Man on Wire Trailer

Here is a trailer to the Man on Wire documentary I refer to in the following post about Let the Great World Spin. Rent the video, read the book. They're both amazing.

Staff Recomendation: Let the Great World Spin

One of Sue's and my personal favorites on the staff pick shelf right now is Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. It's absolutely stunning.



It's told from many different alternating points of view: a chorus of gorgeous New York voices, from some surprisingly sympathetic prostitutes to a grieving mother of a Viet Nam soldier. The story of the World Trade Center tightrope walker in the 1970's is woven through their interconnected stories. About halfway through this book, it felt like somebody had just grabbed my heart and wouldn't let go. After that, I could barely finish a chapter without needing time out to absorb the love and the empathy and the charm of this book.



The funny thing is, I had just watched the award-winning documentary called "Man on Wire,"about Phillippe Petit, the French tightrope walker who illegally and astonishingly crossed between the World Trade Center towers in August, 1974. It was an exhilarating story that captured the engineering and psychological challenge of the feat. One of the things I learned was the importance of the cavalettis, the additional cables that had to be strung diagonally across the main wire in order to provide support. Without the cavalettis, the main wire could have swayed, flipped or twisted, and Petit would have plumetted to the ground far below. To see the YouTube trailer for the movie, just click on "View Blog" above and go to the August 20th post.


So as I was reading Let the Great World Spin, I noticed the pictures of the cable and the intersecting cavalettis at the start of each separate section of the book. And I felt like I could grasp what McCann meant to say. That it's the intersection of our lives that glorifies life. It's at the intersection where humanity resides, where there is an answer to loneliness and grief. It's up to us to decide what to make of it.


I really hope you'll read this book and then stop in to tell us how much you liked it. To read an excerpt, just click here:


http://http//www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200907-omag-excerpt-let-the-great-world-spin (If that link doesn't work, sorry! Just google "oprah", "let the great world spin" and "excerpt")

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!

Top 10 Things I Liked About Last Night in Montreal

I've got this weird habit of highlighting the advance reader copies of books that we pass around at The Bookstore. It's a way of communicating with the next reader: "I liked this, do you?" This book was Sue's new hardcover, so I didn't dare bring out the highlighter. Still, there were so many great lines and passages that I was afraid I would forget, so I started a list. I'm not even going to explain it, except to say, go read this book and then comment on my list when you're done. (I liked this, did you?)

Top 10 Things I Liked About Last Night in Montreal:

1. The ambiguity of Lillia's gestures on their last morning in Brooklyn (e.g., the kiss on his forehead)

2. The Icarus print on the wall of Cafe Matisse, and the shepherd who observed

3. The beauty of untranslatable words in lost languages (e.g., Dakota word for the specific loneliness of mothers whose children are absent)

4. Lillia's messages in the bibles: "wish to remain vanishing"

5. Michaela's tightrope walk

6. Eli: I want to be your language, your translator, your dictionary, your map

7. Montreal en francais= 101 ou 401.

8. "How deep in our genes is the longing for flight embedded?" ("limitless longing")

9. The pay phone in Arizona that rings at night

10. The last night in Montreal

Thanks Back to Gary United Methodist Church Campers

I'm verklempt.

Check out this poster the kids from the Gary United Methodist Church Camp made for The Bookstore.

It's hard to decide which comment is my favorite, they're all so nice: "Our moms [heart] The Bookstore; "Your place is so quaint - better than Borders!"

It made my day.

Declare Your Independence

Let's Talk Indie.

Before I start sounding like a whiney old bookseller, let me just thank all of our customers who totally get it, the ones who come to our bookstore with lists of books they want to order, even when they know they're a click away on Amazon. (Don't forget, they're also a click away on our website too, http://www.justthebookstore.com/.)


Amazon is like the elephant in the room. We know he's there, you know he's there, and we agree not to mention it. You might come to our bookstore because you believe in buying local, or because you have a little independent streak and like the idea of an independent bookstore, or gosh, maybe you just like us and our recommendations. Whatever your reason, we thank you. We know there are alternatives out there.


So why do some people just not get it? We just received curious comment on our blog, thanking us for an older post on Little Bee by Chris Cleave, mentioning they couldn't find out that much about it in Seattle. And then they just happened to mention that they were excited to go buy it from Amazon. That's like saying, gosh your husband is really kind of cute, do you mind if I take him out for a quick date?


Yes, I mind!


