Many of you may recognize the gallant young man pictured at right as someone who spent a good deal of time around the store this past year. He is none other than Gaen Ruechai, our exchange student from Thailand, who returned to his family last week after spending a year in central Maine. Gaen is a prolific reader, and of all the books he read here his favorite was, interestingly, The Little Book of Big Ideas: Philosophy, pictured to the left. And though he had many new experiences this year, not least of which was being taught to ski by our own Karen West, Gaen felt that exposure to western philosophers had the greatest impact on him. The core ideas of Descartes, Kant, Kierkegaard, Hegel and company were both new and compelling to him. This freshness and sense of discovery was something which it was, of course, a delight to share. Most importantly, however, it brought home the intrinsic value of ideas, reflection, and most of all, the power of books. One felt that the world of philosophy was not something to adopt so much as to explore and experience. How easy it is to take the history of ideas for granted! And what a pleasure it is to appreciate it as a thing of great value in and of itself. And so we wish Gaen a fond farewell and a safe and fruitful homecoming.
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!
Scotland: The Autobiography
By Goring, Rosemary 2008/07 -
Overlook Press
9781590200735 -
Hardcover
List Price $35.00 - Your Price: $28.00
Rosemary Goring's history of Scotland, based almost entirely on primary accounts, is quite simply a tour de force. Brilliantly selected and arranged, Goring deftly uses her brief and incisive prologues to set the stage and the tone for this remarkably balanced and nuanced account. Scotland the autobiography: 2,000 years of Scottish History By Those Who Saw it Happen has something to offer anyone who takes an interest in either Scotland or the creative and dynamic use of primary sources in constructing an historical narrative....More
Lost on Planet China: The Strange and True Story of One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation
By Troost, J. Maarten 2008/06 -
Broadway Books
9780767922005 -
Hardcover
List Price $22.95 - Your Price: $18.36
This is a timely and entertaining travel narrative, based on the author's various adventures and experiences across the length and breath of China. The "More" link will take to you a very good review by Bruce Tierney....More
The Pirates! in an Adventure with Communists
By Defoe, Gideon 2008/07 -
Vintage Books USA
9780307274915 -
Trade Paper
List Price $9.95 - Your Price: $7.96
Store favorite Gideon Defoe's The Pirates! In an Adventure with Communists is finally out in paperback. Yes the all important Beard Maze is still included. Yes, it still "includes, at no additional charge, The Wit and Wisdom of the Pirate Captain-a Major Philosophical Work." It was a tremendous bargain in hardcover and now it's a tremendous bargain in paperback. Even if your doctor has told you to avoid laughing at all costs, throw caution to the winds and find out why we live for the day when Defoe finally finishes his next book, The Pirates! In an Adventure of Napoleon, disgracefully overdue from the Publisher....More
All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder, Vol. 1
By Miller, Frank 2008/07 -
DC Comics
9781401216818 -
Hardcover
List Price $24.99 - Your Price: $19.99
This is a major graphic novel release as Frank Miller, author of 300, Sin City, Born Again, Elektra Assassin, and other classics, returns to the character he recreated, and reinvigorated with his brilliant The Dark Knight Returns. Art is provided by Jim Lee, who has quite a following of his own. ...More
Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures
By Reinhart, Matthew Sabuda, Robert Clarke Reinhart, Matthew 2008/07 -
Candlewick Press (MA)
9780763631727 -
Hardcover
List Price $27.99 - Your Price: $22.39
Professional book buyers have become a bit worn down by the onslaught of high end pop-books the last few years. As one colleague put it, "enough with the paper engineering already." I too must confess to being somewhat popped out. In any case, the main thing here is to focus on the very best pop up releases to come out this year, and Reinhart and Sabuda's newest pop-up spectacular Fairies and Magical Creatures is sure to delight young fairy aficionados.
I asked our summer associate Ben Wooden to choose between featuring the extremely cool new Atlas of the Universe, and the big new Garth Nix release, Superior Saturday, the sixth book in the popular Keys to The Kingdom Series. After a titanic struggle Ben decided thatThe Atlas of The Universe was too cool not to feature.
July 8, 2008
This freshness and sense of discovery was something which it was, of course, a delight to share. Most importantly, however, it brought home the intrinsic value of ideas, reflection, and most of all, the power of books. One felt that the world of philosophy was not something to adopt so much as to explore and experience. How easy it is to take the history of ideas for granted! And what a pleasure it is to appreciate it as a thing of great value in and of itself. And so we wish Gaen a fond farewell and a safe and fruitful homecoming.
