Monday, December 15, 2008
Christmas on Main Street
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Rabbit Food
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Cause for Celebration
"I believe that if we want to give our children the best possible chance in life, if we want to open the doors of opportunity while they're young and teach them the skills they'll need to succeed later on, then one of our greater responsibilities as citizens, as educators and as parents is to insure that every American child can read and read well. That's because literacy is the most basic currency of the knowledge economy that we're living in today."
Friday, November 21, 2008
Books for the Holidays
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A Small Good Thing
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Overheard in the Bookstore
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Saratoga
Over the years I have been to many bookseller's conventions. I have gone to the big Book Expos with their numerous vendors and fancy luncheons and noted authors. I have also attended the smaller, regional conferences where you have time to meet other booksellers and learn a little about how they survive the business. It was fun to compare the booksellers to the librarians. The similarities kind of suprised me.
Female booksellers and librarians do not tend to wear really high heels, maybe it is all that time spent walking among shelves of books. Both booksellers and librarians tend to stop in the middle of streets, hotel halls and restaurant lobbies to discuss something that gets them excited. Booksellers and librarians seem to really enjoy complimentary chocolate at display booths (much more than free pencils). Booksellers and librarians also really like free books, although the librarians are much more civilized and even wait to be invited before taking advance reading copies from a publisher.
Mostly, booksellers and librarians love books and people who like books. They get excited about new ways to get information out to people (though booksellers are, in general, not too thrilled about the popularity of the Kindle). Since I am both a bookseller and a librarian, I will admit that we are a quirky bunch of people that value words and knowledge over many other things that normal folks think is important. Oh yeah....it seems that the majority of us wear glasses.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Halloween
I am lucky to live in a small town that closes down Main Street so that kids can safely celebrate getting lots of candy and dressing in silly/scary costumes. And, if I do say so myself, this town is lucky to have independent business owners that spend their own money on Halloween candy and close their businesses so kids can have some fun. So on Halloween and on every day, don't forget to shop locally and support the businesses that support your community.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Blogmania
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Sisters
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Where are you reading?
This is a tour of my current reading life. Upstairs in the bedroom, I am currently sleeping with (and sometimes on) two books: Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead (an advance readers edition of a much anticipated book) and Portrait of a Lady by Henry James. Whitehead wins out over James most of the time, because James is "required reading" for a book club meeting and it is inevitably put off until the last minute. (I say that this is so it is fresh in my mind, but really it is just procrastination). Still upstairs, in the bathroom I am reading The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willlig. This book is historical fiction of the lighter sort and is perfect bathtub reading.
Downstairs in the living room there is a copy of a play, Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott, and The Gold Coast by Nelson Demille. I am re-reading The Gold Coast in anticipation of the release of DeMille's new book, The Gatehouse in a few weeks. In the dining room is a pile of books that are "to be read" and have yet to be prioritized. In the kitchen are the cookbooks, which as you can tell from the previous post, also are fine reading material.
You might think you are done with the tour, but no, hang on a minute. You cannot forget the car and both of my jobs. In the car is a decrepit copy of The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb that is being slowly consumed at bank drive-through windows and other waiting areas (I swear I hardly ever try to read at red lights....) At the bookstore, ironically enough, I hardly ever read books. I try to catch up on catalogs and reviews and book magazines. But at the library, on my break, I have an uninterrupted period of time to sit down and read. Right now I am reading Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire.
I have always enjoyed reading many books at the same time. There are different books for different moods and different times. Some people think that this is confusing and just a little crazy. I say that if you want to know what I am reading, you better specify the location or sit down, because it may take awhile.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Comfort Food
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel is a story of magic and food and familial obligation. The language is rich and beautiful and you will fall in love with the characters. Tita, though constrained by familial expectations and a rather difficult mother, shines through.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
fREADom
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
School for Scandal
In Testimony by Anita Shreve, the headmaster of a private school, three male students and a young girl each tell their story of a drunken party, a video posted on the internet, an affair between unexpected people and lives that are changed forever. The narration of the story in a so many different voices leaves open questions, that may or may not be answered by the end of the book. This book does not come out for another month but it is affecting and timely and well worth the wait.
The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perotta deals with the dangerous combination of religion and education. Ruth Ramsey, the human sexuality teacher at the local high school is forced to teach an abstinence curriculum after parents complain about the content of her course. Tim Mason, one of the evangelical Christian parents who does not approve of Ruth, has troubles of his own. This book shows both the personal and the societal effects of this very timely struggle. Perotta writes so well that you feel you know all the characters.