Obviously, this guy from Seattle isn't going to order Little Bee from a bookstore in Glen Ellyn, but on the other hand it would have been easy to go to http://www.indiebound.com/ and order from a local independent bookstore. Or if he is going to break down and order it from Amazon, maybe he could just be polite enough not to mention it. On our independent bookseller's blog!


Again, maybe it's just the grumpy bookseller in me coming out (grrrrr!) but geez, your book buying habits make a difference to us. We believe our community is a better place with a vibrant, friendly independent bookstore on Main Street. And to make sure that's a reality, we all have to support it. Any by support, I mean the kind of personal commitment it takes to drive around the block 3 times looking for parking. The kind of commitment it takes to wait a couple of days for us to order the book you want instead of running over to Barnes and Noble. For those of you who do make that commitment all of the time, Thank You! To those who don't (yet), just think about it the next time you think about clicking over to Amazon. Do you want a bookstore in our community?


In honor of the 4th of July, make it personal. Declare your independence.

Summer Beach Reader in the Window

What's in that glass anyway?

Margie's demonstrating the fine art of reading in the window at The Bookstore! We provide free lemonade and a $5 gift certificate. Children are welcome and even encouraged! Now through July 11th.





Margie's shown here reading Beowulf on the Beach
by Jack Murninghan ($15 paperback) in preparation for The Bookstore's Beowulf on the Beach Summer Reading Challenge. Buy the book, read one of Murninghan's picks, and join us for a Beowulf on the Beach Bash on Thursday, August 27th at 7pm. Author Jack Murninghan will join us for cocktails and a lively (not your ordinary!) book discussion. Call or e-mail to sign up.



Hope to see you in the window soon!

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.

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) Trailer

If you haven't read this book yet, you have to read it by the time the movie comes out on August 14th! This looks like a really good film adaptation of the book, at least I hope so. Then it can make my very short list of "Movies That Are As Good as the Book."

Shelf Life at the Bookstore

Introducing: The New Staff Pick Shelf at The Bookstore

We're going to try something new. Although we pride ourselves on our customer service and our knowledge of books ("the little Indie that could"), sometimes you have to step back, take an honest look at yourself and say, hmmm, maybe we can do better.

On one recent Saturday afternoon, Elizabeth Berg walked in our bookstore, having come for a visit from nearby Oak Park, and unfortunately none of our full-time staffers were there to greet her. (I say greet, but what I really mean is drool, grovel, swoon.) She generously offered to sign some of her titles that we had on hand, and hopefully enjoyed a leisurely browse through the store. Our teen later mentioned: "an author came in today and signed this book," showing us Home Safe, Elizabeth Berg's latest fiction title.

Our (older, saggier, full-time staffer) jaws dropped. We'd missed a great chance to chat books with one of our favorite local authors. I felt bad, thinking she didn't get the reception she deserved. Unlike the day Cathleen Falsani, author of Sin Boldly walked in, and I did in fact gush all over her. So much that she actually blessed me -- that was cool. How many booksellers can say they've been blessed by a customer?

And then I started worrying that some of our other customers aren't getting the reception they deserve. As a little Indie bookstore, we love to boast that we have more passion and a more personal connection to our books than the big box bookstores. When we recommend a book it's because we actually read it and loved it, not because some big executive with shiny shoes decided to put a marketing blitz on it.

But honestly, it's a little hypocritical to make fun of a chain employee who hasn't read the book when many of our own staff at The Bookstore haven't yet either. We try to hire some of the sharpest, most literate kids in town, but they're busy with AP classes, finals and college applications, and don't always have time to obsess about the latest hot read like Jane, Sue, Jenny or I do. (And maybe that's a good thing. Save full-blown book geekdom for later in life, when you aren't worried about getting a date for the prom?)

Don't get me wrong -- they can probably still recite their favorite Shel Silverstein poem, and they can probably give you spot-on advice about whether your 12 year-old daughter should really be reading that hot new Young Adult title yet. One of our teens even has a binder of book reviews that he wrote when he was younger. So trust me, they're great kids who like books. But chances are they're not going to recognize Elizabeth Berg when she walks in the door. And maybe they won't recognize you.

So I really started to wonder: how can we make sure that all of our customers at The Bookstore receive true Indie treatment, even when a full-time staffer (and complete Indie book geek) isn't there to greet you?

