Only 9 shopping months until Christmas! 8 until Hanukkah!

A little less, actually, and we in the kids' section aren't going to waste any more time. That's why we've started replacing our picture book display wall with a holiday display. Feel like it's been too long since you've seen old friends like Santa and the Grinch, Hershel and Judah Maccabee? So do we.

   


There's no excuse to wait until the last minute, or even the last month. Come on in! Start celebrating!

End Times Approacheth

It's madness, I tell you.

Forget 12/21. It's the Saturday before Christmas, folks, and the Retailpocalypse is upon us. I've stolen away to the deepest recesses of the Booksmith's labyrinthine bowels, but even here the walls throb under the booted feet of the shopping hordes. Only crumbs remain from my meager stash of gingerbread men and the battery icon on our store laptop flickers like a dying candle.

I will not last much longer. So I have some confessions to make.

- I judge books by their covers (SO PRETTY).

- When you buy my staff-pick, I secretly give you a discount. We're in this together.

- I don't get the Handerpants. We have a million novelty gifts (I counted) to make you the prince(ss) of any yankee swap. Probably no fewer than half are lewd variations on lingerie. You guys love them all and usually I'm on board with that. Squirrel underpants? Fine. Emergency underpants? Ok. Handerpants? No. I'm sorry.

They're here. I will sell them to you. But we will never see eye-to-eye.

- When I say "I've heard good things," what I mean is "this book you're asking me about just took on the symbolic weight of each and every book I've never read and it is now a beacon of my shame. Buy it. Read it. Go on without me."

- I haven't read Moby Dick. I haven't read War & Peace. I have read Game of Thrones and you know what? The HBO version is better.

Lots more dirty secrets where those came from but Xmas is almost here SO - once more unto the breach, Brookline! Been an honor and a pleasure. If we live through this, I'll see ya next year.

It's an ephemeral, circle of life type thing

You know you want one.

Guys. Look. Look at this little penguin ornament. I know. Those are earmuffs. It is just the cutest. Julia, one of our lovely Card and Gift saleswomen, introduced us the other day and within ninety seconds I had him stowed away in the back room atop my small but growing pile of holiday gifts for the family.

Here's the deal: my Mom is the worst person to shop for. She hates STUFF. I'm pretty sure she's missed me since I went off to be a grown-up, but most of the stories I get from home involve the gleeful expulsion of my accumulated detritus from the house. My old bedroom is now her sewing room. She's selling my car. It's an ongoing purge. What do you buy someone whose ultimate catharsis is hauling impractical space-wasters to the curb?

"Do not buy her anything," you might say. "Rise above the frenzy of Holiday consumerism. Eschew gifts. Self-actualize. Maybe sleep on a pallet on the floor of a cloister on a mountain somewhere." And oh man, if that sounds like something you'd say, you and my mom would get on like gangbusters.

The person that lives here is so much more zen than me.

Me, I'm a hoarder. I think all that STUFF that falls into our orbits as we move through life takes on a certain resonance. It's comforting, sometimes, but it's also the raw material by which we gauge the space we've carved out in the world. 

My mom and I seem like polar opposites, but we meet in the middle; we exchange Christmas ornaments. They're frivolous and impractical, sure, but once a year we haul a tree into the living room and mount a two-week monument of tchotchkes to the milestones of our lives. You know what? It's kind of magical. Then, just at the moment when the branches start to sag, over-burdened with sentimentality, the cats bring the whole shebang crashing to the ground and suddenly there's room on next year's tree for next year's ornaments. It's an elegant cycle.

(Hey Mom: please pretend to be surprised when you open your gift on Christmas).

Holicraze

It's the time of year when us booksellers are bustling about non-stop, answering the phone in the back, grabbing the book to put on hold, and helping about 15 customers along the way to the register and then jumping in to help at the register for a quick sec that turns into an hour, then going in the back to call a pile of special orders, running downstairs to shrink wrap a pile of books, run out front to wrap a pile of presents, lather, rinse, repeat. It's crazybusy, hectic and we're ravenously hungry for empty carbs and sugar at all points of the day. BRING IT ON, BROOKLINE! We're hand-selling machines; we've got awesome ideas for everything and we're running on way too much coffee!

