Norlight Lit Life

April 1st, Northern Lights Announces E-Reader

2010-04-01T12:12:00.001-05:00

With the iPad, Nook, Kindle & Sony Reader all gaining in popularity and ebook sales increasing four-fold, we at Northern Lights have decided to be on the winning side in the battle of the books. We will no longer be selling physical copies of books.

That's right. Our entire inventory of carefully selected titles with all of their great pictures, interesting covers, pages that we love(d) to turn and smell - all of them are priced (by the publishers) to go! And, for a competitive price, sign up to be the first to have our new e-book reader, the Lazer Gazer. It'll automatically download all of our newsletters and you'll be able to read all the e-books that you purchase from us.

We're so proud of this new e-reader that we're producing. It has yet to go into production, but let us tell you about the features. Firstly, like the Kindle, it allows you to read only content purchased from us - no longer will you have to worry about being able to read content that you purchased anywhere else. You'll be able to put your entire library on this one device, and when it breaks down, you'll be able to buy a whole new library to read on your second generation Lazer Gazer!

Special Northland features: 1. Waterproof- don't let paddling trip stand between you and a good read again! 2. Night-rechargeable - works best with the northern lights, but will regenerate power from the stars and loon calls as well! 3.Will translate stuffy-name-dropping & New York-centric texts to reference fishing spots and hockey players. 4. Vocal Interface - tired? Let the woman from the movie Fargo read the text to you as you rest your eyes! And many more!

So Brave, Young, and Handsome

2009-07-26T20:34:00.008-05:00

Leif Enger's first novel, Peace Like a River, was received with great acclaim. I've had the book on my shelf for years because I originally purchased it for a book group and then was unable to attend and sadly never read the novel. I recently picked it up and was actually surprised by its story. Admittedly, from the title I was expecting an easy going, romantic book and I learned that it is the story of a family whose oldest son has been accused of murder and is running away from the law. The rest of the family is out on the road in an attempt to find him. Family relationships, faith, and the help of strangers all come together to weave a tale that is captivating.

Understandably, readers waited with great anticipation for Enger's second novel. It was almost seven years in coming and the result was So Brave, Young, and Handsome. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the narrator of the story is a writer, Monte Becket, who had one extremely successful book published and has since suffered from writer's block. So Brave, Young, and Handsome tells of Monte meeting an outlaw named Glendon Hale and of their travels together. They come across interesting characters all the way along the story. One can ponder if people like Monte and Glendon could really end up travelling together and how choices you make at various times in your life can effect the final position in which you end up.

Northern Lights Books and Gifts is honored to host a dinner and booksigning with Leif Enger on Thursday, August 6th at 6:00 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel in Duluth. Details about the evening are on our website http://www.norlights.com/. This event will be a memorable one so don't miss out!

Oh Garrison, you know we love you, but...

2009-07-01T20:58:00.003-05:00

we hope you realize why people were justly upset with your comments of late.

Comment one:

Garrison Keillor commented that Common Good Books, St. Paul, Minn., which he opened in 2006, "is sort of slowly making its way. I don't know. It's not making money. Nobody makes money with bookstores."

It's the blanket of "nobody" that stands independent bookselling hair on end. It is certainly difficult to make money selling books. Living in 90% of the world today, you'll find difficulties making money in most businesses that don't revolve around oil, weapons, or governmental bailouts.
This buys into the dangerous MYTH of the dying bookstore. Times are tough. Some great stores have closed their doors. Bookselling alone has brought few independent wealth. But to say that no one makes money on it, that we're non-profits without 501-c status rather than integral and innovative members of the business community- that's where we disagree. Most vociferously with the perpetuation of that myth that bookstores are a dead-end for business - the myth that big box stores and online warehouses would love to use as examples of us being quaint dinosaurs. The only way someone should mistake us for quaint dinosaurs is in hearing our roar combined with our impeccable customer service!

Comment Two:

"I love bookstores. I love to hold books in my hand. And to give that up is painful. It's like if Minnesota passed a law against fishing, it wouldn't affect the food supply that much. You know, if we passed a law against guys going out in a boat with a rod and a reel and bait and fishing for sunfish and crappies, people would still eat, nobody would go hungry who hadn't before. But it'd be painful. It's a part of our culture."

This has the trademark mix of whimsy, locality and heartfelt nostalgia that keeps people tuning in to hear the news from Lake Wobegon, but I'm just not so sure how relevant it really is to books or bookselling.
Are the fish books and fishing bookselling? Or is fishing the act of reading? Are bookstores fish? I agree that losing bookstores would be painful, but, for me and many, many others, it would be more akin to losing a limb and a sensory perception than not being able to eat fresh pike. Also, why mention just the sunfish and crappies? A good book is at least a walleye or a bass or a northern pike one needs to wrestle with to pull it from depths to appreciate glimmering in the full light of day - its sleek muscle and brutality, it's deep coloration and streamlined design; it's ultimate fragility.
Books are communication, not just good reads. If the internet was a replacement, booksales and books published wouldn't be increasing. If electronic readers were acceptable substitutes, they wouldn't need to work so hard to replicate features like turning the page.
If bookstores are fishing then it would be a painful, detrimental loss. But it wouldn't be because of a law being passed, but rather a law not being passed to level the playing field of taxes (that's another blog post to come on this story). The real way we would lose that part of our culture would be for people to believe that first myth of the dying bookstore. Just as fishing is more than a hobby, bookselling is a passion and a lifestyle. If too many people decide that they would rather have frozen fishsticks or some other conglomeration of processed protein in stead of getting out on the lake, spending time with friends and family and meeting one's meal(or, to our vegan/vegetarian friends - rather have nothing but frozen entrees than fresh organic produce). If people start to think it's all just a hobby - that the man leaving Grand Marais at 5am every morning and coming back with food to sell at a restaurant, feed his family and sell a bit more; that the dedicated booksellers reading as many books as they can so that they can match other booklovers- other seekers of knowledge with -with the best books out there... that would be a painful loss.

But it's avoidable. First step is to ignore and fight that dangerous myth. Second is to think of where one is spending money and if they are really making purchases that will add value to their lives and communities. Click here for more hints and steps in that direction.

I'm sure people love Common Good Books, and while Keillor may not be making money, he is able to hire highly capable people to keep the store running. We hope that, in evaluating the state of Independent Booksellers, in the future he give more of a weighty pause that makes the questioner consider the question further... because the answer lies somewhere in that space between the concerned customer and the dedicated bookseller. Not in some abstract blanket statement.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2009-06-16T13:31:00.001-05:00

If you don't think that society has changed much in the last half century, then perhaps you should take a look at The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Set in segregated Mississippi in the early 1960's, The Help explores the lives of white people and the black women who work in their homes. Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of the main characters and gives an intriguing look at life at that time in that part of the country.

The story tells about Skeeter, a white woman who has just graduated from college and returns to the city of her childhood. Another character is Minny, a black woman who has lost many housekeeping jobs because she can't keep herself from saying how she really feels. We also learn about Aibileen, a black woman who has endured a great loss and has her own story to tell.

These three women collaborate to write a book anonymously that tells exactly how it is to be a black woman who working as a housekeeper who sacrifices her own life to earn money taking care of white people. The author does an excellent job of painting a picture of how risky writing this book really would have been for people in the segregated south. What would have happened if someone found out who wrote the book? What could they do to insure their safety if someone suspected that they were the authors?

It wasn't until I was almost done with the book that I remembered someone in my family used to tell us about the African American woman who was his family's "help" when he was growing up. She took care of all the children in the family and did all the household chores. He would talk about her as if it was a good situation for her as well as the family. I never really thought about this before until I read this book. Would she really say that it was a good situation for her or was there another life that she would rather have been living?

Kathryn Stockett grew up in Jackson, Mississippi with "help" in her home. Having the story told by someone who experienced this social structure makes it seem more plausible. Have we come a long way from this time? Let's hope so.--Melanie

DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN DENIM AND CORDUROY AND HEAD TO CANAL PARK

2009-06-03T13:55:00.002-05:00

In order for someone to be a great humorist or an entertaining comic, above all, he or she must be highly intelligent. As years go by, I've noted this time and time again. David Sedaris is obviously one who has this prerequisite. He is the author of several "memoirs" and all of them are alive with his wit and wisdom.

When You are Engulfed in Flames is his latest collection and was released in paperback on June 2. It's a wonderful book full of individual stories that invite you to read from cover-to-cover in one sitting or allow you to take in just one chapter at a time if your time is limited.

Sedaris makes me feel like I am laughing at the people with whom his path crosses. Upon further reflection, I realize that I am most often laughing at myself. From the airplane seatmate who is annoyed at David because he won't switch seats with her husband to the woman in his Japanese language class that he is determined to bury with his superior language skills, I see pieces of myself both in Sedaris and his fellow life travelers. I hazard to guess that we can chuckle at his observations, realizing that he could be writing about us, and pray that we don't at sometime find our names in one of his books!

Northern Lights Books and Gifts is honored to have the opportunity to host Sedaris for a book signing and reading at the store on Monday, June 8. The reading starts at 6:00 pm. David Sedaris will be miked and you will be able to listen to him in the parking lot. Following the reading, we will be admitting groups of ticket holders into the store to have their books and CDs signed. Ticket holders will be admitted in numerical order.

In order to attend the signing, each person must obtain a numbered line ticket from Northern Lights Books by purchasing a David Sedaris book or CD. We suggest that you purchase your books as soon as possible to ensure that you are able to get them. Details are at our website www.norlights.com.

We will have live music beginning at 5:00 p.m. Dairy Queen , ICO, and Caribou Coffee will be open for you to purchase refreshments. This will be a night to remember! Won't you join us?

Books coming out backpacking to Isle Royale

2009-06-02T13:21:00.003-05:00

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing the book(s) to bring along with you on a backpacking trip. As I'm on a very short break now between packing and no longer having internet access, I'll just announce what books are coming with us and explain the process and reflect on the results when I'm back.

In John's bag: my favorite leatherbound journal (my mom gave it to me, calling it an Indiana Jones diary); Couch by Benjamin Parzybok an intriguing newish book about friends, a flood, a couch and an adventure; and The Writer's Notebook Craft essays from Tin House - promising new writer's book - also came with a cd that will NOT be coming on the island. I like to have a good page turner and a good reflective read.

Runners up: The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene; And Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris; and Eccentric Islands by Bill Holm.

And, my literature outfitting for my friends: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams; Geekspeak by Dr. Graham Tattersall; Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson; Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers; Twelve Below Zero by Anthony Bukoski; Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie; Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason; and several ARC's that I'll mention if they are chosen.

See you all at Sedaris on Monday!

Hey! We have a blog!

2009-05-16T19:44:00.002-05:00

I should write that on my mirror, so I'm reminded every morning. Sorry there's been such a space between posts- there have been some issues with emails reception rates at the store, we're working on getting our new website organized, and I also teach part-time and have been recognizing and addressing all the mistakes my students and myself have made over the course of the semester! That grading game continues for another week, so this is just a quick post to suggest other fine literary-type blogs to hold your attention in the interim (and beyond)!

