Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Book Signing, this Saturday May 26!


As a relief to the sombre academic literature on issues related to developing countries in Africa and Asia, this book takes a critical but light-hearted look at the international aid industry. It follows the author’s career from a youthful “do-gooder” in the Philippines to Director General of the Kenya based African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF) and its renowned Flying Doctor Service.

Topics covered include the Peace Corps, debt relief, the aid business, health, food and cultural practices, among many other subjects. Tales from Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Philippines, India and additional countries form the backdrop to this entertaining, critical and eye-opening book.

The author will be donating all royalties he receives from sales of this book to a charity - The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR).

If you’re unable to make it on Saturday you may still purchase the book online (click here) or reserve a copy by telephone or e-mail. (Please let us know if you’d like it signed by the author).

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Budapest book launch, by Dr. John Piper


The Budapest Launch of my novel Motherkillers was held in the Library of the University Institute on the West bank (Buda) of the River Danube. The room is a magnificent high ceilinged elegant nineteenth century venue lined by beautiful carved wooden cupboards containing treasured volumes, some of which are over 500 years old.

Odete and I were greeted by the Chief of the Library Dr Laszlo Magyar who showed us some of his treasures while the guests were arriving. Copies of the book were on sale and sold well, among those present were the Hungarian contributors acknowledged at the beginning of the novel. They had already received signed copies and had read them.

The Meeting was chaired by Dr Benedek Varga deputy director of the Semmelweis museum and he also did the translating for those who did not speak English. Most of the discussion focussed around Semmelweis’ mental condition and my views expressed in the book were supported. I read that portion of the book in which Semmelweis and Kolletchka discussed hand washing. The Professor of the history of medicine spoke at length on this subject. The novel was well received.

We were presented with a signed portrait of Semmelweis in later life, some beautiful pottery and a miniature 1861 copy of Semmelweis book on childbed fever written in German. Dr. Susan Turi, the head of Obstetrics at the Saint Rochus Hospital gave me a card in which she wrote “ I feel this masterpiece covers a wide gap which should have been done much before; anyway at last we have it”
(pictured above: Ignaz Semmelweis, 1/7/1818 - 13/8/1865)

Look into my eyes!

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Missing since 3rd May 2007. Can you help?


Madeleine McCann was last seen in Praia da Luz (Algarve, Portugal) on thursday May 3rd while she was on holiday with her parents.
If you have any information about her whereabouts please contact Polícia Judiciária (PJ) in Portugal on (+351) 282 405 400 or (+351) 289 884 500.

Monday, May 07, 2007

And here is our brand NEW shop...


It's only next door from where we were before, you can't miss us...





Friday, May 04, 2007

Our e-mail is OK again. Thank you.
**IMPORTANT**
We are currently experiencing problems with our main e-mail address. Until further notice please use magnacartabookshop@hotmail.com
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.