Bookmama's World

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T18:08:00.000-05:00

This is a poem for the longest night of the year.

Winter Solstice

The shortest day
The darkest night
The ice
The winter weary heart

Strike a match against the darkness
Cup your hand around the flame
for warmth
Hold up the light against the blackness
of the sky

And know that tomorrow
The sun will stay a moment more
And the dark won't be so cold.

Final Open Book Gala

2011-11-20T13:43:00.001-05:00

The process of closing The Open Book has been a grueling one. It feels like attending an extended wake. The Open Book family is sad, the customers are sad and the shelves are beginning to look empty. I have always enjoyed coming to the store, now unlocking the door is bittersweet.

And then Antonella had an idea. Antonella worked at The Open Book in 1999, the very first summer. She has remained a dear friend of the bookstore as she has gone from a bright college student to a professional young woman. Whenever she comes to visit, she gets put to work selling books and charming customers. Antonella said that we needed a party......a final gala to send the store out in style.

So last night we held the Final Open Book Winter Gala. Friends, customers, employees and a few confused passer-bys paid a $5 cover charge to come into to a balloon filled store. Wonderful food and wine was provided by Antonella and Jane. We held a bake-off and ended up with some delicious desserts. Some of us were in costume; literary characters from Valley of the Dolls, Perks of Being a Wallflower, David Copperfield, Les Miserables and the Bible were in attendance. People ate and drank and shopped for books. It brought the happiness back to The Open Book and made me remember all the good times we have enjoyed over the years.

Now we have about a month left in business. In that month I want people to feel the spirit of the bookstore. Not the sadness of closing, but the happiness and hilarity and kindness and intelligence that I hope have always infused this business, no matter where we were located.

Mostly, I want people to feel my gratitude. I know that I am incredibly lucky to have had this bookstore in my life for nearly 13 years. I know that I am blessed by the friends that have come into my life because of The Open Book. I say thank you every day for the adventure this has been and the way my life has been enriched by a little store full of books and joy.

The Last Chapter

2011-09-19T18:02:00.000-04:00

Just about thirteen years ago, I was getting ready to embark on the great adventure of opening a bookstore. Armed with some shelves, ninety boxes of books and a hand-me-down cash register, I was nervous and excited about what kind of place The Open Book might turn out to be. I wondered what kind of people would walk through the door to browse the shelves. I could not have even imagined the last thirteen years: the customers who became friends, the authors who came to visit, the talented and intelligent people who went to work behind the counter.
Sadly, the difficult economy, the rise of the popularity of ebooks and the arrival of another bookstore down the block have combined to form a set of circumstances that will result in the closing of The Open Book by the end of the year. We have tried everything to stay open but it is just not financially feasible to keep going.
The Open Book has always been more than a business to me. The store is the place where my children grew up, where the employees worked on their school projects and rehearsed their plays. Movies were filmed, songs were sung, books were read aloud, customers shared their favorites, a few romances bloomed and throughout it all, I sat back and smiled about this amazing little world that had grown up around a few books. I will miss all of this. I will miss all of you. But I am happy that for a few years, The Open Book existed in Westhampton Beach and enjoyed the privilege of being your local bookstore.

For the next few months, we are asking our old friends to come by and say hello. We need to sell everything in the store, so come in and buy a book at a healthy discount and while you are at it, buy a chair, bookshelf or some window decorations. We will continue to have free coffee, as well as a journal in which to set down your memories of The Open Book and the good times you have had with us. We will also set out a box of photos of our various events over the years. Dig through and see if you can find some pictures of your children at a Harry Potter event or a story time.

Finally, thank you all for your support. The store may not have been able to survive the competition, but I know how many of you made the extra effort to shop at The Open Book. Your loyalty and kindness will not be forgotten.

Keep turning those pages.......

True Confessions

2011-05-06T18:55:00.000-04:00

I like to think that I am an educated person. I own a bookstore and work in a library. I have read widely, including some of the more challenging classics. But here we go......my name is Terry Lucas and I have never read anything by Charles Dickens.

Until now. I am in love with David Copperfield. Now strictly speaking, I am not reading David Copperfield; I am listening to the book on tape as I commute to my library job. Simon Vance, the narrator, (who, oddly enough, also narrates the Steig Larsson "Girl Who" books) does a marvelous job of capturing the pacing and the voices of the many characters. But it is the timelesss writing of Charles Dickens that brings readers to his work year after year. What was I thinking by skipping this author all these years?

From the lovely Peggotty who loves little David as if he is her own boy to the malevolent Jane Murdstone, the people who inhabit the world of David Copperfield spring to life. You can see the little graveyard in David's hometown and imagine the boat that is a house, inhabited by Mr. Peggotty, Ham, Little Em'ly and the eternally suffering Mrs. Gummidge. Mr. Micawber and Uriah Heep appear in this novel and I now have personalities and stories to go with those well-known names. By turns funny and touching and even a little frightening, David Copperfield is a pure pleasure.

Keep those pages turning......

A Bookstore Friend

2011-03-28T11:44:00.000-04:00

This last weekend I attended a memorial service for an elegant, intelligent and lovely woman. As I looked around at her family and friends, I was grateful that I had been included in the gathering. Because while Carla and I had spent hours over the years talking about everything under the sun, we had never sat down to a meal or even a cup of tea. I was Carla's bookseller.

If you sell books to a person over a period of time, a special relationship develops. I am privileged to know so much about the lives of my regular customers. But "customer" is just not the appropriate word. There is a deeper connection that a retail description does not cover. Sometime I say that certain people are my "bookstore friends". I have bookstore friends that drop in just to say hello without the thought of money exchanging hands. I know about their joys and sorrows. I have watched their children or grandchildren grow up. I have been through the loss of a spouse or the celebration of a birth. I also know what kinds of books take them away from the many distractions of a busy life or bring them comfort in a dark moment. And they know me too. They have seen my daughters grow, experienced bookstore celebrations and sympathized with my struggles.

Of course there are people who are just passing through. I hope that those people find a book that they love and enjoy their little time at The Open Book. There are bookstore friends who have become "real world friends" as well. My bookstore friends, however, hold a special place in my heart. How lucky am I to have a world of people to care about, to share a love of books and a quiet talk on a rainy afternoon?

I will miss Carla. Her gentle sense of humor. Her love of good mysteries. Her knowledge of the world. I was fortunate that she walked into my door so many years ago and became my bookstore friend.

Big Sigh of Relief

2011-03-17T13:22:00.000-04:00

Our Morning With Jodi Picoult was a success! A few over 300 people were there to celebrate the publication of Sing You Home, talk to Jodi and hear the beautiful music of Ellen Wilber. Here are some photos of a special day......

Thanks to Cheryl Dorskind for the wonderful photographs!

Keep those pages turning!

Waiting For Jodi

2011-02-25T18:23:00.000-05:00

As a bookstore owner, I have played host to many authors over the years. From the launch party for Justin Kramon's Finny, to the impromptu Dr. Ruth afternoon to the lovely Christian McLean and his Duckhampton, I have been lucky to meet people who love to write and have put their words out into the world.

Soon we will be hosting another wonderful author. Way back in 2000, a popular author published a book called Salem Falls and was kind enough to come to Westhampton Beach for lunch with the bookclub and a book signing. Twelve years later, this author is extremely POPULAR and is coming back. Jodi Picoult is an author that draws hundreds of people to her booksignings and we are going to get to be her host again.

I am thrilled, it goes without saying. But I am also a little nervous. This is the kind of event that goes beyond the four walls of my tiny bookstore. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about the space, the chairs, the books, the lines, the people. Will my customers be happy? Will Jodi be happy? Can The Open Book pull this off?

I think we can. With every employee and a few volunteers, we will welcome Jodi Picoult and musician Ellen Wilber on March 5th to celebrate the publication of the new book Sing You Home. She will speak in the beautiful ballroom overlooking the ocean at the Westhampton Bath and Tennis Club. We have strategies to make the autograph line move along smoothly and plans to have plenty of books available for sale. Bagels and coffee will be offered at the store after the signing.

What makes me really happy is how excited my customers are. When you get to meet someone who has taken you to another world with their stories, it is a treat. When you read their books in the future, you will hear that author's voice and intonation. It adds an extra layer to the experience of reading. I am so happy to be able to offer that to my friends and customers.

Just another reason why being a bookseller is an amazing profession.......

A Little February Magic

2011-02-07T16:28:00.000-05:00

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is not quite a fantasy novel and not quite historical fiction. It is not really a mystery, nor is it a romance novel. This unusual book is, in fact, a great combination of all of those genres.

Diana Bishop is a scholar of history. She is fascinated by the era in which people moved from a belief in magic to a reliance on science. She has spent most of her years trying to deny her own heritage as the last of the Bishop witches. After her parent's death, she ignored her powers and decided to rely on research and study.

One day Diana requests a book from the library at Oxford and her whole life changes. The book is bewitched and apparently Diana is the only one who can open it. Suddenly she finds herself surrounded by witches, daemons and vampires, all of whom want to know what is in the book. But Diana has returned the book, wanting nothing to do with its magic.

One vampire, Matthew Clairmont, seems to be everywhere that Diana goes. Behavior that at first appears to be a bit threatening, soon evolves into protection. Diana is in danger, and despite the forbidden nature of their relationship, Matthew cannot help but protect her.

This novel is full of surprises that unfold with the plot. A library, a romance, a little bit of fantasy. What else could you want on a snowy day?

Word After Word After Word

2011-01-31T20:29:00.000-05:00

I am a bit of a sucker for books about writing. I love Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Stephen King's On Writing. I like to know what writers think and the process they follow as they create these creatures that fill so many shelves of my life.

Roger Rosenblatt is an Author with a capital "A". He writes essays, fiction, memoirs, and plays. He is also a teacher, currently with the Stony Brook University Writers Program. Who better to write a book about writing?

I was not disappointed. Rosenblatt tells us about good writing as he describes a semester with a MFA class called "Writing Everything." The students in the class, their work, their comments are all springboards for nuggets of wisdom. At one point he tells his class, "I believe in spare writing. Precise and restrained writing. I like short sentences. Fragmented sentences sometimes, I enjoy dropping in exotic words from time to time. Either they put off readers or drive them to the dictionary."

Not every writer would agree with Roger Rosenblatt. But his lessons are straightforward and clear. He is always kind in his criticism and often a little sarcastic with his praise. He can laugh at himself and allows his students to do the same. He may feel great affection for his students, but he is no cream puff. He leaves room for them to find the flaws in their own work and to learn to become better writers.

Finally, what I liked most about this book is that in describing his class and his teaching, Rosenblatt writes with ease and elegance and beauty. That may be a few too many adjectives, but I needed them. Rosenblatt ends the book with this, "Both you and the human heart are full of sorrow. But only one of you can speak for the sorrow and ease its burdens and make it sing - word after word after word". This one sings for me.......

Re-reading

2011-01-15T08:05:00.000-05:00

I am getting to that age......not only do I forget names, dates and other important information, but I can re-read a book that I read in my 20's and it seems like the a brand new book. I remember the title and the fact that I once read it and liked it, but the plot is barely a fuzzy memory. This is a bit frustrating, as there are so many books that I want to read for the first time and now I have a growing list of books that I want to revisit. On the bright side, my TBR (to be read) list is endless and will never be finished so I expect to live forever!

This week, in preparation for the mystery book club that I lead at the library, I re-read The Alienist by Caleb Carr. I read this book back in 1995 and loved it. I remembered that it was about a serial killer in New York city but the rest of the details were a little hazy.

What a nice surprise. This is not your standard thriller. The novel is well researched, complex and peopled with real historical figures including police commissioner, Teddy Roosevelt and reformer, Jacob Riis. The sights, sounds and smells of New York in the late 1890's pop out from the page. You feel full after reading the description of an endless meal at Delmonico's; you want to wash up after taking in the description of the filth of the tenements.

If all my re-reads are as good as The Alienist, I look forward to visiting many more old book friends.

Here we go.....

2011-01-09T11:05:00.074-05:00

It is the start of a new reading year and I have been challenged by my library colleague, Beth to read 100 books this year. She is already way ahead of me but I cannot resist a challenge. So, here we go with the list for 2011.

