Third Street Books - the blog

The Deal

2011-12-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

This whole Ditch Amazon Day has been interesting, to say the least. We have received much more publicity about it than I ever thought (booksellers like to share news, especially of bold moves against The Man). There have been some flubs. One news outlet listed the wrong store in their article. Another just listed that we are asking people to bring in proof that they bought something from Amazon to get the discount. So I thought I would take this opportunity to make things as clear as possible:

On Saturday, December 10th, from 10am - 7pm, bring in proof that you have CLOSED your Amazon.com account, and we will give you 15% off one purchase and a $5 gift certificate to be used another day. This discount on only good on items currently in the store and does not combine with other discounts.

When you close an account on Amazon, you get a final email that politely thanks you for closing it. Print that out and bring it in. Pretty simple. We, and retailers in McMinnville, Oregon and beyond thank you!

Ditch Amazon and support brick and mortar stores.

2011-12-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Some of you many know, this Saturday, Amazon is encouraging people to participate in the genocide of brick and mortar retailers. Here is an article in the Wall Street Journal that you can read about it. Go to a “traditional” store with your smartphone where you have already downloaded Amazon’s “Price Check App”. Then find an item you would like, and scan the barcode. Amazon will take you to their website (while you are standing in a physical store, hopefully feeling a shimmer of shame) and offer you that product cheaper. If you then buy the product from them, they will credit you $5.
I have a problem with this on so many levels. Using my stores (or any other brick and mortar store for that matter) as a showroom is not cool. I am thinking that I should start charging Amazon a fee for using my space, my hard working staff and my creativity for producing an environment where people want to hang out and shop. I know that retailers spend lots of money and time carefully selecting the product they sell in an atmosphere that is welcoming. I also know that not everyone can carry everything, but isn’t a diverse shopping experience part of what makes communities interesting? Imagine McMinnville without even 25% of its smaller retail stores. Would it be the same? I hear all the time from customers who have recently moved to the area that one of the reasons they settled in McMinnville is because of Third Street and the wonderful environment that exists. What if all of a sudden 13 retailers on Third Street were gone? We do more than contribute to a nice place to live too. Currently, between my two businesses I employ eleven people. Not a ton, but a start. I also support the local economy by paying taxes and providing a lot of donations to local schools and non-profits. I have never seen an Amazon gift card that was donated at a local fundraiser.
This “Price Check App” smacks of consumer spy-ware. If you have this on your smartphone, you are agreeing to let Amazon see all of your browsing and purchasing habits. Not to mention the location of where you go (phone as GPS tracking device anyone?). This enables Amazon to tailor their website to only show you stuff you have expressed interest in. The beauty of a traditional store is that we have everything out for all to see. I don’t notice who is walking down the street and only put the bestseller mysteries out front since that is all they have ever purchased from me. I believe that shopping either of my stores is a personal choice and while you are in them, you are exposed to items you may never otherwise see online or anywhere else in town. Isn’t that what people like about browsing?
My father would have said that this kind of behavior is what business is all about. And I agree with him. I am actually a little impressed with Amazon’s strategy. Even if it doesn’t work fiscally, it sure is giving them a lot of free publicity. But on a more philosophical level, I just think it is mean. I think all brick and mortar retailers (not just the little guys) should band together and fight. Amazon already plays dirty by avoiding their tax duties in many states. They are bullies in the school yard, and sadly, there doesn’t seem to be anyone brave (or big) enough to tell them to buzz off.
Ironically for me, books are excluded as a part of this nutty scheme. Why, I don’t know. But it still really chaps my hide.

Here is another bookseller's perspective.

Grim.

2011-10-17T17:28:00.000-07:00

Grim. That is how I feel lately. And I am fairly certain that it has nothing to do with the Halloween holiday coming up soon. I am feeling grim about the future of independent bookstores. I have been a bookseller since 1995. This was just after Amazon went live. People talked about the imminent death of the brick & mortar bookstore. I believed that people would always want to touch a book before they bought it. I believed that the experience of shopping in a well appointed store would fulfill not just a need for reading material, but a need to belong to something. Bookstores are their own community: welcoming of all. But these communities are dying. Borders is gone. Barnes & Noble has shuttered a number of sites in recent months. There are countless independent stores that no longer exist. You can read here a nice little piece in the Economist about the changing industry.

For years I believed that I could create a space that would elude these threats. With a little grit and humor, I could survive the behemoths. And I have, to a degree. The threats my store (and others) face are not just technological ones. Everyone is facing hard times in this economy. Everyone is trying to survive. I recognize that when there are fewer dollars coming in, tough choices are made about where the dollars going out go. Sometimes I wonder, do we really need books? I mean, as humans, could we survive without them? Physiologically, yes. But emotionally? I don't believe that I could. So I am trying to make changes that will help my little store survive. Some will be subtle, you won't even notice it. But others will be big. You will always find Third Street Books, either in the flesh or online to be a vibrant community. Third Street Books will always be there to special order that book for you and get it to you in a few days (with no shipping charge). We will always be able to recommend a title for your Uncle Bob or your niece who you barely know but her mother tells you she loves some title called The Hunger Games. We will always gift wrap (for free) a quick little joke gift that you bought on your lunch for your office-mate - making that gift of yours a tiny bit more special. And we will continue to support people in the community, by hiring them, paying local taxes, donating cash and books to local schools, raising money for the food bank and just generally being a safe and inviting place to hang out. I would really like to hear from someone who successfully got a donation from Amazon for the local FFA fundraising dinner.

Half the Sky. Or, even a sliver of sky will do.

2011-05-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

In preparation for Nicholas Kristof's visit to McMinnville this evening, I have been re-reading some parts of his book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. There is much to take away from this book, but there is one piece in particular that I find resonates with me on many levels. For those of you not familiar with this book, Mr. Kristof and his co-author and wife Sheryl WuDunn ( a Pulitzer prize-winning team, no less) have presented a book that challenges us to work towards the end of oppression for women worldwide, effectively aiding in the end of global poverty. One small bit really caught me. In this chapter, Kristof and WuDunn address the hows and some of the whys of helping women living in deplorable conditions in brothels and as slaves. Just as I start to feel overwhelmed with the responsibilities (yes, I believe that it IS a responsibility of those who can help to do so), the authors give me a pass, of sorts. I will quote them since I have never won a Pulitzer:

"We may not succeed in educating all the girls in poor countries, or in preventing all women from dying in childbirth, or in saving all the girls who are imprisoned in brothels. But we think of Neth and remember a Hawaiian parable taught to us my Naka Nathanial, the former Times videographer, himself a Hawaiian:
A man goes out on the beach and sees that it is covered with starfish that have washed up in the tide. A little boy is walking along, picking them up and throwing them back into the water.
"What are you doing, son?" the man asks. "You see how many starfish there are? You'll never make a difference."
The boy paused thoughtfully, and picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean.
"It sure made a difference to that one," he said."

I really appreciate this perspective. Sometimes in this world I am overwhelmed by all the opportunities/responsibilities that I feel I must complete. Help people in need. Provide quality education for all. Feed the hungry. Recycle and save the planet. It is great to be reminded that every little bit, no matter how seemingly insignificant, actually does make a difference.

A kids book, not for kids

2011-04-27T14:51:00.000-07:00

I apologize if this book (or even the idea of it) offends you. That is not my intent. As a parent, and a book lover, I just thought this was funny.

Click here for more information about the title, to be released in October.

A little light reposting...

2011-03-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

Cinda Baxter is a wonder who is behind the 3/50 program nationwide. Her story is one of supporting locally owned, independent businesses. She takes this message across the country and tries to help small retailers. Her blog posting this morning really rings true, and I thought it worth re-posting.

“Local” is about more than a zip code

by Cinda Baxter on March 9, 2011 · 4 comments

When “buy local”/”shop local” messaging hit its stride two years ago, big boxes and national chains quickly realized their corner on marketplace visibility was being eclipsed. Cost-conscious consumers were not only thinking about the price of an item, but the impact of where they purchased it. Before long, we saw mega-retailers repackaging the “buy local” message to include themselves—they’d procure broccoli from a nearby grower, then advertise themselves as part of the “local” movement. Carry meat packaged by a company located in a nearby town, then tell consumers they were buying “local.”

