HOW TO FURNISH A ROOM

Considering The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

2010-01-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist looks very interesting, in a Handmaid's Tale type of way:

One day in early spring, Dorrit Weger is checked into the Second Reserve Bank Unit for biological material. She is promised a nicely furnished apartment inside the Unit, where she will make new friends, enjoy the state of the art recreation facilities, and live the few remaining days of her life in comfort with people who are just like her. Here, women over the age of fifty and men over sixty–single, childless, and without jobs in progressive industries–are sequestered for their final few years; they are considered outsiders. In the Unit they are expected to contribute themselves for drug and psychological testing, and ultimately donate their organs, little by little, until the final donation. Despite the ruthless nature of this practice, the ethos of this near-future society and the Unit is to take care of others, and Dorrit finds herself living under very pleasant conditions: well-housed, well-fed, and well-attended. She is resigned to her fate and discovers her days there to be rather consoling and peaceful. But when she meets a man inside the Unit and falls in love, the extraordinary becomes a reality and life suddenly turns unbearable. Dorrit is faced with compliance or escape, and…well, then what?

THE UNIT is a gripping exploration of a society in the throes of an experiment, in which the “dispensable” ones are convinced under gentle coercion of the importance of sacrificing for the “necessary” ones. Ninni Holmqvist has created a debut novel of humor, sorrow, and rage about love, the close bonds of friendship, and about a cynical, utilitarian way of thinking disguised as care.

Ninni is from Sweden and this is her first novel.

Morning of the long knives

2009-12-31T04:42:00.000-08:00

With McNally-Robinson struggling and the future of the humble book in question, Ron Charles offers some fine prognostication.

I'd like to offer up another trend. It's going to be incredibly hard for a teenager to get into the work force in a few years if print media jobs, newspapers, video stores, God knows what else- dries up and everything moves online.
At least Mr. Salutin, after cheer leading the march of books to digital format, offers up that the "stupid nature of capitalism" will make for a bumpy road.

It's a tiresome argument, and one that small business doesn't often win. Reading comment pages around the McNally Robinson stories, it comes up often that "I'd like to support local small business, etc. buy hey Amazon is cheaper, and money is tight."
True enough, but if the twin trends of game changing media delivery and accelerated corporate takeover of a given market continue, the local tax base is going to make the stupid nature of capitalism into a hell of a fifth act.

Remarkable bird the Norwegian Blue, beautiful plumage in'it?

2009-12-29T06:03:00.000-08:00

Hey, the book's not dead yet.

"Independent publisher Kim McArthur echoes the optimism – despite having begun the year by losing the Canadian distribution rights to books published by Britain's Hachette and cutting her Toronto office in half as a result. “I was really bracing myself for disaster,” she says, adding that she was delighted to discover that sales of titles published by McArthur & Company fell by a mere 10 per cent in 2009. “What I'm hearing is that 10 per cent down is the new flat,” she jokes. “We made it through, and we are sticking to our company motto: Happy to be here.”

A mere ten per cent down is the new flat?
No one has ever heard that from us thanks.

Now onto how to make a dime on e-books when most of them are priced thusly.

it was bound to happen

2009-12-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

I'm just an old coot I guess.

"What I'm reading is a Vook -- a video/book hybrid produced in part by Simon & Schuster's Atria Books. Interspersed throughout the text are videos and links that supplement the narrative."

I'd find video and link clutter the narrative. It's why I can't read a Frank Rich column anymore.
Meh.

Follow the money

2009-12-27T06:58:00.000-08:00

Setting up Amazon.com on an Indian reservation to avoid paying taxes?
It was considered, but as it turns out Mr. Bezos got pretty much what he wanted anyway.

"Today, Amazon collects sales tax in only five states, which gives it a continuing advantage over companies who do collect them in all or most states. Competitors aren’t the only ones hurt by Amazon’s stance on sales taxes: it also means the loss of considerable revenue to states and localities that badly need it."

