Upcoming Book Release by Local Writer Tim Z. Hernandez

ALL THEY WILL CALL YOU

Tim Z Hernandez’s book titled, “All They Will Call You” is about the Los Gatos Plane Crash which occurred 69 years ago, on January 28, 1948 and will finally be released this Friday. The book launch is set to take place at the Whitifield Hall, Satellite Student Union Center at Fresno State from 6-8pm.  

The book tells the story of 32 individuals aboard a DC-3 plane that wrecked near Coalinga, CA, County of Fresno, while in route to Mexico. Of the 32 people traveling by air, 28 were from Mexico and had been either recently deported or had their contract terminated with the former Bracero Program.

The names of the pilot, stewardess and officer were initially reported in the newspaper during the time of the accident. However, the 28 non-Americans remained nameless and anonymous at death that is until Hernandez bravely began work on this project.  So who were these 28 deportees?  What were their names?  What were they like, alive, smiling, loving?

In, “All They Will Call You”, Hernandez aims to find the answers to those questions and much more. Hernandez is one of the best writers alive. He writes stories so compelling; he breathes life into the past, giving back humanity to those that gave up the ghost unnoticed, sculpting the past into present, word by word.

Hernandez writes with the diligence of a hungry journalist, and writes sentences with such poignant storytelling it sings to the soul. This is exactly what he did with “Manana Means Heaven”. He resurrected, the “Mexican Girl” in Kerouac’s, On the Road. He gave her breath, again, and told her story with such poetic beauty, after reading the novel,  “the Mexican girl” was no longer a stranger, she became ‘Bea”.  

Hernandez is the finest storyteller of the Central Valley. He restores the history of some of the most unknown and forgotten people of Fresno County with each project he takes on. He gives sound to that which was silenced by time, providing an eternal voice that will echo on in its readers.  

I encourage you to support local writers by attending the book launch of “All They Will Call You” as Hernandez releases the book to the public. It is going to be a great time.  

For more information on Tim Z. Hernandez, please visit https://timzhernandez.com

Happy Reading!

Written by Francine

We are open for Submissions!

Anthem Book Review is open for book review requests. Review our Book Policy and submit your request from now til the end of February via email. 

3 Books will be accepted. Please indicate if there is an upcoming release date. 

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Sincerely,

Anthem Book Review

Judge a Book by its Cover

2017 Books Reviews to follow! 

I judge a book by its cover. I admit it. I have had a few misses; I decline to state the names of those few books that just sucked. But there were a few. The cover drew me in and the writing pushed me away. However, I have also picked some of my most beloved books of all time, simply by the books cover. An example of this is when I picked out, Hans Fallada’s Every Man Dies Alone and the current new release, All at Sea by Decca Aitkenhead.

Fallada’s book is on my top shelf, one of the best books I’ve ever read. I have since purchased all Fallada’s books, two times over. Yet,  the cover  of Every Man Dies Alone, still enthralls me- the couple gently embracing one another,  knowing very well that Hitler is in power, that their life is changing, that heartache has gripped their soul, yet together they made a pact, and together they will embark on a journey that will put a dent in German history forever. The book is based on actual events and so brilliantly told. Writers just don’t write like that anymore. Every Man Dies Alone is littered with characters that are unforgettable.

O, I can’t even write about it, without feeling emotional, I want to now, walk into my living room pick the book up, caress the cover, skim the page, read my favorite passages and sigh with love. Now that is the true power of a book.  

My fingers and the stain of coffee also by me. :) 

A good writer is one that is able to shape and sculpt each word perfectly, forming the clearest, most moving sentence for the reader. I ended and began 2016/2017 with books that did just that.  

While in a bookstore, I walked by, All at Sea by Decca Aitkenhead and the ocean caught my eye. I grabbed the book, read the jacket cover, scanned the pages and purchased the book that day. The cover grabbed me and the writing kept me.    

