12.24.2011

Christmas for Two Kitties

One of the most difficult parts of our decision to move has been the understanding that we will not be able to bring our beloved cats, Scout and Jem, along with us. We have had them for over two years now, since they were six weeks old, and they have been wonderful additions to The Galaxy Bookshop. As much as we love them, we want them to have the very best home, and the smaller space on Main Street (which also does not have the extra barrier to the street that we have at the bank building) does not seem like the ideal place for two cats used to roaming upstairs and down at will.

On this Christmas Eve, the two kitties will be going to their new home, one where we are sure they will receive plenty of love and treats and all the tummy rubbing they require. This new home is with one of our customers, and we hope that we will receive updates from time to time on how Scout and Jem are doing. When we do, we'll be sure to share with all of you.

So, please join us in wishing our kitties and their new family well. They (and we) thank you for all of the love they've received from their many friends and fans during their time as bookshop cats.

Merry Christmas, from all of us ~ Linda, Sandy, Stella, Claire, Ivy, Scout, and Jem


12.03.2011

Thank you for 23 years (and still counting!)

Thanks to everyone who came to the bookstore for our Sirius Reader Party! As always, it was a great pleasure to see so many friendly faces and spend time talking with everyone throughout the day. We had delicious food, including cheeses from the Cellars at Jasper Hill and from Bonnieview Farm, and even a visit from strolling musician Michael Kennedy. We'll be posting photos soon, as well as more information about our upcoming move, but for now, we'll leave you with our anniversary video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRjuL7kKM7k&feature=autoplay&list=HL1322960730&lf=mh_lolz&playnext=1

Video directed, edited, and produced by Claire Greene

11.14.2011

Wake up, little blog!

Whew, it's been much too long since we've blogged here, but we're making a resolution to do better from now on. (Who says you can only make resolutions at New Year's?)

Thought 2011 is not over yet, the yearly lists are coming out now, and we'd like to share two of our favorites:

The New England Independent Booksellers Holiday Catalog is a list of some of the top choices of booksellers around our region.

NEIBA Holiday Catalog


The Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC) has also put out their annual catalog of Best Books for Children, and it must be said, there is a great crop of children's books this year.


9.15.2011

Banned Books Virtual Read-Out!

Join Claire, Sandy, and hundreds of other readers across the country in a Banned Books Week Virtual Read Out. This year, Banned Books Week is September 24 - October 1, but you can celebrate early by recording yourself reading an excerpt from your favorite banned book and adding it to the Banned Books Week YouTube channel. If you need help with your video, feel free to stop by the store! We will have a camera available next week and the week after for recording banned book readings.

Here are our videos to give you a little motivation, because if we can do it, so can you!

Claire, reading from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMyPl8k7sYI

Sandy, reading from Sylvester and the Magic Pebble:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRSgKMVqKKM

The American Library Association list of Frequently Challenged Books.

8.17.2011

Canceled: Wallace Stegner Weekend

Despite the amazing agenda lined up for the 2nd Annual Wallace Stegner Weekend at the Highland Lodge, the event has been canceled due to small registration numbers. We are hopeful that the event will happen again, so if you had planned to go make sure to sign up early next year-- and tell all of the Stegner enthusiasts in your life!

8.12.2011

A peek into 2012

As much as we're enjoying the here and now, our minds are often on the coming months as we read advance copies of books to be published and peruse catalogs for Fall 2011 and Winter/Spring 2012.

We'd like to share a bit of our excitement for one event taking place next year--the release of our dear friend Howard Frank Mosher's new book, The Great Northern Express, on March 6, 2012! Howard has been talking about this book for a couple of years, a memoir of his travels around the country while on book tour. He stopped by Galaxy this week for an informal photo shoot and was joined by a special friend. On his way to Hardwick, he spied a small turtle in the road and decided to bring him along. (Those of you who have read Walking to Gatlinburg will understand the significance of this particular critter.) Howard is very hopeful that his picture, along with the turtle, on the steps of The Galaxy Bookshop, will grace the jacket of The Great Northern Express.