A few strokes of a pen, and state legislatures all over the place could strike a blow for fairness, and maybe have some coin to build a hospital.
Alas, I'm not holding my breath.

see now this is a year end list

2009-12-18T05:10:00.000-08:00

Oh sure, when I say John Lethem, Dan Chaon and Lydia Millett are great, it goes nowhere, but when Laura Miller says so...
I wonder if she's married.

but guns are cheap and plentiful

2009-12-18T04:37:00.000-08:00

I've often wondered what was the largest North American city that had no bookstore..
Alas now I know.

' The final chapter has been written for the lone bookstore on the streets of Laredo.
With a population of nearly a quarter-million people, this city could soon be the largest in the nation without a single bookseller.
The situation is so grim that schoolchildren have pleaded for a reprieve from next month's planned shutdown of the B. Dalton bookstore. After that, the nearest store will be 150 miles away in San Antonio."

2.0

2009-12-15T06:26:00.000-08:00

Hi,

Back from the land of limited access.
In short, I just didn't have a reliable computer for several weeks and it made it difficult to post or keep up with much, so a hiatus of sorts came about.
Just as well, as the days are all running together and everyone at the salt mine is in a full sprint to the 24th.
My early Christmas presents have arrived and regular posts will resume tomorrow.
The cool kids are, as always, gathered here.

Dave

Gift Giving Suggestions - Day 10

2009-12-10T08:06:00.000-08:00

And Another Thing by Eoin Colfer

Despite the efforts of the Vogons, and even those of a more-than-typically troubled teenager, the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's Trilogy continues, much to the delight of its fans (and to the annoyance of the Vogons).

And Another Thing, the 6th book in the Hitchhiker's trilogy, or rather 'double trilogy' as it has now become, is to be written by the brilliantly funny Eoin Colfer, international number-one bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl novels. Colfer is not unaccustomed to strange going-ons and far-fetched story-lines with his celebrated Artemis Fowl novels. Widow Jane Belson said of Eoin Colfer, 'I love his books and could not think of a better person to transport Arthur, Zaphod and Marvin to pastures new.'

Douglas Adams himself once said: 'I suspect at some point in the future I will write a sixth Hitchhiker book. Five seems to be a wrong kind of number, six is a better kind of number.'

The Audacity to Win by David Plouffe

David Plouffe not only led the effort that put Barack Obama in the White House, but he also changed the face of politics forever and reenergized the idea of democracy itself. The Audacity to Win is his story of that groundbreaking achievement, taking readers inside the remarkable campaign that led to the election of the first African American president.

For two years Plouffe worked side by side with Obama, charting the course of the campaign. His is the ultimate insider’s tale, revealing both the strategies that delivered Obama to office and how the candidate and campaign handled moments of great challenge and opportunity. Moving from the deliberations about whether to run at all, through the epic primary battle with Hillary Clinton and the general election against John McCain, Plouffe showcases the high-wire gamesmanship that fascinated pundits and the drama and intrigue that captivated a nation.

Letters From Father Christmas by JRR Tolkien

Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R.Tolkien′s children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful coloured drawing or some sketches. The letters were from Father Christmas.

They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how all the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas′s house into the dining-room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house!

Sometimes the Polar Bear would scrawl a note, and sometimes Ilbereth the Elf would write in his elegant flowing script, adding yet more life and humour to the stories. No reader, young or old, can fail to be charmed by the inventiveness and ′authenticity′ of Tolkien′s Letters from Father Christmas.

To mark ten years since the publication of the complete edition of Tolkien′s LETTERS FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS in 1999, this new edition is the first time the letters have been available in B format.

Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi

Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Lured into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals, they face the most terrifying monster of all.

Gift Giving Suggestions - Day 9

2009-12-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton

Critics have compared the engrossing space operas of Peter F. Hamilton to the classic sagas of such sf giants as Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert. But Hamilton’s bestselling fiction—powered by a fearless imagination and world-class storytelling skills—has also earned him comparison to Tolstoy and Dickens. Hugely ambitious, wildly entertaining, philosophically stimulating: the novels of Peter F. Hamilton will change the way you think about science fiction. Now, with Pandora’s Star, he begins a new multivolume adventure, one that promises to be his most mind-blowing yet.