But the crowds definitely mean one thing...all the great books we have are flyin' outta here. So come get 'em while they're hot.

First of all, if you are shopping for your boyfriend or any human being that loved legos as a kid, snatch up a copy of Building Stories by Chris Ware. This box is a deconstructed graphic novel that you can build into a neighborhood block; then peak into the building's windows like a voyeur and follow the story there, and in the myriad pamphlets included. The print run of this magic puzzle box is out, and because of it's unique structure the next print won't be out until January. One of our dynamo booksellers wheeled and dealed all over town to get us some extra copies, but they're flying off the shelves so nab one now while you can. Perfect gift for all kinds of interesting people; readers or no.

We just got a huge shipment of even more gift wrap; really great paper and bags made out of beautiful materials recycled and otherwise with adorable designs. Be the envy under the tree this year!

Hanukkah is winding down, so be sure to snatch up some awesome platters from the Card and Gift room and pile in those latkes while it's still socially acceptable to do so! Also, how many Hanukkah rubber duckies do you have? THAT IS NOT ENOUGH COME GET MORE RUN DON'T WALK.

Come say hi! Bring us donuts! We'll lead you to the perfect gifts for you and yours! Love you, Brookline!

Black Friday is upon us!

Retail workers around the world are bracing themselves for the holiday rush, and though it officially starts today, the Booksmith is READY, cowboys and cowgirls. We've already had crowds the last few weeks (THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU), we have a big beautiful gift book table front and center, and we have this fancy gift guide on the internet! And this Tumblr with tons of recommendations on it! You can shop on our website or call us in the store and we'll wrap and ship your presents basically anywhere. If it's a really cool destination, like Hawaii, I think a lot of booksellers would be happy to deliver it personally for a nominal shipping and handling fee. Us Booksmithies are wildly aware of how lucky we are to have such a fiercely loyal customer base that shows up every year and takes our advice on gifts and walks away with presents for most of their family from our humble little shoppe.

But if I can get on my preachy high horse for a minute: if you're thinking of not buying local, reconsider. We may not carry a really obscure copy of an academic book on the statistics of manatee migrations that you think would be a killer gift for your dad, but because of our space, what we do offer is a highly curated and super-considered selection of anything lots of kinds of people will love. So if you re-calibrate your expectations to walk in our doors and see what we recommend, we have 51 years of experience in your neighborhood, and our staff has cumulatively some 20 higher ed degrees and hundreds of years experience reading and seeing what works for our customers. So keep it local this year! Fight the internet conglomerate beast! WE PAY OUR TAXES! Things are cheaper online because companies don't incur the costs of having a shop of crazy brilliant, super-excited booksellers running around helping you, with lights and heat on, with rent costs in our neighborhood and then funneling tax money back into the community we share. So yeah it would be nice to save a few bucks on a book or gift, BUT AT WHAT COST? Those discounts are doing something bigger. They're changing the world, and this year you can put your money where your ideals are and decide which world you wanna live in.

Here at the Booksmith we are eager to help you walk away with the best gift for your friend or family member because, really, gifts and books are all we care about. They're our full-time jobs and our hobbies at home. We know our stuff and we're so excited about it, that we want to help you choose the perfect gift. So stop in, say hi, and let us work our holiday magic!

A Booksmith Holiday Poem

by Julia; Card and Gift Room rockstar!

'Twas the day before Christmas
      and all through the store,
Through all of the aisles
      the customers pour.

All those young and old
      who waited too long,
Come to buy all their gifts
      Before they are gone.

We Booksmithees scurry
      From here and to there.
Weaving through customers
      All so unaware

Moms, dads, siblings, friends,
      Gather all of their gifts:
No Buttons! iPlunges!
      Whatever they can lift.

The register lines
      seems to go on for miles.
But we carry on,
      Giving everyone smiles.

