At the Carver Library and Cultural Center, Austin held its other book festival on Saturday, June 27th: The Third Annual African American Book Festival. Less well-known than that book gathering held in the Capitol each fall, it still attracted some prominent authors. One, Annette Gordon-Reed, spoke of her obsession with the story of Sally Hemings, the now famous slave and mistress of Thomas Jefferson. She described a journey that began with reading Jefferson's biography as a third grader to research on his life as a college history student and the eventual publication of two books. Jefferson scholars dismissed the relationship as just "negro news," she said. In 1997, her first book, Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy, examined the entire historical record. Soon after, DNA evidence confirmed the liaison. Then, using Jefferson's obsessive record keeping, the oral history, and his letters, she reconstructed the Hemings family story in, The Hemingses of Monticello, for which she received the 2008 National Book Award and 2009 Pulitzer Prize. She expressed regret at not listening more carefully as a child to her grandmother’s family stories. "Slavery was a part of my life," she said; her grandmother's mother was a slave. Gordon-Reed, now a law professor, wanted to individualize Sally, describe her family context, and allow her to be known as more than just a "slave girl." It was a short hour listening to the story behind the story.

By now you've heard about the three-night-stand Spoon has at Stubb's in July. We're excited about it too; and we're presenting night three along with KVRX (that's July 11). The (somewhat) local heroes will be playing tunes from their rich catalog as well as songs from their forthcoming full-length and new EP Got Nuffin.

The Swedish garage-pop duo Poppets are playing their first American show this evening at Club 1808.

If you've purchased any beef products from H-E-B recently, check that they're not one of these following types—if they are, they may have E-coli contamination and are being recalled by the grocer as part of a nationwide effort.

in the war-torn country of Afghanistan, there’s a TV show much like our own inexplicably popular American Idol, where anyone can compete regardless of race, age, religion, or any other factor. And people all over the country use their cell phones to vote for their favorite performer. This remarkable film (winner of Directing and Audience Awards at this year’s Sundance Film Festival) follows four finalists as they compete to become the next Afghan Star.It's sure to inform, inspire, enlighten, and entertain you. And that’s a lot more than Simon Cowell could ever do for you.

Think you've got the chops to solve City of Austin's budget woes? They've put up a "Budget Simulation Exercise" that lists a slew of areas, from Library and Police to Watershed Protection and Health & Human Services, where sources of increased revenue are possible. The point of the exercise is to come up with at least $9.3 million in savings or new revenue, though even this falls well shy of the estimated $30-43 million shortfall that the current 2010 budget faces.

Somewhat of a childhood prodigy, Patrick Wolf was proficient in a number of instruments at a very early age and his versatility shines through on The Bachelor, his fourth full-length. His knack for skillfully arranging varying sounds into both soothing and exhilarating songs is showcased throughout this record; his theatrical persona and penchant for the melodramatic can be witnessed in the video for single “Hard Times.” Wolf envisioned this current crop of material as a double album titled Battles but eventually decided to release them individually. The Conqueror is expected next year.

• Ladies and gentlemen, Senator Al Franken
• FDA panel urges ban on Vicodin, Percocet; and limits on acetaminophen
• Nurse says Michael Jackson begged for powerful sedative for insomnia

The Austin American-Statesman will begin printing and packaging the Waco Tribune-Herald as part of the Austin newspaper's growing printing business. Tribune-Herald publisher Belinda Gaudet announced today that the paper would stop printing and packaging at its Waco shop on July 13.

Local upscale Tex-Mex eatery La Condesa recently scored a People's Choice Award for best restaurant at this year's annual AIA Los Angeles Restaurant Design Awards.

Hearty and full of camp fire-y goodness, {{{Sunset}}} will take the inside stage at Emo's tonight. The band is the brain child of Bill Baird, who has been performing and recording under the name Sunset and other variations (adding and subtracting the {{{}}} thingies) since 2006.

The Wall Street Journal reports that engineers at Dell are developing a mobile device that would access the Web, but doesn't work as a phone.