The year is 2380. The Intersolar Commonwealth, a sphere of stars some four hundred light-years in diameter, contains more than six hundred worlds, interconnected by a web of transport “tunnels” known as wormholes. At the farthest edge of the Commonwealth, astronomer Dudley Bose observes the impossible: Over one thousand light-years away, a star . . . vanishes. It does not go supernova. It does not collapse into a black hole. It simply disappears. Since the location is too distant to reach by wormhole, a faster-than-light starship, the Second Chance, is dispatched to learn what has occurred and whether it represents a threat. In command is Wilson Kime, a five-time rejuvenated ex-NASA pilot whose glory days are centuries behind him.

Opposed to the mission are the Guardians of Selfhood, a cult that believes the human race is being manipulated by an alien entity they call the Starflyer. Bradley Johansson, leader of the Guardians, warns of sabotage, fearing the Starflyer means to use the starship’s mission for its own ends.

Extreme Birds by Dominic Couzens

A photographic showcase of 150 birds at the extremes of nature.

Extreme Birds reveals nature's ingenuity and sometimes its sense of humor. The species showcased in this book are chosen for their extraordinary characteristics and for behaviors far beyond the typical. They are the biggest, the fastest, the meanest, the smartest. They build the most intricate nests, they have the most peculiar mating rituals, and they dive the deepest or fly the highest. These are the overachievers of the avian world.

Some examples:

Most skilled nest builder: The tiny southern masked weaver reveals a surprising grasp of the principles of architecture. In just five days it weaves and knots thousands of fine grass strands to build a complex sphere-like nest that hangs from the tip of an overhead branch.
Deadliest enemy: The southern cassowary is big (140 pounds), tall (6 feet) and fast (30 mph). This flightless bird can also leap 5 feet into the air and has 5-inch long claws that are capable of stabbing and disemboweling a human being.
Most creative decorator: The blue bower bird creates an elaborate "bachelor pad" bower and decorates it with colorful baubles, blue preferred and the shinier the better.

Year of the Dog by Henry Chang

"A vivid, street-level portrait."--The New York Times

"An Asian-flavored The Wire. . . . A richly atmospheric panorama of New York's immigrant demimonde."--Entertainment Weekly

"Utterly riveting."--Slate.com

Wherever Chinatowns are located geographically, they form one community; fire a gun in New York and its echo is heard in Hong Kong. In his second outing, NYPD Detective Jack Yu confronts triad bosses, Chinatown turf wars, and international fraud.

Henry Chang was born and raised in New York City's Chinatown, where he now lives. He is the author of Chinatown Beat, the first mystery in the Detective Jack Yu series.

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
When Annabel, the youngest of three beautiful sisters, has a bitter falling out with her best friend—the popular and exciting Sophie—she suddenly finds herself isolated and friendless. but then she meets owen—a loner, passionate about music and his weekly radio show, and always determined to tell the truth. And when they develop a friendship, Annabel is not only introduced to new music but is encouraged to listen to her own inner voice. with owen's help, can Annabel find the courage to speak out about what exactly happened the night her friendship with Sophie came to a screeching halt?

On the Eighth Day of Christmas...

2009-12-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

Born in the United States, reared in a series of provisional households in Mexico, Harrison Shepherd is mostly a liability to his social-climbing flapper mother, Salomé. From a coastal island jungle to the unpaved neighborhoods of 1930s Mexico City, through a disastrous stint at a military school in Virginia and back again, his fortunes never steady as Salomé finds her rich men-friends always on the losing side of the Mexican Revolution. Sometimes she gives her son cigarettes instead of supper.

He aims for invisibility, observing his world and recording everything with a peculiar selfless irony in his notebooks. Life is whatever he learns from servants putting him to work in the kitchen, errands he runs in the streets, and one fateful day, by mixing plaster for famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Making himself useful in the household of Rivera, his wife Frida Kahlo and exiled Bolshevik leader Lev Trotsky, young Shepherd inadvertently casts his lot with art and revolution, and the howling gossip and reportage that dictate public opinion.

A violent upheaval sends him north to a nation newly caught up in the internationalist good will of World War II. In the mountain city of Asheville, North Carolina, he remakes himself in America’s hopeful image. Under the watch of his peerless stenographer, Violet Brown, he finds an extraordinary use for his talents of observation. But political winds continue to throw him between north and south, in a plot that turns many times on the unspeakable breach—the lacuna—between truth and public presumption.

