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

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.

Yes, we have eBooks!

As 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.

The Best Gift Books

All through December, we were recommending and selling (and buying) books that people would be receiving as gifts. The gift givers were all pleased with their choices, and we had fun wrapping many gifts while imagining the delight with which they would be opened and read.

Now, the question is: What books were you given that you are excited to read (or have already read and loved)?

Here's my answer: All of them! I was given two Mark Bittman cookbooks--How to Cook Everything and Kitchen Express--which I've dipped into already and look forward to using often, and two wished-for books for the baby's growing library--The Christmas Magic and Waiting for Winter.

However, the best book, simply because it was just the novel I needed to immerse myself in the day after Christmas, was Hunting and Gathering, by Anna Gavalda. This book has been recommended to me several times by a bookseller friend of mine and also by a customer. I'd been thinking of giving to myself for Christmas but before I could do so, a wonderful friend gave me a copy, without even knowing that I'd wanted it! It's absolutely wonderful writing, an engaging story about four outsiders living in Paris who find each other and form a family. I actually haven't finished the book yet, but only because I don't really want to--I want to keep reading about these people and their lives.

I hope you're all enjoying some good books, and would love to hear about them!

Happy Reading, and Happy New Year ~

Sandy

A list to end all lists

(via Powell's)

Wow. You know how, come December, there are all of those lists of "Best of the Year"? Well, blogger Largehearted Boy is compiling a list of links to all of the Best Books of 2010 lists available on line. And it is a looooong list. However, if you have some time to kill and are wondering which books you might have missed over the past 11-12 months, or find out if you agree with the critics, do take a look.

I'm pretty sure these are on that list, but I had to point it out, because it's a pretty fun idea: the literary mix tape. GalleyCat has assembled "mixes" of books that you can read excerpts from--Best YA Books of 2010, Best Novels of 2010, and Best eBooks of 2010.

And, although it is not technically a "best of" list, I would also recommend a browse through our own Staff Gift Picks list! (Scroll past our everyday Staff Favorites for the special Holiday list.)

Happy Reading!

22nd Anniversary Celebration and Sirius Reader Sale

We're celebrating our 22nd anniversary this year, and will be hosting our annual Sirius Reader Party & Sale to celebrate and thank our wonderful customers for supporting this locally owned and independent bookstore. 

Saturday, December 4
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

• 20 - 50% off select books


• 10% off pre-paid special orders


• Planet Shari Sample Sale


• Refreshments and door prizes!


• Cookbook signing and recipe tasting (read more below)

Vermont cookbook authors Andrea Chesman (Recipes from the Root Cellar) and Tracey Madeiros (Dishing Up Vermont) will be at The Galaxy Bookshop during our Sirius Reader Party on Saturday, December 4, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. to sign copies of their cookbooks. There will also be samples of recipes from each book, cooked up by your very own Galaxy Bookshop staff, to taste.
Recipes from the Root Cellar will be a boon to anyone using up their stores of winter vegetables through the long season--Chesman offers 250 menu-saving recipes that feature everything from kale to rutabagas.
Dishing Up Vermont brings a wealth of recipes--many from the kitchens of chefs and farmers around Vermont--that put a spotlight on our state's produce, meats, and artisanal foods.
Autographed copies of these books will make wonderful gifts for any home cook on your holiday list!

Read-a-Thon Wrap-up, 2010

I believe this year's Read-a-Thon fundraiser for Hardwick Head Start and Early Head Start can be declared a success! We had 19 students--from junior high through college--sign up, collect pledges, and spend all (or at least most) of the night reading. We also had a great showing of support from other community members, including parents, librarians, Head Start faculty, and other friends who helped publicize the event, donated food and beverages, and came to spend the night, helping to keep the whole thing running smoothly. I also need to mention my gratitude to the Grand Union and Hardwick House of Pizza for their donations--the support of our fellow businesses in town means a great deal, and allows us to continue to host this special fundraiser.

While most of the night was spent reading, along with some sleeping (there's no shame in taking a nap!), there were also chances to rest the eyes to eat pizza, play Literary Jeopardy, join children's librarian Susan O'Connell on a midnight run to the Jeudevine Library, and play a spirited game or two of Bananagrams. Even with such distractions, a lot of reading took place, with books from The BFG to Twilight to Sometimes a Great Notion keeping readers engrossed in literature through the wee hours of the morning. It's always a joy for a bookseller and a book lover to see others excited about reading, especially young readers, who are often cited as losing interest in books by various polls and studies. If I could share one moment with you: imagine between 35 and 40 people of all ages,  sitting or lying in various spots around the bookstore, completely silent except for the soft shuffle of turning pages.

Those people were here because they share a love of books, and they are passing that on through the donations they raised for the Head Start students. The money raised by every Read-a-Thon goes in some way to support literacy, whether it's comfortable seating in the Head Start reading area, books for the program's library, a listening center to allow children to listen to audio books, or gift certificates for the Head Start families to buy books to keep and read at home. Thank you to everyone who participated and everyone who made a donation to share the gift of reading with a new generation of readers.