Where Wisdom is Found

Thus commencing weekly tales from the depths of the Booksmith: the Used Book Cellar.

Last week, your faithful used book buyers acquired several titles (as per usual), but the following particularly peculiar finds illustrate the many forms in which wisdom passes our desk.

Dancing with Dragons; Invoke their Ageless Wisdom and Power - for devotees of House Targaryen, or simply those with fire in their bellies, I present to you D. J. Conway's TIMELESS, CLASSIC work of dragon-wisdom. Available now for $8 is a singular volume containing all kinds of stories, rituals and tips on harnessing the dragon energy within you. But that's enough from me, allow the jacket copy to speak for itself: "Call on dragons to brighten your day-to-day life and to solve problems that require timeless wisdom." A great gift for the dragon fanatic in your life, or a charming addition to the library of any academic acquiring the vast wisdom of our realm.

On to Exhibit 2, a young customer (with the assistance of her mother) has outgrown her Dr. Seuss collection and we have benefited. An entire library of Seuss: Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, even the rarer I Wish That I Had Duck Feet can all be found in the UBC now, in great condition, priced at $5 each. The first stop of wisdom for most beings of this world, Dr. Seuss can never be underestimated. Ten Apples Up On Top, a CLASSIC, EPIC tale of perseverance and life-balance should never be forgotten. When any of us feels we have too many apples on top, and that "Our apples all/are going to drop," it serves well to remember that with the help of friends we can have "Ten apples/on us all!/What fun!/We will not/let them fall."

Finally, the UBC has also recently acquired 11 volumes of Will Durant's EPIC, EXHAUSTIVE Story of Civilization, a series of thousand-page (each!) tomes that cover the gamut of world history and culture in stunning hardcovers complete with bold dust jackets. Each volume is priced at $10.50. For all the wisdom contained herein, that's quite the bargain. Randomly opening to page 414 in Volume 1 ('Our Oriental Heritage,') Durant offers a valuable insight on the distinction between the foundations of Hinduism and Christianity: "It is an abstruse heaven, however, that Yajnavalkya [of The Upanishads] promises the devotee, for in it there will be no individual consciousness, there will only be absorption into Being, the reunion of the temporarily separated part with the whole. [...] Such a theory of life and death will not please Western man, whose religion is permeated with individualism as are his political and economic institutions."

No matter your age or interest, the UBC can satisfy the endless quest for wisdom, and on a budget, too. And if you need to make room for all this wisdom in your collection, we buy used books Wednesday through Saturday, 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. E-mail us at ubc@brooklinebooksmith.com for more.

"When in doubt, relax" the inagural 7-minute Brookline Booksmith Interview : Christopher McDougall -Born to Run-

I stood outside in what was potentially sunburn weather in my Vibram 5 fingers, next to Christopher McDougall. He was wearing carpenters pants, and his trademark black leather 5-fingers, (his black tie choice). In between fans, I was able to ask him a few questions, and luckily he's a super nice guy, and humored me.

below was our conversation

me: So what are you reading now? What are some of your favorite books?

CMD: Definitely City of Thieves, WWII resistance history, Until Proven Innocent, Unbroken, and the new release Supercooperators. Also Mating.

me: What are you working on now? Are you allowed to tell me?

CMD: Technically, NO...but because you guys pushed this book before it was even a book I'll tell you. Promise not to tell everyone please. I'm working on **************** **** ******* ********. (I can tell you this. It's going to be amazing. I'm so happy he's writing another book.)

me: So, when this new book comes out you ARE COMING HERE FIRST, right?

CDM: I'll be there with donuts and coffee. Before the books even get there.

me:When do you plan on running your next Ultra?

CDM: I just ran a 50K two weeks ago in Darlington Maryland. I am running a midnight marathon in Gaza, for the children of Gaza through UNRWA.

Guy getting his book signed: Do you have any inspirational quotes for runners? What minimalist shoes do you recommend?

CDM: "When in doubt, relax." Check out Barefoot Ted's site. It's the Tarajumara sandals. After that, New Balance, Evo, and Neo, Vibram 5 fingers, specifically the BIKILA

me: Do you still have a relationship with Caballo and Barefoot Ted?

CDM: Yea, I still get emails from them, and they really haven't changed, as people, at all. If you are making links, definitely link to punk-rock Ultra marathoner Catra Corbett. She has a great blog called Dirt Diva. (me: it's a killer running site)

me: My Uncle Mike has run upwards of 68 marathons. He has concerns about larger runners running barefoot. I want him to be wrong, will you tell him he's wrong?