Uh yeah…not so much.

Well, Chapter Two of The Repackaging of Buy Local has begun to roll out, and it’s even more troubling.

To really understand its impact, we need to first remind ourselves what the phrase “buy local” was initially intended to mean. “Buy local,” “shop local,” local first,” and other similar tag lines focused on one of two things: The source of a product and/or the point of purchase—neither of which being a large, national corporate entity. These were “independent” businesses with no outside branded support. You know…the little guys.

When the economy slid south, then stayed there, consumers began thinking—actually thinking!–-about the impact of their spending habits. Sure, the majority are still frequenting big boxes for the best deal, but many have begun to recognize that convenience comes with its own price tag. Big boxes and national chains send their revenue out of town. Lots of it. Most of it. And that means less money for the folks who live in that community. For their fire department. The police department. The city streets.

Their quality of life.

Fast forward to Chapter Two.

Since the first attempt to jump on the local bandwagon fared poorly, a new game plan is being rolled out. Now, either on their own or with the help of community organizations, the message is being twisted by insinuation that “local” is all about location—which includes every single national chain and big box in town. This usurped version of “buy local” is being packaged as “Buy Mayberry” (or whatever the town’s name is), arguing that any purchase made with any business in town brings equal revenue home. Not so. Not even close.

Now…before someone begins throwing darts this direction…let me be clear. Not all “Buy Mayberry” programs include big boxes, franchises, and national chains. Many are built to support the merchants in town that are 100% locally owned, no national or regional branding, no outside corporate help. All local all the time. They give the most back. They should get the most attention.

But many are rolling out an ill-conceived message that spending with a nearby mega-store does as much financial good for the community as selecting an independent merchant. Which is simply not true.

From the study provided by Civic Economics:

For every $100 spent with a local, independent brick and mortar business, $68 returns to the local economy. Spend the same $100 with a big box or national chain and only $43 remains in the local economy.

Then, there’s the addition of internet sales, from The 3/50 Project:

Spend that same $100 online, and unless you live in the exact same community as the e-tailer, nothing comes home.

National chains bank out of town (for all but very few of us, out of state).

They don’t replenish business consumables via local stores.

They don’t bring new jobs to town; they displace that number of employees currently working for other local businesses.

When they make a charitable donation, it goes to the charity’s national office, not the local chapter (and certainly not the small non-profits who have no national office).

They don’t pay the same property tax rates small businesses do—theirs is negotiated lower.

They simply don’t put the money back into the town it comes from.

Yes, big boxes and national chains are here to stay, and yes, they play a role in the local economy. But I strongly advise any community considering a “Buy Mayberry” (or similar) promotion be very, very clear about who, exactly, it is they’re promoting.

If your plan includes big boxes and national chains, it’s not ”local.” It’s corporate. It’s about zip codes. And it will cost your community dearly long term.

That’s a pretty steep price to pay for short term, feel-good visibility.

NOTE: to read more from Cinda, please go to her website here. Thanks!

Borders, Amazon and you.

2011-02-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

These are interesting times for booksellers. Borders filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this week. You can read more about it here. Since this is where I started my bookselling career, I do feel a little verklempt. The downtown Portland store closed in early January and many more store closings are on the horizon. I never like to see ANY bookstore close. We are lucky in the northwest to have access to many options if we want to buy books, be it Third Street Books, Borders, Barnes and Noble, Powells, Annie Blooms, Parnassus Books, the Book Bin, A Children's Place, even the internet. For many communities in America, stores like Borders were the ONLY source of reading material besides WalMart and Costco. There are places where Borders represents a cultural oasis in a wasteland of strip malls, big box cinemas and parking lots. A moment of silence is warranted.

Amazon on the other hand has gotten a bit too big for its britches, if you ask me. In many states where collecting sales tax is required for all retail outlets that have a physical presence in the state, Amazon has refused to do so. There exist some federal and state tax loopholes that allow Amazon to do this. However, bit by bit, states are fighting back. The Texas state comptroller recently sent Amazon a tax bill of $269 million. Amazon tossed its weight around and threatened to close a distribution facility is has in Texas and lay off all of its employees if it was made to pay this bill. Fortunately, the comptroller stuck to her guns (Texas-style, I'm sure) and didn't back down. Unfortunately, those employees are now out of work. While I feel deeply for those people, I am angered by the way Amazon (and admittedly other large corporations) seem to believe that they are above the laws that apply to everyone else doing business in a state. You can read more about it here and here.

You still have choices. As Americans that is one of our most sacred freedoms: to choose. Sure, sometimes we make decisions blindly, or just go with what is easiest or the status quo. But I hope that more and more people are thinking about the power of the choices we make. Be it where you spend your hard earned dollars, where you send your kids to school, what to eat or how to vote, we have the liberty to decide what is best for us, our families and our communities. Choose wisely.

Cool job alert.

2011-01-10T11:26:00.000-08:00

Maybe not as cool as working at a bookstore, ahem. Thatcher Wine (what a name!) seems to have a pretty good occupation. You may have caught this article about him here in the New York Times. Check it out!

Cat haters need not read this post.

2010-12-09T17:32:00.001-08:00

Seriously. The weather outside is so GROSS that all I want to do is go home, get into bed with a cup of tea and a glass of whiskey, pile the cats around me and read. Above is the scene on my bed when I left the house yesterday. Very cozy and my inspiration for this non-book related post. My office has no windows, which on days like this spares me from looking too forlornly at the torrents of rain coming down. But when I head out onto the sales floor, I can see that while it may actually be two in the afternoon, outside it looks like it is seven in the evening. Sigh.

Just a few articles of interest.

2010-12-06T10:12:00.000-08:00

I actually meant to post one of these links last week. Here, you can read an article from the Boston Review that talks about what happens when a commodity (like books) become available through only one source (like Amazon). It is a very long article, but thoughtfully written and contains many valid points. The comments are almost as interesting as the article!

And then here, is a piece from today's New York Times about Google entering the ebook market. This is actually a good thing. When we start selling ebooks online (look for a complete website overhaul in mid-2011), we will be partnering with Google to do so. We are excited about these possibilities and look forward to being able to provide you, our loyal customers, with an independent ebook purchasing option!

Cool stuff!

2010-12-01T16:09:00.001-08:00

Look at these cool new shirts we just got in! Beth is modeling The Catcher in the Rye for you. These tees have covers of great books printed on them. Out of Print Clothing makes these and we are proud to carry them in the store. Come down and see our selection!

Other neat gift items - small sachets and zipper pouches from Moontea Artwork. These lovelies are crafted in Grand Ronde, OR - so just down the road!

We also have some new votive holders. These tall mercury glass bottles from ROOST are not only beautiful, but functional as well since they double as a hanging candle holder. The shorter colored glass votive holders would look lovely on any holiday table!

Come down and see what else we have!

The holidays are here!

2010-11-29T15:59:00.000-08:00

With my favorite holiday out of the way, (who doesn't like to cook and eat all day with family and friends!) I can now concentrate on important stuff like: do we have enough mustache mugs in the store? What is a mustache mug you ask? Why it is a mug that depicts the hirsute upper lip of famous people. It is actually cooler than it sounds, and if my camera were working I would share a photo of it!

Questions about facebook. We are always wondering how many people get their news about the store from facebook. We seem to have about 390 friends (we'd always like more, nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Sometimes, people in the store make comments to us about our facebook postings, so I know that someone is reading it! What are your thoughts?

I shall endeavor to post some photos later this week...

-Sylla

Literary Tattoos

2010-10-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

This is not a post about encouraging tattoos (although anyone who knows me knows that I have no problem with them). It is just a reminder that some body art can be beautiful, especially when it combines ink with passion. In this story here on the Huffington Post, there is a lovely display of these tattoos, and a telling comment. "There are many personal anecdotes shared in "The Word Made Flesh," but not a single tattoo's origin story mentions words first read on a Kindle, iPhone or Nook -- at least none we've seen yet." writes the authors. I think that these tattoos are another way to promote the written word.
-Sylla

Banned Books

2010-09-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

Read a banned book this week! Seems strange to celebrate something like Banned Books Week (September 25th - October 2nd). I like to think of it more as a reminder that there are still places in America where books like Harry Potter and The Lorax are banned. At Third Street Books, as long as we can get the book, we will order it for you. No censorship here! If you are interested in more information about Banned Books Week, I recommend you visit this website here. It belongs to the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, a truly noble cause.