1. The Radleys by Matt Haig (a different kind of vampire tale....starting my year of with a fang!)
2. Rule of Nine by Steve Martini (not my favorite, Paul Madriani is getting a little stale)
3. The Alienist by Caleb Carr (good historical mystery, just a little gruesome)
4. Sherlock Holmes and the Shakespeare Letter by Barry Grant (I can't wait for the next one...some threads were left hanging)
5. Peak by Roland Smith (Go YA adventure with lots of meaty issues for young adults)
6. The Mozart Code by Scott Mariani (Good, DaVinci code-ish, thriller)
7. Heads You Lose by Lisa Lutz and David Hayward (Very funny quirky mystery)
8. Unless it Moves The Human Heart by Roger Rosenblatt (beautifully written book on writing)
9. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin (southern, almost gothic, lots of twist....read this one!)
10. A Common Life by Jan Karon (Sweet, a little scattered, Father Tim and Cynthia in Ireland)
11. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (witches, vampires, science, magic, history....what could be better?)
12. Royal Blood by Rhys Bowen ( An old fashioned cozy mystery for a cold day)
13. The Sherlockian by Graham Brown (two mysteries 100 years apart, with Sherlock!)
14. Love, Inc by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout (Sweet and suprising YA girl lit)
15. The Secret Soldier by Alex Berenson (Action, suspense, bodies everywhere....)
16. Unpublished Memoir by a favorite customer (I hope that someone publishes this fascinating story)
17. Sixkills by Robert Parker (I can't believe that this is the last Spenser novel.....)
18. Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister ( pleasant, fun.....liked but didn't love)
19. Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran (Loved it.....historical fiction at it's best)
20. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (classic mystery and suspense)
21. AfterImage by Carla Malden (Affecting, heartwrenching memoir)
22. Withering Tights by Louise Rennison (Georgia has a cousin! Hooray.....)
23. Family Honor by Robert Parker (The first Sunny Randall book....my heart still belongs to Spenser)
24. Crampton Hodnet by Barbara Pym (Cozy re-read)
25. One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde (weird, but so enjoyable)
26. Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon (Venice, food, mystery......good stuff)
27. Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy (white house chef, kidnapping, mystery)
28 My One and Only by Kristan Higgins (light, fun, just ok)
29. A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear (I can't believe that I finished it so fast....I want more....)
30. You Better Knot Die by Betty Hechtman (Crochet, murder and recipes....the cozy trifecta)
31. The Happiness Project by Gretchn Rubin (interesting concept with some good ideas)
32. Original Sin by Beth McMullan (wry, funny, suspenseful....good)
33. Secret Sanction by Brian Haig (great thriller.....thanks to Viv for the recommendation)
34. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (lovely, a little magical and romantic...perfect for spring)
35. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Funny and smart)
36. My Korean Deli by Ben Ryder Howe (also funny and smart....)
37. The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney (dark and brooding....leaves some questions open)
38. The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly (sweet, fun, light read)
39. The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn (good cozy, fun characters)
40. Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin (Interesting look at theater camp)
41. Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon (the wonderful Inspector Brunetti is back)
42. Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson (lively YA, I had hoped for a different ending)
43. Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks (beautifully written literary and historical fiction)
44. Real Murders by Charlaine Harris (ehhh... I suggest her Sookie Stackhouse series instead)
45. A Bitter Truth by Charles Todd (excellent historical mystery.....Bess Crawford is a winner!)
46. The English Assassin by Daniel Silva (intense thriller with art restorer/spy Gabriel Allon)
47. Dead Spy Running by Jon Stock (just ok....)
48. The Sisters by Nancy Jenkins (good women's fiction)
49. Walking the Perfect Square by Reed Farrel Coleman (Excellent noir mystery)
50. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (What took me so long? So great)
51. Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun by Lois Winston (cute cozy)
52. Strategic Moves by Stuart Woods (wretched)
53. A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (dark and wonderful.....Three Pines continues to be a wonderful place for a murder)
54. Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos (lovely story of friendship and love)
55. The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher ("grief is a love story told backwards")
56. The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card (good fantasy novel)
57. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (dark, beautiful, disturbing)
58. Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith (light look at an entertaining cast of characters)
59. Gods of Greenwich by Norb Vonnegut (so-so financial thriller, learned lots of new slang)
60. Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem (interesting, well written, hardboiled, literary)
61. The Borrower by Rebeccas Makkai (Amazing!)
62. Whose Body by Dorothy Sayers (old-fashioned, politically incorrect but enjoyable mystery)
63. The Leftovers by Tom Perotta (ehhhh.....)
64. The Dog Who Came in From the Cold by Alexander McCall Smith (charming, enjoyable)
65. Redemption Street by Reed Farrel Coleman (well written, intriguing characters, good mystery)
66. Adrenaline by Jeff Abbott (excellent thriller)
67. Spanking Shakespeare by Jake Wizner (edgy little YA novel)
68. Kingmaker by Brian Haig (exciting spy novel)
69. The Orange Blossom Special by Betsy Carter (picture of Gainesville in the 50x)
70. The Wedding Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini (mushy and good)
71. The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill (unusual, well-written mystery)
72. Children and Fire by Ursula Hegi (subtle and powerful)
73. Portrait of a Spy by Daniel Silva (always a good read)
74. Zeke Bartholomew Superspy by Jason Pinter (Really fun middle grade adventure)
75. A Suitable Vengeance by Elizabeth George (complicated and interesting mystery)
76. Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin ( things are bad when I start reading pink YA books.....)
77. Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer (good saga)
78. Anthem for Doomed Youth by Carola Dunn (historical cozy mystery....good storm reading)
79. Shug by Jenny Han (Good YA)
80. Rip Tide by Stella Rimington (so-so spy novel)
81. It Looked Different on the Model by Laurie Notaro (really, really funny)
82. The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory (wonderful, romantic, fact filled historical fiction)
83. The Call by Yannick Murphy (unusual and very good)
84. The Christmas Thief by Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark (ok....not the right season)
85. Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet (definitely the right season, very Agatha Christie)
86. The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman (good, if wordy, mystery)
87. The Affair by Lee Child (not my favorite.....or I am still upset that Tom Cruise is playing Reacher?)
88. A Test of Wills by Charles Todd (good English mystery)
89. Naughty in Nice by Rhys Bowen (fun cozy)
90. Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt (enjoyable legal thriller)
91. The Trail of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (loved this....hope it is not the last)
92. One Day by David Nicholls ( a modern love story)
93. The Confession by Charles Todd (confusing but good)
94. Girls in White Dresses byJennifer Close (connected short stories about girls in the city)
95. Knit One Pearl One by Gile McNeil (sweet, but how do you knit a seahorse?)
96. Death is a Cabaret by Deborah Morgan (audio book with a terrible narrator distracted from the mystery.
97. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (back to Three Pines.....love these books)
98. Change of A Dress by Maya Gold (cute YA)
99. The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz (Sherlock and Dr. Watson are back!)
100. Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott (wonderful story of her sons first year with his son)
101. L.A. Requiem by Robert Crais (well written, hardboiled mystery)
102. Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich (like coming home but with crazy relatives)
103. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling (funny memoir)
104. You Better Not Cry by Augusten Burroughs (funny, sad Christmas stories)
105. A Killer's Christmas in Wales by Elizabeth Duncan (cozy mystery in Wales)
106. The Matzo Ball Heiress by Laurie Gwen Shapiro (pure fluff!)
107. Aunt Dimity's Death by Nancy Atherton (another cozy....love this series)

Looking Back/Looking Forward

2010-12-31T19:10:00.000-05:00

So here it is, New Year's Eve 2010. In just a few hours we will be turning the page on a new year and starting fresh with all the hopes and dreams and resolutions that accompany every January 1st.

This has been quite a year in Bookmama's world. Last January 1st, I did not know where The Open Book would be located or if it would even be in existence. I found a great new space and made plans to move. By the beginning of February, we were packing up. By the end of February we were on the move to Glovers Lane. By the end of February, we were also aware that Books and Books was moving to town and that our already challenging business would enter into a fight for its bookstore life. Thanks to the support of many friends and neighbors, we got moved, settled and have enjoyed a new life in our beautiful (if a little funky) new space.

Personally, I saw one daughter graduate from high school and head off to college. My youngest started high school and I can see a time on the horizon when my book filled nest will be empty. I tried to read 100 books and only reached 86.....but tomorrow is the start of another reading year! I have learned so much from my customers at the bookstore and my patrons at the library. I live a life filled with amazing people and lots and lots and lots of books.

So...looking forward to 2011, I am ready for the adventures, challenges, joys and the very rare moments of contemplation that life hands me. I try to remember that each day is precious, even those that make me feel like I am running like crazy to stay in the same place.

I wish you a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.........

Thankful

2010-11-29T13:45:00.000-05:00

As I contemplate the peeling of potatos and chopping of onions in preparation for another Thanksgiving feast, I want to take a moment to think about all the things I have to be grateful for. I may not live in the nicest house, or drive a fancy car but I have so many wonderful things in my life, that it is nice to take a moment to acknowledge them.

The thing I am most grateful for is my family. I have two beautiful, smart, funny daughters who are fun to spend time with and help me so much with the bookstore. I have sisters and parents and nieces and nephews, all of whom are flying through life at their own pace, dealing with some issues and experiencing some joys. I get to check in with their lives and occasionally spend time with them and learn from them all the time.

I have a roof over my head that is comfortable and warm. I have a car that takes me to work and pretty much everywhere else I want to go. I have more books than any human being should have. I have good food to eat. I have two crazy cats that amuse me and curl up purring next to me while I read. My life, though hectic, is filled with basic creature comforts.

Things are not perfect. Perfection is not something I even seek these days. I think I have grown to have the wisdom to know that "enough" is a blessing and that even those that seem to have it all, have their own problems.

So, yes, I am grateful for all that I have. I hope that this Thanksgiving you all have much to give thanks for as well.

The Magic of Harry Potter

2010-11-19T18:51:00.000-05:00

I stayed up way too late last night re-reading Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. I am going to see the movie, of course, but I had been meaning to re-read it for a few years. When it first came out, I devoured it so fast that I missed the details. J.K. Rowling tells a story like no one else. She is also a skilled writer, describing the sites of Harry's triumphs and tragedys and the interactions between Harry, Hermoine and Ron in a way that you can almost see and hear them.

There have been some interviews with J.K. Rowling in which she says that she might someday consider writing another Harry Potter book. As a bookseller, I should be jumping up and down and praying for an early release of whatever she chooses to write. But I am not hoping for more. Harry Potter was a phenomenon, special to the place and time in which it was released. As we await the last movie, reflecting the final chapter of the story, there is a bittersweet feeling that you get at the end of a long and wonderful journey. You might go back and retrace your steps, but the journey will never be the same. The wonder of discovery comes only the first time around.

And there was a sort of innocence that allowed children and adults alike to love the Harry Potter stories. Somewhere along the way, the innocence has dimmed a bit. It is not that we are jaded, exactly, but time and technology have changed so much from the time of the release of the first Harry Potter book. We live in a different world than the one that existed in 1997.

So, as much as I would love to dress up as Professor McGonagall again and fill my big black cauldron with jelly beans, I think that Harry Potter should remain frozen in time. I look forward to introducing new generations of readers to the books, and hanging out on rainy weekends watching all the movies in a row. I will enjoy the photos and memories of many happy book release parties. And I will keep my fingers crossed that lightning will strike again and that in a pub in Ireland or a coffee shop in Minneapolis a writer is writing a story that will grab a generation and take them on an amazing ride.

Falling Leaves

2010-10-05T13:05:00.000-04:00

I always think that the new year should start in September. Here in Westhampton, the summer ends with a bang on Labor Day and everything changes. Suddenly there are places to park at Waldbaums, school lunches to pack, fewer customers to serve and a completely different feel to the world. Even when the warm weather lingers on, a sea change has come and you can feel it.

So I have been thinking of some autumn resolutions to take into this new season. I have great plans for innovations and promotions at The Open Book, but I am making resolutions of a more personal nature. I am making resolutions about books.

You see, I am up to my ears in books. I have books everywhere in my life. Of course, the store is filled with books. But my car is also filled with books, as is my house. So this year I am going to do what librarians do and "weed" my library. Here are the questions that I am going to ask myself when deciding whether to keep a book.

1. Do you love it? (This is the easy one.....if you really truly love it, it must stay)
2. Is it autographed and do you like the author enough to care?
3. Has time, dust or the bunny rabbit caused damage to this book?
4. Are you really going to get around to reading it someday or are you fooling yourself?
5. Does it belong to someone else? (If so....it is going to its rightful home. I will no longer be a book thief)
6. Did it make you laugh or cry? (If it can evoke emotion, it is probably a keeper)
7. Would someone else be really happy to read it? (Give it away....sharing books is a joy)

I am sure there are more questions I should ask. But if I spend anymore time making lists of questions, the books will never be culled and you will someday find me lying beneath piles of books, looking like the Wicked Witch of the East under Dorothy's house, without the cute shoes.....

Happy New Year

2010-09-10T18:26:00.017-04:00

I just changed some of my settings on this blog and this reposted with today's date. Well it is Rosh Hashanah, so shana tova and enjoy a reprint of my January post!

Welcome to a new year of reading! Once again I am going to keep a list of the books I have read this year. I hope you enjoy looking at the list and reading my mini-reviews. Looking back at 2009, I enjoyed remembering all the good books I read. I know that this year will bring some books to fall in love with, some books that surprise me and some real page turners. Here we go....