Sue and I brainstormed the answer: the new "Staff Pick Shelf." Now you can browse through an entire shelf devoted to our personal recommendations. We've been busy writing up more of our blue staff pick cards, and gathering the best of the best on one shelf. As soon as our teens are done with school for the year, (And as soon as Jill gets back from Paris -- no fair!) we're going to get them busy filling out their own blue staff pick cards too. If you stroll in the bookstore, wondering what you should read next, just head straight to the new Staff Pick Shelf, and I absolutely, positively believe you will find your next good read. No matter who's working that day.

Soon you'll be seeing more blue cards over in the Young Adult and Rebecca Caudill Award List shelves too. These books are often really good reads for adults, not just kids, so both the teens and the adults on staff will be reading and reviewing them. There are a lot of mother-child book clubs in town, so we'll try to give you the perspective of both moms and teens.

Did you know that we have a whole stack of "Customer Favorite" and "Book Club Favorite" cards for you (and your kids/teens) to fill out too? If you just finished a terrific book, but can't drop by the store for awhile, just e-mail us with your name and comments, and we'll fill one out for you. Because not only do we like to talk about books, we like to hear what you think. Here at The Bookstore, we're a community of readers where recommendations go both ways!

Fancy Nancy Spring Fashion Parade and Tea Party

We hope you enjoy this video of The Fancy Nancy Fashion Parade and Tea Party sponsored by The Bookstore on May 16, 2009. The event was a benefit for the Glen Ellyn Community Resource Center's tutoring program. HarperCollins, the publisher of the Fancy Nancy books, donated one paperback book to the center for each child who attended the event. The girls and their families met at The Bookstore and paraded down to the American Balloon Company, where each girl received her own pink balloon. The parade continued down to Honey, where the posh darlins noshed on tea sandwiches, petite desserts and pink lemonade.

Treat Yourself to a Good Chuckle This Saturday, Come Meet Local Author Charlene Ann Baumbich

On Saturday, June 6th, local award-winning author and humorist Charlene Ann Baumbich will be at The Bookstore to sign copies of her latest book, Don't Miss Your Life!: An Uncommon Guide to Living with Freedom, Laughter, and Grace (paperback, $14.99). You don't want to miss this event! Charlene's irresitable charm will brighten your day.

Publisher's Weekly gave the book warm praise: "[Baumbich] has set out to accomplish what few Christian humorists have succeeded in achieving: making her readers laugh deep from the belly while simultaneously trouncing on their faulty “religious” beliefs. Baumbich's writing style is such that readers will feel as though she's conversing with herself and they are her most fortunate eavesdropping audience. . . . Readers are also treated to poignant essays on the power of imagination, the importance of questioning assumptions, awakening every sense, living in a balanced way or falling with a splat. Baumbich's text is just what the doctor ordered for a time such as this; laughter is good medicine indeed and there are plenty of guffaws to be found on every page. "

I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of Charlene's latest book, and I found myself really touched by her insights. Thanks to Charlene, I now have a special bowl with little objects I just hadn't known what to do with, like my dad's dog tags and my grandmother's rosary. Now I feel a little grace every time I pass by my bowl. And that's just one little idea I picked up from her book. There are so many more.

I've had the chance to chat with Charlene about how much I enjoyed her book. Her e-mail responses had me chuckling with appreciation for her gifts of humor and insight. In Charlene's own words, she's "wonky and wonderful." I asked her if she would mind it if I shared some of our conversation. Here's a taste:

Margie: I realized as I picked up your book that I am one of those stubborn people who doesn't really like advice. I'm not often drawn to the self-help section of a bookstore, but yet I really enjoyed your book! What advice do you have for people who don't think they need advice (or your book)?

Charlene: Please tell me I did NOT write a self-help book because that would mean people would expect that I’d first helped myself. Which I did, of course, but mostly to chips and dip.

On the topic of self-help books, I’m with you. I do not naturally gravitate toward the self-help section in book stores. I like humor and good storytelling, not even always together or in that order. Typically, the self-help section feels too … um … needy and self-helpy. I don’t mean this in a bad way, but in a “way too serious about me” way. Thus, in Don’t Miss Your Life! An Uncommon Guide to Living with Freedom, Laughter and Grace (DMYL), I give us ALL permission to bypass “self help” and instead approach the book and our lives as a pluck-and-play. In other words, pluck what you like from these pages and play it into your life. (Hear the music and laughter already?)