CDM: He's wrong.Weight makes no difference, it's actually more important for larger runners to run barefoot, it keeps the foot from heel-striking and encourages more of a midsole strike. Look at me!

me: You're tiny

CDM: No, I'm not. Tell your Uncle he's dead wrong. Then tell him Dr. Daniel Lieberman said so. me: (in my head) I love you Uncle Mike, but the frog-feet are staying.

me: One last essential question, what is your favorite cheese?

CDM: Cheez-whiz, and a Philly cheesesteak from Geno's.

And with that, I forced the poor man to sign just about all of our copies. We're talking boxes here. So, if you couldn't make it today and still want to buy yourself or a loved one a signed copy, just call as 617.566.6660 or come by the store.

If you have an IPAD or any other such device, buy the Born to Run ebook from us. It's the same price with us as it is at Amazon. (And Amazon can't bring the man to Brookline)

Here comes the sun, and with it an overwhelming sense of obligation

Um, in case you haven't heard...Christopher McDougall is coming to the store this Friday to sign. Not only is this the best book for locomotion-motivation, it is also the perfect warm up read for the Boston Marathon. I cannot overstate how enthralling and fascinating this book is. My good-lord if you run (or walk) or shuffle even, this book is for you. So come in and meet the super cool Mr. Mc-D and his crazy amphiby-feet that have taken the running world by storm.

Running and reading share a similar place in my life. I feel sick when I don't practice them regularly, but I feel resentful sometimes they they are the world's best medicine. Have you ever regretted time you spent running or reading? Probably not (unless it was from the cops or the romance section.)

On a particularly pretty day like today, I always feel like an ass when I fail to jog, or pull out whatever I'm reading and sit outside. Nothing makes me feel more like I belong to the world like resonating with a killer collection of poems, good story, or an easy run. *Yet* how quickly we forget how simple little things like reading and running can entertain, fulfill, and even heal any ills you may be tending.

So- let's get out from behind our respective screens, strap on our sports bras and/or happy pants, and go for a run...and if we aren't up for that, let's read about the Ultra marathoners that do. For roughly 150 miles.

Pull-Tabs and Rubber Ducks

So, what’s popular in the kid’s non-fiction section these days? Interactive books.

Not the kind with CDs and Internet codes. I mean the real hands-on books with pull tabs, pop-ups, rotating dials, and flaps. For a lot of kids (and parents) interactive means more engaged learning and active hands. It also means more information can fit on one page. I mean, if it’s non-fiction, you want to get your moneys worth, right?

Let’s dive in to Booksmith’s new and awesome arrival: How the World Works: A Hands-On Guide to Our Amazing Planet, put out by Templar Books (a new imprint of Candlewick).

This Earth Science book covers everything from how the earth orbits, to why earthquakes happen, to how weather works, and more! The layout of this book is approachable and easy to follow. For example, the "Ocean Currents" section uses energetic text, on several green continents, to talk about how water moves. In the blue ocean, energetic arrows and rubber ducks illustrate how water currents flow from one ocean to another. A pull-tab talks about the moon’s influence on the tides. Pretty cool, eh?

Through the use of pull-tabs and flaps and all of those other wonderful interactive tools, this book also makes it easier for readers to follow the subjects one point at a time. The last thing you want in an interactive text is to feel overwhelmed.

How the World Works also provides some logical green tips. Don’t worry, you don’t have to throw out your car and everything plastic. Even simple things help, like turning off the lights and computers when they are not in use. This book emphasizes that humans do have an impact, and a small carbon footprint is okay; just don’t become a Bigfoot when it comes to producing carbon. The best part of this book is the carbon footprint of a cheeseburger. Just how much carbon is emitted through a cheeseburger with lettuce and onions?

Well, you’ll have to read the book to find that one out.

Now, you may be thinking, this is all great information but when it comes to non-fiction books, I have my own theories and opinions. Okay, I do too. But don’t throw the book out because you disagree with a theory or two. Use that incorrect point to talk to your kids about why.

Books are great tools for discussion starters!

Other popular interactive books:
The Ultimate Interactive Atlas of Space (Scholastic Publishing)
Ultimate Interactive Atlas of the World (Scholastic Publishing)
Human Body: An Interactive Guide to the Inner Workings of the Body (Discoverology Series)
The –Ology series: Dragonology, Mythology, Oceanology, and more (Candlewick Press)