1. The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny (My 3rd Inspector Gamache book. I really enjoy Penny's writing and the mysteries are intriguing)
2. Mr. Dixon Disappears by Ian Sansome (Quirky little mysteries with a kind of pathetic main character)
3. Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott (I love Lamott's writing style but this is a tough book for the mother of teenagers - beautiful and sad)
4. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde (Odd Science Fiction book by the author of the Thursday Next series)
5. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny (I just love this series....)
6. Apple Turnover Murders by Joanne Fluke (silly, cozy mysteries...perfect for a snowy day)
7. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (I told you I am hooked on these.)
8. Where's My Wand by Eric Poole (For fans of Augusten Burroughs and David Sedaris)
9. The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival by Ken Wheaton (Quirky, funny, just good)
10. The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (Great YA mythological adventure)
11. Reckless by Andrew Gross (Good page turner, realistic likeable characters)
12. Bite Me by Christopher Moore (Funny vampires, vampire cats, and San Francisco)
13. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (A parable that makes you think; simple yet powerful)
14. Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman (A literary mystery with interesting characters)

15. Finny by Justin Kramon (If you love Dickens and John Irving, you will love this one)

16. Libertad by Alma Fullerton (A prose poetry book that will break your heart)

17. Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen (A cozy English mystery with flappers)

18. Welcome to Shirley by Kelly McMasters (Brookhaven Laboratory and Shirley in the 80's)

19. The Mapmakers Wife by Robert Whitaker (True adventure.....nonfiction for a change!)

20. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin (Purely enjoyable chick lit)

21. Becoming Jane Eyre by Sheila Kohler (Beautifully written fictionalized memoir of Charlotte Bronte)

22. The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Great time travel/historical fiction. I could not put it down)

23. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen (Southern Magical realism...so good)

24. The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz (What!? This is the end of the Spellman series? NOOOO)

25. Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill (Darkly funny look at the life of a reluctant Laotian coroner)

26. House Rules by Jodi Picoult (Great story and I feel like I learned alot about Aspergers)

27. Knit, Purl, Die by Anne Canadeo (good, cozy read)

28. State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy (ditto)

29. A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody keeps travelling and stirring up trouble)

30. The God of the Hive by Laurie King (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes continue to solve crimes together)

31. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse cavorts with vampires, werewolves and fairies)

32. You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up by Annabelle Gurwitch and Jeff Kahn (Funny look at a marriage between two pretty neurotic people)

33. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender ( Haunting, beautiful writing, great characters.....read this!)

34. Women Food and God by Geneen Roth ( An interesting approach to food issues)

34. Little Bee by Chris Cleaves (Intense, very very good)

35. Still Sucks To Be Me by Kimberly Pauley (Fun teen vampire book)

36. Stitches by David Small (Powerful graphic novel)

37. Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser (subtitle says it all: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow)

38. The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine ( I loved the modern day Austen story)

39. Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell (Beautiful affecting memoir of friendship)

40. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (Great YA road trip novel)

41. Tinkers by Paul Harding (beautiful writing, confusing but wonderful)

42. Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich (perfect beach read.....you have to love Grandma Mazur)
43. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler (the original hard-boiled detective novel)
44. A Mountain of Crumbs by Elena Gorokhova (Fascinating memoir of a childhood in Russia)

45. The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer (Funny and pointed, great writing)

46. Pride and Avarice by Nicolas Coleridge (Funny take on modern English society)

47. A Brush with Death by Elizabeth Duncan (Cozy Welsh mystery)

48. Brava Valentine by Adriana Trigiani (I loved this book....Valentine is a great character)

49. Tales from the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell (light and fluffy)

50. In Harm's Way by Ridley Pearson (A good mystery but a little confusing)

51. Our Kind of Traitor by John Le Carré (Thumbs down, I am sorry to say)

52. Amagansett by Mark Mills (History and mystery and the east end of Long Island!)

53. Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane (So, so, so good......buy this one when it comes out!)
54. Dead Line by Stella Rimington ( Another great MI5 story)
55. Room by Emma Donoghue (disturbing, beautifully written story)
56. The Life and Opinions of Amy Finawitz by Laura Toffler-Corrie (cute, ya, New York story)
57. The Viognier Vendetta by Ellen Crobsy (good, almost a cozy)
58. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (great ending to my new favorite YA series)
59. The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass (beautifully written, character driven story)
60. Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult (one of my favorites.... )
61. The Trinity Six by Charles Cumming (more British spies....page turner)
62. Graceling by Kristin Cashore (good YA fantasy)
63. The Rembrandt Affair by Daniel Silva (Gabriel Allon is back and better than ever)
64. Black Echo by Michael Connelly (the first Harry Bosch book.....hardboiled page turner)
65. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger (interesting graphic novel)
66. Overture to Death by Ngaio Marsh (Agatha Christie-esque mystery)
67. A Lonely Death by Charles Todd (Post WWI mystery, shell shock, serial killer and English countryside)
68. Up From the Blue by Susan Henderson (Beautifully written, emotional and fabulous characters)
69. No! I Don't Want to Join a Bookclub by Virginia Ironside (Hilarious, especially if you are a woman of a certain age....)
70. The Sentry by Robert Crais (Joe Pike and Elvis Cole......a great pairing)
71. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (YA story of teenage hackers and the Department of Homeland Security.....really good)
72. The Uncoupling by Meg Wolitzer (Wicked humor, suburban life, intelligent characters)
73. Worth Dying For by Lee Child (Jack Reacher lives!)
74. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (A re-read in time for the movie....made me cry the second time)
75. A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym (Comforting, English, vicars and lots of tea)
76. Plea of Insanity by Jilliane Hoffman (Legal and Psychological Thriller)
77. I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron (Funny, one-hour read)
78. Silent Mercy by Linda Fairstein (ehhh.....)
79. How Did You Get This Number? by Sloane Crosley (laugh out loud funny)
80. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James (good classic mystery)
81. Good Eggs by Phoebe Potts (lovely graphic novel about infertility.....really)
82. Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry (makes you want to visit Salem....great characters)
83. The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey (good, noirish mystery.....loved the writing)
84. The Fifth Floor by Michael Harvery (just as good as the first)
85. Fire and Ice by Dana Stabenow (OK. Alaska setting is interesting)
86. Strange Return of Sherlock Holmes by Barry Grant (great!!0

Lollygagging

2010-09-03T17:37:00.007-04:00

I have gotten terribly behind on my reading. The chaos of the summer, getting the girls ready for school....oh, you have heard all my excuses before. But here it is September and I have only read 52 books this year. Will I ever make 100?? Stay tuned.

I am tempted to dive into Jonathan Franzen's Freedom despite its immense length and my limited time. The Corrections is one of those novels that I still remember years after I read it. I am not sure that I would say that it is a novel that I loved, but it certainly made an impression on me. Early reviews of Freedom and a quick reading of the first chapter have intrigued me. I am also interested in the debate over whether this book would be classified as "women's fiction" had it been written by a woman. Jason Pinter, one of my favorite mystery authors, interviewed two prominent women authors, Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Weiner, in the Huffington Post regarding their views on this debate.

A book that I did take time to read this summer and truly loved was Lets Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell. I wrote a long review of it for the Rogers Memorial Library "By the Book" blog. I love this book for its fine writing and lovely description of a friendship. If you have a chance to pick it up, please do.

So I need to stop writing and start reading! Come by the store and tell me what you have read that you loved this summer.

And, as always, keep those pages turning.....

Turning a Page

2010-08-27T17:50:00.013-04:00

I remember lying in my bed reading Little Women the night before I went to college . Little Women is a "comfort" book for me, as much as mashed potatoes are a comfort food. I called out to my mother that maybe I had made a mistake and I should stay home. She reminded me to set my alarm clock because we were leaving early in the morning.

Tonight I am wandering around looking for a copy of Little Women. Today I dropped my older daughter off at college. As we drove away and I saw her standing on the sidewalk holding a bag of hangers, I thought, "Wait....I'm not done." But while I hope to have many years of parenting ahead of me, there is a part of my job with Rachel that is done. Today she turned a page in her life.

Since she and many of her friends practically grew up at The Open Book, I have been thinking alot about the books that have defined their childhood years and the lessons they might have learned from the pages they have turned.

One of the first children's events that we celebrated at The Open Book was the birthday of Ludwig Bemelman's Madeline. We had cake and took pictures with a giant Madeline doll and read the book over and over again. By the end of the day I could chant by heart, "In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines....." I have always loved Madeline because although she is the smallest, she is brave and plucky and joyful.

Picture books gave way to chapter books and for the kids that are going off to college this year, that meant The Magic Tree House series. I still love to recommend this series to early readers. Jack and Annie, brother and sister, take care of each other as they travel back in time and in and out of reality. The sense of adventure celebrated by these books, as well as the safety and comfort of returning home, speaks to many young readers venturing into the world outside their homes.

Then came Harry Potter! This generation was the lucky one to grow up with Harry. I remember the anticipation of the release of the latest book. The excitement about what would happen at Hogwarts. Unwittingly, the kids absorbed epic storylines and difficult vocabulary as they matured with Harry, Hermoine and Ron. We celebrated by dressing up as the characters, eating gallons of jelly beans, and staying up really late to finish the latest book. Harry teaches kids about courage and standing up for your convictions when others believe you are wrong. Ron showed us that the one who may seem to be the silliest can be your best friend when times are tough. My favorite, though I should not admit it, is Hermoine. She is brainy and a little neurotic, but she will pull you through the the hardest times with intelligence and heart.

Before I knew it, those litte kids that loved the Magic Tree House were reading Catcher in the Rye, Slaughterhouse-Five, Les Miserables and Jane Eyre. When I saw those books going out the door of The Open Book, I knew that soon their readers would be going out into the world.

That day has come for many of the young readers who I have watched grow up over the years. It it right down the road for many others. To all of you I wish the joy of Madeline, the adventures of Jack and Annie and the courage of Harry Potter. I wish you years of wonderful books and good friends to share them with.

Keep turning those pages.......

Don't Forget The Books....

2010-08-17T11:04:00.003-04:00

A New York Times article that came out today speaks of the struggle of The Open Book against the newer, bigger bookstore down the street. While it has been a challenge and we have worked hard to come up with many ways to draw people just around the corner, what is really important is what happens when you walk in the door of our cozy little shop.

For me and for the employees of The Open Book, what has always been important is matching readers with books. We are readers and we take great joy in that activity. To be able to share that joy with others is what made me want to be a bookseller over 11 years ago. Jessica, the manager of The Open Book, takes the publisher's catalogs with her on vacation. She is always looking for that book that people will fall in love with. Rachel, Sara, Danielle, Vincent, Bret, L.J. and Richard all work hard to make sure that the adults and children who walk in our door find a book that will make their day a little more entertaining or interesting.

We are proud of the work we do. We know that The Open Book is a bit of an anachronism in a world of big box stores that have a million titles. We are a little store and we do not always have every book. But if you tell us what kind of books you like, we will do our best to find you something new that you will enjoy. Or if you have your heart set on that book that is not in stock, we will get it for you as quickly as possible and drop it off at your door if you live nearby.

I do not think any of us would fight so hard to protect the store if we sold screwdrivers or hats. Books are not just a product to us. We know that a book can bring comfort or make someone laugh or sometimes even change a life. Putting the right book in the right hand is what we strive to do and what we love to do. After all the talk of author appearances, story times, balloons, and sandwich boards, what really matters is connecting people with books.

Life in Verse

2010-07-25T21:36:00.006-04:00

For the last two weeks, I have been in book-lover's heaven. The Open Book was lucky enough to be asked to be the bookseller for the Southampton Writers Conference. Jessica and I carted a ton of books to the Stony Brook - Southampton campus and set up a little satellite bookstore stocked with books by the faculty of the conference.

As we took turns taking care of the mini-bookstore we saw some talented and amazing authors wander through: Elizabeth Strout, Colson Whitehead, Meg Wolitzer, Melissa Bank, Julie Sheehan, Roger Rosenblatt, Peter Hedges, Elena Gorokhova, Helen Simonson, Justin Kramon, Ursula Hegi and Jules Feiffer just to name a few. Oh, I know I

am name dropping but I was totally star struck by these people who have given me many happy hours with their books. I tried not to stammer as I sold books to people who put their hearts into the books that I sell. The conference participants, aspiring writers and poets, were full of creative energy - interesting and friendly. I cannot wait to sell their work.

One of the highlights of the conference for me was the chance to hear Billy Collins speak and read from his work. I love poetry and I love Billy Collin's poetry especially. Some of his poems make you laugh out loud and others bring a fuzzy nostalgia for love long past. It was a special treat during a busy summer.

Of Graduations and Butterflies

2010-06-29T00:33:00.005-04:00

I have been to several graduation ceremonies in the last few days. The speeches were heartfelt and touched on the themes so common to this rite of passage: following your dreams, reaching for the stars, remembering your roots. But my favorite quote of all came from the valedictorian of the high school who cited Joseph Campbell's "follow your bliss".

