‘Superman’s Not Coming’: Erin Brockovich’s new book is about saving our drinking water
Erin Brockovich would be the first to acknowledge that her new book, “Superman’s Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It” (Pantheon, $28.95), isn’t light reading. And not just because the chemistry involved goes well beyond H2O. “You have to like read a...
Chef and writer J. Kenji López-Alt cooks up a kid’s book
NEW YORK — Pipo is a young girl in a new book for kids who insists that pizza is the best food on Earth. Prompted by her mom to prove it, Pipo goes across her neighborhood testing alternatives: tagine, red beans and rice, bibimbap and dumplings. Her new conclusion: Pizza...
‘Hoax’ book reveals extent of internal unease at Fox News
Brian Stelter knows critics accuse Fox News of bending the truth in order to maintain its staunch support of and closeness to President Donald Trump. As CNN media reporter and host of “Reliable Sources,” he’s often one of them. He wasn’t prepared to hear the extent of concerns about the...
Family-owned book retailer to close 8 stores, including 1 in Pittsburgh Mills mallVideo
The Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer is losing yet another tenant. Bradley’s Book Outlet, a discount book retailer based in Blawnox, announced this week it is closing all eight of its brick-and-mortar stores, including the one in the Mills mall, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the viability of the...
Sharon Stone writes memoir that doesn’t ‘pull any punches’
Sharon Stone has taken on a new, real-life role — memoir writer. “I have learned to forgive the unforgivable,” says Stone, whose “The Beauty of Living Twice” comes out in March. “My hope is that as I share my journey, you too will learn to do the same.” Alfred A....
Pandemic parody of ‘Goodnight Moon’ to be released in fall
A popular online spoof of the children’s favorite “Goodnight Moon,” reworked for the coronavirus, will be published by Penguin Random House this fall. The Penguin imprint Philomel Books announced Monday that “Good Morning Zoom,” written by Lindsay Rechler and illustrated by June Park, is scheduled for Oct. 6. Currently self-published,...
Book Review: Hank Phillippi Ryan teeters on the improbable
The first liar we meet in Hank Phillippi Ryan’s “First to Lie” is Nora, a pharmaceutical representative whose job is to push Monifan, a drug that can increase fertility in women who have difficulty conceiving. But Nora is secretly pursuing her own agenda. Next come Ellie, an investigative reporter, and...
Rescued Sewickley dog who inspires children’s books to ‘pawtagraph’ latest work in McCandlessVideo
Tyrion Pittister — a rescued pit bull who inspired two children’s books — will be on hand at the McCandless Crossing shopping center Aug. 8 to “pawtagraph” copies of his latest publication, “Tyrion’s Town.” The pet-friendly event is one of several planned this summer and fall to celebrate the opening...
Rift between royal brothers laid bare in new book extract
LONDON — Prince William infuriated Prince Harry when he told his younger brother he should move slowly in his relationship with the former Meghan Markle, fearing that he was being “blindsided by lust,” a new book on the Windsors says. The second installment of a serialized version of the book...
New literary prize is $50,000 honor for best New York story
A new literary award with a $50,000 cash prize will honor those best at telling a New York story. The Gotham Literary Prize, announced Thursday, came out of a conversation between businessman-philathropist Bradley Tusk and political strategist Howard Wolfson, who told The Associated Press that they first thought of the...
Review: ‘Jeopardy!’ host Trebek searches for answers in book
Alex Trebek is the one providing the answers and questions in a new memoir that should reinforce his admirers’ expectations about the ever-steady “Jeopardy!” host. The concise chapters, with titles including “What is a Mentor?” and “The Answer is Family” and ranging from a few paragraphs to a few pages,...
Westmoreland diversity group plans Zoom discussion of ‘Just Mercy’Video
Westmoreland Diversity Coalition will host a July 23 Zoom discussion of “Just Mercy,” a memoir about the Equal Justice Initiative by its founder Bryan Stevenson. The discussion will begin at 7:30 p.m. The book covers the work of the Alabama-based nonprofit that provides legal representation to prisoners who may have...
