Author David L. Holmes, “The Faiths of the Postwar Presidents: From Truman to Obama”

Book Beat will be selling books for David L. Holmes, author of “The Faiths of the Postwar Presidents: From Truman to Obama” at six Metro Detroit libraries the week of Sept.10-18th.

The dates and locations are as follows:

Monday, September 10:

Caroline Kennedy Library (24590 George Street, Dearborn Heights, MI  48127. (313) 791-3800).   3pm- 4:15pm

Oak Park Library (14200 Oak Park Boulevard, Oak Park, MI 48237 (248) 691-7480).  7pm-8:15pm

Tuesday, September 11:

Rochester Hills Library (500 Olde Towne Road, Rochester, Michigan 48307-2043 (248) 656-2900).  7pm

Wednesday, September 12:

Canton Public Library (1200 S. Canton Center Rd. Canton, MI 48188 (734)397-0999). 2:30-3:45pm

Plymouth District Library (223 S. Main St. Plymouth, MI 48170 (734) 453-0750).  7pm

Tuesday, September 18:

Grosse Pointe Library (at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. 32 Lake Shore Drive, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI  48236  (313) 881-7511).  7:30pm

For more info, click here.

Legendary “Legs” McNeil reading at Book Beat

Legendary “resident punk” writer  ”Legs” McNeil will be reading and signing at the Book Beat on Sunday, September 30th from 3-4 PM. Legs is co-author (with Gillian McCain) of the definitive punk rock history Please Kill Me and the co-founder (along with cartoonist John Holmstrom) of Punk Magazine founded in 1975 when he was 18 years old.

Another reason to pick the book up is its cast of characters. Alongside the band members, managers, and critics are a host of fans and other scene-makers. Thus, not only is the book able to simultaneously tell us about the music and musicians from both perspectives, but you generally get to feel like you know what the scene was about, who was actually in CBGB’s on a regular night, and what was going on there. And the stories are truly classic.” –Punk Book Review

Legs McNeil is the co-author  of The Other Hollyrwood; The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry, with Jennifer Osborne and Peter Pavia (Regan Books, 2006), “I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Family Memoir” with Mickey Leigh. (Simon and Schuster, 2009) and The New York Dolls: Photographs with Bob Gruen (Abrams, 2008).  Legs McNeil lives in Pennsylvania with his dog Max.

September Reading Group Selection

Book Beat’s Reading Group Selection for September is Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut. The Reading Group will meet on Wednesday, October 3rd at 7pm inside the Goldfish Tea House (117 West 4th Street in Downtown Royal Oak). Reading Group selections are discounted 15% at Book Beat. All are welcome! Joining us to discuss Mother Night is author, educator and historian Gregory Sumner, whose recent book on Vonnegut is entitled Unstuck in Time: A Journey Through Kurt Vonnegut’s Life and Novels.