Nor have I set forth a ten-step program. Why? Because I would forget step two, then we’d all be lost. That is the beauty of humor and story: jump in here or there, skip around, laugh until you cry, cry until you laugh and forget about the “order” of things. After all, we are each a little wonky and wonderful, and in ways unique to us. Thus, my hope is that readers don’t look for my advice and answers within the book, but that they ultimately find themselves in their own stories. That is why I write: to help bring to life one’s own stories. I do this by telling mine, and by giving readers permission to be real. Personally, I don’t know how to be anything but that. And what would be the point? To live the rest of our lives acting like other than who we are? What a DRAG!

So, go to the DMYL section of your book store, buy DMYL, and plan on at long last finding your True Self.

To answer your question (at last!), I hope I don’t give advice. I hope the power in my stories helps readers latch onto the power in their own.

******************************************************

See what I mean? Isn't Charlene wonderful? Trust me, you'll enjoy this refreshing book. Come to The Bookstore, buy one for yourself and several for the birthdays and gift-giving occasions coming up on your calendar.

South Asia Author Night: June 9th from 7-9pm at the Glen Ellyn Public Library

Please Join Us!

The Bookstore and The Glen Ellyn Public Library are hosting a South Asia Author Night on June 9th from 7-9pm. Please join us for readings and book signings by authors from the lands that gave us Jhumpa Lahiri and Salman Rushdie. Our featured authors include Tania James, Minal Hajratwala and Mary Anne Mohanraj.

We are fortunate to be able to bring such talent to Glen Ellyn. Although Mary Anne Mohanraj is a Chicagoan (she teaches creative writing, Asian American literature and post-colonial literature at U of I - Chicago), the other authors are in town for the Third Biennial Kriti Festival in Chicago. The Kriti Festival is sponsored by the DesiLit Foundation in order to celebrate and support the writers and literature of the South Asia and its diaspora. For more information about the Kriti Festival, go to: http://www.desilit.org/.

By way of background, South Asia is a subregion of Asia, usually taken as comprising the modern countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. There are more than 30 million members of the South Asian diaspora throughout the world, and their literature often focuses on themes of immigration, identity, history and the crossing of cultures.

The books featured at this special event have a great deal to offer whether you're a part of the South Asian culture, or like me, open to learning more about it. These books are good even without the cultural angle, because when it comes to reading, a good story makes a good read, regardless of setting. (Customers: remember that great staff pick last year about Bangladesh? A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam? Case in point.) Each book featured at this event offers something different: there is one novel, one memoir and one short story collection.

I just finished Atlas of Unknowns by Tania James ($24.95 hardcover), an IndieNext pick for May, and I really enjoyed it. It's the story of two sisters and their family, from India to the U.S. and back, but it's the story of sisters everywhere, with secrets, betrayals and forgiveness. The sisters are smart and independent, and even if they're flawed, (actually, because of their flaws?) you'll find yourself cheering for them in their struggle to come to America. There's great storytelling, including hilarious scenes at a bikini waxing salon in Queens, and a character who would be an Indian-American Elizabeth Hasselbeck from The View. Slowly, and with great tenderness, James reveals the history of the girls' parents in India, which fills you with great hope for future of the young sisters. It's a great read. For more information on Tania James, including a beautiful video and glowing reviews of her book, go to: http://www.taniajames.com/

Leaving India, My Family's Journey from Five Villages to Five Continents by Minal Hajratwala ($26.00 hardcover) is a memoir of one extended family's flight from India to Fiji, South Africa, the U.K., the U.S. and more. Minal herself grew up in suburban Detroit as the daughter of immigrants, graduated from Stanford and Columbia, and then worked as a journalist in California. She spent 7 years travelling and studying her family's history. It's a universal story about leaving one home and trying to build another, a story we all share as Americans (didn't all of our fathers or grandfathers have a treasured copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie?). One of my favorite passages from the book is deeply personal: "For the children of immigrants are also migrants; we cross the waters daily. Some of us become seasick, others close our eyes and inhale the salt wind. Its fragrance is always bittersweet." Minal's website can be found at: http://www.minalhajratwala.com/. For a review of the book from the Washington Post, click here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/13/AR2009031301272.html



Bodies in Motion by Mary Anne Mohanraj (paperback, $13.95), was a finalist for the Asian American Book Award. It's a collection of short stories that follow two generations of two Sri Lankan families, revealing the intimate tug-of-war between generations and genders dealing with the ebb and flow of the immigrant experience. They are thoughtful, sensuous stories covering everything from love to arranged marriages, and the pressure to succeed in America. It's been called "historically ambitious, deeply felt, and provocative in its embrace of a wide range of love and family stories." It presents us with an enlightening view of characters with one foot in Sri Lanka and one foot in America.


