Splurge: New Bookish Self-Gifties

I splurged over the weekend and let myself do some shopping.  I really strive to keep a proper balance between buying books and reading books because it is so incredibly easy to overbuy and end up with shelves full of books I don't have time for and risk losing interest in.

I didn't have plans to buy any specific book when I walked into my local book shop, but since I'd finally finished the last two hardcover books I'd purchased there, I felt a little open-ended shopping was in order.

The first book I noticed when I walked in happened to be my current book club book: The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer.  For some reason I'd assumed by the title that this was going to be a light&fluffy but it doesn't really look that way! Have you read it?

I bought The Rosie Project because of Emily @ As the Crowe Flies and Reads.  I don't really know anything about it, because I'd rather go into it without any preconceived notions, but she read it multiple times last year so I know that it's worth my time.

We Need New Names caught my eye, partially because of the author's intriguing name, and partially because of the interesting title and the airplane on the front (my husband is a private pilot so flight catches my attention).  The synopsis wasn't what ended up selling me on the book, (children from Zimbabwe try to escape to America,) it was actually the author bio on the back flap that made me decide to take a chance on something unknown to me. Born in Zimbabwe and living in America with an MFA from Cornell, I think it is safe to say that the author knows her topic.

In other shopping, I stopped in a local boutique that has a lovely array of handpicked items. When I was Christmas shopping in December, I had a really hard time not buying things for myself, but I was strong and waited until February (when it seems only right that one should buy things for one's self). The main thing I coveted was this gorgeous wooden crate with monthly dividers—the perfect arrangement for a tangible view of the books I've read.  I also snagged a Library candle based on Leo Tolstoy: black plum, persimmon, and oak moss. Mmmm.

Bookish Gifts, and How Amazing is Powell's Books?!

Before I get to posting all my year-end lists, I have to show you all the books I've given and received over the holidays!  Too much goodness to pass up!  I decided this year that I was going to get a book for everybody, even the ones that don't read.  Too bad, tough cookies, you're getting a book.  In addition to other gifties, of course, but still.

Books Given: (click on the pics to find out more about each title)
For those to whom reading is Hard Work: (my father-in-law, brother-in-law, and 11 year-old daughter)


For those preferring NonFiction: (my father and a sister-in-law)


For the Deep Thinkers: (my brother and 12 year-old son)


For the Lit Lovers: (my other brother, step-mother-in-law, and grandmother-in-law)


All right, so there were (admittedly) some friends and family that didn't get books.  My other sister-in-law, my other mother-in-law and father-in-law...but since we haven't had our gift exchanges as of yet, I've still got time to decide for them!  Also, I didn't include the picture books for my little one or my nieces...rest assured that the little ones weren't neglected!

and...Why Powell's Books is Amazing:

I try to buy my books not-on-Amazon, which means I typically patronize my local Barnes&Noble, or my new flame: Powell's Books.  I stumbled upon Powell's, an independent bookstore based in Portland, Oregon, when I found (and subscribed) to their Indiespensable program at the beginning of the year--I've been nothing but happy with them since.

Recently my "happy" status got boosted up a few notches when Powell's went above and beyond for me in the crazy few days before Christmas.  I had placed an order with them towards the beginning of December, and had my books shipped to our vacation home (500 miles away) where we are spending the holidays.  I somehow forgot that the USPS won't deliver there, however, so when we arrived at the house a week before Christmas, my Powell's package was nowhere to be found.  (*cue utter despair, wailing, gnashing of teeth--Christmas without books??  Nooo!!!)

First thing, I checked their website, which led me to a very thorough package-tracking-log.  Sure enough, my package had been returned to them.  I called them first thing the next morning, and was completely impressed with the lengths they (er, Mike, actually--hi Mike!) went for me.  I'd been dreading having my husband suggest canceling my Powell's order and placing an Amazon Prime order instead...fortunately it didn't come to that (I like to use my Prime shipping for larger items...like chipper shredders.  True story.)  First, they attempted to locate my package.  When it looked like the post office had mixed it in with the masses of incoming books [from publishers etc.] I was about to accept my fate, but Mike had other tricks up his sleeve.  It ended up being a most-of-the-day ordeal on his end (I'm guessing), including him searching for additional copies of the books I'd ordered, and looking for my package multiple times.  The result? My package was ultimately found and sent out via UPS, arriving in 2 days at no extra charge to me.  All of my stuff, before Christmas, even though it was my goof-up, not theirs.

my favorite mug   :)

I'm blown away.  I can't imagine many shopping experiences having such a personal, fulfilling result.  These guys rock.  Thank you Powell's Books!  You made this Christmas a fabulous one.

Oh! and Wait!  the Books I Received for Christmas!
It isn't every year that there are books under the tree, you know?  So often my family thinks I've got plenty of books already, or they look at my wishlist and get overwhelmed.  This year I lucked out--so much fun!  My parents got me a BookBook for my iphone (*swoon) and my darling dear husband got me some actual books--that's because he knows that when I say "I already have too many books," he's supposed to laugh.  That's my idea of a good joke.  So, here's the goodies (including a zombie treat from my brother):

Also over the last week, since I'm around my other set of TBR books, I've been doing some massive culling and reorganizing.  I'm getting rid of quite a few books, which somehow--in combination with the end of the Christmas Craziness--leaves me with incredible urge to go on a book-buying-spree.  Shopping carts in a book store sounds like just the thing right now, don't you think?  Half of me hopes I'll resist, half of my wants to fill up my Powell's shopping cart before I have the opportunity to change my mind.  Either way, hope you all are having a happy week.  I may not be getting mountains of reading done this month, but it's filled with some bookish happiness all the same.  I hope that goes for all of you as well--thanks for being such grand literary company!

