: Victor Wood
Madrigal encounter
Ekats—
I’ve just returned from an extremely dangerous mission on Easter Island. I’d been tailing the Tomas agent Maleia Kalani while she was in Tahiti for a so-called surfing competition. When she chartered a plane to Easter Island in the middle of the night, I knew something strange was going on.
As you are all aware, the Ekaterinas have long suspected that the Madrigals may be up to something on that island—though no one knows exactly what. I'm sure it involves the island’s unique varieties of bacteria, believed to have powerful chemical properties—and think of the benefits such a discovery would have for the scientist who found it! And for the Ekats, of course.
But it turns out agent Kalani wasn’t interested in bacteria. She snuck off toward the island’s giant moai statues. I followed her, at great risk to myself. Before long, I heard a strange noise coming from the direction of the moai.
I waited to see what Kalani had done, but then I saw another agent running toward me, Lucian agent Alana Flores. She didn’t notice me, of course. I was too well hidden. I would have stopped her to find out what she was doing on the island, but before I could, a group of people dressed all in black ran past, clearly in pursuit of the Lucian.. I thought it best to make a strategic exit.
There is definite Madrigal activity on Easter Island. I am preparing a detailed report to give to Bae as soon as he returns to the stronghold. Until then, stay away from that island!
—Victor
But, hey, there were some good parts to. I finally saw The Lightning Thief movie. OK, but not my cup of tea. The book is WAY better than the movie. In the movie: no Ares. No Clarisse. No Mr. D. No Mention of Kronos. Smelly Gabe looks like a senior citizen. Awesome action, however...
And finally... the next 2 Ekat E-Mails!
JUNE 25TH
From: Victor Wood
Update from the stronghold
Ekats—
Victor here, filling in for Bae. He’s in his office yelling at Alistair, and from what I can hear, it seems like they might be in there for a while. Alistair stopped in Cairo on his way back from China, and there seems to be some disagreement as to where he should go next. Bae has ordered him to investigate some strange activity in Peru, but Alistair wants to go to Jamaica. Apparently, something happened to Amy and Dan down there, and Alistair is anxious to make sure they’re “okay.”
Needless to say, Bae is not pleased that Alistair wants to waste time “babysitting the orphans.” But Alistair seems pretty adamant about it. I heard him yell something about “not letting Isabel get away with it again.”
Does anyone know what happened in Jamaica? What’s the point of having a secret stronghold in the Bermuda triangle if we can’t keep tabs on stuff like this? Bae expects a full report, stat.
— Victor
JULY 13TH
From: Victor Wood
Madrigal encounter
Ekats—
I’ve just returned from an extremely dangerous mission on Easter Island. I’d been tailing the Tomas agent Maleia Kalani while she was in Tahiti for a so-called surfing competition. When she chartered a plane to Easter Island in the middle of the night, I knew something strange was going on.
As you are all aware, the Ekaterinas have long suspected that the Madrigals may be up to something on that island—though no one knows exactly what. I'm sure it involves the island’s unique varieties of bacteria, believed to have powerful chemical properties—and think of the benefits such a discovery would have for the scientist who found it! And for the Ekats, of course.
But it turns out agent Kalani wasn’t interested in bacteria. She snuck off toward the island’s giant moai statues. I followed her, at great risk to myself. Before long, I heard a strange noise coming from the direction of the moai.
I waited to see what Kalani had done, but then I saw another agent running toward me, Lucian agent Alana Flores. She didn’t notice me, of course. I was too well hidden. I would have stopped her to find out what she was doing on the island, but before I could, a group of people dressed all in black ran past, clearly in pursuit of the Lucian.. I thought it best to make a strategic exit.
There is definite Madrigal activity on Easter Island. I am preparing a detailed report to give to Bae as soon as he returns to the stronghold. Until then, stay away from that island!
—Victor
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
THE LOST HERO Cover Revealed!