I also finally found and purchased the out of print, Brother Sam: The Short, Spectacular Life of Sam Kinison by Bill Kinison with Steve Delsohn. I consider this my “fun read” and I usually read this type of book in between the others. Everything tastes better with “Flaming Hot Cheetos” and Sam’s book is my “Flaming Hot Cheetos” type of book. These types of books are fun to read, good as a snack and I usually pick them based on people I find interesting or things that fancy me.     

So the next time you are looking for a good read, follow your instinct and judge a cover, pick a book based on what you like, it need not be one recommended or on New York Times BestSellers List, trust your gut and go with it. You just might find an author or book that is just that good. 

***Note: All at Sea is currently on the Book of the Month pick, that is an online book club that gives its members 3 books in which to chose from. All at Sea is one of them. Although, I am not a member of Book of the Month Club, I prefer to pick my own. but if you are interested check out bookofthemonthclub.com for more info. 

Happy Reading 

 #smartpeopelread   

Written by Francine @ Anthem Book Review

Book Review on New and Emerging Fresno Writer

Fresno Writer, Jessica Seymour

Jessica Seymour is a local writer hailing from the Fresno area. I am a Fresnan as well, and take great pleasure in reading the work of local writers. More than anything, and in any way I can, it is my goal that Anthem Book Review support local writers and their craft.

I picked up two of Seymour’s books which are not very lengthy, the Untold Secrets of a Single Mom is very short, coming in at 47 pages, it is small, and almost like a pocketbook.

The second Trapped is a tad bigger in size and contains 98 pages.

As I have written before, I clearly want each reader to take into consideration that reading and enjoying a certain genre of writing comes down to personal preference and just because I may not like a book and the review is not favoring, does not mean that YOU or someone you know may not thoroughly enjoy it. I did not like “To Kill a Mockingbird” and that book is seen as an American literary treasure.  So it is with honesty and complete respect to the craft of writing that I write these two reviews. So on to the review….

``

These books can be purchased at Harts Haven in Fresno's Tower District, as well as online at Amazon and other booksellers.

Read these reviews under the tab Fresno Writes:

Written by Anthem Book Review

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A Diamond in the Tower

I can recall the days when Fresno’s Tower District had a few used bookstores and a great independent movie rental store. A weekend afternoon of book looking could easily take one to Hart’s Haven on Van Ness, then, Valley Bookstore on Olive Avenue and then to the indie video store and rent Koyaanisqatsi for a night in with the boyfriend, if one can imagine that. Well, times have changed. People watch Netflix now, or movies on bootleg, films are easily retrieved without a rental card, Netflix does not charge late fees and books are now read on handheld devices.

Bookstores have all but dwindled to the lone survivor, the last diamond in the tower, Hart’s Haven. Yet, in the midst of the Tower District there is creativity everywhere on display, from the beautiful array of murals, in depth discussions on life and, yes, literature can be heard in any café one enters.

 In a world where information is so easily retrieved through technology,  we want everything fast, and we want it now, it is not surprising that bookstores and the love of books is diminishing, most do not want to wait 296 pages with an extended epilogue for an ending.

Fresno’s Tower District has been able to still hold on, ever so tightly to the undercurrent of art and a love of literature, although it is surrounded by modern-day discount stores, Valentino’s still thrives, a Panaderia replaced Lauck’s Bakery, yet, Café Corazon Café still beats on, and the big ole’ Chicken Pie Shop with its scrumptious homemade peach cobbler still reigns. I love the Tower District for all these little things, the local element is so strong there, and huge business seems less visible. I have loved it since my days as a teenage punk buying creepers at Valentino’s and Sid & Nancy tees. I lived in the Tower most of my adult life, my son was raised a Tower kid. We went to plays, ate local, bought local and used to always walk to the bookstores from our home for a gem of a book.

Since I’ve lived in Madera, I have missed those days. Here in Madera, there is one art gallery and it is almost unheard of, sorry, but it is just not a Broadway Studio or Arte Americas. There is no theater, other than high school theatre, which I admit is really good, the few I’ve seen. Yet, there are no, I mean not one, bookstore, new or used. There is only one coffee shop, and you guessed it, it is that hooker Starbucks.