In no particular order-

First: Perfect Duluth Day is a great site for knowing what's happening in the Twin Ports - reflections on movies, concerts, webvideos, news articles, etc. Eclectic with a very local spirit.

Second: Magers & Quinn down in the cities has a great blog run by my friend and fellow bookseller, David E. Book news, links and info on their events and deals. Great read all-around and I'd qualify it as rather vital if you're living in or headed down to the Cities.

Third: Bookavore a very cool bookseller now managing a store in Brooklyn. Great insights, fantastic suggestions and, in the last piece, a great recipe.

Fourth: The Word Hoarder, Rich is another bookseller out east, and has great posts on the book industry from a practical, bookselling position. Especially if you're interested in the drama surrounding the digital books. ALSO, he has compiled a great collection of forthcoming books. Check them out.

Fifth: Vromans a great bookstore on the other coast. Again, a great space for insight into the state of the publishing/bookselling industry. If you're ever in Cali, try to make a visit to their store.

And our very own friend, Author, Andrew Slade keeps us up to date on developments and news up and down the North Shore. He and his poodle are out on the trails often and he writes to tell how they are doing. His books are available at our store! If you're interested in the Northland Outdoors, I highly suggest checking his blog often.

What other Northern MN/WI blogs do you read? How do you keep the pulse of the local community? Where do you go for book news/review/and insights? Let us know!

I'll be back in a week. Hopefully some of my colleagues here at the store will chime in with a review or two. If not, I have a lot on deck myself!

Peace Love and Books!

~john

Not sayin'... just sayin'....

2009-05-02T11:04:00.011-05:00

The Kindle II strikes me as the kid in class who gets all the attention- love or hate, people just can't look away. As soon as you do, Bezos starts in with the spitballs and it starts all over again. So, it pains me slightly to feed the Kindle fire (not an actual fire, although the name is evocative; I do not condone burning books or e-readers of any kind!), but there is one thread I can't resist pulling on a bit more.

It's the notion that there exists a widespread strain of book-snobbery, judging people by their covers... of the books they're reading. I was not aware of this particular epidemic, but there have been several articles on the phenomena. I personally and very interested (as a bookseller, teacher, writer & busy-body) in what people are reading, and it's hard to separate that interest from some snap assessments, but I'd never thought of it as judging. Open apology to all those who have felt judged by their book covers as I walked by and peered a little too long.

Kindle will save us from both the judging eyes and the ego-maniacal show-offs because there is no more cover to see. Pulps, bestsellers, self-help, newspapers, classics - all under that plastic/metallic sheen. The great literary equalizer... except... PEOPLE WILL SEE YOU READING ON A KINDLE!!!

Nothing against the Kindle, but let me offer up an analogy: I love bikes of all types, road, racing, mountain, retro, kids, trick... each one is very enjoyable and specifically suited to different tastes and activities, and each one carries some reputation. I may be judged as being healthy, being broke, being a pretentious eco-warrior of some sort. I may take on all the fury originally directed at bikers who were not safe or considerate on the road. So, to avoid the whole hullabaloo, I buy a nice, shiny Hummer. It's sleek and attractive and it can hold all of my bikes! I can take my bikes anywhere now! Heck, if I see a bike I like, I can have it in my Hummer in a matter of seconds (with a good lock cutter). Gone are the days of being judged and feeling awkward for being so pretentious with my bikes, now that my Hummer is with me everywhere I go!

Again, nothing against the Kindle or the Hummer... well, nothing too much against either of them... but it seems to me that as far as judging people goes, you'd be jumping out of the pan straight into the fire. E-readers (the kindle is not the only one on the market - iphone has app and the sony e-reader is cheaper and very comparable) definitely have a lot of advantages and they are a blessing to people who are by trade or nature very avid readers. But, if you want to avoid prying eyes, invest in an affordable book tote cover (quilted with good designs; handles and book mark built in). Or, hide your kindle in a bestselling hardcover.

Buy Indie Day!

2009-05-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

There’s a ton going on this weekend - the full force of Homegrown; One Book, One Community reading at LSC 7:30 Michael Perry, Duluth Poet Laureate reading at the Green Room Saturday at 3:30pm; the final weekend of Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. It seems then especially fitting that it’s also Buy Indie Day.

Started by the American Booksellers Association, it naturally focuses on Independent Bookstores, but embodies local spirit. Wherever you find yourselves today, think of how you’re supporting the unique community! Listen to local musicians, watch local theatre, buy from local food vendors, artists, craftsmen, and booksellers! Just stop by to let them know that you’re glad they’re here and contributing to the maintenance of Duluth’s unique character.

Happy Indie Day, Duluth!

Pugnaciously pushing a powerful poetry-month phinish

2009-04-24T14:20:00.012-05:00

Several were not able to attend the great talk last Thursday here at the store with Ryan Vine - but it was a great chat! I wanted to include some of the highlights and try to turn this into a once a month feature of poetry/poetics resources/reviews kinda deal. Maybe even something more specific! For now, here's the recap of our discussion on poets and poetry non-local, non-famous, non-dead.

1. Ryan Vines poets that he's been excited about he past few months: Dean Young, Tony Hoagland, Karen Volkman, Denise Duhamel, Jennifer Knox, Matthew Dickman, Tom Lux, & Terrance Hayes.

2. In addition (because there's not a name there not worth getting excited over) to that tremendous list, I came up with the following: Russell Edson, Jordan Scott, Matthea Harvey, Eireann Lorsung, & Brenda Shaughnessy.

3. We discussed whether any poet is or can be famous. Mary Oliver's sell-out performances, Billy Collins's best sellers were the only contemporaries we could think of with fame due to their poetry, though those of us who read a lot of poetry would have a long list of candidates who've achieved relative fame.

4. We discussed then influence and representativeness. Every lump of generations seem to have there handful of poets that define their times, but what consensus would be reached for the late 20th Century? Collins? Oliver? A strong case was made for Robert Bly but there was a sad recognition that academics have not fully embraced him. A reluctant case was made for Ashbery, but it felt more like saying Kevin Bacon would be remembered as the actor of this age because of his six degrees - we saw Ashbery spreading a similar net. I made a case for Seamus Heaney - throwing open a gate of all English-speaking poetry. We're holding our final ruling until we have a whopping book deal.

5. There are no whopping book deals even remotely connected to poetry.

6. Some great reviews at Small Press Distribution (we'll be ordering from them more frequently if you see anything you like) and Rain Taxi, from the Cities (available in print free by the door).

It was also decided soon after, that Northern Lights will be carrying several poetry/literary review magazines. Starting this summer (times will vary for each) we'll be carrying Poetry (also, don't miss their blog of poets on poetry, Harriet), American Poetry Review, Crazyhorse and the Kenyon Review.

Population 485

2009-04-15T22:21:00.005-05:00

As you hopefully are aware, Duluth has chosen Michael Perry's Population 485 as our "One Book, One Community" selection for 2009. When I first heard the selection, I wasn't sure if the book was one I could relate to because if I was to write a book about the "town" I grew up in, it could be titled "Population 3.8 Million." Well, I can say that those 3.8 million people aren't any more interesting than the 485 people that Michael Perry describes.

Michael Perry writes beautifully and one can feel his appreciation for the people and town of his boyhood to which he returns as an adult. He has experienced an interesting combination of occupations and each chapter ties together several story lines. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and think it's an excellent choice for our community to read, share, and discuss.

As part of the "One Book, One Community," we have reading guides for Population 485 at Northern Lights Books and Gifts. In addition, you are invited to attend an evening with Michael Perry and his band "The Longbeds" at Lake Superior College on Friday, May 1st, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for students. We hope you will join us for this wonderful event.

#Amazonfail - a quick overview

2009-04-13T11:50:00.005-05:00

Twitterers and bloggers have been abuzz over #Amazonfail these past few days. So, if you've missed out because you were with friends and family, outside breathing fresh air or otherwise not glued to the twitter updates, here's a quick summary. *edit* And here is another great summary of the situation from a bookselling/public relations perspective.

First Twitter= a network of mini-blogs. Users follow individuals and institutions they're interested in and receive updates - short 140 character postings detailing current status (enjoying a great lunch at Sir Ben's); links to interesting sites or news items (click http://bit.ly/6CBRo for more information on #Amazonfail); re-tweets (reposting someone else's posting); and replies @username.

The # is used to precede a topic that is then more readily searchable through Twitter, so you can go to Twitter.com and search for the diverse conversation threads surrounding the topic of #Amazonfail.

Adding FAIL as a suffix (actually attached or just following) is a trendy way of saying that something has significantly fallen short of the perceived objectives. Misspellings in signs, funny mishaps caught on film, etc.

The actual controversy (in an extremely condensed nutshell): Amazon makes books with "adult" content harder to find and sometimes (somehow...) removes them from the sales ranking. If you're looking for something specific, you're still likely to find it, but you're not very likely to come upon it by cyber-browsing or relying on their algorithms to find a book you might like. It sounds like a responsible enough policy. Then people started noticing that LGBTQ content was being "removed/processed" under this "policy" while Playboy and other "adult" content featuring or catering toward a heterosexual (and predominantly male) sexuality was still showing up in the sales rankings and browsing. Thus segregating and de facto censoring LGBTQ content. Some say that feminist theory books were included. Twitter postings and re-tweets abounded. Blogs were both hastily written and thought through and written.

As of my writing right now, I'm unaware of the final say: Amazon claims it's a "glitch" they're fixing. Many in the LGBTQ community see it as discriminatory policy enacted to make non-hetero-conforming sexuality even less visible than it already is. Some accuse tech-savvy(ish) conservatives of recognizing the adult material policy and systematically tagging literature they view as subversive to be "adult."

In any which way, it is a demonstration of why no one entity should be given the control over the distribution of so many diverse voices and viewpoints. So, with no accusation nor malice, I invite you to use this as an opportunity to consider how many algorithms and single-company policies you've allowed to make selections for you rather than speaking to a friend, colleague or someone who dedicates themselves to the sale of a particular media in an independent store that specializes in a media and may be very close to your community (like, say maybe an independent bookseller!)

Search books, bookstores and many many things independent at IndieBound.org.

Authors, Publishers, Bloggers, Organizations, etc...: you're NOT tied to amazon either. There's no reason for you to be at the mercy of their rankings, policies, algorithms or glitches. Become an IndieBound.org Affiliate!

Slow Reading and a Thank You from Lisa Scottoline

2009-04-08T10:15:00.003-05:00

We always savor appreciation from customers and authors. Lisa Scottoline shares her experiences growing up as a reader and developing in her love of Independent bookstores. And now I know how to pronounce her last name, so there's all kinds of learning and appreciation here!

Thanks Lisa Scottoline! We couldn't do it without great authors and fantastic books that are worth the time spent engrossed in a story!

Children's Stories

2009-04-06T15:04:00.003-05:00

I can't speak for her book myself, but Author and Professor Maria Tatar speaks very well in this short video about how it is that children, and even we as readers who fell in love with reading as children, choose and become immersed in books.

It reminds me of the last post of Lil' Red and many of Neil Gaiman's successes.

