.

World Book Night first took place in the United Kingdom on March 5th, 2011, with a particularly massive (and enviable) literary celebration occurring in London’s Trafalgar Square  – who wouldn’t love to hear Nick Cave read from Lolita, or receive a free book from Brian Eno and Margaret Atwood? It was a tremendous success: thousands of book lovers attended the festivities in London and, as promised, over a million books were given away throughout England and Ireland. This year, Germany and the United States will join in on the celebration.

World Book Night, looking less like a book festival and more like a Flaming Lips performance - Trafalgar Square, March 2011

How do you sign up? Simple. Head over WBN’s registration page and plug in your name, address, and contact info. You’ll be asked to pick three of your favorite books from a stellar list of thirty titles for distribution. This, to me, proves that there are real book lovers running the show backstage. WBN isn’t looking to indiscriminately disperse a box full of flimsy and unread paperbacks. They want their volunteers to love what they’re giving out, to tell each person, “you have got to read this,” as they hand them a particular book. Bibliophiles worldwide know the magic of this moment; there’s nothing better than sharing a novel that knocked you off your feet.

Despite the sheer scope of their operation, WBN is surprisingly modest in explaining why they do what they do. To “spread the love of reading and books” they say, simply. They’re also out to promote the merit of bookstores and libraries, which, ahem, I wholeheartedly endorse. Still, I’d say what makes World Book Night such a spectacular program, such a valuable program, is that it creates new readers. Over a million people received free books last year. This year, that number will triple. So here’s to falling in love with literature – both for the first time and all over again.

Take a look at just a few of the excellent titles to be given away this year:

- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
- Kindred by Octavia Butler
- Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
- The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
- Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
- Just Kids by Patti Smith
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Become a book giver today!

_

The Flame Alphabet
By Ben Marcus

With his mesmerizing new novel, The Flame Alphabet, Ben Marcus envisions a world in which the speech of children literally kills their parents.

Language itself becomes a tool for excruciating destruction and malice in this stunning, horrific and yet funny novel – funny like the serrated edge of a knife. Fast-paced and quick-witted, Ben Marcus is a true mastermind. Not to be missed.

- Dave

.

The Fallback Plan
By Leigh Stein

Leigh Stein paints an uncomfortably accurate portrait of twenty-somethings adrift in the twenty-first century with The Fallback Plan.

A subtle depiction of the rather anxious, very unglamorous fate that awaits recent college graduate Esther Kohler. Stein has created a moving, hilarious, and honest character who will resonate with anyone who has ever wondered what the hell they’re going to do with a degree in Drama. A great read. – Casey O.

.

Smut
By Alan Bennett

Celebrated English novelist Alan Bennett peers into the uncomfortable space between people’s public appearance and their private desires with Smut.

Official charade, superficial appearances, gossip, and secrets. Alan Bennett delivers it all in this funny, surprising, and slightly peculiar duo of stories. And smutty? Yes. – Karen

.

.

Legend
By Marie Lu

Marie Lu imagines a dystopian American future in which the nation has split into two separate countries with her debut YA novel, Legend.

In a distant future, the United States has collapsed into two separate lands – the Republic, a country of order and class, and the colonies, a land in perpetual war with its neighbor. Day and June both live in the Republic but lead very different lives. June is a prodigy brought up to take her place among the nation’s elite. Day, a child of the slums, was destined to die before his wits led him to the top of the Republic’s most wanted criminal list. When an act of murder throws their worlds together, Day and June discover that the Republic may not be all that it seems. – Casey S.

–

Every Thing On It

By Shel Silverstein

I have been obsessed with the work of Shel Silverstein since I first heard that fantastic cautionary tale about shirking your chores, “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out.” I was young and impressionable and Uncle Shelby’s poems and illustrations helped me become the voracious reader and diligent chore-doer I am today (To be honest I’m more of a voracious reader than a diligent chore doer, but I certainly would never let my garbage get that high). Every Thing On It includes never-before-published poems and drawings by the man himself. It’s the perfect gift for people that grew up with Uncle Shelby and for anyone who hasn’t yet experienced his genious. —Casey S.