-Sylla

Question - will the value of collectible books increase with the advent of e-books?

2010-09-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Don't know. My husband and I were pondering this the other day. It seems possible. As fewer hardback books are being printed and sold, and their availability becomes less accessible to people, their value should increase. I am thinking about this from the perspective of a collector. There are some authors and titles that I like to own in hardcover. Partially because of a love that I have for the book, and partially because of the investment in a "first edition". It is true that not all first editions have or gain value over time, but that is part of the fun.

So back to my thoughts. Say Jonathan Franzen's next book isn't published for ten years. At that point, publishers only do an initial print run of say, 5000 hardcovers for the most popular authors. Do those 5000 automatically become collectible? Does the price of a new hardcover increase so much that the cost of a paper edition is so significantly higher than an electronic edition only hardcore fans can afford it?

People always ask me how the store is doing with e-books lapping up a bit more of our sales every year. The store is doing fine. We just expanded so that we can stock more sale books and gift items. We are always evolving to keep ahead of the curve (at least we try). It is not a business anyone gets into for the money. I believe that there will always be a place for brick and mortar stores, just as I believe there will always be a place for technological advancements. E-books are not going away. In some fields, (especially academia), I can appreciate how electronic books mobilize information in a way that increases its accessibility. However, for most casual readers, traditional books are sufficient. The browser's experience in a store influences their purchases, and our job is to make that experience positive and educational. Stores that are able to do this well will thrive. Especially smaller, independent stores that have staff who are experienced and life-long readers. Generally, the big box retailers are not hiring "booksellers", they are hiring bodies. If you can push some buttons on a keyboard and point to a sign in the store and tell the customer "Mysteries are over there", you are hired. Smaller stores often offer more training and almost always offer better customer service; their livelihood depends on it. But I digress.

Some books will never translate well to electronic media. Art monographs, children's picture books, some poetry (I wonder what an e.e.cummings poem looks like on an iPad?). I would be nervous cooking while using a Kindle (plus, you cannot notate the recipes!). So perhaps paper books, or at least hardcover books will become a more collectible item in the future. Maybe in ten years we will all wish we had held onto some "classics" in hardcover. Who knows.

-Sylla

Forgot this neat link...

2010-08-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

In our e-newsletter the other day (what? you don't get our e-newsletter?) I listed a few links that I think are pretty neat. But I failed to include this one. If anyone out there should feel the sudden need to get me a gift, I am partial to these "bookshelves".

In case you didn't get the links to other neat book related sites, here they are. NorthWest Book Lovers is a site for, well, book lovers in the great Pacific Northwest! OK, if you live anywhere in the world, you too can enjoy this site, it just focuses on bookstores, authors and events in the Pacific Northwest.

This blog post is just a nice little grouping of photos that remind me how reading is something anyone can do anywhere!

Oh, and if you want to sign up to get out e-newsletter, just go to our website and send us your email address and we will add you to the list!

Enjoy!

-S

Too cute!

2010-08-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Nothing too exciting, but a nice essay.

2010-07-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

The summer heat has us moving a bit slower. If we seem to have a vacant look in our eyes, it is likely that we are dreaming of sandy beaches with big umbrellas, drink in one hand a book in the other. There seems to be no shortage of activities in town during the summer. Turkeyrama, Starry Night, IPNC. Party over here, part over there. It is sort of nice.

I have two neat little essays to share with you. The first I read last night in the Book Review section of the New York Times. You can read it here. Gary Shteyngart's funny little love affair with his "iTelephone" and how it relates to actually conversing about books. The other article is from yesterday's Oregonian. Brian Doyle, essayist extraordinaire, has a lovely piece about the joys of reading in bed. Sadly, I am unable to find a link to it online, but go dig up the book section of the Oregonian from the recycling and give it a read. It is worth getting a little ink on the fingers. The timing was perfect. With the slightly cooler morning, I woke up to a snuggly cat (she really only likes my husband, not me) and a desire to read in bed a bit. Such a guilty pleasure, reading before the day starts, not at the end!

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

2010-06-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

No, we will not be blasting David Bowie in the store as a reminder to people that we moved things around a bit. I think that some of the changes we made will be obvious (big wall of sale books!) Others more subtle (I can't actually think of an example right now). We like to keep ourselves on our toes and shake it up a bit. We moved the cooking, gardening and crafts sections to some new bookcases along the front windows. We created the aforementioned wall of sale books, and we now have an entire bookcase at the beginning of lit dedicated to staff recommendations. So far, we like these changes. You?

Oh, New York and BEA was great. Met up with some old co-workers of mine, quite by accident! Attended a breakfast event that was moderated by Jon Stewart and hosted Condoleezza Rice, John Grisham and Mary Roach. It was a funny and irreverent way to start the day! Saw some great titles for this fall (I am reading a neat one about home canning at the moment) and walked, a lot! Will post more soon.

-Sylla

Buying for fall

2010-05-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of ordering books for this fall. Usually it is especially hard to be thinking about Christmas in May because the weather is so gorgeous. This year, the stretch is not as hard to make. This chilly weather has been sending me to bed early, so I have been getting lots of reading done. Some of them are advanced copies of books that will be out this fall (look for Mr. Toppit!) others are just things that have been sitting in my pile for a long time. I am currently working my way through an advanced copy of the next Donna Leon, and Bill Bryson's new book. I recently read Chef - a thoughtful narrative about an chef who is an officer in the Indian army and the time he serves in Kashmir cooking for a general. I also finished the first two mysteries of a relatively new series A Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam and A Good Thief's Guide to Paris. Light, but not too fluffy books. I wish that they were a tad more atmospheric, but if that is as close to Amsterdam and Paris as I am going to get this year, I'll take it.

Next week I am off to New York City for Book Expo America. I will be wondering the long aisles of the Javits Convention Center in mid-town. My arms will be tired from lugging around galleys that publishers insist I must read. My feet will hurt because they just will. They hurt now just thinking about all the walking I will do. But I don't care because I will be in bookseller's lala-land, nirvana, heaven - surrounded by the written word, talking to passionate booksellers, publishers and authors. Can't wait!

The Passage by Justin Cronin

2010-03-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

The Passage, due out June 8th, is getting a lot of pre-publication buzz. I finished an advance copy yesterday and I have to say it was pretty good. I'm usually hesitant to read books that garner this much attention. Way back in 2007 the unfinished manuscript for this novel sold to a movie studio for a nice $1.75 million (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/11/movies/11vamp.html). And there's lots of assumptions about how much Cronin sold The Passage and the two subsequent books in the series for. I have to admit though, in this case it may have been worth it.

It's almost impossible to distill this 750 page novel into a short review, but here is a bit of the story line. When a secret government experiment, titled Project NOAH, goes horribly wrong with the escape of twelve test subjects a horrific virus is set loose in the United States. The thirteenth test subject, a six-year-old girl named Amy, and the FBI agent who rescue her, flee to Oregon and take refuge in the mountains. The after effects of Project NOAH lead to a new United States which is ruled by fear and the need to survive.

The Passage was outside the range of what I normally read, but the writing is excellent and the characters and plot line so well developed I kept expecting to look up from my reading and see an entirely new world outside my living room window.

If you need a good, long summer read I highly recommend this book. Look for it June 8th!

- Angela

Publicity

2010-03-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

Lately we have been receiving a fair amount of very nice publicity. A few weeks ago we won the McMinnville Downtown Association's Outstanding Business of 2009 Award. The News-Register did a lovely piece about us and all the other winners at that awards ceremony. Then this past weekend, News-Register writer Karl Klooster wrote about the events that we host at the bookstore. Walking through town these last few weeks, going about my regular routine, I have had many compliments about the bookstore. How deserving we were of the award. How great our events are. I just wanted to take a moment and say a few words. One: none of this would have happened without the great people who work at Third Street Books. I am very lucky to have such wonderful people working with me. Everyone brings a unique personal experience to the store that I think helps us become better booksellers for you. Two: none of this would have happened without the continued support of this community! Seriously! If you all stopped shopping here, we wouldn't be able to survive - so THANK YOU! I share all this kudos with you!