Ok, so it was actually unvailed on Monday, but her is the cover for Rick Riordan's new novel The Lost Hero, out October 12th. The first two chapters are unlockable by typing in "newhero" on the directed spot. Prepare for a real shocker unveiled in the 2nd Chapter: Percy Jackson is missing. Uh Oh, we got a real problem...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Major NEGATIVE News On Changes To 39 Clues Website!
Fellow 39 Clues Hunters,
As you may have noticed, The 39 Clues website has made some MAJOR changes for members of the branches! As I logged on this afternoon, I was thinking WHAT THE FREAK IS THIS? Of course, I didn't say it out loud, because I was in a library. Politte's in my last name you know...
I have found it VERY difficult to navigate, and almost called tech support to find my EKAT INBOX!
Click the phone if you need to find that, by the way.
Well, good luck- um, you know... figuring it out youself. Yeah...
GO EKATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
By Royal Command Out Today!
This book has offically been released. Pick It Up It's a Very Good Read!!!
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Black Book Of Buried Secrets!
For the past five hundred years, the Cahills have silently dominated the world. Their desperate hunt for the 39 Clues lies behind some of history’s biggest enigmas – the curse of the Hope diamond, the race to summit Mt. Everest, the wild life and death of Harry Houdini. And now – finally – the secrets are out. With an introduction by Rick Riordan, The 39 Clues: The Black Book of Buried Secrets reveals the shocking truth about history’s most notorious family.
In full, lush color, The 39 Clues: The Black Book of Buried Secrets lays bare each hidden fact, concealed strategy, top agent, lost founder, secret base and hushed-up scandal of the Clue hunt. This complete guide to the Cahills contains information on all five branches, including the notoriously elusive Madrigals. The must-know information includes:
Full files on the enigmatic Man in Black.
The true purpose of the Madrigal branch.
The complete story of the fire that split the original Cahill family.
The truth about the night Hope and Arthur Cahill died.
Open access to the secrets of the Lucian, Ekaterina, Tomas and Janus branches.
It’s never too late to join the hunt – especially with The 39 Clues: The Black Book of Buried Secrets to provide complete access to the Cahill’s most deeply-buried secrets.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Official INTO THE GAUNTLET Summary!:
Throughout the hunt for the 39 Clues, Amy and Dan Cahill have uncovered history's greatest mysteries and their family's deadliest secrets. But are they ready to face the truth about the Cahills and the key to their unmatched power? After a whirlwind race that's taken them across five continents, Amy and Dan face the most the difficult challenge yet- a task no Cahill dared to imagine. When faced with a choice that could change the future of the world, can two kids succeed where 500 years worth of famous ancestors failed?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
The Young Bond Series Concludes in the United States on May 18th, with the release of By Royal Command.
Below, an recent article from the Young Bond Dossier(by Zencat, who has commented on some of my Young Bond posts before) gives a more accurate description of the book:
First look at By Royal Command US hardcover
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 by zencat
Thank to our friends at Disney-Hyperion, here’s a first look at the new U.S. hardback edition of Charlie Higson’s fifth Young Bond adventure, By Royal Command.
This hardcover features cover art by series newcomer Owen Richardson (which looks sensational “in the flesh”) and sports the new series title treatment. The book runs 361 pages and is uniform in size with the other U.S. hardcovers. The boards are a blue-grey with red lettering.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Rick Riordan can write a 500+ Page Book? It's true!!! Plus, more on 2nd Camp Half-Blood Series!
I couldn't beilive it myself until I went on to the Barnes & Noble website. They said 528 pages, which I doubt is excact. But, they are never far off.
So it look's like this will be Riordan's longest novel EVER!!! I read the preview on the Kane Chronicles website, & it looks really good! Check this book out when it realeases on May 4th!
USHERING IN A NEW ERA OF PERCY DEMIGODS!
