Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Bookstore Blogs

Starting a bookstore blog has been one of the best things our bookstore ever could have done to meet the challenge of the digital age. Our little bricks and mortar store suddenly had a voice that could be heard far away from the store. You used to have to wait for customers to drop in during business hours and browse. We'd take the time to chat about our staff picks or the latest hot book club choices, and hopefully sell armfuls of books to eager readers. And of course we still do that every single day. But thanks to our blog, we can also have those conversations while our customers are in their jammies, on the couch or on the road.

Our main goal has always been to communicate with our customers -- we link to the blog in every customer e-newsletter - and to bring to them a focus on books and events that we don't have time for in a short newsletter. But we've also used our blog to connect to the wider world of bloggers, readers, authors and fellow indie booksellers out there, and we've learned that it makes us better booksellers. We're more up to date on new releases, we hear the buzz from other bloggers, and we make friends and connections that help us put good books into the hands of good customers.

So, in recognition of what blogging has and can yet do for our bookstore, we are entering our blog in the Book Blogger Appreciation Week Niche Award Category for Bookstore Blogs. It's hard to choose which posts are our favorite (isn't it like admitting you have a favorite child?) but here's the list:

1. General Bookstore Post #1: What Your Indie Will Do For You (6/30/10)

2. General Bookstore Post #2: Introducing: Book Blogger Bookmarks at The Bookstore (3/3/10)


3. Book Recommendation #1: Remarkable Creatures, Remarkable Women (1/17/10)

4. Book Recommendation #2: April Picks on the Staff Pick Shelf at The Bookstore (5/1/10)

5. Book Recommendation #3: Local Author's Latest Book, Stray Affections, Is Featured In Bookstore Window (11/27/10). (In case the judges consider this post more of a general bookstore post than a book recommendation post, I will offer one more book recommendation post for consideration.)

6. Book Recommendation #3.5: The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow (2/15/10)



We're really looking forward to being a part of this year's BBAW. Here's wishing good luck and great reading to the judges and all the other book bloggers.

Staff Pick: The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst

Our customers probably saw Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst on the sidebar of our July newsletter under "Staff Picks," but I wanted to tell you how it got there and why we love it as much as we do.


As you can see, the picture on the cover is beautiful, mysterious and sad, which makes it absolutely perfect for this book. It looks like a little boy is lost at sea, standing on a life preserver, looking away from the viewer. That's how the book starts: there is a grown boy who needs to be saved, but he's looking away.




There are many wonderful layers to this book. In one way, it's the story of Octavia Frost's effort to save her 27 year-old son Milo, from whom she's been estranged for four years. Milo is a young rock star accused of murdering his girlfriend in their MTV-style Hollywood home. But it's not just murder charges from which Milo needs to be saved. He needs to be saved from the pain of a family tragedy that occurred when he was a boy, from the wounds of being a survivor in a fractured family, and from the harm that more recently came from his own mother's words. Milo was deeply hurt by the way Octavia described a fictional family in one of her previous novels; it came too close to being an autobiographical account of their own family tragedy. Parkhurst reveals Octavia and Milo's true family history so slowly and tenderly that when you finally learn what happened, you feel like you've suffered their loss as well. You'll "get" Milo and you'll want to save him too.


But in the meantime there's a mystery to solve, aging rockers to meet, and most importantly, books to rewrite. Even before the murder, Octavia had sensed that she wanted to rewrite her life and to reach out to Milo. She had just rewritten the endings of her previous novels in a genre-bending new manuscript called Nobodies Album, named for a musical game she and Milo used to play. As if lifted from Octavia's imaginary manuscript, there are sections in this book for each of Octavia's previous novels that include the title, the jacket copy, the published ending and Octavia's revised ending.

For the reader, these fascinating faux-novels can work like complimentary short stories that reveal even deeper truths about Octavia and Milo's past. You'll find yourself playing games with these stories-within-the-story: which one is your favorite? Which one had the best revised ending? Would it change anything if Milo would read the revised endings, or is Octavia's apparent change of heart enough? Can you ever really rewrite your life?


My favorite story was The Human Slice. It could stand alone as a haunting short story about parental regret, loss and memory. A whole family suffers when baby Jonah dies in a horrible, preventable tragedy. Later, a strange new disease strikes their community and causes selective memory loss, so that those who are stricken are unable to remember sad events. Is it a gift to be relieved of the pain of remembering Jonah, or is it a loss? If you're like me, that question will haunt you for a long time to come.


The unique combination of these highly original faux-stories with a rock-star murder mystery and a lovely tale of mother-son reconciliation makes for a fabulously original, deeply satisfying read. Please stop in and pick up Nobodies Album before your own summer is nothing but a memory.

What Your Indie Will Do For You

This is just a little story about a little indie that has been a valued part of our small village life for over 50 years. And maybe you'll see why we're still here, in spite of all the odds against small-time booksellers.


A customer strolled in yesterday looking for a book to read while her car was going to be repaired. And I sympathized. The only thing worse than waiting for car repairs is waiting for car repairs without a book. It's unimaginable. It's torture.

She had a couple of books in mind, and one of the was The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. "Ooh, I said, that is a good one." But of course we were out. I checked the computer, and I learned that it would be in the next UPS shipment due to arrive any minute. (We love our adorable UPS man Gary, who cheerfully stacks our boxes in groups according to Purchase Order number, making it so easy to unpack and sort.) I asked the customer: "What time is your car appointment? If you can stay and browse for a little while, the UPS man will probably be here soon."

That's when my colleague Jenny, who is a contagiously cheerful gal, looked out the window and said: "Oh my goodness, there goes Gary now!" She jumped up and chased Gary down the sidewalk, where his dolly was parked in front of another shop. Jenny checked the packing slip on each box that was addressed to The Bookstore, and found the one we wanted. She opened the door of the other shop, and hollered to Gary: "I just stole one of our boxes!" and ran back to the store like she had just captured the flag.

Our customer was thrilled. We opened the box with the excitement of a couple of four year-olds at Christmas. We all had a good laugh. And our customer said: "I'm going to tell everyone about this. This is the best customer service I have ever seen! They don't do this at [fill-in-the-blank-big-box-bookstore]!"