Lil' Red Riding Hood: Scientifically Understood

2009-03-30T15:42:00.003-05:00

Fairy Tale told through Information Flow complete with graphs, population densities, and nutritional values of Granny, this video re-imagines the story of Little Red Riding Hood to have modern/technological components.

Slagsmålsklubben - Sponsored by destiny from Tomas Nilsson on Vimeo.

My favorite retelling of Lil' Red is in Angela Carter's collection of retold fairy tales The Bloody Chamber. The story is "The Company of Wolves." Dark, disturbing, and turns the old notions of innocence and power into a strange pretzel.

Reader Review from Margit!

2009-03-29T20:26:00.007-05:00

Helen Boosalis: My Mother's Life in Politics, by Beth Boosalis Davis, University of Nebraska Press, 2008

The biography of Helen Boosalis reads like a lively textbook of responsive and responsible city government and a fascinating account of a Greek-American Minneapolis girl who makes good as the first female mayor of a city over 100,000, Lincoln, Nebraska. The memoir is Beth Davis's perspective on her mother's political career seen through a daughter's eyes.

Boosalis didn't start out as a politico. She and other League of Women Voters members supported revision of Lincoln's City Charter to include a strong mayor form of government. When the men didn't implement the strong mayor system, Boosalis stepped up to the plate after 16 years on the council, won the mayor's seat, and proceeded to practice what she preached: open and transparent government, opportunities for neighborhoods to take action, and a strong comprehensive plan that guided development for years.

There are numerous nuggets of wisdom gleaned from this political pioneer who became the first female president of the US Conference of Mayors and ran as the Democratic-endorsed candidate for governor of Nebraska.

Boosalis cultivated public-private partnerships in the 1981 economic recession that hit cities hard. She "encouraged city departments to use volunteers to help sustain existing programs facing budget cuts," among other innovative strategies.

Davis, herself an Evanston IL city council member, asked her mother "what she thought were the most important attributes for serving in public office." Her mother's list began with "courage, willingness to take risks; knowledge and preparation" and it goes on.

Davis tells her mother's story with "flash forwards" to the 1986 gubernatorial race, creating momentum, interest and insights into the mind and heart of a woman whose political focus throughout several decades of public service was community.

A Lion Called Christian

2009-03-12T11:52:00.007-05:00

I like a book that I keep thinking about long after I've shut the back cover. I like a book that makes me question my beliefs and value systems and leaves me pondering ethical tenets. A Lion Called Christian is such a book. The book tells of a pair of young Australian men who purchased a lion cub at Harrod's Department Store in London in the late 1960's. One cannot miss the irony of naming a lion Christian! I also can't help but be horrified that they could buy a lion at Harrod's.

The men kept Christian for about a year in which time he grew to be quite a sizable creature. They realized that they could not keep a full-sized lion and researched places for him to go. They didn't want him to have the fate of finishing his life in a zoo or circus. They were able to connect with George Adamson who worked with Elsa (of Born Free notoriety) and took Christian to Africa to be rehabilitated to live as a lion in the wild.

Footage of Christian seeing these men a year after he was set free in Africa has been circulating on YouTube. There is no question that he recognized his previous housemates when they came to see him. I don't want to spoil the story by telling you more about it but I'd be curious what others think about issues that are raised.

Why, after almost 40 years, is this story reemerging? What is it about it that we find so irresistible? Do animals truly have the ability to feel toward humans the love and affection that we feel toward them? Why do we expect wild animals to live among us for our joy and entertainment? (I often think of the case of a circus elephant who escaped in Honolulu and was killed by authorities because of the danger she posed when she ran through the streets.) I don't like animals being utilized in circuses but can zoos provide them a hospitable habitat? Some endangered species seem to need extra care and protection and might zoos keep them from becoming extinct?

I'm quite impressed with the maturity and selflessness shown by these young men to make the decision to try and have Christian "return" to the wild even though he and his parents were born in captivity. As much as I would want this for all wild animals, I can't imagine the feeling of letting him go knowing that he might not survive. Even though it is obviously the right thing to do, my human emotions keep surfacing when I think about doing this.

I invite you to read this book and see if it raises some questions in your mind as well. By the way, a search at Harrod's website shows that one can no longer purchase a lion there. Now, that's progress!

Modern Life: poems by Matthea Harvey

2009-03-07T18:22:00.005-06:00

"Matthea Harvey's vision of America is spooky, apocalyptic, and beautiful: proof that there is wonder in even a dark time like ours." -George Saunders says on the back cover of Modern Life put out by Graywolf Press.

-Spooky & apocalyptic: the chilling indifference and casual reference to the horrible in the sequences "The Future of Terror" and "Terror of the Future":

When we got jaded / about joyrides, we could always play games / in the kitchen garden with the prisoners. / Jump the Gun, Fine Kettle of Fish and Kick / the Kidney were our favorites.

and

It was time to make a home / in the hedge and try not to hear the gunshots. / So what if the grass was really green glass?

-Beautiful and Defiantly Wondrous: As stilting an image of green glass being confused with grass is, the gesture of the narrator to be aware and still making a home is touching. In another sequence of poems, we follow Robo-Boy and see the difficulty in being human as well as the difficulty of being anything else once that humanness has been imbued. Figureheads of ships without sailors, on their own and finding a truer existence; a room full of moons yearning for planets to orbit as the waiters endlessly circle the tables below.

Modern Life is a mixture of imagination in the face of desolation. The bleak, rather than being ignored or covered up is embraced as being part of the experience. In "Estamos En Vivo, No Hay Alternativo" this impulse of making the best of what we have because there is no other choice is illustrated with the request to

Dip that tiny brush into / your paintbox and mix up something nice / and muddy for me.

That is then tempered by the violent commodification of sex. Tenderness, innocence, playfulness all exist with brutality and detachment.

Harvey's writing stays aware of the lush possibilities in language as well as seeking ways to demonstrate nuanced gestures and surprising turns in the flow of an idea. In some of her prose poems, she creates new worlds, not unlike Russell Edson but not as jarring. Modern Life succeeds at making a complex statement on where we are going through the use of various voices and techniques - a very engaging read.

I first came across Matthea Harvey's poetry several years ago when I became very much engrossed in the anthology Legitimate Dangers: American Poets of the New Century eds. Michael Dumanis & Cate Marvin. Her images, gestures and attention to language has always caught my attention. In addition to Modern Life, she has also written Sad Little Breathing Machine (also by Graywolf) and Pity the Bathtub Its Forced Embrace of the Human Form (Alice James Books) (two of the finest titles I've come across!).

Readers' Reviews Club - earn up to 15% off!

2009-03-03T13:41:00.003-06:00

As a way to further our efforts to expand our online community to reflect some of the advantages we have in the store, we're starting a Readers' Reviews Club and offering an incentive to start sharing your thoughts and opinions on the books you love!
Now, in the store, these conversations come naturally, because we all love to talk about great books so that others can share in the great reading experiences we've encountered. That interaction is a little more difficult online, but, we hope, still very possible. So here is the announcement to prompt us all into action!

Hello fans of Northern Lights Books & Gifts!
The great thing about this page is knowing that we all love books, love community, and love independent voices. So, now we'd like to share that love a little more by offering a discount when you share your love of a book!
We're initiating a Readers' Reviews Club - to start it off, members will receive 15% off a full price in-store item OR free shipping on an online/phone purchase! -see "fine print"
How do you join?
Send us a review of a book that you've really loved! It can be anywhere from 30-300 words giving us a sense of what the book is about and why you enjoyed it! (negative/critical reviews have their place, but we really want to share books that really made a difference for us rather than steer folks away from books we didn't enjoy)

Where to send your reviews? Well there are spaces set up on the fan page on facebook where you can add your two cents for 15%! Otherwise, feel free to email us at the store: norlight at norlights dot com and we can cross post it here and on our store blog: Norlight Lit Life.

Once we see your review, we'll send you a certificate for either 15% off an in-stock, in-store item OR free shipping on an online or phone order. Then you can come into the store (or online or phone!) and find another book to love and to share!

We're really looking forward to the great reviews and books to come!

"fine print"
-This discount is available for an initial period as we really seek to get these conversations moving.
-Although we won't limit how many reviews you can post, we do have to limit how many discounts/free shipping we can offer: two per customer, per month.
-All reviews are welcome, but we'd like to focus on books that are still in print that we can offer to other customers through our store.
-We reserve the right to edit anything that we cross-post. If you would like to approve of our edits, let us know. Anything that we post will be credited to you by first name - this will be to protect your privacy. If you'd like to be credited by your full name, let us know!
-Discounts will be awarded to reviews that tell about the book and tell about why you enjoyed it and would recommend it to someone else. If it does not talk about the book, or if it seems to be lifted off the back cover (and we KNOW that none of you would ever do that - we just have to say...) we will reserve the right to withhold the discount incentive.

We look forward to hearing about, and sharing, all the books that you love! Contact us if you have any questions!

RIP Bill Holm

2009-02-26T12:16:00.003-06:00

A tremendous author who represented some of the best writing and insight of both the Minnesotan and Scandanavian experience. He will be missed.
Minnesota Author Bill Holm dies

A Sip of The Teapot Dome Scandal

2009-02-24T08:46:00.002-06:00

I highly recommend you check out Laton McCartney's book The Teapot Dome Scandal: How Big Oil Brought the Harding White House and Tried to Steal the Country. Now as one who loves non-fiction, I can say that this book is written like a novel and would be interesting to those who feel that history is just not the genre for them. I was constantly struck by how truth can really be stranger than fiction. Some of the incidents that happened with this scandal seem straight out of Hollywood. The book starts out with Jake Hamon, "The Oil King of Oklahoma" telling his mistress that she cannot come with him to Washington, DC as he starts his work with the Harding administration because of Mrs. Harding's insistence that he be reunited with his wife. Next thing you know, the mistress shoots Hamon. The way this sequence of events is revealed in Chapter 1 is quite intriguing and makes the reader hungry to see what's coming in the rest of the book.

I remember learning the term "Teapot Dome Scandal" in high school but I really didn't have an understanding what it was about. Given our concerns now about how much our country is dependent on petroleum products and the effects they have on our environment, I think it's worth a visit to events of the 1920's and the leasing of government land to benefit, you guessed it, oil companies.

Teapot Dome was land in Wyoming that contained oil that the Navy had for a reserve. President Harding's Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall, leased the land to Harry Sinclair (think Sinclair Oil). As in every good scandal involving a presidential administration, there was a fall guy. In this case, his name Albert Fall and he became the first cabinet member to go to prison for his deeds while a cabinet member. Thus the term "Fall guy." He may have been comforted to know that his name would live on to this day as a term for someone who takes one for the team!

The Teapot Dome Scandal is now available in paperback. If you want, we're happy to order you a copy in Hardcover. You'll want to hang on to this one!

More Information Than You Require

2009-02-21T11:03:00.004-06:00

There are too many great authors out there about whom it seems impossible to say enough. So we try to say as much as we can when we can. For me, John Hodgman is one of those authors. One of my very talented friends from grad school, Chris Michel introduced me to Hodgman's first book, The Areas of My Expertise. Now Mr. Michel has written an excellent and insightful review over at The Brooklyn Rail of Hodgman's latest, More Information Than You Require.