Mary Trump book already nearing 1 million sales
Mary L. Trump’s scathing memoir about her uncle, President Donald Trump, is nearly a million seller on preorders alone. Simon & Schuster said Thursday that Mary Trump’s “Too Much and Never Enough” had sold a company record 950,000 copies in combined print, digital and audio editions as of its date...
Back to the ’80s: Andrew McCarthy writing ‘Brat Pack’ bookVideo
Actor-writer-director Andrew McCarthy, a 57-year-old father of three, keeps getting asked about his “Brat Pack” years in the 1980s. He is now ready to answer. Grand Central Publishing announced Tuesday that McCarthy’s “Brat: An ’80s Story” will come out next spring. Grand Central is calling the book “a revealing look...
Judge rules Mary Trump can publicize book about her uncle
Mary Trump can talk about the highly critical book she wrote about her uncle, President Donald Trump, over the objections of the president’s brother, a judge ruled Monday as he lifted an order that had blocked her from publicizing or distributing her work. Judge Hal B. Greenwald in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.,...
‘The Far Side’ cartoonist Gary Larson debuts new comics for 1st time in 25 years
Cartoonist Gary Larson has returned to the world of mad scientists, the absurd, cows (of course) and more. But this time, it’s going to be on his schedule. After 15 years of daily and Sunday “The Far Side” strips, Larson’s final syndicated cartoon published on Jan. 1, 1995. But on...
City Books on Pittsburgh’s North Side to reopen
City Books on Pittsburgh’s North Side is reopening Wednesday. “It is both exhilarating and petrifying,” said Arlan Hess, owner. “I’ve been taking things slow. I did not rush to reopen June 5 (when allowed by Gov. Tom Wolf). I feel like with just two days being open a week that...
Mary Trump’s book offers scathing portrayal of President Trump
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump’s niece offers a scathing portrayal of her uncle in a new book obtained by The Associated Press Tuesday that blames a toxic family for raising a narcissistic, damaged man who poses an immediate danger to the public. Mary L. Trump, a psychologist, writes that...
Tell-all book by Trump niece Mary Trump to be released next week
NEW YORK — A tell-all book by President Donald Trump’s niece that has been the subject of a legal battle will be released next week. Publisher Simon & Schuster cited “high interest and extraordinary interest” in the book by Mary Trump titled “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family...
Appeals court lifts restraint against Trump book publisher
A New York appeals court cleared the way Wednesday for a publisher to distribute a tell-all book by President Donald Trump’s niece over the objections of the president’s brother. The New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division said it was lifting a restraint that a judge put on Simon &...
Bialik and Batman: Actor teams up with DC for science books
“The Big Bang Theory” actor Mayim Bialik is teaming with DC Entertainment on a project that joins superhero power to the power of science. DC Entertainment announced Thursday that Bialik will collaborate with popular comic writers and illustrators on a story collection that features Batman, Superman, the Flash and others...
Makers of Dungeons & Dragons vow to be more inclusive, in fantasy world and the real one
Even in a fantasy world, words have real impact. The developers of Dungeons & Dragons, the classic fantasy adventure game, acknowledge that in a recent blog post and vow to be more inclusive, in the fantasy realm and in this one. The Wizards of the Coast and D&D team acknowledges...
Trump’s brother sues over niece’s book about ‘toxic’ family
President Donald Trump’s brother sued to block publication of a book by their niece Mary Trump, saying portions of the memoir violate confidentiality provisions of a settlement reached among family members almost two decades ago in a fight over money. Robert S. Trump filed the complaint Tuesday in state court...
Cardinal Pell to publish prison diary musing on sex abuse case, church, sports
Cardinal George Pell, the former Vatican finance minister who was convicted and then acquitted of sexual abuse in his native Australia, is set to publish his prison diary musing on life in solitary confinement, the Catholic Church, politics and sports. Catholic publisher Ignatius Press told The Associated Press the first...
2 Garrison Keillor books set for release this fall
Garrison Keillor will have two books out this fall — a novel and a memoir — marking his first releases since sexual harassment allegations were made against the author and humorist three years ago. Arcade Publishing announced Thursday that Keillor’s “The Lake Wobegon Virus,” which continues his popular “Lake Wobegon”...