Damn right.

Because that's why we're here. We love getting books in the hands of readers, and we'll even chase down the UPS man to do it. And maybe that's why we've been here for over 50 years.

Just a little something to think about as you start your Independence Day celebrations. Declare your independence and resolve to shop more Indie.

Bookfest Wrap-Up

First of all, a huge heartfelt thank you to all of the wonderful folks who made it to The 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest: A Village Celebrates Books. It takes an unbelievable amount of faith to plan an inaugural event like this, and what can The Bookstore say, but thank you - we did it! And whoever arranged for that beautiful blue sky day in the middle of a stormy week: we owe you.

It took a village to put it together - literally. We had an incredible partnership with The Downtown Alliance, Bundles of Books and the Glen Ellyn Public Library. Rosemary from Bundles of Books first suggested the idea of bringing local authors to downtown retailers through the Downtown Alliance, but The Bookstore and the Library took it even further by planning an entire day's worth of literary events. We hope you got to participate in some of these truly unique events!

My own Bookfest Day began at Bells & Whistles Snackery, where The Bookstore and Bundles of Books hosted a social networking breakfast for writers and readers. Sue and I represented The Bookstore, and met a lot of the participating area authors. We introduced them to our book blogging friend and collaborator, Jen Karsbaek from DevourerofBooks.com, and business cards flew from hand to hand.

Our own in-house event, "Bagels at The Bookstore" started at 10am with the wonderful Pamela Ferdinand, Chicago area co-author of Three Wishes, and continued with Dick Nogaj, the founder of Habitat for Humanity DuPage, and the author of Don't Retire, Get Inspired. The Bookstore buzzed all day with Bookfest excitement.

In the meantime, my colleague Jenny was handling all of the author events over at the library, including a children's event with Glen Ellyn children's book author Bob Raczka and Wheaton author and historian Glenette Tilley Turner. Jenny also handled the Featured Author Event at The Glen Oak Restaurant with 68 Rooms children's author, Marianne Malone. Jenny says it was an awesome event, and assured me "it was everything you hoped it would be!" Families have already marked their calendars for our Family Author Luncheon next year!

While Jenny and Marianne had the kids enthralled, I was hosting an appearance for our Adult Author Luncheon at Bistro Monet. What a wonderful pairing: Stephanie Cowell is the author of a new book, Claude and Camille: A Monet Novel, which is about young Claude Monet and his first wife Camille. Bistro Monet planned a delicious three-course luncheon to match. Stephanie charmed every last guest with her stories about young Claude, whom she compared to the irresistible Johnny Depp. (Which has already got me thinking about movie rights and casting!) We all made a wonderful connection with Stephanie, who honored us with unbelievable praise on her blog, calling it "one of the loveliest book events of my writerly life."

Sue and I were thrilled to have our friend Barbara Rinella, a Chicago area book review celebrity, join us at Bistro Monet. Barbara has a huge following as a performer and book dramatist; her act is part stand-up comedy, part celebrity impersonation and part literary review. Over the years, Chicago area readers have enjoyed her dramatizations of such books as The Commoner, The Life of Pi, Loving Frank, John Adams, Shanghai Girls, The Other Boleyn Girl and many more. I'm not going to make any major announcements on Barbara's behalf, but I'm just saying she could do a real bang-up job personifying Camille Monet. I think she got some great material from our lunch with Stephanie Cowell. Barbara Rinella fans, stay tuned!

After lunch, there was a terrific panel discussion at the library between Melanie Benjamin, Glen Ellyn author of Alice I Have Been and Kelly O'Connor McNees, Chicago area author of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott. I wasn't able to be there (bummer -that's the only downside of being an event organizer - you can't make every event!) but everyone who did told me they did a great job and had a wonderful discussion. What a great team. By the way, did you hear? Kelly's book was selected for Oprah's 2010 Summer Reading List? Woo hoo!

The library also had a series of afternoon events for kids and teens, including storytelling workshops and a Teen Poetry Slam.

In the meantime, much of The Bookstore staff was over at Glenbard West High School, preparing for Elizabeth Berg's appearance and book signing. What a perfect setting for her new book, The Last Time I Saw You, which is about a 40th high school reunion. Elizabeth was warm and funny, as was Charlene Baumbich, one of our favorite local authors who introduced her. One of my favorite parts of every book reading is the Q and A, and Elizabeth Berg is masterful at it. Someone asked her how her early nursing career affected her writing, and her response is still fresh in my mind: she said that nursing taught her "unconditional acceptance" of the patient -- and thinks that ability to empathize with others has made her a better writer. Think about it: Elizabeth's unconditional acceptance of her own characters must be what gives them such honesty and truth. Interesting.

Anyway, for our final Bookfest event of the day (whew!) we got to go enjoy a program called "Get Lit" at Tap House Grill, hosted by area authors Charlene Baumbich and J.A. Konrath. What a great way to unwind from an exciting day! We got to hear all about Charlene's new book that will be released on September 21st: Divine Appointments, the second book in her Snowglobe Series. Fans, stay tuned for more information about her upcoming reading and book signing!

For those of you who came and enjoyed this inaugural event, you'll be happy to know that we're already thinking about next year. We're taking the feedback we've received from authors and participants, and hope to make it even better. For those who missed it, you don't want to miss it again! Pencil in Saturday, June 18, 2011, the week right after Printers Row Litfest. We'll keep you posted through our e-newsletter, Facebook and Twitter.

But first, I'm going to enjoy some good summer reading. Just for the fun of it -- no fancy events involved -- just my book, my front porch and me.

A Great Read for Teens on a Mission: The Heart is Not a Size

As Glen Ellyn teens prepare for their summer volunteer projects, including the big Team Readathon this weekend, we thought we'd share a reading recommendation. A good book doesn't just distract and entertain, a really good book can also inspire. So whether your teen volunteer work takes you near or far, we think you'll be both entertained and inspired by this book, The Heart is Not a Size by Beth Kephart.

