A Magazine for the Northwest’s Most Avid Readers
The Chuckanut Summer 2011
Reader
Don't Miss Our Storewide
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SALE
the Books ANthD Paper Dreams lag at Vil
A Village Books Publication Vol. 18 Issue 2
31st Anniversary
SALE
at both Village Books AND Paper Dreams!
F F O 2EVE0% RYTHING!!
*
*almost! ask for details
Sat., June 18th & Sun.11 , –7June 19th 10am–8:30pm
am
pm
Google eBooks An Update
Last December, we began a partnership with Google to sell Google eBooks through our website. Since that time, we've had dozens of satisfied customers download eBooks to read on their NOOKs, iPads, or other eReaders. If you read eBooks you too can buy them from Village Books—most at the same price you'll find them anywhere. You can find full information on downloading and search the books available (nearly any published eBook). If you have questions please contact chuck@villagebooks.com. You may have noticed that T.D. Curran, the local authorized Apple dealer, has a presence in the bookstore. Their associates have talked with hundreds of folks about iPads and helped them learn how to download books from Village Books. Stop in and take a look. You can also purchase an iPad in the store when their associates are present.
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Summer 2011
Building Community One Book at a Time
Dear Reader,
Here comes summer. Let's hope it's more summery than spring was springy. Although book lovers will admit that bad weather's not so bad if you have a good book to read, most of us are ready for a little reading in the sun, and this edition of the Reader is chock-full of some great summer reads. There are reviews and previews, announcements of author events and Chuckanut Radio Hours, and lots of news about books and community activities. We were very pleased with the reactions to The One Book Pledge that we mentioned in the spring Reader. Check out page 6 for some exciting news about that. We're also pleased to announce the second annual, and greatly expanded, Camp VB for young readers. Christina will be engaging kids ages 8 to 13 in activities and explorations on each Thursday afternoon in July and August (see page 48 for more information). We are celebrating VB's 31st Anniversary with our annual sale, thanking you, our loyal customers, for more than three decades of supporting this locally owned and independently operated business. It's likely the greatest understatement ever, but we couldn't do it without you. Thanks!
–Chuck, Dee,
and all of us at Village Books
In This Issue... Don't miss our BIG SALE & an eBook Update Dear Reader Summer Activities in Fairhaven and Beyond Take the One Book Pledge Fiction, Mystery, & Sci Fi (book highlights & reviews) WWU Connections Brown Bag Series When Jim Lynch Came to Town The Weird & Wonderful––Fiction Recommendations The Chuckanut Writers Conference - You Should Go! Biographies & Memoirs (book highlights & reviews) In the Kitchen with Charles––Cookbook Reviews Food (book highlights) and a Welcome The Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema Summer Schedule Insights, Outdoors, Science, Math, & Travel (books!) A Tale of Two Cities TOUR––Check it Out! Wade's Worldly Wisdom––Driving in Europe The Chuckanut Radio Hour Summer Line-up Insects, Birds, Animals (book highlights) Great Non-fiction Books & Cool Activities Arts, Crafts, History, Current Affairs (more great books) VB Reads... VB Book Discussion Groups Indies Choice Book Awards Summer Contests Books & More for Kids (highlights & reviews) Literature Live! Author Events at VB Great Local Restaurants You Should Check Out Become a Member of the Pickford Film Center
2 3 4-5 5-6 7-11 1213 15-16 16 17-18 21 22-23 24 27-30 31 32 33 33-35 36-37 39-42 43-44 45 46 47-50 51-53 54 55
VILLAGE BOOKS
The Chuckanut Reader Summer 2011
Publishers: Chuck and Dee Robinson Production Design: Kelly Carbert
Contributors: Cathy Belben, Kelly Carbert, Charles Claassen, Christina Claassen, Brian Griffin, Robert Gruen, Rachel Hanley, Sarah Hutton, Sam Kaas, Linda Lambert, Nan Macy, Wade Marlow, Claire McElroy-Chesson, Lindsey McGuirk, Laura Picco, Chuck Robinson, Dee Robinson, Rem Ryals, Joan Terselich, Jonica Todd, Terri Weiner, Cindi Williamson Cover: Ahhhh.... Summer! Paper Dreams has loads of colorful summer gifts––stop by! Photo by Kelly Carbert content except art & book covers ©Village Books 2011 Printed by the Lynden Tribune on paper made from 50% post-consumer waste
360.671.2626 800.392.BOOK (US & Canada) fax: 360.734.2573
browse & shop anytime!
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Village Books in Historic Fairhaven us onWA Facebook 1200 11th St.,Follow Bellingham, 98225
and Twitter!
www.VillageBooks.com 360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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Sa
Village Books & Fairhaven Runners
y, June 18 a d r tu
12th AnnUAL
5K Walk/Run for Literacy including a Free Kids’ 1/2 Mile Run (10 & under) at 8:30am We hope all runners, walkers, readers, and literacy advocates will come and participate in the 12th Annual Anniversary Walk/Run for Literacy. Enjoy good company, good food, live music, awards, and a drawing for random prizes after the race at the Fairhaven Village Green!
VOLUNTEER!
running and If you’re not up for walking or us as a still want to help the cause, join or contact volunteer! Sign up now at VB (671-2626). tion rma VB’s Dave Lippiatt for more info ad Co., sponsors: Great Harvest Bre A HUGE THANKS to our ham ling Bel r ate w, The Gre Fairhaven Haggen, Copies No fe! Ca on Running Club, & the Coloph
All Proceeds Benefit the Whatcom Literacy Council
Day-of Registration behind Village Books 8:00–8:45am $15/individual $25/family
Register NOW! $10/Individual • $20/Family Register on-line now at GetMeRegistered.com. Registration forms are also available at both stores. Pre-register through June 16th. No June 17th registration.
READERS
Summer Fun!
RIDE
Friday, July 22, 1pm Join Chuck and Dee (and perhaps other Village Books folks) on Friday, July 22, for Readers Ride. We'll begin at 1:00pm at the Fairhaven Village Green behind the store, ride at a slow, social pace into downtown where we'll visit Michael's Books and Henderson Books, and return to Fairhaven, where riders will receive a free copy of The Fairhaven Folktales of Dirty Dan Harris and a discount coupon from Village Books, as well as a free lemonade or ice tea from Book Fare Café on the mezzanine level of the bookstore. Readers Ride is part of Everybody Bike's Summer Rides program, eighteen rides that began on May 1st with nearly 100 riders of all ages. For a full schedule of rides go to www.everybodyBIKE.com and choose "all events" in the blue menu bar. 4
Summer 2011
Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
Summer Fun!
Farmers Market
Summer Solstice
Wednesdays June through September
in Fairhaven Friday, June 17th, 5–9pm
on the Green
The Bellingham Farmers Market returns to the Fairhaven Village Green for the summer months. Every Wednesday afternoon from 12pm until 5pm you’ll find fresh local produce, food vendors and locally produced crafts in the booths surrounding the Green. It’s a great time to stroll and see friends, listen to some musical entertainment, and pick up something really fresh for dinner.
19th Annual
WALK-ABOUT
What a fantastic night for a stroll through Fairhaven ! You’ll find dozens of shops and galleries displaying unique loc al art for the home and garden. Ma ny artists wil l be in attendance and there will be demonstra tions at numerous loc ations. Get out and enjoy yourself!
Saturday & Sunday June 25th–26th The ninth year of presenting creative, cost effective, environmentally friendly homes & landscapes. You can tour eight brand spanking new sites in and around Bellingham, each with a unique DIY spin. Come see innovative remodels that incorporate unique ideas full of flavor and attitude. Walk through Bellingham’s newest and creative cohousing development while touring one of the most efficient homes ever built. Get your hands on urban landscapes that have been tilled upside down to grow veggies for surrounding neighbors, and climb up high to peek at a recycled rooftop built to grow. Each site has a story unto itself and is packed full of useful tips, takeaways, and onsite experts to help you jumpstart your next green project.
Beautiful homes & landscapes will inspire you to create.
Prices are $12 for individuals. , Kids 12 and under are FREE! Tickets go on sale early June at Village Books, The Community Food Co-op, The REstore, Garden Spot Nursery, and Bakerview Nursery & Garden Center. Tickets will also be sold online––see www.sustainableconnections.org.
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Tickets include weekend admission to all tour stops, a tour map, and a detailed resource guide about the products and services featured by local earth-friendly design enthusiasts. Be bold, get inspired and show your friends why this is NW Washington’s favorite eco home tour.
Summer 2011
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ONE BOOK PLEDGE In the Dear Reader column of the spring edition of the Chuckanut Reader, Chuck mentioned the One Book Pledge. We've been overwhelmed by the positive comments we've received about the idea. So, we're officially launching the One Book Pledge drive. Stop in the store and sign the One Book Pledge form. It says: Recognizing the importance of independent bookstores like Village Books to the health and culture of the community, and understanding the challenges faced by independent stores, I hereby pledge to buy one more book from Village Books and one less from other online sellers, chain stores, and other retailers. Once you've signed your pledge card, we'll display it with other signed cards and give you a button that says "I took the One Book Pledge." We hear all the time from customers that they want Village Books to continue to be here. Help make that a reality. Take the One Book Pledge.
whatcom folk school 360-676-8548
IN PRINT & ONLINE BELLINGHAM / WHATCOM COUNTY Featuring local artists, galleries and culture from around Bellingham and Whatcom County
www.WhatcomFolkSchool.org Summer 2011 Catalog Available Now 360.319.7495 6
Summer 2011
Shop 24 hours a day at www.VillageBooks.com
FICTION
At Village Books
Erica Bauermeister Wednesday, July 13th, 7pm Joy for Beginners: A Novel by Erica Bauermeister June, hardcover, Putnam
A group of friends gathers to celebrate their friend Kate’s recovery from cancer, and they make a deal that will change each of their lives. Having survived cancer and wanting to celebrate being alive, Kate will do one thing that has always terrified her—white water rafting—but only on one condition: her friends must each do something they thought they’d never do, AND Kate gets to pick what it is. What unfolds is a story of friendship and trust, lyrically told with humor and warmth. Savor this story from the author of the bestselling book, The School of Essential Ingredients. ––Nan
You Think That's Bad by Jim Shepard
available now, hardcover, Random House
Freya Stark exploring in Arabia, a Polish climbing team attempting winter ascents in the Himalayas, an Iraq war veteran on the verge of losing it, the Japanese inventor of the animation in Godzilla––these are the subjects of Jim Shepard's wonderful stories about the extremes of human experience. As the estranged Japanese wife says to her husband of their courtship letters: "They're such strange things, so full of connection." No easy connections here, except maybe to the "wild and beautiful" earth, and few writers explore the bruised hearts of those on the edge with such honesty. ––Rem
The Story of Beautiful Girl: A Novel
Orientation and Other Stories
by Rachel Simon
June, hardcover, Faber & Faber
available now, hardcover, Grand Central Publishing
In this fantastically original debut collection, Daniel Orozco leads the reader through the secret lives and moral philosophies of bridge painters, men housebound by obesity, office temps, and warehouse workers. The stories are formally inventive and each has a gutpunch impact, softened only by lyricism and black humor. Our tough-to-impress sales rep loved this book.
Lynnie and Homan, deeply in love, escape from the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded with Lynnie's baby girl and find refuge in Martha's farmhouse. Homan escapes, Lynnie is caught, and baby Julia is hidden by Martha. So begins the 40year epic journey of four people, divided by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet drawn together by a secret pact and extraordinary love.
The Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillips
available now, hardcover, Random House
This recently discovered Shakespeare play will surely prove to be a remarkable addition to any collection. Tragic and moving, it tells a powerful coming of age story, and as a history it could be ranked among the Bard's best. Featuring notes and a detailed introduction from... wait, what? What do you mean? You're saying that The Tragedy of Arthur isn't a long-lost Shakespeare play at all? That, in fact, it's a novel by Arthur Phillips (author of The Song is You and Prague)? You mean this is all just a big con? Oh, well. It's still a bloody good read. ––Sam
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
by Daniel Orozco
Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
available now, hardcover, Viking
Set in Martha's Vineyard in 1660, this novel is about the first Native American to graduate from Harvard. But as with all excellent books, there are many different threads running through this story that make this a wide and varied discussion. We know that the early colonies were founded on Puritan views of faith, but how did those views shape the day-to-day reality of life? And what does it do to a person (or a community) to see all others as not Godly? I confess that many of these views made me very angry and frustrated. But I think it is very important to understand our inheritance and history as it was when new, and not as we might wish it to be. ––Jonica
Summer 2011
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MORE SUMMER FICTION TWO Great Reviews!