Just revealed @ the top of the hour, the new Camp-Half Blood series will be called The Heroes Of Olympus. The first title is The Lost Hero & releases on October 22nd!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Storm Warning & Into the Gauntlet
HUGE BREAKING NEWS!!!: The Covers for the final 2 39 Clues Books Have Been Revealed. They are shown in chronological order ABOVE!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
I'm So Stupid!
I hate when your personal library has to get new flooring. I really do.
So, get this: My floor is OLD! I had to get a new one, now...
Yeah, bad idea.
I didn't realize that I had to take EVERYTHING out of that room, including my books & my built-in bookcase. It took me 3 hours to set all my books in my living room, where they won't fall. That mean's I have to put them all back after I put my bookcase back in.
It would take alot of bad words to describe how getting that thing out took its toll on me.
So, for the next week, I don't have a room to put my books in. Oh joy...
So, get this: My floor is OLD! I had to get a new one, now...
Yeah, bad idea.
I didn't realize that I had to take EVERYTHING out of that room, including my books & my built-in bookcase. It took me 3 hours to set all my books in my living room, where they won't fall. That mean's I have to put them all back after I put my bookcase back in.
It would take alot of bad words to describe how getting that thing out took its toll on me.
So, for the next week, I don't have a room to put my books in. Oh joy...
Saturday, February 6, 2010
I WAS SO RIGHT!
It's truly amazing, all the stuff you can find on Wikipedia these days.
But, more to the point, Amy & Dan Cahill are part of the Madrigal Branch.
Only I could have predicted it. And I did, about 6 months ago right here on the blog.
But If You Dont Beilive Me Look Below:
Still don't? Click here.
I'm AWESOME! Aren't I?
More news! While The Cover hasn't been revealed, I do have the Title for Book#8. Book 8: The Emperor's Code, will be out April 6th! The color of the title gives you a hint of the color of the book!
But, more to the point, Amy & Dan Cahill are part of the Madrigal Branch.
Only I could have predicted it. And I did, about 6 months ago right here on the blog.
But If You Dont Beilive Me Look Below:
Shocked by the death of Irina, Dan and Amy march into danger once again. They discover themselves as Madrigal. In Grace's journal, they find a page that says ″I am feeling melancholy today, thinking about my dear A & H and missing them so. I cannot even bear to listen to my beloved di Lasso, because of the reminder...″ and on another page it says ″I have written Deng Xiaoping, who has agreed to grant to visit to A & H when he discoverd that they, like him, are M", which they translate into Madrigals and begin to question whether they're the good guys or the bad guys. Dan and Amy also begin to question how much they trust their au pair, Nellie. So far the clues the siblings have discovered are Iron Solute, Tungsten, Gold, Myrrh, Amber, Rosemary, and Water. Meanwhile, Aunt Beatrice's detective is closer than ever to finding their location. They also discover more about their parents' murder and confront Isabel Kabra. They follow Shaka Zulu and meet a man named Kurt in Pretoria, who helps them with many others through out the book. The clue is aloe. Also, in this book, Amy becomes very Cahill-like, being mean, wanting to kill Alistair, and having temper problems.
The storyline starts the morning after the fire that killed Irina Spasky. The two were shaken up by what happened and they cant't believe that Irina was on their side after all. But moment later, Nellie Gomez their au pair appeared signalling the arrival of police. It turns out that Isabel Kabra called the police and put the blame of Irina towards Dan, Amy and Alistair. Together with Nellie and the boat driver they tried to escape the police but unfortunately Alistair took the bullet and he was the one who was taken by the police.
Meanwhile, after using again their code breaking abilities, Dan and Amy figured that the last words of Irina was actually a song. "Im with you and you're with me and so we are all together" which points to their next destination. pretoria, South Africa.
Upon arrival in South Africa, a mysterious man hands a postcard to the sibling which points to a connection to a famous person called Shaka. As they unravel the history of Shaka, they found out that he was a member of the Tomas branch. Following a line of clues, Shaka was then connected to Winston Churchill.