Beth Kephart has written a guest post for The Bookstore's blog. Enjoy her insight, advice and perspective as a person who has been on church missions herself:






"There's something about getting up and out of the house and into the world of others that can change the shape of a life, and even the shape of a heart. I've always been happiest when plunged into a classroom of aspiring writers or polishing the pews in my church, or photographing young dancers in their first real performance on a stage, or helping a neighbor plant a garden.

I was enormously happy, too, when I joined my husband, son, and several others from my church on a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico, in the summer of 2005. We were there to help build a community bathroom in a squatter's village. We were also there to get to know the children and families who live without running water and in terrible poverty. I don't think I slept more than a half hour that entire week. I hardly ate, and the dust and heat were overwhelming. But my heart was so full of the people I met and the stories that they told that I felt just slightly empty when I returned home. I wanted the chance to do more.

There's an alivedness that erupts from those experiences, a goodness that settles in, a greater perspective about the world, and a deeper knowledge about yourself. And there's need everywhere - a chance to do good without ever stepping onto a plane or even leaving your own neighborhood. You can bring a meal or two to those homebound by age or illness. You can help teach someone new to this country how to read, or you can organize a fundraiser on behalf of a family in need, or you can make arrangements to have your choir sing at a retirement home. Whatever you do, it will make a difference - to those you serve, and to yourself.

I encourage you to check out these web sites, for inspiration:
http://www.squidoo.com/community-service-ideas
http://www.familieswithpurpose.com/familygiving.html
http://www.coebrownacademy.com/Portfolio/Community%20Service.htm"


-Beth Kephart


Stop in TheBookstore for your copy of The Heart is Not a Size. It would make a great Readathon book this weekend!

Readathon Update: Bells and Whistles 50 Hour Reading Station

Readathon Update:

We are thrilled to report an exciting offer from Bells & Whistles in support of our 50 Hour Readathon the weekend of June 18-20!

In case you haven't heard about the Readathon yet, The Bookstore decided to celebrate its 50th Anniversary by hosting a 50 Hour Readathon to benefit the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center.

We have brochures at The Bookstore explaining the rules, along with Reading Logs and Pledge Forms. Sounds complicated, but it all boils down to this: (1) gather a bunch of readers, (2) read whatever you want over one weekend (June 18-20), and (3) collect some money from folks who want to support our efforts for the GECRR. The goal is for your team to reach a total of 50 hours ALL TOGETHER over the entire weekend. So it's totally doable, especially if your team is big.

You must report your results to The Bookstore by July 1st (basically two questions: how many hours? and how much money?) Every single dime of the money you collect goes to the GECRR. The Bookstore will have a Birthday Party for all of the participants at the end of the summer where we announce the awards. Free cake too!

Readathon organizers are encouraging participating teams of readers to read together on the day of the GE Bookfest (June 19th), and we've been working to select a handful of Readathon Reading Stations for the day of the GE Bookfest. One of the Rain or Shine stations will be The Bookstore window. A sign-up sheet for one-hour time slots is available at the desk.

But now we have an announcement about an even more awesome Reading Station! Bells & Whistle Snackery has stepped up to the plate and volunteered to help in a big way. And I mean a really BIG. WAY. They have offered to host a "50 Hour Reading Station" at Bells & Whistles. That's right. It actually lasts 50 hours! Bring your sleeping bags! Can't make the entire 50 hours? No biggie - any hours spent reading that weekend count, whether or not you make it to 50. You can also find a "pinch reader."

Here's the scoop: It starts at 6am on Saturday, June 19th with breakfast. They're offering 50% off all meals, free coffee and ice cream over the entire 50 Hour period, and then a free breakfast on Monday morning at the end of the Readathon! They're getting the word out to area teens and are offering to verify time spent at the Readathon for any service hours students might need for school or church. Obviously, teens will need a parent's permission to participate.

The Bookstore was so pumped up by Bells & Whistles offer that we have donated over two dozen free books to the Bells & Whistles Reading Station. We picked titles that we thought would appeal to older kids and teens, and they are free for any participants to read during the Readathon. (You can even take them home when you're done.)

To sign up for the Bells & Whistles Reading Station, e-mail them at bwsnackery@gmail.com. They will have Reading Logs and Pledge Forms at the Snackery, so you don't have to do anything but show up with your sleeping bag and a lot of spirit!

Many many thanks to Bells & Whistles for their participation in the Readathon. Partnerships like this is what our village is all about. And it's all for a good cause: the kids in our village who need a little more help to succeed. So lets do it.

For more information, call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

I Just Finished Another Great Book: Secret Daughter by Shilpi Gowda

Shilpi Gowda, the author of Secret Daughter, will be coming to The Bookstore this Friday, June 11th for Happy Hour from 5:30 to 7 pm. Please join us for some summer wine (I'm thinking Pinot Grigio myself) and interesting conversation with this talented author.

Because we're a small store and we only have about one author visit a month, I make it a point to read every visiting author's book before their event. I'm sure other event coordinators would laugh at the idea (especially those with five or more events per week!) but I just can't imagine doing it any other way. I love to make a connection with the author based on their ideas, their talent, or their storytelling, and then share that inside knowledge with our customers. At a smaller store, it's possible to get personal.

So just the other day, I moved Secret Daughter to the top of my reading pile. I just finished it a couple of hours ago, and as I was wiping the tears from my eyes, I knew I had to blog about it, no matter how much work I'm trying to juggle right now. It was wonderful.

This book is about two mothers and the daughter they share. One is the biological mother from a small village in India who gives birth to a baby girl in a culture that "does not love all her children equally." She takes her 3-day old infant to an orphanage in Mumbai in a desperate act that saves her daughter from an even worse fate. The other mother is an American doctor, who along with her Indian-born husband, adopts the baby after falling in love with her unusual hazel eyes in a photograph. The biological mother named her "Usha" which means dawn; the adoptive parents name her "Asha" which means hope. They both want what is best for her.