Yes, Please!

Posters I'd actually decorate with from Spineless Classics: Imagine a whole book on a single sheet.

If they weren't so expensive I'd be all over it...as it is, I'll have to cross my fingers and hope to find one of these under the Christmas tree.

Books for Christmas and my Intro to Graphic Novels

I always get my kiddos at least one book for Christmas, whether they like it or not (they usually do).  Since I want them to actually read the book, I do my best to find something that they wouldn't necessarily choose, but will be interested in all the same.

My 6 year-old daughter has recently been introduced to SkippyJon Jones, so she received SkippyJon Jones in the Doghouse.  This little Siamese cat has a huge imagination and is convinced he is a chihuahua.  These books make for some fun reading for any age, my girls especially like the pet names that Mama Junebug Jones calls her little ones.

My 10 year-old daughter and my 11 year-old son are at pretty different reading levels.  She has difficulty really focusing when reading silently, and I probably should have considered that a little more when choosing her book.  I picked The Name of This Book is Secret, (which I haven't yet read,) and it seems that the size of the book, at  384 pages--something I neglected to notice when shopping online, shame on me--is slightly intimidating to her.  In addition, she is having a hard time getting into the writing style.  I may have to read it aloud to her, or simply pre-read it so I can help her process it by answering any questions.  It looked like the humor and mystery would be right up her alley...I have yet to see.

My 11 year-old son, on the other hand, just finished reading The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit.  Wait, let me repeat, I don't think you realize how impressed I am with this guy: My 11 year old just read The Lord of the Rings!!  How cool is that?  And you know what he said when I asked him what he was going to read next?  He got a little teary and said he just wanted to read it all over again, that it felt like he'd lost a friend.  Is that the sign of a good book, or what?  Makes me ashamed of myself: when I was assigned to read the Fellowship of the Ring in high school I only made it through about 40 pages before I was bored to tears.  Guess what he's started reading now?  Robinson Crusoe.  He says that it was a little boring to begin with, but still he pushes on.  He was talking to me today about the similarities it has to Swiss Family Robinson, so we got to do some research on that end (turns out, SFR was inspired by Crusoe...was actually the author's way of telling his children the stories in Robinson Crusoe while adding some spiritual/moral guidance.)  My little guy amazes me.

Anyhow, while he is a great reader, with a great attention span, vocabulary, and comprehension skills, it is somewhat difficult to get him interested and convince him to read a specific book in the first place.  For him I chose Millions.  He'd read Cosmic, also by Frank Cottrell Boyce, earlier this year and loved it.  That was enough to convince him he'd enjoy this book.  And he did, in one night.  He insists I need to read both books.  I probably should.

My 14 year-old son is a good reader, but his eyes are bigger than his stomach.  He loves to have a book collection, but actually buckling down and reading them all kind of fades into the more important matters of playing guitar and chatting on Facebook.  So instead of getting him a big fat book for his collection, I thought I'd introduce him (and thereby myself as well) to the world of graphic novels (outside of manga, which he occasionally enjoys).  After scouring book blog recommendations and Amazon suggestions, I settled on two titles: Gray Horses and Smile.

Gray Horses is really about the art.  The story is a quiet one, about a French Exchange student in America.  The illustrations are all two-color, which gives it a more serious, artsy feel, and the story is almost more imagined than told.  I loved how the girl's thoughts (which were in French, because, well, she was French) were translated into English.  It was simple, a slim 112 pages, but inspiring.

Smile, on the other hand, has full color illustrations, is longer (at 224 pages,) but still pretty quick to read.  The illustrations are more cartoon like (almost like Fox Trot comics) but very expressive and well done.  There is much more detail in the story-line, and provided a great contrast to Gray Horses.  While Gray Horses was interesting, and an interesting study in art and graphic novels, Smile was more widely sought and appreciated by my family.  The only one who didn't pick it up and read it straight through was my 6 year-old...and, well, that's understandable.  Everyone enjoyed it, even my husband (shocker!  he must have really been on vacation if he found the time to sit down and read!).  This book actually convinced my 10 year-old daughter that she didn't want braces after all, even if she does think they look neat.

My foray into graphic novels was enjoyable.  I liked seeing the two very different examples of what's out there.  While I don't see how one could exist on graphic novels alone, I can understand the allure.  They provide a quick, engaging escape, and are by no means necessarily less thought out than other fiction.  Have you read any graphic novels lately?

Handmade Literary Holidays

Get a jump on the "Black Friday" madness by shopping from the comfort of your own home. Have you heard of Etsy? If you value the handmade and the artistic, this is a wonderful place to hunt down that perfect gift item. Here are some things I'm liking right now:

You Must Allow Me to Tell You...

A Festive Literary Ornament

Bronze Letterpress Necklace

Bridges and Balloons Moleskine

What will you hide in a hollow book?

Multifont Buckle

Blue Bells Flower Bookmark

Bookish Crane Mobile