In keeping with tradition, The Galaxy Bookshop will host the premier event for The Great Northern Express--Howard's first stop on his book tour about a book tour--on March 6, 2012, at 7 p.m. Mark your calendars!

7.08.2011

Picks from the Pros

The fine members of the New England Children's Booksellers Association (NECBA) read and review advance book galleys at a furious pace each season in an attempt to cover as many new children's books as possible. The reviews are shared with others via listserv so that we don't all have to read every book, as much as we might want to. These reviews are then gathered, analyzed, catagorized, and finalized into the Spring (or Fall) Review Project by one of the intrepid booksellers of NECBA--this year, the amazing Carol Chittenden of Eight Cousins book store in Falmouth, Mass.

For the Top 10 (or A Baker's Dozen), you can view the snazzy poster, or get the full list, with reviews, here. I'm excited to say that I have two reviews included in this list, including Katherine Hannigan's True...(sort of), which is one of the Top 10 (a.k.a. Top 13) picks of the Spring List! While I'm at it, I will throw my wholehearted support behind these other Top Picks, which I read and loved: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette (the Penderwick family is always a delight to spend time with, and I'm so happy that there are two more books to come), Okay for Now (Gary Schmidt is an amazing writer and he perfectly captured the humor and tragedy of Doug Swieteck's eighth grade year), Blink and Caution (a fast-paced novel about two teens forced to trust one another when they separately stumble into a very dangerous situation), and Delirium (falling in the dystopian fiction genre, envisioning a world in which falling in love has been outlawed).

Of course, in the immortal words of Levar Burton, "You don't have to take my word for it."

6.10.2011

Read it Again, Please!

This week, the A.V. Club asks what books you love to re-read--over and over and over. Mine would be Jane Eyre, which has been a favorite since I first read it at age 13 (a mass market paperback that my mom picked up for me at The Galaxy Bookshop--I still have and read that same copy.) What's your choice, whether it's to take something new away from the text or for pure comfort?

6.02.2011

May Wrap-up

It's as hard to believe that it's June as it is that the thermometer is suddenly breaking 80 degrees, but that's what the calendar is telling us, so it must be true!

Here's a look back on the month that was May:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="384" caption="Our esteemed Senator Bernie Sanders made a "surprise" visit. (We learned about it only a few days in advance.)"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="346" caption="Jem entertained his own visitor. They were overheard discussing the timelessness of a black and white ensemble."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="384" caption="Ivy made her debut as the youngest member of our merry band of booksellers."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="403" caption="She is already a staunch advocate for early childhood education."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="384" caption="She also obliges us by posing as a turtle for our amusement."][/caption]

 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="196" caption="We've begun stocking up for summer, with fun toys and games, in addition to lots of good reading material."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="329" caption="And we're getting ready to kick our events season into high gear with the world premiere of MAKING SUPPER SAFE on June 7. (Author Ben Hewitt is pictured here at another world premiere--only last year, for THE TOWN THAT FOOD SAVED.)"][/caption]

5.06.2011

How Many Cups of Tea, Exactly?

I read Three Cups of Tea along with countless others- it was even required reading for troops deploying to Afghanistan at one time. I was as captivated and inspired as most; I greatly admired Greg Mortenson for doing the scary, difficult work that I would never undertake myself. In short, he was the change that I wanted to see in the world.

Then came the allegations. A special investigation into Mortenson and his nonprofit, Central Asia Institute (CAI) by 60 Minutes "revealedthat parts of the book may be "fabricated" and author Jon Krakauer, once on the board of CAI says that Mortenson uses his charity like his own "personal ATM," citing his lack of documentation, receipts, and the one tax statement that the CAI has made public, which shows that they spent a great deal on helping Mortenson promote his books than on building actual schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mortenson went from "hero" to "fraud" in the blink of an eye.