This is a gripping story of identity, connection with our past, and the power of words to create or devastate, unfolding at a moment when the entire world seemed bent on reinventing itself at any cost.

Wrestling with Moses by Anthony Flint

To a young Jane Jacobs, Greenwich Village, with its winding cobblestone streets and diverse makeup, was everything a city neighborhood should be. The activist, writer, and mother of three grew so fond of her bustling community that it became a touchstone for her landmark book The Death and Life of Great American Cities. But consummate power broker Robert Moses, the father of many of New York’s most monumental development projects, saw things differently: neighborhoods such as Greenwich Village were badly in need of “urban renewal.” Notorious for exacting enormous human costs, Moses’s plans had never before been halted–not by governors, mayors, or FDR himself, and certainly not by a housewife from Scranton.

The epic rivalry of Jacobs and Moses, played out amid the struggle for the soul of a city, is one of the most dramatic and consequential in modern American history. In Wrestling with Moses, acclaimed reporter and urban planning policy expert Anthony Flint recounts this thrilling David-and-Goliath story, the legacy of which echoes through our society today.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the other districts in line by forcing them to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death on live TV.

One boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and sixteen are selected by lottery to play. The winner brings riches and favor tohis or her district. But that is nothing compared to what the Capitol wins: one more year of fearful compliance with its rule. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her impoverished district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Acclaimed writer Suzanne Collins, author of the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles, delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this stunning novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas...

2009-12-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis

This book beat out work by Douglas Coupland and Will Ferguson because it is very, very good — a terrific Canadian political satire.

Here’s the set up: A burnt-out politcal aide quits just before an election — but is forced to run a hopeless campaign on the way out. He makes a deal with a crusty old Scot, Angus McLintock — an engineering professor who will do anything, anything, to avoid teaching English to engineers — to let his name stand in the election. No need to campaign, certain to lose, and so on.

Then a great scandal blows away his opponent, and to their horror, Angus is elected. He decides to see what good an honest M.P. who doesn’t care about being re-elected can do in Parliament. The results are hilarious — and with chess, a hovercraft, and the love of a good woman thrown in, this very funny book has something for everyone.

Just Watch Me by John English
This magnificent second volume, written with exclusive access to Trudeau’s private papers and letters, completes what the Globe and Mail called “the most illuminating Trudeau portrait yet written” — sweeping us from sixties’ Trudeaumania to his final days when he debated his faith.

His life is one of Canada’s most engrossing stories. John English reveals how for Trudeau style was as important as substance, and how the controversial public figure intertwined with the charismatic private man and committed father. He traces Trudeau’s deep friendships (with women especially, many of them talented artists, like Barbra Streisand) and bitter enmities; his marriage and family tragedy. He illuminates his strengths and weaknesses — from Trudeaumania to political disenchantment, from his electrifying response to the kidnappings during the October Crisis, to his all-important patriation of the Canadian Constitution, and his evolution to influential elder statesman.

And we have SIGNED copies available!!

Old City Hall by Robert Rotenberg

Kevin Brace, Canada's most famous radio personality, stands in the door
of his luxury condominium, hands covered in blood, and announces
to his newspaper delivery man: "I killed her." His wife lies dead in
the bathtub, fatally stabbed.

It would appear to be an open-and-shut case.

The trouble is, Brace refuses to talk to anyone -- including his own lawyer --
after muttering those incriminating words. With the discovery that the
victim was actually a self-destructive alcoholic, the appearance of
strange fingerprints at the crime scene, and a revealing courtroom crossexamination,
the seemingly simple case takes on all the complexities of a
hotly contested murder trial. Meantime, much to everyone's surprise, the
Leafs are making an unlikely run for the Stanley Cup.

Swan Lake Ballet Theatre

The perfect gift for dancers and dreamers! A gorgeous, fold-out miniature stage, interchangeable scenery, and moveable figures offer hours of fun as children reimagine all four acts of Tchaikovsky’s great ballet. The haunting story of SWAN LAKE comes to life through:
— A full-color book relating the story of the ballet and offering staging suggestions
— A sophisticated collection of scenery and backdrops
— Nine dancing figures and supporting cast
— An audio CD featuring music from SWAN LAKE

We have a beautiful Swan Lake Ballet Theatre on display at the store. Come check it out! This is a really neat gift for Christmas.