The story itself is wonderful, but the background to the story is fascinating as well. So strong is the prejudice against baby girls that even small villages in India have access to ultrasound clinics for early-stage gender identification and sex-selective abortions. (Just writing that sentence made me feel sick to my stomach, and I'm pro-choice.) The problem is intertwined with the lack of women's rights, population problems and dowry rules. Although Gowda points out that this practice has been outlawed for over a decade, it is still rampant. In the story, the biological mother becomes pregnant again after Usha's birth, and her husband insists that they visit one of these clinics together. It's an emotional scene to say the least.

Despite this insight into a horrible fact of Indian life, the book still manages to celebrate the many other positive things about Indian culture. When Asha grows up, she is awarded a journalistic fellowship to study Mumbai's slums, and she goes to live with her adoptive father's extended family. She discovers Indian warmth, food and family tradition, and learns to appreciate the side of herself and her father that she was never really given the chance to know.

In the meantime, Asha's parents struggle with their multicultural marriage and their daughter's search for her own identity. These passages have great truth and honesty in a post-Obama "post-racial America" where misunderstanding of (and sometimes even discomfort with) other cultures still prevails. The tension is multiplied when the discomfort is right inside your own family. Bi-racial and adopted children fight for the right to know, accept and celebrate all of their identities. In fact, I'd compare Secret Daughter to another one of my favorites this year, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow. Durrow's young protagonist is half African-American with bright blue eyes; Gowda's is an Indian-born American with light-brown skin and gold-flecked eyes.

Trust me, this is a great book. I heartily recommend it to all of our book clubs, and I hope you have the chance to stop in on June 11th for a Friday Happy Hour with the author. I can't wait to meet her myself.

Shilpi Gowda, author of Secret Daughter

The Bookstore is thrilled to be hosting a Happy Hour for Shilpi Gowda, author of Secret Daughter on Friday, June 11th from 5:30- to 7pm. Please join us to discuss this very interesting book with this talented author. Please RSVP by calling (630) 469-2891 or e-mail us at justbook475@yahoo.com.

"Read Share Help": Readathon for The Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center

In honor of The Bookstore's 50th Anniversary this year, we are proud to announce our sponsorship of a 50-Hour Team Readathon to benefit the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center. We hope you can join us the weekend of June 18-20th!

The Bookstore is thrilled to partner with GECRC for this fun event. Their motto is: "Helping the World's Children In Our Own Backyard." Nearly 2/3 of the children GECRC serves are immigrants or refugees from 14 different countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. GECRC offers after school and summer programs that emphasize literacy and community involvement, and however they can, GECRC provides and facilitates additional support services to help these children succeed. It really does take a village to help these kids.

Here are the Readathon Details:

1. Form a Readathon Team: Gather up a group of 2-50 readers, kids or adults. If you can, think of a fun name. A team spirit award will be given at the end of the event, and your team name could be a big part of that! Teams could consist of families, friends, schools, classmates, co-workers, book clubs, sports teams, village organizations, etc. If anyone wants to join a team but doesn't want to start one of your own, you are always welcome on The Bookstore's Team!

2. Mark Your Calendars: The 50-Hour Readathon takes place from Friday, June 18th at 3pm to Sunday, June 20th at 5pm. Your team will pledge to read for 50 combined hours during that time. Team members will count the number of hours they read (either on their own or together as a team) over the entire weekend. The more people on your team, the fewer hours each person has to read, although there will be an award for the Most Voracious Readers. So mark your calendars now to leave room for some reading that weekend!

3. Register Your Team: Call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891, e-mail us at justbook475@yahoo.com , or stop in the store in person to register your team. We just need the name of a team leader and a phone number to register. There's no deadline - we'll accept last minute teams right up through the Readathon.

4. Get Your Reading Logs and Pledge Forms: Team Reading Logs and Pledge Forms are available for pick-up at The Bookstore or can be downloaded from The Bookstore's website at www.justthebookstore.com.

5. Solicit Pledges: Channel your inner salesperson and solicit pledges for the cause. (Kids and teens, ask your mom and dad - don't go out ringing doorbells on your own.) People can either pledge a set dollar amount and give you a check right away, or they can pledge a certain amount of dollars or cents for each hour of reading your team successfully completes. Checks should be made out to the "Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center" for a tax-deductible donation. There will be a prize for the team that collects the most pledges, so go for it!

6. Crank Up the Team Spirit: Make up a team cheer, plan a crazy costume, challenge another team, talk smack. An award's at stake! Send out your team challenges and reading inspiration by adding a comment below.

7. Read! Start logging your reading time between Friday, June 18th at 3pm and Sunday, June 20th at 5pm. For extra fun, share your joy of reading at The 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest on June 19th, where there will be indoor and outdoor Readathon Reading Stations throughout the downtown area. Reading stations will be designated and identified with signs and balloons, and will include such places as The Bookstore's window, downtown park benches and other public meeting places. Grab a good read, come to The Bookfest, and enjoy some reading together. Let's show everyone that we're a village that reads! Keep track of the hours of team reading on your Team Reading Log.

8. Turn in Reading Logs and Pledge Money: You have until July 1st to turn in your Reading Logs, Pledge Forms and collected pledge money to The Bookstore. If your team didn't make it to a total of 50 hours, turn it your forms in anyway. There are no penalties involved - this is fun, not homework!

9. You're Invited to The Bookstore's Birthday and Readathon Appreciation Party: The Bookstore will host a 50th birthday party where the Readathon Awards will be announced. Date TBA. Come share birthday cake and celebrate our success in promoting literacy in Glen Ellyn.

10. Students Can Earn Service Hours: For participating students, volunteer service hours will be verified by The Bookstore upon receipt of the Team Reading Logs.

11. Any Questions? Just call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

"Read Share Help." A Village Celebrates Books.

April Picks on The Staff Pick Shelf at The Bookstore

Before we rush into May and everything that goes with it, we want to tell you about our favorite April reads that are currently on our Staff Picks Shelf at The Bookstore.


