January 13th, 2009
And lo, there was a winner! A winner of our newsletter drawing, namely USM student Alexandra West, pictured at left being somberly congratulated as she cashed in her prize, a $50.00 DDG gift certificate. How did we determine the winner? We went to a nifty site, Random.org, took the number of people on The Weekly Top 2 list and generated a random integer between 1 and that number. Congratulations Alexandra! On another topic, we have had a number of inquiries about a new federal law, The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The act, which originally concerned lead levels in toys, has been broadened in scope recently. The main thing to note at this time is that the scope and application of the law are currently under review, and that no final determinations regarding its application to books has been made yet. It is also worth noting that used books, donations to thrift stores and charitable organizations, have already been exempted from the law. The wild rumors and petitions circulating the internet alleging that books and toys produced before February 10th will all be banned is completely false. The law will undoubtedly have serious implications, but what those are, and for which products, is entirely undetermined at this time. In the meantime let's presume that reason will prevail, and content ourselves with monitoring the progression of the law. If anyone interested in this topic here are some links to a pair of book industry articles on the subject, New Children's Product Safety Law Creates Confusion and Concern and Safety Act Catches Publishers Off Guard. Here they are! Our weekly picks for the two best: two hardcover, two paperback, and two children's books. The very best new arrivals to leap out of the box and onto our shelves this week. Call or email us if you want more information on any of these titles, or to have us hold you a copy. Or stop in and check them out in person. We'd love to see you. Thanks as always for sharing your reading with us! |
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Tales from Outer Suburbia
By Tan, Shaun 2009/02 - Arthur A. Levine Books 9780545055871 - Hardcover See Other Formats List Price $19.99 - Your Price: $15.99
Sean Tan, whose The Arrival was the most fabulous book of 2007 by our objective reckoning, has surfaced again with this unique collection of short stories. The Arrival was, as many of you know was a brilliant, entirely wordless novel. tales from outer Suburbia combines Tan's exceptional artwork with text in a variety of means. Each story has its own sense and character. This is a book to savor one story at a time, over a period of time....More
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The Piano Teacher
By Lee, Janice Y. K. 2009/01 - Viking Books 9780670020485 - Hardcover See Other Formats List Price $25.95 - Your Price: $20.76
The Piano Teacher, by debut novelist, Janice Y.K. Lee has gotten raves from early readers and reviews. Fellow authors Chang Rae Lee, Elizabeth Gilbert and Penelope Lively, all praise it to the nines, so what ho, let's give it a look....More
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The Teapot Dome Scandal: How Big Oil Bought the Harding White House and Tried to Steal the Country
By McCartney, Laton 2009/01 - Random House Trade 9780812973372 - Trade Paper See Other Formats List Price $16.00 - Your Price: $12.80
Mccartney's account of The Teapot Dome Scandal, was a bestseller for all the reasons one might expect, it's well written, has plenty of entertainingly sordid elements, and its tale of oil, political and military corruption and collusion is painfully relevant....More
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God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215
By Lewis, David Levering 2009/01 - W. W. Norton & Company 9780393333565 - Trade Paper See Other Formats List Price $17.95 - Your Price: $14.36
Levering Lewis' account of Islam's rise and its forceful impact on the formation of European thought and culture combines a compelling and insightful theory with lively narrative. He asserts that the fall of the Persian and Roman empires, which were themselves essentially cultural Hoover Dams, were followed by a dynamic release of energy which created an unusual and dynamic mingling of historical and cultural currents. As with The Teapot Dome Scandal, God's crucible is both provocative and relevant....More
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Tunnels
By Gordon, Roderick Williams, Brian 2009/02 - Scholastic Paperbacks 9780545078818 - Trade Paper See Other Formats List Price $7.99 - Your Price: $6.39
Finally! Tunnels, is out in paperback! If you haven't read it yet here's a link to my Tunnels Review made way back when it first made the scene. If you've been waiting for book 2 to hour is nigh. Deeper is coming out February 2nd....More
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3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows
By Brashares, Ann 2009/01 - Delacorte Press Books for Young Readers 9780385736763 - Hardcover See Other Formats List Price $18.99 - Your Price: $15.19
3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows, is indeed a new series of sisterhood stories built around a new set of girls, by Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants author Brahsares. Brashares sticks to her basic formula, but was tasteful enough not to try and wrap things around a new clothing item. Thus it would be unfair, though accurate, to describe 3 Willows as the Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants sans the pants, which we will therefore not do....More
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