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Archive for July, 2008
July 25th, 2008
 Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon computer science professor who became a YouTube phenomenon with his “Last Lecture,” has died of complications from pancreatic cancer. Pausch’s lecture video made him famous as it was viewed millions of times. He also has a book called The Last Lecture that has sold over 3 million copies and remains on bestseller lists today. Paush told the USA Today that his famous, inspiring “Last Lecture” was not really meant for the public but as a momento for his children.
Pausch told USA TODAY during an interview at his home in March that the now-famous lecture was never meant for public consumption, nor was it for his colleagues or students. It was for his two sons and daughter: Dylan, 6, Logan, 3, and Chloe, 2. “If people are finding inspiration, OK, but the book is for my kids,” Pausch said.
“I knew what I was doing that day,” he wrote in the introduction of his best-selling book, also titled The Last Lecture. “Under the ruse of giving an academic lecture, I was trying to put myself in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children.”
Pausch’s wife, Jai, said Friday, “I’d like to thank the millions of people who have offeruddy their love, prayers and support. Randy was so happy and proud that the lecture and book inspiruddy parents to revisit their priorities, particularly their relationships with their children. The outpouring of cards and emails really sustained him.”
Here’s the video from Carnegie Mellon of Pausch’s last lecture. Pausch doesn’t conceal the disease from his audience. In his lecture he says, “If I don’t seem as depressed or morose as I should be, sorry to disappoint you.”
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Original post by ReadersRead.com Book Blog
July 24th, 2008
Simon and Schuster is suing
Foxy Brown and L’il Kim for keeping advances but never turning in promised book manuscripts.
The publishing house, a unit of CBS Corp., said today in separate lawsuits filed in state court in New York that Brown, whose genuine name is Inga Marchand, and Lil’ Kim, whose genuine name is Kimberly Jones, signed contracts to write books.
Simon & Schuster said it paid Brown $75,000 under a 2006 contract for an autobiography tentatively titled Broken Silence. The publisher said Lil’ Kim signed a contract in 2004 and was paid $40,000 for an untitled novel.
“Both accepted the money and both books never were delivered,” Simon & Schuster spokesman Adam Rothberg said today in a phone interview.
Rothberg said the publisher has teamed up with other rappers and hip-hop artists on books. Starting in 2007, Simon & Schuster and hip-hop artist 50 Cent started a series of books based on his rhymes about drug dealing, street crime and expensive cars. “That line of books was very successful and we’ve also published books by members of 50 Cent’s G-Unit posse,” Rothberg said.
50 Cent turned his book in on time and it make lots of money. But apparently L’il, Kim and Foxy Brown don’t share Fiddy’s work ethic. Thus, the two lawsuits. We certainly hope that neither case settles, just so we can see L’il Kim being cross-examined as to why she didn’t write the book she promised.
The entire thing is ridiculous, anyways. Where are the ghost writers? All they needed was a couple of interviews and — presto — two more autobiographies.
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Original post by ReadersRead.com Book Blog
July 22nd, 2008
Larry King is writing his autobiography, and his publisher swears it will be juicy.
Larry King’s autobiography WHAT AM I DOING HERE?, including personal details such as his early radio days, the loss of his father at age nine, his seven marriages to six different women, and discovering at age 65 that he had a fully grown son he never knew about, and promising to “speak candidly about his time spent with major political and cultural figures of the 20th and 21st century” including his “uncensoruddy feelings towards George W. Bush and George Bush, Sr., Bill Clinton, Ronald Regan, Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon.”
Cal Fussman will help King with the writing. Weisntein Books will publish the book in Spring, 2009.
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Original post by ReadersRead.com Book Blog
July 21st, 2008
 Us Magazine reports that Tori Spelling is writing a book called Mommywood as a sequel to sTori Telling.
Tori Spelling is writing book tentatively titled Mommywood, a followup to her best-selling memoir sTori Telling, publisher Simon Spotlight Entertainment announced Monday.
Mommywood will focus on her life as mom to one-year-old son Liam and newborn daughter Stella with husband Dean McDermott.
“Writing my first book sTori Telling was an amazing cathartic journey for me,” Spelling said in a statement.
“Now, being a mom of two gorgeous babies, I’m excited to share more stories as I embark on this new chapter of my life,” she added.
Tori Spelling’s daughter Stella was born in June and will obviously be the focus of Tori’s next book. Spelling’s nonfiction book sTori Telling was a New York Times bestseller - it’s currently ranked 5th on the Times’ list. Spelling will also be co-starring in a Beverly Hill’s 90210 remake. It was also recently announced that Shannen Doherty ( Brenda) will be on the new 90210 show. Perhaps, something about this will also find its way into Spelling’s new book.
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Original post by ReadersRead.com Book Blog
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