We know our customers are wondering about Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel. Life of Pi was huge with our book clubs, and everybody's hoping this one is just as good. Despite some of the negative reviews out there in some major newspapers, this book gets three thumbs up from Margie, Sue and Jenny. Yes, it's disturbing and strange. And it's about the holocaust, so it's no walk in the park. But the minute you finish it, I guarantee you will want to talk to somebody else who's read it. (Jenny had to e-mail us in the middle of the night while she was on vacation.) You're not sure what you think, you're a little unnerved, you have weird questions, like "why did the taxidermist cut off the donkey's tail?" This is a book meant to be read with others. It would be great for book clubs who are looking for a challenge, something more than just the latest crowd pleaser.



Sue and I both love Sue Miller's latest, The Lake Shore Limited. It's Sue Miller at her best: her characters say and do all of those horrible things that you might think about, but are too ashamed to admit, even to a best friend. (Remember Senator's Wife? Then you know what I mean.) This book gets you into some really dark and ambivalent corners of relationships and marriage. The main character, Billy, is a playwright whose boyfriend was killed on 9/11. Several years later, Billy writes a play about a train bombing that exposes her true, complicated feelings about her boyfriend's death. There are other characters who have nursed a spouse through terminal illness, and who likewise admit to really complicated feelings. You might not think you're in the mood for that kind of a book, but there's a cathartic and voyeuristic release in watching these characters do what they do. You're reading along and if you're like me, you'll be talking to yourself: "oh my God, I can't believe she just slept with him!" And then you'll realize that dinner's going to be late because you just cannot put this book down. I can only imagine the intensely personal book club discussions you could have with this book. You'd have to swear each other to secrecy first - and beware of eavesdropping spouses!



Speaking of spouses, . . . The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall is a fantastic read about a polygamist family. It's a tragicomedy, with more than the average family's share of funerals, weddings, birthdays, hilarity and pathos. Told without judgment and with deep insight from the point of view of the husband, his youngest wife (#4) and his troubled son (son #5 of mother #3). This is an fascinating read that will be near the top of my Best of 2010 list at the end of the year. Here's a great interview with the author, in which he discusses his own family's polygamist history and the inspiration for the book. This book, which explores the irony of being lonely in the midst of a big family, is another fantastic book club choice that will keep you talking late into the night. (And you thought your life was complicated?)



An Unfinished Score by Elise Blackwell is a lovely book about classical musicians and their intense love for their art, as well as their intense love (or hate) for each other. It would be great for fans of Ann Patchett's Bel Canto or A. Manette Ansay's more recent Good Things I Wish You. There's plenty of betrayal, suspense and romance, but throughout it all, a strong and irresistible sense of musicality prevails. There's even a scattering of viola jokes thrown in for good measure. Three thumbs up for this book, especially from Jenny, our talented bookselling flutist! The author has made a musical playlist to enrich your reading, and is available for download on Book Notes at Large Hearted Boy.

The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald was another one of our April favorites. It's a novel inspired by real life "practice houses" in university home economics programs post-WWII. Henry is a practice baby at one of these homes, and despite the stern child-rearing philosophy of the slightly unhinged head of the program, he is smothered with good intentions. The book follows Henry as he grows up and leaves the practice house with all of his psychological baggage in tow. (Do you think Henry might have some "commitment issues?") This is a fascinating book that does a great job of exploring the human consequences of psychological theory, and would make for an excellent book club discussion about "Home Ec," philandering men and the challenges of motherhood in a more modern world.

Please stop in sometime soon to discuss these and other Staff Picks at The Bookstore. We're happy to be your Book Club Headquarters in Glen Ellyn!

Introducing The Kids Book Review Club at The Bookstore

The Bookstore is proud to introduce its new children's program: The Kids Book Review Club: Book Reviews by Kids for Kids! We'll be launching the program in May, starting with the second graders from Lincoln School.

Any child who loves to read and write book reviews is eligible to join. We will keep your book reviews in a special Kids Book Review Club Binder at The Bookstore, and publish them from time to time on our blog. We have official membership cards for anyone who turns in a review to the store, whether in person or by e-mail to justthebookstore@gmail.com.

The Lincoln School second grade book reviews will be featured in a rotating window and table display at The Bookstore from May 8th through May 22nd. Any student book reviewer who stops in The Bookstore during that time will receive a membership card and a small treat. Their family will receive 10% off all purchases during their visit. The book reviewers have also been invited to make an optional oral presentation on Thursday, May 13th and Thursday, May 20th between 4:00 and 6:30pm. Reviewers are asked to sign up for a specific one-half hour time slot by e-mail.

If there are any other classrooms that would like to participate in a similar program, please let us know! Children are also welcome to participate on an individual basis or in connection with their usual summer reading program. Who knows? Some day they could grow up to be a famous book reviewer! And then they can say it all started here. . . .

Here is a sample of some of our Kids Book Reviews:

Kids Book Reviews


Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
Reviewer: Maddie
A lion comes to the library! What will happen to the people? Will they be eaten or no? Hope not! My favorite part was when the lion came to the library. The lion comes and everyone is scared. I like this part because I love lions. I recommend this book to people who like animals. It is a good book. It's a favorite!





The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Reviewer: Zak
The Cat in the Hat is an interesting book by Dr. Seuss. He comes and plays with the kids that live there. It shows people how to have fun. My favorite part is the cat juggling stuff. I connected to this part when I tried to juggle.
I recommend this book to people who like Dr. Seuss because he has a lot of imagination from just doodling pictures. You should read this book because it's a good book.



And to Think I Saw it On Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss
Reviewer: Rory
And to Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street is about this boy who only sees a donkey pulling a man in a wagon on the way to school and back. But he keeps imagining it bigger and bigger. And the author is . . . Dr. Seuss.
I imagined every day how cars would look like in the future. If wagons were real then and if they had any lakes. But the Awesomest part is when theirs a band on it a man sitting on Teeny tinny house and the President watching. I recommend this book to anyone who like crazy wiled stores. Dr. Seuss took me and might take you into this little guys imagination. So if you're looking for a crazy story you should read this book!

