An Answer to Life’s Persistent Question

Because I know you care, I just heard that A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, written by Eckhart Tolle and published by Penguin, has been chosen as Oprah’s next book club pick.
“Being able to share this material with you is a gift and a part of the fulfillment of my life’s purpose,” the [...]

Sail Away With This Story

I mentioned recently that I have been trying to read about the past (if I don’t know about history how will I know if I have repeated it?) and I just read a great book, Mayflower by Nathan Philbrick, the story of how this nation was settled and the complex, seamy nature of that story.
I [...]

The Savings Get Even Better

My sources inside the neighborhood bookstore — someone I call Deep Beak — has revealed that the store will soon close down its temporary next-door bargain books annex for the season.
That’s a blow, no doubt. But there’s an upside: From now through Saturday, Feb. 2, all of their bargain books are on sale for 40 [...]

Weekend Reading Material

I saw this article in the WSJ and thought it might be one to check out over the Sunday morning coffee. Please don’t read too much into it. I am not suggesting donations to the neighborhood bookstore. I just think it’s cool to read stories about people who really care about preserving local independent bookstores [...]

Have You Heard? Racism’s All the Rage

I can always use a good laugh and, no, looking in the mirror no longer gets it done. I was tiptoeing around the neighborhood bookstore the other day and I saw a good hardee-har-har-har: A Practical Guide to Racism by D.H. Dalton.
Before you start picketing or calling in the professional protesters you must know [...]

And the Oscar Goes to … Books!

Academy Awards nominations have been announced and, well, where would movies be without books? Here are some of the many based-on-books-you-can-buy-at-you-know-where movies that received Oscar nominations:
No Country for Old Men, based on the Cormac McCarthy book, was nominated for a bunch of awards including best picture.
“There Will Be Blood,” based on Upton Sinclair’s novel Oil!, [...]

Wonder If They Will Sell Any Copies

Take some words on a page. Add a dash of salt. Stir. Let sit 24 hours before serving.
It’s not that easy for Stephen King and John Grisham to write national bestsellers — it only seems that way. I happened to hear on National Public Radio the other day that, coincidentally, both of these insta-hit writers [...]

Ancient History Lessons

I’ve been trying to brush up on some history lately. I simply don’t know everything I should in order to make my old history teacher proud of me. Ancient history is especially a weakness. And, really, I hadn’t thought of doing anything about it until I heard an interview on Book TV, which turned me [...]

Speaking of Children’s Books

One of my bookstore blind spots — yes, it’s true that I have them — is the children’s section. I just don’t always know which are the best books for kids of certain ages. One toughie is the wee tots. Obviously, they can’t read but that’s no reason not to give them books! Anyway, I [...]

Kid Lit Award Winners

The drum roll please … I have an important announcement: two unconventional books, one by Laura Amy Schlitz and the other by Brian Selznick, have won the most prestigious awards for American children’s literature.
Schlitz, a librarian, won the Newbery Medal for “Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From a Medieval Village” — a collection of theatrical [...]