Type Books

883 Queen Street West

Toronto, ON Canada

T:  416.366.8973

Bookstore are doing great this holiday season.   Stores across the nation are consistently reporting an uptick in sales starting in the fall.  It’s hard to give an ebook as a gift.  Over Thanksgiving weekend, possibly with some help from Small Business Saturday, sales were brisk.  I was in my local bookstore, Diesel, yesterday and it was packed.  I asked how business was going and the owner said good, they’re sure to stay open another year.  That is a holiday present for our entire area.

And here’s what Manjoo can’t do on Amazon.  He can’t ask a live person for a tailored recommendation.  My son likes Malcolm Gladwell, Bill Bryson, and Chuck Klosterman, what new author would he enjoy?  Mia led me all over the store pointing out good choices.  (Sorry, can’t tell you the answers, they’re wrapped under the Christmas tree.)  Sure, Amazon would give recommendations based on my purchases, but I don’t have any problems knowing what I want, ever.  And when we were done with my son, I moved onto my daughter with her own set of favorites.  In 20 minutes I had a stack of books, all wrapped.  As a bonus, I enjoyed talking to the staff and the other customers about books and the holidays.

I highly recommend that you do the same.  Drop by your local bookstore in the next two days and challenge the bookseller to find the perfect book for the person you have yet to buy a gift.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

I'm a fan of a bookstore that has a Europa display

57th Street, the actual street, is perfect for the meandering bookworm.  We started with lunch at the graffiti clad Medici Restaurant.  Famous for its burgers and scribbled upon walls and furnishings, we filled the time waiting for our food by adding our own “tags” to the table top.  More importantly, within blocks there are three excellent bookstores:  57th Street Books, O’Gara & Wilson, Ltd., and Powell’s (no, not the Portland one).  We started at 57th Street Books and had a hard time ever wanting to leave.

57th Street Books is one of three bookstores that comprise a co-op, the other two being Seminary Co-op and the Newberry Library Bookstore.  We were in the neighborhood to look at the University of Chicago.  When I learned that 57th Street Books gives a 10% discount for co-op members, I immediately started adding up how much money we would save if Kyle bought his textbooks through it–another plus for Chicago.  Regardless of the discount, this is an engrossing store.  It goes on and on, just when I thought I was heading to the back, I realized I was just entering a new room.  It’s a full service store with depth in a wide variety of genres.  The atmosphere is warm and inviting with lots of exposed brick and worn wooden shelving.  The staff is chatty and welcoming.  We talked about books, the university, what it’s like to live in Hyde Park, in some ways they were just as informative as the school tour.

I love bookstores that introduce me to new books and given how many bookstores I visit in a year, it’s not aways easy to do.  57th Street stocks shelves next to the cash register for books recommended by excellent sources:  NPR, the NYT, the Economist, the NYRB, the New Yorker.  Need to know what literary people are reading but don’t have time to read all the reviews, just stop by the store and you’re set.  Throughout the store I found sheets tacked up with clever titles listing recommended books.  My favorite was “Suffering from P.H.P.S?”  (For that uninitiated, that would be the Post Harry Potter Syndrome.)  The cure included reading The Magicians by Lev Grossman, Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin (Keith recently started reading the Game of Thrones series, I think we will see him again sometime later in the decade), and a few other options that all seemed to have the word Chronicle in the title.  I love a bookstore that takes care of its customers withdrawal symptoms.

In the science section, one of those areas I usually breeze through, The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World From the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean caught my eye.  I don’t know much about science so I usually try to read one book on the subject a year; this is going to be my 2012 choice.  Plus, I’ll try to get Kelsey to read it before she takes chemistry next year, I’m sure it’s full of tidbits she can sprinkle throughout her work.

57th Street Store is worth stopping by and hanging out, who knows what you’ll find.

57th Street Books

1301 E. 57th Street

Chicago, IL

T:  773.684.1300

Most of my essay reading, in fact these days almost all of my reading, was art based.  My favorite art essay collection was in The Steins Collect catalogue for the SFMOMA.  Combined the essays gave a picture of the family and their experience with and impact on modern art.  The collection was organized by family member:  Leo Stein, Sarah and Michael Stein, and the most famous of all, Gertrude Stein.  By happenstance, I was reading the collection when Woody Allen released “Midnight in Paris.”  The essays provided a scholarship background to many of the Owen Wilson Paris scenes.  I read 10 essays in this collection.

In response to an photography exhibit at the Getty Center about trees, I read an extended essay called The Tree by John Fowles.  I wrote about it for Earth Day earlier this year.  Whew!  At least I wrote about one essay!

Although I read it and listed it for last year’s collection, once again I read “Here is New York” by E.B. White while sitting in a cafe in New York City.  It is an essay worth reading every time I go to New York City, it adds a dimension to the visit that doesn’t diminish upon re-reading.

In preparation for the de Kooning exhibit at MOMA, I read two Clement Greenberg essays that discussed this artist:  ”‘American Type’ Painting” and “The Late Thirties in New York.”  Plus, the dense and long introductory essay in the exhibit catalogue “Space to Paint” by John Elderfield.