–

George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends Collector’s Edition

By James Marshall

I cannot think of a better way to show your children how a wonderful relationship can be fraught with misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and silly jokes that backfire, yet only grow stronger. In this splendid volume, all thirty-five of James Marshall’s stories are brought together to celebrate friendship and two of the most lovable characters ever created —Leah

–

A Dog Is a Dog

By Stephen Shaskan

This oh-so-clever rhyming picture book from debut author and illustrator Shaskan is a splendid read aloud! Follow the quintessential brown and white pup; naughty or nice, skinny or fat as he unzips himself and becomes—a cat! Watch the tubby feline as he hisses or purrs, in trouble for something he did or didn’t do as he unmasks himself and becomes—a truly unexpected treat! Youngsters will delight in the silly rhymes, the goofy possible guesses, and the fun illustrations. —Holly

–

The Princess and the Pig

By Jonathan Emmett, Poly Bernatene

This book is adorable and just plain fun! What could be more delightful than the story of a baby and a piglet who get switched at birth? Lively colorful illustrations and a recurring theme make it a great read aloud and the playful tone manages to both tease and embrace storybook tradition. Eat your heart out Mark Twain! —Jamil

–

The Dictionary of Ordinary Extraordinary Animals

By Leslie Jonath, Lisa McGuinness

In appearance this book recalls the Golden Nature Guides however it’s a little more playful. Both the illustrations and the text describe the wonders of the natural world with liveliness and a sense of humor. It will be a sure delight to all young readers and the older readers may even learn a thing or two! —Pamela

–

Little Mist

By Angela Mcallister, Sarah Fox-Davies

Little Mist the baby snow leopard confronts the big, beautiful world for the very first time, with the help of his mom. Along the way he meets the animals of the great Himalaya, and discovers that this wonderful world will soon be all his to savor, without limits… Absolutely darling! —Jesse

–

I Want My Hat Back

By Jon Klassen

Bear has lost his hat and embarks on a quest to ask all of his little woodland friends if they’ve seen it. But one of these cute, innocent seeming creatures isn’t being completely honest with Bear. In fact, he could be outright lying to him. What will Bear do when he the truth is revealed? Will the forest ever be the same? —Rich

–

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

By Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake

I’ve always loved pop-up books, and what better gift idea for children of all ages?—It’s like giving a book in 3-D. Out just in time for the holidays is this charming new rendition of the classic tale by Roald Dahl, featuring the unique illustrations of Quentin Blake. Wonka fans will delight as they read through the story and get to open a Wonka bar and find a golden ticket or help with the demise of all the naughty children. This pop-up book is simply scrumdelicious. —David

–

Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon

By Ruth Stiles Gannett

The first story in this 1940s Newberry Honor trilogy involves Elmer Elevator, a young boy who runs away to a jungle island in order to rescue Boris, a baby dragon. He utilizes the twenty pink lollipops, rubber bands, chewing gum and fine-toothed comb that he packs for his journey as he encounters the wild inhabitants of this magical place. Somewhat nonsensical and in the same vein as The Phantom Tollbooth, these stories will delight. Good for boys and girls ages 6-10 and parents of any age… —Tracy

–

The Masterwork of a Painting Elephant

By Michelle Cuevas, Ed Young

Need a gift to tell someone that they mean the world to you? This adorable story of an orphan baby and a remarkable elephant named Birch is simultaneously smile-inducing and tear-jerking, and may just be the perfect gift to show that person how you feel. The relationship between this unlikely duo is heartwarming (think The Giving Tree but a lot more reciprocal) and the wonderfully playful illustrations bring to mind Jules Feiffer’s illustrations in Roald Dahl’s stories. Overall there is no better way to say “I am what I am because of you.” This also makes a great gift for adoptive parents and what could possibly make a better white elephant gift than a story about a white elephant? —Jamil

–

The Phantom Tollbooth 50th Anniversary Edition

By Jules Feiffer, Norton Juster

Get out of The Doldrums! The 50th anniversary edition of The Phantom Tollbooth is cause for celebration! Milo is the recipient of a mysterious tollbooth that delivers him first to the outskirts of the Kingdom of Wisdom. And who doesn’t remember the journey through Expectations, navigating the Mountains of Ignorance, and reaching the Island of Conclusions, landed on, of course, only by jumping. This book was my childhood introduction to the delight of wordplay and puns, and 50 years later I still feel a little tremble of happy just holding this wonderful story, replete with Jules Feiffer’s fabulous illustrations, in my hands. —Laurie

–

The Sigh

Marjane Satrapi burst on to the scene with Persepolis and attracted international attention and admiration. With her new graphic novel, The Sigh, she solidifies her place at the top. Told with a wink to both Psyche and Beauty, The Sigh is the story of Rose, the youngest daughter of a traveling merchant. When her father returns from a trip without a gift for her, Rose whispers a soft sigh of resignation, which sets her on a path filled with magic, love, grief, and redemption. A truly beautiful tale. —Leighanne

–

Anne of Green Gables

By L.M. Montgomery

This holiday season give the gift of timeless literature to the young readers or collectors on your list. Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, The Call of the Wild, and many more classic Puffin titles are now available in gorgeous, illustrated hardcovers. Pick out a single beloved title or join them all together in one collection to be enjoyed throughout the cold winter nights, into the spring, and well into the future. Share the tales you loved as a child and pass on the gift of enduring literature with these classic works of art. —Casey S.