It seems like a simple concept at first and so similar to the other statements about goals for your life. But, I think that Campbell;s direction may be a bit more complicated. It may mean different things at different times in your life. As a young person it might inspire you to take a backpack and tour Europe or learn to make pottery. Now that I am older, it strikes me that "bliss" can sometimes encompass pain or difficulty. In pursuing your bliss you may have to give up some things of value. Bliss does not always come with regular hours or high pay. Pursuing your bliss may cause people to sometimes question your sanity.

Which brings me around again to The Open Book. The one thing I know for sure (as Oprah would say) is that the most important thing in my life is my family. But my "Bliss" is my love of books and the joy of sharing that love with others. I have done that through many years at the bookstore and more recently, as a librarian. It is the nerdiest bliss that you can imagine, really, but I feel a shot of pure joy when I connect someone with a book that I think will touch them.

This year we have moved and we are now faced with a fancy new store down the block. There are moments when my concern about location and sales and competition seem to take over. Then one of my customers who I have watched grow from a young kid to a man bound for college asks me to find a book that will touch his emotions. Another asks for a book that will change his life. A tired woman says to find her something that will make her laugh.....she justs wants to laugh a little. And my bliss calls to me. I lose myself in the hunt for that book that just might make one cry, another think and another chuckle out loud. Despite that fact that sometime it is not easy....I count myself lucky to do what I do.

A few years ago there was a new musical called "The Story of My Life". It was about a writer and a bookstore owner. One of the songs from that show is one that I think fits the theme of graduation and of following your bliss. If you have a few minutes, listen to this song sung by Will Chase and think of your bliss and the journey of the butterfly.

Is It Too Graphic?

2010-06-15T23:08:00.003-04:00

I have always been a bit of a snob about graphic novels. I mean really, aren't they just fancy comic books masquerading as literature? Well, I guess it is time to admit that I can be wrong. ( I hear the sound of my children gasping in the background.....)

Stitches by David Small is a powerful memoir told partially with words and partially with images. Mr. Small has told the story of his very dysfunctional family and his painful childhood by using the simple and elegant drawings that illustrate the children's books that may be more familiar to his readers. He illuminates the starkness and lack of emotion of his mother and the distance of his father. He tells the story of a child who is not told of the cancer that has ravaged his body because it is not something that he needs to know. He tells of finding that person who will hear him and see him, for the first time in his life.

This is a powerful and affecting story told with pictures and words. I cannot imagine it being told in any other way.

Because Oprah Told Me To.....

2010-06-04T17:44:00.004-04:00

Like many booksellers, I owe a debt of gratitude to Oprah Winfrey. When I started selling books in 1999, Oprah's Book Club was in its heyday and I anxiously awaited the announcement of her next book. Even in the bleakest February, I was sure to sell some books if Oprah said that book was what should be read. Oprah has made authors famous and taught non-readers to love to read. Oprah is the patron saint of booksellers.

I have a confession to make. I have not always loved the books that Oprah has chosen for her Book Club. Many of them, while very well written, are dark and depressing. The recurring themes of dysfunctional families, violence against women and children and struggles against poverty are sometimes overwhelming. Call me shallow, but I often choose to turn to mystery, fantasy and lighter fare when choosing pleasure reading.

Recently, Oprah has been talking about a book called Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth. Immediately, I decided there were two strikes against this book.....1) Oprah says I must read it and 2) it is a self-help book. But somehow, its tidy little blue/gray cover with its beckoning landscape called to me and I took this book home. And I have to admit it, Oprah was kind of right.

Roth talks about how for many people food is a numbing agent, much like drugs or alcohol. People will use food to distract themselves from dealing with their feelings or facing the world. Roth puts forth her theories with strength and gentle humor. Despite the title, there is no religious agenda. For Roth, "God" refers to whatever spiritual other a person may recognize.
I found this book to be enlightening and interesting. I learned some things and did not feel condescended to or belittled.

Lesson for the day: You should not judge a book by the person that promotes it!

Keep turning those pages.......

Women of Mystery

2010-05-11T17:20:00.007-04:00

For some reason, I am on a total mystery bender. All I want is to read about is murder and intrigue and things that go bump in the night. So I decided that I would just give in and wallow in as many mysteries as I wanted. Several of the books in my line up feature female sleuths in exotic places and times. If you want to follow some great women of mystery, I suggest:

River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters. Once again, Amelia Peabody finds herself in dangerous circumstances. Emerson, Ramses and Nefret are determined to keep an inept adventurer from destroying precious archeological finds. This time, the group is not in their beloved Egypt, but instead has travelled to Jerusalem. The cast of characters is familiar, as is Amelia's brisk wit and deadly parasol. Although I would not quite characterize this as a "cozy", it is a fun and relaxing read.

The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear. Maisie Dobbs returns to help an American couple track down the girlfriend of their son, a cartographer, who was killed in the war. Ms. Winspear captures the spirit of postwar England and the changes in society as she tells the tale of an investigation that combines both traditional and unusual techniques.

The God of the Hive by Laurie King. This story picks up from the end of the previous Laurie King book, The Language of Bees. Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes must somehow save Holmes' son and granddaughter while trying to locate a missing Mycroft Holmes. There are plenty of twists and turns and enough of Sherlock Holmes' famous deductions to satisfy the Arthur Conan Doyle fan. The aging of both Mycroft and Sherlock add an interesting twist to the story, as does the addition of an intriguing, shellshocked soldier from the Great War.

If you are in a mystery mood, I would recommend any of these good books. Keep turning those pages!

Suprised by Sci Fi

2010-04-13T12:33:00.002-04:00

I have never been an avid science fiction reader. When I was growing up, I read Ray Bradbury and all of the Dune books. But in my adult reading years, I very rarely turn to the science fiction genre.

So I approached The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis with a bit of skepticism. Two of my fellow librarians assured me that I would love it. But really, Sci Fi? Wasn’t that for those people who know about science and space and math? Of course, I absolutely loved it and was once again reminded to not judge a book by its cover, or its genre for that matter.

The Doomsday Book takes place in Oxford in the near future when time travel is possible, but not yet a perfect science. Kivrin a bright and adventurous young student wants to travel to the 14th century. James Dunworthy, her professor, is concerned that Kivrin is not completely prepared to travel to this period that has not yet been visited. He is further concerned that “slippage” during the actual time travel will put her in a time and place of danger. Kivrin is granted permission to undertake this adventure but minutes after she is sent off, the technician who facilitated her time travel falls ill with a mysterious virus.

The book switches between Oxford in 2054 and England in the Middle Ages. Nothing goes as expected as illness, quarantines, and miscommunications ensue. This book is filled with interesting characters, some humorous, some extremely annoying. The story flies along as you read faster to find out what happens to both Kivrin and Professor Dunworthy.

This is an older book, written in 1992. It is still available in paperback and at your local library. I encourage you to dip your toes into the science fiction genre with this great read!

Little Shop Around the Corner

2010-03-23T18:12:00.004-04:00

Do you remember the movie "You've Got Mail"? For years, people have been coming into The Open Book and saying that it reminds them of that movie. I have always laughed and said that I hoped that I would not have to close my store because a big bookstore is coming into town. Well, it is not Barnes and Noble or Borders, but a new bookstore is coming to Westhampton Beach and it is backed by a former publisher (Jack McKeown of Perseus Book Group) with lots of contacts and resources not available to most.

Westhampton Beach has always been, in my experience, a town where the merchants do their best to support each other. We try not to carry competing lines because we want to offer our summer visitors a variety. Yes, we are in competition for the limited tourist dollar, but in general, we work together so that we all may stay in business and be successful.

We are a small village that at one time supported two bookstores. Things have changed in the bookselling business and in these days of big box stores and ebooks, it is difficult for any independent bookstore to survive. I am not ashamed to admit that I am nervous and feel that my business is being threatened.

I realize that anyone can open a bookstore. I do not have the monopoly on bookselling for the village of Westhampton Beach. I also realize that just because something is legal, it does not necessarily follow that it is right.

So I am asking those of you who have visited us over the years to keep buying your books at The Open Book. Please let people know that we still have the knowledge and enthusiasm about books that have always distinguished us. Please pass the word that we are just around the corner and have every intention of staying there for as long as we can.

As always, thanks for your kindness and support

What Happened to February?

2010-03-19T16:00:00.005-04:00

Oh, it has been mad crazy lately (as one of the kids might say). The holidays flew by, a quick vacation and then it was time to move the store to 1 Glovers Lane. This is the second move for The Open Book and you would think that we would have learned some lessons the first time around. Well we did learn to move the shelves first and then the books. But the rest was just as chaotic as it could be...but in the nicest way.

On a snowy/sleety/rainy weekend over 45 of the most wonderful people in the world came to Westhampton to help us move. Boxes and books and toys and bags and Stuff were packed and moved. We ate pizza and quesidillas and drank tons of German Deli ice tea. We celebrated our first annual Bake-off and laughed alot. I continue to be grateful for all of the people who love the bookstore. I think I can safely say that The Open Book (and its owner) loves you right back.

So here is a picture of the new place and I promise to get back to blogging about books soon. Check my previous post for the updated list of my 2010 books.

Christmas on Main Street (a/k/a - Mrs. Claus is losing her voice and the elves have frostbite)

2009-12-13T14:07:00.007-05:00

In this case, a few photos may actually be worth a thousand words:

HAPPY HOLIDAY AND A MERRY NEW YEAR!

Anticipation

2009-12-09T18:44:00.005-05:00

I have an enviable life, surrounded by books and people that love them. Two such people are Helen Simonson and Justin Kramon. Helen has been a customer of The Open Book for years and Justin was my very first employee. Both of them have books coming out in the new year and I can't wait to sell them and "name drop" like crazy.

Helen's book is entitled Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. I just fell in love with Major Pettigrew. He is the type of old school English gentleman that is baffled by the direction the modern world has taken. His relationship with his family members and the villagers of Edgecombe St. Mary are so beautifully described that you feel you know each person. The lovely friendship that develops between Mrs. Ali and the Major is charming without being cloying. The reaction of the villagers who have known the Major for most of his life are interesting and sometimes maddening. The Major's inate goodness and Mrs. Ali's dry wit and quiet rebelliousness are heartwarming. I hated to see this book end.

Justin's book Finny is being published by Random House in July. It has been described as a Dickensian adventure, a love story and the coming of age tale of a very unusual young woman. I am so looking forward to reading this book. I will post a picture of the cover and more information soon.

There are so many things to look forward to in 2010. Anticipating all the wonderful books I will read and all the new people that will walk in the door makes me welcome the future. And of course, time spent with family and familiar friends is something I am grateful for daily. I wish you all happy holidays.

Reading and Writing

2009-11-23T14:12:00.007-05:00

I have learned that it is much easier to read 100 books in a year than it is to write 50,000 words in a month. The Diary of an Invisible Woman hit about 4,000 words and then was lost in a storm of things to do and other excuses. Maybe next November I will try again. At the rate I am going, it will take ten years to write this thing.

On the bright side, I just finished reading my 97th book and am heading into the home stretch. I have enjoyed so many of the books I read this year and even loved a few. Since I cannot remember what I had for breakfast, it is especiallly nice to have the list to remind me of my reading.

Wishing everyone the happiest of Thanksgivings, filled with turkey and family and friends and, of course, a few stolen minutes to read a good book!

On Black Friday

2009-11-20T12:27:00.002-05:00

don't forget to shop at your local stores!

Happy NaNoWriMo

2009-11-06T09:26:00.004-05:00

Yes, November is National Novel Writing Month. The goal is to write a 175 page novel between November 1st and midnight, November 30th. Check out the fun website to learn more about the crazy people who put this together. The NaNoWriMo people emphasize that it does not have to be a good novel. You just have to write lots of words. The describe it as the Great Frantic Novel.

So, in my spare time, I have decided that it would be fun to participate. I will try to figure out how to link this blog with whatever I write. Just as a teaser, I think that the title will be Diary of an Invisible Woman. I wish it was as easy to write pages as it is to write titles!

So far I have written three pages. Only 172 to go. Check back and see how its going....

Price Wars and Really Good Books

2009-10-21T19:02:00.008-04:00

It has been a long time since I have taken the time to write for this blog. The bookstore, the library, the kids, etc. I know... excuses, excuses.

The last few days I have been following the "Price Wars" between Walmart, Amazon and Target with respect to bestselling books. For some reason these behemoths are falling over each other to sell books at a loss. Now Sears has gotten into the act. If you show a receipt showing that you have purchased one of these bestsellers for 75% off, you can get a discount at Sears. Really? Is this really a good business model? Is it designed to drive us little guys out of business so that they can sell books at full price again? Is it just a way to get people to say "I will buy this new book at a discount and, oh by the way, I need to buy a new microwave and some power tools as well?"