Amy Bloom (author of Away, 2007) once said that there are only two stories in all of literature: the story of a man who comes to town, and the story of a man who leaves on a quest. And in fact, she said, that means there is really only one story, told from two points of view: the one who travels, or the one who welcomes. Maybe that explains why these immigration stories are so captivating. Stories of travel and immigration, of leaving and coming, of cultures foreign and unfamiliar, are inherently satisfying to the human soul curious about the unknown, whether it's coming or going, welcoming or assimilating.

These authors will read from their new releases, answer your questions, and sign copies of their books, which will be available for puchase at the event, or by pre-order from The Bookstore by calling, (630) 469-2891, e-mailing (justbook475@yahoo.com) or visiting our website http://www.justthebookstore.com/. For directions and further information from the library, see http://www.gepl.org/. The event itself is free.

Glen Ellyn's Suprising History

On Saturday, May 30th at 1pm, The Bookstore will welcome Dan Anderson, local historian and author of 24 Tales of Murder, Mayhem, Infidelity, Pranks and Other Intriguing Tidbits of Glen Ellyn History ($14.95). These fun and surprising stories from the archives of the Glen Ellyn Historical Society prove once and for all that Glen Ellyn isn't really the quaint and quiet little village you might think.

For starters, there's an old skeleton under the Prairie Path near the library. Gangs of thieving boys used to hang out in the caves on Honeysuckle Hill, now the home of the Glenbard West Hilltoppers. Madame Emily Rieck once operated a prosperous brothel and gambling parlor out of a Victorian mansion on the corner of Crescent Boulevard and Riford Road.


Come meet Dan Anderson and get a copy of this book for yourself. (Rumor has it Dan will be the one in a historical costme!) The next time you take your dog for a walk, you can chuckle as you walk by all of the infamous sites from the book. So much for our sleepy little suburb!

Kids' Book Reviews: Tales of Beetle the Bard

The Tales of Beetle the Bard by J.K. Rowling: "A Great Book"

This book by J.K.Rowling is not like the Harry Potter books because it is geared for an older audience. It is a 5 story book that captures the heart of older children. If you didn't get to read the Harry Potter's you would be really confused because you wouldn't know who some of the character's were. I think anybody who loved the Harry Potter's will love this book. My favorite story was "The warlock's hairy heart" but I didn't care for the commentaries.

John Kilinski , age 10, Forest Glen School

The Bookstore is pleased to publish kids' and teens' book reviews on the blog. Please send your reviews to: justthebookstore@gmail.com with your name, age and school.

What Our Bookshelves Reveal About Us: Thoughts About "Important Artifacts . . ." by Leanne Shapton

I just finished a terrific new book. It's strange and wonderfully creative, a Regarding the Fountain for grown-ups. You'll have to see it to know what I mean. It's a story told through "the stuff" of a couple in New York who met at a Halloween party (dressed as Harry Houdini and Lizzy Borden), and then fell in and out of love. It's called Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry. You have to piece together their love story from items in an auction catalog, including books, knick-knacks, photos, postcards, CD mixes and love notes. It's seductively voyeuristic.

I could see reading this for a really personal book club meeting, where everybody brings a small bag of "stuff" to tell a story in their life. Actually, I think one of my kids had to do this for school at St. Pet's, a teacher's get-to-know-you-show-and-tell activity. I have a vague recollection of golf balls, Pokeman cards, a sea otter beanie baby and an all-star baseball hat. (Hopefully, your bag would be a little more revealing. But then again, I'd be impressed if you really did have an all-star baseball hat!)

Of course, being a bookseller, I was drawn to the books in the fictional auction Important Artifacts catalog. I found myself snooping through their titles, noticing who bought it, what the notation was, and what the books implied about the couple's story. (Virginia Woolf, Alice Munro, self-help, erotica, cooking, poetry, . . .) Sometimes there were personal notes left inside, so personal that you felt guilty reading them. You forget it's fiction. There was a collection of duplicate paperbacks, and I couldn't help but wonder, whose were they? His and hers? How romantic! (Sadly, two copies of "The End of the Affair," one bought in 2004.) You see what I mean? It sucks you in.