The Borrower
by Rebecca Makkai available now, hardcover, Penguin
If you liked Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close or The Book Thief or City of Thieves or any book with a precious young boy as a lead character, then you'll want to read The Borrower. Plus, this book spins the styles of other books (such as Pat the Bunny or Choose Your Own Adventure) into the narrative, which makes for so much fun. It's a book that's pro books. You can't go wrong! ––Lindsey
Conquistadora
by Esmeralda Santiago July, hardcover, Alfred A. Knopf
Inspired by texts and stories of her ancestors who explored the tropics with Ponce de Leon, 18-year-old Ana Larragoity Cubillas has convinced the Argoso twin brothers to move from their upper-crust life in Spain to run a sugar plantation in Puerto Rico in 1844. Ana wants to feel the earth between her fingers and get away from the stuffy, tedious life of Spain. Through grit, hardship, and a hardened emotional armor, Ana becomes the true "haciendera" of the plantation. I'll admit that I first picked up this book because of the alluring cover painting, but I was not disappointed with the story. I quickly became enraptured by Esmeralda Santiago's vivid and shockingly honest characters, as well as her thorough historical representation. ––Christina
In the children's book section of the public library in Hannibal, Missouri, Lucy Hull helps bring exciting books into the life of her favorite patron, ten-year-old Ian Drake. Soon, Lucy's interest in Ian and his well-being may be crossing a line, and before she knows it, she "kidnaps" the boy who is running away from home. Throughout their road trip journey around the Midwest and East Coast, you often wonder who really is the kidnapper, and who is the kidnapped. This is a quirky, but heart-felt story that is perfect for a summer roadtrip. ––Christina
I’ll Never Get Out of this World Alive by Steve Earle
available now, hardcover, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
A brilliant excavation of an obscure piece of music history, Steve Earle's I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive is also a marvelous novel in its own right, a ballad of regret and redemption, and of the ways in which we remake ourselves and our world through the smallest of miracles.
22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson
available now, hardcover, Pamela Dorman Books
If you enjoyed the World War II novel, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, about ordinary citizens surviving Hitler's armies, you will love 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson. This fictional tale will carry you through the sorrows and trauma of war as you follow a star-crossed couple, Silvana and Janusz, torn apart in Poland when Hitler's armies march into Warsaw. But their reunion as refugees in England six years later only highlights the hard work of healing, of telling the awful truths, of finding a new way to live in peace. This novel has a strong story line, character development and several surprise revelations, and it would make a great book group selection. ––Cindi
The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht
available now, hardcover, Random House
I love a good historical novel, especially one with wonderfully unusual characters. This book captured me from the very first page with its rich images and compelling, unfolding plot. Running through this story of family dynamics and affection are the chaotic events of cultures at odds with each other over the same piece of land (the Balkans), and a riveting myth of a deathless man. Oh, and a tiger. What the different myths might mean is the heart of the story. ––Jonica
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Summer 2011
Building Community One Book at a Time
Kamchatka
FICTION
by Marcelo Figeuras, translated by Frank Wynne available now, paperback, Grove Press
"What binds us," Marcelo Figeuras writes, "is stronger than what separates us." Figeuras's novel, originally published in Spanish in 2003, is the story of a family's struggle to avoid separation during the 1976 political upheaval in Argentina, and of a son's struggle to come to terms with things that cannot be fully explained. Told through the eyes of a ten year old boy, this is a tale both of small wonders and massive events, both of the endless uncertainty of the future and the often unappreciated beauty of the present. A wonderful novel, wonderfully translated. ––Sam
Paperback Pao: A Novel by Kerry Young
July, paperback, Bloomsbury
This is the irresistible story of Pao, ChineseJamaican racketeer, not-so-ruthless fixer, star-crossed lover, as he navigates the roiling history of twentieth-century Jamaica. As Pao turns to Sun Tzu's Art of War, the juxtaposition of the weighty, aphoristic words of the ancient Chinese sage, with the tricky criminal and romantic predicaments Pao must negotiate builds the basis of the novel's great charm.
Your Presence is Requested at Suvanto: A Novel by Maile Chapman
The Sojourn
June, paperback, Graywolf Press
by Andrew Krivak
On a late-summer day, a new patient arrives at the Finnish convalescent hospital called Suvanto and soon Suvanto's reliable calm begins to show signs of strain. As the year approaches a long dark winter, the escalating menace of Maile Chapman's astonishing debut novel builds to a terrifying conclusion. “Shockingly, bracingly good.”--Los Angeles Times
available now, paperback, Bellevue Literary Press
When World War I comes, young Jozef Vinich is sent to the southern front where he must survive the killing trenches, a perilous trek across the Alps, and capture by a victorious army. Sebastian Smee of the Boston Globe calls this stunning debut novel “intimate and keenly observed… a war story, love story, and coming of age novel all rolled into one.”
Secrets from the Vinyl Café by Stuart McLean
Perfect Reader
available now, paperback, Riverhead Books
by Maggie Pouncey July, paperback, Anchor
Flora Dempsey is the headstrong only child of Lewis Dempsey, a famous literary critic. When her father passes away, Flora returns to her hometown to act as her father's literary executor. She discovers he was secretly writing poems at the end of his life—love poems to a girlfriend Flora didn't know he had, a girlfriend who has her own claims on Lewis's poetry and his memory.
Droll and masterful storyteller Stuart McLean is back. You may know him from his radio show (The Vinyl Café of the title) or from his Bellingham performance last fall. If you don’t know Stuart’s work, get ready to laugh as he wends his way through the every day (mis)adventures of Dave and Morley, and their family and friends. Here are some classics from the show, like “Christmas at the Turlington’s,” as well as many new favorites. Come along as Stuart exposes human foibles and folly, leaving readers satisfied yet wanting more. This is storytelling at its best! ––Nan
You Lost Me There: A Novel by Rosecrans Baldwin
August, paperback, Riverhead
Alzheimer's researcher Dr. Victor Aaron spends his days alternating between long hours in the lab and running through memories of his late wife, Sara. When he discovers a series of index cards in Sara's handwriting chronicling the major changes in direction of their marriage, this eminent memory expert finds his faith in memory itself unraveling, and he must find a way to move on.
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Loads of Great Paperback Choices Summer 2011
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FICTION
Super Sad True Love Story: A Novel by Gary Shteyngart
available now, paperback, Random House
It's a time in the near future and Lenny Abramov is something of a dinosaur—he speaks in full sentences, keeps a diary, and owns books. After a year-long business trip to Italy he returns to New York, where tanks and soldiers litter the streets in anticipation of a visit from the Chinese Central Banker, who is coming to take the lay of a land of skyrocketing debt.
French Lessons by Ellen Sussman
July, paperback, Ballantine
Three Americans—a heartbroken and pregnant young woman, a neglected ex-pat housewife, and a handsome, middle-aged husband of a powerhouse film star—each spend a stormy day crisscrossing the city with three separate French tutors in this charming story of love and yearning. As they wander, the city begins to work its magic on each of them.
Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day by Ben Loory
Hector and the Secrets of Love: A Novel by François Lelord
June, paperback, Penguin
August, paperback, Penguin
Loory's collection of wry and witty, dark and perilous contemporary fables is populated by people and monsters and trees and jocular octopi who are united by twin motivations: fear and desire. In a voice full of fable, myth, and dream, these stories draw us into a world of delightfully wicked recognitions.
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel by Tom Franklin
Young French psychiatrist, Hector, having found that love seems virtually inseparable from happiness, begins taking notes on this powerful emotion. Unbeknownst to him, his beloved Clara is making her own investigations into love. This is a feel-good life manual wrapped in a globetrotting adventure, told with a blend of a fairy tale's naive wisdom and a satirist's dry wit.
available now, paperback, Harper Perennial
A powerful and resonant novel from Tom Franklin—critically acclaimed author of Smonk and Hell at the Breech— Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter tells the riveting story of two boyhood friends, torn apart by circumstance, who are brought together again by a terrible crime in a small Mississippi town. An extraordinary novel that seamlessly blends elements of crime and Southern literary fiction, Franklin's narrative has been compared to the likes of Harper Lee, Flannery O'Connor, Elmore Leonard, and Cormac McCarthy.
SCI FI The Inheritance & Other Stories by Robin Hobb & Megan Lindholm available now, paperback, HarperCollins
This collection of short stories and novellas includes fantasy by Robin Hobb and some of her science fiction under the pseudonym Megan Lindholm. I liked every story and fell for the protagonists––mostly strong women living on the edges of their various societies. There are alien musicians, struggling artists, and plotting cats. Through the tales threads a dignified demand for social justice––no sledgehammer, but a quiet voice with a clear vision. –Terri
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Summer 2011
The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling July, paperback, Spectra
1991: Gibson and Sterling created "st e amp unk" by envisioning a world in which the technology of today was created during the Victorian era by means of steam power. 1855: The Industrial Revolution is in full swing, powered by steam-driven cybernetic Engines. Charles Babbage perfects his Analytical Engine, and the computer age arrives a century ahead of its time.
Building Community One Book at a Time
The Dewey Decimal System by Nathan Larson
Mystery
available now, paperback, Akashic Books
This dystopian mystery takes place in a New York ruined by pandemics and terrorists and features a fascinating protagonist: an obsessive-compulsive veteran with a love for literature and a spotty memory. Living in the public library and wanting nothing more than to reorganize the books, he gets drawn into a bloody mystery in this riveting debut noir.
The Devil Amongst the Lawyers: A Ballad Novel by Sharyn McCrumb June, paperback, Griffin
This is both a literary tour-de-force and a page-turning tale of suspense that will keep readers wondering about Erma, the beautiful 21-year-old mountain girl accused of murder, until the very end. “Flat-out brilliant and transcendent, a book that gets everything exactly right. Simply put, novels don't come any better than this."—Martin Clark
A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia De Luce Novel by Alan Bradley
available now, hardcover, Delacorte Press
She’s independent, cheeky, and a little too smart for her own good. Flavia De Luce, pre-teen chemistry whiz and selfdeputized criminal investigator is on the case again, looking for clues and trying to avoid being killed while also trying to be on time for dinner. Set in the post-WWII English countryside, this cozy mystery will keep you entertained, intrigued, and delighting in the hutzpah of this gutsy girl detective. This would be a great summer to read all three of the stand alone Flavia De Luce mysteries. Viva Flavia! ––Nan
Carola Tossetti, M.A.
Credentialed Reading Specialist is summer a GREAT time Q: Why for reading instruction? who read on grade A: Students level are more likely to enjoy and do well in school. This September can be the best school year ever, with 1:1 summer reading instruction.
Students, parents, and teachers can learn about Carola’s programs and summer rates at:
BellinghamReading.com
I-5 & Samish Way • 360.333.8777 Today is a great day to begin reading a new book!
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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WWU
C NNECTIONS A Brown Bag Speaker Series
Village Books and the Western Washington University Libraries are pleased to present WWU Connections, a brown bag speaker series highlighting the expertise of WWU faculty and staff. Join us at Village Books for engaging presentations and discussion––second Tuesdays at noon. Tuesday, June 14, 12pm RUTH STEELE, Archivist for the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies at WWU "Views to the Past: Accessing Archives in the Digital Age" Current web and digital technologies provide exciting opportunities to share information and historical records about people, places, and events from times past. In this presentation, Ruth Steele will discuss archival collections available at WWU’s Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, and the Center’s ongoing work to preserve and provide access to holdings including historic photographs and oral histories.
WWU Connections is taking the rest of the summer off––see you in the Fall!
Co-presented by Village Books & The Western Washington University Libraries
SALE Servicing Most European & Japanese Models
20% OFF
Sat. & Sun. June 18th & 19th
at Village Books AND Paper Dreams!
North Cascades Institute Celebrating 25 Years of Conserving & Restoring Northwest Environments Through Education
• Northwest Naturalists Retreat July 28 – 31 with Robert Michael Pyle, Jennifer Hahn, Scott Fitkin, John Rohrer Writing Classes at the Environmental Learning Center: • The Art of the Quest Narrative August 22 – 24 with Nick O’Connell • The Art of the Essay October 7 – 9 with Lyanda Lynn Haupt • 12th Annual Thunder Arm Writing Retreat September 8 – 11 with Tim McNulty, Ana Maria Spagna, Langdon Cook 360 671.2420
Shop 24/7 at VILLAGEBOOKS.com 12
Summer 2011
(360) 854-2599 www.ncascades.org/get_outside Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
When JIM LYNCH Came to Town
by Linda Lambert
J
im Lynch—Olympia resident, former journalist, UW graduate, author of The Highest Tide and Border Songs—was the 2011 author for WhatcomREADS!—or as he calls it “My lucky bastard tour.”
He remembers when he used to sit in the back of Elliott Bay Books Company in Seattle, listening to an author he liked and wishing he was “that lucky bastard.” Now he is, but it took multiple rejection notices and a lot of work to become the published novelist that he is today. After high school, Lynch was employed as a bellman, security guard, salmon cannery worker and a maid at The Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park. (see jimlynchbooks.com/bio.htm.) Then he became a journalist, spending a total of 18 years in places as varied as an Alaska fishing village and Washington, DC. It was his custom to rise early every morning and work on his own fiction. His break came when he was offered a contract for The Highest Tide. He quit his job with the Seattle Times two days later. Lynch, extremely generous with his time during his three February days in Whatcom County, participated in 10 events including a border patrol panel at Western, a birding walkabout, community book club discussions at local and county libraries, high school and college classrooms, and two major public presentations at Whatcom Community College, He related to and engaged each audience, whether it was stacked with students who hadn’t read his book (not his favorite venue), or with Canadian fans who drove down from BC to hear him. He fielded questions with ease. When asked whether he’d had any feedback from potheads (marijuana smuggling is a prominent theme in Border Songs) he quipped, “They don’t read.” Lynch evidenced a certain humble amazement that a guy in Scotland followed the travels of his characters on Google Earth, that a beach bum in Hawaii passed The Highest Tide around to all his buddies and concluded, via email, “You rock my face off,” and that a girl “who looked like Paris Hilton” was featured on the cover of the British edition of The Highest Tide. Lynch said that he enjoyed getting to know Brandon as he wrote about his character in Border Songs. “Brandon is more than an oddball—he’s gifted and he’s very present, almost with a Buddha-like attitude.” Jim’s favorite writers include Raymond Carver, JD Salinger, and “the rowdy novels of Tom Robbins and Ken Kesey.” As a teenager, Jim was dazzled by the writing of Tom Robbins and diligently copied down the sentences that grabbed him. Salinger and Carver are no longer with us, but Tom Robbins is, and he’ll be teaching “The Art of the Sentence” at the Chuckanut Writers Conference, cosponsored by Village Books, at Whatcom Community College, June 24th and 25th, 2011. Jim Lynch, now a lucky bastard himself, will be giving the keynote address. Linda Lambert is Library Director at Whatcom Community College and helped establish Whatcom Reads.