-Sylla

Barry Hannah, RIP

2010-03-05T09:09:00.000-08:00

"Who?" you ask. While perhaps not popularly know, writer Barry Hannah was one of the great southern writers of our times. His recent death at 67 is a loss to the literary world. I have not read a lot of Barry Hannah, but I was deeply touched by his style. Yonder Stands Your Orphan is part literary mystery, part investigation in evil. The swamps of Mississippi never looked so bleak. His books are not for everyone, but if you are a fan of great writing and a dark tale, you should pick some Hannah up. Sadly, I can't even order some through our distributor right now. I am hoping that is because his death has sparked a renewed interest in this great American writer.

"One of those young writers who is brilliantly drunk with words and could at gunpoint write the life story of a telephone pole."--Jim Harrison on the late Barry Hannah. (from Shelf Awareness, Thursday, March 4th, 2010)

-Sylla

We will never do this to you . . .

2010-02-01T09:09:00.001-08:00

In the battle of the e-readers, publishers have fallen to Amazon's mighty sword more often then they would like. Amazon has determined the price of e-books, (generally around $9.99) and wants publishers to play the game and lower their prices too. At the moment, Amazon is not making any money by selling e-books at such a low price, but if they have anything to say about it, that will soon change.

This past weekend, I was reading about deals between Amazon and Macmillan, and wondered who would prevail. It seems as if Macmillan came out on top, of only for a little while. Read this article here in today's New York Times for a bit more background. Basically, Amazon told Macmillan that if they didn't meet Amazon's price demands, Amazon would cease to sell any of their books, electronic or print editions. Starting last Friday, you could not buy anything published by Macmillan (while not the largest publisher out there, they are definitely part of the Big Six). This includes the most recent Man Booker Prize winner, "Wolf Hall" but Hilary Mantel.

After the "1984" debacle last summer you would have thought that Amazon had learned that playing big brother is not ok. But I guess if you are one of the largest retailers in the world, you get to play the game by any rules you want. At Third Street Books, we will never censor what you buy, not allow you to purchase a title because we have decided not to carry anything by that author or publisher, nor will we come into your homes and take back the book that you have already paid for.

-Sylla

iPad? Tablet? Old-fashioned book?

2010-01-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

I am really trying not to obsess too much about e-readers. At the same time, I don't want to be hit when I am already down and not anticipate a decline in sales at least partially due to electronic media. I really want to be realistic about my little store, but sometimes that is hard too.

At meetings with other booksellers, in conversations over coffee or beer, we speak about the e-reader and the future of our stores. I am concerned about my store, but more than that, I am concerned about the future of reading. Americans (honestly, probably all nationalities) read less and less these days. Newspapers are folding, publishing houses are limiting their print runs, and bookstores are closing. Someone tried to argue with me recently saying that blogs were perhaps filling the hole where newspapers once lived. I disagree. Most blogs that I read are fun and entertaining, but the quality of writing is poor. Anyone can start a blog (pot, meet kettle). It is free, no one rewrites or vetoes your stories. You don't even have to be a very good fact checker to claim something is true, or was written by you when it was clearly cut and paste from another source.

Several months ago, I had a chance to hear Tim Egan, author of The Big Burn and opinion writer for the New York Times. He spoke passionately about his love of independent bookstores. He best quote, which I may have written about before, was "You [referencing a room of independent bookstore owners] are the flu shot to active ignorance". I liked the metaphor. Today, Mr. Egan writes an article about Apple's latest instrument of technological prowess, the iPad. You can read it here. He doesn't come out and repeat his quote, but he does posit some good questions: if a bookstore is often considered the "living room" or "third place" of a community, what happens to a community when there is no such space?

Back to technology. I am trying to not spend so much time thinking about something over which I have no control. The future holds some kind of e-reader. I don't know which one. It is likely that when all the guns are out of ammo, there will only be one (maybe two) such technologies standing. When that happens, I will get on the bandwagon and stock those alongside the technology that has lasted generations, needs no batteries, and doesn't self-destruct if you spill coffee on it.

-Sylla

Holiday Wrap Up

2009-12-28T12:19:00.000-08:00

If I was feeling really creative, I would have made this into a rap, but alas (or perhaps luckily) my creativity is dulled by all the fat, sugar and alcohol I have imbibed these last few days.

We had a few bright spots this holiday season. Notably, we managed to keep some hot titles in stock (Rustic Fruit Desserts). We also managed to handsell all of our copies of the new Thomas Keller cookbook. Many customers were thrilled with how fast we could fill their orders. Others were thrilled that we could wrap their gifts! We had several positive comments about our extended holiday hours. And, we almost sold out of our favorite holiday gift item (see above - there are only two left!)

One dull and sour spot, that worked out ok in the end was the delivery of our orders from a major distributor. The morning of the 21st, when we realized our shipment was again going to be late, we were feeling down. I called the distributor, emailed my rep, begged, pleaded, offered my first born (they declined, thank goodness!) anything to get the books delivered that day. Low and behold, one of the heads of the warehouse decided to solve the problem. He loaded up his minivan with our six boxes, and drove them four hours to our store. I know that for many, the holiday spirit is about love, family, sharing and peace. This year, Wes from Ingram reminded me that it is also about gratitude and sometimes doing a little extra to help someone out. Thanks, Wes.

-Sylla

In the holiday spirit.

2009-12-14T09:11:00.000-08:00

My friend Brad is a used book buyer at a Seattle bookstore. He is also a lovely man and his passion for fine literature knows no bounds. I have included here a link to him reading part of Dicken's The Pickwick Papers. He is a wonderful reader. I only wish I could see him read more Dickens in person.

Will the book really die?

2009-12-07T09:11:00.001-08:00

People often ask me what I think about the Kindle and other e-reader technology. I have briefly perused an article from the New Yorker on my friend's Kindle. I thought it was a fine enough experience. I suspect that e-readers are more that just a fad, but I am not sure how much of a dent they will make in traditional book sales. I know that e-readers have already affected my little store a bit. I had several customers who used to spend and average of $60-$100 a month on books. Then they told me they got Kindles last year and I have rarely seen them since. A customer and his wife inquired this past weekend if we would ever have the e-reader technology for sale, and the e-books to go with it. These are smart, no-nonsense people; people I admire. They wanted to buy this technology, from me. It made me pause. For the last four months I have been wondering if/when I should try to get a piece of the e-reader market. The technology is almost there for me through the American Bookseller's Association. It is likely that within the next six-to-eight months, thanks to the ABA I will be able to sell e-readers at my store (probably only the Sony version) and sell e-books on my website.

I am unsure, however, about the viability of these sales for my store. There is a significant initial investment in time and money to upgrade my website so that I can offer e-readers. Then there are monthly fees (which are not cheap) and whatever kind of routine management the website will need. Do enough people in Yamhill County want to be able to buy e-readers to warrant this investment? That is what I am trying to figure out. There are many catches. Kindle users can only get books from Amazon. Nook users can only get books from Barnes & Noble. Sony e-reader users can get books from independent booksellers. How many people will get a Sony vs a Kindle? Or a Nook? These are all questions I ponder.

There is always some big drama in bookselling. When I started as a bookseller, it was the early days of big box stores coming to steal market share from the small independents. Many small stores closed. But many of those were poorly run and probably would have closed soon anyway. This is an ongoing process, highlighted by the current lackluster economy. Then Amazon came onto the scene. Amazon was a threat to all bricks and mortar stores. Over and over I heard the death knell being rung for traditional bookstores. People were saying that in ten years, there would no longer be any stores for people to walk into to touch a book before they bought it. This was back in 1995. Again, there were many stores that closed, but many also adapted to what their customers wanted and became better at what they could reasonably deliver.

