Time for Something Different

To be honest, we don't have anything to write about again this week.  Basically, we are just waiting for something else to happen.  At least we can tell you about a few things we are getting ready to do with social media.  We are getting ready to post the latest round of holiday theme pictures, this time for Independence Day.  We will try to post a new capsule review. and this one is really special.  It is going to be about something we have never done before.  Also, we might be posting more online material.  Put an emphasis on 'might'.  Some things will be harder to work out than others.  Anyhow, that is just how things are going here.  See you next week.  We really need to come up with better material.

I Wonder What Today May Bring

It is sometimes hard to come up with a topic for this blog post every week.  Therefore, in honor of today's date, we are reprinting an updated version of a post we wrote last year. It seems very appropriate to feature it today.  By the way, today is also Free RPG Day.  Unfortunately, we are not participating, but we strongly suggest going to your local gaming store and pick something up.  Anyway, see you next week.

Saturday, June 16, is the minor literary holiday of Bloomsday.  It is in honor of the day when most of the action in James Joyce's literary classic Ulysses takes place.  It is named in honor of one of the main characters, Leopold Bloom, who we follow along on both him and, returning character from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Stephen Daedalus.  While I have never celebrated this day at my store. Booknotes, before, I still love the idea.  However, I am not sure how one would celebrate beyond talking about the book and its complex themes and imagery, or perhaps, having a party in the style of early twentieth-century Dublin.   One thing is for sure, I would not be doing anything the characters do from the book.  While most actions are rather harmless, (e.g. taking a walk on the beach looking at pebbles, placing a newspaper advertisement), many are somewhat strange (teaching a class at a Jesuit school, suffering intestinal discomfort after eating at a pub).  Some are just unusual (attending an friend's funeral, becoming a father figure to a young man).  Others are just downright weird (going out drinking with college buddies and talking about midwifery, having a formal question-and-answer session with a friend about third-party events as if you weren't a part of them).  Many actions are immoral (making crude puns to your housekeeper, contemplating the love of your husband while having an affair with an actor).  Some are illegal, both then and now (performing a lewd act while ogling a young nanny with her charges on a beach, going to a brothel and hallucinating about your dead mother).  We strongly suggest not doing any of these things.  Maybe we can come up with some better ideas for next year. In fact, I actually had to read Ulysses in college and enjoyed it.  We were originally only going to read excerpts, but the professor changed his mind.  Fortunately, the library had enough copies for the seven of us.  I still had to skip a few pages near the end to finish it in time.  Unfortunately, I have yet to re-read it.

Superlatives All Around

Last week, we teased that we had big news coming.  Well, here it is.  The Appalachian News-Express has just announced that we won the 'Best Bookstore' award in their 'Best in the Valleys' promotion.  The official announcement is still a few weeks off, but we have already been given our award.

 

 It has been a few years since we have won this award, and we would like to thank all of our loyal customers and friends who voted for us.  The picture frame has gotten broken since the last time we won, so we really can't hang it up anymore.  Also, the fish candle was something we got for free.  It was part of a package of things we got when a gift store closed and gave away much of its stock.  We display it around Father's Day as a decoration, but if anyone wants a fish candle, we would be happy to give it away.  The stars are more decorations we are getting ready to put up for Independence Day. See you next week.

Check Back Next Week

Okay, we will have an announcement coming soon.  We wish we could tell you what it is, or even give you some sort of hint, but we can't.  At least not yet.  Don't worry though.  We will have it as part of our blog next week.  In all honesty, we are starting to run out of ideas for the blog.  We know that sounds kind of ridiculous, but it is true.  This time of year, when we have nothing scheduled and not much news to offer, we really don't have anything to say.  It is hard coming up with something to write about every week [As I have mentioned previously, I write two other blogs.  Coming up with original material for each every week isn't always easy.  I had to borrow a topic just last month.]  Well, there isn't much left to say this week.  We are sorry that this week's post is so short.  If you can come up with any ideas for a future post, feel free to tell us on our social media pages or contact us directly.  We could sur euse the help.  See you next week.

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.