It is not merely a gag book—a flip-through bathroom reader akin to The Onion’s Our Dumb World or The Daily Show’s America: A Citizen's Guide To Democracy Inaction. It turns out that Hodgman’s book is substantial, and a piecemeal reader might not pick up on the underlying narratives that suffuse Hodgman’s work. The fake histories of mole-men, hobos, and Presidents interweave, referencing and influencing each other. There are stories enough in the book for three or four different novels, and the careful reader will discover narrative arcs as detailed as in any decent piece of fiction, with characters emerging and interacting with the vast, odd world Hodgman has created.

I can also attest that it's a wonderful book to read in the company of good friends - there will be several passages that you'll want to read aloud and many pictures and diagrams you'll want to pass around.
Click to see Hodgman expound on lost time, physics, aliens and love.
Follow Hodgman on Twitter

Buying Local

2009-02-20T15:22:00.003-06:00

Supporting community, encouraging independence, sharing passion - these are all things we think of when we think of shopping locally. It's hard to over-emphasize how important it is to a community to have and maintain that ability. Just browsing through other blogs of other great independent bookstores and came across a posting from the owner of The Regulator Bookshop in Durham, North Carolina, who describes the issue very nicely, finishing:

There's no escaping the fact that we live in a global economy. And for a lot of reasons the global end of things has been running rampant lately, driving local business to the brink. Some of this has to do with efficiencies, but a lot of it also has to do with access to capital, exchange rates, and things like the financial backing needed to sign a lease at most shopping malls.

But we also live in a very specific (and I think very remarkable) place. And supporting a little local balance to the global giants can only be a good thing for this place we call home -- and, really, for the global economy as well.

Buying Local Has a Big Impact

Quick note on Graphic Detail

2009-02-18T14:53:00.002-06:00

A link via FSG books: The Cleveland Free Times posts a nice review of non-fiction books using extended illustration, a la graphic novels, to better explain their concepts at hand. Shows that with innovation, there are always new ways of telling stories and sharing information.

New Technology and Books - from Anita

2009-02-14T14:13:00.004-06:00

Do you Twitter? Blog? Facebook? Download Books? Listen to Audio Books? Download Music? I really want to know as a bookseller what my customers are thinking about technology, buying books and how they get their information about what to read. I would really like to hear back from you about these topics.

We are having an ongoing discussion at our store among our staff and I am wondering if it is an age thing. Twenty somethings versus fifty somethings. This discussion is very hot among professionals in the industry beginning with the authors, readers, booksellers and publishers on many different levels.

I do email, use a cell phone, leave voice messages and retrieve voice messages, occasionally but rarely shop online. I don’t download books or audio. While the store has a Facebook page I do not. I do read books, magazines, newspapers and listen to audio books that I buy or check out from the library. I love holding the book, turning the pages, collecting my favorites on a bookshelf. When friends come over and see my shelves we have a nice chat about our favorites reads. The rest of my favorites are at the bookstore where I get to talk with customers about favorite books we’ve been reading. Over many years of leading the store bookgroup one of our favorite rituals is going around the circle to share what we’ve been reading lately. We hear about new authors and titles that we’ll check out as soon as possible.

I guess I am in the right profession because I like to “talk” about books with people. I am less than excited to “write” about them. But after selling books for over 18 years one thing is certain I am always learning something new and Blogging is something new for me. Will I keep blogging? We’ll see….

Here’s what I am excited about from the past few months.
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, One of Obama’s recommendations it is a fascinating “fly on the wall” point of view by the skillful use of letters and research to show the dynamics of Lincoln’s cabinet.
So Brave Young and Handsome by Leif Enger, The long awaited second book by the award winning author of Peace Like a River. The main character is a turn of the century (early 1900’s) author fighting writer’s block after a “one hit wonder”. Enger captures the setting of the time period, colorful characters and tells a charming thoughtful story about adults remaining open to the adventures of life.
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is a great addition to the Scandinavian Noir Genre. Very satisfying suspenseful mystery with a classic investigative reporter type and a young edgy/punky misunderstood highly intelligent teenage woman who is a computer hacker that ends up collaborating with the reporter with his investigation. This is the first of three novels that have been bestsllers in Europe and are now being release in the US by Random House. Unfortunately very slowly! The second book The Girl Who Played with Fire will not be out until the end of July.

Tell us what you’ve read recently that you’ve liked.---Anita Zager

One Book, One Community: Population 485 by Michael Perry

2009-02-11T11:25:00.003-06:00

We're very proud to announce that the One Book, One Community selection for this spring is Population 485 by Michael Perry. Small town life viewed through the lens of an EMT re-entering his community after being gone for 12 years. Raucous, tragic, humorous, touching and insightful - these accounts are written with a careful ear for language and a finger on the pulse of the relationships that make and sustain communities.

There will be discussions across the city in the months ahead and a discussion guide available in March. On May 1st, Michael Perry is scheduled to be in town giving talks, and culminating in a reading at Lake Superior College. We'll be looking forward to his newest book, Coop at the same time. See the Duluth Public Library, Northern Lights Books and this blog for updates.

Twitter News: QQQ?

2009-02-11T11:00:00.004-06:00

Kim came up with a great idea: to share Quips Quotes and Queries on some of our favorite books and authors. We'll be trying to share these through twitter, prefixed with the somewhat cryptic QQQ. We're not branding it- just indicating that what is to follow is a Quip/Quote/Query. We'll try to link to the book/author as well.

Twit back at us with your own QQQs!

John Beargrease: Legend of Minnesota's North Shore

2009-02-06T17:18:00.003-06:00

With the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon (much longer than a marathon, discuss) held nearly every year just beyond our backyards, many of us have become quasi-experts of the sport of sled dog racing - at least to the degree of eyeing up all of our pets for a good lead dog/cat/parakeet.
But that sense of expertise seems to level off when we think of the man after whom the race was named. I felt rather proud for many years to tell people "he was a mailman, of some sort, who delivered mail by sled dog, at least during the winter. He should have had my sheltie at the lead, and then he'd really have been a legend." My lack of knowledge deflected by keen sled dog strategizing.
Those days of deflection are at an end! No longer will we live in ignorance of one of the great icons of the North Shore. Daniel Lancaster has gathered and compiled an insightful, engaging and very readible biography of the man who traversed the North Shore. Published by Holy Cow! Press, heritage comes to life through the story of John Beargrease who, through his determination, connected small communities, traditional Anishinabe life and the burgeoning modernity of Duluth.
Read the reviews from Lake Superior Magazine and The Star Tribune and listen to his interview with Cathy Wurzer on MPR.

From the page to the screen

2009-01-25T10:53:00.005-06:00

Ok, I'm not very good at keeping up with movies and movie adaptations of books. Just recently I've missed announcing and reviewing:The Spirit, The Secret Life of Bees, Revolutionary Road, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and probably a dozen others.

Largely this is because I'm not a huge movie-goer. (For just a few dollars more, I can own the book and be the visual director.) I'm also wary of adaptations because they are re-tellings of stories; stories that we've come to love because they were originally told so well! But, it can also be very magical to see and hear another person's vision of what you've loved.

I have a feeling that this movie will be one of those magical, visual experiences. Coraline by Neil Gaiman looks to be quite tremendous. For those of you who are not familiar with Neil Gaiman, here's my reductive impression of his works: he understand Story(yes, with a capital S) to an extraordinary level; he is not afraid of the dark; because he truly embraces Story, his works span age levels very easily; he has a great wit; and he has a true knack for teaming up with brilliant visual artists. Take that writing force, apply it to a story of a little girl who is fleeing the ordinary and then trapped by the wondrous, compose it with an innovative/creative production company and you have a potential classic on your hands.
Opens February 6th. I'll have to watch it February 7th, since I'll be listening to Michael Ryan read at CSS. So, if you can't make it to listen to Michael Ryan, I highly suggest you see Coraline.
Here's the Gaiman approved trailer:

Now here's an exciting challenge

2009-01-24T10:11:00.002-06:00

In a time of year dominated by weight-loss challenges, The Bookstore People announce a challenge that will result in Brain-Gain!

The Independent Bookstore Readers Challenge is a challenge to explore the world of indie booksellers. They have different levels of commitment - check out two new(to you) stores to be a scout - visit Indies in Europe and become a Globe trotter! Sign Up Here!

They are also planning to help cross-post reviews and experiences, so make sure to share your discoveries and help your fellow scouts, specialists, nationalists, continentals, globetrotters and type A personalities (see their page for descriptions!).

So, next time you're about to head out on a trip, check IndieBound to find stores along the way!

The More You Know...

2009-01-22T11:06:00.004-06:00

We're big believers in attending class daily through the University of Life Campus at Northern Lights Books.
Today, Melanie and I heard a singer/songwriter referred to as a "songstress" on the radio. I doubted it was an actual word. It sounds like someone slapping a suffix on a noun and calling it a day - I have no real objection to that practice, I'm a suffixer on occasion myself, but this caught me off guard.

So, asking Melanie how sure she was it was a word (She was $1 sure; in these rough economic times, I wasn't that sure, so her wager went unmatched), I googled it. Sure enough, songstress is a word. Melanie would have won a dollar in a non-recession year.

But! The definition includes the root word, song: "a female singer, esp. one who specializes in popular songs." Not esp. helpful in a definition. So- do they mean hits, top 40 songs? Or do they mean popular, "pop," music as a genre? It seems absurd to specialize in writing hit songs (it wasn't mentioned as a career path at my job fair in elementary school), but it's also awkward to refer to a musical genre by "songs."

Is it one of those awkward moments that's actually more correct? Is the dictionary ambiguous because they felt resentful including the word to begin with? What words do you like to suffix into creation? Prefixers out there?

Keep questioning.

Inauguration poem.

2009-01-20T09:44:00.002-06:00

Twin Cities Poets weigh in on Inauguration Poem

As I'm writing right now, Obama is motorcading on his way to the Inauguration. It seems redundant to express my excitement on that fact, so, let me shift attention to the fact that poetry is being featured again today!

Elizabeth Alexander will soon be reading her poem to commemorate the occasion. She will be only the fourth poet to read at an inauguration.

The role of the poet and of poetry is... influx; precarious; languishing; misunderstood; vital; all of the above? Whatever your personal stance, there is something truly remarkable, and not just because it is somewhat of a rarity, when a poet gives voice to ideas/emotions/images/sounds. Art and ideas joined in celebration and reflection of an event: they can be very powerful. So, as a lover of words, this is truly a moment of hope and change!

Reading for Comfort

2009-01-17T13:49:00.002-06:00

After some discussion about how and what we read, there's a nice new blog out there (in the interwebs) focusing on specific titles and explaining more of the emotional effect the books had for the readers.
Via The Olive Reader (another nice site for book news), Good Books in Bad Times is also backed by HarperCollins but features a range of books and titles, new and old from multiple genres and discussed by different authors. Good to peruse at any time, but I especially recommend it for anyone in search of a good cathartic book. Tearful can be uplifting!

Have you been reading?

