Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

BOOK REVIEW: THE MONOGAMY GAP

Printer-friendly version   By Walter G. Meyer   April 23, 2012 (San Diego)–Comedian Ritch Shydner used to have a line in his act to the effect that, “Men and women will never get along because they are after two basically opposite goals: women are looking for the one man who can satisfy their every need and men are looking for

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FAMOUS MYSTERY WRITER, JACQUELINE WINSPEAR, IS COMING TO SAN DIEGO

Printer-friendly version  April 13, 2012 ( San Diego) — Author of the popular, "Maisie Dobbs" series, Jacqueline Winspear will be the guest of the La Mesa-El Cajon Branch of the American Association of University Women at their 11th annual luncheon on April 21st.  Ms. Winspear has won praise from the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Associated Press and

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LOCAL LITERARY CALENDAR NOW ONLINE: WEEK OF APRIL 8

Printer-friendly version  April 9, 2012 (San Diego)—San Diego’s WriteWay,  in partnership with East County Magazine, has a variety of events for readers and writers coming up this week. Click Read More below to see a listing of the events.  April 10 (Tuesday, 8:00 am – noon) — Room to Write: open studio community writing for SDWI members at The Ink Spot. For

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WANT TO GET PUBLISHED? WRITERS WORKSHOP APRIL 12 IN LA MESA

Printer-friendly version  Proofreader of The Color Purple, President Herbert Hoover’s WWII memoir and more to lead workshop April 7, 2012 (La Mesa) — Sprinkled with stories and tips (e.g., how to find literary agents), this lecture-workshop is designed to empower and inspire writers. Take a peek at the book business, check out the pros and cons of traditional vs. electronic

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FOR THE LOVE OF DOG TALES: TIPS FOR CHOOSING A SHELTER PET

Printer-friendly version   New book, For the Love of Dog Tales, gives advice on how to choose your new best friend from an animal shelter   March 27, 2012 (U.S.) — Among the biggest victims of the economic recession are the once beloved family pets surrendered to shelters as their owners deal with extended joblessness. The U.S. Humane Society estimates 6 to 8

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RANCHO SAN DIEGO BRANCH LIBRARY HALF-PRICE BOOK SALE MARCH 31

Printer-friendly version   March 22, 2012 (Rancho San Diego) — The Friends of the Rancho San Diego Library will be holding a quarterly Half-Price Book Sale on Saturday, March 31, from 10:00-12:00. All books inside the store 1/2 price. Selected books and children’s books on tables in the courtyard at the library located at:   11555 Via Rancho San Diego El Cajon, CA

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PARADISE PLUNDERED: BOOK REVEALS POLITICAL MISMANGEMENT HAS LEFT SAN DIEGO REGION STILL VULNERABLE TO CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE

Printer-friendly version   By Walter G. Meyer   What residents of East County are likely to find most frightening in this book is how the head-in-the-sand attitude left—and still leaves—the entire region vulnerable to the next firestorm. Erie and his co-authors make clear that almost nothing has been done to make the inevitable fire any less cataclysmic. – Walter G.

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A TELLING EXPERIENCE: DAVID NOVAK TO PERFORM AT LA MESA LIBRARY MAR. 3

Printer-friendly version   February 25, 2012 (La Mesa) — One of the nation’s leading performers in the storytelling revival, David Novak, will be hosting a free family performance at the La Mesa Library, 8074 Allison Ave. The event will take place on Saturday, March 3 at 10:30 a.m. and is sponsored by Young Audiences and is offered in celebration of

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MEET ROMANCE NOVELISTS IN LA MESA TODAY

Printer-friendly version   February 25, 2012 (La Mesa)– San Diego County Library is partnering with the San Diego chapter of the Romance Writers of America (RWA San Diego) to bring romance authors to local readers.   All authors will be signing books for fans, and select titles will be available for sale.  On Saturday, February 25 at 1 p.m, romance authors

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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

LOCAL NOVELIST EVOKES APPALACHIA IN DEPRESSION ERA

Printer-friendly version Thank Ye, Mister Sun by Bob Riffenburgh   Reviewed by Pennell Paugh   June 5, 2025 — Award-winning San Diego resident Bob Riffenburgh has written a charming historical fiction novel about Appalachia, 1939-40.    Thirteen-year-old Ronson Allen stays hungry after dinner because there isn’t enough food to go around. Nevertheless, he feels carefree, loves his family, and is

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CAMP SALVADOR, SAN DIEGO AUTHOR’S NOVEL SET IN BAJA

Printer-friendly version Novel by M.L. Meurs Reviewed by Pennell Paugh May 30, 2025 (San Diego)  — San Diego resident, M.L. Meurs, has released her debut novel, Camp Salvador. Written in first-person, the book reads like a memoir. The main character, Ellis Robinson, shares her experiences in Baja, Mexico where roughly built homes have a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean.