–

Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Bk 1

By Colin Meloy, Carson Ellis

Written by the Decemberist’s Portland-based frontman Colin Meloy, and illustrated by the ridiculously talented Carson Ellis, Wildwood is destined to become a family favorite. When her baby brother is snatched by a murder of crows—yes, you read that right—Prue and her friend Curtis must venture into the forbidden Impassible Wilderness—a magical forest which lies at the heart of Portland. Testing the allegiances of the I.W.’s warring creatures, Prue and Curtis unwittingly step into a battle for the very forest itself. —Leighanne

–

A Little History of the World: Illustrated Edition

By E. H. Gombrich

This is a wonderful illustrated reference for any child’s library. Gombrich’s Little History of the World incorporates in its precious narrative the history of human envelopment and the beliefs of many of the worlds major religions. His goal was not to replace or supersede history books but present one in an approachable manner that retold many of history’s great stories. It’s the kind of book that stays with a family for generations (really—it was originally published in 1936!) —Holly

–

The Emerald Atlas

By John Stephens

Growing up, the books I liked best were stories of parent-less children solving puzzles, discovering magic, saving the world. The Emerald Atlas has it all, and more. Siblings Kate, Michael and Emma have been bounced from one orphanage to another for the past decade—each one more bleak than the last—until their final destination, Cambridge Falls. Here they discover a green leather book that has only blank pages. But once the book is open, the children find themselves in an entirely different place and their thrilling adventures begin. The Emerald Atlas is perfect for independent readers who have enjoyed the likes of Rick Riordan, as well as the entire family for an engaging bedtime read aloud. Open up and let your thrilling adventures begin. —Holly

–

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By Laini Taylor

Karoo is a beguiling mystery to her art school friends in Prague. She’s been known to run off for weeks without notice, returning only to nurse vague excuses and bruises, her sketch pads are inhabited by the most curious horned and winged creatures, and she has the uncanny ability to make wishes come true. Raised by a creature named Brimstone, Karoo has no clue who her real family is, where she came from, or that she might have a pivotal part to play in an ancient battle between good and evil. Readers of The Golden Compass will devour this gorgeous urban fantasy! —Leighanne

Legend

By Marie Lu

In a distant future, the United States has collapsed into two separate lands: the Republic, a country of order and class, and the Colonies, a land in perpetual war with its neighbor. Day and June both live in the Republic but lead very different lives. June is a prodigy brought up to take her place among the nation’s elite. Day, a child of slums, was destined to die before his wits and cunning led him to the top of the Republic’s most-wanted criminal list. When an act of murder throws their worlds together, Day and June both discover that the Republic may not be all that it seems. Fans of The Hunger Games will love the first book of this trilogy. —Casey S.

WINTER 2011

Every holiday season our staff of voracious readers finds those books that we believe will make truly loved and cherished gifts. We then collect these gems into this Holiday Gazette to help you find the perfect something for your special someone. If you want something more special, consider our Maiden Voyage Program, in which a first edition of a novel arrives in the mail every two months for a year. If you still aren’t completely certain that you can find the perfect book, we also offer gift certificates in any amount you choose. Gift wrapping is always free and we will ship your gift books to any destination world wide. We look forward to serving you this holiday season.

---

MetaMaus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus

By Art Spiegelman

Twenty-five years after Maus I was first published, this beautiful volume revisits Spiegelman’s profound depiction of his parents’ survival of the Holocaust. Filled with interviews, sketches, notebooks, primary source material, as well as a hyperlinked DVD featuring the full text of Maus along with audio recordings and much more, METAMAUS is an extensive and moving document. By engaging three questions: Why the Holocaust? Why Mice? Why Comics?, Spiegelman illuminates how the accomplishment of Maus resulted from both his formal innovation and his insistent engagement with the most harrowing and uncomfortable complexities of his subject. —Casey O.

Winter: Five Windows on the Season

By Adam Gopnik

Whether your winter is cold and dark, bright and frosty, mountainous and adventurous, warm and homey, or quiet and meditative, there’s something attractive about the season. Adam Gopnik’s tone betrays his childlike fascination with winter as he takes us from sacred Dickensian holidays to intense hockey games to give us an atmospheric survey of the shortest, dimmest days in the northern hemisphere. Whether you’re a snowbird or a ski bum, Gopnik writes a wonderland you’ll enjoy. —Dave

The Italian Baker, Revised: The Classic Tastes of the Italian Countryside–Its Breads, Pizza, Focaccia, Cakes, Pastries, and Cookies