An article in this morning's New York Times actually prompted this post. The article (you can read it here) talks about the resurgence of vinyl records. Remember those? I bet you or your parents have a stack somewhere in the garage, likely in an old milk crate. In this article, there was one line that made me stop and laugh a bit: "And with the curious resurgence of vinyl, a parallel revival has emerged: The turntable, once thought to have taken up obsolescence with reel-to-reel and eight-track tape players, has been reborn." Hmm. Now, vinyl record sales are no where even close to what they used to be, but there is a ton of competition. And people are rediscovering the superior sound quality that vinyl produces. So here is the question: Will this happen with books? I mean in ten, maybe fifteen years, will people be so sick and tired of everything being so rush, rush? Will we discover that e-readers give off some kind of noxious gas that causes painful pink blisters on our faces when we are using them? Will technology come full circle, and like vinyl, we will rediscover the book? I wonder.

-Sylla

Eight Good Reasons to Shop Early, Shop Often.

2009-11-17T09:14:00.000-08:00

I am shamelessly stealing this from a fellow bookseller's Twitter feed, via a trade newsletter, Shelf Awareness.

1. We have not yet started playing Christmas music.
2. That feeling of self-righteousness over starting so early translates into treating yourself to something as well.
3. You can make a list of all the things you want, so that you can hint liberally at Thanksgiving.
4. If there's a hardcover you've been eyeing, you have time to read the whole thing before giving it away.
5. We have free gift wrapping. By Christmas, you’ll forget what it was you bought. Aren't surprises great?
6. It’s much easier to stick to your budget when we aren't serving you eggnog like we do the week before Christmas. (*NOTE: We don't do this at TSB, but it might be a good idea!)
7. All versions of The Night Before Christmas are still in stock. You won't have to settle for that one weird one left over on Christmas Eve.
8. You'll bring smiles and joy and a twinkle to the eye of your favorite local, indie bookseller.

Katherine Fergason (@KatherineBoG), manager and children's buyer at Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, Vineyard Haven, Mass.

-Sylla

Our peeps! On bikes!

2009-10-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

So for the last few years, we have been partial sponsors of a group of crazies who ride their bikes in the mud. Have you ever heard of cyclo cross? Non? Well, visit here the local organizers of semi-weekly races to get a better picture.

The main sponsors are our friends at Staccato Gelato in Portland. We were given the opportunity to help out and said, why not? We like bikes. Lots of people who ride bikes read books too, right? Ok, the logic may be a bit flawed, but whatever. Here are some pics of a few members of the team:

Here is our logo on the back of the jersey:

Doesn't everyone look swell? We will write about books again soon.

Ack! It is the last day of August!

2009-08-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

We have been woefully absent from this blog. It doesn't mean we aren't reading, or thinking of books. It just means we are busy selling books and enjoying the summer. I sense that fall is in the vicinity. The light outside has changed. Did you notice? It happened very subtly. You were probably too busy swimming, or camping or complaining about the heat. The angle of the light is at a greater slant. I love this. I love the way it changes not just the shadows of the everyday stagnant objects around you, but the colors of them as well.

Slight distraction. We are headed to the PNBA Trade Show next week. That is the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Trade Show. We hope to meet with some authors, chat with other booksellers and gather information about the best books for the fall. This blog post is actually a break from writing orders for the show. Is there something in particular that you want?

-S

Fall books

2009-07-25T14:39:00.000-07:00

We are finishing our fall buying right now and I must say the upcoming list looks very, very promising. A lot of these titles are coming out in October and November but you can come in and pre-order any of them now. There are so many good titles coming out I can't list all of them, but here is a little taste of what to expect this fall.

Young Readers

Waddle by Rufus Butler Seder: Seder has two other Scanimation books to his name but this one will be in color. (Available Oct. 1st)

Day Is Done by Peter Yarrow: Here is another book/Cd combo for those of you who loved Puff the Magic Dragon and the Peter Yarrow songbook. (Available Oct. 6th)

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart: This is the third book featuring the wonderful Mysterious Benedict Society. Perfect for kids who like a light mystery story. (Available Oct. 6th)

Ghost in the Machine: Skeleton Creek #2 by Patrick Carman: A really creepy series set in a fictional Oregon logging town. This book has a multi-media approach. Kids can read the story and watch mysterious videos online. Lots of fun for adults and kids. (Available Oct. 1st)

Sent: Missing Book 2 by Margaret Peterson Haddix: Found: Missing Book 1 is on the Battle of the Books list for Oregon students this year. I haven't read anything from this series, but I have heard from many enthusiastic kids that it is fantastic. (Available August 25th)

Young Adult

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater: This book is perfect for Stephenie Meyer fans. It has werewolves, intrigue and a bit of a love story. Teens will love this first book in a planned series. (Available August 1st!)

The Amanda Project Book 1: Invisible I by Stella Lennon: This book is a bit like The 39 Clues but it is geared for teen girls. The Amanda Project has a dedicated website and the author is planning multiple books. If you want to get your teen hooked on a new series, this is a good one to try. (Available September 22nd)

Catching Fire: The Second Book of the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: Collins does not disappoint with this follow up to The Hunger Games. I'm already looking forward to Book 3! This book is great for guys and girls because it has strong male and female characters. (Available Sept 1st)

Fire by Kristin Cashore: Cashore's first book, Greaceling, is one of my top YA picks of 2008. Fire is presented as a companion to Graceling, but the books only share one character. If you have a teen girl who can't get enough to read, steer her to Cashore. The author does a wonderful job creating strong female characters who know what they want (and it's not always a boyfriend) (Available Oct. 5th)

The Maze Runner by James Dashner: I finished this book earlier this week and I cannot stop raving about it. Dashner creates a Lord of the Flies type world, only the boys are not completely wild, they have no memory of where they come from, they spend every day trying to figure out how to get out of a maze and there are really creepy creatures that try to kill them once they enter the maze. So, not really like Lord of the Flies, but a tense, quick read. Great for adults and teens. (Available Oct. 6th)

Adult

Gathering Storm: Wheel of Time #12 by Robert Jordan: It's almost here! (Available Nov. 3rd)

Lost Symbol by Dan Brown: I know a lot of people have been waiting years for this title. At 528 pages let's hope it's as intense as his other books. (Available Sept. 15th.)

Children's Book by A. S. Byatt: I'm working through this 688 page book right now. Even though it's long, it is very compelling and I am enjoying it. (Available Oct. 6th 2009)

Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakaeur: Who doesn't love a new Krakaeur book? His subject this time around? Pat Tillman and what exactly happened to him. (Available Sept. 15th)

Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson: Three Cups of Tea is still selling well for us. I know a lot of people who can't wait to get their hands on this book. (Available Dec. 1st)

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Winters, Ben H: For all of you who have bought, read, and loved Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, here is another great title from Quirk Books. (Available Sept. 15th)

Angela

Finally, an update!

2009-06-17T16:49:00.001-07:00

Well, it's been far too long since we updated our blog! We've all been busy with getting out of school frenzy, early summer camping trips and, of course, selling books. I spent this past weekend in the Cave Junction / Grants Pass area and I finally got around to reading Coop, the latest by Michael Perry.

If you haven't read anything by Michael Perry you should check him out soon. I would recommend reading Truck: a Love Story first because Coop picks up where it left off. In Coop Perry writes about his family, the arrival of his first child and his new role as a farmer. As usual he writes with a certain Midwestern flair that will have you laughing one moment and wiping away tears the next.

For fans of the current vampire / paranormal craze I recently finished the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I like this series because it appeals to teens and adults and it has more adventure than romance. This is a fast-paced read with lots of fight scenes that will appeal to everyone. Another plus of this series: it features every paranormal creature imaginable and the author does a wonderful job weaving the different factions together.

A few more updates: This week we received Border Songs, the new book from Jim Lynch, and The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Next week the new Janet Evanovich will be available. This makes #15!!

We have most of the Battle Books available now. If you buy 10 off any list you get a 10% discount. Come in now and stock up!

Book Pirates!

2009-05-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Share this with a kid!

Thanks to Jessica at The Written Nerd for the link.