Don’t get me wrong I’m not talking bad about my new home in Madera. I like living here. I like the small town atmosphere. I just hate having to drive to Fresno for arts, books, theatre and anything that involves life. Yet, that is exactly what I did today. With my youngest son in tow, we drove to the Tower District; we had lunch at Sal’s and went to the diamond that still shines on called, Hart’s Haven. I hope one day Madera will contain a street, or a hub of a fragment of what the Tower holds.  And maybe I’m missing something, maybe you are a Maderan, and know places or cool spots I am not privy too, please enlighten me.

 

 

So all that rambling for this- Hart’s Haven sells a box of books for $10.00. I purchased D.H. Lawrence books, Homer, Plato,  Isaac Bashevis Singer books, and a few books from a local writer from Clovis by the name of Jessica Seymour, titled "Trapped" and "the Untold Secrets of a Single Mom" both books published by Tate Publishing. I will be reading and reviewing these books soon. I hope they are good. I always root for a local writer.

Thanks for reading my rant. Continue to read, learn, question everything and find the answers. Feed your mind, increase your knowledge, you don’t know everything, neither do I, but before we die, we sure in hell must try. J

Happy Reading!

Francine

When the Mothership Betrays You...

Yes, I'm talking about you…

 

I have often referred to Barnes & Noble Booksellers as the mothership, the fact being that inside that bookstore there are books that will take you out of this world. I mean, has anyone else read Geek Love by Katherine Dunn, or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams; I can go on and on here with names of books that transport the reader to another time and place. So that is why I labeled B&N with this highest honor- the mothership.

I have been a Barnes & Noble member for years. I recall when it was located on Shaw and Blackstone, with a beautiful staircase leading to the café. I spent countless hours sitting on the floor of that bookstore reading books, skimming others and buying many. Try sitting and reading a book now at the B&N at RiverPark for over ten minutes, you will quickly be reminded that you must purchase the book and “please don’t take pictures of it”.

Since I have been a member, my membership benefits have included 10% off any item in the store and countless coupons some 40% , 30% or 20% off sent to me via email. I would go up to the cashier books in hand and pull up my email code through my Google account and voila, I’d receive most books discounted with all my member benefits. I have never gone into B&N and not spent less than $80.00, ever, ever, my bill always topples that.

On occasion when I have forgotten my discount coupon, I have been reminded by the cashier that I had one available and she would quickly grab a code, whether or not I provided it via my phone and ring me up.

So, last Friday on my lunch hour, I find out that the amazing and talented writer, Dave Eggers, quietly released a new book, Heroes of the Frontier. I head over to B&N immediately and purchase that book as well as a children’s book for my youngest son and a writing journal. When I reach the cashier, I say, wait I have a coupon 20% on all new releases, which Eggers’s novel was. She stares at me with her sour, make-up less face and says I need the code. I proceed to open my email, but am unable to due to B&N and Starbucks Wi-Fi being an insecure network and my phone which has been hacked into before form an insecure Starbucks network (who knew this actually happened, but it does) and now my phone has extra security, I was unable to bypass the warning and therefore could not log-on to procure my 20% off B&N code.

                             

The lady with her blotchy face was rude and would not do what so many other B&N cashiers would do which is grab a code by placing my email address in, etc. Instead she refused to give me the discount, which would have saved me little considering the book was valued at $29.00. I have no problem paying that much for an Eggers book. He is a genius and one of my favorite contemporary writers. It was the rude behavior and nonchalant way in which I was treated that made me walk out of there bookless.

That afternoon, I ordered Heroes of the Frontier and The Circle and Black Seed Oil (health supplements) from Amazon for less than $30 for all three.

Bookstores are disappearing at an all-time rate. I am a loyal customer. In Fresno alone, B&N is the only huge, major bookseller. There are a few used bookstores scattered throughout Fresno, like Hart’s Haven, Book Nook, Clovis Book Barn that have still maintained a presence, and I hope they continue, they are true gems in a fading world.