Escape by Paul Dowswell

Reviewer: Yusuf

Escape is by Paul Dowswell. It is a book about notorious people who escaped from all different jails. Some people had to travel by ship to get away. My favorite part is in Break Out of Alcatraz, chapter when they made a power drill out of . . . What you may ask read this book and find out. There trying to make a tool for digging so first they use a spoon and a couple of other stuff. Then they got a little chip and some advice. I like this part because they use the drill when other people play there instrument. So they are muted out. I recommend this book for anyone who has a spirit of adventure! Paul Dowswell takes us to and shows us all the famous escapes. You should read this book to find out about the great escapes.

Keep checking our blog for more Kids Book Reviews. All Lincoln School second graders' reviews will be published during the month of May.

Author Kelly O'Connor McNees Pays a Visit

I love Twitter.

One day I'm tweeting about how much I enjoyed a new April release, and the next week the author comes to pay us a visit at The Bookstore. And that's how Twitter friends can become friends IRL.

Pictured here is Kelly O'Connor McNees signing copies of her debut novel, The Lost Summer of Lousia May Alcott (Amy Einhorn Books; IndieNext List Notable for April 2010). We had a great afternoon chatting about books - at one point she even got to play "Bookseller For A Day" and help us try to find a book for a customer who'd heard "something on NPR."

We have a few extra signed copies in stock if you hurry in. You'll see in the background of this photo that her book has already earned a blue "staff pick" card, as well as a Book Blogger Bookmark from @devourerofbooks, our favorite area book blogger. As I said on my staff pick card, this book is for "anyone who would rather read and write than do laundry." I can only hope that describes you.

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott will make a fantastic book club discussion book - we even got started on a discussion of our own yesterday - about the sacrifices women make or refuse to make as they try to figure out how to balance work, love, family and laundry. I'd recommend it to fans of Little Women, those who enjoyed Geraldine Brooks' wonderful book March, as well as anyone who simply enjoys a smart, sweet love story. If that's you, I promise you'll love it.

I'd love to tell you more, but I've been putting off laundry all day. Ah yes, the balancing act.

The 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest

Featured Author Events
Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest
June 19, 2010

The Bookstore, along with the Glen Ellyn Public Library and the Downtown Glen Ellyn Alliance, is pleased to announce the following line-up of Featured Authors at the 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest. For questions, please call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

In addition to this stellar list of Featured Authors, there are many other free programs and events planned for the Bookfest, including book signings, workshops, storytimes, a poetry slam and a 50 Hour Team Readathon in celebration of The Bookstore's 50th Anniversary in 2010. For a preliminary schedule, go to the Downtown Glen Ellyn Alliance website, which will continue to be updated. For additional updates, follow the Bookfest on www.Twitter.com/@GEBookfest or on Facebook.

Elizabeth Berg

New York Times Bestselling Author

Keynote Speaker

June 19, 2010 at 3pm

Glenbard West High School Auditorium

670 Crescent Blvd., Glen Ellyn

(Ticketed event, book signing to follow)

Tickets include a copy of her latest book, The Last Time I Saw You, a lovely book that follows five characters as they prepare for and attend their 45th high school reunion. Tickets are $25.00 and are available online or at The Bookstore, 475 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137. Online tickets may be redeemed at The Bookstore for a copy of the book any time after April 6th, otherwise it will be available for pick-up at the Auditorium on the date of the event. If you do not require a copy of the book, you may substitute a $25.00 gift certificate to The Bookstore. Questions? Please call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

Charlene Ann Baumbich
Author, Speaker, Humorist
Author of Stray Affections and more
Introducing and Welcoming Elizabeth Berg
Featured Author & Humorist:

"Get Lit" Happy Hour
4-6pm, Tap House Grill, 411 N. Main St.

(Event open to the public, book signing)

Stephanie Cowell

Author of Claude and Camille: A Monet Novel, Marrying Mozart, and more
Featured Author Luncheon at Bistro Monet

June 19th, 11:30- 1pm (followed by book signing)

Bistro Monet, 462 N. Park Blvd.

This is a ticketed event at a charming local French Bistro, which includes a special price fixe menu (inspired by the Paris Bistros Monet himself frequented!) and a copy of Claude and Camille. Tickets are $50 and may be purchased at The Bookstore or online. If you choose to purchase your ticket online, you may pick up your book at The Bookstore at any time prior to the event, otherwise they will be available at Bistro Monet at the time of the luncheon. If you do not require a copy of the book, you may substitute a $25.00 gift certificate to The Bookstore.

Melanie Benjamin

Author of Alice I Have Been

Featured Author Discussion with Kelly O'Connor McNees:

"Risky Business: Writing About Literary Icons"

June 19th at 1:30pm

Glen Ellyn Public Library, 400 Duane Street
(Free event open to the public; book signing to follow)

Kelly O'Connor McNees

Author of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott
Featured Author Discussion with M. Benjamin:

"Risky Business: Writing About Literary Icons"

June 19th at 1:30pm

Glen Ellyn Public Library, 400 Duane Street

(Free event open to the public; book signing to follow)

Pamela Ferdinand
Journalist and Co-Author of Three Wishes: Our True Story of Good Friends, Crushing Heartbreak and Astonishing Luck on Our Way to Love and Motherhood
Featured Author Appearance and Book Signing:

"Bagels at The Bookstore"

June 19th, 10am-11:30am

The Bookstore, 475 N. Main St.
(Open to the public; free bagels & coffee)

Valerie Laken
Author of Dream House
Book Talk and Signing
Renaissance Art Studio
481 N. Main St.
Time to be announced
(Open and free to the public)

Glennette Tiley Turner

Author of numerous adults and children's books including The Underground Railroad In Illinois and An Apple for Harriet Tubman

Featured Author Talk: "Local Underground Railroad History"
10-11am, Glen Ellyn Public Library

400 Duane Street

(Open and free to the public, book signing)

Marianne Malone
Artist and Author of Sixty-Eight Rooms

Featured Author - Family Lunch and Art Workshop

June 19th, 11am-1pm

Glen Oak Restaurant

479 Pennsylvania Ave., Glen Ellyn

(Book signing available)

This is a ticketed event that includes a fixed-price menu and one copy of the book per family. Marianne Malone will discuss her inspiration for the book, which is about children who time travel through the Thorne Miniature Rooms at The Art Institute of Chicago. The event will include a special art project for all of the children, supplies and guidance provided. Tickets are not yet available, but will be sold at The Bookstore and on the Downtown Alliance website.