I am not enough of a sophisticated business person to have a clue about how this works or why they are doing this. Newsday ran an article about how local booksellers feel about this and there does not seem to be a consensus. What I do know, is that I do not equate books with microwave ovens. Books are not a product to me. I value books and feel that they are worth the money charged for them. Authors struggle to write words that will sing to us, to make us cry, to make us feel young or old, to take us away from our everyday lives. Publishers work hard to bind those words in attractive packages that stand proudly on shelves and to get the word out about these treasures. Booksellers work hard to match those books with their customers. All of this has a value that deserves to be honored.

So enough about prices. Let's talk about some really good books.

I am currently enamored with a series of books by Suzanne Collins. These books have been marketed as young adult novels, but they are great reads for any age.

The first is The Hunger Games, in which we are introduced to Katniss and the people of her district. The time is in the future, when the United States is divided into twelve districts; poverty and hunger affects all but those who live in the Capitol. Once a year, a girl and a boy from each district is chosen to compete in the Hunger Games, in which the children are pitted against each other. They must fight until only one remains alive. This book is fast-paced and the characters are well drawn and appealing. You will be holding your breath until the end.

The next book in this series is Catching Fire. I cannot tell you too much about this book without giving away what happens in the first book. I can tell you that Katniss' actions in the first book result in unrest among the twelve districts and there are repercussions for all of the people of the country, as well as for Katniss and her friends and family. This book ends in such a way that you will want to email the author and tell her to write faster so you can find out what happens next. The New York Times critic, Gabrielle Zevin, says that Collins has written a sequel that improves on the first book.

I have read so many good books so far this year. If you go back to my April 17th post, you will see how I am progressing on completing my 100+ Reading Challenge. I think I just might make it!

I wish you a good Autumn, with time to read some really good books.

Art Critic in Minature

2009-09-06T18:24:00.006-04:00

I was just about to leave the bookstore for the day when a nice family came up to the counter with their purchases. I asked the little boy, who was maybe 4 years old, if he was going to go to school soon. He got kind of a panicked look on his face and said, "No....I don't want to go to school. I don't want to learn about Keith Haring!!!"

I looked at his parents and said, "So, he really doesn't like Keith Haring, huh?" The mom said that he really disliked Keith Haring's work and then encouraged the tiny little boy to tell me his favorite artist.

"Mo -Dig-Li-Ahhh- Ni" was the extremely serious reply.

Apparently he also is fond of Jackson Pollock's splatter paintings.

Only in the Hamptons?

If J.K. Rowling Got Really Cranky......

2009-09-02T19:03:00.003-04:00

The Magicians by Lev Grossman is not a fantasy book for children. The characters, especially the main character, Quentin Coldwater, are journeying through some dark nights of the soul in search of happiness. The students at the college of magic in this book are not the same idealistic, young witches and wizards that matriculate at Hogwarts. The students at Brakebills are, for the most part, brilliant misfits who have to work extremely hard to master their skills. Their down time is spent drinking, smoking, experimenting sexually and agonizing over their futures. There is no fatherlike, Dumbledore figure to watch over them.

So why did I like this book so much? I enjoyed the characters, both human and magical. I appreciated the slightly sarcastic references to both the Harry Potter books and The Chronicles of Narnia. As much as I loved those books as a child (and still enjoy them as an adult), the ease in which the characters enter into the magical worlds seems false. And yes, I know this is all make-believe; but it still shouldn't be that simple.

Quentin is a character that is sometimes annoying in his prolonged adolescence. But ultimately, your heart hurts a little for him. His preoccupation with the magical world of Fillory sets him apart from his friends in Brooklyn. Once at Brakebills, he makes friends and discovers that his joke store magic is all show and no substance. He works hard and learns, he undergoes trials, he suffers pain.

This is not a light book, not a foray into a magical world where nothing truly bad will happen.

The Magicians is a story that will haunt you.

Religious Experience

2009-08-14T18:30:00.008-04:00

I was not raised in a religious household. We celebrated Christmas and Easter, but it was really all about the presents and the tree and the chocolate bunnies. God did not play a big role in the family. As an adult, I am a questioning Episcopalian who attends church services very sporadically (ok....almost never).

So it was with some interest that I approached three books that I recently read. Two of the books were memoirs by women of Christian religions that fall a bit outside the mainstream and the third was written by a well known author about a rabbi and a minister. All three deal with faith and its importance in some shape or form.

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen is my first foray into the humorous, religious memoir genre. Janzen writes about her return to her Mennonite family after her husband leaves her for a man named Bob who he met on Gay.com and, adding insult to injury, she is injured in a car accident. This book is funny and at time, sweetly sad. Janzen captures the quirkiness of her family and the issues that arise when you return to a family that keeps traditions and follows rules that you left behind.

The second book is The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker. This book chronicles Elna Baker's search for love and God and the truth in New York City. It also chronicles a family that is sometimes bizarre, Elna's enormous weight loss and lots of kissing. The author is a stand up comic and skilled storyteller . Her descriptions of her ill-fated attempts at dating and her post-weight loss family vacation will have you rolling. Her sincere believe in God and her religion are refreshing and somehow, innocent.

Finally, I had a sleepless night last night and I picked up the advance readers copy of the new Mitch Albom book, Have a Little Faith: A True Story. By 3am, I had finished the book and had tears running down my face. Mitch Albom's tender depiction of two "Men of God" and the meaning of faith and religion in both of their lives struck a chord with me. Rabbi Albert Lewis' tuneful and joyful approach to life is a lesson to everyone. And Pastor Henry Covington is an inspiration and a hope for many.

After reading these books I did not have an epiphany, nor did I hear the voice of God booming. But I though a lot about faith and family and what makes for a full happy life. I decided to remember the importance of being satisfied. I was reminded of how essential hope is. If books can inspire that, it is good enough for me.

Westhampton Beach in the Summer

2009-08-08T08:05:00.003-04:00

It is Richard's birthday in a few days, and all bookstore employees get a cake baked by Sara for their birthday. Unfortunately, we are out of stuff to make frosting, so an early morning trip to Waldbaums was required this morning.

I do every thing I can to avoid going to our local grocery store. It is poorly stocked, badly lighted, expensive and the people that work there are surly, at best. But I thought that 7:30am on a Saturday would be bearable. I thought wrong. There were hordes of people, including screaming children in pajamas and people who probably never went to bed last night. There was a line at the checkout and the man in front of me tried to take my bagels. Way too much stimulation and interaction for that early in the morning.

Back safely in the minivan, I headed for home, a straight mile down South Road, a quick turn and then safely in my driveway. This is what I encountered on my journey:

A little man in tennis whites "jogging" down the road. His running style was reminiscent of a high school majorette, arms pumping and knees popping up to heaven enthusiastically. His eyes were on the horizon and his face carried a dogged determination.

Two working men on bicycles on one side of the road, pumping hard on the pedals of their old bikes, while on the other side a scrum of brightly costumed cyclers took up half of the road on bicycles that probably cost more than the other two guys make in months.

Finally, a peacock. Yes, a peacock, wandering aimlessly around the center of the road. I stopped and waited patiently while he (it was a he, fancy feathers and all) decided whether to head north or south.

I have really earned my morning coffee today........

The Guys

2009-08-01T14:39:00.006-04:00

First of all, what happened to July? I turned around and fell into August. Somewhere along the way, I read some good books. Two of my favorite are by men who have sometimes been categorized as "Guy Writers". This does not refer to the obvious fact that they are men, but to their usual fans. I think that, although they do speak in the language of younger men, their appeal is wider than that. So, I want to tell you about their new books.

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby is the story of a musician of some popularity who disappeared from sight almost overnight and the people who have become obsessed with his life and his music. The characters are sometimes funny, sometimes a little pathetic, including the iconic musician. Along the way, illusions are shattered, self-perception is altered and everyone involved learns a bit about love. This book comes out in September, and is a perfect autumn read as it leaves you with a sense of longing for things past.

This is Where I Leave You is the story of one of the most charmingly, annoying, dysfunctional families in literature. Judd Foxman's father has died and has made a final request that his family sit shiva for him. Judd, his sister, his two brothers, his mother and assorted inlaws and neighbors are crammed together for seven days. And oh yes, Judd's wife has just left him for his shock-jock boss. Relationships are kindled and revisted, lovers come together and fall apart and every conceivable relationship (parent, child, wife, sibling, friend) is tested. This is not a soap opera. It is a smart and funny and occasionally painful look at what happens when we leave our twenties behind and have to face our families, and our pasts, as adults.

Enjoy what is left of the summer. I hope your summer reading has been as pleasurable as mine.

Cannery Row

2009-06-29T17:51:00.008-04:00

The Open Book's classic bookclub just finished reading Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. I have always been a Steinbeck fan, but my admiration has deepened with this odd book. The opening line is " Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem , a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream." From this line Steinbeck goes on to tell a story of the people of Cannery Row, some of whom are down and out, some of whom are dreamers, some of whom are whores. It is a beautiful mish mash of a story held together by the glue of the Chinese grocery owner and Doc, the collector of marine and other specimens. Some of the other memorable characters are Mack, Eddie, Dora (the town madam) and an enigmatic character known only as "The Chinaman". Steinbeck once said that he wanted the book to have the qualities of a tide pool. I think that he succeeded, because the stories change as the time passes and you read on. This is a great book to read on a lazy summer afternoon.

Bloomsday

2009-06-16T22:22:00.002-04:00

Happy Bloomsday! Every year on June 16th, people from around the world celebrate the genius of James Joyce. The protaganist of Joyce's Ulysses was a character named Leopold Bloom - thus, Bloomsday.

I would like to say that I have read Ulysses, but I don't want to lie. I have always found James Joyce to be a little intimidating. I did, however, just finish the most wonderful book in which the main character was named after Leopold Bloom. In celebration of that book, I am honoring this day with a review.

Pat Conroy's South of Broad will not be published for a few more months, but I was lucky enough to get my hands on a galley of the book. I have been a Pat Conroy fan for years, loving both Beach Music and The Prince of Tides. I love his writing and feel that his descriptions of place put you right there. But it has been a while since I read him and I wondered if the older me would be touched by his writing.

The book is truly wonderful. I fall in love with books on occasion and this one has me head over heels. The characters, the setting, the heart-wrenching love between parent and child and husband and wife, the long, long friendships, the beauty of Charleston, the cruelty of people and nature all combine to form that gem of a book that haunts you long past the turning of the last page.

Book: The Sequel

2009-06-01T18:25:00.006-04:00

Well, I have finally been published! Book: The Sequel is a book full of imagined first sentences to imaginary classic book sequels. The publisher asked for submissions and I was notified today that my sequel to Pride and Predjudice and its first line will be included in the final product. Unfortunately, I have no memory of the title or that first sentence. I guess it will be a surprise for all of us! The book will cost $9.95 and the proceeds will be donated by the publisher to the National Book Foundation. Look for it at The Open Book soon...

BEA 2009

2009-05-31T15:07:00.003-04:00

Somewhere in this throng are a few foot-weary representatives of The Open Book. This year's annual BookExpo was a bit more subdued than previous years, but it was still a mass of booksellers and books and authors and librarians and, and, and... I came home with some great new books, and some orders for new products for the store. I was even quoted in Publisher's Weekly about Pat Conroy's new book. I got to meet Sara Dessen and Eileen Goudge and Nancy Grace and Sherman Alexie. As alway, meeting the authors whose work rests on the shelves of the store is a thrill.

This event gives me a sense of excitement about bookselling and reading. And although it has been a rough year for The Open Book and a rough year for the publishing industry (lets face it, it has been a hard year for everyone), writers are still writing and publishers are still excited to promote those writers. Even with thousands of people crowding the aisles and the overpriced food of the Javits center making a hole in the budget, during BEA we all get together to celebrate books and the people who love them.

The Sweet Smell of Books

2009-05-15T18:13:00.012-04:00

I have been reading The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon for weeks. I loved The Shadow of the Wind by the same author, and I expected to love this new book as well. And I do. The language is so rich and the use of words so unusual, that I just have to walk slowly through the story. I have tabbed pages and underlined passages. It is one of those books that makes you want to linger over the last pages so you will not have to say goodbye.

Both of Zafon's books have made me want to visit Barcelona. The city is such a strong presence in both books. Zafon's other obssession in both books is books. He writes with such passion about books and writing and the love of reading. For a bookseller/librarian, he hits the right note with his respect for the written word and those who sell it. At one point one of his characters enters into a bookshop and he writes: "He held the shop door open and showed me in. I stepped into the bookshop and breathed in that perfume of paper and magic that strangely no one had ever thought of bottling."

Oddly enough, earlier this week I had been reading another book blog (which I would link to if I could remember where I found it) and found out that someone has actually made a perfume based upon the smell of books. A company called CB I Hate Perfume has bottled a scent called "In the Library" which is described by its creator as "English Novel taken from a Signed First Edition of one of my very favorite novels, Russian & Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth and a hint of wood polish." I may just have to do a little shopping......

What Would Pippi Do?