So to Barnes & Noble Booksellers, you have lost a customer forever. Yes, that’s right, forever. Every dollar spent on local stores, stays local. Was it really that hard to give a loyal customer a break??? Perhaps, they have lost the meaning of what a bookstore really is, sure it’s a business, but it also brings a community together and continues to cultivate the love of literature to every customer that enters and exits that store with a book. Kindness goes much further and leaves a longer impression than 20%.

One day I will own my own used bookstore and I will be sure to never lose sight of what difference a book makes to an individual. To my readers, don’t forget that B&N is not the only bookstore in the Fresno area. So, stop by Hart’s Haven in the Tower District, or Book Nook off First and Herndon or take a drive to Old Town Clovis and enjoy the day at Book Barn and soon, come to Madera to Anthem Books & Writing and spend time with me.

Bye, Bye Mothership you have gone too far into a galaxy where no one wishes to travel.

 

Written by Francine

Anthem Books & Writing

What a Summer 16'.

So, since my last post, I have been a pretty busy bee. As much as I would like to say I have devoured books by the truckload, that would be a lie. I have several books still on my nightstand. I am in the process of getting through the books I promised new and emerging writers I would read and review. After this however, my book policy will change. I am currently NOT accepting any new books.

In November, I will change my policy to only 10 books a year. I really want to devote my time to these writers that put so much into their craft. I have read some of the books, I accepted this summer. I really enjoyed some, so much I reread the entire books, others really were not my cup of tea, but a promise is a promise; I will review them.

So coming this Fall, it is my goal to devote more time to the books and authors I choose, and maybe do some Q&A's with new emerging authors. I really hope local writers hit me up. I would love to spotlight some local Central Valley talent. And out of country writers also, Russian writers, my favorite genre of Literature, contact me if you are a new writer. I'd love to discover the next Tolstoy (I wish/ You wish/ we all wish) :)

So to finish my rant about my absence and my need to tailor down my acceptance of books, here is the reason.

My beloved son graduated from High School in June. He is now attending a great University in Southern California. So I have lost a book reviewer for now. And I'm all over California now, traveling to Orange County and back to the Valley for visits with my son.

Although, I miss his daily presence in my life, I am so proud he has such determination. Also, luckily for me :) , I also have a six year old son, and now it is time to mold him into the next college bound boy. A love of literature, he has already blossoming in his heart. He loves to read.  

So if you are a parent and want to raise a college bound child, read to them, start young sowing a love of literature. Reading expands the mind and will have them craving knowledge. No one finds it on a couch stuck in the same city, let them grow and fly and learn in a University. Reading, I strongly believe helped shape my son's mind into the great intelligent mind it has become today. I have always told him, question everything and find the answer, read!

Due to my busy summer, I have become an avid podcast listener. I find it almost as equivalent to a great discussion, except I can't join in, but listening is all the better. Here are a few I listen to weekly:

• Joe Rogan Experience ( you can download the app & episodes)
• Sam Harris "Waking Up" (also downloadable)
• Jocko Wilnik & Echo Charles -this is probably one of my favorites, because Jocko does Book Reviews & his voice is the most beautiful sound I've ever heard  (a man after my own heart )
• Duncan Trussell Family Hour- this is a very spiritual podcast, not churchy, spiritual, enlightening and when I need that deep introspective thought, I tune into Duncan.
• When none of the above have new podcasts, I tune in to I am Rappaport with  Michael Rappaport. Omg, be prepared to laugh and laugh, and be like, damn, right, really, you said it. I love this podcast. It is really a pleasure.

So there you have it. Read some books, turn off the radio and listen to a podcast, expand your mind.
Now it is time to continue what I have always loved and what my heart beats for (besides my husband)- books, reading, learning, writing and BOOKS!

It's wonderful to be back. Now on to reading.... as always, stayed tuned for some great reviews!

~Francine
Anthem Book Review
#smartpeopleread