B&H Blog

Book Launch Party: Just Deceits by Michael Schein

Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:03 pm Celeste Bennett

Loyal Heights Community Center 2101 NW 77th St, Seattle, WA 98117 RSVP 206-297-1991 Saturday, September 27 7:30pm In 1793, Virginia's most powerful family found itself embroiled in scandal: Richard Randolph and his sister-in-law, the beautiful Nancy Randolph, were charged with adultery and infanticide. Richard Randolph demanded a public trial. Richard's step-father, Judge Henry St. George Tucker, hired John Marshall, a young lawyer who was connected to their family through marriage. John Marshall would go on to become the greatest Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, a man whose theories of law are now taught to every first year law student, though at the time of the Randolph trial he was relatively unknown. Uncertain about Marshall's abilities, the Randolph family brought in co-counsel behind Marshall's back - none other than founding father and former Virginia governor Patrick Henry. Henry's wild, improvisational style clashed with Marshall's reasoned defense, but Henry was so successful that Marshall was forced to learn from him and then to improve on the master. Author Michael Schein, a former professor of American legal history, drew on John Marshall's actual trial notes in writing this novel that centers on the celebrity trial of the 18th century. Just Deceits shows how the remarkable defense team of wily Patrick Henry and ambitious John Marshall battled each other, their clients, the prosecution, and the truth itself, in an effort to save their clients from the gallows. In its ribald portrayal of a young legal system already driven more by spectacle than evidence, Just Deceits calls into question the feasibility of uncovering "the whole truth." Ultimately, as secrets are revealed and relationships brought to light, Just Deceits tells a story as much about the trials of love as about the trial in the courtroom.

Author Eugene Curnow featured on Silver Planet

Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:41 am Celeste Bennett

"I was only going to scan Life, the Hard Way: Up from Poverty Flat. I would be talking to author Eugene Curnow soon and didn’t have time to read it entirely, so I was just going to choose things to talk about. But four hours later, I had to force myself to stop reading and adopt the mantra “Scan! Scan!” The range of stories quickly drew me in. His religious mother who, in fits of guilt, would report her husband’s bootlegging. The difficulty of staying fed during the Depression. The only-possible-when-young schemes and adventures of two unrepentant, fearless boys. The sobering horror of serving as a corpsman (the Navy 's version of an Army medic) with the Fourth Marine Division on Iwo Jima. Half a lifetime of keeping the war inside him, never talking about it. Curnow has written a compelling book about his growing-up years in poverty, his mischief making, his losses, and his accomplishments over the course of 83 years. The epilogue is beautiful.

The entire interview with Gene Curnow can be read online at www.silverplanet.silverplanet.com/lifestyles/article/6192/silver-star-eugene-curnow

See No Evil - The Constitutional Rights of Photographers, Panel Discussion, Thursday August 21st 6pm

Thu Aug 7, 2008 4:29 pm Celeste Bennett

A Seattle woman was arrested for photographing power lines. Journalists have been prevented from photographing the caskets returning from Iraq. What are the rights of the amateur and professional photographers in America? ACLU attorney Venkat Balasubramani, photographer and film maker Jackie Renn, and photographer and instructor Mike Saylor join forces to discuss the rights American citizens have to document life on film. Free. Co-sponsored by Bennett & Hastings Publishing and Not-a-Number Cards and Gifts. RSVP for space: 206-297-1991.

Author Clay Moyle interviewed on KLAC570 AM in Los Angeles

Mon Jul 14, 2008 1:49 pm Celeste Bennett

A radio interview regarding Clay Moyle's new book Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion can be heard at http://www.xtrasportsradio.com/pages/podcasting/index2.html

The book, Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion can be purchased on line at www.bennetthastings.com.

Author Harry Rutstein featured on Silver Planet

Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:53 pm Celeste Bennett

Harry Rutstein, who is releasing his book The Marco Polo Odyssey: In the Footsteps of a Merchant Who Changed the World has led a life of adventure. "Don't forget to talk to strangers," he was once counseled, and he took that advice. The story of the adventure by train that led to that travel tip is now viewable online at http://www.silverplanet.com/lifestyles/article/5770/silver-star-harry-rutstein.

