Rest for the Weary

This upcoming Monday, May 28, is Memorial Day.  Booknotes will not be open for the holiday, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.  To be fair, we only take a few holidays off every year.  This includes the following:  New Year's Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  We are also off Easter, but since we are usually not open on Sundays, it is kind of a moot point.  We also take a few other days off throughout the year, usually only four or five, not counting days off because of bad weather and such.  We also occasionally open or close late.  We always try to announce these changes to our schedule beforehand, both on our social media accounts and at the store itself.  In fact, we will be doing that a lot in the next two weeks.  So, let us just apologize now and get everything out of the way.  We really do try and stay open as much as possible, but we are a small family run store and we do not have any outside help to run the place when we are not there.  It does play havoc with deliveries, sometimes, but we manage.  If you need us to open early or stay a little late, we would be glad to try and help you out.  We are frequently open by 9:30 am many weekdays, and could open up on Saturdays by 10:00 am.  We can stay open until 5:30 pm or so, if you call ahead of time.  We can't do it often, but it is easier in summer to do so.  We are always glad to help.  See you next week.

How to Read Books Like a Book Store Owner

Well, we finally should have more reviews of regular books on the website.  We have been saying that for a few weeks now, but this time we mean it.  In case you didn't know, although we have mentioned it here a few times, we already do some short capsule reviews on our Facebook page.  The books we review there are chosen by the same person who writes this blog.  Therefore, the overwhelming majority of the books have been in the fantasy, science-fiction, and horror genres, with a small smattering of offbeat mysteries thrown in for good measure.  There have even been a few books aimed at children, although most of these books were not chosen by the same person.  These reviews have been short, only a paragraph or so, and all  of them have been thoroughly enjoyed by the reviewer.  In fact, we wouldn't post any review of a book that we didn't like, even if it was just barely likable.  We always recommend the books we reviewed.  When the website's reviews start back, they will be much longer, and of a more thorough explanation of the book.  We just aren't sure the person doing the reviews will start back.  It will be by the same person who did the reviews for the recently ended Pikeville Medical Leader, if you can remember them from years ago.  These reviews will be of a more general fiction nature, although that could change.  In the meantime, check out the older reviews on our Facebook page, which can be contacted with @thwsbooknotes.  It isn't the best handle. but it is what we chose at the time.  See you next week.

Favorite Things and Not-So Favorite Things

This week, I have to get personal.  I don't do it often, but something came up that deserves my complete dedication.  In case you didn't know, I write two other blogs besides this one.  A personal blog about my interests and a literary blog (The T. H. Weingarten Miscellany) that showcases my literary works in progress.  Recently, I found out about something that touches all my worlds as an English major, a book store owner, and an aspiring writer.  PBS recently announced a series about America's favorite books/series.  In conjunction with this, the Kentucky network of PBS affiliates, Kentucky Educational Television (or KET) sent out information to independent book stores to tie into the series.  This included bookmarks as well as a list of the 100 books that people will vote on, with the winner announced this fall on the show.  As an English major, a book store owner, and an aspiring writer, I take some issue with the selection process by nameless experts with unknown criteria.  Just because a book is a 'favorite', does not equate with success or critical acclaim.  Take the Fifty Shades of Grey series.  While popular, other works have dealt with such erotic taboo topics better, especially when you consider that the series is based on fan-fiction of the vampire young-adult Twilight Saga, which is just a tad better and also on the list.  In fact, many such series are included.  The most extreme case being The Wheel of Time series.  If you are not up on this fourteen (yes, 14) book fantasy series, with a prequel and background information, think of it a PG-13 rated A Game of Thrones, but with more magic and a little less violence and way less gratuitous sex.  While I loved the series (it should be adapted for television), it isn't of the same literary quality as Thrones (also listed).  In fact, many of the books have been adapted for other media.  I feel that is why so many got onto this list, with a movie's or television show's popularity helping bolster a position.  Many of the books just don't seem to be popular enough to have actually be considered favorite by lots of people.  Take Crime and Punishment.  I cannot believe too many people actually liked this lengthy Russian novel, especially in translation.  Other long works, such as Atlas Shrugged, Don Quixote, and Moby Dick are also here.  I feel some people chose them just to seem more "in-the-know" as opposed to have actually read them.  Some of the books, like The Martian and Gone Girl, are just too recent to be considered cannon enough to know if they could become true favorites.  On the other hand, I feel that there are too many omissions.  While The Adventures of Tom Sawyer made the cut, the superior The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn did not.  Neither did The Sound and the Fury, one of the best books of the twentieth century.   Worst of all, two of the most important novels of the past century, Ulysses and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, both by James Joyce, were skipped over.  Both are among my favorite books.   Sure, I read them as part of assignment back in college, but I still liked them.  Ulysses in particular has yet achieved all that it is due.  I could see it as a mini-series on HBO, with each chapter being the basis for a one-hour episode.  Sure, there would be a lack of female characters, but the final episode would be a tour de force for an actress.  Anyway, until I know more, I will not pass any judgements.   I just hope that something worthy takes the top spot.

Free Books, Just Not From Us

This Saturday, May 5, is Free Comic Book Day, as the first day of May has been for many years now.  It is an opportunity to head to your local comic book shop (as well as a few possible other locations) and get a free comic book (and possibly more than one).  Booknotes is unfortunately not one of these locations.  Still, we strongly urge you to head to your nearest one (in the Pikeville area, this would be Page 3 Game Zone) and find something you like.  For those who haven't read comic books in some time, be aware that not all of the free titles are for all ages.  If planning on picking something up for a younger reader, look at what's available before choosing.  Some of the offered titles, as well as some the individual stores might offer on their own, are diffidently not for kids.  Also, the last Saturday in April, the 28th this year, was Independent Book Store Appreciation Day.  Unfortunately, we forgot all about it until after the fact, and we didn't participate.  As it is, Booknotes had to be a member of an independent retail/book store association to be able to get the freebies that were handed out, and we are not a part of one.  To be honest, we are not sure there even is one for this part of Kentucky.  Anyway, we support the efforts of others even if we did not do so ourselves.  See you next time, and don't forget to get a free comic, or two.