Books

I've just started reading Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior (out April 24), and while skimming through the promotional materials, I saw that the author, Leonard Mlodinow, will be appearing in person here in Seattle next month. Should I go? Should I go and have him sign the book and write a personal message to me?! Actually, I've never been to an author reading/signing at all, I realized. Seattle gets our fair share of big-name authors coming through to promote their books; often, these events are even free. I love free things — I even have a blog [...]

I've been reading this book on vintage fashion as research for a writing project, and it's dangerous stuff! Starting from the 1900s, it goes chapter by chapter through the decades, discussing not only influential designers, but also historical influences (like wartime fashion), technological advances, and new sewing techniques that created the now-iconic 20th-century silhouettes, from the slinky bias-cut starlet gowns of the 1930s to the bullet-bra sweater girls of the 1950s. It's clear why this book is giving me a temporary fashion obsession (and may or may not have led to the impulse purchase of a pair of retro red suede platform-heel [...]