As customers wait
      For their gifts to be wrapped,
At the gift-wrapping station
      UBC workers are trapped

As we sell, search and restock
      How our bodies strain,
But massages and free food
      Help ward off the pain.

So to all procrastinators
      --I mean customers--here,
We greet you all
      Full of holiday cheer.

For despite the chaos,
      we truly delight
In helping you pick out
      the gift that's just right.

Be it book, toy or jewelry,
      Even Handerpants, too,
We hope what you find here
      Brings fun and joy to you.

So until 8 o'clock
      When we turn out our lights,
And settle at home
      for a calm winter's night,

Booksmith's doors are wide open.
      And we welcome you in,
To do last-minute shopping
      'Ere Christmas begins.

So to you Merry Christmas
      And a Hanukkah so fine,
From us at Booksmith to you-
      Now, may I help the next in line?

Kate's Holiday Tip #3..../ It feels like you are all here...in the store...right now!!!!

As if I need to exhibit any more proof of my suspect childhood...here comes Kate's second to last Holiday tip. Sigh.


Imagine everyone today....as a deer.

So- for whatever reason, when I am in large crowds, I start to imagine everyone as deer. I imagine them as the deer version of themselves...skinny jeans, glasses, baby bjorns, spandex, converse.....whatever they are wearing, they continue to wear, but as deer...deer with purses, messenger bags and helmets, deers with bags of gifts, and 20oz of hot coffee...

I have done this for as long as I can remember. When it happens- I find it soothing to think of people as my favorite spirit animal.

So during this stressful and frantic final week before gifty Mc-Gorge town....remember you can cover everyone on your list in this one store...for reals...then ...take a moment to breathe, close your weary eyes....and imagine a deer in a plaid scarf blogging at a messy desk in the back of the bustling booksmith.

Now, I'm gonna go get some free Taza chocolate from that pretty deer at the front.

Oh deer.

and that's what christmas is all about

Until I was about fifteen years old, my family had a Christmas Eve ritual that featured reading out loud as the main event. The whole day was highly ritualized (luminaria, church, cookies for Santa, etc), but the annual reading was my favorite part. We would come home from church, turn the lights on on the tree, get into pajamas, and start reading.

We always began with Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and my little brother would read that one. We had an old copy, with pages that felt like fine sandpaper and a barely-erased pencil drawing that someone had once made in a fit of book-defacing glee. Then we moved on to The Polar Express, which my dad read. He always inflected the lines in the exact same way, but his version was never boring -- in fact, I can still hear the way in which he always said, "We were on our way home." (Aw. Nostalgia.)

After that, it was my turn, and I read Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present. It's a totally endearing story of one Christmas Eve when Santa realizes, upon returning to the North Pole after a long night of present delivery, that he still has one gift left in his sack. That gift belongs to Harvey Slumfenburger, who lives at the top of the Roly-Poly Mountain, which is far, far away. The book chronicles Santa's journey to Harvey's home -- the reindeer are too tired to fly, so Santa has to find alternative means of transportation. Along the way, he is aided by all sorts of lovely people and gets up to all kinds of hijinks. (When I discovered that my beloved Booksmith doesn't currently carry this title, I was dismayed. Hint hint, Alie/Mark!)

My mom always wound up the reading with The Night Before Christmas. She, too, always read with the same inflections every year, and I'm never able to read the poem without hearing the way she recited it. Then it was off to pick out cookies to leave for Santa (we always left homemade ones that we had frosted earlier that day), and, perhaps foreshadowing the ardent bleeding-heart animal lover that I was to become, I always insisted on leaving carrots, too ("for the reindeer!").

Of course I associate Christmas Eve with cookies and milk, and lights on the Christmas tree, and presents the next morning, but I also will never be able to dissociate it from reading. If your own Christmas Eve ritual needs more oomph, more family-togetherness, try throwing in a book or two (or three, or four). I know that I sound hopelessly nostalgic and tied to the past (and yes, Zoe will probably accuse me of nerdiness -- again), but I can't imagine a better way to have wrapped up our family's Christmas Eve.