2009-05-13T15:26:00.003-04:00

This is me as a child, down to the saddle shoes, I swear. Try to get me to come to dinner or to feed the dog.....just try. My head was always in a book and my mind deeply involved in the plot. I was with Alice in Wonderland or Freckles in the Limberlost. I was Jo in Little Women or Nancy Drew chasing criminals or Claudia in the Metropolitan Museum of Art trying to solve the mystery of the angel. I was lucky to have a mother who figured out that any communication was impossible when there was a book in my hand.

So when I saw this article on Jezebel about terms inspired by the ladies of children's literature, I wanted to pass it on. I especially like "Granger Danger" because it describes behavior I exhibit much too often. Click on the link, revisit your favorite fictional kids book characters and imagine how useful they can be for your everyday vocabulary.

2009 - 100+ Reading Challenge

2009-04-17T17:46:00.048-04:00

I have joined the 2009 - 100+ Reading Challenge. That means that I am going to do my very best to read 100 books in 2009. Here is my list so far (to be added to as the months pass) in no particular order:

1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Favorite line: "It takes a graveyard to raise a child")
2. Drood by Dan Simmons (Huge book, dark, brooding and fascinating. This is worth the time.)
3. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Historical fiction with a twist of the gothic)
4. Hot Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman (Enlightening and looonnnng)
5. My Lady Notorious by Jo Beverley (Romance, pure and simple)
6. The Girls From Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow (A good look at female friendships)
7. Another Thing to Fall by Laura Lippman
8. Look Again by Lisa Scottoline
9. Society of S by Susan Hubbard (Another kind of gothic/vampire story. Very well-written)
10. Fool by Christopher Moore (Weird, Shakespearean)
11. Exile by Richard North Patterson (This was a thriller that made me think)
12. Eclipse by Richard North Patterson (Africa, oil and intrigue)
13. Trouble in Paradise by Robert Parker (Pure vacation read.....Spenser is the best)
14. Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (Wonderful, historical fiction)
15. Dear Fatty by Dawn French (A quirky little memoir by the Vicar of Dibley)
16. A Matter of Justice by Charles Todd (I liked this one...a bit like Maise Dobbs)
17. Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher (funny)
18.Turning Tables by Heather and Rose MacDowell
19. Fault Line by Barry Eisler (Page turner, so-so writing)
20. Maxxed Out by David Collins (Donald Trump-type character, moves along)
21. Happens Every Day by Isabel Gilles (A memoir of betrayal and divorce. Very sad.)
22. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz (So funny....I love Izzy)
23. Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky (A quest to save Yiddish books makes an interesting story)
24. So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson (My reading life in a nutshell)
25. Reasonable Doubts by Gianfranco Carofiglio
26. Bad Mom by Ayelet Waldman (Not really the story of my life...but interesting)
27. Cupid & Diana by Christina Barolomeo (Fun, almost romance novel)
28. Floater by Calvin Trillin (An oldie, Trillin is so funny in such a subtle way)
29. Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani (Shoes and Italy, need I say more?)
30. Sweet Potato Queen's Guide to Raising Children for Fun and Profit by Jill Conner Browne
31. Listening is an Act of Love by David Isay (Stories from everyday people)
32. Assisted Loving by Bob Morris (Double dating with your dad. Funny and poignant)
33. Cooking and Screaming by Adrienne Kane ( A different kind of food memoir....the zucchini recipe is great)
34. The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano (This is well written with unexpected twists to the plot)
35. Local by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly (My first graphic novel.....I could become a convert!)
36. Don't Look Twice by Andrew Gross (Good mystery, lots of twists and turns)
37. The Language of Bees by Laurie King (I love these Mary Russell stories...this was a good one.)
38. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (The Sookie Stackhouse books are a guilty pleasure.....the True Blood series on television is pretty good as well.)
39. The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran (Good historical fiction, easy to read)
40. Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child (I love Jack Reacher)
41. The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (so, so beautiful).
42. Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson (ehhhh)
43. Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson ( simple, elegant and beautifully written)
44. King of the Screwups by K.L. Going (funny YA novel)
45. Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd (good, WWI mystery)
46. The Help by Katherine Stockett (my favorite so far this year)
47. South of Broad by Pat Conroy (I am in love with this book)
48. Even by Andrew Grant (good thriller, a little graphic for me)
49. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (great YA book, thanks Sara)
50. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck (Classic Steinbeck with beautiful language. Half way there!!)
51. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum rides again....)
52. The Family Man by Elinor Lipman (nice, light summer book)
53. A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (memoir and recipes combined)
54. The Double Bind by Chris Bojalian (I am a little confused....)
55. A Plague of Secrets by John Lescroart (Another great legal thriller with Dismas Hardy)
56. The Defector by Daniel Silva (Gabriel Allon is almost as good as Jack Reacher....almost)
57. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Good science fiction )
59. You Or Someone Like You by Chandler Burr (please read this book so we can discuss it)
60. Persuasion by Jane Austen (Relaxing, peaceful)
61. First Family by David Baldacci (This is a great beach read)
62. Juliet Naked by Nick Hornby (Fun, sometime sad)
63. This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (Really, really good.....read it!)
64. Civil to Strangers by Barbara Pym (The literary equivalent of chamomile tea)
65. Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Trigiana (Takes you back to NYC in the 50's....a pleasure).
66. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (I am not really sure I got this one, a little antiseptic and self-consciously intellectual for me)
67. The Hearing by John Lescroart (Good, Dismas Hardy story0
68. Mennonite In a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen (Funny Memoir #1)
69. The New York Regional Morman Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker (Funny Memoir #2)
70. Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom (Just the book I needed to read right now)
71. That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo ( Good....I liked Bridge of Sighs better though)
72. The Little Book by Selden Edwards (Interesting time travel story.....good characters)
73. Fahrenheit 451 - Graphic Novel by Tim Hamilton and Ray Bradbury (An interesting retelling of this story in graphic novel form)
74. Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? by Louise Rennison (Soooooo funny).
75. Away with the Fairies by Kerry Greenwood (good, Australian cozy).
76. Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor (wonderful mother/daughter memoir).
77. The Song Reader by Lisa Tucker (Unusual story, great characters)
78. The Fury by Jason Pinter (Fast moving, page-turner).
79. How Shall I Tell the Dog by Miles Kington (Funny musings on death....really)

80. The Last Symbol by Dan Brown (Fun, fast page turner with lots of info about the Masons and Washington, D.C.)

81. Secret Asset by Stella Rimington (MI 5 Spy novel...I am addicted to British espionage)

82. Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt (Touching, sometime funny memoir of loss)

83. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (Haunting, a bit disturbing)

84. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Really good YA sci-fi)

85. Thin is the New Happy by Val Frankel (Memoir of a chronic dieter)

86. American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson (Inspiring and funny)

87. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard (She perfectly captures the voice of the young boy)

88. The James Deans by Reed Farrell Coleman (Great, noir mystery)

89. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Follow up to The Hunger Games....I can't wait for the third book!)

90. The Day The Falls Stood Still by Cathie Marie Buchanan (Historical fiction about Niagara Falls and the early days of electricity)

91. The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan (A lovely little cozy mystery)

92. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran (Light and easy historical fiction)

93. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson (My new favorite book)

94. Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly ( Harry Bosch and Hong Kong....a lethal mix)

95. Y, The Last Man by Brian Vaughn, et al (Interesting, dark graphic novel....a lunchtime read)

96. Murder Plays House by Ayelet Waldman ( A smart cozy mystery)

97. The First Rule by Robert Crais (Joe Pike made me cry!?!)

98. Personal Days by Ed Park (Odd little book)

99. The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova ( Wonderful story, beautiful writing)

100. Velva Jean Learns to Drive by Jennifer Niven (Endearing characters, good story)

101. Still Life by Louise Penney (Very good mystery that takes place in Quebec)

102. The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom (Quirky mystery with a mobile library in the north of Ireland)

103. American Thighs by Jill Connor Browne (Oh those Sweet Potato Queens!)

If I get very ambitious, I will annotate the list with comments. Check this post to see how I am doing!

April is National Poetry Month

2009-04-08T19:37:00.004-04:00

Oh, how in the world did National Poetry Month sneak up on me like this? The craziness of winter, the non-sale of the bookstore, the still new work of the library world and here it is, April. So, although I have a lot to say about so many things, I am just going to post my favorite poem in honor of Spring and Poetry and the world spinning round.

Summons
By Robert Francis

Keep me from going to sleep too soon
Or if I go to sleep too soon
Come wake me up. Come any hour
Of night. Come whistling up the road.
Stomp on the porch. Bang on the door.
Make me get out of bed and come
And let you in and light a light.
Tell me the northern lights are on
And make me look. Or tell me clouds
Are doing something to the moon
They never did before, and show me.
See that I see. Talk to me till
I’m half as wide awake as you
And start to dress wondering why
I ever went to bed at all.
Tell me the walking is superb.
Not only tell me but persuade me.
You know I’m not too hard persuaded.

A Piece of Pi

2009-03-13T17:34:00.004-04:00

I am the first to admit that math was never my strong suit. I have always been a book person. But the last few years I have enjoyed hearing about the celebrations of "Pi Day" on March 14th. There is even a website, Pi Day, which has a countdown clock. There are discussions about why people like Pi including poetic statements such as "Pi is a magical loophole in our assumed and intuitive structures….lovelovelove". There are even Pi day songs with lyrics such as "Oh number Pi, Oh number Pi, your digits are unending" (Sung to the tune of "Oh Christmas Tree"). Today, I saw students walking into school carrying cakes and pies. Who knew that math could be both fun and tasty?

In Praise of Old Books

2009-03-06T18:04:00.005-05:00

Jaqueline Winspear is the wonderful author of the Maisie Dobbs series and one of my favorite authors. She and five other authors write a terrific blog called Naked Authors.com. Recently she wrote about her visit to the Boston Public Library. I know that this is a long quote, but her sentiments about books and bookstores and libraries made me smile on a gloomy, gray, March day. Ms. Winspear says:

"Now, this is a library-goers library, a place with thousands of books that seem to scream, 'Come in, read, research, study, learn, travel to far places, meander back in time, stretch the gray matter, pull me off the shelves and have your way with me.' And as I was sitting at my desk, surrounded by a pile of books on the social history of Beacon Hill, I thought, 'Why would anyone want a Kindle?' (Or something similar). Well, having slogged a couple of hefty books off and on one ‘plane or another, I can see why, however, there is something about those older tomes, something about a place so steeped in intellectual curiosity, that underlines the importance of the book. And later, as I braced myself and went out into the cold air, I realized that it had to do with what we are really tapping into when we open a book, whether we are immersed in study or reading for pleasure. We are accessing a direct line to a vein of storytelling that goes back centuries, and the fact that we can pick up a book – old technology, if ever I saw it – speaks to that legacy. I was using books that will never be available on a Kindle, and to turn their weary but still-up-to-the-job pages made me ache with pleasure. We are so lucky to have libraries, so fortunate to have bookshops, and we have been blessed with books. I just wish more people would come in from the cold and seek the warmth of they offer to the very soul of a person. I've always felt a sense of belonging, in a library - a belonging that warms the cockles of my heart."

The Many Faces of Jane

2009-03-05T10:42:00.006-05:00

I just love Jane Austen. Her books are like mashed potatoes on a snowy day, filling and comforting. I have read and re-read all of her books many times. I don't really have a favorite, but lately I have been intrigued by the many different ways in which you may consume the classic, Pride and Prejudice. Of course, there is always my favorite, the Penguin Classic paperback, but you may be suprised at the appearances this timeless story makes in different packages.

There are the movies, both the classic version with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier and the more recent version with Keira Knightly. In 1995, the BBC produced a wonderfully long and luxurious (6 hours!) version of the book in a miniseries starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. Mr Firth again reprised his role as Mr. Darcy in the modern day take on this story in Bridget Jones Diary.

Now, coming in April we can look forward to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, a story described as "the original text of Jane Austen's beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action". I think I hear Jane Austen whirling in her grave....

Finally, I found the following site that condenses the plot of Pride and Prejudice into a Facebook Status Update page. Austenbook lists the changes in relationships and announces the events that drive the plot. My favorite listing is "Lydia Bennet and Kitty Bennet joined the group 1,000,000 Strong Against the Officers Leaving Meryton {join!}".

So you can choose your Pride and Prejudice.....black and white or color, with or without zombies. For me, give me a rainy day, lots of tea and the 6 hour miniseries. I know I almost know it by heart, but it always draws me in.

Meme Madness

2009-02-20T18:53:00.006-05:00

It seems like everytime I open a blog or a social networking site there is another meme. You know those posts asking you to list "25 Random Things" or "Memories" or "In Your Senior Year of High School Did You...." . I truly enjoy reading them, but find completing them more difficult. It is hard to think up 25 random things about myself or remember what I did in high school. But I may have found the perfect meme.....or at least I may have "borrowed" other people's ideas and created the perfect short meme for me. Here it is.....Bookmama's Book Meme:

1. What was your favorite book as a child?

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
2. What is the one book you recommend to almost everyone?