Carol Goodman's Lake of Dead Languages is a book that explores scandals, both old and new, at a boarding school located in a rural setting. Jane Hudson returns to her old school, along with her young daughter, to teach Latin after a failed marriage. Jane had left Heart Lake School twenty years earlier after a scandal. This haunting story tells of late night rituals, murder and suicide and the secrets a school community can keep over many years.
September has always been a "back to school" time of year with new notebooks, sharpened pencils and shined shoes. While it is easy to romanticize the good old school days, these books remind us that being young is not as carefree as we would like to remember.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
It's a Classic
While I am waiting for those winning lottery numbers, I try to be content with reading one classic at a time and slowly building up my library. I love the Jane Austens, the Charlotte Brontes and the Steinbecks. So in the spirit of starting up new things in the fall (it is a new school year, after all), the Open Book Book Club has decided to start an offshoot devoted only to classics. We will meet on Sunday afternoons every other month to have a snack and discuss a classic novel. We are starting with Henry James' The Portrait of a Lady. If you live in the area and would like to join us for our October meeting, you are welcome.
If you can't make the meetings, join us in spirit and let me know what your favorite classic is. And keep an eye out for those distinctive black-bottomed covers at your favorite independent bookstore. They always encase a treasure.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wife Tales
So, to the wives.
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff is part historical fiction, part present day mystery. The story of Jordan Scott, a "lost boy" expelled from his fundamentalist community and the story of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young are intertwined in this well-researched, fascinating novel. The history of polygamy and the Morman religion are explored as the stories proceed. The characters are complex and their stories are compelling. A great read to take you into Autumn.
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld is the story of a Republican president's wife. This character closely resembles the current president's wife and this book has gotten quite a bit of publicity because of that. I liked this book because it made me think about the perceptions we hold of public figures. Sittenfeld writes clearly and with great detail about this woman who lives in a skin that is not always a comfortable fit. Although, I did not always admire the main character, I felt some compassion for her life.
Enjoy Labor Day weekend, take some time to read a good book!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Rules to Live By
Monday, August 18, 2008
Bookstore Stories
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
It's A Mystery
Last night the library's mystery genre discussion group met. We had a great group with lots of suggestions for good reads. We also were very lucky to have a visit from Jason Pinter, author of The Mark, The Guilty and The Stolen. Not only did Jason drive all the way from Manhattan to Southampton, but he and his wife even baked cookies and brownies for the gathering. The group members enjoyed talking to Jason about his writing and his life. I think we should all keep our eye on Jason Pinter.....someday we will gloat that we knew him before he was a mega-million selling author!
Some of the other authors that were mentioned at the discussion were Josephine Tey, Harlan Coben, Lee Child, and Jacqueline Winspear. My list of mysteries to read continues to grow. I am currently finishing The Rules of Deception by Christopher Reich. It is interesting, but quite convoluted. I may have to finish it in the winter when my concentration levels are higher.
Summer brings all kinds of people into the bookstore, some wonderful, some not-so-wonderful. This summer has had its share of both. It is best to try to laugh at the difficult people and revel in the wonderful. My favorite customer this summer was a small boy, about 6 or 7 years old. He came up to me and said, "Excuse me, could you help me find a book?". I (thrilled to be treated to some good manners) said, "Sure, what are you looking for?". "Well," he said. "I need a book for a grown woman." I tried not to giggle as I asked him what he had in mind. He told me, "I think this Jane Austen might be a good present for my mom." We happily found him a Jane Austen and wrapped it as beautifully as possible for a very lucky grown woman.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Summer Reading
My summer reading this year reflects the quirky nature of my reading life. The following books are both wonderful and just a bit odd:
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry was released a few years ago and being re-released this July. It is a tale of twins and madness and religious zealots and love. It takes place in Salem and tells the of a generation of women who can tell fortunes by reading pieces of lace. It twists and turns and surprises you up to the end.
Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos is another kind of story. It is the story of a small neighborhood and friendship and a marriage. It is a story of first impressions and how they can change. This book continues the story that de los Santos started in Love Walked In and she takes her characters on an interesting and very human journey.
