Word Out! 2009

Nonfiction of the Week for August 24: The Bite of the Mango

Nonfiction Book for August 24: The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara

Here's an inspirational book for all you Word Out readers. Mariatu Kamara was twelve years old when a violent civil war broke out in her native Sierra Leone. A once happy and stable life spent with an extended family in a peaceful, vibrant village became a nightmare when rebel soldiers, some of them no older than she, killed or seriously injured everyone she knew and cut off both her hands.

Random Book Prize Opportunity, Part 2

Hey Word Outers,

I've got a copy of On the Record: the Scratch DJ Academy Guide (last week's nonfiction feature) to give away.

Nonfiction of the Week for August 17: On the Record

Any DJs in the house? Any DJ fans? Tell us your story... and check out On the Record: the Scratch DJ Academy Guide by Luke Crisell, Phil White & Rob Principe (with a forward by Moby). This all-in-one guide from the legendary school of hip-hop is about more than learning to DJ. It’s the definitive book on DJ technique, history, culture, and more, guiding you through 40 years of music and creativity.

Random Book Prize Opportunity

The book prize for this thread has been drawn.  Thanks to everyone for their excellent board names!

Hey Word Outers,

Turns out we've got a spare copy of The Skateboarding Field Manual, the nonfiction of the week for August 3, to give away.

Nonfiction of the Week for August 10: Click: The Ultimate Photography Guide for Generation Now

Click: The Ultimate Photography Guide for Generation Now by Charlie Styr and Maria Wakem

In Click: The Ultimate Photography Guide for Generation Now, award-winning 18-year-old photographer Charlie Styr, with writer and photography editor Maria Wakem, compiled this book filled with over 150 phtoos taken by other youth worldwide. Along with covering the basics of photography, Styr shares professional tips from new and established pros, including Pulitzer Prize winner Vincent Laforet, National Geographic photographer David McLain, and celebrity photographer Chris Buck.

Nonfiction of the Week for August 3: The Skateboarding Field Manual

Nonfiction Book for August 3: The Skateboarding Field Manual by Ryan Stutt

I think this is a good manual, but I’m not speaking from experience.  The closest I’ve ever come to skateboarding was when I was 4 yrs old I found my cousin’s skateboard and used it to propel myself down his sloping driveway, ending up on the other side of the street. 

Nonfiction of the Week for July 27: Animation Unleashed (Part 2)

Animation Unleashed by Ellen Besen and Bryce Hallett

Bryce Hallett is an independent Canadian animator who lives and works in Toronto. He is a graduate of Sheridan College classical animation program  and Canadore college's Graphic Communication Program. Bryce has been creating many cartoons with his company Frog Feet Productions since 1999.

He is the illustrator for the nonfiction book "Animation Unleashed" and I had the immense pleasure of interviewing him via email to find out more about the animation process and his influences and career. He was kind enough to provide the library with some images that demonstrate the creative process for an illustrator/animator.

Nonfiction of the Week for July 27: Animation Unleashed (Part 1)

The fantastic book that was my portion of the blog is the animation/illustration guide entitled: Animation Unleashed. This book is the product of two people, the author Ellen Besen and the illustrator Bryce Hallet. Today's blog will focus on my interview with Ellen and later in the week I will blog about my interview with Bryce.

Nonfiction of the Week for July 20: The Little Black Book for Guys

The Little Black Book for Guys by Saint Stephen’s Community House

Seeing Leo's post from July 6 about crappy stories from high school made me think back to all mine .... except that my book this week is all about sex, and there's no way I'm going to reveal my secrets here.

Nonfiction of the Week for July 13th: The Year We Disappeared

The Year We Disappeared by Cylin Busby

I'm a TV crime/drama junkie.  My favourites are "Law and Order", "Law and Order Criminal Intent", "The First 48" and "48 Hours Mystery" who, by the way, featured a segment on Cylin and her family called "Live to Tell: The Year We Disappeared".  You can check out the episode on-line here.