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PULITZER PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST CHRIS HEDGES TO SPEAK ON GAZA, SIGN BOOKS MAY 30 AT KNSJ FUNDRAISER

Printer-friendly versionMay 24, 2025 (San Diego) — Pulitzer  Prize winning author Chris Hedges will speak at a fundraiser for KNSJ radio on Friday, May 30 at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 2728 6th Avenue in in San Diego. Hedges, is a journalist, author, commentator and Presbyterian minister who has worked as a war correspondent and New York Times Middle Eastern Bureau Chief,

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VERMONTER: LOCAL AUTHOR’S CIVIL WAR NOVEL DRAWS FROM ANCESTOR’S EXPERIENCES

Printer-friendly versionNovel by A.J. Converse Reviewed by Pennell Paugh   May 22, 2025 (San Diego) — Long-time San Diego resident Al (A.J.) Converse has written a historical fiction novel about his great-grandfather’s experience serving in Company G of the Thirteenth Vermont Volunteers, Second Vermont Brigade in the Union Army that fought at Gettysburg, PA.   Converse details the way of

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ON TWO LEGS AND THREE WHEELS: THE TRAVEL ADVENTURES OF A COUPLE OVERCOMING AGE AND DISABILITY

Printer-friendly versionMemoir by Cary D. Lowe Reviewed by Pennell Paugh   April 30,2025 (San Diego) — On Two Legs and Three Wheels, by San Diego writer Cary Lowe, gives an emphatically positive answer to the question of whether readers can continue traveling as they get older or become disabled.   Lowe describes his trips with his multiple-sclerosis-disabled wife to sites

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SAN DIEGO AUTHOR ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF MURDER MYSTERY NOVEL

Printer-friendly version By Pennell Paugh April 30, 2025 (San Diego) — San Diego writer, Peter Shaw recently released a debut novel: Murder on the Way: A Camino de Santiago Mystery. On a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, the Camino family sends a hitman who poses as a pilgrim. His target stole a bag of the gang’s money, now travels as

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MONSTERS ON THE LOOSE: THE TRUE STORY OF THREE UNSOLVED MURDERS IN PROHIBITION-ERA SAN DIEGO

Printer-friendly versionBy Richard Carrico Reviewed by Pennell Paugh April 2, 2025 (San Diego) – San Diego denizen and resident Richard L. Carrico pieces fragments of evidence together for cold cases, while shedding light on a dark chapter in San Diego’s history. Monsters on the Loose tells the tragic, true stories of three females who were murdered early in 1931: Virginia

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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

Pretty Happy: healthy ways to love your body

Printer-friendly versionBook by Kate Hudson Review by Heidi Hope October 5, 2025 (San Diego) – Pretty Happy is a New York Times best-selling self-help book written by my favorite actress, Kate Hudson. She thoughtfully researched each area and provided a variety of questions to ask, as well as suggestions to reference and ideas for carrying out each lesson to take

Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure by Dave Grunenwald

Printer-friendly versionReviewed by Pennell Paugh September 28, 2025 (San Diego) – Lucas and Emily’s Food Bank Adventure is a children’s book for 5- to 10-year-olds. It is designed to inspire children and their families to volunteer in community programs that help those in need. In the book, two friends and a grandparent visit a group that make and deliver sandwiches. Next,

Blood in the Water: an A.J. Hawke legal thriller

Printer-friendly versionNovel by Donald McInnis  Reviewed by Pennell Paugh   September 4, 2025 (San Diego) —Blood in the Water, though fictional, exposes a flaw in the United States’ tripartite federal government structure as established in the Constitution.   The third branch of government, the Judiciary, cannot enforce its rulings, even when those rulings are necessary for protecting an individual citizen’s rights or the constitutional powers of