Billy Lombardo
Author of The Man With Two Arms, How To Hold A Woman

Featured Author -Family Dinner Event: "Baseball Books"

June 19th, 6-8pm

Bells & Whistles Snackery

405 N. Main St.

This is a ticketed event, featuring a fixed price dinner at an old-fashioned independent family restaurant and soda shop. The theme is baseball for fans of all ages. Billy Lombardo will speak about his book, which is about a "Baseball Dad" and his son, who becomes an ambidextrous pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Tickets include one copy of The Man With Two Arms per family. Tickets are not yet available, but will soon be sold on the Downtown Glen Ellyn Alliance website. Questions? Call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

J.A. Konrath
Author and Writing Instructor, COD

Author of numerous novels featuring Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels, including: Whiskey Sour, Fuzzy Navel, Shot of Tequila and Cherry Bomb.
Featured Author at "Get Lit" Happy Hour

4-6pm, Tap House Grill, 411 N. Main St.

(Open to public, book signing available)

Tony Romano

Author of When the World Was Young and If You Eat You Never Die

Featured Author: Italian Dinner Event

6-8pm

Details available soon

Bob Raczka

Artist and Author of numerous children's books:

No One Saw, Art Is... , Summer Wonders and many more

Featured Author: "Kids Love Art Books!"

9:30-10:30am, Glen Ellyn Public Library

400 Duane Street, Glen Ellyn

(Open to the public; book signing available)

We hope you're as excited as we are about this outstanding list of Featured Authors who will be coming to Glen Ellyn for the 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest. Help make Glen Ellyn "A Village That Celebrates Books!"

Elizabeth Berg: The Last Time I Saw You

We couldn't be more excited about the recent release of Elizabeth Berg's newest book, The Last Time I Saw You. Elizabeth Berg will be coming to Glen Ellyn this summer for an appearance at the 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest on June 19th.

Elizabeth Berg is the Keynote Speaker at the GE Bookfest and will be speaking at the Glenbard West High School Auditorium at 3:00pm, where she will be introduced by Glen Ellyn's own local author, Charlene Baumbich.

Tickets for Berg's appearance and book signing are available at the Downtown Glen Ellyn website, or are available in person at The Bookstore. The ticket price includes a copy of the book, which may be claimed at The Bookstore at any time prior to the event (bring your ticket). All remaining book orders will be distributed at check-in at the event. If you have any questions, just call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

The Bookstore staff has already enjoyed an advance copy of the book, so we can tell you a little bit about it already. It's based on five different characters who are preparing to go to their 40th high school reunion. Anyone thinking about a reunion can relate to this book, whether you're getting ready for your 5th or your 50th. As is always the case with Elizabeth Berg's fiction, her characters are real and authentic. They have a way of giving you those familiar "me too" moments of self-recognition. One of my favorite scenes is between a mother and her 20-something daughter who is giving wardrobe advice for the reunion. I've been there, and Elizabeth Berg captures the daughter's tone perfectly (sweet or condescending? -- so hard to tell sometimes).

We heartily recommend this book to our customers, and think it will make a wonderful Mother's Day gift. (In fact, why not buy your mom a ticket to this and some of the other wonderful events at The Bookfest, and spend the day together? Fun coincidence: it's the same day as the Glen Ellyn Garden Walk.) Another great idea? Invite some of your old high school friends and share some good laughs about some of your own bad reunions!

Elizabeth was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about her book and her appearance at the GE Bookfest, and I'm happy to share the Q & A here:

Margie: I love the title of your new book: The Last Time I Saw You. It implies change, whether good or bad, and it's so open-ended. It invites us to think back to our own high school years and fill in the blank. If one of your former high school classmates said that to you now, how might they complete the sentence? Would it make you cringe or would it make you smile?

Elizabeth: Oh jeez. they'd probably say, "The last time I saw you, you were wearing cat-eye glasses and asking teachers questions like, "What is truth?" I'm embarrassed to say I actually did ask my poor history teacher that. We weren't even talking about anything like that. I just wanted him to say, "Well, what do you think it is?" and then I could answer by saying what I'd recently heard a very smart friend of mine say: "Truth is what you believe."

Margie: The book revolves around the characters' 40th High School reunion, but it will be the last reunion for this group so it feels like the stakes are raised. It's now or never. Do you think that's what motivated the characters to step up and connect? What does that say about our daily lives?

Elizabeth: There is something about last chances, isn't there? So yes, I do think it was a motivating force for all the characters to show up at their reunion. As for what it says about our daily lives, maybe it brings into focus the fact that we pass up a lot of opportunities until our backs are to the wall.

Margie: I absolutely loved the character Lester, who is an incredibly devoted veterinarian. He's the kind of doctor you dream of having, whether it's for our pets or our human family. At the same time, however, you can see that Lester's devotion comes at least in part from a sad and lonely place. It makes you wonder how often brilliant work really does spring from loss. Your thoughts?

Elizabeth: I think this is an astute observation. Lester would be a good vet because he is a kind and sensitive person and he's nuts about animals. But the degree of his devotion does indeed have to do with the fact that his work is substitute for another kind of love in his life. He's not quite sure he really wants. I think some people choose to have work be the love of their life. Or the work that they choose leaves no room for anything else and they don't have a problem with that. Most of us, of course, need the love and care of another individual, and we need to offer the same in return.

Margie: When you come to the Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest on June 19th, you'll be speaking at the Glenbard West High School Auditorium just a couple of weeks after the Class of 2010 graduates. I'm sure their 40th reunion in 2050 is unimaginable to them. What kind of graduation advice would some of the characters in The Last Time I Saw You offer them? (Dorothy the newly divorced one, Pete the heartthrob, Mary Alice the excluded one, Candy the beauty, or Lester the quiet vet?)

