• Books

    New Books

    Bought some new books for the bedside table. Wow, I love having new books. Especially new books, books that you might still hear about on NPR or notice on airplanes.  I’m starting with The Possessed by Elif Batuman who has a very witty and fast-paced blog where she writes about life as a c-list writer. I find the concept of being a c-list writer hilarious so I am a regular reader. Isn’t strange that I started reading her blog, which I found out because of her book’s publicity, before I read her book? Oh Modernity. Anyone reading something worth suggesting?

  • Books,  Boston

    This is about Work

    On the road: a temptation I fell for while visiting bookstores in Florida.

    Today I have a post over at the blog of David R. Godine, Publisher. It’s a quick read about my experiences visiting bookstores to sell Godine’s beautiful books and the recent decision by many major publishing houses to get rid of their sales reps. Click through on the above link if you are the type who happens to be curious about the tumultuous world of trade publishing.

  • Art,  Books

    Lundi Marti Lenti

    What comes after Valentine’s Day but before Marti Gras? Lundi Gras! (at least this year it does) So today I have the double benefit of the day off and the time to make something delicious for our church‘s Lundi Gras Potluck tonight. I think I’m going to make the black gold brownies that Luisa just posted about over at the Wednesday Chef (I make almost anything Luisa recommends, really it’s sort of pathetic.) and some homemade bread. Joe gave me My Life in France by Julia Child for VDay, which my friend and fellow Bostonian Birgit has said she loved, so if I have time I’ll be curled up with that.

    Lundi Gras means Lent is coming, and speaking of books, I’m giving some serious thought to a new discipline/change for the season of Lent.

    • No more facebook?
    • Less time on the internet?
    • More time reading?
    • Write a letter a day?
    • Give a dollar to everyone who asks?

    So..are you guys thinking of anything? I know Lenten disciplines can be a little suspicious, a little too like New Year’s Resolutions, but no matter what I chose to do, I always struggle with remembering to do it everyday, which reminds me of how genuinely hard it is to be disciplined, which reminds me of why it would be hopeless if I had to make my own way into heaven, which reminds me of why I’m so glad the whole idea is all building towards Christ dying and letting us in anyway. Probably more thoughts on this later, but keep me in mind if you see any good meditations on Lent out on the inter-world.

    (this print is by the woah-talented Jane Mount, some of her prints are sold on 20×200, wouldn’t a personalized one of these make the best gift for new babies? “Great Aspirations!” the card could say.)

  • Books,  Good design

    Discovering Persephone

    Okay, what I’m about to write about I originally learned of from this month’s Vanity Fair, so I’m obviously a little late too hear about them. Print media (as much as I love it!) cannot claim first-name-dropping status anymore. I wouldn’t even bother to bring it up if it weren’t that I am so delighted by everything about Persephone Books.

    Persephone is a tiny, woman-founded & run publisher in London, specializing in bringing books that have fallen out of print back into (lovely) print. My eye was caught by not just Virginia Woolf, but also Leonard Woolf. They cover all their hardcovers in signature dusty blue, and use period-specific fabrics (most of them gloriously floral) as their endpapers. You get a free end-paper matching bookmark with each book.

    If I had only heard about them in December I would have probably signed everyone up for six month book subscriptions for their gifts, even my poor little brothers. If you go their website you can read their remarkably specific and promising gift guide.

    photo #1 from Persephone #2 from Urban Junkies tour guide #3 from RaggedRoses