2009-01-12T14:14:00.003-06:00

Although it's been hard to say how accurate the findings really are, there's a new study by the National Endowment for the Arts released that shows that people, especially younger people, are reading a bit more than in the last few years.

Among the credits: popular book groups (a la Oprah), online resources (both for the writing itself as well as more communcation and awareness of books), and community reads.

Our last One Book, One Community read, Three Cups of Tea was a great success - we're eagerly looking forward to this season and will announce the new title as soon as it's finalized!

But baby, it's cold outside

2009-01-10T11:14:00.002-06:00

So what books are you reading to keep yourself warm?
For some reason I've just picked up a handful of books by Scandanavian authors (The Howling Miller & Silence of the Grave), a cool new collection of Minnesota authors,Fiction on a Stick and local short story craftsman, Anthony Bukoski's Twelve Below Zero.

I seem to be taking the aclimation approach to taking on the cold.

How about you? Cold days - do you dive into Pamuk's Snow or are you off to the tropics and mystery Coroner's Lunch? Do you block out the cold by focusing on politics and the world around us?

Zounds!

2008-12-30T09:23:00.007-06:00

It's been a while since we've posted! Thank you all for stopping and calling in to the store - keeping us on our toes to the point that we were too busy to post blogs!

Many thanks to those of you able to come out and make our Open House a great success! We helped Cathy Wurzer sell through her first print of Tales of the Road.

It was also a great night to meet up with Daniel Lancaster and discuss his book, John Beargrease: Legend of Minnesota's North Shore.

Now, as we pat our tummies (full of egg nog, sugar cookies and general holiday cheer), we want to invite you to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter - The Northern Lights Gazer. It always has a little bit of what's going on around the store, some reviews, some details on upcoming events, and, especially this week, it has valuable coupons! Sign up this week and you'll receive the Gazer with a coupon worth up to 40% off!

We're trimming down stock for inventory, so all Calendars and Holiday items are 40% off. Print off the coupon from the e-newsletter and bring it in for up to 40% off on all regularly priced items in the store (bookmarks, candles, cards and books). See the newsletter or call for more details!

Why a Book this Holiday Season?

2008-12-12T10:16:00.004-06:00

Fellow book blogger, Bookavore, asks this important question this holiday season. Why a book? Honestly, so many thoughts rush to mind that, like a troop of clowns, none seems able to make way all the way past my lips (or, case being, finger tips)!
IndieBound has suggested that one reason is that "a scented candle has never changed anyone's life" [for the better]. That reminds me of the many authors who tell of how books transformed their lives - with language - that communication between reader & author, and with the escape into new worlds, ideas and possibilities.

What stands out to you about books? The smell? The tactility? Engaging new subjects? Taking a quick vacation? Gathering in thrills? Losing oneself in the robes of history? Let us know!

Louis Jenkins breaks in European Shoes

2008-12-05T14:22:00.009-06:00

Louis Jenkins, prolific prose poet, has just released a limited edition collection of poetry and prose, European Shoes centering on his travels in the late summer and fall of 2007. We'll be celebrating this release with a reading/reception on Sunday, December 7th, 3:30pm at the Quaker Meeting House 1802 East First Street, Duluth, MN.

A bit about Louis Jenkins- a Duluthian since 1970; widely published and anthologized; a contemporary master of the prose poem known for his clever, dry wit; winner of awards; Prairie Home Companion star; and now skating his way on to just-off Broadway for a workshop of a play based on his poetry.
Visit his press and click on "listen" to hear him read various poems!

A bit about European Shoes- "useless as a travel guide and offers no insight whatsoever into European art, culture, politics or daily life" proclaims the preface. The insight may not be offered, per se, but is rather discovered through the journey. Jenkins alternates between journal entries on topics of travel, and art, people and history - emphasizing a sense of place through careful details of sights and gestures, as well as noting names of people and places. It recreates the feeling of being captivated in a new place - a lot familiar, a lot foreign, and the reluctant realization that you're the foreigner.

The poetry, like a viking ship, travels near and far, attacking quickly but also known to "slip sideways into the lee of the wind. So even with the most skilled sailors [readers] it [is] easy to get blown of course." But that's where we find the insights: a little bit sideways rather than straight on.
One of these insights that I appreciated is that of the writing process. Since these poems are dry and often border on the absurd, it's nice to see them in communication with the journal entries to see the initial spark, as it were (or may have been).
The subjects range broadly: shoes, breakfast, bicycle abandonment, masonry, trains, goddesses, and artists. The speakers change just as much as they remain still:

When it first happened I thought my acquaintance was speaking to someone else. I looked around but there was no one else there. I've tried moving to adjust the conversational direction, but the speaker only readjusts. I realized that if I kept moving our conversation would be going in concentric circles.

(from "Out of It")

Come on out. Enjoy the reading. Chat with Louis and other poetry lovers. Pick up your copy or copies of the book!

Spirit Lake Poetry Series - Beth Ann Fennelly

2008-11-20T13:02:00.004-06:00

Beth Ann Fennelly will be reading on Saturday, 11/22, 7:30pm at Somers Lounge at the College of St.Scholastica as part of the Spirit Lake Poetry Series.

I was lucky enough to have seen Fennelly read a few years back shortly after the release of her book, Tender Hooks. Her poetry is playful and dramatic as it explores relationships, interactions, emotions and perceptions that don't always receive the depth of attention they deserve.

an example from Tender Hooks

Gong

From the kitchen, fixing her bottle, I hear it:
two milk teeth against my beer can.

Her new collection, Unmentionables is backed with quotes from Robert Hass, the Harvard Review, Nick Hornby and Tim Rauschenberger (apparently to disrupt the letter H). Admiring students, considering footed pajamas, remembering life in Illinois while living in Mississippi - Fennelly is able to "veer into unexpected depths" with an awareness and passion. She also gives us a Dream Song cycle and considers impressionism. Smart and endearing verse.

Peace Bell Event Report

2008-11-13T13:26:00.003-06:00

Last night was a great evening for telling a moving story about peacemaking through a new children's book and the screening of a new documentary. On Wednesday, November 12th, our shop collaborated with the Arrowhead Reading Council to host Margi Preus for a reading of her newest children's book The Peace Bell. Also part the event was a screening of filmmaker Paul Creager's movie Resonance. Both of these projects tell us the story of Duluth's Peace Bell, located at Enger Park. How did a bell from a temple in Japan get to Duluth after WWII?
The story of the Peace Bell is amazing and profound. Margi's inspiration as well as Paul's passion for doing the research and collecting archival photos and film footage informed the audience of a long forgotten piece of history.
I highly recommend you take a moment to watch the youtube clip. If you are a teacher check out Margi and Paul's websites for more background material. This material is for students K-12 as well as community members.
I haven't been moved by a story and the passion of the story tellers since I read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson.
Peace, Love, Books,
Anita Zager

Election Day

2008-11-04T10:10:00.002-06:00

Hey all you Joe/Jane the Bibliophiles and Joe/Jane Sixpacks (of books) make sure to head out and vote! Find your polling center here!

Two Spiritual Books

2008-11-04T00:31:00.005-06:00

Acedia is a state of mind in which one becomes incapable of sharing, appreciating or receiving God's love. Often overlooked or miscategorized as apathy or depression, Kathleen Norris explicates through memoir and meditation this all-too-familiar "noonday demon" and how to surpass its influence. Listen to her discuss her book in an interview with America Magazine

Also via America Magazine, is an interview with Donna Freitas, author of Becoming a Goddess of Inner Poise and co-author of Killing the Impostor God: Philip Pullman's Spiritual Imagination in His Dark Materials discusses her newest book, Possibilities of Sainthood, the story of Antonia Lucia Labella who very much wants to become a saint, while still alive. She carries on regular (one-sided) correspondence with the Pope, proposing new patron saints and nominating herself for the posts! Examines family, religion, growing up, and highlights strong women with dynamic faiths.

Poetry Events this Weekend!

2008-10-31T18:05:00.000-05:00

Just noticed this off the wire from Lake Superior Writers:
November 1st, 2008, Saturday, 2 to 4 pm., The Green Room at
the Duluth Public Library, 520 West Superior Street, Duluth,
Minnesota.

Please join us for a panel discussion on "The Future of
Poetry" led by 2008-10 Duluth Poet Laureate Jim Johnson,
with Ryan Vine, Chris Godsay, Jennifer Derrick, Paul
Lundgren, and Cecilia Lieder. There will be discussion and
demonstration of different formats for presenting poetry:
via the internet, rap music, poetry slams, blogging, and
print publication of poetry chapbooks and books.

Sponsored by Lake Superior Writers and community
organizations. Free and open to the public, with
refreshments provided by The Friends of the Duluth Public
Library.

For additional information, contact Lake Superior Writers,
writers@lakesuperiorwriters.org, 218-722-3094.

AND

Sunday, November 2nd, Poet Al Hunter will be reading 3-5 to release his new book of poetry at Amazing Grace Cafe in Canal Park. We'll have his books available at the event!

Wolf / Moose Study of Isle Royale Celebration

2008-10-22T22:45:00.003-05:00

"Duluth will be celebrating the 50 years of wolf moose research in a way that honors special wild places." Documentary screening on Thursday at the Marshall Performing Arts Center and presentations at the Library rotunda (afternoon) and the Marshall Performing Arts Center (evening).

If you follow the wolf/moose study (I believe it's the longest single predator/prey study ever conducted), if you love the mystique of Isle Royale (mining, fishing, ships, lighthouses, backpacking, wildlife, the possibility of visiting the largest island on the largest lake on the largest island on the largest freshwater lake in the world), or if you are interested by the outdoors - include these events in your plans!

Also include a visit down to the bookstore November 8th, Saturday morning at 10am to meet Carolyn Peterson. Carolyn Peterson will be in the store (I think she'll have her husband Rolf Peterson with her...) signing copies of her book A View from the Wolf's Eye, a memoir detailing her life on Isle Royale, including raising a family in the back country and other impressions of life on the magnificent island.

Check the study's site for background information, photos, news, and even artistic impressions of the study

Is your pocket not fulfilling its full potential?

2008-10-22T21:43:00.003-05:00

These Olive Editions from HarperCollins are a great concept - good size and durability and featuring recent classics (beating Penguin Classics to the punch?).

Next step: make books the new bling.

Read before the Election

2008-10-20T13:52:00.002-05:00

Or before Thanksgiving (Canadian Thanksgiving's already passed), Or before the harsh winter. Actually I read it this summer and enjoyed it, so anytime in the spring would be good too...

The main thing is that you should read Sarah Vowell's new book, Wordy Shipmates. In it she examines the lives of the second-wave Puritans that have left their mark in so many ways through to today. She pays special attention to John Winthrop's "City on a Hill," beacon of Christian living idea. She shows how he came up with the idea, who liked it, when and why, at the time, and the ways in which he tried to carry it out. She also notes how it's carried through into current politics and mindsets.

Also addressed in the book: mean-spirited pamphlet wars; apologies out to the King of England; Puritans and their connections to the land, the natives, and the future site of Rhode Island; courtrooms and other forms of justice; and what we chose to remember -> the buckle hats, turkey and witch hunts.