By Ed Anderson, Carol Field

Carol Field’s The Italian Baker is a gem of a book. There is nothing I like more than good rustic Italian bread, and this, short of travelling to Italy, is the way to find it. What one discovers in the course of reading and perusing this book is that there are over one thousand varieties of Italian bread—all regionally unique— and don’t you dare confuse them. Field covers it all, from breads to cookies and everything in between. This is a must-have baking book. I was bowled over.—Greg

The Prague Cemetery

By Umberto Eco, Richard Dixon

Simonini is a fervent gourmand with a splintered psyche, a penchant for deceit, and a hatred of just about everyone. After much devious plotting, he is on the cusp of a forgery so incendiary that it may alter the course of history. In putting his diabolical plan into action he becomes something of an odious Zelig, affecting famous events and interacting with all manner of actual historical personages. Eco has again succeeded in delivering a compulsively readable story deeply rooted in actual events. —Jamil

The Louvre: All the Paintings

By Erich Lessing, Vincent Pomarede

Wowsa! For the first time ever, all 3,022 paintings from the Louvre’s permanent collection are brought together in one staggeringly beautiful book. Expertly assembled and magnificently detailed, The Louvre: All the Paintings provides lavish, full-color reproductions, comprehensive background information on each piece and its artist, illuminating extended essays on 400 highly celebrated works, and immersive DVD-ROM software allowing you to virtually explore the Louvre’s labyrinthine passageways. Here is a book you can be dreamily lost in for days. Just look at Mona Lisa’s smile; she’s practically daring you to do it. What a mind-boggle. —Matthew

Hemingway’s Boat: Everything He Loved in Life, and Lost, 1934-1961

By Paul Hendrickson

There are many Hemingway biographies out there, but this one stands above the rest. Hemingway’s Boat focuses less on the author’s infamously disagreeable behavior, which has been exhaustively chronicled elsewhere, and more on his relationships, his love of fishing, and his sense of adventure on the ocean. It offers a fresh perspective that reveals the person, rather than the legend. Pilar, Hemingway’s 1934 custom fishing boat, is the actual vehicle that the author uses to guide the narrative. Hendrickson has created an amazingly detailed and thorough investigation of Hemingway’s life with Pilar. The upbeat, straightforward, and enjoyable narrative will leave you feeling like you’ve sailed with Ernest Hemingway. —Hilary

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By Laini Taylor

Karoo is a beguiling mystery to her art school friends in Prague. She’s been known to run off for weeks without notice, returning only to nurse vague excuses and bruises, her sketch pads are inhabited by the most curious horned and winged creatures, and she has the uncanny ability to make wishes come true. Raised by a creature named Brimstone, Karoo has no clue who her real family is, where she came from, or that she might have a pivotal part to play in an ancient battle between good and evil. Readers of The Golden Compass will devour this gorgeous urban fantasy! —Leighanne

The Angel Esmeralda: Nine Stories

By Don DeLillo

This is Don DeLillo’s one and only collection of short stories, dating from 1979 through 2011. In some ways, it’s too bad DeLillo hasn’t written more short stories because it’s a form that he is very adept at—to no surprise. There is a precision of language in each story—an ambiguity—and I was unsettled by them in subtle ways. These stories are the perfect introduction to DeLillo for the uninitiated, and for those who are fans, they are a confirmation of his place among the best of contemporary American writers. This is a book that can be savored over time and returned to again and again. —Greg

Jerusalem: The Biography

By Simon Sebag Montefiore

Most known for his biographies of Stalin and works on Russian history, Simon Sebag Montefiore turns his eye to the city of Jerusalem—Judean hilltown-turned-cradle of the Abrahamic religions, crossroads and meeting place, Holy City and place of worldly ferment. With superb narrative writing, Montefiore makes thousands of years—every epic rise, fall, and rise again, from King David to the 1967 Six-Day War—come compellingly alive. As it is a biography, this book gives a great sense of life and all that is encompassed in the lives of so many who have been part of its history over time. —Rick

A Dog Is a Dog

By Stephen Shaskan

This oh-so-clever rhyming picture book from debut author and illustrator Shaskan is a splendid read aloud! Follow the quintessential brown and white pup; naughty or nice, skinny or fat as he unzips himself and becomes—a cat! Watch the tubby feline as he hisses or purrs, in trouble for something he did or didn’t do as he unmasks himself and becomes—a truly unexpected treat! Youngsters will delight in the silly rhymes, the goofy possible guesses, and the fun illustrations. —Holly

1Q84

By Haruki Murakami, Jay Rubin, Philip Gabriel

Does everyone have a predetermined destiny so infinitesimally multi-faceted that every tiny decision or action refracts our life trajectory to an entirely different outcome? In 1Q84 Murakami plays with this idea like a cat with a ball of string, teasing threads of characters loose and watching their fates flop to and fro as the ball is batted. The central plot line is intriguing and compelling, but it is the subtly off-kilter scenery along the way that truly makes this a journey worth taking. —Jamil

