Anyone interested in Michigan public schools should check out “French Road Connections” today (in list at right). After that gets you all filed up, take a few moments to laugh by looking at http://quotation-marks.blogspot.com/. The weather today is too dismal to describe. I’d rather occupy my mind with books.
“What’s new?” People ask that all the time. It’s kind of like, “How are you?” in that it marks time and acknowledges the other person’s presence but isn’t really a request for information. Often (and maybe in the same vein) people ask me, “How’s the bookstore?” It’s much better, though, when they actually come to the bookstore, ask, “What’s new?” and take off their coats to stay a while. So today I’ll pretend all my blog readers are here in person, and I’ll answer the “What’s new?” question as it relates to books on my new-book shelves. (Don’t forget there are always “new” used books, too, in the rest of the shop.) Here’s a quick sketch of just a few stand-outs, by category, some of them brand-new releases and others excellent books still available new and in stock here in Northport today, i.e., available (if you’re here in Leelanau County) at one (or more) of your LOCAL BOOKSTORES!
First, new books for children:
BE MY VALENTINE, PETER RABBIT, a board book with surprise sound inside;
PIPER, by Emma Chichester Clark, a dog story;
THE HUCKABUCK FAMILY AND HOW THEY RAISED POPCORN IN NEBRASKA, a Carl Sandburg classic, this edition illustrated by David Small of Kalamazoo;
ADVENTURES WITH LITTLE DUCK—a book, a puzzle and a toy, all in one!--
Next, novels for grownups:
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, by Geraldine Brooks, author of YEARS OF WONDER and MARCH;
ATONEMENT (now in paperback and at your local movie theatre), by Ian McEwan;
NIGHT TRAIN TO LISBON, by Pascal Mercier, a book none other than Isabel Allende called “one of the best books I have read in a long time”;
OUT STEALING HORSES, by Per Petterson, which got a review I couldn’t resist;
STRIKE DOG, a Woods Cop mystery set in the U.P., by Michigan’s own Joseph Heywood--
Biography and memoir:
CALLED TO QUESTION, by Joan Chittister, for the spiritually inclined;
THE MEASURE OF A MAN, by Sidney Poitier, an American icon;
UNBOWED, by Wangari Maathai, a story of hope for Kenya, something we all need right now;
BOONE: A BIOGRAPHY, by Robert Morgan, another book with irresistible reviews, especially for the lover of Western history in your life--
You and your life:
TEST-DRIVE YOUR DREAM JOB, by Brian Kurth
FIELD GUIDE TO HAPPINESS, by Barbara Ann Kipfer
CHOOSING HAPPINESS, by Stephanie Dowrick
Plus a couple of long-time favorites of mine, still in print:
THE LUCK FACTOR, by Richard Wiseman
THE HIDDEN POWER OF KINDNESS, by Lawrence Lovasik--
Food, drink, health:
PRESCRIPTION FOR NUTRITIONAL HEALING, 4th edition, by Phyllis A. Balch;
101 FOODS THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE, by David Grotto;
FROM THE VINE: EXPLORING MICHIGAN WINERIES, by Sharon Kegerreis & Lorri Hathaway;
and finally, SAVOR MICHIGAN COOKBOOK: MICHIGAN’S FINEST RESTAURANTS, THEIR RECIPES & THEIR HISTORIES.
As for me, I opened an old book this morning and am now hooked. It's a novel loosely based on the life of the poet Rimbaud. I'll let you know how it holds up as I get further in.
7 comments:
Thank you so much for mentioning my book, FIELD GUIDE TO HAPPINESS! You might enjoy visiting my site and blog , too, at http://www.thingstobehappyabout.com. Again, thank you.
Thanks for the website address, Barbara. I'll definitely check it out and am sure my readers will, too.
Been gone for a few days, so I am a bit late in weighing in on this blog post. But, I do want to highlight your suggestion to check out "French Road Connection" for those interested in public schools. In fact, I would suggest that even if you're not particularly interested in public schools, check it out anyway. Schools are the future of our kids and our kids are the future for all of us. When I mentioned that I was away for a few days, I was in fact working for a better education for our youth. I was in Washington DC trying to assure a better future for public schools and the education of our children. French Road Connections is well versed on the subject and shares some important information. I encourage everyone to check out her writings.
Thanks for the second on that, z.
So hey, z, what was the Washington trip all about? We want details, please!
Re "Choosing Happiness": I just read a review of ANOTHER book with the word "unhappiness" in the title that argues unhappiness is what gives people character and depth and makes life worth living. Wish I could remember the name.
That would be AGAINST HAPPINESS: IN PRAISE OF MELANCHOLY, by Eric G. Wilson, and it does sound interesting. Drawn irresistibly to melancholy myself for decades, I can't help wondering how old Mr. Wilson is. When alone and miserable, one is more likely to be visited by the muse of poetry than when life is full and complete in the moment. That said, would Rimbaud (since I'm reading that book based on his life) not have written poetry had he not been filled with rage (which is quite a different kettle of fish from melancholy)? The problem is that so much of unhappiness is not productive, not of art or of anything else, but simply keeps one squirrel-caging round and round, trapped inside repetitious 'thoughts' that go nowhere. Perhaps we must say that unhappiness and happiness both can take on many different hues. Tolstoy would not allow me that, but I'll take my stand on it nonetheless.
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