OMGARY

I confess that I have a Google Alert set up for Gary Shteyngart & this wondrousness popped in my mailbox at like 3am. Featuring Gary, ♥ Mary Gaitskill ♥, and the seemingly ubiquitous James Franco, here are the secrets of Gary's success and other secrets:

He is reading here in Brookline on September 15 at the Coolidge for his newest novel, Super Sad True Love Story (released 7/27) . Tickets for the reading will go on sale on August 1. Am I excited? A little tiny bit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Myspace Glitter Graphics


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Sorry, thought fangirl moments like this were what you prized in your booksellers. I will continue to shamelessly foam at the mouth about the books I like if I see them in your hands (often it is either of Gary's previous two works for me, of which I have hand-sold dozens & dozens [not that he needed my boost] and lost through lending them enough that I must rebuy them). And you can't stop me, guys - it's, like, a biological thing? - even though I'm truly sorry if I creep you out.


Now this post might pop up in my next Google Alert. Hi!

Darkness

Aaaa! All I think about is the heat. My last place of residence was Southeast Alaska. Let's just say heat waves and droughts there meant it was 70˚ out and that it hadn't rained in a week. 90˚ + humidity, blech! Nevertheless, somewhere in this heat I was able to take refuge next to a fan, in the shade of a tree, and in the air conditioning of the T, and finish an ARC (advanced reading copy) of a young adult book that comes out tomorrow -- well, technically it's classified as middle grade, but because of complex emotions and mature scenes, I deem this a YA.

Ever wonder what it's like to become blind? Priscilla Cummings' Blindsided follows fourteen-year-old Natalie as she loses her sight due to juvenile glaucoma. Now, Natalie has to go to a blind school to learn how to cope with being blind. But adjusting to reading braille and using a cane is the last thing she wants to do. "'Will [Natalie] utilize the skills [she is] learning here to go out and embrace the world? [Or will she] go home to Mom and Dad and hide out, living scared?'"

I used to work at a braille publishing house and throughout every scene of Blindsided, I could see an accurate reflection in what it was like to be blind and the endless frustrations and sightless lifestyle that often surround it. This is the kind of book that I think a lot of people have been looking for. Good books that portray blind persons are practically non-existent. The only decent books out in my opinion -- at least of literary quality -- are retellings of Helen Keller. I fully commend this author for researching blindness so thoroughly. This is a book that has long been needed in today's market.

I give it 3.5 stars. Okay, so why not a perfect score? Don't get me wrong, I couldn't put this book down... However, there were a few scenes I saw coming from far away. Furthermore, there were a few moments where the writing was fragmented (hopefully that is all cleared out, as ARCs are often full of mistakes and unedited lines). Blindsided also borders on being an issue book -- a book that focuses on one specific theme without subplots or much of anything else -- however, because Natalie is learning the blind lifestyle alongside the reader I did not see it as a huge distraction. Did I mention she also lives on a goat farm? And yes, that is one of many sub plots. There were a few awkward moments that came out a bit clunky, but nevertheless, the overall plot shines out over that. If nothing else, Blindsided will give you a lot of insight if you have ever been curious about blindness.

Livin' the Booksmith Dream

Hi there! I'm Liz T. and will be your new Tuesday blogger. Hip hip hooray!

I figured I'd start out by musing on working at Brookline Booksmith, since I am both a new and old employee.

When I found out several months ago that I was going to be laid off from my full time, cubicle job of 11 years at a magazine publishing house, of course I was nervous and a tad fearful, but underneath that was a spark of excitement. No, I did not want to collect unemployment, tune up my resume (not that that's a bad idea anyway,) write endless cover letters and hit the streets looking for a new job. I wanted to work at Booksmith, full time.

I've been at the store part time for almost ten years working nights and weekends, and I've often thought about working here full time and, as I call it, livin' the Booksmith dream. Suddenly, the opportunity arose, stars aligned and I jumped on it. Sure, there have been some logistical adjustments I had to make (I still never know what day it is) and my feet hurt a lot now, but I officially love it!

I've been talking to my friends and family about my "new" job a lot these days and trying to explain to people who've never been here why I love it so much. Sometimes the uninformed wonder why I'd want to work at a retail job - "isn't that a step down after your cushy corporate job?" Not at all, I tell them.

A job at Booksmith is more than a retail job. The store is the hub of a community, a place where people come to find out what's going on. We sell books (new and used), cards and adorable gift items but we also talk about ideas and art, music and poetry, and sometimes politics. It is endlessly interesting. It's a people place. I feel renewed when I come to work and that's not something I could say about my last job in my beige cubicle, where reminders of the corporate values were hung on every wall. My co-workers are smart and dedicated and fun to be around. The customers, from near and far, are just as smart and fun. Our events staff bring in the most talented and varied authors from first time novelists to well-known celebrities.

I'm sure this sentiment has been expressed on this blog before, but I had to add my voice to the others. As far as my soul goes, working here is a major step up. (However, I could use a foot rub.)