Whatcom Reads: Elizabeth George will be the 2011/2012 author for the program. The critically acclaimed and wildly popular Elizabeth George will come to Bellingham in early 2012 for three days of special programming with school and public appearances. Purchase her book In the Presence of the Enemy before February 23rd at Village Books and we will donate 10% of the proceeds to Whatcom Reads! 360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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Want to have fun while you exercise? Learn to play tennis!
• Tennis Camps
• Tennis Clinics
• Tennis Leagues
• Tennis Lessons
Walk on over for great service!
Call today or register online! •
•
360.733.5050 | www.bellinghamtennis.com
We’re right across the street from your favorite independent bookstore.
• All You Need for Running and Walking • Expert Fitting by Friendly Staff • Voted “Best of Western Washington - Running Gear”
1209 11th Street | Bellingham | 360.676.4955 www.FairhavenRunners.com STORE HOURS: Mon - Sat: 10 - 7 | Sun: 11 - 5
For all your picnic needs...
including ants!
PAPER
DREAMS 1206 11th St in Fairhaven • 676.8676
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Summer 2011
Shop 24 hours a day at www.VillageBooks.com
The
Weird
The
&
Wonderful
by Cathy Belben
I
have a weakness for gimmickry in fiction, as long as it’s original and serves the narrative; there are only so many stories told by dogs or dead people that my patience can accommodate in one lifetime. Occasionally someone creates a story unique in its content and its structure without resorting to the sort of self-aware cleverness that winks at the reader as if to let them in on some secretive pretentious joke from which all the commoners are gleefully excluded. I squeeze these into my reading repertoire stingily or accidentally, but am pleased when a smart, funny, writer molds a story that I haven’t encountered before. Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman is easily one of the most beautifully written experimental fictions I have read. The author imagines 40 different possibilities for the after-death, all rendered in gorgeous, poetic, and thought-provoking prose. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan has appeared on practically every bestof-2010 list I've encountered, and with good reason. Although not told in a traditional format (one chapter is narrated in PowerPoint slides), the multiple viewpoints and non-linear travel through the characters' lives only deepen and enrich this story, which revolves around an assortment of people associated with and affected by a charismatic music producer––including his high school bandmates, his lovers, and many others. I can't describe it adequately. I also couldn't stop reading it. In The Lover’s Dictionary, David Levithan uses the dictionary-definition-as-device method—Amy Krause Rosenthal’s Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life is one of my favorite books ever in this genre––to create a short novel of a relationship between an unnamed narrator and his anonymous partner. Each page is an entry in a dictionary, with a brief vignette or observation instead of a definition. I love Levithan's writing––poetic, spare, subtle, original, and often wise. “The key to a successful relationship isn't just in the words,” he writes in the chapter “Punctuation.” “When you're in love with someone, a well-placed question mark can be the difference between bliss and disaster, and a deeply respected period or a cleverly inserted ellipsis can prevent all kinds of exclamations." The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman is amazingly smart without being pretentious or difficult to read. Interrelated stories of characters affected by their employment or readership of an English-language, old-school newspaper in Rome tell the story of the paper's rise and fall, which sounds really dry, but it's not. Each story is a tiny, detailed, absorbing world rich with weird characters and unexpected plot twists that thoroughly engaged me; entering each chapter felt like opening a secret door into a private world that I didn’t want to leave—one of those books I wished went on for many more chapters. (continued)
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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(continued from page 15)
The Art of Asking Your Boss for a Raise by Georges Perec translated by David Bellos. Perec is also the author of A Void, a novel written entirely in words that don’t use the letter “E.” In this novella, Perec imagines the business of asking your boss for a raise as a prose flow chart. It takes a little bit of effort to get into it, but the payoff is worth it—a clever and satisfying experiment in storytelling. In The Fates Will Find Their Way by Hannah Pittard, Nora Lindell goes missing in high school, and the story follows the teenage boys who knew and admired her as they carry on with their lives, all of them imagining what might have happened to their classmate. The framework––missing girls, those she left behind––isn't what makes it remarkable. The narration is unique without drawing attention to itself; one of the boys––unidentified––speaks in an omniscient, plural first person that offers a collective view of Nora, her family, the neighborhood, and the time period. Perhaps most significant are the carefully crafted possible scenarios presented as explanations for what happened to Nora. I encourage you to challenge yourself to an unusual read this season! Surprises and satisfaction await! Cathy Belben is a Bellingham writer, reader, librarian and triathlete who does and writes about weird stuff, including books on her blog www.belbensbookblog.blogspot.com.
Faculty: Susan Colleen Browne Gloria Burgess Nancy Lou Canyon Samuel Green Dawn Groves Alex Kuo Nina Laden Laurel Leigh Priscilla Long Kurtis Lowe Jim Lynch Friday and Saturday Brenda Miller Scott Provence June 24 and 25, 2011 Nancy Rawles Tom Robbins Whatcom Community College Glenn Rockowitz Bellingham, Washington Jeremy Voigt
Chuckanut Writers Conference
Inspiration into Action
www.chuckanutwritersconference.com presented by
Left: Original serigraph titled “Along Chuckanut Drive” by Nancy McDonnell Spaulding, commissioned by Chuckanut Bay Gallery, www.chuckanutbaygallery.com
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Summer 2011
Building Community One Book at a Time
BIOGRAPHIES The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom by Graham Farmelo
June, paperback, Basic Books
More introverted than his famous colleagues Einstein and Schrodinger, Dirac was the equally brilliant discoverer of the positron and antimatter. Farmelo's great affection for his odd but brilliant subject shows on every page, giving Dirac the biography any great scientist deserves. Louise Gilder calls it “the most satisfying and memorable biography I have read in years.” You'll find this book in our science section.
Pearl Buck in China: Journey to The Good Earth Hilary Spurling
June, paperback, Simon & Schuster
“Sparkling...An extraordinary portrait, rich in detail, ambitious in scope, with a vast historical backdrop that informs but never overwhelms its remarkable subject... Throughout her gripping account, Spurling's touch is sure, light, and nuanced. Generally she acknowledges the 'heavy, cumbersome, potentially toxic baggage' Buck carried with her but leaves us to unpack it.—Stacy Schiff, The New York Times Book review
Feynman
by Jim Ottaviani, illustrated by Leland Myrick August, hardcover, First Second
Richard Feynman: physicist... Nobel winner... bestselling author... safe-cracker. This substantial graphic novel biography explores the largerthan-life exploits of one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century: Richard P. Feynman. Anyone who ever wanted to know more about Feynman, quantum electrodynamics, the fine art of the bongo drums, the outrageously obscure nation of Tuva, or the development and popularization of the field of physics in the United States need look no further than this rich and joyful work.
Genius of Place: The Life of Fredrick Law Olmsted by Justin Martin
available now, hardcover, Da Capo Press
Best remembered as the designer of Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted was also a journalist and a social reformer. Arguably the most important American that Americans know the least about, there is an awesome and timeless intent to his many green designs that have allowed them to survive to the present day.
The Beekeepers Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America by Hannah Nordhaus
available now, paperback, HarperCollins
A Review by Brian Griffin Brian Griffin is the author of Orchard Mason Bee and Humble Bee Bumble Bee and the founder of Knox Cellars–a distributor of pollinator bees and related products. It is common knowledge that the honey bee is a strange and wondrous creature unique among the bees of the world. After reading this book you will conclude that the beekeepers who tend them are an equally strange species, each a step apart from their insect and human companions on this earth. Both are in deep trouble, the bees are afflicted with various diseases, several species of mites, farm pesticides and a lifestyle of travel and stress that nature never intended for them. Their keepers too live a stressful life of heavy labor, high expense, brutal travel and low profits in a monoculture system of industrialized farming that is entirely unsuited to the health and welfare of the bees that it relies on. Hannah Nordhaus tells a fascinating story of an industry and an insect locked in a struggle of survival and she tells it with humor and pathos. John Miller, a third generaton beekeeper is her mentor and guide to this strange world, and what a guide he is. Nordhouse tells the story with a light and highly readable style. The reader will finish this with a wide understanding of both the life history of the bee, and the industry that relies on it. The author manages to teach you all of this while you are enjoying a whopping good read, and she even ends on an optimistic note.
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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MEMOIRS Nina Here Nor There: My Journey Beyond Gender by Nick Krieger
available now, paperback, Beacon Press
When Nina Krieger moved to San Francisco, she aspired to surround herself with affluent, sporty, feminine lesbian friends. But upon moving to the Castro she finds herself thrust into a world full of people who blur the line between woman and man and defy everything about gender and identity. Eventually, all her notions about gender are thrown out the window as she forges a truer path toward self-discovery.
Your Voice in My Head by Emma Forrest
available now, hardcover, Other Press
In a cycle of loneliness and destructive behavior, Emma Forrest found herself consulting an effortlessly optimistic psychiatrist—a man whose wisdom and humanity would truly help her after she tried to end her life. When she learned that he had died at the age of fifty-three, Emma was forced to cling to her writing and regain her footing on her own terms.
One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir by Binyavanga Wainaina August, hardcover, Graywolf Press
Wainaina takes us through his Kenyan school days, his mother's religious period, his failed attempt to study computer programming in South Africa, a moving family reunion in Uganda, and his travels around Kenya. The landscape in front of him always claims his main attention, but he also evokes the shifting political scene that unsettles his views on family, tribe, and nationhood.
You can follow Village Books on Twitter. Each day we “tweet” about book events, new books, and book-related topics. We are @VillageBksBham.
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Summer 2011
Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant by Jennifer Grant
available now, hardcover, Knopf
Jennifer Grant is the only child of Cary Grant. Almost half a century after Cary Grant’s retirement from the screen, he remains the quintessential romantic comic movie star. He stopped making movies when his daughter was born so that he could be with her and raise her, which is just what he did.
Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness by Alexandra Fuller
August, hardcover, Penguin
This funny, terrifying, exotic sequel to Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight is, at its heart, the story of Fuller's mother, Nicola. Born on the Scottish Isle of Skye and raised in Kenya, Nicola holds dear the kinds of values most likely to get you hurt or killed in Africa: loyalty to blood, passion for land, and a holy belief in the restorative power of all animals.
Black Milk: On Writing, Motherhood, and the Harem Within by Elif Shafak, translated by Hande Zapsu available now, hardcover, Penguin
Turkish writer Shafak retraces her journey from free-spirited, nomadic artist to dedicated but emotionally wrought mother. Identifying a constantly bickering harem of women who live inside of her, she craves harmony, or at least a unifying identity. Shafak has rendered an important work about literature, motherhood, and spiritual well-being.
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Providing Whatcom County with special Places for our future readers. WLT protection project - Stimpson Family Nature Reserve
Join us in our work. WHATCOM LAND TRUST
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www.whatcomlandtrust.org
www.villagefamilyhealth.com
Celebrating fifteen years of stimulating presentations about topics that are important to our community.
Real people.
Angela Belcaster ARNP
Real issues.
Meetings are from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Northwood Hall. For more information, visit
www.bellinghamcityclub.org
We Look Forward to Seeing You
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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book fare café in village books
The New York Times says: “One of ten restaurants [in the world] worth a plane ride” January 7, 2011
Spot Prawns on the Deck It’s that time of year again! June 6 is the first day for Spot Prawns on the Deck at the Willows Inn. This year we’ll serve up this delicious treat on Mondays and Tuesdays and, as always, we’ll continue through the summer. Our prawns are super fresh and caught in the local waters around Lummi Island. Spot Prawn Dinner Package Special: Save $30 when you book a room and spot prawn dinner for a Monday or Tuesday. Special runs through August 30. client: Drizzle and Dana Driscoll Dinners areRoss served Wednesday-Sunday,
seasonal local organic allergy-friendly come see what’s new on the mezzanine level upstairs in village books www.bookfarecafe.com 360.734.3434
Cocktails 4:00pm, Dinner 6:30pm Taproot Cafe Hours: 11-7 Fri-Sun, 11-9 Mon & Tues, closed Wed & Thur Call: 360-758-2930 project description:
360-758-2620 | 888-294-2620 www.willows-inn.com
Drizzle B&W Ad 05-04-11
So many good reasons to
Shop the Co-op! fresh
LO CA L
organic
FOOD CO OP Downtown
1220 N. Forest St. Open daily 7 am–10 pm
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315 Westerly Rd. Open daily 7 am–9 pm
Anyone can shop the Co-op 20
Summer 2011
3.325” x 4.5”
Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
IN THE KITCHEN
with Charles
Book recommendations from one of our favorite chefs. Bon Appetit! Plenty: Good Uncomplicated Food for the Sustainable
Kitchen––With Over 400 Recipes, None of them Extravagant by Diana Henry
available now, hardcover, Octopus Publishing
This beautiful cookbook emphasizes the simple combinations that make cooking delicious, healthful meals a pleasure. There is much discussion of the benefits of seasonal, regionally appropriate foods, from the environmental impacts of our food choices to the simple act of stocking your pantry. This summer, Book Fare Café will be featuring a Smoked Salmon, Beet, & Celeriac Salad from the pages of this delightful book.
