After Long Resistance, Pynchon Allows Novels to Be Sold as E-Books

Thomas Pynchon, author of “Gravity’s Rainbow” and “The Crying of Lot 49,” characteristically declined to speak about his decision.

Full article

Waste charges rattle Library of Congress

Management at the Library of Congress, the world’s largest storehouse of knowledge, has a poor memory. For a decade, problems of overspending, no-bid contracts, and improper care for some of mankind’s rarest books and artifacts have been brought to upper-level attention—but problems have only worsened.

The library’s inspector general, Karl Schornagel, who has monitored and reviewed the institution’s activities for the past 11 years, reported in March that he found $771,163 in questionable spending from the prior six months. The semiannual report also said that employees failed to use $1 million in funds before they expired due to lack of communication and coordination. And an outside consulting firm, Jefferson Solutions, found that more than half of $52 million worth of contracts chosen at random for review were awarded without opening the pool to competitors who could have offered a lower bid.

Full article

Ray Bradbury Interview January 21, 1974

Ray Bradbury interviewed on the public television show "Day at Night"

Houston librarians keep a wary eye for counterfeit bills

Library checks for counterfeit money after receiving a few bogus bills.

Full article

Waukegan needs Ray Bradbury museum, biographer says

Comment by Sam Weller - Bradbury Biographer

"Ray Bradbury put Waukegan in many ways on the map," he said. "There really should be some sort of place that will house his things, that could bring people from around the world to reflect on his legacy."

Full article

Bradbury biography by Weller: The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury (P.S.)

Thieves make off with library sculptures worth $15K

Scrapper thieves struck at the heart of the Waukegan Public Library, ripping out two bronze statues that were bought by library patrons and displayed in the facility’s County Street courtyard.

Full article

Project Excelsior, Colonel Kittinger, and Felix Baumgartner

Felix Baumgartner is planning a freefall jump from 120,000 feet. He is trying to break the record of U.S. Air Force Colonel Joe Kittinger. This jump is being sponsored by Red Bull and they have a website about the jump.

 There are two books that discuss Col. Kittinger's earlier jumps that are interesting reads:

•   Come Up and Get Me: An Autobiography of Colonel Joe Kittinger
•   The Pre-Astronauts: Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of Space

 There is video interview of Colonel Kittenger: The Highest Step in the World, Joe Kittinger & the Excelsior Missions

 Wikipedia entry on Project Excelsior

 Interview with Felix Baumgartner on NPR: Austrian Pilot Hopes To Break Freefall Record