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
3. Do you read books while you do other activities, and if so, which activities?

Yes, cooking, bathing, watching TV, listening to music and any activity which allows it.
4. Which book has been on your shelves the longest?

Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
5. What is your current read, your last read and the book you’ll read next?

Hot Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman, Eclipse by Richard North Patterson and

Above the Law by Tim Green
6. What book did everyone like and you hated?

Atonement by Ian McEwan

7. Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life?

All of the Travis McGee books remind me of off-season in Colorado.

8. Have you ever seen a movie you liked better than the book?

The Hours by Michael Cunningham
9. Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?

Jessica Howard
10. What was the last book that you bought?

A book on hydroponics for the home gardener for my daughter.
11. What was the last book you checked out from the library?

Above the Law by Tim Green
12. What do you wish you had time to read?

Raj Quartet by Paul Scott

13. What is one of your favorite reading memories?

Listening to my friend Jane reading The Monster at the End of the Book complete with

Elmo and Cookie monster imitations and hearing my daughters shrieking with laughter.

I could continue to ask questions about books for hours. You can find out a lot about a person by asking what they read, why they read it and what kinds of books touch them. I hope you enjoy thinking about how you might answer the questions. I would love to hear your responses.....

Oh Mexico....

2009-02-04T09:18:00.004-05:00

The sale of The Open Book has eaten up every waking minute and I have sadly neglected Bookmama's World. While the sale of the store is still in limbo, I am leaving in about an hour for a long anticipated trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. While I am there, I hope to regroup and recharge and READ!

I tend to be sensible when it comes to packing. I throw in a few pairs of shorts, a bathing suit and a skirt. I take the necessities. But when it comes to taking books on vacation, I am, admittedly, ridiculous. For this vacation I am taking two mysteries download to an MP3 player and the following books:

The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie

Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani

Eclipse by Richard North Patterson

Exile by Richard North Patterson

Quietly in Their Sleep by Donna Leon

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

You may not believe it, but I am concerned that I will run out of books. Luckily, my sister and my mother will have backups waiting for me. I will give you an update on how many I read when I get home. In the meantime, thanks for checking in on my world.

Good Times at the Open Book

2009-01-10T21:24:00.004-05:00

If The Open Book could talk I am sure it would have lots of stories to tell. A bookstore can be a witness to blooming love stories, angry fights, laughter, friendship and many other human experiences. It has been a privilege over the last ten years to witness the human drama unfolding in the store, to take part in lots of the laughter and to have formed unbreakable friendships. This is my last week at the bookstore and I have to tell you that it feels a bit like an extremely long wake. Although the bookstore will go on, my stewardship of this business will come to an end. It is an understatement to describe it as bittersweet.

Unwinding a ten year old business is a lot of work, which is too easily and too often interrupted by the discovery of things that take you wandering back in time. I remember standing in an almost empty store holding balloons to give out to the children and wondering what this new career would bring. I could not have imagined the richness of the bookseller's life.

I am moving onto a new career which is full of intelligent, interesting people. I am so glad to be working in a place filled with books and people who love them. It will ease the transition and I look forward to growing as a librarian and the new adventures I will have.

The Open Book has hosted lots of good times (some of which I am sure I am not aware of....so many people had keys). Christopher Morley said, "When you sell a man a book, you don't sell him just 12 ounces of paper and ink and glue....you sell him a whole new life." I am so grateful for the opportunity I have had to give "whole new lives" to so many and to be The Open Book's Bookmama for awhile .

Christmas on Main Street

2008-12-15T11:00:00.006-05:00

This year for the third time I played Mrs. Claus in the annual Christmas on Main Street celebration in Westhampton Beach. Although the wig is itchy and the sweater is really ugly, I enjoy entering into the holiday spirit. This year was cold and between the children coming for storytime and the dogs coming in to have pictures with Santa, chaos reigned. Despite the craziness, there is something about the sound of carollers and the decorated trees and the earnest children asking how Santa can see them when they are sleeping. I hope your holidays are relatively stress free and full of moments of joy and wonder (and no outlandish costumes!)

Rabbit Food

2008-12-04T11:47:00.003-05:00

I sometimes say that I devour books or that I just eat them up. Oddly enough in my house we have a creature that literally eats books. Our lovely bunny enjoys a little literary nosh when allowed. So we keep the bottom shelf of the bookcase just for Bunny. Sometimes it is hard to decide what warrants banishment to the bunny shelf. Sometimes it is just a book that I know I will never read, sometimes it is a book that I have kept in the car so long that the glue has melted and the pages have fallen out, sometimes my motives are downright vindictive. If I really disliked a book.....onto the bunny shelf it goes.

This may be seen as animal abuse if Bunny could actually read (and I am preceding from the belief that he never learned). As to paper and texture, I believe that books are fairly similar. But are they? Sometimes Bunny will just eat the cover of a book and ignore the pages. Sometimes he will make his way well into a book. Tonight he was eating Who Cares by Dee Marrella. Sara says this means that he has deep inner thoughts. I wonder......

Cause for Celebration

2008-11-25T09:33:00.003-05:00

This AP photograph is a book lover's dream. We have a president-elect who looks awfully comfortable carrying a book around! Not a Kindle, not a file, not a newspaper......a real live, paper and print book. Here is a favorite quote from Barack Obama:

"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."

Books for the Holidays

2008-11-21T09:47:00.007-05:00

Shopping for the holidays in this troubled economy can be stressful. One avid reader and book blogger has decided to address this by encouraging people to buy books for the holidays. Books make wonderful gifts, are relatively inexpensive (compared to an iPod anyway) and are memorable. Check out the blog, aptly titled Buy Books for the Holidays. It has book suggestions and ideas for non-readers alike. You can post questions about books for cousins and nephews and bosses. Within minutes, book bloggers from far and wide will be back to you with titles and authors for the most difficult person on your list. This makes shopping relatively painless. Just make a list of titles, visit your local independent bookstore and you are ready to enjoy your eggnog knowing that you have found the perfect gift for everyone!

A Small Good Thing

2008-11-19T17:43:00.003-05:00

Sometimes a book does not have to have bombs bursting and wars breaking out and bad guys lurking at every turn. Sometimes the story of an everyday life is satisfying and spellbinding. The story of the man who runs the corner store or the woman who has too many kids can help us to remember that everyone, no matter how seemingly mundane their life, has a story.

I just finished reading Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo. While there are a few fist fights and dramatic scenes, the story focuses mostly on the very quiet lives of the Lynch family. Lou and his son, the unfortunately nicknamed, Lucy, are large men who see the world as a good place. For Lou, a successful man must be a man that is well liked. When bad things happen he contiunually repeats, "I just don't understand". The Lynch men marry women who have a less favorable view of humanity, yet they stay with these optimistic men no matter how exasperating that may be.

Richard Russo writes so beautifully of small town life. He knows the towns that are teetering on the edge of extinction due to the closure of a factory. He knows the divisions between the classes and the races. Russo writes almost tenderly of these fallible, very human people. You come away from reading his books with the feeling that you would know his characters if you met them on the street. And seeing inside a character so deeply, is for me, a small good thing.

Overheard in the Bookstore

2008-11-16T10:54:00.003-05:00

One customer to another customer:

"She likes all kinds of books. You know....both friction and non-friction."

As long as you keep reading (whatever you want to call it), I'm happy!

Saratoga

2008-11-12T13:15:00.007-05:00

I just returned from a library conference in Saratoga, New York. It is a beautiful little town that was temporarily overrun by librarians who were there for the annual New York Library Association conference and lawyers there for an American Bar Association meeting.

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.

Halloween

2008-10-29T20:20:00.002-04:00

Every Halloween for the last ten years I have joined all the other Main Street merchants in dressing up and closing early to give out candy to the children of my community. I have always said that one of the things I like best about owning a bookstore is that I have had the opportunity to dress up in silly costumes much more often than most adults. I have dressed as a clown and a witch and a giant mouse and a witch and a gypsy and a witch. (You have to forgive the repetition but I just have the best witch's hat!). The first year, I was the only one standing in front of The Open Book, guarding the cauldron of candy. This year we have a large volunteer crew joining in on the fun.

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.

Blogmania

2008-10-24T17:31:00.000-04:00

If you just can't get enough of either my opinion about books or blogs in general, I have a treat for you. I am a part-time reference librarian at Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton and we just launched a new blog called By the Book. This blog will feature book reviews by my fellow librarians and news about the literary goings-on at the library. Hope you enjoy it!

Sisters

2008-10-19T12:58:00.000-04:00

I have two sisters, both of whom I love dearly and both of whom I rarely see. It is not that I would not love to see them much more often, but many miles divide us. Still, we are sisters and that bond is unbreakable and above all, precious.

I recently read a book by Julia Glass entitled I See You Everywhere. This is the story of Louisa and Clem, the "serious" sister and the rebel. The two tell their stories in alternating chapters, tracing the story of their lives over the years. As they move further apart geographically, they grow closer emotionally. This is a funny, heart-rending story that is beautifully written. Although both sisters could be difficult and prickly, I liked them and found them to be both honest and real. I found myself hoping for a happy ending with the two sisters rocking on a porch in the sun as they enjoyed their old age.

I guess sisters are a rich topic for fiction. In my library's catalog there are over 250 books listed under the subject "Fiction - Sisters". Some of my favorites are:

Desirable Daughters by Bharati Mukherjee

The Faraday Girls by Monica McInerney

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

How to be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward

Last Summer (of you and me) by Ann Brashares

Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Wilde Women by Paula Wall

These books demonstrate that relationships between sisters range from affection and caring to competition and rage. The stories are entertaining and funny and sad and sometimes emotionally difficult.

And to my sisters who are so far away....I am thinking of you, miss you and love you......

Where are you reading?

2008-10-08T19:42:00.000-04:00

I just read an article in a magazine about a man who stores his American Literature collection in a beautiful cabinet in his bathroom. While this may seem a little strange to some people, it makes perfect sense to me. When people ask me what I am reading, I usually answer, "where?"

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.

Comfort Food

2008-10-01T12:40:00.000-04:00

When I was growing up in California, October wasn't exactly autumnal. The weather would cool down from the blazing 100 degrees common to the Sacramento summer, but we did not have to pull out the warm jackets to take long walks and kick the falling leaves. Here in Westhampton, the temperatures have cooled and the leaves are changing and it feels like the time to hit the farm stand to buy fall produce to make a hearty soup. This kind of weather is also good for curling up under a cozy blanket on the couch and reading a good book.

My favorite book of the moment is called The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. This book is due to be released in January, but I cannot wait until then to talk about it. The story revolves around a cooking class given by Lillian at her restaurant. Lillian believes in the power of food to evoke emotions and memories and propel people to make changes in their lives. As the classes progress, we learn the stories of the students, sometimes funny, sometimes sad. This book just made me want to cook and tell stories and be with the people that I love. I am sorry that you have to wait for it, but in the meantime, here are some food books to whet your appetite....

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.

Another magical story that revolves around food, family and love, La Cucina takes place in Sicily and is full of descriptions so lush and complete that you swear you can taste the food. Rosa suffers great love and enters into mad passion. Sadly, in her darkest days she move to Palermo and becomes a librarian (!?!).

I just loved this small book that is partly an ode to pies and partly a memoir. The author describes the pies and the pie-makers with delicacy and affection. I especially love the sections dealing with the "Pie Ramble", a kind of roadtrip/quest for the holiest of grails....a perfect piece of diner pie. Humor and love are combined in this book to make a tasty dish.

If you have finished these books and it is still not time for the release of Bauermeister's book, you can turn to the tried and true book of food stories: The Joy of Cooking. I am most fond of the 1975 edition. This classic cookbook will tell you everything from how to set a table for entertaining to how to cook a lamb's head (though you may want to skip that recipe if you have a weak stomach). Among the many recipes you will find little stories and tips about cooking, and sometimes life.

Good food nourishes not only the body, but the soul. Good books about food do the same. So make a big pot of soup, find a soft blanket and settle in on a rainy autumn afternoon for a good read.

fREADom

2008-09-25T22:11:00.000-04:00

Just about a year ago I heard a rumor about a parent who was upset about the content of two books on a list of 300 self-select reading books for the 9th grade. According to the rumors (I live in a small town and rumors abound), there was a petition asking for the removal of the books from the list and from the library. As a library science student, a bookseller and a mother, I felt that I needed to investigate what looked like an attempt to censor books. This began a season of my life that was difficult and disturbing and just a little heart-breaking.

The petition was presented, committees were formed, sides were taken. Because I chose to fight the removal of the books from the list, I lost long-time customers at the bookstore, I was berated for bringing negative publicity to our town, I was accosted at my place of business and called a "pornographer" and my 15 year old daughter and I were addressed at a school board meeting by a parent who told us that she felt sad that the only way that my daughter and I could relate to one another was to read filthy books together. The disappointment was compounded when the school board decided to remove the books from the list. I lost a lot of innocence about what I had supposed was a general consensus that people should not dictate what I or my children were allowed to read.