Sarah Vowell shares her research and insights with dry humor and incredible wit, as always. Here's a link to several of her clips from This American Life, the pertinent one being "Turkey in Pilgrim's Clothing" examining modern pop culture's view of the puritans/pilgrims in situation comedies:"17th century New England is all situation. No Comedy."

Twin Cities Book Festival and National Book Award

2008-10-17T16:42:00.003-05:00

Thanks, again, to M&Q for giving a heads up to Utne's vlog coverages of the Twin Cities Book Festival. It's a fantastic event put on by one of my favorite zines, Rain Taxi (available at the store for free!). We were lucky to come across many of these books and booksellers and publisher reps at MBA. Now you can experience it second hand and be aware of the event for next year.

The Milkweed and Coffeehouse books are on my to-read list, Once and Future Celt is on my table at home, and Graywolf's Refresh Refresh sounds right up my alley!

If none of these great books leap out at you, then check out these National Book Award nominees for 2008. We'll do our best to get them in/ keep them on stock at the store for you!

So behind on posting!

2008-10-16T01:00:00.000-05:00

Ok. Last few weeks in review:
Midwest Booksellers Association meeting in Minneapolis. It was my first trip and I enjoyed it greatly. Click here to see the article. I'm going to claim to be one of the blurs in the picture until proven wrong. (many thanks to David @ M&Q for the link that he posted to their great blog in a very timely and adept fashion!)

Interesting takes on Nobel Literature Award at the Poetry Foundation and Banned Books Week from a Banner of Books Bookbuyer.

Duluth Poet Laureate Jim Johnson had his inaugural reading complete with music from the family! The Mayor popped in for a declaration full of "Whereas" statements to warm the heart!

Margi Preus brought in green tea for her book The Peace Bell. You can still see her in the store later on if you missed her, or check out her event at Harbor City.

Beatrice Ojakangas and her sister brought in a rosemary parmesan bread. It was very tasty and made the store smell wonderful. It's one of over 500 recipes for caseroles, which go by many names but can be just about anything baked and served in a single dish. (who says I don't pay attention?!)

Some ladies posed in a parking lot next to an old spring factory across the street. I guess too many people have the picture with the bridge in the background. Or the Lake. Or one of our more historic buildings. Or Rose Garden. Or public park.

And I'm way behind on my grading for school and blogging and store holiday cataloguing for the store.

We're on the tail end of our color peak, but it's still quite gorgeous out.

This weekend Duluth's own Cal Benson as he opens the twelfth season of the Spirit Lake Poetry Series with a reading on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 7:30 p.m., in Somers Lounge at the College of St. Scholastica

more soon as I continue to catch up. Nary a dull moment.

I want circumstances such as these in my future

2008-10-03T23:19:00.003-05:00

Kash's Blog from Boulder, CO: wherein he details being fought over to go to dinner with John Hodgman and Chuck Klosterman. And the hilarity that ensues.

If you haven't checked out Downtown Owl, make sure you pick it up, or at least some of Klosterman's other works.

Push to shove, I have to say I'm a Hodgman fan through and through. He had me at 700 Hobo Names. As such, I'm looking very forward to the 21st, when More Information Than You Require hits the shelves with more made-up knowledge than any shelf could hope to hold!
Here is More Information than You Require

and while we're thinking about the end of the week...

2008-10-03T12:52:00.003-05:00

here's a story that appeared in the The Duluth Budgeteer this past week about our very own blog and beloved store.
Read our fame before it's archived!

More Banned Books Thoughts as Banned Books Week Draws to a Close

2008-10-03T12:38:00.003-05:00

Via Powell's Bookstore Blog another perspective on Banned Books Week that acknowledges the possible complacency through self-congratulatory posturing, a la "Good thing we saved Harry Potter from those barbarians!"

In a lot of ways, David Ulin's piece could be applied to many celebrations and memorials and the over-simplifications involved. His L.A. Times piece asks us to respect the responsibility of fighting censorship while acknowledging the full power of books (often at the root of people wanting to ban them - not to be dismissed as "simply" fanaticism). Read his full story here.

As Banned Books Week Comes to an End

2008-10-03T10:29:00.004-05:00

I think the best part of this week is to reflect on the great literature out there that may have been ripped from the collective conscience because someone disagreed with the politics, the characters, the religion, the relationships and/or the author. To think that book bans are in the past is to open the door to those who would seek to stamp upon the discourse of ideas now and in the future.
This post says it all VERY well

Say what?!

2008-10-02T17:45:00.004-05:00

Nobel Judge dismisses US Literature.

I tend to agree with person who offers up a reading list to the callous judge. There is something to be said about Americans not having the availability of translations or seeking them out as much as we might, but the longer recorded histories of Europe and close proximities of cultures and languages do not automatically equate better writing.

I guess this means we won't be seeing any Flarf poets crowned on the Nobel stage for a few more years.

Achewood, Onstad, and The Great Outdoor Fight

2008-09-29T13:13:00.003-05:00

Not everyone is familiar with Chris Onstad's online comic Achewood, but hopefully more people will come around to his quirky/absurd/original/and occasionally crass brilliance.
Achewood- there's a few cats, some teddy bears, a young otter, a couple of robots, and a drug abusing squirrel. They quarrel, the go on adventures, and they come to each others' aid when needed while writing newsletters, getting married, flying across the country, or creating daring new recipes. If it seems far fetched and absurd... it is a bit. But it's also tempered by the minimalist style and pop-culture references. Ultimately, it is the character development and relationships of the characters that drives the story arcs. While the strip has been running for years now, it only takes a handful of strips to understand and appreciate the characters - and, ultimately, begin to follow them closely! Onstad even writes blogs from the perspective of the majority of his characters' points of view. There are also t-shirts and cookbooks and signed strips.
And now, there's a book put out by Dark Horse Press. The Great Outdoor Fight which is the print edition of a story arc that followed Ray and Roast Beef to the Great Outdoor Fight- "Three Days, Three Acres, Three Thousand Men."
For more info on Onstad, Achewood, and The Great Outdoor Fight, check out the article and interview over at NPR.

Newspaper News Blues

2008-09-20T18:03:00.003-05:00

I know I'm a little slow on the draw on this issue, but I do like to ponder when I can.

To summarize, The Duluth News Tribune, the primary paper in Duluth, has laid off many fine journalists, editors and staff in an effort to save costs. In the cuts: Ann Klefstad, who has dedicated herself to covering and helping to publicize the immense and diverse arts and entertainment in the greater Twin Ports region.

This great loss triggers a lot of emotions and thoughts. I took my day to ponder and still feel in a bit of a tailspin. Before I lose coherence, I want to urge any and all of you who, like me, feel that this is, at best an unfortunate shame and at worst a horrible sign of times to come, to contact the Duluth News Tribune and share your thoughts and opinions on the matter.

I've just re-written this paragraph 8 times. So instead of my over-simplifications, here are my questions about some of the difficulties:
How does the News Tribune retain its validity for the arts communities? For the greater community as a whole? How many alternative sources for coverage, criticism and publication do the arts have in this area (or any one area, to extrapolate the issue that is pervasive well beyond the Twin Ports)? Should there be a centralized source of information? How do blogs fit into this larger equation? Should we increase online communities or scale back in the face of developments such as these? What viewpoints are we privileging/supporting through a centralized Arts coverage compared to the dentralization/small community/fragmented communities of different blogs - both personal and communal?

There are many other considerations out there. I've never been much of a newspaper reader, but I've always liked the notion that I could pick one up at anytime and read news relevant to my experiences. Am I part of the problem? Can I be part of the solution?

My personal online stats: 4 email accounts, myspace, facebook, 2 livejournals, 2 blogspots, indiebound, mnartists 10 blogs actively (at least once a day) and about 20 more semi-actively (once a week). Itemized it seems like a lot, but I can think of many people who dwarf my numbers in any given category. More often than not, these medias enhance the personal interactions (I still find time for those!) day to day. They've also opened my eyes to many publications and authors out there who I value very dearly. All this online presence is being, in part, blamed for the current state of affairs for news print media.

Please, leave a comment, or come by the store for a quick chat. Let the DNT know your questions and concerns. I know that I don't have any answers or solutions right now, but I do know that this is an issue we need to address in our community.

Report on the Reading and Reception for Shelter Half

2008-09-19T15:19:00.001-05:00

It was a very fine evening to end our series of September Anniversary events and gather with friends, family and admirers of Carol Bly and her last work, the novel Shelter Half, published after her passing this past winter by Holy Cow! Press of Duluth.

In addition to Jim Perlman, editor Holy Cow! Press, readers included Malcolm McLean (brother), Laura McLean (niece), Judith Niemi (author, teacher, friend), Cynthia Loveland (friend and colleague), Mara Hart (author, teacher, editor), and Bill Holm (author, teacher, friend). The passages read were gorgeous pieces in and of themselves, and, as Bill Holm noted, a testiment to Bly's tremendous skill to give life to such unique characters and bring them together so brilliantly throughout the novel.

Bukstoor Can Has Fezbuk page!

2008-09-17T10:17:00.004-05:00

Ok, so my lolc@t isn't very advanced. I tried to start a lolbook by taking amusing pictures of my shelves and all their funny antics, but all the captions were far too literary, correctly spelt and had the persistent desire to adhere to something akin to good grammar. But that hasn't stopped me in my search to bring great books to the attention of the interwebs using the latest in teknawledgee!

Unveiling our new presence on Facebook! If you facebook (and if you do, you know it's a verb!), swing by and become a fan of our store. Events, pictures, updates and more to come! If you don't facebook yet, we're all still very pleased to meet people in person and don't see that enthusiasm ever waning!

Here's a lolbook for you: Jamie Lee Curtis's book, Big Words for Little People and Neil Stephenson's Anathem came in the same box. Just the two of them. Stephenson is the bestselling author of Crytonomicon. The instructions are for one of the more complex cardboard displays I've ever assembled in the store for the new Riordan sensation 39 Clues.

If it's still not funny, you are proof as to why lolbook has hardly a chance...

A true loss

2008-09-14T00:54:00.002-05:00

Our hearts and thoughts go out to Wallace's family and community. David Foster Wallace dead at 46

Night of Music, Poetry, and Stories!

2008-09-12T14:42:00.003-05:00

Just found out about this great event in the northland for all and any of you who enjoy reindeer and things Scandinavian!

Friday, September 19: Duluth, MN The Reindeer Show is a program of poetry, music and stories celebrating the reindeer, with current and former Duluth Poet Laureates Jim Johnson and Barton Sutter, and special guests Stina Fagertun and Anita Barth-Jørgensen of Tromsø, Norway, located way up at the arctic circle. The performance will be Friday evening, September 19th, 2008 starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Quaker Meeting House located at 1802 East First Street in Duluth. Suggested donations for the performance are $10 for adults, $5 for students and $20 for the whole family. Special refreshments will be for sale during the break provided by Takk for Maten, the new Scandinavian restaurant in downtown Duluth. Ross Sutter, working to arrange the tour. Please contact me at: 612-331-1968 or at my email address: rosssutter at qwest dot net for more information.