-Sylla

Books as personality identifiers

2009-04-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

In an article in this week's New York Times (the Fashion & Style section no less!) author Joanne Kaufman addresses the Kindle's affect on literary snobbism. She points out that seeing what other people read is for many a way to compartmentalize an individual. We have all scanned a friend's bookshelf and whether you want to admit it or not, you are impressed to see a dog-eared collection of Jane Austen's novels. Or someone who actually made it through one of Pynchon's doorstop books. With the Kindle, the ability to be surreptitious in your nosiness is a lot harder. Maybe the Kindle will become some kind of class equalizer (once they are free of course) and we will no longer judge a book by its cover?

I have mixed feelings about the Kindle. I touched my first one last week. It wasn't an entirely bad experience. Am I going to buy one? No, they are far too expensive for me. But I appreciate that they can be quite handy and imagine in some settings (especially academic circles) their usefulness is being embraced with arms wide open. Frequent travelers too would also appreciate the ease of use. However, for me, part of the fun of traveling is in visiting other bookstores and picking something up that I missed in my own. There are many arguments in favor of e-readers, but for now I am going to stick to my ink & paper reader.

-Sylla

Must-Reads

2009-04-08T08:53:00.001-07:00

We booksellers are lucky enough to get advanced copies of forthcoming titles. Here are some excellent titles from the first half of this year. A few of them aren't published yet, but that will give you time to get caught up on the author's other books!

Last night I finished Little Bee by Chris Cleave. What an amazing book. I'm not sure I even have words to describe how wonderful it is. Before its release the publishers didn't say very much about the book because they wanted readers to discover its content on their own. All I will say is that this is a very good novel about immigration, globalization and refugees. And it is definitely worth buying in hardcover.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

This book is a must read for any teenager who is uncertain about leaving home for any reason. If you have a 16-18 year old in your life make sure they read this book. It's great for adults too, but I think it will really resonate with teens in the midst of making big life choices. If I Stay follows 17-year-old Mia for 24 hours after she and her family get in a horrific car accident. This is a fantastic story and it's available now.

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

This is a prequel to The Shadow of the Wind and it is full of the intrigue and drama that Zafon does best. (June 16th 2009)

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

This is the second book in a planned trilogy by Swedish author Steig Larsson. The series was going to feature at least ten books but Larsson only completed three before dying suddenly of a heart attack. I don't usually read crime fiction, but these books are so compelling and well written I found myself wishing Larsson would return from the grave and write seven more titles. (July 28th)

Border Songs by Jim Lynch

Jim Lynch is my new favorite author. He has two fiction titles under his belt, Border Songs and Highest Tide. Highest Tide is the Mac Reads pick for this year and Mr. Lynch himself will be in town at the end of April. If you haven't read Highest Tide you have plenty of time left to do so. Both of Jim Lynch's books are set in Washington state and feature spectuacular characters. He will be in the store on April 30th from 3-4 pm for a signing before his 7:30 talk at the Nicholson Library at Linfield. (Border Songs pubs June 16th).

- Angela

Thanks for partying with us!

2009-03-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

Starting to get busy.
Happy Birthday Oregon display. Also, if you look closely, you can see my face directly under the red arrow! Fortuitous, non?
Husband extraordinaire (thanks babe!) and my grandmother!
Employees kissing their mothers. It was a really family friendly event!
More partying.

We had a great time. If you missed it, we are sorry. Maybe in five more years we will do it again!

-Sylla

Happy Birthday to Us!

2009-02-25T17:00:00.000-08:00

IT'S A PARTY!
AND YOU ARE INVITED!

Saturday, February 28th from 5-8 pm, join us at the bookstore to celebrate our fifth anniversary! The store is in fact much older than five, but we wanted an excuse to celebrate, and this seemed like a good one. Live music, bubbles and snacks will great you that evening. Everything in the store will be 5% off for the whole day. Print out this email and bring it in for an additional 10% off! That means you could get a whole 15% off your purchase for that day! And we would get to say "thank you" to you for sticking with us!

Saturday, February 28th from 5-8 pm.
Bring your friends!

Before I get too mushy and weepy I have to say, thank you. Owning a bookstore has been a dream of mine for a long time. Once, during a performance review that I was having with a supervisor at Border's, she asked me where I saw myself in five to ten years (note: DO NOT ASK THIS QUESTION. It is really lame.) I honestly told her that I saw myself owning my own store. She thought I was nuts, and told me so. Well, if this is crazy, I'll take it.

Being a part of this community has been filled with all sorts of fun. Little things like walking down Third Street and waving to people as they pass by reminds me that my children will never get into too much trouble in a town where lots of people know their parents! Wearing my pj's to Roth's for some morning food shopping, and being caught by a customer who wants to know if I have a book in stock. Having the best staff ever help me guide this store into a real community bookstore. Working with other business owners and neighbors in town to ensure that people know about our great downtown and the importance of supporting locally owned businesses. Since I have taken over the store, not once have I woken up and thought, "Ugh! Today I have to go to work".

So to all of you who have watched us expand, stock the store, try different events, etc. and have stuck with us, we thank you.

NOTE: I have just been informed that almost all my postings and e-newletters have at least one spelling error. For the record. I am a lousy speller. LOUSY. I know, I own a bookstore for crying out loud, isn't there a dictionary around? Well, yes, but that would mean I would have to move. I am lousy, and lazy. You will still read this, won't you?

-Sylla

Citadel of the Spirit

2009-02-20T09:18:00.000-08:00

I know Sylla mentioned Citadel of the Spirit: Oregon's Sesquicentennial Anthology in December sometime, but now that I've read it I have to throw in my two cents. I bought my Dad this book for his birthday. I had a few days before I was going to see him so I started reading excerpts from the book. After 4 or 5 essays I was hooked and had to buy a copy for myself.

I thought I would read the book over a long period of time (it's 400+ pages) but I read it in about 2 weeks! Matt Love did a wonderful job putting this book together and I found myself fascinated and enthralled with Oregon's history. I read some of the pieces out loud to my husband and after I finished the book he settled down to read through it for himself. My husband and I were both born and raised in Oregon and had no idea we knew so little about Oregon history.

We have lots of copies of Citadel of the Spirit. If you are at all curious about Oregon history, you need to read this book!

Angela

Happiness is...

2009-02-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

As you may know, dear reader, there are many things that make up the workings of our bookstore. Book ordering, customer service, displays, cleaning and organizing... Ah yes, cleaning.

D'you know what a mulching vacuum is? A vacuum that, rather than picking up dirt and depositing it in the collection bag instead spins it around and deposits it right back on the floor, sometimes flinging (at warp speed, no less) bits and pieces of dirt and pebbles willy-nilly. Apparently last week, our trusty Eureka-with-special-mulch-feature gave up the ghost. Finally. I walked her down to Boersma's to see if anything could be done, her wheels screeching a funeral dirge along the way. Dragging her back to the vacuum repair area, I asked if anything could be done, and the nice man at Boersma's asked me if I wanted her to be fixed. Do what you can, sir, I replied, and left her in his capable hands.

Fast forward to Sunday, finding me in the back of the bookstore turning on the heat, and there, in the corner, shining like a beacon, is a Miele Calypso Power Plus upright vacuum with automatic height adjustment and swivel neck. Swivel. Neck. That's power steering in vacuum speak, folks. This thing practically vacuums the place all by itself.

Anything to make our job easier. I thank you Sylla, (and Boersma's) for this wonderful gift.

-Anna

Happy Birthday Oregon!

2009-02-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know the official day isn't until next week, but who cares? It is a beautiful sunny day, great for meandering down Third Street. I rode my bike around this morning and look forward to more errands taken care of by bike this afternoon. I have also been looking for some neat little Valentine's Day gifts for my family. Don't tell my husband, but I think that this year, I am going to go all out. Yep, I am going to give him what he really wants: a crossword puzzle dictionary. My poor children are always so bummed that we are not more romantic. Ah well. I will make them each a sweet Valentine and sooth their hearts with chocolate.

On Thursday, we are excited to host Matt Love, author and editor extraordinaire, and several authors from his book, Citadel of the Spirit: Oregon's Sesquicentennial Anthology - A Merging of Past and Present Oregon Voices and Stories. This event will be a great way to celebrate our state's birthday. Matt is a wonderful speaker, compassionate and inspiring, and we are looking forward to hearing other authors from the book as well. Just a little shameless self-promotion there.