I couldn't bring myself to jump on the proverbial bandwagon and add Greg Mortenson to the "bad author" list alongside the likes of  James Frey. Condensing, expanding, perhaps even a little exaggeration, hey, chalk it up to creative license. One of Mortenson's alleged lies is that he wrote that he visited a village in Pakistan called Korphe (the town which purportedly inspired him to start his nonprofit) in 1993 after getting lost while attempting to climb the world's second highest peak, K2. It turns out that he probably visited the village in 1994 after another attempt at climbing the mountain.

There are more examples like the one above, but I find I am neither shocked nor offended by them.  And here is why: people generally won't donate to a cause unless they are asked, whether this is via ads on television, people on street corners, emails, catalogs, etc. Charities exist because we cannot be counted on to take care of each other without some prodding and pushing. After directing our attention to a cause they then employ tactics to make average citizens look into their hearts (and then their wallets) using combinations of bribery ("free gift with every donation!") and guilt-inducing bullying ("if you don't donate you are effectively killing the children on this screen") to fund the work they do. These tactics, while not the most efficient or tasteful, work on some level.

If Mortenson had written a book that simply bemoaned the plight of girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it never would have become the phenomenon that it is today. Mortenson was wise to weave those elements in with his own Indiana Jones-like tale because as a nation we prefer our heartbreak cut with a dose of heroism.  If Mortenson lied about the need that existed ("oh wait, there are plenty of schools for girls throughout Afghanistan!") I would have felt angry and cheated indeed. He didn't lie about the need. The need is there.

I don't want to be an apologist for those who commit crimes or defraud investors, but I am not ready to hang Greg Mortensen or his organization out to dry. It sounds like Mortenson's nonprofit suffers from moderate mismanagement (which, from my experience, is the nature of the beast when it comes to nonprofits) and would benefit greatly from some restructuring and additional oversight. Mortenson could definitely profit from taking a business class or two. But with so many criminals on Wall Street walking away scot-free (many with millions of dollars in bonuses) after swindling the American public out of their life savings, telling me that Greg Mortenson is the villain to watch out for just falls flat.

Read Three Cups of Tea. Take it not as gospel but as more of a suggestion. It is a compelling read, regardless. And most importantly, don't let programs like 60 Minutes divert your attention away from the real  frauds in this country. He may not be perfect, but there is no doubt in my mind that Greg Mortenson is at least attempting to do good work, if not completely succeeding.

3.12.2011

Welcome, Ivy!

It's no secret- in fact, I think that most of us are 'in the know' at this point- but I would be remiss in not officially welcoming our newest member of The Galaxy family, Ivy Lee Scott. I am happy to report that mother and child are happy and healthy! Of course, don't expect to see Sandy behind the register for a good, long while! Our best wishes to the Scott family!

2.24.2011

Go Out for a Good Cause

Looking for an excuse to get out of the house this Saturday night? Well, here are a couple of possibilities for you, both offering a great evening of entertainment and both supporting good causes.

Highfields Center for Composting is hosting their Second Annual Compost Cabaret & Silent Auction. This "evening of steaming hot entertainment for the whole family" will take place at the Cabot Town Hall this Saturday, February 26, from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. A suggested donation of $10 will go to support Highfields' work Closing the Loop--an outreach that helps communities establish sustainable composting programs.

In Maple Corners, you can get down to the sounds of the Fresh Greenes, a trio of musicians hailing from Woodbury who play an original blend of jazz, folk, and rock infused music. This Saturday, from 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m., you'll find them at the Maple Corners Community Center playing a benefit concert for the 4 month old daughter of Liz Knapp and John Dubois who has been diagnosed with acute infant lukemia. The suggested donation is $10, but every little bit helps.