Civilization: The West and the Rest

By Niall Ferguson

Ferguson writes an accessible, if partial, historical account of Western Civilization. He presumes that there are six “killer apps” that explain the West’s historical superiority on the Global stage. They are: Competition, Science, Property rights, Medicine, Consumer Society, and Work Ethic. I read Civilization as a contemporary attempt to reimagine Kenneth Clark’s similarly titled documentary series Civilisation. Regardless of personal opinion, Ferguson’s Civilization provides the gift of debate just in time for this holiday season. —Alex

All about Roasting: A New Approach to a Classic Art

By Molly Stevens

A roast conjures images of holidays and special celebrations. So yes, this cookbook is perfect for the season at hand. But to relegate it to the shelves only to pull it out for those momentous occasions would be a shame. Along with lavish dishes like Sear-Roasted Chateaubriand with Béarnaise Sauce are impressive yet simple ones like Roasted Asparagus Bundles Wrapped in Bacon. The well organized recipes include method, roasting time, plan ahead time, and a wine pairing. Her exhaustive notes on the why and how of roasting, shopping tips and necessary equipment make this an indispensable volume for the novice and expert alike. —Pamela

Historical Atlas of Washington & Oregon

By Derek Hayes

Derek Hayes has compiled a number of atlases of interest to people in this part of the world. None matches his newest in terms of pieces and parts of interest to people who enjoy looking at maps, particularly maps and mappings of places they live and work in today. This new atlas is a perfect coffee table gift—one that will reward repeated perusing. The changing, evolving shapes of Seattle, Portland, and many other places in the Northwest are given generous display. Maps, birds-eye views, period advertisements, the occasional present-day photo—all give dimension and perspective that is a delight to behold. —Rick

Art Photography Now

By Susan Bright

Susan Bright, New York authority on contemporary photography and former assistant curator of photography at the National Portrait Gallery in London, surveys the development of photography as an artistic medium in this attractive anthology. The likes of Japanese urban photographer Naoya Hatakeyama and controversial American documenter Nan Goldin lend their own insights into art photography as it pertains to methods, subject, reception, and everything. This is a vivid collection of beautiful images with a rare glimpse behind the scenes from the minds behind the lens. —Dave

Tres

By Roberto Bolano, Laura Healy

Bolaño once again gives us poetry and prose locked in a beautiful and cutthroat arm-wrestling match, the everyday details suddenly catapulting towards the otherworldly. Among other destinations and journeys in these three long poems, we are offered a bedside seat to love and its suspenseful misunderstandings, we get into a van with the Neochileans (a touring band traveling over countries and continents in an instant), and we get to see what a sweet little three-year-old Georges Perec was. Laura Healy’s superb translation gives English readers another welcome opportunity to hear Bolaño’s voice, scorching in its precision, equal parts intimacy and apocalypse. —Casey O.

Nanjing Requiem

By Ha Jin

A raw, honest, and unsparing requiem to the tragic devastation suffered by the people in Nanjing and other regions of China in the late 1930s, Ha Jin transports us back to a time when Japanese soldiers pillaged homes, made slaves of able-bodied men, and raped and murdered thousands of Chinese civilians. Minnie Vautrin, an American missionary, chooses to stay in Nanjing at the onset of the invasion, opening the doors of her school to thousands of Chinese refugees, and through her story the story of many other lives are hauntingly revealed and remembered. —Candra

Moby-Dick in Pictures: One Drawing for Every Page

By Matt Kish

Obsessed in a manner similar to Captain Ahab, Matt Kish sat in a three-by-six foot closet for a year and a half and made a painting every day for every page of Melville’s classic Moby-Dick. This book contains over five hundred mysterious, beautiful color paintings along with a quotation or two from each page of the novel. These abundant, fascinating paintings will certainly drive fans of the novel and art aficionados bonkers. —Jake

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

By Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake

I’ve always loved pop-up books, and what better gift idea for children of all ages?—It’s like giving a book in 3-D. Out just in time for the holidays is this charming new rendition of the classic tale by Roald Dahl, featuring the unique illustrations of Quentin Blake. Wonka fans will delight as they read through the story and get to open a Wonka bar and find a golden ticket or help with the demise of all the naughty children. This pop-up book is simply scrumdelicious. —David

The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria

By Ferran Adrià

After flipping through this cookbook, I was delighted that I, a cooking novice, could follow the recipes prepared by Spain’s most famous chef, Ferran Adria, owner of El Bulli and one of the best chefs in the world. Adria offers up his recipes through big, clear, step-by-step photographs. Everything is laid out visually—the ingredients list, the instructions, the completed meal—that’s what is beautiful about this unique cookbook. No more asking, “How brown should sauteed garlic be?” or “Am I cutting this fish properly?” Culinary novices and experts alike will exult in recipes for osso buco and baked sea bass that are easier to master than ever before. —Hilary