Elizabeth:

Dorothy: As much as you are able, drop the pretense. As early as you can, learn to be who you really are. Also: men are not all they're cranked up to be. Grandchildren are.

Pete: Always wear short shirts, even when you get old.

Mary Alice: The best things do not always come from obvious places. In fact, they hardly ever do. Life is capable of surprising you in the most unexpected of ways, no matter who you are or how old you are. Learn to trust the unknown and to always have hope in the future.

Candy: See and respect yourself first. Then you can love the whole world.

Lester: If you get a dog, get a big one. If you profess to love someone, make a habit of showing them that love every single day. Try to live your life looking forward not backward.


Margie: Thanks, Elizabeth!



I hope you're as excited as I am to welcome Elizabeth Berg to Glen Ellyn. See you at the Bookfest on June 19th! Any questions, just call us at (630) 469-2891 or e-mail us at justbook475@yahoo.com.

The Boox Toar Staph Suffer a Sudden Death at Glen Ellyn's Spellapalooza

Pictured here is The Bookstore's Spellapalooza team "Boox Toar Staph" consisting of Julia Berg (Glenbard West teen employee), Sue Kowalski and Margie White, standing next to the vexing two minute timer after their sudden death loss in the final round of the village spelling bee.

Spellapalooza is an annual benefit for the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center, which provides literacy and life skill assistance to children living in low-income households in Glen Ellyn. More than half of the students served are refugees, representing families from 14 different countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Funds raised at the event will be used to support the Center's after-school and summer literacy programs.

It's a cause that's worth embarrassing yourself for. At first, we entered the spelling bee with the humble wish that we wouldn't be the first team eliminated. Then, as we proceeded beyond the first and second round and into the third, our adrenaline started to surge and we realized we really wanted to win!

Sometimes it's luck and sometimes it's skill, but in the end we found ourselves in the sudden death finals pitted against last year's Co-winners, "Spellin' for Ellen," consisting of Heidi Hann, Diana Visco and Gail Minkus. In a new twist this year, each final team was given two minutes to spell as many words correctly as possible. The Boox Toar Staph won the coin toss and chose to go second, but that still didn't help. We missed the first three words, and after that, we were crazy with stress and the ticking of the timer. Our final word was "formaldehyde," which we'll always remember is spelled with an "e."

Our congratulations and admiration goes to "Spellin' for Ellen," who have some really stellar spelling skills! Our special thanks goes to team member Julia Berg, our spokesperson at the microphone who showed great poise and calm under pressure. Thanks also to all of our supporters and cheerleaders, especially Jenny Fisher who cheered us on with party horns and customized Bookstore cookies. (The best part of Spellapalooza is the Team Spirit Award, which encourages crazy costumes and cowbells in the audience.)

I'm already looking forward to next year!

Cinco de Mayo With A Literary Twist: Luis Urrea at The Bookstore

The Bookstore is thrilled to be hosting a unique Cinco de Mayo Celebration with Luis Alberto Urrea on May 5th at 7pm, featuring margaritas, appetizers and stories among friends.

We'll be celebrating Luis' newest book, Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush (April 2010), a graphic novel based on the first short story in Urrea's Six Kinds of Sky (2002). Luis teamed up with muralist Christopher Cardinale to retell the story set in Rosario, Mexico, the town that Luis visited in the summers when he was growing up in Tijuana and San Diego. It's the kind of town that's full of "cousins and excitement and magical adventures and very pretty girls." Sounds like there's some good stories there!

Local book clubs are also excited to have the chance to talk with Luis about Into the Beautiful North (2009), a girl-power road trip story about a group of funny and brave young Mexicans who travel to the United States (all the way to Kankakee, Illinois) to recruit immigrants to return to Mexico and help them save their village. It's a fabulous book that challenges immigration stereotypes with a sense of humor and poetic insight. This would make a great selection for your May book club meeting if you haven't read it yet. Then you can come and chat with the author over margaritas and salsa.

We're also hoping to hear a little bit about Luis' current project, a sequel to The Hummingbird's Daughter (2005), his magical epic, and of course, his Pulitzer-prize nominated nonfiction title, The Devil's Highway.

So if you enjoy a little literary levity, please join us for this unique Cinco de Mayo. Please call (630) 469-2891 or e-mail justbook475@yahoo.com to register. Book clubs can register as a group with an estimated head count. Purchase of at least one of Luis' books is required, but trust me, you'll want them all!

Brought to you in partnership with our sponsor, Chicks 'n Salsa, a local, independently-owned Mexican restaurant in Glen Ellyn.

Introducing: Book Blogger Bookmarks at The Bookstore

The Bookstore had a recent visit from local book blogger Jen Karsbaek ("Devourer of Books") along with her adorable son Daniel. Even if Daniel is only 8 months old, he's already following in his mom's footsteps. He couldn't resist trying to devour his favorite board books - everything goes in his mouth!

What a fun visit. We swapped ARC's, talked about our favorite books and discussed book blogs. Oh, and we snuggled with Daniel, who chatted up a storm himself. No surprise he loves The Bookstore.

Then we gave Jen a little surprise - her very own book recommendation bookmarks. Kind of like our blue staff pick cards, but with a flair. They feature a photo of Jen in her wedding dress. (in which she is, of course, reading!)

Anyway, Jen had fun distributing her new bookmarks throughout the store, enjoying one of the best perks of being an indie bookseller. Our customers will benefit too! The more personal recommendations in our books, the better they sell. And as much as we'd like to, The Bookstore staff just can't read everything! We encourage our customers to check out Jen's blog for great book reviews, give-aways, challenges and guest bloggers. Follow her on Twitter as @devourerofbooks.

So thanks, Jen! Any other book bloggers out there who'd like to visit and get their own Book Blogger Bookmarks, let us know! We'd love to be one of the stops on your "Book Blogger Indie Tour."

In fact, we just happen to have a bookmark ready for Rebecca @bookladysblog, who has a crazy category for books/authors she really, really likes. (As the bookmark says, if you have to ask you might not want to know. Just a little crazy book blogger humor!)