Recipes Every Man Should Know by Susan Russo and Brett Cohen
available now, hardcover, Quirk Publishing
I love all the books I've read from Quirk Books. First was Night of the Living Trekkies. Then I found Jokes Every Man Should Know. Following in that series is this little black book filled with tips, tricks, techniques and recipes for everyone, not just men. Fundamental comfort foods with a fancy twist, classic sandwiches, breakfasts, and essential cocktails are all simply laid out. An adaptation of the classic Italian Hero Sandwich, which we at the Book Fare Café dub the "Superhero", is available from this book's recipes at the café this season.
The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook: 200 Recipes that Celebrate the Flavors of Oregon & Washington by Debra Daniels-Zeller
available now, paperback, Timber Press
Northwest Vegetarian is a treasure of anecdotes about local farms, local chefs, vegetarianism and the common ground these groups share. The recipes are clear, simple and keep food justice, environmental concerns, and nutrition in mind. Truly a local sourcebook, this book is recommended reading for the locavore. We'll be using the Fresh Bean and Fennel in Raspberry Vinegar and Hazelnut Oil recipe at the café for the next three months, cycling through the availability of farm-fresh legumes from sweet peas to scarlet runner beans. Charles Claassen is the chef-owner of the Book Fare Café on the mezzanine of Village Books. Through the seasonal menus at the café, teaching cooking and food classes in the community, and continuing to develop relationships with farmers and food artisans, he provides thoughtful, conscientious food that's quite tasty, too.
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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Visit The Markets for all your summertime supplies!
Time to
EAT!
The Hungover Cookbook by Milton Crawford
available now, hardcover, Clarkson Potter
• Camping • Barbecues • Picnics • Summer gatherings . . . or just for fun!
A good hangover brings its victim to a new state of mind—one that, when looked at objectively, can be quite fascinating to its host. It can create an increased awareness of the body and a willingness to eat something usually off limits. Recipes here are tailored to each specific malady, allowing the reader to find a recipe that precisely suits her state of mind—and body.
An Invitation to Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey
available now, paperback, Knopf
Jaffrey learned to cook on her own, in a Western kitchen and is particularly skillful at conveying the techniques of Indian cooking and describing the exact taste and texture of a dish. Here she makes clear just how extraordinarily subtle, varied, and exciting Indian food can be, and how you can produce authentic dishes in your own kitchen.
HEALTH The 30-Day Vegan Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Cleaner, Getting Leaner, and Living Compassionately by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau August, paperback, Ballantine
Anacortes • Birch Bay • Fairhaven 22
Summer 2011
This guide will help aspiring vegans make good choices with expert advice, simple cooking solutions, and good humor. From understanding where to get protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin D to baking without eggs; from eating out to the easy preparation of plantbased foods at home, the book offers information, ideas, and recipes for 30 days of living vegan.
Building Community One Book at a Time
ALL ABOUT FOOD Beaten, Seared, and Sauced: On Becoming a Chef at the Culinary Institute of America
The Hundred-Foot Journey
by Jonathan Dixon
August, paperback, Scribner
available now, hardcover, Clarkson Potter
The Hundred-Foot Journey is a delicious culinary fairytale about an Indian Boy who becomes a three-star chef in Paris. “Outstanding! A completely engaging human story heavily larded with the lushest, most high-test food porn since Zola. Easily the best novel ever set in the world of cooking and absolutely thrilling from beginning to end. I wished it went on for another three hundred pages.” —Anthony Bourdain
Millions of Americans fantasize about leaving their dead-end jobs, enrolling in cooking school, and becoming a chef—but how many would manage at the cutthroat degree program at the nation's top culinary school? For the first time in the CIA's history you can go behind the scenes for the firsthand experience of being a full-time student there.
by Richard C Morais
The Feast Nearby: How I Lost My Job, Buried a Marriage, and Found My Way By Keeping Chickens, Foraging, Preserving, Bartering, and Eating Locally (All on $40 a Week)
Forty Years of Chez Panisse: The Power of Gathering
by Alice Waters, Michael Pollan August, hardcover, Clarkson Potter
This book is full of iconic pictures from the restaurant’s archives and vintage menus from special events throughout its history. In her own words, Alice travels through each decade as she recounts stories and includes the voices of her chef friends and admirers who inspired her journey, reflecting on the transformative power of gathering around food.
by Robin Mather
available now, hardcover, Ten Speed Press
In 2009, Robin Mather found herself unemployed. She moved to rural Michigan, where she committed to eating three home-cooked, seasonal, and local meals a day. In essays that chronicle a year of her ambitious project, Mather explores the confusion surrounding local eating and examines how often we fail to pay attention to the seasons that surround us.
Welcome Drizzle! It may seem a bit odd, after the spring we've just experienced, to be welcoming Drizzle. But, it's not the drizzle we've been experiencing for far too long. It's the new olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting room that's located in the area between the Colophon Café, Pacific Chef, and Paper Dreams. Drop in and visit with Ross and Dana, who will introduce you to the wide selection of olive oils and vinegars that they decant from magnificent stainless steel dispensers into various sized bottles of your choosing. You, too, will welcome Drizzle. 360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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Enjoy the wonders of movie-watching under the stars on the Village Green. Each evening starts with live entertainment which is followed by a full-length feature film. Admission is $5 per person. Bring a blanket for the grass or a lawn chair for the brick side areas. Popcorn, pizza, and soda are available for purchase at the events or you’re welcome to bring your own picnic. Sit back and enjoy! Village Books & Paper Dreams are proud to sponsor Social Network; How To Train Your Dragon; True Grit; Eat, Pray, Love; Alice in Wonderland and Princess Bride.
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Summer 2011
Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
DEMOCRACY NOW 8 9 . 3 F M
KUGS . ORG STREAMING LIVE
FREE SPEECH RADIO NEWS
35TH ANNIVERSARY
STUDENT OPERATED RADIO NEWS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Bellingham Theatre Guild 2011—2012 Season 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee September 23 - October 9, 2011
Plaid Tidings
November 25 - December 11, 2011
Becoming Eleanor
January 27 - February 12, 2012
BOAT Festival
February 13 - March 3, 2012
Flowers For Algernon April 27 - May 13, 2012
Annie Get Your Gun June 15 - July 1, 2012
Tickets 733 733--1811 1600 H St., Bellingham bellinghamtheatreguild.com
Bellingham Theatre Guild Ad for Ju... page 1
Season Tickets on sale now
Thursday,Summer May 12, 2011 15:31 2011
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Why Kindness? Maybe you or someone you know is at a crossroads in life; divorce, job loss, death of a loved one, addiction, unhappiness...
Now offering specialist pruning, fine pruning, and fruit tree pruning Working with the new Lake Whatcom Ordinances ISA certified Arborist Certified Tree Risk Assessor State of the Art Testing Equipment Tree Decay and Defect Evaluation Tree Care Prescriptions Tree Preservation During Construction
Kindness matters...especially when life is tough. Bellingham author James K. Papp reaches out with Inquire Within:A Companion Guide to Living in Spirit & shares proven tools to create a more harmonious life. Kindness, gratitude, meditation, prayer, & more are profiled in this non-denominational, easy-to-read book. Why Kindness? Because it works.
w w w. a r b o re a c o n s u l t a n t s . c o m a r b o re a . c o n s u l t @ m a c . c o m
Sat., July 23, Noon Talk & Signing at Village Books
360.393.7283 206.799.8794
Free 2 chapter download: www.inquirewithinbook.com
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We’re a Full Service Print comPany!
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Summer 2011
Your family doctor in Fairhaven from birth through retirement from the office to the hospital.
adults u children u prenatal care & childbirth u urgent care u walk-in 1000 McKenzie Ave
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Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
INSIGHT
of
readership
grew
alternative weeklies
to
14.1
%
of 18-24-years-old readers
&
42.6%
of readers 45 and older
Absence of Mind: The Dispelling of Inwardness from the Modern Myth of the Self by Marilynne Robinson June, paperback, Yale
Robinson challenges postmodern atheists who crusade against religion under the banner of science, engaging the problem of knowledge, an aspect of the mystery of consciousness, rather than providing a simple and final model of reality. Through keen interpretations of language, emotion, science, and poetry, Absence of Mind restores human consciousness to its central place in the religion-science debate.
Sailing Home: Using Homer's Odyssey to Navigate Life's Challenges by Norman Fischer
July, paperback, North Atlantic Books
Odysseus's strivings to overcome both divine and earthly obstacles and to control his own impulsive nature hold valuable lessons for us as we confront the challenges of daily life. Featuring thoughtful meditations, illuminating anecdotes and stories from many wisdom traditions, Sailing Home shows the way to greater purpose in our own lives.
At Village Books
Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel Other magazines and newspapers are reporting shrinking readership
Who do you want to advertise with? The Media Audit conducted by International Demographics of Houston. Audit Bureau of Circulation
cascadiaweekly.com \ 360.647.8200 \ marketing@cascadiaweekly.com
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Wednesday, July 27th, 7pm The Power of An Open Question: The Buddha’s Path to Freedom by Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel
June, paperback, Shambhala Publications
Asking challenging questions leads to powerful insights. That’s the premise of this intriguing new book by Buddhist teacher Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel. She proposes that we access our deepest intelligence through questioning…not reaching conclusions. "The Power of an Open Question is an important contribution to Buddhist literature of our times." ––Ani Pema Chodron
Summer 2011
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OUTDOOR ADVENTURES At Village Books
Backpacking Washington: Overnight and Multiday Routes by Craig Romano
June, paperback, Mountaineers
CRAIG ROMANO Thursday, July 7th, 7pm Join us in welcoming Pacific Northwest author Craig Romano. An avid hiker, runner, kayaker, and cyclist, he is the author of Best Hikes with Dogs Inland Northwest, Columbia Highlands: Exploring Washington’s Last Frontier, as well as Day Hiking: Olympic Peninsula, Day Hiking: North Cascades, and Day Hiking: Central Cascades.
Craig Romano is quickly becoming the go-to guy on Washington hiking, and this guide is a comprehensive one from the Olympic Coast to the Columbia Highlands. The emphasis is on weekend trips but weeklong treks are included, as well as options to extend trips or day hike from base camps. This book will guide you confidently into our beautiful wilderness.
The Ledge: An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier
Cabin Fever: A Suburban Father's Search for the Wild
July, hardcover, Ballantine
Tom Montgomery Fate turns Thoreau's immortal statement "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately" on its head with the phrase, "I got married and had children because I wished to live deliberately." Though he spends half his time at a cabin in the woods, he issues no world-renouncing, back-to-nature paean. Fate balances his solitude with full engagement in family and civic life, and cultivates mindfulness in both worlds.
by Jim Davidson and Kevin Vaughan
On June 21, 1992, two best friends summit Mount Rainier. On their descent the two men fall eighty feet into a crevasse, with Mike Price dying instantly. After mustering the confidence and courage to tackle the nearly impossible vertical ice wall, Jim Davidson, injured and mourning his friend's death, miraculously climbs out with sparse equipment.
by Tom Montgomery Fate June, hardcover, Beacon Press
Another Fork in the Trail: Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for the Backcountry by Laurie Ann March
June, paperback, Wilderness Press
Packed with mouthwatering recipes for backcountry adventurers, this book is focused on vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free meals. Roasted tomato dip, vegetable ratatouille, apple peanut salad wrap – these are just a few of the 120 recipes awaiting your experimentation. The book also includes meal planning and drying foods at home to simplify preparation.
VB Partners with Backcountry Essentials Village Books is now partnering with Backcountry Essentials to create book events in the downtown outfitters' newly-remodeled upper level events space (214 West Holley St.). On Thursday, July 21, Don Easterbrook will talk about his book, A Walk Through Geologic Time from Mount Baker to Bellingham Bay, and on Thursday, August 4, John Miles will present his book, Koma Kulshan: The Story of Mount Baker. Both presentations will begin at 7:00 pm, and will include slide shows. 28
Summer 2011
Thursday, July 21st, 7pm Don Easterbrook Thursday, August 4th, 7pm John Miles
Building Community One Book at a Time
SCIENCE & MATH How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival
Dr. Euler's Fabulous Formula: Cures Many Mathematical Ills
by David Kaiser
by Paul J. Nahin
June, hardcover, Norton
June, paperback, Princeton
The surprising story of eccentric young scientists who stood up to convention and changed the face of modern physics. Dubbing themselves the "Fundamental Fysiks Group," they pursued a more radical approach to physics. Their work on Bell's theorem and quantum entanglement helped pave the way for today's advances in quantum information science.
This book shares the fascinating story of this groundbreaking formula—long regarded as the gold standard for mathematical beauty—and shows why it still lies at the heart of complex number theory. To mathematicians ten thousand years hence, "Euler's formula will still be beautiful and stunning and untarnished by time."
Cascadia’s Fault: The Earthquake and Tsunami That Could Devastate North America by Jerry Thompson
available now, hardcover, Counterpoint
The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a crack in the earth’s crust that runs offshore 683 miles from California through BC, and every 500 years it generates a massive earthquake like the one that devastated Japan in February. But this was written before that tragic event and is a serious examination of the fault and the unbelievable damage that will occur when the inevitable earthquake comes.