Visiting a library with a document coming from Churchill, they discovered that the clue was hidden with the body of Shaka. Soon they discovered a tunnel in which it is said that Churchill hid when he was in Africa. They unlocked the message of the Churchill which pointed to a certain coordinate which turned out to be a Tomas Stronghold.
After infiltrating the Thomas stronghold they soon discovered a box with diamond in it. At first they though that was the clue, but actually Aloe was the clue which was also in the box.
When they were leaving South Africa, they were captured by the Kabras. They were about to kill Dan when suddenly the professor which helped them at the Thomas Stronghold saved them again. They escaped together with the vial with green liquid that they discovered at the Maze of Bones.
They escaped them by flying Grace Cahill's old plane. During the ride, Dan and Amy had a little quarrel and accidentally broke the vial which some of the contents were spilled at Dan's arm. It turns out that it was poison. To get the antidote, they flew towards Grace Cahill's home at South Africa. There they discovered a sort of diary of Grace Cahill showing that Dan and Amy's parents belong to the Madrigal Branch.
Still don't? Click here.
I'm AWESOME! Aren't I?
More news! While The Cover hasn't been revealed, I do have the Title for Book#8. Book 8: The Emperor's Code, will be out April 6th! The color of the title gives you a hint of the color of the book!
Monday, February 1, 2010
EKAT E-MAIL!...And More Info
So yeah, I'm an Ekat agent, I get e-mail from Bae & Victor.
So I figured I'd share some of the non-top-secret ones with you.
When I get e-mails(which really isn't that often), I'll post it on the blog. mm'K? Good.
Victor, your up:
Also, don't forget that Book#7, The Viper's Nest comes out tomorrow. Amy & Dan's family branch will FINALLY be revealed! Don't miss out & go buy the most important installment of the 39 Clues Series yet!
Also, while I'm at it, I have important plot info regarding book 8.
I'm awesome, aren't I?
In book 8, Dan & Amy will be seperated. And... oh yeah, remember that detective that their Aunt Beatrice hired to find Amy & Dan. Well, he may have finally caught up with them...
So I figured I'd share some of the non-top-secret ones with you.
When I get e-mails(which really isn't that often), I'll post it on the blog. mm'K? Good.
Victor, your up:
From: Victor Wood (On behalf of Bae Oh)
Stronghold security
Ekats—
Our spies have reported that the Tomas, Janus, and Lucians are increasing security at their headquarters around the world.
In Hollywood, the Janus added three new surveillance cameras to their rare book room—and added five new cells to their underground prison.
In Paris, the Lucians are distributing new poison-delivery mechanisms. Watch out for any suspicious-looking people with strange rings, or weird-looking umbrellas. . . .
There are rumors that the Tomas are installing some kind of invisible, high voltage barrier around their South African stronghold, but this hasn’t been confirmed. It’s difficult to believe that the Tomas can handle any tool more advanced than a baseball bat. However, we can’t ignore the fact that the other branches are anticipating some sort of break-in.
We’ll know more once we track down Amy and Dan. For some reason, those children always end up in the middle of the action.
Get moving!
Victor (for Bae)
Also, don't forget that Book#7, The Viper's Nest comes out tomorrow. Amy & Dan's family branch will FINALLY be revealed! Don't miss out & go buy the most important installment of the 39 Clues Series yet!
Also, while I'm at it, I have important plot info regarding book 8.
I'm awesome, aren't I?
In book 8, Dan & Amy will be seperated. And... oh yeah, remember that detective that their Aunt Beatrice hired to find Amy & Dan. Well, he may have finally caught up with them...
Thursday, January 28, 2010
‘Catcher in the Rye’ author J.D. Salinger dies
NEW YORK - J.D. Salinger, the legendary author, youth hero and fugitive from fame whose "The Catcher in the Rye" shocked and inspired a world he increasingly shunned, has died. He was 91.
Salinger died of natural causes at his home on Wednesday, the author's son said in a statement from Salinger's literary representative. He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N.H.
