Winston Groom Is Honored Guest, 29th Annual Vive le Livre Gala on Nov. 19!

The 2015 Vive le Livre is sure to be an event you won't want to miss. Featuring this year's honored guest, Winston Groom, Vive moves to a new location this year at the Jackson Center in Cummings Research Park. A reception and book signing with the author will precede a plated dinner that will be followed by remarks from the keynote speaker.

An Alabama native, Groom is currently promoting his latest book, The Generals. Those who are familiar with Groom's Forrest Gump and The Aviators know that The Generals is an exceptional work of non-fiction about the amazing men in the highest echelon of military leadership during WWII.

Full article and ticket info: Gala

The John Michael Kauffmann Estate Sale

It was an auctioneer’s delight—a longtime single-owner estate and no online buying. The estate was that of John Michael Kauffmann (1923-2014) of Yarmouth, Maine, an ardent and highly effective conservationist, philanthropist, diplomatic courier in wartime Europe, a newspaper reporter for his family-owned Washington Star, a writer for National Geographic, and co-publisher of the Bar Harbor Times.

Full Article: Estate Sale 

Anne Willan - Textbook for cooking a la French goes public

Willan has lived in the United States off and on since the 1960s and has been an American citizen since 1973. She was food editor at The Washington Star and an associate editor at Gourmet magazine — both now defunct.

Full article: Secrets From the La Varenne Kitchen

Mary McGrory: The First Queen of Journalism - New Book by John Norris

John Norris is the author of a book on Mary McGrory that is coming out September 23 with Viking. The book is already available for pre-sale on Amazon here: Mary McGrory: The First Queen of Journalism.

John is also doing a launch at the National Press Club at 6:30pm on the 23rd, which will be moderated by Dan Balz from the Post and might be of interest to the Stars alum. Advance tickets are available from the Press Club: https://www.press.org/events/npc-book-rap-john-norris-mary-mcgrory-first-queen-journalism

"... one of the great pleasures of the book was getting to know bunch of Star alumni. (I used to play poker weekly with Lance Gay before he passed away, and I still miss him.)"

The book has been getting nice reviews from the trades, some snippets of which are below.

“Mary McGrory’s life as a Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington columnist is so interesting that it’s hard to understand why there hasn’t been a book about her until now. Enter Norris . . . with this balanced, page-turning biography…Ted Kennedy proclaimed [McGrory] ‘poet laureate of American journalism,’ and this nuanced portrait provides plenty of evidence.”—Kirkus (starred review)

“Sensitive and engrossing…[this] book is a rich portrait, and will likely encourage readers to seek more of McGrory’s groundbreaking writing.”—Publishers Weekly

“Few biographies are page-turners, but Norris’s vivid account of this pioneering writer so vibrantly recalls the heady heyday of op-ed journalism that readers will avidly mourn the advent of the 24/7 cable and talk radio punditry that took its place.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Norris portrays a talented and complex woman . . . Those interested in recent political history will relish the fascinating insider details.”—Library Journal

Submission Period For Fall Newsletter Is Now Underway

FYI - I will be publishing the Fall Newsletter the weekend of September 19th. If anyone has a book signing, new book by alumni, personal update, blog post, gossip, etc., you should get that information to me.

I also encourage any member who has not chimed in to tell us how you're doing, what you're up to, how was your summer, or any plans for the future.

Any new group members who wish to be added to the mailserv list must email me at: washingtonstar.ning@gmail.com from the email you wish to receive the newsletter at.

Star Reunion Fund Closed Out, Put To Good Use

Joan Anderson sent a contribution to Send a Kid to Camp with the balance remaining in the Star Reunion Fund. Steve Aug wanted to close it out. Sandra McElwaine suggested Kid to Camp. The alumni who met Friday at Mr. Henry's agreed. I hope I didn't lay it on too thick in my accompanying letter, which ended with: "So, enclosed is a check for $1,999.73 in memory of our dear departed Washington Star, founder of the Send a Kid to Camp Campaign, positive force in the Washington community, and launching pad for many a fine journalist."