The Bond: Connecting Through the Space Between Us
How Pleasure Works: The New Science of Why We Like What We Like
by Lynne McTaggart
available now, hardcover, Free Press
by Paul Bloom
June, paperback, Norton
Our desires, attractions, and tastes take us beyond the symmetry of a beautiful face, the sugar and fat in food, or the prettiness of a painting. Drawing on groundbreaking research, Bloom refutes the longstanding explanation of pleasure as a simple sensory response, showing us that pleasure is grounded in our beliefs about the deeper nature or essence of a given thing.
SALE
McTaggart synthesizes scientific findings into a single theory: that all matter exists in a dynamic relationship of cooperation. In addition to offering a new scientific paradigm, McTaggart offers guidelines and many inspiring case studies on living in partnership with the universe, how to relate more cooperatively, form a new model of community, and find a purpose. "Once in a very great while, a book comes along that shifts our sense of reality, or extols a new way of living. Lynne McTaggart¹s extraordinary new book, The Bond, does both.” – Deepak Chopra
20% OFF
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Sat. & Sun. June 18th & 19th
at Village Books AND Paper Dreams!
Summer 2011
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TRAVEL
The Sinner's Grand Tour: A Journey Through the Historical Underbelly of Europe by Tony Perrottet
available now, paperback, Broadway
Perrottet retraces the route of the Grand Tour. But instead of seeking out Europe's cultural treasures, he seeks out "tasteful historical filth”—including the dungeon of the Marquis de Sade, the legendary "sex chair" of King Edward VII, and a pornography-covered bathroom within the pope's very apartments within the Vatican.
Lonely Planet France (9th edition) available now, paperback, Lonely Planet
Hip and savvy Lonely Planet presents its comprehensive, newly revised guide to France, part of a “family” of books on this top-destination country. For the active traveler who wants to experience a blend of history, culture, and still get a little exercise, this is your book. It’s full color and features easy-to-use maps, practical planning resources, 3D plans of iconic French sites, and a “what’s new” section for returning travelers. I especially love the cycling information throughout, and the “why go?” and “when to go” sections for each region. Upbeat and informational, it’s much more than a travel guide. ––Nan
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time by Mark Adams
July, hardcover, Dutton
Mark Adams' plan to investigate the allegations of villainy against Hiram Bingham by retracing the explorer's perilous path to Machu Picchu isn't completely far-fetched, even if it does require him to sleep in a tent for the first time. Adams takes readers through some of the most gorgeous and historic landscapes in Peru, a country populated with brilliant and eccentric characters.
Huxley College of the Environment and Village Books Invite you to join us for a special gathering to celebrate the publication of
Green Fire: A History of Huxley College by William "Bill" Dietrich Tuesday, June 21 at 7:00 PM at Village Books Reading, Presentation & Signing by Bill Dietrich Reception following upstairs at Book Fare Café Green Fire tells a tale that reaches beyond the walls of academia into the world of global politics, policy and people. Through the eyes of its founders, faculty and alumni, the story of the college comes to life with vivid first-hand accounts, a rich narrative, forty alumni profiles and a remarkable collection of archival photos.
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Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
May 6th–17th, 2012
A Tale of Two Cities
TOUR
Art and Literature in Two of the World's Greatest Cities Are you an independent traveler who sometimes longs for just a bit more connection in your travels? Do you like socializing with others when you're abroad but don't ever want to follow an umbrella? Would you like to visit places usually restricted to groups without having every minute of your vacation pre-planned for you? If you answered yes to any of these questions then the Tale of Two Cities Tour may be just the trip for you. Chuck and Dee Robinson of Village Books and Wade Marlow, former owner of Blue Horse Gallery and now of Artist-Travels, will lead this art and literary tour of London and Paris in early May 2012. The $2800 per person fee includes lodging with breakfast in both cities (5 nights in London and 6 in Paris), day trips from each city, museum entry fees, guided walks and tours, transportation between London and Paris via the Chunnel, and several special events. We'll begin in London on May 6th, where we'll venture out on a pub crawl of literary Bloomsbury, visiting places where many authors sipped and wrote. We'll visit Dickens' House and the Globe Theatre, and even get you out to Shakespeare's Stratford. And Wade will guide you through portions of the Tate and the National Gallery and other artistic sites. In Paris you'll be led through the streets where Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Joyce and Pound lived and worked in their expatriate literary days and you'll see highlights of the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay as well as smaller, lesser-known repositories of great art. We'll also visit Van Gogh's village of Auvers sur Oise and Monet's garden at Giverny. In both cities you'll have plenty of time on your own to visit other attractions or to just stroll and enjoy these fabulous places. Wade has led numerous tours to Europe and knows both London and Paris well, and Chuck and Dee are very familiar with Paris and have led a booksellers group to London. All three will be happy to supply information about places that pique your interest. We'll conclude our sojourn after breakfast on May 17, when you'll be free to extend your stay in Paris, travel elsewhere, or return home. If you have questions please contact Chuck at Village Books (360-671-2626 or chuck@villagebooks.com) or Wade at Artist-Travels (360-671-3949 or info@artist-travels.com). Space is limited and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. You may reserve your place today by sending a deposit of $500 to Chuck Robinson, c/o Village Books 1200 11th Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. 360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
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Wade's Worldly Wisdom
Europe Behind the Wheel by Wade Marlow
Europe is a favorite destination for many Americans. However, many of us don't make the most of going there. If you want to have the richest possible experience, you'll need to rent a car for travels outside large cities. Driving in Europe can be fun––the roads are generally good and I always want to take the rental car home with me at trip's end. More important is the great amount of beauty and history you can discover on your own, spending as much time there as you like. You create your own schedule, rather than watching areas of interest zip by from a bus or train. To find the best price for a rental car, try an Internet broker such as 'Argus Car Hire'. They offer better deals from car rental companies just as 'Kayak' does for air fares. Just don't rent the cheapest car they have, as it will be underpowered and lack the necessary trunk space. If you rent a diesel powered car, it will cost a bit more initially, but cost less to fill the tank. To plan your car-based travel, google 'Via Michelin'. This great site will give you detailed directions and printable maps to your desired places of interest. Begin with your starting location and type in your desired destination. You'll then find the time it takes to get there, how many toll booths you will go through and where the 'speed trap' road cameras are located. This site also allows you to zoom in and print out the major intersections, gives route numbers and even suggestions for lunch spots. Two last things about cars. Rent at the airport as it's easier to get out of town or right by a main road––less confusing at first. Also, when in a country where they drive on the left hand side, rent an automatic. Getting used to shifting with your left hand adds a layer of complexity best done without. To help your planning there is no substitute for a comprehensive guide book. My favorites are Lonely Planet, EyeWitness Travel and, of course, Rick Steves'. These books are essential once you know where you want to go in general. If you are looking for ideas or daydreams try: Journeys of a Lifetime, 500 of the World's Greatest Trips by National Geographic; Drives of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Spectacular Trips by National Geographic; and 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz, published by Workman. 1,000 places seems a little much, we'll have to make some choices. Happy wanderings! Wade Marlow, former owner of Blue Horse Gallery, has organized over 50 small group trips since 1994. Look for more travel trips from Wade in future issues of the Chuckanut Reader. Wade is also partnering with Chuck and Dee in leading the "Tale of Two Cities" trip in May 2012 (see page 31 to learn more).
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Summer 2011
Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
The
Chuckanut Radio Hour
The Chuckanut Radio Hour is a radio variety show that began in January 2007 and is regularly broadcast on KMRE-LP 102.3 FM & KVOS TV. Each Chuckanut Radio Hour features a guest author and includes guest musicians, performance poet Kevin Murphy, Cascadia Weekly columnist Alan Rhodes, an episode of "The Bellingham Bean" serial radio comedy, and some groaner jokes by hosts Chuck and Dee Robinson and announcer Rich Donnelly. You're invited––join us!
Thursday, JUNE 23rd, 6:30pm
ERIK LARSON
Tickets $5.00
in the Crystal Ballroom of the Leopold 1224 Cornwall Ave., Downtown Bellingham
-Receive one free ticket with each pre-event in-store purchase of In the Garden of the Beasts
–In the Garden of Beasts
The Chuckanut Radio Hour is thrilled to welcome back its very first author guest, Erik Larson. Nationally-known for his bestselling books, The Devil in the White City, Isaac's Storm, and Thunderstruck, for which he appeared on our radio hour debut, Erik will share his new book, In the Garden of Beasts. Publisher's Weekly had this to say about the book: "In this mesmerizing portrait of the Nazi capital, Larson plumbs a far more diabolical urban cauldron than in his bestselling The Devil in the White City...a vivid, atmospheric panorama of the Third Reich and its leaders, including murderous Nazi factional infighting, through the accretion of small crimes and petty thuggery." Musical guests for this show will be a group composed of three well-known local performers—Lydia McCauley, Nancy Rumbel, & Phil Heaven.
Thursday, JULY 14th, 6:30pm
CLETE SMITH in the Crystal Ballroom of the Leopold
1224 Cornwall Ave., Downtown Bellingham
–Aliens on Vacation: Intergalatic Bed & Breakfast #1 Our July guest will be Clete Smith, who is fresh from his national tour following the terrific launch of his book, Aliens on Vacation, at Village Books in early May. In the book (set in a fictional town right in our backyard) David "Scrub" Elliot is sent to stay with his grandmother for the summer. Her "Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast" turns out to be just that—the only place for vacationing aliens to stay on earth.
Tickets for all shows are available at Village Books &
There's a close connection between the book and our evening's musical guests—Scrub and Megan Hubner. Yes, that's right, "Scrub." Come and find out the connection.
Tickets $5.00
BrownPaperTickets.com
A special thanks to our TV Sponsors: Fairhaven Village Inn; 12th Street Shoes; Fairhaven Toy Garden; and The Leopold Retirement Residence.
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
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INSECTS
The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs: Discover Amazing Butterflies, Moths, Spiders, Dragonflies, and Other Insects!
At Village Books
Amy Stewart Saturday, June 25, 11am She's coming back! Amy Stewart is the award-winning author of five books on the perils and pleasures of the natural world, including three New York Times bestsellers, Wicked Plants, Flower Confidential, and now... Wicked Bugs! With wit, style, and exacting research, Stewart weaves the most terrifying and titillating stories of bugs gone bad.
Wicked Bugs: The Louse that Conquered Napoleon’s Army & Other Diabolical Insects
by Judy Burris and Wayne Richards June, paperback, Storey
With this book in hand readers will discover just outside their door a world they never knew existed. Stunning photography is combined with expert information to create an intimate tour of the hidden lives of spiders, butterflies, crickets, dragonflies, beetles, damselflies and many more. You won’t believe your eyes!
by Amy Stewart
Sex on Six Legs: Lessons on Life, Love, and Language from the Insect World
available now, hardcover, Algonquin Books
“Warning: We Are Seriously Outnumbered.” So begins this witty, informative missive that shines light on the darker side of human and “bug” interactions. Amy Stewart, NPR and Fine Gardening essayist, and bestselling author of Wicked Plants and Flower Confidential is at her quirky, insightful best as she weaves bug-centric story-webs linking history, literature, and contemporary life. There’s disease and destruction, murder and humor, and lots of interesting information. Like Wicked Plants, this strangely beautiful book features intricate illustrations by Briony Morrow-Cribbs (formerly of Whidbey Island). Dip in or devour it cover-to-cover for a memorable, if not sometimes disturbing read. ––Nan
by Marlene Zuk
June, hardcover, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Insects are capable of incredibly complex behavior, even with brains often the size of a poppy seed. How do they accomplish feats that look like human activity—personality, language, childcare—with completely different pathways from our own? Sex on Six Legs is a startling and exciting book that provides answers to these questions and many more.
BIRDS Nests: Fifty Nests and the Birds Who Built Them
by Scott Weidensaul, Jack Dumbacher and Maureen Flannery, photography by Sharon Beals available now, hardcover, Chronicle
These birds' nests from around the world offer astonishing insight into the intricate detail wrought by nature's most fastidious architects. A beautiful volume, Nests is the perfect gift for birders, bird lovers, and anyone captivated by the fleeting and fascinating splendor of the natural world.
At Village Books
Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle by Thor Hanson
June, hardcover, Basic Books
This is a sweeping natural history of how feathers have been used to fly, protect, attract, and adorn throughout their 100 million year history. At the root of biology’s most enduring evolutionary debates, feathers are the most efficient insulating material ever discovered. Used to decorate queens, jesters, and priests, this is their beautiful story.
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THOR HANSON Saturday, June 18, 7pm Join us in welcoming biologist and author Thor Hanson. Hanson works as a conservation biologist and has studied Central American trees and songbirds, nest predation in Tanzania, and the grisly feeding habits of African vultures.
Building Community One Book at a Time
ANIMALS Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink by Jane Goodall with Thane Maynard and Gail Hudson June, paperback, Grand Central
The authors share fascinating survival stories about the American Crocodile, the California Condor, the Black-Footed Ferret, and more; all formerly endangered species whose populations are now recovering. At once a celebration of the animal kingdom and a passionate call to arms, this book presents an uplifting, hopeful message for the future of animal-human coexistence.
