Nice new books and why old books smell funny

 Somehow in the chaos of the past week, I failed to mention this past weekend's joint book signing by authors Guy Ball (Images of America: Tustin), Juanita Louvret (Tustin As It Once Was) and Ellen Bell (Images of America: Irvine). I fully intended to plug the event and apologize for not doing so. The photo of the event, below, comes from Guy. The front page of the Tustin News, above, is actually from an earlier event, but how often do you see one, let alone two local historians on the front page of the newspaper? Anyway, go buy their books.

 Speaking of books and authors, Dr. Beth Holmgren, author of Starring Madame Modjeska: On Tour in Poland and America, will be the featured guest at a lunch, lecture and book signing event on April 21, 11am to 3pm, at Irvine Ranch Historic Park, 13109 Old Myford Rd., Irvine. Hosted by the Helena Modjeska Foundation, in partnership with OC Parks and the OC Public Libraries, the lunch and lecture will be in the park's garden, followed by a book signing in the adjacent Katie Wheeler Library. Reservations are required. RSVP by April 14. Tickets are $30 for lunch, checks payable to the Helena Modjeska Foundation. Mail checks to 8335 Bogey Avenue, Hemet, CA 92545. Call (949) 923-2230 with questions.

“Pancho Barnes, Moye Stephens, & Richard Halliburton,” will be the topic at the Laguna Beach Historical Society’s meeting, April 24, 7:30pm, in the Council Chambers at Laguna Beach City Hall, 505 Forest Ave. Speaker Barbara Schultz is the author of Pancho and of Flying Carpets, Flying Wings, a biography of Moye W. Stephens. Pancho, of course, was a pioneering early woman aviator who had a home and an air strip in Laguna Beach.

Recently, I came across an interesting online video by AbeBooks -- one of the better sources for used books online. The video explains the reasons why old books start to smell musty. It may be more complicated than you think. Frankly, I can't smell it anymore. (Click here to see the video.)