Immortal anti-hero
"The Catcher in the Rye," with its immortal teenage protagonist, the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield, came out in 1951, a time of anxious, Cold War conformity and the dawn of modern adolescence. The Book-of-the-Month Club, which made "Catcher" a featured selection, advised that for "anyone who has ever brought up a son" the novel will be "a source of wonder and delight — and concern."
Enraged by all the "phonies" who make "me so depressed I go crazy," Holden soon became American literature's most famous anti-hero since Huckleberry Finn. The novel's sales are astonishing — more than 60 million copies worldwide — and its impact incalculable. Decades after publication, the book remains a defining expression of that most American of dreams — to never grow up.
Salinger was writing for adults, but teenagers from all over identified with the novel's themes of alienation, innocence and fantasy, not to mention the luck of having the last word. "Catcher" presents the world as an ever-so-unfair struggle between the goodness of young people and the corruption of elders, a message that only intensified with the oncoming generation gap.
Novels from Evan Hunter's "The Blackboard Jungle" to Curtis Sittenfeld's "Prep," movies from "Rebel Without a Cause" to "The Breakfast Club," and countless rock 'n' roll songs echoed Salinger's message of kids under siege. One of the great anti-heroes of the 1960s, Benjamin Braddock of "The Graduate," was but a blander version of Salinger's narrator.
The cult of "Catcher" turned tragic in 1980 when crazed Beatles fan Mark David Chapman shot and killed John Lennon, citing Salinger's novel as an inspiration and stating that "this extraordinary book holds many answers."
By the 21st century, Holden himself seemed relatively mild, but Salinger's book remained a standard in school curriculums and was discussed on countless Web sites and a fan page on Facebook.
Other works
Salinger's other books don't equal the influence or sales of "Catcher," but they are still read, again and again, with great affection and intensity. Critics, at least briefly, rated Salinger as a more accomplished and daring short story writer than John Cheever.
The collection "Nine Stories" features the classic "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," the deadpan account of a suicidal Army veteran and the little girl he hopes, in vain, will save him. The novel "Franny and Zooey," like "Catcher," is a youthful, obsessively articulated quest for redemption, featuring a memorable argument between Zooey and his mother as he attempts to read in the bathtub.
"Everyone who works here and writes here at The New Yorker, even now, decades after his silence began, does so with a keen awareness of J.D. Salinger's voice," said David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, where many of Salinger's stories appeared. "In fact, he is so widely read in America, and read with such intensity, that it's hard to think of any reader, young and old, who does not carry around the voices of Holden Caulfield or Glass family members."
"Catcher," narrated from a mental facility, begins with Holden recalling his expulsion from a Pennsylvania boarding school for failing four classes and for general apathy.
He returns home to Manhattan, where his wanderings take him everywhere from a Times Square hotel to a rainy carousel ride with his kid sister, Phoebe, in Central Park. He decides he wants to escape to a cabin out West, but scorns questions about his future as just so much phoniness.
"I mean how do you know what you're going to do till you do it?" he reasons. "The answer is, you don't. I think I am, but how do I know? I swear it's a stupid question."
"The Catcher in the Rye" became both required and restricted reading, periodically banned by a school board or challenged by parents worried by its frank language and the irresistible chip on Holden's shoulder.
"I'm aware that a number of my friends will be saddened, or shocked, or shocked-saddened, over some of the chapters of 'The Catcher in the Rye.' Some of my best friends are children. In fact, all of my best friends are children," Salinger wrote in 1955, in a short note for "20th Century Authors."
"It's almost unbearable to me to realize that my book will be kept on a shelf out of their reach," he added.
Salinger also wrote the novellas "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" and "Seymour — An Introduction," both featuring the neurotic, fictional Glass family which appeared in much of his work.
His last published story, "Hapworth 16, 1928," ran in The New Yorker in 1965. By then he was increasingly viewed like a precocious child whose manner had soured from cute to insufferable. "Salinger was the greatest mind ever to stay in prep school," Norman Mailer once commented.