Did You Miss Terry O'Reilly and Mike Tennant?

2009-12-04T11:21:00.001-08:00

Well here are some pictures of our author event!

Terry O'Reilly and Mike Tennant, authors of The Age of Persuasion, gave a fascinating, enlightening, and funny talk about their new book:

Here is everyone lining up to get a seat at The Princess Twin.

The seats were PACKED! People had to sit in the aisles.

Speaking to a thoughtful audience :) Mike Tennant mentions that Random House approached he and Terry about writing a book. When Mike mentioned he lived in Kitchener-Waterloo, the publishing representative said "Words Worth Books would host an author event for your book!", so there was an event already in the works before there was a book!

And a more casual signing/meet n' greet afterwards!

Two very dapper fellows!

Thanks Terry and Mike for an unforgettable evening!

Tricia Goes to the Governor General Awards!

2009-12-04T07:33:00.001-08:00

I had a whirlwind 24 hours, starting mid-morning on Thursday, Nov 26 when I boarded a small plane at the Waterloo International Airport (yes, Waterloo has an International airport!!). The plane had one attempt at take-off which the pilot aborted because a flock of Canada Geese landed on the runway. We bumped and swerved and then he taxied back and tried again, successfully. I wondered at the time if this did not bode well for the rest of the day.....

When we landed in Ottawa 65 minutes later I took a taxi to the National Art Gallery where I met my dear friend Sally Melville. We took a quick tour of the Cape Dorset/ Daphne Odjig exhibit, then met her daughter and brand-new beautiful grandaughter. After a delicious lunch in a French bistro we headed back to Sally's for tea and gussied-up time.

Sally drove me through 5pm Ottawa traffic, past the Parliament buildings, past the Chateau Laurier Hotel, past all the wonderful buildings that every Canadian in this country can be proud of, to our destination: #1 Sussex Drive, Rideau Hall. The security guard looked at my invitation, crossed my name off his list and waved us on, bidding me a lovely evening.

Footmen were at the front door of this magnificent home and I was ushered in and directed to the floor below where the "freshening up room" and cloakroom were. You can see from the pictures the one of the yellow circular couch which is in front of the washrooms.

The ladies' room was marble with chandeliers and beside every basin was a stack of heavy linen handtowels with the vice-regal insignia embroidered on them. Ooooh, the temptation to tuck one in my evening bag...but no, bag was too small and I just couldn't do it! I did not want to be removed before the festivities had begun!

I took a picture of the lovely staircase heading to the Grand Ballroom. There are portraits of the wives of the GG's from over the years.

In the main lobby 2 sentries stood guard wearing their huge bearskin hats. They seemed not to move a muscle as people in long gowns and tuxes mingled around them. We were finally ushered into the Grand Ballroom where each of us were helped to our seats. Chairs of blue damask, very comfortable. On the dias stood two wing chairs in the same fabric for Their Excellencies. Behind them was a magnificent original painting by Norval Morriseau, one of my favourite aboriginal artists.

I was amazed that there was around 150 people in attendance. When Chuck and I have been to the Giller Awards there are 450 to 500 people. This was much more intimate. We all stood when the Governor General and her husband entered the room. She is not very tall, around my height and very slim and beautiful. Her face just shone with excitement all evening. As each of the GG award winners (called laureates) stood before her she would take both their hands and speak very enthusiastically to them. One of her assistants told me later that she actually reads all the books once the shortlist is announced so she is well prepared. She was wearing a one shouldered brocade evening gown that seemed to be either A-line or princess line. It was in browns and dark greens and very elegant.

The ceremony itself took almost two hours. Each laureate was introduced by their respective publisher or editor and then given a leather bound copy of their book, then they spoke as well. Six of the twelve winners are in french and I could only understand a few words of each speech.

After that we all stood to sing our national anthem and then followed their excellenciences out of the room into one of several adjoining rooms where drinks tables and several food stations awaited. The Grand Ballroom was reconfigured for dining with many smaller tables that could seat six people.