How to describe The Monsters of Templeton? Well there is a monster and it is partially a historical novel and it is also a contemporary story of a historian hiding out in her hometown after trying to run down her married lover's wife with a bush plane in Alaska. Oh yes, the town is a thinly disguised Cooperstown, so the Baseball Hall of Fame also plays a bit part. Actually, I really cannot describe this book. I really liked it and I hope you do too.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
This is Buddha. He holds open the front door of The Open Book. Buddha has been licked by dogs, kicked by small children, sat upon, hugged and his stomach has been rubbed more times than can be counted. He had been called "Buddy", "Baby" and "That Chubby Guy". And still he sits patient and serene.
When we moved into the new store, we found that the big glass front door was extremely heavy. We tried rubber door wedges and wooden door stops and the door smashed them. I bought a cute cast iron dog and the door knocked it across the sidewalk. Finally we settled on a cinder block, which was practical but ugly and soulless. And then one day I came to work to find Buddha sitting in front of the door, effortlessly holding it open for all passersby. Jessica, the magnificent store manager and her husband, Seamus, the adorable, had brought Buddha from home to live and work at The Open Book. Seamus even built Buddha a little cart with wheels so that the Open Bookies could save their backs for lifting heavy boxes.
Buddha reminds people to ignore the siren song of the sand and sea and to come into the store to browse the books. He convinces people that the steak on the grill and the wine in the glass can wait a few minutes while they decide on a good read. Buddha reminds me to be kind and patient when I am tired and every face starts to blur into one.
I hope that having Buddha as a doorman is not sacrilegious. I believe his position is one of honor and sporadic respect. Moms with yoga mats have been known to teach their children to say "Namaste" to Buddha. I know that I have rarely left the quiet, empty bookstore at the end of a long day without giving his belly a little pat for luck and saying a thank you for his service.
So next time you are in town, come by and say hello to Buddha. Just don't call him "Baby".
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Independence Day
An independent bookseller knows that she will probably never make the Fortune 500, but she also knows that wealth takes many forms. As an independent bookseller, I am rich in friends, “adopted” children, and, of course, books. I am rich in life altering encounters with people who have brought me laughter and offered me wisdom and trusted me with their stories.
An independent bookseller is important in a world where forms must be filled out and customers are assigned a number. An independent bookseller is likely to write an order on the back of a lunch bag or drop a book off at the customer’s house on the way home from work. Acknowledging the individuality and humanity of our customers, we fight against the grey automation of the retail world. When you come into an independent bookstore, you come into a world that reflects the personality, beliefs, and aesthetics of one or two people, not a faceless corporation.
At the end of a long day, I am so proud to be an independent bookseller. I feel that my work makes the world a better place, if only in an small way. I feel that I give value for the money spent in my store. I feel that people are better for spending their time in my store. I feel that the work I do is important. Finally, every day I am reminded that I am one of the luckiest people I know because I am able to do work I truly love.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Here's To All The Dads!
Have you ever noticed how "bad dads" abound in literature? Read anything by Pat Conroy or Augusten Burroughs and you will be grateful that you were not part of their families. But where are the "good dads"? Well I have found a few in fiction and non-fiction and in honor of Father's Day, here is a list of recommended books with kind, caring, loving and sometimes, funny, fathers.
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth. I admit that the father in this is a little bombastic but he has a good heart, is hilariously clueless and loves his many children.
Plainsong by Kent Haruf. The McPheron brothers fall into the role of father to an unwed teen mother and Tom struggles to care for his two young boys after their mother leaves them.
Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. This one is pretty quirky. But despite his over involvement with death, Charlie is a loving and protective father to his daughter, Sophie.
Daddy Needs A Drink by Robert Wilder. This is a funny group of essays by a high school teacher learning the perils of being "Mr. Mom".
The Way Home by Henry Dunow. I am not very interested in baseball but this story of a man coaching his son's little league team was a touching look at the evolving relationship between a father and a son.
One father that I have great admiration for is Randy Pausch. Though dying of pancreatic cancer, he has made an effort to leave a legacy of wisdom for his children. If you have not seen the film about his last lecture at Carnegie Mellon University, I have included a link to it. There is also a book called The Last Lecture which expands on the video. Dr. Pausch has an fresh way of looking at the world and appears to savor the life he has yet to live without seeking self-pity or being maudlin.
So, on Father's Day, if you are lucky enough to have your father around, give him a hug, or a call, or a cookie or a really expensive sports car, if you have the pocket change. And then, go read.....