Stop by, have some great food, and listen to some wonderful music and poetry! More events to follow that weekend.

A quick note on Sarah

2008-09-07T10:26:00.003-05:00

Sarah: How a Small Town Girl Turned Alaska's Political Establishment on Its Ear still has yet to rise to the ranks of "most picked-up" books, but has quickly risen to the "most commented upon" books. The comments generally being, "Wow... that was fast!"

And it was. But not in the full sense people may be thinking when they note the speedy publishing. Epicenter Press put Kaylene Johnson's book out in April. It's hard to say that the press, that specializes in Alaskan subjects, anticipated then what a book about a little known Governor would mean. The Friday morning of McCain's announcement, Epicenter sold out of its remaing stock of hardcover books. The speed in publishing really comes in when Lightning Source Print on Demand through Ingram Publisher Services worked overtime on the holiday weekend to meet over 40,000 orders within days! More on the story at Shelf Awareness's Archive.

So, yes, it was very fast, but not in a "do they write biography books up like obituaries?" kind of way!

Literature based Geek Test!

2008-09-06T18:59:00.003-05:00

There are plenty of geek tests out there on the inter-webs, but most give high scores for math and star trek, leaving those of us who are on the more literary side of the geek spectrum relegated to Second-Class Geek standing. But here's a test inspired by Junot Diaz's pulitzer winning novel (see earlier post)to judge your geekiness! Arrived at via ABA Blog via Galley Cat -> How Big of a Geek Are You?

I tallied a 54 of "could describe" with about half of those being geeky, in-depth descriptions rather than just placements. How many can you get?!

Another Adorable Animal Book

2008-09-04T10:04:00.004-05:00

Well, perhaps adorablity is subjective. And it could also be noted that Gappers are not found in any reputable wildlife guides. But The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip written by George Saunders and illustrated by Lane Smith is extremely charming, and does involve some animals (even if a few are very made-up).

This is the story of goats, children, child labor, blessings, tradition, ingenuity, and gappers: burr-like creatures that so love goats, that whenever they get near a goat, "it gives off a continual high-pitched happy shriek of pleasure that makes it impossible for the goat to sleep." This is not usually good for goats or those who depend upon goats for their livelyhood. So the children of the three households of Frip spend their nights picking the Gappers off the goats and dumping them back into the sea.

But the Gappers get smarter and gang up on the house of Capable and her widowed father. See how Capable deals with the Gappers, her goats, her neighbors, her father and her incredible ammount of lost sleep!

The story is very endearing and the illustrations are stunning.

Animal Tales to Warm Your Heart

2008-09-02T11:29:00.003-05:00

I admit it…I’m a sucker for anything to do with animals be they wild or domesticated. I recently read two books that stick in my mind as great reads about pets with whom we share our lives.

Run (quietly), don’t walk to your nearest animal shelter and adopt a homeless cat. Then sit down together and ready Vicki Myron’s book titled Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World. This non-fiction story tells of Dewey Readmore Books who was abandoned in the Spencer, Iowa’s library book return depository on the coldest night of the winter. He was rescued by the librarians and went on to live in the library for nineteen years where he was an ambassador for the city and a friend to all. If you know the spirit of cats, you will not be surprised by Dewey’s skills and activities but you will be touched nonetheless. If you are not a cat fan, you may well become one by the end of the read. Oh that every place of business could house an abandoned pet!
To be published in late September by Grand Central Publishing.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a novel by Garth Stein which is told (almost) completely from a dog’s point of view. Anyone who has a dog harbors no doubt that a canine understands 90% of what is being said. Stein assures us that this is indeed true. The story takes a predictable turn or two but it is a sweet story about loyalty and friendship. Stein shows us that although humans consider it their duty to take care of their dogs, dogs actually are taking care of us. Available now. Published by Harper Collins.

Human Dark with Sugar

2008-08-31T14:05:00.003-05:00

I'm glad no one was in the store when I found out that Brenda Shaughnessy has a new collection out. I did a little dance (pinioned my arms like a 4 yr old and hopped around a bit... it probably looked like I was in the early stages of passing a kidney stone) and may have squealed a little bit. Shaughnessy was one of my first poetry loves after I entered grad school. We read Interior with Sudden Joy, and I wanted to read everything she'd ever written, which, at the time, was mainly found in the book we'd just read.

Now she has a second collection,Human Dark with Sugar and I'm still very much infatuated. As were the judges of the James Laughlin Award of the Academy of American Poets. Her poems are smart, lively, sexy, funny and surreal. Exquisite Corpse said of her first collection, "Brenda Shaughnessy... writes like the love-child of Mina Loy and Frank O'Hara." Her word play, confessionalism, sensuality, boldness, theory and sureality stand at the forefront of this comparrison.

In the new collection, seeking/missing/finding/losing/forcing love compells the quick wit and awareness. I leave you with a section from a poem titled, "One Love Story, Eight Takes."

3
It's only fair that I present yet another side
as insidious as it is,

because two sides hold up nothing but each other.

A tentacled skepticism,
a suspended contempt,
such fancies and toxins form a third wall.

A mean way to end
and I never dreamed we meant it.

Books to Prisoners Challenge

2008-08-28T15:49:00.007-05:00

As booksellers, we are acutely aware of the negative effects of censorship on society. An effective democracy requires the open exchange of ideas, and many important ideas are contained in book form. Books and reading can have an especially profound positive impact on prison inmates, giving them tools for learning and personal growth during their time of incarceration. The education of prisoners reduces their burden on society in many ways once they are reintegrated.

In Wisconsin, the staff of Rainbow Bookstore in Madison has run a statewide Books to Prisoners Project since 2006, and has sent over 4,000 packages of books to prisoners since then. (They welcome donations - see their website for information on donating). But in early August, I received a press release from the organization with the news that the state's Department of Corrections was barring Rainbow from delivering books to adult prisoners. A letter sent to the bookstore on May 13 by Department Administrator John Bett stated that, "effective immediately, the WI-DOC Division of Adult Institutions will no longer allow books or publications from Rainbow Bookstores in any DOC facility." As of the time of the press release, the two sides were communicating to try and work out the problem (though perhaps slowly on the DOC's part).

Wanting to help spread the word, I e-mailed the press release around to some friends and allies. It was picked up by our friend and fellow traveler in the book business, Claire Kirch, who writes for Publisher's Weekly. She delved into the story, and the resulting article will run nationwide in the magazine's next issue. Says Claire:

I just filed a report that'll run in Publishers Weekly's magazine Monday on booksellers sending books to prisons, and all the red tape and ridiculous hoops they have to jump through. Thanks, Carl, for the story idea that blossomed out of your tip! Re Wisconsin's DOC and Rainbow Books, the update is that Wisc's DOC was concerned that the Books to Prisoners book donation program was collecting used books offsite and mixing them with new books from the bookstore. They told me there's an incredible volume of books coming in; they are concerned about safety and security with so many used books going through their system. But, they sent a letter to the Books for Prisoners program and the bookstore, dated Aug. 22, asking to meet with them to find a solution to the problem. Of all the DOCs I spoke to for my report, I found the Wisc. DOC to be the most sincere and most receptive to making sure that books get into the hands of prisoners who wish to possess their own books. If anyone is interested, I can post a link to my entire report Monday. Utah is particularly restrictive when it comes to providing prisoners access to their own books. It's unbelievable.

Thanks Claire! A little citizen action and a media spotlight can do wonders for keeping our rights intact. Here's the article.

Obama Book Mishaps Prove to Be Non-partisan

2008-08-23T12:48:00.004-05:00

We posted recently about why we do not stock Obama Nation (for very similar reasons as when we declined to keep If I Did It on the shelf). Politics really have little to nothing to do with the decision: it's a matter of integrity and choosing not to participate in sensationalistic mudslinging and slander.

Now a book from the Democratic side of the political aisle is forcing the hand of independent booksellers across the nation. Obama's Challenge written by Robert Kuttner and put out by Chelsea Green will be available exclusively through the large river website for it's first few weeks. Chelsea Green is very proud of the book and hopeful for the conversations that it should inspire. Chelsea Green then goes on to tout its success in books in politics and sustainability. They apparently are very excited about the speed the mythic women warriors site can offer, but are ignoring the other questions of open market and supporting local businesses: both of which are integral to discussions on politics and sustainability. Giving exclusive rights to one vendor during the prime time for the conversations they hope to engender serves only to limit those conversations and alter people's impressions for reasons not related to the content.

Much thanks to Gayle Shanks, ABA President, who wrote on this subject at Bookselling this Week and goes into more details there.

Why we haven't stocked "Obamanation"

2008-08-21T14:55:00.001-05:00

This is a helpful explanation of the "Obamanation" issue. Article from Media Matters

How to Build Your Own Fortress (of Knowledge!)

2008-08-21T13:36:00.008-05:00

Image taken from a bookcase bedroom plan; a plan I want so badly to use in my room!

Step One Commit yourself to the process of building a Fortress of Knowledge. While a typical Fortress of Knowledge (FoK) is just as much fun as a typical Pillow-Blanket-Cushion Fort (PBC Fort), the FoK takes a bit more diligence.

Step Two Embrace the unique spirit of the FoK: sharing. PBC Forts are all about keeping things out- light, dogs, roommates and members of the opposite sex. But the FoK is built, not only with books, but also the intention to talk about books. To lend a book (with stringent warnings pertaining to any possible failure on the other party's part to return the book), make a recommendation, share an anecdote, win a team trivia tournament... these are the aims of the FoK!

Step Three Come to Northern Lights Books and Gifts and examine our quarry of books that we've just put on clearance! You'll have to do this in person rather than using our search feature, because choosing materials for an FoK is a tactile exprience.

Step Four Vary the composition of your FoK. It's easy to think that you'll be set for life with all political non-fiction and one cookbook, but think on a larger scale: throw in history, memoir, environment, novels, mysteries and poetry (especially grand for filling in any gaps). Also remember that bigger books are often better on the bottom and at corners.

Youth Obsessed Culture?

2008-08-20T19:10:00.003-05:00

There is certainly a lot to be alarmed about in a culture obsessed with youth and beauty (such as spawning delusions of immortality), but a hotel here in Duluth, MN seems to be accepting our human condition very well!

I guess they may pass on the Twilight Series that splits its time between teenage love and immortal vampires. Then again, they might really like vampires and adolescent romance so much that they're reading the entire series before the movie comes out this fall! I'm not going to be one to speculate too broadly.

Junot Diaz geeks out

2008-08-19T13:54:00.002-05:00

Many authors attempt what Diaz does so well- the intelligent portrayal of both brutality and tenderness. I became a big Diaz fan when I read his collection of connected short stories, Drown in a Latino Literature class. I was captivated by the grit and wit combinations in his stories. I wanted more.

So, I was excited when The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao came out and even more excited when I heard that it won the pulitzer this spring. The novel is impressive with its flawed narrator, casual code-switching to Spanish, and blending of story, history, fantasy, family, love, pity, lust and finding one's spot in the world. Diaz does not deny hope nor offer any clear redemption. He creates a narrative that invites us to examine our own lives, and lives around us, to see the forces that sweep through our lives and how we react to them.