People from across the country had been invited: I met a woman who had flown in from Newfoundland for this as well as a young writer who had come from 5 hours north of Nelson, British Columbia, and people from everyone in between! I met the Australian High Commissioner (who looked like Russell Crowe) and we chatted for awhile about Australian writers. I met a professor from the University of Mexico who is currently teaching French Literature at the Universitate d'Ottawa. There was only one person I met who has attended this event before and that was the director of the Harbourfront International Writers' Festival in Toronto. He suggested I eat as much as I can because it is our tax dollars paying for it!

In fact, I was too excited to eat much. But what I did eat was delicious: flambeed shrimp with coconut rice, tiny Alberta bison medallions served on a roasted potato and celeriac mash. Seafood dumplings. Everything was bite sized and we could wander from room to room, food station to food station savouring samples.

Her Excellency also went from room to room with her assistants and security guards (they had earphones with squiggly cords disappearing into their suits...the only men who were not in tuxes). She met people and spent time chatting with each person as if they were the only one in the room. What a gift and how do you learn to do that?? Unfortunately for me, I never seemed to be in the same room or at the table where she would sit and chat, although at one point when I was talking to the Australian High Commissioner and the Chief Librarian of the Parliamentary Library, she was standing right beside my table chatting with people. My elbow was touching her gown! (I guess that is as close as I will get!!).

I had the chance to speak to several of the English award winners and talk about their books (which I had made sure to have read beforehand). A couple of the French books sounded very interesting and I hope they will be translated into English. I especially wanted to ask the winner of the French non-fiction award, Nicole Champeau, because her book is about the flooding of the area around Cornwall to make way for the St Lawrence Seaway. She was in a circle of people all speaking French and I felt too shy to ask in English and to unsure of my French to even attempt it.

We were offered tours of some of the rooms at Rideau Hall and could take pictures of them. But the personal area for Her Excellency was off limits and two men in red uniform stood on either side of that staircase.

I spent the last part of my magical evening speaking with the CEO of the Ontario Film Development Corporation (we shared a taxi back to her hotel and then on to Sally's condo for me), and a poet who calls herself "Oni, the Haitian Sensation", a big black woman who claims she is the grandmother of slam poetry. I have actually heard her on CBC radio when they have their poetry contests every year. She has teenage sons and when I mentioned how young she looked to be a mother of teens, she turned to me and said, "Honey, y'all should know that black don't crack". Which had me and everyone around us in fits of laughter.

All evening the staff at Rideau Hall mingled with the guests and wanted to make sure we were having fun, we were comfortable, we should get more food, or something to drink. I was told that every year the Canada Council (co-sponsor and administrator of the award) puts forward names to attend the event and they like to have different people across the country attend. They love to see the connections that get made. As far as I could tell I was the only bookseller besides the manager of the Nicholas Hoare bookstore in Ottawa. Michaelle Jean reviews each name and consents to the invitation.

I was hoping to meet her before I left and her staff said they would arrange that but she had a few more people to speak with first. Oni and I stood around a bit talking about finding her a new publisher and then I realized it was time to go: my flight back to Waterloo and reality was early the next morning and it was already 11:30!!

But as I boarded my plane home and in time for a 9am meeting at the bookstore, I had and still have an earworm in my head singing the Eliza Doolittle song from My Fair Lady, "I Could Have Danced All Night"!

More From Our Christmas Guide

2009-12-04T07:19:00.000-08:00

For the Literature Lover on your list:
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.

As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.

For the Biography or Art Lover on your list:
Finding Frida Kahlo

Finding Frida Kahlo presents, for the first time in print, an astonishing lost archive of one of the twentieth century's most revered artists. Hidden from view for over half a century, this richly illustrated, intimate portrait overflows with fascinating details about Kahlo's romances, friendships, and business affairs during a three-decade period, beginning in the 1920s when she was a teenager and ending just before she died in 1954.

Full of ardent desires, seething fury, and outrageous humor, Finding Frida Kahlo is a rare glimpse into an exuberant and troubled existence. Frida Kahlo never wrote an autobiography. Instead, she left behind a much more complex material universe. Finding Frida Kahlo offers scholars and fans alike an opportunity to examine firsthand Kahlo's secret world and draw their own conclusions about how she imagined her place in it.