The Pot Book

By Edmund de Waal, Blanche Craig

Self-proclaimed as “a potter who writes,” Edmund de Waal, bestselling author of The Hare with Amber Eyes, has chosen an A to Z format in his new anthology to showcase some of the most imaginative pieces of clay art from around the world. From wine cups for the emperors’ palaces, and utilitarian and precise Bauhaus designs, to simple, stackable stoneware used by the Japanese working poor, this book contains examples of vessels from ascetic to flamboyant. The Pot Book is a wonderful gift for the artist, the historian, and the aesthete. —Hanna

The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats

By Claudia J. Nahson, Maurice Berger, Emily Casden

Children’s book author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats’s life and art are celebrated in this book, published in honor of the 50th anniversary of The Snowy Day. His beloved Peter, in 1962 the first African American child main character in a picture-book by a major publisher, appeared because Keats thought “he should have been there all along,” yet Keats’s roots in a Jewish immigrant community in Brooklyn are not well known. Artwork and stories behind many of Keats’s books, a biography, timeline, and critical essay make this a beautiful, engaging package for adults and older children. —Karen

The Penguin Anthology of Twentieth-Century American Poetry

By Rita Dove

One hundred years is a very long time as literary tastes and conventions are measured, and while anyone can question the inclusion or exclusion of a particular poet or poem, Dove has succeeded in compiling a sound sampler of the span, variety, and evolution of American prosody published in the 1900s. Whether to be plucked at random, or tracked from front to back over the passing years, or—the best utility of an anthology—as a brief introduction to previously unknown artists, stimulating deeper immersion, this handsomely cloth-covered (in mid-20th century style) volume will please and profit. And Dove’s impassioned and illuminating introduction is worth the weight and the price of the book. —Peter

Sea

By Mark Laita

Inspired by an underwater experience thirty years ago, Mark Laita has created an entrancing collection of photographs that capture marine creatures reflected off the mirrored underside of the water’s surface. The subjects were photographed in purpose built tanks so as to effectively illuminate their vivid natural colors at close range, while voiding the medium into blackness. The result is an otherworldly journey—a tour into an unfamiliar space-like realm to view animals often seen only in their natural habitat. This is as much a work of natural beauty as it is of photographic genius. Dive in! —Jamie

Love and Shame and Love

By Peter Orner

Watch out, Franzen. Step aside, Delillo. What do you know about it, Eugenidies? Peter Orner has officially stomped all over past attempts at writing the next “Great American Novel.” Spanning four generations of a mid-western family’s history, written with a brilliant balance of humor, embarrassment, and affection, Love and Shame and Love is so spot on you’ll find yourself nodding your head in empathy with even the most minor characters. Not a single detail is overlooked in this subtle but epic family saga. Oh, did I mention it’s also a love story? Boo-yah! —Candra

Woolgathering

By Patti Smith

There has always been interest in the work—musical and poetic—of Patti Smith, and that interest has taken a high turn with her recent National Book Award-winning memoir, Just Kids. Fans and followers also have Judy Linn’s book of photographs, Patti Smith 1969 – 1976. And now there are two new books, both directly of Patti Smith’s hand, both perfect for gift-giving: a terrific collection of her photographs from a touring museum exhibition, and a beautiful reprint of her vivid first memoir, Woolgathering. Originally handwritten and published twenty years ago, it’s a beautiful piece on childhood and creativity. —Rick

The Sigh

By Marjane Satrapi, Edward Gauvin

Marjane Satrapi burst on to the scene with Persepolis and attracted international attention and admiration. With her new graphic novel, The Sigh, she solidifies her place at the top. Told with a wink to both Psyche and Beauty, The Sigh is the story of Rose, the youngest daughter of a traveling merchant. When her father returns from a trip without a gift for her, Rose whispers a soft sigh of resignation, which sets her on a path filled with magic, love, grief, and redemption. A truly beautiful tale. —Leighanne

Let’s Make Some Great Art

By Marion Deuchars

Aspiring artists of any age will find inspiration in this fantastic un-coloring book. A black page suggests drawing a skeleton with a white pencil or crayon, the opposite white page suggests the same using black. A school-bus yellow page with Van Gogh’s vase of sunflowers suggests coloring in the vase using as many yellows and oranges as are available. There are color experiments, ideas for how to make art like Jackson Pollock (without spattering the entire house), and words to learn like “ocher” and “plinth.” Pretend it’s for the kids in your life and then explore great art with (or without) them. —Holly