Last, but not least, is my companion in the car, the Mark Slouka collection Essays from the Nick of Time.  Through carpools and quick lunches this book kept me company.  I have notes and comments throughout each essay, I’ve loved them.  I’ve read “Hitler’s Couch,” “Arrow and Wound,” “Listening for Silence,” and “Historical Vertigo.”  Actually, I’ve read “Arrow and Wound” twice and will probably read it again tonight now that I’m thinking about it.  This is a stellar collection.

That’s it for this year, 19 in total that I can document although I’m certain I read far more.  Next year I’m going to be do better!!  If nothing else, maybe I should buy fewer essays and read more of them.

An independent bookstore brings a lot to a city or a town: a showroom for the latest literary releases, an auditorium where authors share their work and meet their fans, a bookish environment in which to sip coffee and a fun place to browse in the 20 minutes before the movie starts. But what’s less immediately visible is your local bookseller’s expertise and influence when it comes to introducing great books to your community and, ultimately, to the world.

Name the last book you really loved — be it “The Help,” The Hunger Games,” “Like Water for Elephants” or “Game of Thrones.” The authors of all those popular titles and many, many more can testify that independent booksellers were crucial in moving their work from a sleepy shelf against the back wall to a stack prominently displayed on a front table. They’re  the people who helped Harry Potter take off. Local booksellers know their customers better than any computer program, and when they press a book into the right hands, insisting “You’ve got to read this,” their recommendation really counts.

Readers of this blog know that independent bookstores add so much to the community in which they exist, but Salon makes a good point that the promotion of a book by River Run, across the nation from me, can very well have a ripple effect on what I’ll be reading in the next few months.

Salon is asking readers to help promote independents by sharing their stories about great bookstores.  If you have one you’d like to give a shout out to, join their Declaration of Independents and help an independent bookstore stay strong.  Of course, we would love to post any reviews or stories you have about bookstores, so feel free to send them to us also.

Actually shop at them as much as possible, they are the engine that drives your local economy.  But, let’s give the little guys a leg up in the middle of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Drop by a local business, chat with a real person, and contribute to your neighborhood economy by purchasing a Christmas present, or ten.

Some Favorites

In my unofficial survey (meaning you saw me in the last couple of days or responded to my Facebook status update), Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway, and Mark Twain were the big winners.  F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, and Leo Tolstoy came in a close second.  Just tallying the most popular loses the charm of creating a conversational grouping.  One person had Shel Silverstein, C.S. Lewis, and Roald Dahl at the table, all authors who wrote for children and adults at the same time.  Can you just imagine the potential rant on current media saturated childhoods?  It would be gripping.

Another friend had an all Russian table:  Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy, and Anton Chekov.  My son’s first comment was “no Russians” regardless of the fact that his favorite novel is The Brothers Karamazov.  I’m a huge fan of Russian literature (one of my college majors was Soviet Studies, I’ve read and enjoyed them) but I kind of understand, a Russian table would make for a loooong dinner.  I’d throw Virginia Woolf in with them and label the table: Depression Eats.  I’d add Hemingway, but I worry that he could feel needlessly inadequate and start acting out, plus he would require a lot of expensive wine with dinner.

The Reading

Mark Twain is a hands down winner here and what an evening it would be!  Imagine what he would write about the current state of our nation?  He was never a fan of politicians and this year would give him a lot of fodder with which to work.  For me, a very close second, maybe even a tie, would be Charles Dickens.  He was famous for his readings and the magical evenings they created.  Although many put him on their invitation A list, I think he may be too much of an attention hog for a dinner party; I like conversations, not monologues.

One friend suggested inviting Julia Child since it is a meal.  That is way too intimidating for me.  It occurred to me though, rather than a reading, the performance could be watching Julia Child cook Thanksgiving dinner for all of us.  That would be a meal not to miss.

My Table

After talking to so many people and hearing several ideas, it’s hard to come up with one.  Since it’s my post, I won’t, here are my latest thoughts:

Fiction and Spirituality:  Fyodor Dostoevsky, C.S. Lewis, and Flannery O’Connor, all three beautifully interwove an excellent story with spiritual themes accessible to everyone.  It would probably be a good idea to include Henry Nouwen who didn’t write fiction, but seems amazingly gracious.  The table may need his charm.

The US and Europe:  Edith Wharton, Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Somerset Maugham, all authors who could write a beautiful tale that portrayed their own society and time, but tended to have a broader view of the world.  Austen less so, but if I’m going to raise any authors from the dead, she’s on first gravy train to dinner.

The Power Table:  since it’s my post and I can do what I want to, this table is full of women who carved a path in their fields and, ultimately, for the rest of us–Dorothy Parker, Lee Krasner, Coco Chanel, and Eleanor Roosevelt.  I’d ask Abigail Adams to sit next me, then write a letter to John describing the dinner and share it during our evening reading.

Who would you ask to your Thanksgiving dinner?