I forgot to mention that we have an electronic newsletter. Maybe you already get it, I don't know. We announce our cool events, sales, and book reviews there. If you are interested in receiving it, please send your name and email address to:info@thirdstreetbooks.com and we will add you to our list!

Off to hang out in the sun!

-Sylla

Mystery Loves Company

2009-01-25T15:38:00.000-08:00

Today for thee, a short list:

I confess my undying passion for Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley, Eighth Earl of Asherton.

I also confess that the above mentioned Thomas Lynley is, well, a fictional character from an amazingly well-written series of mysteries by Elizabeth George and my passion shall go unrequited.

*Sigh*

I highly encourage you to pick up the series, starting with A Great Deliverance and read it, read it as soon as you can.

The series need not be read in order, but it helps. (I read the most recent one, Careless in Red first.)

Make sure to set aside a goodly block of time in which to read each book, as they will suck you into what I refer to as "The Book Vortex," a curious place where time and space lose all meaning.

-Anna

Nothing to read.

2009-01-22T20:59:00.000-08:00

Sounds dumb, I know. I mean not only do I have a literal ton of books at home, I own a bookstore for crying out loud. But sometimes, I just cannot find something that tempts me. I want something light, but not fluffy. Nothing that is going to make me cry, or insert itself into my dreams. At the suggestion of one of my co-workers I read Dietgirl the other night. It was fine. A quick, easy read following the true story about one woman's quest to loose half her body weight (she started at 350 lbs and took five years to do it!) Like I said, it was fine. I want something with a leetle more teeth to it. I got half way through The Bone People last week. I will finish it, but need a break. I do most of my reading at night and I found that I have a hard time remember if someone is talking, or thinking, and who it is. I have some galleys that look promising, but I am still casting about for a nice toothy mystery. Any suggestions?

-Sylla

2009-01-08T11:28:00.001-08:00

I am always in search of something good to read. I know, I work in a bookstore and the possibilities are endless, yes? Well, sure, but sometimes there are so many choices it's hard to decide. I always seem to have good luck closing my eyes and playing eenie-meenie-miny-moe, but there is something to be said of making informed choices.

I picked up The Whiskey Rebels because it was the right time. I had just finished Stephen King's latest collection of short stories (He is a great writer and there is no shame in having a diverse taste in reading material. So there.) and I started to feel panicked. Do you not feel somehow incomplete when you are between books? It really is best to have more than one going at a time but, hey, it was the holiday season and free time I had not. I had heard good things about David Liss and I am always drawn to history and historic novels.

The Whiskey Rebels did not disappoint. Set in post-Revolutionary America, Liss relates the stories of Ethan Saunders, a disgraced war spy accused of treason, and Joan Maycott, the widow of a whiskey distiller. Their stories intertwine until they finally meet on the proverbial battlefield, both with radically different agendas.

Liss has definitely done his homework as you can see; once you finish reading, I dare you not to look up the real Whiskey Rebellion and find out what politicians were up to at the dawn of our country.

-Anna

Butt Humor

2009-01-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

I know that I am likely to offend someone with this post, but here it goes. Butt humor. It is funny. You cannot deny it. Sometimes it is more funny than others. Usually, it is not funny if it smells really bad. I tend to buy the butt humor books for the store. This drives one of my booksellers nuts. She doesn't think they are funny. She thinks they are crass and rude. Hmm. Sometimes I am crass and rude (but I try not to be in front of you, dear reader). Here are some of my favorite butt humor books:

We all know a dog with horrible gas. If you don't, I suggest you get to know Walter. His flatulence is by no means indicative of his personality, which is mild and sweet.

I bought this last Christmas for my daughters to give to my brother. They gleefully showed the book to my mom before the holiday. My mother retorted that my brother was far too mature for a book about poop. Christmas morning came and guess which present everyone was reading all day?

As a kid it was common to get Mad Libs, and then fill in the blanks with the dirtiest word you could think of (poop, fart, stupid). I few years ago I hosted a party that my husband called Meatloaf, Martini's and Mad Libs. I had acquired a set of "adult" Mad Libs. We sat around and filled in the blanks with the dirtiest words we could think of (not appropriate to reprint here, there were martini's there after all). We decided that the clean "kids" Mad Libs with the nasty adult words were way better than the "adult" ones. This is a great activity for winter evenings (not one where I would include young children).

-Sylla

Class Matters

2009-01-05T20:46:00.001-08:00

I have to be honest, I rarely read non-fiction. The other day, however, a used book called Class Matters by correspondents of The New York Times came through the store and captured my interest. I borrowed it for a few days and I have been absolutely fascinated by the essays. I'm not quite finished with it, but I can't wait to the end to write about it.

In 2005 The New York Times did a large series on class and its function in America. After the series was published they compiled the essays into this book. I would find the book's commentary on our society interesting even if we hadn't just escaped the horror that was 2008. However, what happened in 2008 - to the nation's economy, the housing market, etc. makes this book especially eerie in its predictions.

In writing about class distinctions one journalist mentions how difficult it is to tell who is in what class. She writes that we may think we are a classless society, but it only appears that way because of how easy it is to get a credit card or a home loan. Within her article she quotes Travis B. Plunkett, the legislative director of the Consumer Federation of America. "Many families that never had access to credit now do. The problem is that a flood of credit is now available to many financially vulnerable families and extended in a reckless and aggressive manner in many cases without thought to implications."

Anyone else feel like clutching their head in agony after reading that quote?? Why didn't we listen!? Why didn't we pay attention so we could see the financial crisis coming instead of waking up one morning wondering what was happening to our country? Ah, well. Hindsight is 20-20, right?

As we move away from 2008 it's important to read books like this to see where we have been and where we may be going. Class Matters discusses health care, immigration, and other pertinent issues that will matter to all of us as we enter into this New Year with a new President.

Here's to 2009 - may it cause less panic, less worry, fewer bailouts and much joy.

The Help and Woman's World

2008-12-30T12:37:00.001-08:00

The holiday craziness is over! This weekend I had time to sit down and read for what feels like the first time in December. We had a great season here at the store, although I would've been fine with a few inches less of snow. I read two books set in the early sixties this weekend, but they could not have been more different.

Woman's World by Graham Rawle is a work of extreme creativeness and skill. Rawle built his book using 40,000 text fragments from early 1960s British women's magazines. The story itself centers around 29-year-old Roy Little who has a house-bound sister named Norma. The narrative alternates between Norma and Roy's point of view, but it soon becomes clear that the two may be not as they are first portrayed. When a murder occurs, Norma must decide if she is brave enough to survive the aftermath.

This book is very, very difficult to explain. I'm still reeling from all the twists and turns, but it is laugh-out-loud funny and Rawle does a marvelous job with the texts he culled. If you need something that has depth, but is still light and entertaining this is the book for you.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett will be published February 10, 2009. I got my hands on an advanced copy and I devoured it in three long sittings. In The Help Stockett portrays the lives of three women, two black and one white, living in Mississippi in the early 1960s. Stockett's characters are so vividly drawn I felt like they were walking around my living room as I was reading the book.

Readers of this book will fall in love with Abilene, Minny and Skeeter and they will gain new persepective of the tensions that existed in Mississippi during the early 1960s. When Skeeter, a recent college graduate, and Abiliene and Minny, two maids, decide to work together on a dangerous, secret project they discover difficult truths about themselves, their friends and families.

I don't want to write too much about what happens because part of the joy of the book is the tension and suspense that lives on each and every page. This is one of the best novels by a first author I have read in a long time; I cannot recommend it enough.

- Angela

Just a quick note

2008-12-29T15:52:00.000-08:00

As I am wrapping up holiday bills and trying to make sense of the mess in my office, I got a little distracted by this article in today's New York Times. Ok, now I realize that it was in Sunday's paper, but I don't think I got to the "Week in Review" section yesterday. This article talks about something that we all at the very least consider, and often actually do: bargain shop. I am all for a bargain, but I don't offer many. Books are expensive, for many even a luxury item. Running a bookstore takes many more people than running a dress shop, with many more "tools". Will my customers buy fewer books because of the slowing economy? This is a question that I am trying to answer every day. So far my thought is to be smart about what I choose to stock, and what I have to special order for people. But the crux of the article is about more than just getting a bargain. It is about a fundamental shift in the book world that is getting nearer and nearer.