A Little History of Philosophy

By Nigel Warburton

I can’t think of a better or more concise introduction to the greatest philosophers than Warburton’s book. In these short, smart, and witty essays, he introduces the reader to a world of ideas and thinkers ranging from Socrates and Plato, to Kant, Hume, Darwin, Freud, Rawls, and Singer (just to name a few of the great minds covered). It is a sampler platter of philosophy that will no doubt inspire readers to explore philosophers who suit their palate. Even if you read no further, at least you’ll be in the know at your next dinner party or symposium. —Greg

The Forgotten Waltz

By Anne Enright

In Booker prize-winning novelist Anne Enright’s The Forgotten Waltz, a young woman enjoying suburban Dublin’s economic boom happens into a relationship with a married man. He immediately becomes the center of her life, though his commitment to her is unclear, and his attention intermittent even as their lives begin to unravel. This novel asks interesting questions about the consequences of the evasion of intention and responsibility, whether in relationships (or in economic systems), noting that collateral damage occurs, regardless. Enright succeeds in bringing out uncomfortable truths about people who, on the surface seem caring and even innocent, yet in truth are more complicated. —Karen

Peter Pan

By J.M. Barrie

The Secret Garden

By Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Call of the Wild

By Jack London, Melvin Burgess

Anne of Green Gables

By L.M. Montgomery

The Adventures of Robin Hood

By Richard Green

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

By Mark Twain

Wind in the Willows

By Kenneth Grahame

This holiday season give the gift of timeless literature to the young readers or collectors on your list. Peter Pan, The Secret Garden, The Call of the Wild, and many more classic Puffin titles are now available in gorgeous, illustrated hardcovers. Pick out a single beloved title or join them all together in one collection to be enjoyed throughout the cold winter nights, into the spring, and well into the future. Share the tales you loved as a child and continue to pass on the gift of enduring literature with these classic works of art. —Casey S.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick

Nobody who’s ever perused the pages of The Mysteries of Harris Burdick could ever forget them. So when I heard there was a compilation of stories based on these puzzling images, I was delighted. Within these pages we meet a boy on a quest to understand and manipulate time, witness a pair of nasty twins receive a most imaginative comeuppance, and double-take as a baby girl with an oatmeal-smeared chin floats into the air. But instead of explaining away one mystery, these amazing stories take the reader further down a spiraling rabbit-hole of possibility. Which was exactly what Harris Burdick had in mind. -Leighanne

–

The Apothecary
by Maile Meloy
illus. by Ian Schoenherr (Putnam)

In 1952 America, Cold War politics are prevalent, and fourteen-year-old Janie reluctantly moves to London with her blacklisted parents. Her new life soon becomes interesting when her schoolmate’s father, the local apothecary (or pharmacist, as we’d call him), is kidnapped and Soviet spies seem to be coveting his sacred book of medicines, The Pharmacopoeia. With her fearless friend Benjamin, they conspire to save the book and his father, and prevent an impending Russian nuclear experiment! An enthralling mix of history, fantasy, alchemy, and adventure, a dash of teen romance, and a splash of political intrigue, this to-be-continued story grabs you the minute you meet its plucky young heroine. -Erica

–

Legend
by Marie Lu (Putnam)

In a distant future, the United States has collapsed into two separate lands: the Republic, a country of order and class, and the Colonies, a land in perpetual war with its neighbor. Day and June both live in the Republic but lead very different lives. June is a prodigy brought up to take her place among the nation’s elite. Day, a child of slums, was destined to die before his wits and cunning led him to the top of the Republic’s most-wanted criminal list. When an act of murder throws their worlds together, Day and June both discover that the Republic may not be all that it seems. Fans of The Hunger Games will love the first book of this trilogy. -Casey S.

Legend will be published Tuesday, November 29th. Pre-order your copy today. 

–

Booknotes, the newsletter of The Elliott Bay Book Company, is written entirely by bookstore staff. It represents a sampling of recently published books that we have enjoyed reading. We appreciate every opportunity to assist in finding books to meet your interests.

.

Organizers see Short Run as an “alternative to large-scale commercial conventions,” with particular attention paid to limited edition, handmade literature and unconventional programming. So, in addition to endless rows of beautiful saddle stitched books, expect a day-long drawing competition inspired by Ryan Molenkamp’s “The Portrait Challenge,” and a series of animation screenings from SEAT (Seattle Experimental Animation Team), David Nixon, and Julie Alpert and Andy Arkley. Also, there’s a bake sale. Honestly, now. Why would you not go to this?

.

Short Run is free and open to the public. Doors open at 10:30am and close at 4:30pm. After which, festivities move to Fantagraphics in Georgetown for an after party art show with the exhibitors. Click here for more info!

The sprawling and lovely River scroll by Martine Workman, one of the featured presenters.