Among African Apes: Stories and Photos from the Field by Martha Robbins and Christophe Boesch
June, hardcover, University of California Press
Featuring vivid descriptions of interactions among chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas as they hunt, socialize, and play, this book explores more difficult themes as well, including the threats apes face from poaching, disease, and deforestation. It takes measure of how special the great apes are and discusses positive conservation efforts, including ecotourism, that can help bring these magnificent animals back from the brink of extinction.
PETS
Shaggy Muses: The Dogs who Inspired Virginia Woolf, Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Edith Wharton, and Emily Bronte by Maureen Adams
available now, paperback, University of Chicago Press
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was rescued from a life of passivity and illness by Flush, a lively, possessive golden Cocker Spaniel. Emily Brontë’s fierce Mastiff mix, Keeper, provided a safe and loving outlet for the writer’s equally fierce spirit. Emily Dickinson found companionship with Carlo, the gentle, giant Newfoundland who Company N soothed her emotional terrors. This is a must-read for literature-lovers and dog-lovers alike. ame
Real Quality. Real Local. Haggen has been proud to support our local growers and producers for over 78 years. Visit Haggen today and see why local just tastes better. Boxx Berry Farms
Bellewood A cres
Cascade Cuts
Joes
WE ARE A LOCAL COMPANY SUPPORTING LIVING LOCAL 110505-06
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
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LITERATURE The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs
June, hardcover, Oxford
Americans are not reading enough, critics say, or reading the right books, in the right way. Jacobs argues that, contrary to the doomsayers, reading is alive and well in America. He offers some simple, powerful, and much needed advice: read at whim, read what gives you delight, and do so without shame, whether it be Stephen King or the King James Version of the Bible.
BUY LOCAL Rebel Bookseller: Why Indie Bookstores Represent Everything You Want to Fight For From Free Speech to Buying Local to Building Communities by Andrew Laties
E I N V I TE D R A U O Y to VB’s Summer Open Book Talk You're invited to Village Books' Summer Open Book Talk on Thursday, June 9th at either 11am or 5:15pm. VB co-owners Chuck and Dee Robinson will talk about a variety of books for you to consider adopting for your book groups or adding to your summer reading list. If you're in a book group, bring the whole gang. If you're not and want to be, maybe you'll meet someone to join you in starting a new group! Don't miss this celebration of books and reading!
Open Book Talk with VB Owners, Chuck & Dee
Thursday, June 9th, 11am & 5:15pm in the VB Readings Gallery
July, paperback, Seven Stories Press
The revival of independent bookselling has already begun and is one of the amazing stories of our times. This book is a primer for everyone who wants to better understand how the rise of the big bookstore chains led irrevocably to their decline, and how even in the face of electronic readers, the movement to support locally owned independent stores, especially bookstores, is on the rise. Mark your calendars for Andy's talk and a "Buy Local" panel on September 16th!
BE LOCAL
At Village Books
Sarah Eden Wallace Thursday, August 4th, 7pm
SALE
Sat. & Sun. June 19th & 20th
Village Books 20% OFF at AND Paper Dreams!
Slideshow and Live 4-H Animals
100 Years at the NW Washington Fair by Sarah Eden Wallace
available now, hardcover & paperback, NW Washington Fair
Whatcom County loves its fair – and this engrossing book makes it clear why. Where else can you learn that calves are born with no upper teeth, eat an ice cream cone the size of your head, and fall in love on the Ferris wheel? But this book also delves into the fair’s deep-seated devotion to keeping agriculture and the farming way of life going in our part of the world. Filled with hundreds of photos (plus 10 recipes), this entertaining book is “a celebration of living, farming and raising a family in Whatcom County,” said Dean Kahn in The Bellingham Herald.
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Summer 2011
Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
Join us at the Ballet! Village Books is a proud sponsor of...
Emerald Bay Northwest Ballet Theater's Emerald Bay is a romantic ballet set in Bellingham Bay and the Puget Sound region in 1885. Not long after the Chinese Exclusion Act, Chinese immigrants were driven from the area. A modern variant on Shakespeare's classic tale Romeo and Juliet, Emerald Bay recounts the tragic love story of a Chinese Sea Captain Li Puo and his lover Julie O'Connor, a young woman of Scots-Irish ancestry. Prominent historical figures in the ballet include Dirty Dan Harris, Goon Dip, and Mark Twain. The ballet also includes representative dancers and character actors from the region's diverse communities. It features original choreography by artistic director John Bishop, who recently directed Northwest Ballet's Aladdin and The Little Mermaid.
Emerald Bay will be performed at Mt. Baker Theatre in Bellingham on June 11, 12, & 13. the premier guide to arts and entertainment happenings in the region
visit www.ennw.info for distribution sites and advertising info
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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the art of
this summer at the Whatcom Museum
fate of the forest: An Open Hanging evergreen Muse: The Art of Elizabeth Colborne
opening reception Friday June 17, 7-9 PM
Lightcatcher building, Grand & Flora. Open noon-5, Tuesday — Sunday www.whatcommuseum.org
Tickle your toes with our great selection of unique yarns from around the world. Visit us on the web at www.appleyarns.com for the latest class calendar!
PAINT, BRUSHES, CANVAS, BOOKS, PAPER, PASTELS, DRAWING, CHILDREN’S ART & CRAFT SUPPLIES, DEMOS, WORKSHOPS, & MORE! BELLINGHAM 1415 CORNWALL • 360.676.8918 MOUNT VERNON 17873 SR 536 • 360.416.6556 SEATTLE 6110 ROOSEVELT WAY NE • 206.523.4830
In Barkley Village across from Starbucks! 360.756.9992 M - F: 10 - 6 Sat: 10 - 5 Sun: 12 - 4 | www.appleyarns.com
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Summer 2011
WWW.DAKOTAARTSTORES.COM Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
The
FINER THINGS
MUSIC New Atlantis: Musicians Battle for the Survival of New Orleans by John Swenson
DECORATING
Simply Imperfect: Revisiting the Wabi-Sabi House by Robyn Griggs Lawrence
available now, paperback, New Society
Far more than home décor, wabi-sabi is a state of mind: living modestly in the moment, stripping away the unnecessary, and finding satisfaction in everyday things. This is a fully revised version of the book that introduced this ancient Japanese philosophy to North America in 2004.
June, hardcover, Oxford
At its most intimate level, music heals our emotional wounds and inspires us. At its most public, it unites people across cultural boundaries. But can it rebuild a city? That's the central question posed in New Atlantis, journalist John Swenson's beautifully detailed account of the musical artists working to save America's most colorful and troubled metropolis: New Orleans.
ART
At Village Books at Village Books Trish Harding
Sunday, June 5th, 4pm
HUMOR Write More Good: An Absolutely Phony Guide by FakeAPStylebook Bureau Chiefs available now, paperback, Three Rivers Press
Writing clearly, checking facts, and correcting typos are dying arts. This book will help you to embrace, not resist, the lowering of standards for the printed word! Part dictionary, part journalism textbook, part grammar and writing manual, the writing "tips" in Write More Good are guaranteed to get you fired or flunked out of journalism school.
Altitude: Painting Through Grief by Trish Harding available now, cloth
Altitude is a classic hardcover coffee table book that includes writings and paintings. After the sudden death of her beloved son, Ryan, Bellingham artist Trish Harding found that painting was her only solace. Hear in her own words and see in her own paintings how she “painted through grief.” Trish Harding is a painter who lives and works in Bellingham. She is the owner and instructor at Trish Harding School of Art at Studio UFO, which serves as her own painting studio, a classroom, and a fine art gallery.
POETRY The Art of Angling: Poems about Fishing by Henry Hughes
available now, hardcover, Everyman's Library
Fishing has inspired a wealth of poetry—Tang Dynasty meditations, Japanese haiku, medieval rhymes, classic verses by Homer and Shakespeare. It has touched modern masterpieces as well—by the likes of Federico García Lorca, Elizabeth Bishop, Ted Hughes and Margaret Atwood. In the hands of the poets collected here, fishing with a hook and line yields reflections both sparklingly light and awe-inspiringly deep.
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Selected Poems of Rainer Maria Rilke
edited by Robert Vilain, translated by Susan Ranson and Marielle Sutherland June, paperback, Oxford
A bilingual edition including the full text of the Duino Elegies and the Sonnets to Orpheus, and selected poems from The Book of Images, New Poems, and earlier volumes from the uncollected poetry dated 1906-26. The book includes a chronology and selected bibliography, and includes key commentary by Rilke from letters and notes.
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Meet Me at Mike's: 26 Crafty Projects and Things to Make
CRAFTS
by Pip Lincolne
available now, hardcover, Hardy Grant Books
This book is as much fun for the pictures inside as it is for the projects. Filled with lots of vintage fabrics and textiles, the projects include everything from baby clothes, to kitchen wares, to clothing. Make some "Medals of Craftiness" to award yourself after you complete each project. Fun stuff! ––Christina
At Home with Handmade Books: 28 Extraordinary Bookbinding Projects Made from Ordinary and Repurposed Materials by Erin Zamrzla
March, paperback, Shambhala
&
Natural Patchwork: 26 Stylish Projects Inspired by Flowers, Fabric, & Home
by Suzuko Koseki
available now, paperback, Shambhala
The series of craft books "Make Good: Crafts + Life" always capture my attention, with their simple photos and stylish projects. I was not disappointed by At Home with Handmade Books and Natural Patchwork. The projects in these books are fun and simple, and the instructions are clean and well-explained. I love the postcard journal in At Home with Handmade Books and the checkered tea cozy in Natural Patchwork. ––Christina
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Summer 2011
Building Community One Book at a Time
HISTORY The Chuckanut Radio Hour
ERIK LARSON Thursday, June 23, 6:30pm The Chuckanut Radio Hour is thrilled to welcome back its very first author guest, Erik Larson. Nationally-known for his bestselling books, The Devil in the White City, Isaac's Storm, and Thunderstruck, Erik will share his new book, In the Garden of Beasts. In the Crystal Ballroom of the Leopold. Tickets $5 available now. See page 33 for details.
In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson
available now, hardcover, Crown
William E. Dodd is a mild-mannered academic from Chicago who, surprisingly, becomes America's first ambassador to Hitler's Germany. Dodd moves with his family to Berlin where they observe firsthand the many changes that signaled Hitler's consolidation of power, while Dodd has little choice but to associate with key figures in the Nazi party.
Winston's War: Churchill, 1940-1945 by Max Hastings
available now, paperback, Vintage
A vivid and incisive portrait of Winston Churchill during wartime from acclaimed historian Max Hastings; Winston's War captures the full range of Churchill's endlessly fascinating character. At once brilliant and infuriating, self-important and courageous, Hastings's Churchill comes brashly to life as never before.
The Missing of the Somme by Geoff Dyer
August, paperback, Vintage
Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in its Darkest, Finest Hour by Lynne Olson
available now, paperback, Random House
This wonderfully readable World War II history brings to life the development of America's crucial wartime alliance with England that became so decisive in defeating Hitler. Olson builds a dramatic narrative by focusing on the leading roles played by three dynamic American men—Averell Harriman, Edward R. Murrow, and John Gilbert Winant—in forging the two countries' "special relationship."
SALE
Sat. & Sun. June 19th & 20th
Village Books 20% OFF at AND Paper Dreams!
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
The Missing of the Somme, Geoff Dyer's remarkable book on the first World War, written in 1994, has never been published in the United States. With his characteristic wit and insight, Dyer weaves a network of myth, memory, photos, poetry and art that will illuminate our understanding of the Great War.
Turning the Tide: How a Small Band of Allied Sailors Defeated the U-Boats and Won the Battle of the Atlantic by Ed Offley
available now, hardcover, Basic Books
The most harrowing military disaster of World War II for the United States was not at Pearl Harbor but in the Atlantic from 1942 to 1943, when German U-boats sank everything that moved with impunity. During a twelve-week period in 1943, a handful of Allied sailors turned the tide. Offley puts us at the heart of this most decisive maritime battle of World War II.
Summer 2011
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
Every Man in This Village is a Liar: An Education in War by Megan Stack
June, paperback, Anchor
Common As Air: Revolution, Art, and Ownership by Lewis Hyde
August, paperback, Farrar, Straus & Giroux
In this lively, carefully argued, and welldocumented book, Hyde brings the past to bear on present matters, shedding fresh light on everything from the Human Genome Project to Bob Dylan's musical roots. Common as Air allows us to stand on the shoulders of America's revolutionary giants and thus to see beyond today's narrow debates over cultural ownership.
A few weeks after 9/11, twenty-five-yearold journalist Megan K. Stack was thrust into Afghanistan and Pakistan, witnessing the changes that swept the Muslim world. She relates her initial excitement and her slow disillusionment as the cost of violence outweighs the elusive promise of freedom and democracy; and, one by one, marks the deaths and disappearances of those she interviews.
The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr
June, paperback, Norton
Have you ever looked up from an internet session, found yourself about 20 sites away from where you started, and wondered what the hell just happened? Nicholas Carr did and wrote this fascinating book about human concentration, the internet, and the collision between the two. Carr describes how the internet promotes constant distraction, hurried thinking and cursory reading; or, as the writer Cory Doctorow calls it, "an ecosystem of interruption technologies." The brain's actual deep learning requires time and quiet to make personal connections. (As Wallace Stevens says in his poem about reading, "The quiet was part of the meaning, part of the mind.") In my favorite analogy, Carr compares trying to learn on the internet to trying to fill a thimble with a fire hose. He's obviously biased towards books but he's no luddite either, and this book is a thought-provoking survey of learning technologies from the map through the printing press through Google. ––Rem
SALE 42
Summer 2011
Sat. & Sun. June 19th & 20th at Village Books AND Paper Dreams!