Tue Jul 8, 2008 7:47 pm Celeste Bennett

Bennett & Hastings Publishing is proud to announce that the Nova Scotia Department of Education has selected of their recent publications, Sam Langford:Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion, as a standard text for distribution within the province.

At the time of Sam Langford’s induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame (October 1955) he was the only non-champion accorded the honor. This detailed biography tells Langford’s life story and helps explain the circumstances behind that unique entry into the Hall of Fame.

Many ring experts considered Sam the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the history of boxing, but he was fighting in an era when “the color line” could be drawn to prevent a fight between men of differing races. His was the era of “The Great White Hope”, and his biography brings into focus how other societal fights were being fought outside the ring during that era. Under different circumstances Langford might have been a champion at five different weights: lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight. Although he stood no more than 5’7” tall and weighed between 170-180 pounds in his prime, Langford often fought and defeated bigger and heavier men. During Langford’s lifetime, Jack Johnson won the heavyweight championship, the first black man to do so. Langford then pursued the title for several years, goading Jack Johnson in as many ways possible but never successfully booking Johnson into a fight for the title. In the meanwhile, Langford was a prodigious fighter, taking part in over 600 bouts. He travelled the world as a prizefighter, earning reputations as a top competitor and, remarkably given the challenges he faced, a playful and generous man. His biography is rich with lively stories and humor.

In 1999 Sam Langford was voted Nova Scotia’s top male athlete of the twentieth century.

Angelo Dundee (Muhammad Ali's trainer) holding the Sam Langford biography written by Clay Moyle (in baseball cap)

Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:33 am Jason Geiger

Author Clay Moyle met one of the greats on his recent Boxing Hall of Fame tour. Shown here is Angelo Dundee, holding a copy of Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion, which Clay published this month (June '08) through Bennett & Hastings.

Reading: Poems of the Empire at Not a Number Gifts, July 2nd

Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:21 pm Celeste Bennett

Tacoma author Jim Wingard will read from his collection of poetry lambasting the Bush administration and calling Americans to look at the issues.

Woof Did You Say by Stacey Neary lauded by Australian Canine Psychology Centre

Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:00 pm Celeste Bennett

Dr Peter Willmott of the Australian Canine Psychology Centre went out of his way to contact BH author Stacey Neary after reading her book on effectively communicating with canines.

"Can anyone please put me in touch with Stacey? I have her book and it is highly readable and a wonderful addition to any library. I would like to promote it through our website and instructor network, not because of the recommendations here, but because this is one of those rare and invaluable books that happens along once in a while.

Congratulations, Stacey!

Sam Langford Biography - Radio Interviews with Author Clay Moyle

Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:56 pm Celeste Bennett

Clay Moyle is having fun and keeping busy after the release of his biography Sam Langford: Boxing's Greatest Uncrowned Champion. He is now scheduled to do two radio interviews, one on July 10th with WBRK in Pittsfield, MA and then another one on July 23rd with www.talkinboxing.com out of Poughkepsie, N.Y.

Poetry by Karl Dardick

Sun Jun 8, 2008 10:51 pm Celeste Bennett

Seattle based poet Karl Dardick will be reading from his first published collection, Spelling Out the Name. With concise yet gratifying style, Karl presents readers with a thought-out, well developed collection of observations on life, both modern and ancient.

Because It's There

Sun Jun 8, 2008 4:56 pm Jason Geiger

“Because It’s There”, was a finalist in the mystery/suspense/thriller category of the National Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards. “1953, in a snow-swept death zone near Mount Everest, English mountaineer Allan Singleton clings to life as he strives for a first summit of Mount Chomoranga. Like George Mallory before him, he vanishes near the summit, leaving his wife to raise their three young children alone in England.

The remote Himalayan peak is not attempt- ed again until 2002, when a brash amateur mountaineer from Seattle climbs it and claims the monetary prize. Alleging the their father summitted first, before being lost on the mountain, Singleton’s adult children sue.

The trial progresses in Seattle, with surprise witnesses, burglaries, threats, and clandes- tine late-night evidence gathering. Could Al- lan Singleton still be alive, fifty years later?”