A Fond Farewell to Our Beowulf on the Beach Summer Reading Challenge

We're still smiling after our fun Beowulf on the Beach Bash on August 27th, The Bookstore's end-of-the-summer celebration for our Summer Classic Reading Challenge. So many of our customers said, "Can we do this again next summer?" Sounds good to me!


Customers mingled with glasses full of Anna Karenitinis (a delicious sour apple martini) or Beowulf on the Seabreeze (fresh & fruity), talking about their summer reads with our new BFF author Jack Murnighan. He was as entertaining in person as he is on the page, and had the whole audience entranced as he read his favorite line from To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. Everyone enjoyed his forgiving approach to the classics, joking, "of course it's hard to concentrate on some of this stuff --they were written before cable TV!"



The best news of all, besides all the fun we had with our customers, is that the Challenge was a huge success for The Bookstore. We sold about 100 copies of Beowulf on the Beach, along with
dozens and dozens of classics to go with it. Yes, the whole staff was very psyched about it and we chatted it up a lot at the store, but we have to thank Jack Murnighan for putting out such a fun book in the first place. Authors like that (and covers like that!) make selling easy. Also, thanks to Michael Kindness at one of our favorite book blogs, http://www.booksonthenightstand.com/, for introducing us to this challenge and for noticing our efforts. We'd also like to thank our loyal customer Sandy Stevens, a local reporter and avid reader, for her excitement and help in spreading the word.



As for me, I'm glad I tackled the challenge of reading Moby Dick. If it hadn't been for Murnighan's book, I might not have been able to see through to the humor in what I used to think was a dark, gloomy classic. I also had the chance to go deep sea fishing down in Islamorada (with my book in tow), and shared a fun moment with the Captain talking about his experience with sperm whales in the Gulf Stream. He caught a glimpse of my soggy paperback and said knowingly: " Great book!"

So yes, let's do this again! We only wish Jack Murnighan's next book would be ready in time for next summer's challenge.

How's Your Beowulf on the Beach Book Coming Along? Are You on Target for the Party August 27th?

We hope you are enjoying your summer reading projects, whether you're participating in our Beowulf on the Beach Summer Reading Challenge, or you're helping your kids get through their Get Caught Reading lists.

As for me, I've picked Moby Dick as my Beowulf on the Beach book. I was going to save it for our vacation to Florida in late July, but I got a head start. That way, I'll still be on target even if I consume too many bikini maritinis to be able to concentrate at the beach. (It can happen. And then you wake up with drool stains on your book.)

I'm thrilled to report that so far, Jack Murnighan is dead on with his "field guide" to Moby Dick. Murnighan insists it's actually quite funny. Although I wasn't completely convinced, I've meant to read this book for a long time, and Murnighan was my tipping point. I never read it in high school, but I did skim it while reading Ahab's Wife by Sena J. Naslund. (The story of the imaginary wife of Captain Ahab in Moby Dick.)

But now I can confirm that reading Herman Melville at my (ahem) mature age is a riot. Melville reminds me of some of my favorite straight-faced jokesters. Those kind of people totally crack me up. You know how you try to make eye contact to get them to smile, but they just won't respond? So you're left to wonder, is it just me? That awkward moment of possible misunderstanding is so delicious.

There's a scene early on in Moby Dick where two sailors share the same accomodations at the overcrowded "Spouter Inn". (Okay, Melville's messing with me already.) Ishmael is a thoughtful teacher turned sailor who is pretty squeamish about bunking with Queequeg, a Fiji Island version of Rubeus Hagrid. Anyway, the scene is hilariously cozy, and you're left to wonder: did they just hook up? Come on Melville, make eye contact with me!

So anyway, I hope you're enjoying your Beowulf on the Beach Challenge as much as I am so far. We'd love to hear from you in the comments section below - don't be shy! You've got more than a month to go until the Bookstore cocktail party (featuring an appearance by Jack Murnighan himself!). It's not until August 27th at 7pm, so you still have time for many of the great classics in Murnighan's book. Maybe not War & Peace, but there are plenty of others under 400 pages. If you haven't picked out your book yet, just stop in and our staff will help you make your selection. (Yes, this is a great job!)

Don't forget to call (630)469-2891 or email us at justbook475@yahoo.com to register for the party.

Happy Summer Reading!

Summer Beach Reading in Glen Ellyn

Time for Beach Reads at The Bookstore

Even if it's rainy and cold outside today, we are ready to kick off our Summer Reading Programs at The Bookstore. The highlight of this year's program: Beach Chair Readers in the Window!


It works just like our popular Christmas Reader in the Window program. Two beach chairs are available for each time slot, so bring a friend -- or make a new one! Children and teens are welcome too. Just come dressed in fun beachwear (swimsuits, cover-ups, shorts, flip-flops & sunglasses would all be great). We'll furnish the lemonade and cookies, you bring or buy a summer reading book. Then just chill, read, and wave at the passerby from our make believe beach. Each Beach Chair reader gets a $5 gift certificate to The Bookstore. Sign up for the time slots starts now for dates between Wednesday, June 24th and Tuesday, July 14th.

Kids Summer Reading:
The Bookstore's summer reading program for kids is called "Get Caught Reading!" Read 10 age appropriate books, fill out our form, and you get a free paperback of your choice! Forms are available at The Bookstore or print a copy by clicking here: http://www.booksite.com/pdfs/GET_CAUGHT_READING_LOG.pdf


Adults Summer Reading:
We hope all of Glen Ellyn joins us for our Beowulf on the Beach Summer Reading Challenge. It's a fun way to share the classics, and will include a summers' end cocktail party in late August or early September! Three easy steps:

1. Purchase a copy of Beowulf on the Beach (What to Love and What to Skip in Literature's 50 Greatist Hits ) by Jack Murnighan ($14.95, paperback). You can order a copy on our website: http://www.justthebookstore.com/. This is a great book written by a cool college professor who knows the classics inside and out, but more importantly, knows how to make them fun and accessible. For more information about this book, there is a blog called Books on the Nightstand, featuring a weekly video of Murninghan reading and discussing his favorite lines from one of the classics in the book. (Extra benefit: Murnighan is a single Indie Heartthrob. You can get a crush on the book and the author at the same time.) Click here for a recent podcast: http://www.booksonthenightstand.com/2009/06/botns-readers-meet-jack-murnighan.html

2. Select at least one classic recommended in Murnighan's book to read this summer. We are currently stocking our classics section with lots of cheap paperbacks. That way, you can smear sun lotion all over it and spill your lemonade, and it just won't matter! If you love the book, then buy a hardcover copy for your library later. Sue's already reading Pride & Prejudice, I still haven't decided. I just know it won't be War & Peace -- I tackled that last summer, whew!

3. Sign up for our "End of The Summer Beowulf on the Beach Bash," a cocktail party and book review discussion at The Bookstore where we'll share what we thought of our selected classics. The date will be announced in our e-newsletters and our blog, so stay tuned.

We hope everyone in your family finds time for a great summer read, or better yet, finds time for a Beach Read in our window. Call us at (630) 469-2891 or e-mail us at justbook475@yahoo.com to sign up for a time slot.