The Hardwick area seems like a pretty quiet place, but there are often a lot of things going on! Typically, you can peruse the flyers on bulletin boards around town to find out about events and classes, but you can also keep tabs on what's happening in our area through some online resources. Just recently, a Front Porch Forum was created for the Hardwick/Walden community -- click on the link to sign up for email updates from the forum and to be able to add your own news and events for the area. The forum is new and just beginning to grow, but the more people who sign up, the more active and useful it can become.

You can also find and post events on the Hardwick Area Chamber of Commerce calendar, or sign up to receive calendar updates by email.

2.15.2011

Book Review: We, The Drowned

We, The Drowned by Carsten Jensen

This is a rare book in this age, and is all the more spellbinding for that. Spanning one hundred years in the life of a small town in Denmark, this extraordinary novel chronicles the lives of the people of Marstal who are all in some way bound to the sea. The story begins in the age of sail, and carries the reader through time to the day the Germans surrender to end World War Two. Each character introduced to the story is more powerful than the last, and events and places also come marvelously to life on every page of this nearly 700 page novel. Whether it is the life of schoolboys in Marstal, sailors unloading salt cod in Portugal, women managing their shipping companies, or a young Danish sailor looking for his father in the South Pacific, readers will be enthralled by these characters and their adventures as they come to life in this epic novel.

~ Linda

1.28.2011

Amelia Bloomer Project

There are probably as many "best books of __" lists in existence as there are stars in the sky. And I'm touting yet another one! But this particular list has some very specific criteria, more specific than "decently written" in any event, and one that I think is certainly worth taking (more than) a glance at. I'm talking about the Amelia Bloomer Project, which recently announced its top 10 of 2011 list! This is a really neat organization affiliated with the ALA that creates a yearly booklist for the top feminist books for readers aged 0-18.  Not just a nod to literature featuring plucky, brave, daring and genius female characters navigating their way out of sticky situations, the books on this list (a mix of non-fiction and fiction) must be actively feminist. What does that mean exactly, you might ask? To meet the list's criteria books must openly acknowledge- and confront- the disparities that women face and show them dealing with and overcoming obstacles. Just as importantly, the stories must be told in an engaging, thoughtful, well-written and age appropriate way.  Looking for an alternative to Bella Swan? How about a graphic novel by Jane Yolen about a girl who, in addition to feeling like a misfit at school, is also a master swordswoman? I know I would have appreciated a list like this when I was younger (I most certainly appreciate it now) and look forward to using the list as a gift guide for the egalitarian-minded young people in my life. You can find the list here.

1.14.2011

Yes, we have eBooks!

Google eBooksAs you may have heard by now, Google eBooks™ and the American Booksellers Association (ABA) have partnered to allow independent bookstores, The Galaxy Bookshop included, to offer our customers digital books.

If you have an e-reader device and have missed shopping for books at your local bookstore, we invite you to come back and browse! If you are interested in exploring the world of digital reading, we would be happy to help you.

With Google eBooks, we are pleased to offer you access to millions of titles that you can read whenever and wherever you wish. Google eBooks can be accessed in any Web browser, through Google reading apps for multi-function devices (Apple devices, Android, etc.), and most dedicated e-book devices (Sony, Nook, and other readers that run Adobe Content Server 4's ePub DRM) with the exception of the Kindle.*

Because the Google eBook library is stored in the cloud (Google's computer servers), it is easy to switch from one device to another as you continue to read a book while moving from place to place throughout the day. Each time you log in to your account to begin reading, you will be able to pick up in exactly the same place you left off the last time.

*Why not the Kindle? Kindle is a proprietary device made by Amazon. The only e-books that can be read on a Kindle are Kindle format books, and only Amazon sells Kindle books. If you are thinking about buying an e-reader, we ask you to consider the ability to continue supporting independent booksellers when you are looking at the variety of devices available. Once you purchase a Kindle, you will be bound to Amazon for all of your e-book purchases.

As your local, independent bookstore, we would love to help you find the reading selections you'll enjoy most in any format — including e-books! For more information about Google eBooks, take a look at these FAQs.