20% OFF
Age of Greed: The Triumph of Finance and the Decline of America, 1970 to the Present by Jeff Madrick
available now, hardcover, Knopf
Madrick traces the lineage of some of our nation’s most pressing economic problems. He begins with Walter Wriston, head of what would become Citicorp, who led the battle against government regulation. He examines the ideas of economist Milton Friedman, the politically expedient decisions of Richard Nixon, and the actions of numerous economic players.
Bill Moyers Journal: The Conversation Continues by Bill Moyers
June, hardcover, New Press
Bill Moyers brings his incisive TV interviews to the page with a literal Who’s Who of cultural and intellectual figures like Karen Armstrong, Andrew Bacevich and Jon Stewart. With extensive new commentary from Moyers himself, the topics range from the politics of food to Afghanistan to aging in America.
Building Community One Book at a Time
Join a VB Book Club!
Authors do not attend VB Reads
Building Community One Book at at Time
Groups meet in the VB Readings Gallery
Engaged Citizens Book Group
3rd Wednesdays of the month at noon Join Mary Dumas for a thought-provoking lunch hour discussing books that ask us to consider how we, as community members, can more skillfully contribute to the creation of a civilly engaged community.
June 15th, noon –On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman
July 20th, noon –The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the Twenty-First Century by Jacqueline Olds
VB Reads...
General Lit
Discuss books from a variety of genres with Cindi at 7pm the 1st Monday of each month. This group is open to anyone and everyone who enjoys reading and discussing books.
June 6th, 7pm –Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese July 11th, 7pm
(postponed one week due to 4th of July Holiday)
–The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story
FANTASY Book Group Join Rachel in the Readings Gallery every third Saturday of the month at noon for a lively discussion of fantasy books.
June 18th, noon –Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan
July 16th, noon –The City & The City by China Mieville
August 20th, noon –Druids
by Barbara Galler-Smith, Josh Langston
YOUNG ADULT Book Group Village Books' young adult book club, led by Rachel, looks at every kind of young adult book: award winners, what's popular, funny, tragic, fantasy, historical, and, most importantly, what WE want to read! Join us on the second Saturday of every month in the Readings Gallery at noon.
by Diane Ackerman
August 1st, 7pm –Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
VB Reads... Lesbian Book Group Join Gabrielle for discussions of literary books by & about lesbians. Meetings are the 1st Sunday of every month at 2pm.
June 5th, 2pm –Leaving L.A. by Kate Christie Check VillageBooks.com for updates! 360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
June 11th, noon –The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
July 9th, noon –The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
August 13th, noon –The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Open to everyone! Summer 2011
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VB Reads...
Feminist Book Group Open to anyone who wants to discuss and explore feminism in a fun, empowering environment. We meet on the LAST Sunday of every month at 2pm.
Afternoon Book Chat
June 26th, 2pm –The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Come discuss contemporary literature with Sittrea the second Wednesday of each month at 1pm. Open to all!
by Stieg Larsson
July 31st, 2pm –The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
August 28th, 2pm –The Help
June 8th, 1pm –The Space Between Us by Thrity Umigar
by Kathryn Stockett
July 13, 1pm –Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
VB Reads...
August 10th, 1pm –Body & Soul
Unless otherwise noted, authors do not attend VB Reads All groups meet in the VB Readings Gallery
environmental
conservation book group
by Frank Conroy
TWO
NEW
GROUPS!
Join us for the new Village Books/Whatcom Land Trust co-sponsored Environmental Conservation Book Club that meets the second Monday of each month from 5-6pm. We discuss contemporary and classic texts on conservation, agriculture, and environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest. Occasionally, we also include fictional literature that inspires a sense of place and attachment to our native landscape.
June 13th, 5pm –The Practice of the Wild by Gary Snyder July 11th, 5pm –Sky Time in Gray's River: Living for Keeps in a Forgotten Place by Robert Michael Pyle
August 8th, 5pm –The Collector: David Douglas and the Natural History of the Northwest by Jack Nisbet
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Summer 2011
Motherhood by the Book book group
coming to Village Books in June Meet with Claire the Second Sunday of every month at 2pm Calling all moms, whether you be mother or stepmother to an infant, toddler, tween, or adolescent, we have a new book group forming at the store just for us. (And I don’t mean board books or indestructibles––You know, the ones with the pages that you can chew.) No, I mean real, honest-to-goodness grown-up books! Starting in June, “Motherhood by the Book” book group will begin meeting for an hour of spirited discussion of books that celebrate the trials, tribulations, and rewards of motherhood, and what it means to be a mother. This group is by no means exclusive to moms with kids still at home, but much of the selection may be geared toward issues that those moms face. We will read fiction, non-fiction, and some parenting books.
Sunday, June 12th, 2pm The first meeting will be a chance to get acquainted and choose books for the first six months of the group. As a mother of a toddler and stepmother of an adolescent, I look forward to engaging with other women on this same amazing journey. Store Hours: Mon–Sat 10am–8:30pm • Sun 11am–7pm
Indies Choice BOOK AWARDS Reflecting the spirit of independent bookstores nationwide, the 2011 Indies Choice Book Award winners, chosen by the owners and staff at American Booksellers Association member stores are:
• Adult Fiction: Room by Emma Donoghue (Little, Brown)
• Adult Debut: Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes (Atlantic Monthly Press/ El León Literary Arts)
• Adult Nonfiction: Unbroken
• Young Adult: –Revolution
by Laura Hillenbrand (Random House)
by Jennifer Donnelly (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards The E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards recognize books that reflect the playful, well-paced language, the engaging themes, and the universal appeal to a wide range of ages embodied by E.B. White’s collection of beloved books. They replace the Indies Choice Book Awards in the categories of Middle Reader and New Picture Book.
• Middle Reader: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger (Amulet Books)
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
• New Picture Book: Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
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Summer Reading Challenge It’s that time of year again! Our annual Summer Reading Challenge is back!
This year, we’re asking you to read a variety of books and tell us a bit about them. Pick up your form at the main counter and return to us by August 31st and you will receive a $5 gift certificate to Village Books AND a free ice cream cone from our friends next door at the Colophon Café! Stumped about what to read? Check out the great reviews and previews in this Reader or ask any of us at the store for help! Don’t forget the new YRCA & Sasquatch lists! Find them here at VB.
Whatcom County Coloring Book & Summer
Coloring Contest
Chuckanut Editions recently published the Whatcom County Coloring Book. VB book buyer and avocational photographer, Laura Picco, created this unique coloring book of iconic places and objects of our beautiful area. The coloring book is being launched with a summer coloring contest. You can pick up one of the entry forms at the main desk at the store. All entries will be judged by art educator MaryAnn Kohl, author of more than a dozen books on art.
Rules 1) Entries will be judged in five age categories: • 0 ~ 5 years • 6 ~ 9 years • 10 ~ 12 years • 13 ~ 15 years • 16 ~ Adults 2) One entry per person. 3) All entries must be in crayon—no markers or pencils. 4) No extra items may be added (sequins, feathers, etc.). 5) All entries must be returned to Village Books by closing time (8:30pm) on Labor Day, Monday, September 5th (the unofficial end of summer). Entries become the property of Village Books and will not be returned. 6) All winning entries will be displayed in the store and winners in each age category will receive a $20 Village Books gift card. Two runners-up in each age category will receive a copy of the Whatcom County Coloring Book.
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Summer 2011
Shop 24 hours a day at www.VillageBooks.com
Parents Librarians Grandparents
KIDS & TEACHERS PICTURE BOOKS Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly, illustrated by Stephen Michael King June, hardcover, Roaring Brook
&
Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet
by Kelly Dipucchio, illustrated by Bob Shea
Chicken, Chicken, Duck! by Nadia Krilanovich
available now, hardcover, Random
The animals at a farm are having a good time making sounds and climbing around. This fun picture book, written and illustrated by local author Nadia Krilanovich, will have your little ones jumping and chanting. Nadia, also author of the picture book Moon Child, brings the farm into your lap with this sweet book. ––Christina
June, hardcover, Dial Books
Two great books about one great desire–– really, really, really wanting a pet! In the first title, Prudence wants a pet so badly, she starts adopting anything she can, from branches to tires, even her own baby brother, but nothing quite works. In Gilbert Goldfish, the family pet wants a pet of his own! He also tries a variety of options to find the best fit, but again, nothing quite works. Happily, each of these characters finds a pet solution that will work! The illustrations of these books are quite different but the classic story told within each one will resonate with pet lovers big and small.
Fox & Hen Together by Béatrice Rodriguez
available now, hardcover, Consortium
From the author of The Chicken Thief, comes a fun and beautifully formated picture book by Béatrice Rodriguez, Fox & Hen Together. One day, the hen goes out for a day of fishing, which is much more adventurous than she likely expected. Upon coming home from the eventful day, there's a surprise from fox. This wordless book tells plenty about this unlikely friendship through clever and colorful pictures. ––Christina
Skippyjon Jones, Class Action by Judy Schachner
July, hardcover, Dutton Books
Skippy, our favorite cat-whothinks-he’s-a-chihuahua, is back for another adventure! This time, Skippy is convinced he needs to go to doggie obedience school. A quick trip into his magic closet takes him to a class full of different dog breeds and different dog personalities. When one of the dogs starts bullying another, Skippy steps in and earns himself a big gold star!
Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
available now, hardcover, Clarion Books
All is calm in old man Fookwire's yard until Little Old Lady Hu and her nefarious cat, Muffins, move in next door. Muffins terrorizes the yard and Fookwire is upset, but not nearly as upset as the squirrels, who devise an ingenious plan to stop Muffins cold. This follow-up is just as great as the first book, with lots of illustrations to examine and enjoy!
Not Inside This House!
by Kevin Lewis, illustrated by David Ercolini
August, hardcover, Orchard Books
As a book buyer, sometimes a book comes along and makes you forget that you are doing a job and takes you back to being a kid. This is one of those books. The story involves a young boy bringing home pets and his mother saying to him, “Not inside this house!” As the ridiculousness escalates, the illustrations become more intricate and filled with little surprises that readers will love to seek out. I loved looking at this book and can’t wait for everyone to be able to enjoy it too! ––Sarah
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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Middle Readers The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall
available now, hardcover, Alfred A. Knopf
When summer comes around, it's off to the beach for Rosalind ... and off to Maine with Aunt Claire for the rest of the Penderwick girls, as well as their old friend, Jeffrey. That leaves Skye as the oldest available Penderwick––a terrifying notion for all, but for Skye especially. Things look good as they settle into their cozy cottage but can Skye hold it together long enough to figure out Rosalind's directions about not letting Batty explode? Will Jane's Love Survey come to a tragic conclusion? Is Batty the only Penderwick capable of carrying a tune? And will Jeffrey be able to keep peace between the girls?
The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson
available now, hardcover, Delacorte
Kirby will be at VB in September. Keep an eye on Villagebooks.com for updates!
When Kirby Larson was researching Hattie Big Sky, she came across a 1920s photo of a Montana farm girl in overalls standing next to an exquisite Japanese doll. This lead her to research the history of these dolls. This fictional retelling of one doll’s journey will take readers across the country and into the times and lives of different girls as they spend time with the doll, Miss Kanagawa.
Fibble: the Fourth Circle of Heck by Dale Basye
available now, hardcover, Random House
When Marlo Fauster claims she has switched souls with her brother, she gets sent straight to Fibble, the circle of Heck reserved for liars. But it's true—Milton and Marlo have switched places, and Marlo finds herself trapped in Milton's gross, gangly body. She also finds herself trapped in Fibble, a three-ring media circus run by none other than P. T. Barnum, an insane ringmaster with grandiose plans and giant, flaming pants.
Join us in July & August for
CAMP VILLAGE Summer BOOKS 2011
Boys & Girls Ages 8 to 13 Join VB staff member, Christina, at any or all of the eight Thursday camps in July and August for an afternoon of adventure. Each day of camp will include physical activities, a field trip around Fairhaven and hands-on projects. Check out our themes… July 7th—Hidden Secrets of Fairhaven July 14th—Mad Science Camp July 21st—Games We Used to Play July 28th—Observing Nature Through Art August 4th—Behind the Scenes Businesses August 11th—Writing IS Fun August 18—Performing Arts 101 August 25—Maritime Science and Exploration Find more information at Villagebooks.com
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Summer 2011
Sessions will be from 1-5pm Cost: $30 for each session, or $25 each if you enroll in 4 or more sessions! All registrations must be received by 5pm on the Sunday prior to camp date. Camps without a minimum enrollment of five will be cancelled and registrants will be notified. Register at the VB main counter or call 671-2626. Go to Villagebooks.com for more information!
Building Community One Book at a Time
Lego Harry Potter: Building the Magical World available now, hardcover, Dorling Kindersley
FUN!
Harry Potter fans! Lego fans! This book is a must-have! After the success of the Lego Star Wars Visual Dictionary, there is now a book just for HP fans. This is full of great pictures and building ideas that feature Hagrid’s hut and the castle of Hogwarts. Also included are interviews with some of the creators and programmers that make the Lego HP universe so awesome.