It sounds cheesy, and I'm sure that if my parents were to read this blog entry they would dissolve into fits of nostalgia and call me, in tears, immediately -- "I can't believe you remember how I used to read The Night Before Christmas!" -- but really, reading on Christmas Eve is one of the strongest traditions from my own childhood, and I wholly recommend it to anyone and everyone who celebrates Christmas (and Christmas Eve).

And if you need ideas for titles, Booksmith carries three out of four of the books mentioned here, and hopefully will be carrying the fourth shortly. :)

Come, to the Nativity

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.'" (Luke 2:1-11, NIV)

Amidst our overflowing tables of holiday and wintry books, we have great books that focus on the nativity scene.  Please read on the celebration for one of the many reasons of the season.  For all you reluctant readers -- overly cautious on reading the birth of Christ -- please look closely.  Some are more involved with the traditional nativity scene than others.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski 
For those of you who know the nativity story in and out, try this one out.  You won't be disappointed. Thomas is seven and knows exactly how his nativity set looked -- the beloved set was lost in a recent move.  However, the best wood carver in town is always "mumbling and grumbling,muttering and sputtering, grumping and griping."  Will Thomas get his sheep that look happy? A cow that is proud? And, "'Jesus [...] smiling  and reaching up to his mother.'"?

This edition is also available in a gorgeous P.J. Lynch box set and includes a fabulous audio cd read by James Earl Jones. 

Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo
Frances is a very thoughtful child.  The organ grinder on the street, along with his monkey, are homeless in the bitter cold and snowfall. No else, except for young Frances, has thought to invite this man anywhere.  Newbery author, Kate DiCamillo, inspires readers to share a real spirit of the holidays -- compassion.  With this, along with the words and acrylic gouache paintings, Frances does indeed show how great Joy can light up a room and a life.

Nativity by Julie Vivas
Tattered clothes, a very pregnant lady, and angels in army boots?  I love, love, LOVE this version of Christ's coming.  The bright illustrations reflect an overflowing inn, Mary and Joseph as ordinary humans, angels as warriors on a mission -- not cute little things with fluffy wings -- and people full of curiosity.  Join the celebration in the birth of the Savior.  The text focus on Luke chapter 2, with no nonsense, even though the illustrations will bring many smiles and laughs. 

Charlie Brown Christmas Pop-Up NEW
The text remains faithful to the 30 minute short that plays every year on TV, or it might even be on DVD (perhaps VHS, too) in your very own living room.  Now, it's not quite the same effect, but it is a great pop-up to walk around with Charlie Brown again and hear Linus recalling what Christmas is about.

Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
"The first pageant rehearsal was usually about as much fun as a three-hour ride on the school bus, and just as noisy and crowded. This rehearsal, though, was different. Everybody shut up and settled down right away, for fear of missing something awful that the Herdmans might do."

The Herdmans are the bullies of all bullies!  So, what are they doing at the first Christmas pageant practice at the local church?  And, what will they do first? Beat everyone up before the performance, burn the church down, or steal from the offering plate again?  Even though this book focuses on an important holiday for Christians, it is in no way overly-religious.  I'll just say that it was first read to me out loud in second grade, at a very public elementary school.

Christmas is Here illustrated by Lauren Castillo NEW
A boy stops by an outdoor nativity, looking intently at baby Jesus.  Readers are soon sprung into the story of the shepherds hearing the message from the angels that Christ the Savior is born.  I really like this picturebook because it is not over taken by ridiculous extras or overt cuteness.  It is simply the text from Luke 2:8-14, taken from the New King James translation.  The illustrations work to mirror the text in a way that focuses your attention on what is really happening.


A Christmas Manger by H.A. Rey 
Remember staring at the nativity scene when you were a kid?  Waiting for your parents to leave the room so you could play with the "it's just for looking" toy?  Here's one to play with!  This punch-out paper set includes everything you need to recreate the Christmas miracle.  The paper is very durable, so it is perfect to use year after year, or to use as an inexpensive nativity scene for little hands -- more experienced ones, too!