For the Adventure Lover on your list:
Faery Rebels by R.J. Anderson

Forget everything you think you know about faeries. . . .
Creatures full of magic and whimsy?
Not in the Oakenwyld. Not anymore.

Deep inside the great Oak lies a dying faery realm, bursting with secrets instead of magic. Long ago the faeries mysteriously lost their magic. Robbed of their powers, they have become selfish and dull-witted. Now their numbers are dwindling and their very survival is at stake.

Only one young faery—Knife—is determined to find out where her people's magic has gone and try to get it back. Unlike her sisters, Knife is fierce and independent. She's not afraid of anything—not the vicious crows, the strict Faery Queen, or the fascinating humans living nearby. But when Knife disobeys the Faery Queen and befriends a human named Paul, her quest becomes more dangerous than she realizes. Can Knife trust Paul to help, or has she brought the faeries even closer to the brink of destruction?

Talented newcomer R. J. Anderson creates an extraordinary new fantasy world and weaves a gripping tale of lost magic, high adventure, and surprising friendship in which the fate of an entire realm rests on the shoulders of one brave faery rebel.

Christmas Gift Guide

2009-12-03T09:29:00.000-08:00

PERFECT FOR ARCHITECT JUNKIES!
In Exceptional Treehouses, author and treehouse builder Alain Laurens reveals 30 gorgeous treehouse structures, 25 of which are entirely new creations, all illustrated with Daniel Dufour’s beautiful watercolors as well as photographs by Jacques Delacroix, commissioned specially for this book.
As in his first book, Treehouse Living, Laurens demonstrates his commitment to sustainable building and environmentalism with his designs, all executed with ecological ideals in mind. In 2000 Laurens started his company, La Cabane Perchée, to design and build treehouses around Europe. Each house takes into account the local environment, as well as the tree in which the structure stands, and the photographs show details of how the treehouses are constructed without driving nails into any part of the host tree. Exceptional Treehouses is the perfect inspiration for treehouse lovers, eco-friendly architects, and enthusiastic amateurs.

PERFECT FOR THE FOODIE IN YOUR LIFE!
New York Times Magazine food editor Amanda Hesser has showcased the food-inspired recollections of some of America's leading writers- playwrights, screenwriters, novelists, poets, journalists- in the magazine. Eat, Memory collects the twenty-six best stories and recipes to accompany them.

Ann Patchett confronts her stubbornness in a heated argument she once had with her then-boyfriend, now husband, over dinner at the famed Paris restaurant Taillevent. Tom Perrotta explains how his long list of food aversions almost landed him in an East German prison. Gabrielle Hamilton finds that hiring a blind cook leads her into ethical terrain she wasn't prepared to navigate. And poet Billy Collins muses over his relationship with a fish he once ate.

Also included are stories by Chang-rae Lee, Patricia Marx, John Burnham Schwartz, George Saunders, Colson Whitehead, Kiran Desai, Pico Iyer, and Heidi Julavits, among others.

BRONWYN CAN'T WAIT TO READ THIS!
Another brilliant, original and moving novel from the author of The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Julia and Valentina Poole are normal American teenagers — normal, at least, for identical “mirror” twins who have no interest in college or jobs or possibly anything outside their cozy suburban home. But everything changes when they receive notice that an aunt whom they didn’t know existed has died and left them her amazing flat in a building by Highgate Cemetery in London. They feel that at last their own lives can begin … but they have no idea that they’ve been summoned into a tangle of fraying lives, from the OCD-suffering crossword setter who lives above them to their aunt’s mysterious and elusive lover who lives below them, and even to their aunt herself, who never got over her estrangement from the mother of the girls — her own twin — and who can’t even seem to quite leave her flat….

PERFECT FOR CUDDLE TIME WITH KIDS!

Max is the cook’s dog. And because he is also the king’s taster, Max gets to feast on wild boar! cheese pies! rose pudding! No wonder Max loves his job. Who wouldn’t want to dine on these delicious dishes? The new king, that’s who. Max and the cook must find a new recipe—and fast. Otherwise, if the new king has his way, they’ll be losing more than just their jobs!