In 1997, it was announced that "Hapworth" would be reissued as a book — prompting a (negative) New York Times review. The book, in typical Salinger style, didn't appear. In 1999, New Hampshire neighbor Jerry Burt said the author had told him years earlier that he had written at least 15 unpublished books kept locked in a safe at his home.
Salinger died of natural causes at his home on Wednesday, the author's son said in a statement from Salinger's literary representative. He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N.H.
Immortal anti-hero
"The Catcher in the Rye," with its immortal teenage protagonist, the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield, came out in 1951, a time of anxious, Cold War conformity and the dawn of modern adolescence. The Book-of-the-Month Club, which made "Catcher" a featured selection, advised that for "anyone who has ever brought up a son" the novel will be "a source of wonder and delight — and concern."
Enraged by all the "phonies" who make "me so depressed I go crazy," Holden soon became American literature's most famous anti-hero since Huckleberry Finn. The novel's sales are astonishing — more than 60 million copies worldwide — and its impact incalculable. Decades after publication, the book remains a defining expression of that most American of dreams — to never grow up.
Salinger was writing for adults, but teenagers from all over identified with the novel's themes of alienation, innocence and fantasy, not to mention the luck of having the last word. "Catcher" presents the world as an ever-so-unfair struggle between the goodness of young people and the corruption of elders, a message that only intensified with the oncoming generation gap.
Novels from Evan Hunter's "The Blackboard Jungle" to Curtis Sittenfeld's "Prep," movies from "Rebel Without a Cause" to "The Breakfast Club," and countless rock 'n' roll songs echoed Salinger's message of kids under siege. One of the great anti-heroes of the 1960s, Benjamin Braddock of "The Graduate," was but a blander version of Salinger's narrator.
The cult of "Catcher" turned tragic in 1980 when crazed Beatles fan Mark David Chapman shot and killed John Lennon, citing Salinger's novel as an inspiration and stating that "this extraordinary book holds many answers."
By the 21st century, Holden himself seemed relatively mild, but Salinger's book remained a standard in school curriculums and was discussed on countless Web sites and a fan page on Facebook.
Other works
Salinger's other books don't equal the influence or sales of "Catcher," but they are still read, again and again, with great affection and intensity. Critics, at least briefly, rated Salinger as a more accomplished and daring short story writer than John Cheever.
The collection "Nine Stories" features the classic "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," the deadpan account of a suicidal Army veteran and the little girl he hopes, in vain, will save him. The novel "Franny and Zooey," like "Catcher," is a youthful, obsessively articulated quest for redemption, featuring a memorable argument between Zooey and his mother as he attempts to read in the bathtub.
"Everyone who works here and writes here at The New Yorker, even now, decades after his silence began, does so with a keen awareness of J.D. Salinger's voice," said David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, where many of Salinger's stories appeared. "In fact, he is so widely read in America, and read with such intensity, that it's hard to think of any reader, young and old, who does not carry around the voices of Holden Caulfield or Glass family members."
"Catcher," narrated from a mental facility, begins with Holden recalling his expulsion from a Pennsylvania boarding school for failing four classes and for general apathy.
He returns home to Manhattan, where his wanderings take him everywhere from a Times Square hotel to a rainy carousel ride with his kid sister, Phoebe, in Central Park. He decides he wants to escape to a cabin out West, but scorns questions about his future as just so much phoniness.
"I mean how do you know what you're going to do till you do it?" he reasons. "The answer is, you don't. I think I am, but how do I know? I swear it's a stupid question."
"The Catcher in the Rye" became both required and restricted reading, periodically banned by a school board or challenged by parents worried by its frank language and the irresistible chip on Holden's shoulder.
"I'm aware that a number of my friends will be saddened, or shocked, or shocked-saddened, over some of the chapters of 'The Catcher in the Rye.' Some of my best friends are children. In fact, all of my best friends are children," Salinger wrote in 1955, in a short note for "20th Century Authors."