Sci-fi & Fantasy Troubletwisters
by Garth Nix and Sean Williams available now, hardcover, Scholastic
The Evil has been trying to break into our dimension and dominate the earth for centuries. Unbeknownst to most of us, there are Wardens all over the globe who protect humanity from the Evil that asserts itself at the Portals. Jaide and Jack Shield don't know that the world is under attack. They don't know that their dad and their Grandma X, who they move in with, are Wardens, or that they themselves are troubletwisters, young Wardens just coming into their powers.
I’ll Be There
by Holly Goldberg Sloan available now, hardcover, Little Brown
Sam Border is trying to be a relatively normal guy. Emily is a normal girl. Sam loves music. The first time he sees Emily, she has completely bombed on her solo at church. But that doesn't stop them from making a connection. But Emily forgets to get his name and begins searching for him everywhere. I don't want to say much more about the book because this story is much more than that but I can say that there is a little romance, a little brother who is part annoying, part artist, and friends who don't understand. This doesn't do it justice, but believe that the story begins very small and ends up snowballing into something very large and wonderful. ––Sarah
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne Valente
available now, hardcover, Feiwel & Friend
Twelve-year-old September used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t ...
Young Adult Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
available now, hardcover, Scholastic
island. Enough said.
If you took a little bit of the television show Lost, a little bit of the book Lord of the Flies, and a little bit of the movie Mean Girls, you might come close to approximating the hilarity and horror contained in Libba Bray’s new novel. A plane carrying the contestants for a beauty pageant crashes on a deserted
Love Inc.
by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout available now, hardcover, Hyperion
Spurred by their own romantic failure (and that of their parents), teenagers Zahra, Kali, and Syd start a business, Love Inc., devoted towards providing relationship help in whatever form necessary: advice, mediation, surveillance, matchmaking, and, occasionally, revenge. Each character is a real, likable individual with strengths and flaws and problems aplenty, not just in the romance area. However, the strongest relationship here is the friendship that develops between these three girls. The worst part about this book is that it ended. ––Rachel
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
Summer 2011
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Great Paperbacks to
STRETCH
Your Book Budget!! By Sarah Hutton, Children’s Book Buyer
I
t seems like kids can grow out of books faster than they grow out of shoes––first they’re reading Amelia Bedelia, then the Magic Tree House series, then Mysterious Benedict Society, and then…? To combat the wallet-crunch that can result when you have a voracious reader on your hands, I’d like to recommend some newly released paperbacks for your reading list. For the MIDDLE GRADE READER, a great start is Ann M. Martin. Everything for a Dog is the follow-up novel to A Dog’s Life: These two books about stray dogs and the kids who love them are perfect for the soft-hearted reader. Nicholas by Rene Goscinny (best known for the Asterix books) has been unavailable for a few years but now the first book in this great series about a French schoolboy who is more often in trouble than not is here again. Wendy Mass is always reliable for a good read and Finally is no exception. Rory is *finally* turning twelve, when all the cool stuff can happen, but having more responsibility isn’t quite what it’s cracked up to be. Lastly, I am so glad that Also Known as Harper is now available in paperback. I was honestly shocked when this story about a young girl (who is an aspiring writer but has enough trouble trying to feed her brother and keep peace among the other young residents of their motel) didn’t win a Newbery medal. For the YOUNG ADULT BOOK FAN, The Line by Bellingham author Teri Hall is here. Read this dystopic adventure about a mysterious borderland before the sequel Away comes out in the fall. From Suzanne Supplee, Somebody Everybody Listens To is about a girl trying to chase her big music dreams. A Map of the Known World by Lisa Sandell is one of those quietly heartbreaking books that stays with you long after reading. For some edgy books that make you think, definitely try XVI by Julia Karr, Accomplice by Eirean Corrigan, The Mark by Jen Nadol, and The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride. Finally, I was glad to see that A La Carte by Tanita Davis is available now in paperback. Lainey is a young, African-American, vegetarian cook who wants her own television show but has many obstacles and issues to address before getting to pursue her dreams. I hope some of these recommendations will fit the bill! And don’t forget, to make your book budget stretch even further, you can always bring in your gently used books to participate in our ReadCycle program and earn some book money in the process. Happy reading!
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Summer 2011
See pages 43-44 for information on our book groups!
Literature LIVE!
EVENTS
VB’s Literary Events Program
Additions & changes to this schedule will occur so check out
www.VillageBooks.com
to stay updated–or even better, let us come to you! Register online for the VB e-vent newsletter! So far in
JUNE
Sat., June 4, 2pm Kids' Event DANA ROZIER –Natural Hawai'i: An Inquisitive Kids Guide Sat., June 4, 7pm Red Square Books WWU Student Anthology reading Sun., June 5, 4pm Art/Memoir TRISH HARDING –Altitude: Painting Through Grief
Sat., June 11, 7pm Fiction JENNIFER NATALYA FINK –Thirteen Fugues Sun., June 12, 4pm Young Writer's Studio Group Reading –Snippets from the Pens of Young Writers Tues., June 14, noon-1pm Western Connections Brown-Bag Lecture RUTH STEELE "Views to the Past: Accessing Archives in the Digital Age" See page12 for more info!
Wed., June 15, 7pm Fiction KEITH SCRIBNER –The Oregon Experiment: A Novel Thurs., June 16, 7pm Student Readings VOICES OF WHATCOM -Reception and presentation with students of Explorations Academy
Kid's Event––Includes Slide Show! Fri., June 17, 5pm CLARE HODGSON MEEKER –Soccer Dreams: Playing the Seattle Sounders FC Way
Sat., June 18, 9am 12th Annual 5K WALK/RUN FOR LITERACY Find registration & volunteer information on page 14.
VILLAGE BOOKS & PAPER DREAMS
SALE
Read more on page 39.
Tues., June 7, 7pm Poetry ELIZABETH COLEN –They Could No Longer Contain Themselves Wed., June 8, 7pm Women’s Issues INGA MUSCIO –Rose: Love in Violent Times Thur., June 9, 11am and 5:15pm OPEN BOOK TALK with Chuck & Dee Read all about this fun event on page 36.
Thur., June 9, 7pm MEGAN CHANCE –City of Ash
Fiction
Fri., June 10, 7pm Fiction AMY HATVANY –Best Kept Secret: A Novel
Sat., June 18, 10am-8:30pm & Sun., June 19, 11am-7pm
20% OFF STOREWIDE* With just a few exceptions - ask for details. Can't make it in? No problem, give us a call at 671-2626. Sorry, no on-line discounts.
Sat., June 18, 7pm Nature THOR HANSON –Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle See page 34 for more information!
Mon., June 20, 7pm Mystery JEANNE MATTHEWS –Bet Your Bones: A Diana Pelerin Mystery
If you can’t make it to an event, just call us to arrange for autographed copies!
Continued... Summer 2011
51
Literature
LIVE!
Tues., June 21, 7pm WILLIAM DIETRICH –Green Fire: A History of Huxley College Reception following upstairs at Book Fare Café. Read more about this book and event on page 30.
Wed., June 22, 7pm WENDY CALL –No Words for Welcome: The Mexican Village Faces the Global Economy Thurs., June 23, 6:30 The CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR
Sat., June 25, 4pm ELISABETH EAVES –Wanderlust: A Love Affair with Five Continents Sat., June 25, 7pm CONCURRENT OPEN MICS for the Chuckanut Writers Conference At Village Books Readings Gallery, Book Fare Café, Fairhaven Village Inn, & Magdalena’s Creperie
Mon., June 27, 7pm Open Mic with Laurel Leigh Wed., June 29, 7pm Graphic Novel JIM WOODRING –Congress of the Animals Thurs., June 30, 7pm Group Readings –Sunday Ink: Works by the Uptown Writers Join us in welcoming Carol Bolt, Pam Hobart Carter, Stacy Lawson, Arleen Williams, & Janet Yoder
in the Crystal Ballroom of the Leopold
Special guest ERIK LARSON, author of –In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and An American Family in Hitler’s Berlin Turn to page 33 for more information!
Thurs., June 23, 7pm SCOTT SPARLING –Wire to Wire: A Novel
Fiction
Fri. June 24, noon - Sat., June 25 8:30pm THE CHUCKANUT WRITERS CONFERENCE At Whatcom Community College, ending on Saturday in Fairhaven. Fee/Registration Required. See page 16 for a listing of authors attending and go to www.chuckanutwritersconference.com for complete information.
Fri., June 24, 5pm Nature PAUL LINDHOLDT –In Earshot of Water: Notes from the Columbia Plateau Fri., June 24, 7pm Young Adult CAROLE ESTBY DAGG –The Year We Were Famous Sat., June 25, 11am Gardening/Nature AMY STEWART –Wicked Bugs: The Louse That Conquered Napoleon’s Army and Other Diabolical Insects Read more on page 34.
Read all about these and other LitLive events at VillageBooks.com! 52
Summer 2011
So far in
JULY
Sat., July 2, 10:30am Preschool Story Time
Kids’ Event
Sat., July 2, 4pm CARY GRONER –Exiles
Fiction
Wed., July 6, 7pm JANET OAKLEY –Tree Soldier
Fiction
Thurs., July 7, 7pm Hiking/Outdoors CRAIG ROMANO –Backpacking Washington: Overnight and Multi-day Routes Read more on page 28.
Sun., July 10, 4pm Kids’ Event! VLADIMIR VERANO –The Prince, the Demon King, and the Monkey Warrior Thurs., July 14, 6:30 The CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR in the Crystal Ballroom of the Leopold
Special guest CLETE SMITH, author of –Alien's on Vacation See page 33 for more information!
See pages 43-44 for information on our book groups!
Wed., July 13, 7pm ERICA BAUERMEISTER –Joy for Beginners
Fiction
Read all about these and other LitLive events at VillageBooks.com!
Read more on page 7.
Wed., July 20, 7pm MIKE LAWSON –House Divided: A Joe DeMarco Thriller
Fiction
Are YOU Receiving VB E-vent mail Updates?
READERS RIDE Friday, July 22, 1pm Everybody Bike! Read all about this fun event on page 4.
Sat., July 23, noon Spirituality JAMES PAPP –Inquire Within: A Companion Guide to Living in Spirit Read more on page 26.
Mon. July 25, 7pm Open Mic with Laurel Leigh Wed., July 27, 7pm ELIZABETH MATTIS-NAMGYEL –The Power of An Open Question: The Buddha’s Path to Freedom
Once a week, Village Books sends out email newsletters packed full of store and book information including our latest LitLive events, sale dates, and on occasion, store coupons! If you’re not currently receiving these updates and would like to, you may sign up in the store or, even easier, do it at VillageBooks.com.
See page 27 to read more.
So far in
AUGUST
Thurs., Aug 4, 7pm Slideshow and Live 4-H Animals SARAH EDEN WALLACE –100 Years at the NW Washington Fair See page 36 to read about this book!
Sat., Aug. 6, 10:30am Kids’ Event Preschool Story Time Tues., Aug 16, 7pm WILLIAM DIETRICH –Blood of the Reich
Fiction
Sat., Aug. 20, 4pm Mystery JOY SHAYNE LAUGHTER –Yu: A Ross Lamos Mystery Mon. Aug. 29, 7pm Open Mic with Laurel Leigh Events take place in the Readings Gallery of Village Books and are FREE unless otherwise noted.
If you can’t make it to an event, just call us to arrange for autographed copies!
Summer 2011
53
Enjoy great meals at these independently owned FAIRHAVEN restaurants!
harris avenue CAFE
AW Asian Bistro
Enjoy the fine art of Asian Dining!
•Chinese • Vietnamese •Thai • Sushi Bar HAPPY HOUR
Sun.
-Thurs. 3:00-5 open daily for Lunch & Dinner :30pm 12th & Mill in Historic Fairhaven • 715-3028
Eat, Drink, & ! Be Literary
SALE 54
Summer 2011
20% OFF
EVERY DAY 8AM - 2PM
1101 HARRIS AVENUE IN FAIRHAVEN
CLASSIC FAVORITES BEST MIMOSAS IN TOWN
PLAN, HOST, AND CATER YOUR PRIVATE PARTIES OR COMPANY GATHERINGS AT HARRIS AVENUE CAFE!
E-MAIL ROBIN
FOR MORE INFO PALADINRESTINC@GMAIL.COM
Sat. & Sun. June 18th & 19th
at Village Books AND Paper Dreams!
Building Community One Book at a Time
The new
is now open Two screens New comfortable seats Expanded programming Beer & wine
Not a PFC member yet? Now is the perfect time to join! Enjoy the beautiful new theatre along with these expanded benefits:
membership application
• Discounted admission of $6.25 to all showings • No Convenience Fee for Advance On-line Tickets (saves 95 cents!)
name:
address:
• Discounted popcorn (free on Mondays and your birthday)
city:
zip:
phone:
email:
• Pickford Calendar sent directly to your home or office
regular membership
seniors
student
family membership
business membership
o $45 single o $65 couple
o $35 single o $50 couple
o $25 single
o $90
o $300
For details: pickfordfilmcenter.org/membership.asp MAIL TO: PFC, PO Box 2521 Bellingham, WA 98227
360-671-2626 • 800-392-BOOK • www.villagebooks.com
• Discounted admission to select events • Discounts of 15% on PFC merchandise
Summer 2011
55
1200 11th St. Bellingham, WA 98225 360.671.2626 www.VillageBooks.com Whatcom County’s Favorite Bookstore since 1980 Building Community One Book at a Time
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