hSalem gift shop sells 2 historical books

March 16, 2014 at 12:00a.m.

SALEM

The Salem Historical Society gift shop at the Dale Shaffer Research Library, 239 S. Lundy Ave., announces the addition of two books.

“Twelve Years a Slave,” the 2014 Oscar winner for best picture, is available. The book sells for $9.95.

Born a free man in New York state in 1808, Solomon Northup spent 12 years in slavery after he was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., in 1841. He spent the years on a Louisiana cotton plantation, where he was frequently abused. After regaining his freedom in 1853, Northup published his autobiography. Very few personal accounts were written by slaves with a similar history.

Fast-forwarding to more recent history, “Idora Park, The Last Ride of Summer” has been added to the gift shop in preparation of the June program given by a co-writer of the book, Rick Shale. The book is a trip down the amusement park midway that chronicles the life of Youngstown’s Idora Park. It is filled with hundreds of pictures.

Behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes from countless interviews and local archives also are included. The book sells for $29.95.

Hours at the Shaffer Library are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, 9 a.m. to noon. Contact the society at 330-337-8514 for information.

Book of Oprah columns to be published in fall

NEW YORK

Oprah Winfrey’s latest book project is a collection of magazine columns by a writer she knows quite well: Oprah Winfrey.

“What I Know for Sure” features the monthly essays that Winfrey has written for O, the Oprah Magazine over the past 14 years. Flatiron Books, a new nonfiction imprint of Macmillan, announced that “What I Know for Sure” will come out Sept. 2. It will be the imprint’s first release.

Winfrey will write the book’s introduction.

New Anne Rice vampire book due in October

NEW YORK

Lestat de Lioncourt is back from the dead.

Anne Rice’s first Vampire Chronicles book since 2003, “Prince Lestat,” is scheduled to come out Oct. 28.

Publisher Alfred A. Knopf said Rice discussed the new book at a recent sales conference. Rice also offered details recently on “The Dinner Party Show,” an Internet program co-hosted by her son, Christopher Rice. She said the new book will bring Lestat’s story up to date and was completed last summer.

Knopf says Rice’s previous 10 vampire novels have sold more than 20 million copies in the U.S. The first vampire book was called “Interview With the Vampire” and became a movie starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.

hKeith Richards picture book due in fall

NEW YORK

Keith Richards is writing a children’s book. He really is.

The Rolling Stone who came to define the adults-only lifestyle of rock has a deal with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for a picture story called “Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar.”

The publisher announced that the book will come out this fall and will include illustrations by Richards’ daughter, Theodora Richards. Barnaby Harris and Bill Shapiro are assisting with the writing.

“Gus” is Gus Dupree, Keith Richards’ beloved musician-grandfather. In a statement issued by the publisher, Richards said the book was based on “one of those magical moments” he had with Dupree. Richards, 70, has five grandchildren of his own. His memoir “Life” was a million seller published in 2010.

Vindicator staff/wire reports