Out in paperback this fall.

Not New News, but certainly still news worthy

2008-08-14T14:04:00.006-05:00

We're still new in this blogging endeavor and we couldn't let this news item slip!

Shakespearean actor Mark Rylance, in his acceptance speech (for Best Actor) at the Tony Awards this past June, recited a poem written by Duluth's own Louis Jenkins. He did a fine reading - worthy of Jenkins's own delivery - and left the audience more than a little perplexed and a lot more than a little amused.

The attention garnered by the unique approach to an acceptance speech has given rise to talk about a possible production to be made of a series of Jenkins's poems. More of the story here.

The Wet Collection by Joni Tevis

2008-08-13T19:59:00.008-05:00

It's hard to review a book that's already made it to the level of being a Minnesota Book Awards Finalist, but after finishing it, I felt compelled to tell more people about it.

Written throughout with vivid and poetic prose, Tevis connects short essays that, in addition to careful examination of their subject(s), often center on questions of reclamation and preservation. The title itself comes from a collection of animals and animal pieces preserved in the basement of a natural history museum and the interactions she had with the curator while looking through the various specimens.

So, what's reclaimed and what's preserved? What then is left behind and abandoned in those processes? Who has the ability and desire to sift through what's been forgotten and restore it? Tevis gives us histories, family legends, scenic vistas, and minute artifacts that swirl and blend time, emotion, religion, distance, attention and affection.

There are paragraphs that shine on nearly every page, like the specimens in jars that entrap a visitor's gaze/attention/imagination. Here's a quick taste from an essay focusing on the life of a single pioneer woman who lived very near where Joni spent the summer working as a guide for the Forest Sevice in Oregon. She's writing at the start of a burgeoning relationship:

Today we watched doves drop like rain from a black maple; yesterday I felt his throated speech thrum beneath my fingertips' this morning I woke with him, convinced we had just dreamed the same dream. All these things are mine, but I've given something up, too: late at night, by the lake, meteors pitch toward earth, and I'm not there to see it. A solitary life I turned away from. A life another woman lived ("The Rain Follows the Plow" p.76).

If you enjoy rich prose, careful reflection and writing that seems to defy genre, I strongly suggest this book.

Compare and Contrast and Review

2008-08-07T12:26:00.007-05:00

I just finished reading City of Thieves by David Benioff and I really enjoyed it. I found that I enjoyed it on many of the levels that I enjoyed The Road last year. I thought a quick compare/contrast might help bring it all into focus.

Both are similar in their settings: famished and bare, populated by the desperate. That City of Thieves is Stalingrad under siege and The Road is an apocalyptic future landscape seems to make little difference when characters are looting, hoarding, sharing what little they can and fleeing cannibals.

But, in City of Thieves the narrator is the younger of the pair. Rather than the sparse, bleak and haunting prose of McCarthy, Benioff has a character who quotes from literature, some delightful dialogue and, while not verbose in description, he is allows pieces of the landscapes to really come alive. This difference is continued in the names- a man and his boy : rich Russian names with splashes of German. While City of Thieves is, ultimately, a coming of age novel, The Road is a man looking back on all he's lost- wondering at the futility of continuing forward.

So: what's left to compare? That against the backdrop of what's worst about mankind, there are still relationships that endure and even flourish because of their strange circumstances. One needs to be somewhat optimistic to read that into McCarthy, but Benioff nurtures that impulse as much as he exposes us to the murder, malice and desperation.

OK, my notions of some deep connection between the titles may be a little more fleeting than they originally seemed. Here's what to love in City of Thieves: Benioff captures a lot of the experience - the good, the bad, ugly and unexpected. Some stellar dialogue. An interest in incorporating other literature (a device that can be tedious in other works, but Benioff makes integral). Engaging characters that keep the reader intent on what will happen next. I really recommend it to anyone who read The Road and anyone else who's looking for a very solid read this summer.

Carol Bly video

2008-08-06T17:26:00.004-05:00

Carol Bly was a tremendous literary force. She worked tirelessly with writers seeking to hone their craft. Insightful, sharp, stern and caring: she made a mark with many authors. Her only novel, Shelter Half, was published by Holy Cow! Press after her recent death.

We will be hosting an event to honor Carol Bly's life and celebrate her novel with a reading by friends and family at the Duluth Women's Club on Thursday, September 18th, at 7:00 pm.

Thanks to Jim Perlman of Holy Cow! Press for letting us know about this video. Entitled "The Lucky Predators," it features Carol Bly on the psychology of violence. It was recorded in 1991 during the first Gulf War.

Used up all those summer recipes?

2008-08-05T16:53:00.003-05:00

Then come on down to the store! We have a veritable smörgåsbord of cookbooks that are marked down 40% in our discounted books section. A real feast for the eyes... and then a feast for you and your family and friends after you put the book to use!

While you're down, check out the delectable best-sellers, regional tastes, and many other flavors of fine literary merit. If we don't have it out on the table, we can always order-in!

Caught Off-Guard

2008-08-02T16:18:00.003-05:00

I was called out and lost some book-selling cred this afternoon. Asked if we were having a party for the new book in the Inheritance Cycle, rather than admit that I didn't know the Inheritance Cycle by that name, I stabbed in the dark to see if he meant to ask if we were having a Breaking Dawn Party. Swing and a miss. Ignorance displayed on two best-selling YA series.

In my defence, it was kind of noisy in the store, I've been thinking more in the realm of maritime titles than YA Blockbusters, and I had just sold 5 copies of Breaking Dawn in the previous 10mins. But, ultimately, I failed this caller.

So, caller from this afternoon, I can say that I've learned from my faux pas. From this moment on, I will no longer irreverently refer to the Inheritance Cycle as "the Eragon books." I will be able to say that we are taking pre-orders for Brisingr, but, at this time, we have no special party in the works. Please keep reading and please continue to support local booksellers, even if we may be caught off-guard (say in a noisy store) from time to time.

Tall Ships

2008-07-31T13:20:00.001-05:00

This is a bustling weekend here in Canal Park. Lots of excitement and interest in the Tall Ships coming in this afternoon/evening. We'll be hosting a table featuring a selection of our maritime themed books in the Vender's area of the Maritime Festival in the DECC - so stop by and say hello!

In addition to the tall ships, we also have half of our author booksignings for the month are this weekend!
We start Friday Evening with John Henricksson and Betsy Bowen with the memoir The Gunflint Cabin from 7-8.

Saturday we have Jeffrey Woolf with his novel, Apples of Arcadia, 12-1; Julie Kramer with her new mystery novel, Stalking Susan, 1-2; and Stephen Daniel with his guide, Shipwrecks along Superior's North Shore, 2-3.

Sunday we host Jenifer LeClair signing her new novel, Rigged for Murder, 1-2; and Paula Ellis will be signing her Minnesota's North Shore Activity Book from 2-3.

Come be part of the hustle, bustle and excitement with the great literary events and maritime attractions!

I don't think of myself as a book snob...

2008-07-30T15:29:00.010-05:00

but on occasion, I think it's important to evaluate one's likes and dislikes - especially the ways in which one comes to and expresses those likes and dislikes. Am I picky in what I choose to read because I know what I like or because I've passed judgement on other genres and styles? Do I judge other people by what they choose to read? Do I have hierarchies of literature that are the root of my book prejudices? Those are rather weighted questions without definite answers, but, since I'm going to be writing a lot on this blog, I figured today would be as good a time as any to bare some of my aesthetics, so you can better read into future postings!

Potential Book Snob Traits accompanied with explanations/apologies:
1. I rarely read books that are on any bestseller list. This isn't out of some disdain for the populous. (Although it does give me pause that the say-so of a tv host can make an author and/or vilify an author) By and large, these books are popular because center on interesting topics, engage the readers and are written by quality writers (sometimes quality ghostwriters). I often skip over the bestsellers because I already have a long list of titles and authors, from classics to first novels coming out in a month. The visibility and talk about bestselling books and authors allows me to be familiar with their work without necessarily having to read them. That allows me to spend more time to find books that others may not have heard of yet (or, worse, forgotten).

2.I rarely read mysteries. Often the focus in mysteries is on the plot and other aspects of the book are not as successful. A case of good story: poor storytelling. That's a blanket statement for the less successful in the genre. I grew up on Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, so I love a good mystery. I was put on to a great series starting with The Coroner's Lunch. So, while I don't go straight to the mystery section of any store, I am no longer disappointed to find myself there.

3.It's very rare that I read a memoir. Memoir should be elegant, soulful, honest, fierce, and insightful: forming an intimate connection between the reader and the writer. Sadly, too many memoirs are sensationalistic and hinged upon name recognition: engendering a type of voyeurism on the part of the reader. I solidly affirm and support those who write memoir/biography in the first description, but, sadly, those in the latter category have made me highly suspicious.

4.I'm a McSweeney's Press Fan. Now, this is on the list because of some stereotypes out there that accuse McSweeney's press of delighting in being elitist by publishing with a focus on the absurd, obscure and all things somewhat hipster. While that may attract many book snobs, not all of us aficionados should be lumped together. They have some incredibly clever titles and authors. They may play toward an inside crowd, but, ultimately, they thrive when being a part of the community.

5.I too often ignore book suggestions that are given to me. Not because I don't trust the suggestion, but mainly because I'm comfortably set in my ways and already have a pile of books to read that my landlord infers is a fire hazard. For every book that I wouldn't enjoy that I dodge, I miss out on a real treasure. I am honestly very gracious for the suggestions and several will stick. Please don't interpret my side-stepping to be the result of not valuing your opinions.

OK. So, ways to redeem myself?
1. I vow to pay more consideration to your recommendations. Especially if you can talk about a book that I've enjoyed in reference to your suggestion. I'm very willing to go into suggestion for suggestion exchanges if we'll have the chance to chat later on.

2.Stop letting the bad keep me from the good (and great). I'll read more memoir and mysteries. One problem I have is the near inability to stop reading a book, no matter how much I dislike it, once I've started. I'll try to be more open minded in selecting books, and allow myself to be slightly more judgemental in deciding which books to read all the way through!

3.Focus on the Love of the Written Word. So what if we're not all attracted to the same collections of words?! There are far too many great stories out there to be intimidated and questioning if we're reading the exact right ones. So, I'll follow the advice I'd like to give anyone else out there questioning his/her reading habits: "Read! Enjoy! Discuss! Discover!"

Prognosis: If I follow my own advice, I should be able to avoid the dangers of falling into some dark, elitist camp. Knowing is half the battle! Keep me honest if you sense me slipping!

A new breath of fresh air!

2008-07-26T19:00:00.001-05:00

We at Northern Lights love to be inspired. That word alone, "inspiration" is a culmination of inferences- creativity, discovery, and the very act of drawing air into our lungs.

Celebrating 15 years, we're still inspired everyday: to organize engaging events, discover new (and old) authors and stories, and to sustain the tradition of independent bookselling that we believe is an integral component to an active and engaged community. Several of the blogs in our links section (and many, many other fine sites) have inspired us to add our own voice into the larger literary mix! We hope that you find our topics, ideas and experiences inspiring in your own life. We hope that you share your thoughts and ideas as well.