Blue Nights

Six years after the publication of her stunning memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, Didion brings us a deeply moving account of the loss of her thirty-nine-year-old daughter, Quintana. Didion begins with what would be the seven-year anniversary of Quintana’s wedding, and moves back and forth through time to reflect on her daughter’s life and her own role as a parent. The deaths of her husband and daughter forced Didion to face her own mortality, and to acknowledge the majesty of what she once considered ordinary blessings. Didion once again gives us an unflinching chronicle written in her signature succinct prose. -Laurie

–

Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness
by Alexandra Fuller (Penguin)

With the fortuitous combination of Alexandra Fuller’s adventurous and charismatic family, and her terrific storytelling skills, this memoir (following Don’t Let’s Go To the Dogs Tonight) presents the story of her mother’s remarkable life. Born in Scotland and raised in Kenya, Nicola Fuller’s passion, bravery, and uniquely wry sense of humor are evident throughout, from settling onto four different farms in southern Africa, to the heart-breaking personal and political challenges that threaten her mental stability. This tribute to an exceptional woman, who, with a bit of wine, her beloved animals nearby, and an occasional song to fit the moment, agreed to be the subject of another (revealing) “awful book,” returns us to the fabulous Fullers with renewed curiosity and pleasure. -Erica

–

Feynman
by Jim Ottaviani
illus. by Leland Myrick (First Second)

One difference between the genius mind and the average mind is the ability to view the world from unexpected angles. According to this biographical graphic novel, that ability paired with a great sense of humor are physicist Richard Feynman’s gifts. They undoubtedly helped the scientist with his contribution to the Nobel Prize winning work on the theory of quantum electrodynamics. However, the author also makes a point of showing that they helped Feynman improve the teaching of physics. His desire to make physics more accessible spurred a series of popular lectures. In the end, this achievement vies with those scientific feats as his single greatest work. -Pamela

–

And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life
by Charles J. Shields (Henry Holt)

Acclaimed biographer Charles Shields shines an unprecedented light onto Kurt Vonnegut Jr.—that smirking master of American letters. Working directly with the author before his death, Shields seamlessly weaves together a wealth of personal letters and first-hand anecdotes, interviews, and photographs. From Vonnegut’s early days of anonymity as a struggling short-story writer and his grappling with success and life as a family man to a horrific recreation of the bombings in Dresden and tracing how those events gave rise to Slaughterhouse-Five. Intimate and heartfelt without pulling punches, And So it Goes is a fittingly scribbly sketch of this off beat literary icon, both on and off the page. -Matthew

And So It Goes will be published on Tuesday, November 8th.

–

Booknotes, the newsletter of The Elliott Bay Book Company, is written entirely by bookstore staff. It represents a sampling of recently published books that we have enjoyed reading. We appreciate every opportunity to assist in finding books to meet your interests.

The sheer scope of this festival is flabbergasting; especially when one considers just how little international literature we have access to in America. As publishing house Open Letter points out, only 3 percent of books published in the U.S. are works in translation (when you run those numbers for literary fiction and poetry, it’s more like 0.7 percent).  So thank you, Wave, for organizing such a singular and edifying weekend. Here’s a glimpse at just a few of the poets, translators, and editors scheduled to attend:

John Beer, Don Mee Choi, Zhang Er, Jonathan Way, Alejandro de Acosta, Deborah Woodard, Michael Biggins, Sarah Valentine, Maged Zaher, Joshua Beckman, Michael Wiegers, Graham Foust, Samuel Frederick, Anthony McCann, Cole Heinowitz, Summer Robinson, Kevin Craft, Annie Janusch, Giuseppe Leporace, Laura Jensen, Anthony Geist, and Alissa Valles.

The schedule:

(11/4) Friday’s schedule of events is here

(11/5) Saturday’s schedule of events is here

(11/6) Sunday’s schedule of events is here

Purchasing a pass gains you entry to all three days of the festival, plus a welcome packet including, among other delights: a handmade book, pamphlets, festival ephemera, and a ticket to Sunday night’s grand finale.

Visit Wave Books for more info and pick up your pass today!

Join us tonight as we celebrate the much-awaited English-language release of Haruki Murakami’s dazzling new novel,
1Q84
with a special midnight release party.

–

Tonight, Elliott Bay will stay open past its usual 10 p.m. in anticipation of the new Murakami book release at midnight. As the onsale moment draws near, we’ll offer some fun and diversion (besides other books) in the form of Murakami trivia contests.

A limited number of SIGNED COPIES will be available for those on-hand at midnight.

We have been promised signed first-edition U.S. copies of 1Q84. At midnight, we will have a special drawing for those present who are interested in purchasing one of these autographed copies.

You must be on-hand to be eligible for a signed copy.

Please join us.

And remember: If you pre-order 1Q84 before its midnight release you’ll receive a 20% discount!