Monday, June 9, 2008
We're Having A Heat Wave
Friday, June 6, 2008
A Little Bit of Magic
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Finding the Missing Pieces
Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers - Harriet Vane and Lord Peter Wimsey have to be the most elegant detectives on earth.
Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz - Izzy Spellman and her dysfunctional family will keep you laughing while trying to solve the mystery.
A Tan and Sandy Silence by John D. MacDonald - Before Magnum P.I. , there was Travis McGee. McGee is cooler than can be imagined as he solves mysteries from his Florida houseboat, "The Busted Flush".
Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters - I love the Amelia Peabody series. You can learn a little about archaeology's early days and enjoy the exotic locales. Amelia is stubborn and funny and destined to find trouble.
Bookman's Wake by John Dunning - Cliff Janeway, the detective turned rare book dealer, goes in search of a rare volume of Poe's The Raven.
In addition, anything written by Lee Child, John Lescroart, Jason Pinter, Janet Evanovich, Robert Crais, Elizabeth George, P.D. James, Dennis Lehane, Harlan Coben and Donna Leon will lead you into hours of intrigue and mystery.
I just started reading Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. Both Elizabeth and Beth from the library said that I would not be able to put it down. Lehane writes really well and captures the gritty, dangerous world that his characters inhabit.
And if you are intrigued by puzzles, I think that this movie, created by Christian Nilsson, an Open Book employee and aspiring filmaker, is something you will really like.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Some Books You Should Know
Have you read Shadow of the Wind yet? It is an eerie, beautiful, dark, romantic book. There are parallel love stories and a Cemetery of Forgotten Books and a mysterious author. All of this takes place in the almost Gothic city of Barcelona in the years following World War II.
One of my greatest pleasures as both a bookseller and a librarian is to introduce readers to authors and books that I know they will love. Connecting readers with books sometimes requires a bit of detective work. What do you like to read? What do you love about that character? Why did you hate that book? Simple or complicated? Funny or sad? Scary or sweet? Whatever your answers, there is a book for you. Here are some books you may not have read yet, but I hope you will give them a try:
The Henry Parker series by Jason Pinter. The Mark and The Guilty are available now. The Stolen is due in August. This series of books involves a young protagonist who gets involved in a variety of situations which leave your heart racing. I like the details of Henry's life and the fact that he is a young, fallible man who tries to do the right thing.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This novel is funny and touching and contains a bit of mystery. I like that it is written as a series of letters. I did not know anything about the occupation of Guernsey during World War II and the hardships endured by the residents and this novel fills in my historical blanks about that subject. The very unusual book club that is formed during this time consists of characters that are so well drawn that you feel that you know them.
A Monk Jumped Over a Wall by Jay Nussbaum. What at first seems to be a legal thriller quickly heads in another direction, as the hero falls victim to his own compassion. This novel makes you think about the consequences of living up to other's expectations. J.J. Spencer takes a journey that leads to a rethinking of his life and values. The story moves quickly and the turns it takes will surprise you.
Norma Ever After by Nancy Baxter. OK, this really is a bit of a "girly" book. But who can resist a love story that takes place on the Orkney Islands and includes puffins? If you are in the mood for Atlas Shrugged, this is not going to satisfy you, but if you want a lovely little read....this is it.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
I Love Libraries
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Books You Should Read
So, here, in no particular order, is a list of books that took me away:
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Erlich
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
White Oleander by Janet Fitch
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker
Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
How to Be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward
These books are real treasures. They wrapped me in deftly written phrases and beautifully crafted stories. I remember these books because while I was reading them, the rest of the world just disappeared.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
I find that the people who want to work at the bookstore tend to be creative and hungry for life. Whether they are writers or actors or students or filmakers or artists, they pursue their dreams and find joy in the daily world. The people who have worked with me in the past and those who work with me now have entertained and enlightened me. I have laughed so hard while working that I have literally had to sit down on the floor to catch my breath. From the Open Bookies I have received empathy, concern, friendship, moments of complete silliness and love.
So, on this Mother's Day, this Bookmama is grateful for the inestimable joy given to her by her daughters and for the unexpected happiness brought to her by her bookstore kids.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Saturday, May 3, 2008
I read all kinds of books and am looking forward to sharing some of my favorites with you. I am interested in what is going on the world of libraries and bookselling and will pass items of interest on these subjects to you. I will occasionally go off on a bit of a rant about censorship, rudeness, the price of gas, etc. You have been warned.
Hope you enjoy my world. I would love to hear from you.