See you around the store!

Got You In My Rolodex

Down here in the UBC, there is a rolodex. It is our rolodex. When a customer drops off a bag of books, or if they pop in after the buying hours (wed-sat, 10-4) and would like cash for their books, we usually sift through the books, pulling out what we can use, and produce a cash total. We then get the customer's name and phone number. Sometimes customers will come back during the buying hours to retrieve their cash flow. Other times: not so much. Such is the plight of today's blog topic.

Have you dropped off books and not yet picked up your money? Don't sweat it! We still have your info. There are names and dates that go back two or three years. Is your name Roberta Hayes? Elliot Gellspan? Or the simple, yet elegantly mysterious "GUVAN"? Is your name Devorah Sperling? We still have your credit slip! Come pick it up and treat yourself to a new book! The credit doesn't expire! It ceases to cease! Huzzah!

So if you think there's an outside shot you may have forgotten to visit us and pick up your sweet green, you're in luck because there's still a very good shot we have your info in our rolodex*. Feel free to call us (617-566-6660 ex208) or email us if you have any questions!

* please note that it's not 100% certain. More like 95%.

Going Without

I want to be Amish. I want to add spice to my traveling routine by alternating between a bicycle and a scooter. I want to have a little girl-- and not worry about what TV personality is telling her she's too fat, she's too poor. I want to work with my hands and make bread, grow herbs, brush horses, nail boards. I would love to live this way for--oh let's say...a weekend.










Then I want cable. I want heated water and the warming blue-glow of the Internet Explorer. I want to blow dry the kink out of my bangs. I want to let my fancy toothbrush do its fine job. I want to fall asleep to the sweet white noise of the cartoon network.



The Amish I creepily stalked this weekend in Intercourse/ Bird in Hand Pennsylvania were a thing of majesty to me. I crept up beside a gaggle of teens in three buggies parked at Costco...and took photos of their cavity filled horses. I scanned the internet looking for information on the oh-so exotic sounding "Rumpsringa"---or the Amish answer to the middle-class "undergraduate experience." http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2002/may/amish/





I guess we all want to get out of wherever we are for a bit. We count down the days till the arrival of whatever our employer deems to be our Sabbath. It is easy to romanticize the idea of reading by candlelight in a dress you know will fit, and not having to think about how it looks.

Then remember how delicious it is to choose what you are reading, where you are reading, and why. I curled up last night with a copy of "Fancy Beasts" (a challenging and brisssssk poetry collection by Alex Lemon) http://www.brooklinebooksmith-shop.com/search/apachesolr_search/fancy+beasts and my energy efficient light bulb. I cranked on my energy-saver air conditioning and drifted off into a comfortable, modern, convenient sleep.

paper books are not dead, just wasted.

Every book had a seed embedded in its spine.

The trees were falling for nothing. They sifted through the culture to find the sexiest words this month, and they put these through to the design offices to get the sexiest layout and colorization. The author was found, somewhere, to put a few sentences in, here and there, all sexy. And they wondered how they were going to continue in the new age.

The publishers would not apologize. The readers began to plant the books.

Every day there was one more self-conscious face on the train, pretending that he'd been staring into this little screen for years, and so the publishers worried that electronics will someday, maybe soon, maybe not, depending on the season of the year, replace paper. They printed up ten thousand copies of the book version of the popular website, "Kittyonmypizza." It was what it sounds like.

A well-bound book, printed on acid-free, recycled paper, planted in good earth, given moderate sun and water. Good for something, after all.

On her shoulders

Dear citizens of Brookline and Booksmith fans further afield,

I know what you're thinking since Genie's farewell post. I know that even now you're probably crouched beneath a table, worried that the world as you know it is going to end. What will happen to the events series? you might ask.

But stay calm, friends. Stay calm. I will be taking over the role of Events Director as of next week, and I will do my best to make sure I keep up the momentum Genie has built over the past two years.

I remember when I first came to work at the Booksmith almost a year ago Kate handed me a calendar, and I was baffled by the wonderful, wonderful authors we had lined up. Since then, I've seen authors who were taught in my college courses as exemplars of contemporary literature. I have seen the store filled to the point where moving is impossible and even breathing is difficult. I am still, I must admit, a little baffled.

To step into Genie's role here is a great honor. I know how well Genie has done, and I know that I am taking on a huge amount of responsibility, that the work I do will directly affect the store and our customers, as well as the authors who come to visit us. I know that readings mean a lot to everyone--to the audience, who get to meet the people who have entertained and amazed them, to writers because they get to see the people they've touched through their countless hours of solitary work. And Genie has done a wonderful job of creating such moments.

But it is precisely because Genie did such a great job that I feel so excited about stepping into this position. We've already booked our events through September, and we have some huge names coming. I have been working closely with Genie, and the handover will go smoothly.

I can't be her. I don't know that I can fill her shoes. But I have shoes of my own. And I will do my best. And I think, if you'll take my hand and come out from under that table, we can have a lot of fun.