One of the pleasures of living in Los Angeles is that occasionally we get a Hollywood experience, for us it meant that Kelsey and I had a mother-daughter date to the “Breaking Dawn-Part 1″ premiere and after party.  This is our second Twilight series date, we were able to attend the “Eclipse” event also.  This time was better for the fact that we knew it was going to be a terrific night.  Kelsey decided she wasn’t going to scream as much this time, I told her I was, and there was plenty to cheer about.  While I don’t recall any shirt-popping-turning-into-a-werewolf-scenes, the kiss after the vows was worth losing our voices over.  The wedding scene is beautiful.  The pacing was great, Bella’s nerves were appropriate (remember walking a straight line for several yards can be a challenge for her), and Edwards adoration obvious.

In many ways, this was my favorite movie of the series.  For me, the story is about Edward and Bella and everything else is frosting, sometimes too much frosting.  ”Eclipse” arguably may be the better movie, but this is a romance, let’s not make it anything more.  I liked the character development in “Eclipse” but there wasn’t enough Bella and Edward.  With “Breaking Dawn,” given that the bulk of the movie is about their wedding and honeymoon, we get to revel in their chemistry.  Bella gets a backbone in “Breaking Dawn” and I do wish that we would have seen a little more of that interaction between the two of them as she insisted on having the baby.

The reviews, as if they matter, are mixed.  The New York Times liked the movie and thought it was the best of the bunch.  The Los Angeles Times, not so much.  In some ways, it feels like the battle of the directors, which director did the reviewer like best.

In the end, my favorite scene from all four movies is the last 5 seconds of this one, especially given that this is just a pause before the rest of the story is told on November 16, 2012.  Great finish, even Kelsey cheered.

St. Andrews Ceramics

As with the rest of the grounds, the bookstore is a soothing location with beautiful music, a quiet atmosphere, and inviting surroundings.  Abbey Books & Gifts shelves a wide variety of books on spirituality.  I expected to see only Catholic themed texts, but the store provides resources for several different faith traditions, specifically including Judaism and Buddhism.  This is a fairly intellectual store, the options aren’t for the lightweight reader.  The store is well-organized, shelves are clearly marked by saint, author, or type of spirituality.  The emphasis is on Catholic theology.  There are shelves of texts about each of the well-known saints and the writings of said saints.  (Actually, I’m making a bit of an assumption.  I don’t know many saints, but there were shelves for all that I did know and if I know them, they are, by definition, well known.)  Plus, deep collections of books by Catholic theologians, i.e. Nouwen (my favorite), Merton, and Bonhoeffer.  Various types of Catholic theology have entire sections:  Cistercian, Benedictine, Eastern, and modern.

The topics I’ve seen in other general Christian stores were offered here also.  Books on prayer, scripture studies, Bibles, and church history.  There was a special section for children and young adult readers.  Fiction is available, but it weighs toward the intellectual side.  Think Flannery O’Connor and Penguin classics.  The fantasy world is well represented with several shelves of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein.

While the store devotes most of its space to books, what it is most famous for is the ceramics made at the Abbey.  The original monks created ceramic ornaments and decorative wall plaques using a specific angel figure and it is a tradition that continues.  It’s not uncommon to see them represented on Southern California Christmas trees.  After visiting the store, I realized there is an ornament for just about every occasion, profession, hobby, or sports activity.

For a chance to delve in serious spirituality, drop by the store in this beautiful high desert location or give the monks a call, they’d be happy to help you.

Abbey Books & Gifts

31001 N Valyermo Road

Valyermo, CA 93563

T:  661.944.2178

The first time I tried to visit the store, I arrived just after closing time.  The store keeps business hours and shuts down with the surrounding offices.  However, the second time I dropped by I dashed in just before 6PM and found that if there are customers meandering through the store, the staff won’t shoo them out right at 6PM, but give them time to find their favorite book.  I heard one bookseller say “take your time, I don’t have anywhere to rush off to.”  Now that is a level of customer service that is incredibly welcoming.

The store had me when I found displays of books from my three favorite publishers:  Europa, NYRB, and Archipelago Books.  Literary fiction is heavily emphasized and well represented, I could’ve purchased an armload of books.  What I found especially intriguing was a wide selection of African-American fiction prominently displayed (rather than given its own section in a wall bookcase).  This is a genre I’m not as familiar with and one I haven’t seen placed front and center.  I flipped through several new titles.

Alexander Book Co. is three stories of books offering a full selection of most genres.  Given that the Academy of Arts is in the neighborhood, there is a terrific selection of design books.  In fact, Alexander Book Co. stocks texts for the school, something I noticed in stores by east coast schools but for the first time on the west coast.  I wish more universities and independent bookstores would work together, it’s a lovely partnership where it exists.

If you’re in the SOMA area, drop by.  I found the store a peaceful interlude from the hustle and bustle outside, but remember to go during business hours.

Alexander Book Co.

50 Second St.

(Between Market & Mission)

San Francisco, CA 94105

T:  415.495.2992