Yet in the midst of all of this, I experienced something that gave me so much hope. And since next week is "Banned Book Week", I wanted to reflect on that event. On a cool, autumn night, about 70 people showed up at the bookstore to celebrate their right to read. We had people of all ages writing letters to the school board, making posters, signing petitions and eating pizza. We had celebrated authors including Roger Rosenblatt, Julie Sheehan, and Ursula Hegi read aloud from works that had been challenged. We had school teachers and journalists and librarians read, as well. But most importantly, we had teens (Kristian, Kenny, Rachel P., Louie, Amanda, Rachel L., Billy ) read aloud from books such as The Giver, The Book Thief, Catcher in the Rye, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Go Ask Alice. I got goosebumps while these works were being read because all of the people that had been eating and talking and writing, stopped what they were doing and listened....listened to these words that others had wanted to silence.

Although we may have lost this particular fight against censorship, I believe that something was gained. The young people that came to our "Read-In" learned that is possible to dissent both vocally and respectfully. They also learned that rights that we may take for granted are rights that are precious. I hope that they feel that they fought the good fight and that books and reading will always be worth the struggle.

So I hope that you are able to take some time this week to read a good book and celebrate your freedom to read. If you want to see a list of some books that have been challenged or banned, take a look at the ALA list of the top 100 for 2000-2007. I think you might be amazed at some of the titles you see.

School for Scandal

2008-09-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

School has begun and the books I have been reading lately all seem to deal with schools and scandals . I recently took the comprehensive exams for my library degree and I have not felt that level of pressure for many years. But for young people in school, the pressures go beyond those of an academic nature. These three books deal with the social pressures, the gossip, the impact of the internet on kids. The books also talk about how these issues affect the lives of the adults involved in their world.

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.

It's a Classic

2008-09-10T19:33:00.000-04:00

Oh how I love a Penguin Classic! If I won the lottery, I would not run out and buy diamonds or cars or houses, I would buy the complete set of Penguin Classics. As an independent bookseller, I rarely want to buy anything from Amazon.com, but every once in a while I log on and look with longing at their "sale priced" (only $7,989.50) collection. It is described as follows: The Penguin Classics Library Complete Collection currently consists of 1,082 titles, all great works of literature totaling nearly half a million pages. From Renaissance philosophy to the poetry of revolutionary Russia, from the spiritual writings of India to the travel narratives of the early American colonists, from The Complete Pelican Shakespeare to The Portable Sixties Reader, there are classics here to educate, provoke, entertain, and enlighten readers of all interests and inclinations.

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.

Wife Tales

2008-08-29T17:57:00.000-04:00

The last two books I read had the word "wife" in the title. I could try to continue my streak but that would mean abandoning the advance of the new Wally Lamb book which is titled, The Hour I First Believed. So far the Wally Lamb is disturbing and really good....I cannot wait to find out where it will go.

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!

Rules to Live By

2008-08-20T09:15:00.000-04:00

On the way to the library today I passed a church that had a billboard out front. On the billboard it said, "Don't Commit Adultery. Don't Kill. Don't Steal." About a quarter of a mile past the church there is a liquor store. In front of the liquor store there is a neon pink, handwritten sign that says, "Be Nice". Though the latter is less specific, I believe it may cover a lot more ground than the church billboard. Enjoy the rest of the summer. Be nice.

Bookstore Stories

2008-08-18T11:11:00.001-04:00

How could I have possible lived this long without reading this wonderful little book? Beth the Librarian told me about it last Friday and by Friday at midnight I had read it and added it to my list of the very best books ever. This small gem of a memoir tells the story of a New York writer and the people who work at a small London bookshop and the correspondence between them in the years following World War II. Apparently there is also a wonderful film starring Anne Bancroft.

There are other books that feature bookstores and their caretakers. Here is a list of a few of them:

Shelf Life: Romance, Mystery, Drama, and Other Page-Turning Adventures from a Year in a Bookstore by Suzanne Strempek Shea

The Bookshop: A Novel by Penelope Fitzgerald

The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley

The Kings English: Adventures of an Independent Bookseller by Betsy Burton

I realize that not everyone is as obsessed by bookstores and bookselling as I am, but all of these books are little windows into a world that has kept me interested and learning for almost ten years.

It's A Mystery

2008-08-05T20:04:00.001-04:00

It is a mystery how the summer can fly by so quickly....

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.

Summer Reading

2008-07-18T17:52:00.000-04:00

The ironic thing about running a bookstore in the Hamptons in the summer while working part-time as a librarian, is that there is almost no time to read. I review catalogs and read reviews and order books, but the time to sit down and read is almost non-existent.

You might be amazed at the sneaky ways I find to read. There is a book in my car for the line at the automatic teller machine (and the occasional long red light). There is a book in the kitchen and my cooking truly reflects my love of fiction. There are books in each room, just in case I can grab and extra minute or two.

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.

I absolutely love Georgia Nicolson. I know these books are for teenagers but I just don't care. I love her slang and her outlandish ideas and her many friends. I even like her enemies (no one can be more nasty than Wet Lindsey). Stop in the Name of Pants is the latest in the saga, so if you haven't read Louise Rennison before you must start with Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging. I dare you to try to stop at just one book.

2008-07-16T09:59:00.000-04:00

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".

Independence Day

2008-06-24T09:43:00.001-04:00

Ten years ago, when I opened The Open Book, the American Booksellers Association was in the process of launching its Booksense program. This program was developed to give independent booksellers buying power, lobbying power and a presence in a world where chain bookstores seemed to be taking over. This year, the ABA announced the creation of "Indie Bound", a new program designed to promote independent businesses of all kinds, with a focus on your local independent bookstore, of course.

In educating myself about this new program, I began to think about what it means to own an independent bookstore. Several years ago I wrote an essay on this subject for a regional booksellers association conference. I thought I might include a bit of the essay in this blog.

An independent bookseller at her best is a little beam of humanity in a crazy boxstore world. I will remember that your grandchild reads well above his level, that you cannot read the tiny print on mass market books anymore, that you love a cozy mystery, that you only read “good” books, that you are sad, tired, over-worked, in love or in need of a hearty belly laugh.

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.

So, even though it is a little early, happy Independence Day. And I hope you remember to patronize your local independent businesses this summer. Now go read a good book!

Here's To All The Dads!

2008-06-11T19:08:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. I know that my dad is reading this from the other side of the country, and while I am grateful that this computer makes communication easier, I certainly wish I was not so far away.

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.....

We're Having A Heat Wave

2008-06-09T21:40:00.000-04:00

It is HOT here in Long Island. The summer came flying in over the weekend with high heat, higher humidity and thunderstorms that brought trees down and left us without power. Last night I sat on my couch which was all wet from the rain (forgot to close the windows) and read the latest Lee Child with a flashlight and candles for light.

Jack Reacher is such a great character. I have run into very few people who do not like the Lee Child books. There are lots of reviews out there that try to explain why an ex-army drifter who travels around carrying only a toothbrush, an expired driver's license and an ATM card is so popular with both men and women readers. All I know is that I would be happy to read the whole book with a flashlight tucked under my chin.

So, now that the power is back on. I am going to go sit in front of the air conditioner and savor the last twenty pages.

A Little Bit of Magic

2008-06-06T18:21:00.000-04:00

For someone who is supposed to be a grown-up, I love Harry Potter way too much. I revel in a world where people can fly on brooms and turn chocolate into toads and hatch baby dragons. In a pathetic attempt to justify my love of all magical fiction, I am giving you a list of "adult" (read, serious and legitimate) fiction that has either a little bit or a lot of magic between the pages.

I just finished Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. I fell for the characters in this book in a second. But I really want an apple tree in my backyard that throws apples at people to get attention. I cannot wait to read her new book, The Sugar Queen.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez also has a tree, but this tree sees much sorrow in the many years it gives it shade to the Buendia family. This family story is full of premonitions and mysteries, and is told in a way that leaves you wondering what is imagined and what is real.

One of my favorite books is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. The love story of Henry and Clare is challenged by Henry's disturbing condition that occasionally sends him forward or backward in time. Once you have made the leap of imagination, the journey that this special couple takes will stay with you for a very long time.

Elizabeth Kostova spent many years researching and writing her novel, The Historian. Vampires, history and international setting combine in a haunting tale of the quest to find Vlad the Impaler.

A few summers ago, Alice Hoffman came to The Open Book when she was visiting friends in the area. I am afraid that the bookstore employees (and the owner) behaved like the rabid fans that we are and terrified the poor woman. Ms. Hoffman graciously signed books and left, looking relieved to get away. All of Alice Hoffman's books have a bit of magic, and one of my favorites is The Ice Queen. Ice, fire and water as metaphors, fairy tale references and love and passion are combined in a dark, beautiful story.

So, it is summer and what better time to indulge in the desire to experience worlds where things are a little out of the ordinary? If you want the ultimate fantasy experience, I highly recommend that you read all seven volumes of Harry Potter while eating Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and drinking butterbeer!

Finding the Missing Pieces

2008-05-27T07:15:00.000-04:00

I have always loved puzzles. I like jigsaws, crosswords, acrostics, and wordfinds. I think this love of puzzles explains my love of mystery books. I like all kinds of mysteries, from Agatha Christie to James Lee Burke. I like the cozy mysteries and police procedurals and legal thrillers and historical mysteries and even those crazy cat mysteries. (You would be amazed how many cat mysteries are out in the world!). I am working on a project for my job at the library that involves a compilation of mystery titles for summer reading and I thought I would tell you about some of my favorite mysteries.

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.

Some Books You Should Know

2008-05-19T17:58:00.000-04:00

"Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eye down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens. . . . Every book you see here has been somebody's best friend." Carlos Ruiz Zafon in Shadow of the Wind

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.

I Love Libraries

2008-05-17T16:05:00.001-04:00

When I was a little girl, going to the library was an adventure. There were all those books with the crackling plastic covers and the stories hidden inside of them. Sometimes you could tell from the picture on the front what the story would be about. Sometimes, you had to wait and be surprised. I wanted to read every book in the library by the time I grew up. It was an exquisite torture to have to pick just six books.

In college, the top floor of the UCSB library was a quiet sanctuary to read and study and nap. When I could not study for one more minute, I would explore the stacks, pulling out oddly titled books. From my scarred wooden carel, I would look out the window and watch the sun setting.

I may be one of the very few people who, when living in Aspen, spent her days off in the Aspen Library. It was comfortable and almost suburban. It was as far away as you might get from the tourists in their fur coats and cowboy hats. The books were often outdated and a little worn, but it was cozy and familiar, in the way that libraries are. You could not mistake the purpose of that building, no matter where it was situated. In every place that I have lived (California, Colorado, Iowa, Boston, Nantucket, or New York....it is a long list), I have sought out the public library, grand or small, and made it a place that was somehow my own.

And now I am a librarian. Although I still sell books, I also lend them as well. I help people with research and talk to them about great books to read. I help with computers and copiers and microfilm. I find that I am fitting happily into this new role. It may be because a library, any library, feels like home to me and I have finally settled in as a resident.

Books You Should Read

2008-05-15T19:50:00.000-04:00

Have you ever read a book that you loved so much that you want to stop people on the street and tell them that they have to drop everything they are doing and go read this book? When you spend as much time around books as I do, you might think I come across those "you just have to read this" books all the time. Unfortunately, the magical books are few and far between. There are plenty of good reads and interesting novels and exciting stories....but the ones that make you sit all day reading when you have a million other things to do are rare.

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

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

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.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T08:40:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the bookmamas. Mothers Day makes me think about all of my children: the two great girls that I gave birth to and the many "adopted children" that have come to me through The Open Book. When I opened the bookstore, I imagined ordering books and talking to customers and selling and stocking shelves. I barely gave a thought to the people who would come to work with me. What an amazing surprise it has been to find so many people that have loved the store and become part of my extended family.

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.

2008-05-06T14:44:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when you can't come up with the right thing to say, you have to turn to others for the right words. On my dining room wall we have written our favorite quotes in multicolored Sharpies. You do not have to go quite that far, you can always turn to the old standby, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations for quotations for your speech or wedding toast. But, if you would like some beautiful photography with your wisdom, find a copy of The Turning Point by Victor Gagliardi. This is one of my very favorite books. I can turn to any page and find something that makes me smile or makes me think or touches my heart.

2008-05-03T16:10:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Bookmama's world. I am the owner of a small independent bookstore and a part-time reference librarian. I am completing my degree in library science. My world revolves, for the most part, around books: studying books, reading books, recommending books, ordering books, selling books. I am also the proud "Mama" of two daughters (who are almost too old to call me "Mama" anymore). Thus, the title of this blog.

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.