"It's almost unbearable to me to realize that my book will be kept on a shelf out of their reach," he added.
Salinger also wrote the novellas "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" and "Seymour — An Introduction," both featuring the neurotic, fictional Glass family which appeared in much of his work.
His last published story, "Hapworth 16, 1928," ran in The New Yorker in 1965. By then he was increasingly viewed like a precocious child whose manner had soured from cute to insufferable. "Salinger was the greatest mind ever to stay in prep school," Norman Mailer once commented.
In 1997, it was announced that "Hapworth" would be reissued as a book — prompting a (negative) New York Times review. The book, in typical Salinger style, didn't appear. In 1999, New Hampshire neighbor Jerry Burt said the author had told him years earlier that he had written at least 15 unpublished books kept locked in a safe at his home.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
BREAKING NEWS!:
Charlie Higson has revealed on Twitter the title of the next book in his non-Bond horror series: The Dead.
Charlie is currently working on The Dead while also promoting his new BBC series, Bellamy’s People.
Charlie tweets, “Making a new TV show has really cut down my available writing time. Am now on a grueling schedule to try to get new book (The Dead) finished. 2000 words a day every day until the end of Feb. Actually - written down like that it doesn't look so bad. Beats working down a coal mine.”
You can follow Charlie @monstroso
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 by zencat
Charlie is currently working on The Dead while also promoting his new BBC series, Bellamy’s People.
Charlie tweets, “Making a new TV show has really cut down my available writing time. Am now on a grueling schedule to try to get new book (The Dead) finished. 2000 words a day every day until the end of Feb. Actually - written down like that it doesn't look so bad. Beats working down a coal mine.”
You can follow Charlie @monstroso
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 by zencat
The Red Pyramid Synopsis
Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.
One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.
Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.
Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
IQ, Book 2: The White House- Coming Soon!
Synopsis1600 Pennsylvania Avenue:
There was another knock on my door. I opened it.
Standing in the hallway was a very serious Secret Service agent.
"The President would like to see you both in the Oval Office," he said.
"Now?" I asked. It was 3 a.m.
He gave me a curt nod.
"Maybe we should change," I said.
"You're fine," the agent said. "He's waiting. Follow me."
Angela and I were going to meet the president of the United States in our pj's.
In Book One: Independence Hall, we met Q and his stepsister, Angela. We met their rocker parents, Blaze and Roger; we met the Secret Service team protecting the family; and we met the main players of the Mossad team that is following them.
Book Two takes us on another thrilling caper, this time to the White House where Q and Angela continue their quest to uncover the truth behind the supposed death of Angela's real mother - a former Secret Service agent - while trying to differentiate the "good guys" from the "bad guys."
Coming March 10th!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Update On The Kane Chronicles & More!
What you're looking @ above is the cover of Rick Riordan's new book: The Red Pyramid, which comes out May 4th. Below is an except from the first chapter(credit goes to WSJ for helping me find this):
We only have a few hours, so listen carefully.
If you’re hearing this story, you’re already in danger. Sadie and I might be your only chance.
Go to the school. Find the locker. I won’t tell you which school or which locker, because if you’re the right person, you’ll find it. The combination is 13/32/33. By the time you finish listening, you’ll know what those numbers mean. Just remember the story we’re about to tell you isn’t complete yet. How it ends will depend on you.
The most important thing: when you open the package and find what’s inside, don’t keep it longer than a week. Sure, it’ll be tempting. I mean, it will grant you almost unlimited power. But if you possess it too long, it will consume you. Learn its secrets quickly and pass it on. Hide it for the next person, the way Sadie and I did for you. Then be prepared for your life to get very interesting.
Okay, Sadie is telling me to stop stalling and get on with the story. Fine. I guess it started in London, the night our dad blew up the British Museum.
- I got an ARC for This World We Live In. I am almost finished & a review will be posted soon.
- As you may have noticed, I have changed this page design again, this time back to Books' original look. This look is back leading up to March 22nd, Books' Second Anniversary!
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