It made me wonder, what would someone else think my books say about me? There's always something wonderfully revealing, sometimes misleading, about a person's bookshelves. But the problem is, I've had to cull my bookshelves many times over the years (very reluctantly, sometimes under duress) and I no longer have every single book that was significant in my life. So I came up with a kind of autobiography in books, at least some of which is pictured below. What books would tell your life story?

Main Street Just Doesn't Get Better Than This! Hot Dogs, Gelato and Books!

Yes, spring is here in downtown Glen Ellyn! And it's better than ever. Not only is the hot dog man back, we now have a Gelato Lady! How lucky are we at The Bookstore to be right in the middle of their two carts? Life just doesn't get much better than this! Unless, of course, you also find a terrific new book at The Bookstore and you're sitting on an outdoor bench with the soft spring sun on your face....

All Books Are Created Equal

Maybe you've heard about the recent brouhaha over Amazon's delisting of certain titles based on their categorization of books as adult or gay themed. Amazon claimed they did it in response to the complaints of certain customers, and that there was a mistake in their algorithm, whatever that means. It's caused an explosion of protests among the book bloggers, publishers, authors and booksellers we follow on Twitter. Some have complained that the categorization is a form of close-minded censorship; others point out that Amazon's categorizations are overly broad, causing some really good literature to be blacklisted.

It's really struck a chord with us here at The Bookstore. Amazon is our primary competitor, and there's admittedly a little schadenfreude in seeing them caught in a public relations snafu. But it's way more than that. Here at The Bookstore we believe that all books and all customers are created equal. It's not just some first amendment lip service, it's really part of our mission as a good neighbor in Glen Ellyn.

No matter how homogeneous our little village may seem to be on the surface, anybody who's lived here long enough knows that we are a diverse, wonderful mix of people, ideas, religions, politics and philosophies. We are Cubs fans or Sox fans, and although the die-hards believe it's heretical, some of us are actually both. We had Obama signs and McCain signs all through our village last fall, and somehow we got along. (My favorite: the yards with both opposing signs!) We voted with the Civic Betterment party's candidate or for the alternative, Gary Fasules. Some watch Fox News; others listen to NPR. We might love Oprah or hate her, but we can't stop talking about her book selections. You might have gone to a Tea Party yesterday, or you mocked them with Jon Stewart. We carry your Bible Study books, but we also carry God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens. Story of a Marriage by Andrew Sean Greer has gay characters, and it's a beautiful love story I strongly recommend.

Here at The Bookstore we just love to handsell you books. We find out what you're interested in and show you some good books you might enjoy. You have opinions and we love you for it. You come as you are. If a certain subject isn't your cup of tea, that's fine, just tell us and we can go in another direction. We'll even smile, as we did last fall, when a customer slyly turned over an Obama children's book to hide the cover. It's okay, we get you. But we turned it back over when you left. And we'd do the same for any book.

Because at the smaller, smarter independent bookstore in the heart of your village, all books are created equal. Just like you.

(Okay, now cue the National Anthem!)

Great Book Club Choices for Spring

The Moonflower Vine:

Midwest Bookseller's Association April Pick

First of all, I must admit we don't deserve any credit for discovering The Moonflower Vine (paperback, $14.95). It even says on the cover that it's a "rediscovered classic" and a former New York Times Bestseller from 1962. It has a forward by Jane Smiley, who included it on her list of 100 great novels in her book Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel. I also have to admit with at least some embarrassment that I'd never even heard of it before. Of course, back when it first came out, I was busy reading Dr. Seuss and playing with Barbie, Ken and Midge, but still.

Now that I've read it, I can't help but think: where's this book been all my life? This is a deeply satisfying novel. It’s nostalgic without being naïve, and reminds us that the early 20th century women of the Midwest were more complicated, more rebellious, and more savvy than we’ve ever given them credit for. My only regret is that my mother and grandmothers aren’t still alive to share it, because, oh! the talks we would have!

It's about a Missouri farm family in the early 1900's, and it's structured like a family portrait taken from completely different angles. Each family member gets their turn, and it gets better and more complicated with every new point of view. There are secrets, rebellions and betrayals that you never would have imagined from the surface, along with acceptance, forgiveness and intelligence. It's like going through your grandmother's things after she died and realizing that you underestimated her all your life. This would be a great pick for a book club meeting around Mother's Day.

Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff:

Beautiful Stories by a Talented Young Voice

I know a lot of book clubs prefer novels over short story collections, but don't let that stop you. This book has such a unique and interesting voice that it made every story feel like part of a larger, cohesive whole. I could see assigning one story to each club member (there are nine) to make sure each story gets the attention and discussion they deserve. They're that good.

You can enjoy this book on so many different levels. Do you like really interesting plot? Check. Beautiful prose? Got it. Same thing for the strong, complicated female characters and the fresh insights into women's lives at different times in the last century. Not to mention some fairy tale allusions thrown in for good measure. I've never actually wondered about Hansel and Gretel's parents before, but when Lauren Groff weaved that question into a story about young immigrants working at the local Chinese restaurant (Lucky Chow Fun) I was really impressed. Reading these stories feels like watching an Olympian who has that rare combination of technique and artistry. I know, I'm gushing a little too much, but I loved this book and I admire the talent it took to create it.

Lauren Groff says she was inspired to write one of my favorite stories in the book (L. DeBard and Aliette) while she was working on her MFA at UW-Madison, surrounded by Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. I'm a Badger myself, and I too spent a fair amount of time supposedly studying down by Lake Mendota. Groff explained that the Madison lakes made her think about swimming, and helped her create a character based on a real female Olympian who took swimming lessons to recover from polio. (What she doesn't say is that the beer they serve at the Union Terrace is the more likely source of all lakeside inspiration!) Read more of the interview here: http://flavorwire.com/9894/exclusive-lauren-groffs-delicate-edible-fiction.

The really interesting thing about this book is that the women in the stories are definitely not delicate little birds. They're strong and smart and independent, but not self-consciously so. They're post-Title IX girls who don't even blink about being equal to boys, they're World War II journalists who are just as tough as the guys, they're young but modern brides. And yet they're still vulnerable. They still worry about Prom dates, being single too long, or the unique danger of being a woman in wartime.

It's a book that makes you feel good and hopeful and confident about women's place in the world. It feels a little surprising and maybe a little humbling to hear this message from a younger writer, but then again, it's great to see a new generation wearing their self assurance so naturally. I feel a Virginia Slims moment coming on, but I'm not going to say it. That would be old and corny, so unlike Lauren Groff.

Twilight As A Welcome Gateway Drug for Teen Reading

When the whole Twilight series started, concerned parents and grandparents used to ask us whether we thought these vampire books were really appropriate for their teens. We assured them that they were, that the author is actually a fairly old-fashioned Mormon, and that the romance in the books is a pretty tame breathless-crush variety compared to what most teens could be exposed to every day on MTV and CosmoGirl magazine. When some parents still seemed doubtful, they usually gave in when they admitted: "anything that gets my teen to read books!" "Yes," we'd say conspiratorially, and maybe with a smidgen of bookish snobbery, "maybe it will lead them to more and even 'better' books!"

Well, I'm here to report that it has. I just spent spring break at the beach with my daughter and her friends, and I was amazed to see what they were reading. Yes, of course they passed around a sunscreen-smeared Teen Vogue magazine (and Tucker Max, more on his popular book in another post some day), but they also had their noses buried in Wuthering Heights, Dracula and Pride and Prejudice. As Stephenie Meyer fans know from Eclipse, the third novel in the series, Bella is a huge fan of Cathy and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. I didn't realize it, but one of the girls also pointed out that the Twilight series books adopt many of the vampire "facts" and assumptions from Dracula. Once these girls discovered Emily Bronte, they couldn't wait for a break from their heavy chemistry textbooks to follow up with more 19th century British lit. (I was so excited I nearly drove them over to the nearby Barnes & Noble.)

This confirms a recent story in http://www.guardian.co.uk/ (March 16, 2009, books) in which it reported that Wuthering Heights is experiencing an "unexpected renaissance" in France, where sales of the book went up 50% last year and continue to rise this year. Some French bookstores are even selling copies of Wuthering Heights right next to the Twilight series, just to help teen customers make the connection.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised. After all, teens have always loved romance, suspense and (their italics, not mine:) drama. And of course they're familiar with the whole "goth" thing. They just needed a good book recommendation from a trusted source. It turns out it wasn't a librarian, their mother, their English teacher or their bookseller. It was Stephenie Meyer. The new gateway drug (or possibly the next Oprah?) for teen readers.