Rockin' around the tree and sightings of that big red guy

"So when in doubt, give a book that's just awesome."  Nicely put, Shoshana.  And, when you have no idea what book of awesomeness to choose, well, that's what we're here for.

Without further rambling, here's the awesome fun santa-ish and tree decorating books worth your while:

Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup
This is still my favorite holiday recommendation; I mean, his peg leg is a tooth pick!  In the wee hours of Christmas morning, Santa is not the only one awake.  There is a whole army of gingerbread pirates that Captain Cookie must save from that cannibal called Santa Claus.  But the gift Santa has for this pirate crew is certainly delicious indeed.

Olivia Helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer
Next to the original Olivia, I think this one is the best.  Even for this energetic growing pig, Christmas can be exhausting.  But it's all worth it.

My Penguin Osbert by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
To all penguin lovers, I know you are out there!  Joe has learned to be very specific in what he asks for.  So, when he gets his penguin, it's the most wonderful gift in the world, right?  Even when he wants to be outside in the snow all the time?  Fills his bath with ice cold water and "iceberg" soap?  Cold creamed herring with seaweed jam for breakfast?  From Joe to Santa: "If you feel like maybe I should have asked for a different present, and you want to swap, that would be okay."



Fletcher and the Snowflake Christmas  by Julia Rawlinson NEW
If you loved Fletcher and the Falling Leaves, you should check out his new book.  Fletcher, always the helpful type, wants to make sure that Santa knows the way to the Rabbit family's new home.  He has a plan to lay down arrows made of branches.  But, it snows.  Will Santa still be able to make it on time?

Gift of the Magi by O. Henry (illustr. by P.J. Lynch)
For those of you who aren't familiar with this classic, it is a wonderful short story about a poor husband and wife who truly give from the heart.  Selling your most treasured possession can bring the most humbling gifts.  P.J. Lynch's breathtaking watercolor illustrations reflect the joy and sadness with each page turn.  This is no doubt the beautifulest illustrated edition out there.  (It is also available in a box set with two other fabulous books.)


Of course we have so much more, including classics like Nutcracker, over flowing editions of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Polar Express...  And even now I'm realizing that I didn't write about Great Joy or the The Jolly Christmas Postman.  So many choices!

Happy Holidays!

Fall at the bookstore

Regular readers of our blog may have noticed that posts (at least my own) have been a teensy bit sporadic lately. The reason for this is that we are BUSY! Holy cow, are we busy. I never noticed how much more intense things get at the start of September until this particular September happened. Usually I'd notice the increase in traffic on the road or the lack of parking spots around town. But this month it feels like everything is happening everywhere, all at once.

The store is truly bustling. A Wednesday afternoon feels like a Saturday afternoon with phones ringing off the hook, customers lining up and lots of questions in the aisles. Part of the reason for this is our amazing fall event lineup that just got going: Gary Shteyngart and Per Petterson last week, William Gibson tomorrow night, and Michele Norris of NPR on Thursday. People are really excited about these authors and tickets are flying out the door. (So call and reserve yours today for our other exciting fall events. Amy Sedaris in November!!)

Obviously, the start of school is also responsible for some of the increase in phone calls and foot traffic. But I've also heard the words "Christmas shopping" uttered in a few of my transactions at the register. You guys are already starting! And I don't blame you. Kerri has brought in a ton of awesome jewelry and bags and fall-oriented home items into the Card and Gift Room. Not to mention cute and goulish Halloween stuff. Yup, it's already that time, too. Yikes. (Seriously? Halloween? Wasn't it just July??)

And don't even get me started on all the new, truly excellent books coming out. Okay, maybe you should get me started since that's the whole point of our store. I'm currently in the midst of Moby Dick, Skippy Dies and The Cookbook Collector and every week I get inspired to read something else that just arrived. There are some seriously good reads on our shelves and we are doing our best to keep those shelves full.

Fall (which officially arrives tomorrow) at Booksmith is exciting and crazy. Come on in and join the fun!