When Amazon started in the early '90's, people were prematurely lamenting the death of the bricks and mortar bookstore. Yes, the internet has certainly put some stores out of business, but not all. Several years ago I made the decision NOT to sell online. I just don't see the logic in competing against the behemoth that is Amazon or even Powell's for that matter. Listing books online is labor intensive, and payroll is one business expense that I try to control tightly. I guess this article has made me realize that if I want my store to survive (and I do, don't you?) I may have to alter course slightly. Food for thought. More ranting to come, I'm sure.

-Sylla

Snowpocolypse of 2008!

2008-12-20T17:47:00.000-08:00

Seriously, this snow is incredible. Today I am hearing people say things like, "I have lived here all my life and haven't seen snow like this since 1965!". Luckily, it doesn't seem to be stopping people from shopping. The weather can make such an impact on people's shopping needs. Often, when we get the first really nice day of spring, the store is dead because everyone is drying out in their garden. Likewise with the first big rain. People forget that they are waterproof and don't leave their house. We commend the brave souls who are in the store right now, listening to music and browsing for books.

We are open however, and will continue to be open unless the power goes out. Sunday 10 - 6, Monday and Tuesday, 10 - 7 and Wednesday, we will open at 9 and close at 4 so that we can go have a nice evening with our families. See you then!

-Sylla

Connections

2008-12-04T17:24:00.000-08:00

I just finished geeking out over a book with a customer. The book, Citadel of the Spirit: A Literary Compendium Commemorating Oregon’s Sesquicentennial, edited by Matt Love, it a doozy. Weighing nearly two pounds, it really rounds out the plate of Oregon literature. Contributors from near and far (across the state I mean) have painted a loving portrait of our great state. I just have to say that I really admire Matt Love's passion for writing, literature, and Oregon. The man is nothing if not dedicated. This book would make a great gift for any Oregon lover out there (we have it in the store, $30 for the paperback edition).

Another GORGEOUS Oregon book that is available now, Wild Beauty: Photographs of the Columbia River Gorge, 1867-1957 by Terry Toedtemeier and John Laursen. The publication of this book coincides with a fabulous exhibit at the Portland Art Museum. I suggest taking the audio tour. Seeing some of these prints in the flesh is such a unique opportunity. Anyway, I love this book. Since no one gives me books as a gift anymore (bummer for me) I am going to cough up the $75 and get one for myself. There are extras here at the store if you want one too...

-Sylla

Collecting.

2008-11-30T22:36:00.000-08:00

As a mildly reformed book collector (modern firsts, thank you very much), I loved this obituary in today's New York Times. Helmut N. Friedlaend was a monumental book collector of incunabula — European books printed before 1501. I have never heard nor read the word "incunabula" before. I am not even sure how to pronounce it.

The best part of Mr. Friedlaend's collection, is that at a certain point he sold it all. But have no fear, he never gave up on book collecting. Towards the end of his life, he was collecting Baedeker travel books.

-Sylla

Busy Days.

2008-11-23T18:20:00.000-08:00

The store is starting to get busier, which is great. This is when I really try to spend as much time as I can on the sales floor. I get to touch the books, say "hi" to the regulars, and joke with the staff. I especially love handselling a title to someone. Handselling can be so much fun. It is part psychiatry, part sleuthing. You have to know how to read people and what questions to ask to get the right clues for what kind of book they will like. To be a good handseller, it helps if you have been a bookseller for a while (at least a year), and it is really critical that you read, a lot. After some time as a bookseller, you can begin to read people, and generally tell what kind of book they will and will not like. This is certainly not fool-proof. The longer you have been a bookseller, and the more you read, the bigger your arsenal for recommendations. I can almost always recommend books to people who liked One Hundred Years of Solitude and books by Salman Rushdie. I went through a big mystical fiction kick some time back. If you are wondering, I would suggest Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin and anything by Haruki Murakami.

There are problems. I don't read much science fiction (ok, none really), so I am not much help to someone who wants a recommendation in that genre. But, I know where to get information. This is where the sleuthing part comes in. Do they like fantasy or strait science fiction? Are they a Mists of Avalon person, or more of a Phillip K. Dick fan?

But when I get someone who wants a good international mystery, a book about food, or a book of modern western fiction (a la Proulx), I can be quite helpful, and the person will leave with a list of suggestions, and hopefully a book or two.

-Sylla

Anticipation

2008-11-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

As a bookseller I live in a constant state of anticipation. I'm always excited about a newly discovered author or the latest title from one of my favorite authors. Thankfully since I am a bookseller I also have the perk of receiving advanced copies of books from publishers. I don't get to read everything I want to in advance, but it's always nice when something I really want to read ends up in my hands a few months before publication.

Last night I finished reading Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. I loved Gladwell's first book, The Tipping Point, and I thought his second book, Blink, was good enough. I was hoping Outliers would be as good as The Tipping Point so when we finally received it in the store I borrowed a copy and started it right away. Outliers was not nearly as good as The Tipping Point. I wouldn't go so far as to say I am disappointed but I think his research is in this one is pretty shaky. Gladwell has to reach and stretch and pull things together clumsily to make a lot of his points. However, I think this would be a good book club book because after finishing it I have a lot of discussion questions and as I read the book I said "Huh?" quite a few times.

So there's an example of a book falling short of the mark for me. Following is a list of books that I am really, really excited to read. I hope they don't disappoint, but if they do I will probably still read the author's next book.

I read a lot of young adult and middle reader books so I only have one adult title I am looking forward to. However, I must say that a lot of really good young adult novels are coming out right now. I know some adults are reluctant to wander into the young adult section because they think the writing will be too young for them, but I know lots of adults who frequent that section and find amazing books there.

On June 16, 2009 Carlos Ruiz Zafon's new book The Angel's Game will be released. Zafon wrote The Shadow of the Wind which almost everyone on staff has read, and loved. A customer came in yesterday and asked when Zafon's next book was coming out. We started talking about how good Shadow of the Wind was and the customer was very excited to hear another book was coming out soon. It's out in Spanish and we have it in our store in the Spanish language section. Oh, how I wish I could read Spanish!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore is my current obsession right now. This book is the perfect transition book for fans of Stephanie Meyer and I think it has a better message for teen girls. Plus, teen boys will like it better than the Meyer books. Graceling was just published in October, but I already can't wait for Cashore's next book. Her writing is incredible. I read this book in one sitting; I was up until 3:00 in the morning, but I couldn't bear to put it down before I knew what happened to the characters.

The 39 Clues by Rick Riordan is difficult to explain so I'll just tell you that it is the perfect book for middle readers who liked the Mysterious Benedict Society, Harry Potter, or the Magyk series by Angie Sage. It is also a good pick for reluctant readers because it encourages participation. The second book comes out Dec. 2nd and I can't wait to read it even though I know it will leave me hanging too. This is a 12 book series that will be released over the next 2 years and kids will love it.

Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman comes out February 10, 2009. I read the advanced copy last month and I have to admit this is one scary middle reader novel. This is a true mystery novel for kids that incorporates reading one character's journal (the actual book) and watching a second character's movies online. Unfortunately the mystery isn't solved in this book. I can't wait for the next book to be released so I can find out what happened!

Finally I cannot wait for the next book in The Hunger Games trilogy. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is an amazing book that young adults and kids will devour. Collins has created a very intense series which gives us an idea of where our society may be years from now. This is a very compelling read, but I don't recommend it for teens below 14.

Angela

The Inaugural Post

2008-11-12T21:30:00.000-08:00

So it is not quite inauguration season, but it is definitely time to unveil our blog. This blog will be written by several members of the Third Street Gang, as we like to refer to ourselves. Postings may be erratic, so be warned. We shall mostly share stories about bookselling. Periodically we will have reviews about books. That seems fair doesn't it? We encourage you to comment on our blog, and be sure to check out our website www.thirdstreetbooks.com for more information about the store!