I don’t read young adult literature, and don’t have any young adults around at the moment who do. So, I’m not in a position to say whether all the books out there for teens are full of horrific violent profanity ridden dreck or not. But apparently a writer for the Wall Street Journal has read … Read more
Shelf Awareness has a link to this sad story of 2 more fine independent bookstore closings–this time in Harvard Square, MA. Curious George bookshop opened in the 1995 with the approval of the author, Margret Rey. It will be closing because the landlord refused to grant the store another lease. Just another bunch of long time … Read more
And not as a therapist or prison guard. What is it about book selling that brings out some of the most bizarre people around? Within all the stores I’ve worked, there have been several inmates also considered employees. After shifting career gears in the early 90s, from jewelry making to part time corporation mumbo jumbo, … Read more
I know I’m probably in the minority, but Ulysses is like one long long long run on sentence to me. What was James Joyce on, anyway, while writing this? I also understand that many think this book the best ever written, and I say, nuts to you, lol. No, I think that everyone has their … Read more
When my best friend’s mother passed away, Bob wanted to give me a thousand dollars from her estate to do with as I pleased. I was gobsmacked. I loved his mother, of course, and was saddened by her passing. She had been ill for years with dementia, and Bob had been there for her throughout, … Read more
I found this ABE theme unusual and interesting. I never gave much thought to how mental illness is depicted in print. I’ve read books that have various forms of mental illness as subplots, or even the main story line. Until I really thought about it, I suppose I didn’t realize just how many. Naturally The … Read more
From Quill and Quire http://www.quillandquire.com/blog/index.php/2011/06/01/dionne-brand-gets-the-griffin/ Just a quick question–does anyone read poetry anymore? I’m curious because I used to throw myself into various poets, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, etc and soak up their melancholy. I was young and dramatic. But I also had some super anthologies with poets like e e cummings that I thought … Read more
I’ve mentioned the two diminutive people, whose son owned Lorry’s and Pace University bookstore, but never explained their particular presence and role within the workings of the business. They didn’t have one. Or, let me rephrase that, they didn’t have a role conducive to actual bookstore business. They ‘trolled’ the stores, guarded their son’s investments, … Read more