The King’s Taster features stunning collage artwork, lush fabrics and painting from the phenomenal award-winning illustrator team Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. This is a beautiful package with a character kids will love and a surprise twist that will delight parents and children alike.

Take Advantage of Our Canadian Magazine Tote Bag Giveaway!

2009-11-27T12:29:00.001-08:00

Check out our display for Magazines Canada, the Canadian magazine distributor, who are giving out FREE black tote bags with a purchase of any 1 magazine from their catalogue! There are a few titles on the display, but we carry a ton more on our general magazine shelves. Just look for the Canadian flag placards!

The tote is a good one, too. You can roll it up and pin it into a small bundle to throw in a purse or just carry in your hand. While supplies last!

An Evening With John English !

2009-11-27T11:40:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are some pictures taken from the John English event from last Wednesday evening! A video of John's Q & A is still to come.

John signed like 100+ copies of his book Just Watch Me and went through 3 pens!

John signs a copy of his book for a lucky signee! The line-up was very long, but John got to everyone.

Noble staff on hand greeting people and taking tickets.

A fuzzy picture, but you get the idea; a terrific reading--John was funny and charming and gave a few juicy details of Trudeau's life and loves.

All in all it was a very fun and successful night. Thanks, John!

An Evening With Jamie Bastedo, Author of Sila's Revenge!

2009-11-24T14:04:00.000-08:00

On Monday night (23rd) we welcomed Jamie Bastedo, author of Sila's Revenge, to come and have a chat about his newest book.

In behind the books there is a laptop and Jamie took us through a slideshow of images and text to re-create the feeling of writing Sila's Revenge. Jamie uses images and photographs to get a sense of setting and character and he shared those with us and how they fit into the book. His anecdotes were really interesting and I think we were sitting there for about an hour and half!

If you haven't read Sila's Revenge, pick up a signed copy at the store (and signed bookmarks too! Limited quantity). It is a great gift idea for an older teen in your life, or for anyone who loves a good adventure across the world, with a bit of love, and a strong voice!

Here's Jamie signing a copy of his earlier book, On Thin Ice (I love the cover of this one. He even brought in a Korean version of the book to show us the cover--beautiful).

Do you like my book display skills? I matched the table cloth to the book colours.

Just a few of my favourite readers :)

*Mandy

Where booksellers go to die

2009-11-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

It's hard out there for a blimp

2009-11-22T10:09:00.000-08:00

Oh, come on

2009-11-21T05:07:00.000-08:00

I have to believe Rex Murphy is having some fun with this.

"The other great speech of the U.S. campaign season was Sarah Palin's on receiving the vice-presidential slot on the McCain ticket. This was a speech delivered under even greater pressures than that of Mr. Obama. John McCain's choice of Ms. Palin had been early and widely criticized, and in some quarters ferociously reviled. She had never really been under the national spotlight before. The entire media were focused on her with an intensity almost unseen in the annals of vice-presidential politics. If she'd been just “okay,” or messed up, John McCain's campaign was over. It was the highest of high-stakes gambles.

Did she deliver? She soared. She was the very acme of self-confidence and ease. She mixed a natural charm with a mischievous edge of sarcasm toward her opponents – even daring the unthinkable by pinging The One himself. It was her “first serve” on the national stage and she delivered an ace. The backwoods hick knocked it out of the hall that night – not only did she not sink the McCain campaign, she gave it the only real vitality and spark that gloomy, tight, fussy little campaign had from start to finish."

The difference is that Obama wrote his speech. Palin didn't write hers.

The Kindle makes Ian Brown um...

2009-11-21T05:01:00.001-08:00

I'm trying not to go for the obvious pun, but he's not a fan.

"But in every other way, reading on a Kindle is to reading a book as having sex while wearing (two) condoms is to having sex: It's still technically intercourse, but doesn't feel the same. A book feels like a thing that can be passed from hand to hand. Kindle feels convenient. Vague as that sounds, it's a profound difference."

If I ever had to use a Kindle I'd probably wear rubber gloves and the cond...ah, I'll pass on the whole thing.

Knew it all along

2009-11-18T18:59:00.000-08:00

It's not news, but reading makes you a better man

Kindleocracy

2009-11-18T18:49:00.000-08:00

The Kindle has it's moments, but so far meh.