Shop Early for Books this Holiday Season
and Shop Local
If you follow any local independent bookstores on social media, then you may have already seen this:
It is a reminder that though things are so much better than they were last year, we are all feeling the effects of supply chain issues. Independent bookstores, in particular are concerned about shortages as we get closer to December. Why is this? Books are more popular than ever. Printed book sales have increased 13.2 percent from 2020 to 2021, and 21 percent from 2019 to 2021. At the same time printed books are experiencing a rise in popularity, publishers are dealing with a paper shortage. The demand for paper is up, as is the demand for cardboard used in all the boxes we ship things in. All this while wood pulp supplies are down. Add to this, congested ports that create further delays for international publishers, and a shortage of truck drivers to deliver books. Phew, thats a lot! While fall books are already being published and shipped, problems may arise with books that are surprise hits or that may not have had large print runs. I have already found that a couple books I recently ordered are delayed or unavailable. If you know there is a book you want to buy someone as a gift, don’t wait to order it and be flexible. Maybe have a second title chosen if the first one is not available.
Above graphic by Grace Farris via CupofJo
Cozy Reading is the Best Reading
As the weather cools and the leaves turn, I find myself thinking about creating a cozy reading nook in my home. Truth be told, most of my reading is done lying horizontal in my bed. This goes for afternoon AND evening reading, but lately I am longing for a little corner to curl up in. Here is what I would like:
A very, very comfy chair
A spot near a window
A small table - for a candle and cup of coffee
A nice little light
A basket or shelf to hold my books
Do you have a favorite reading spot? I would love to hear about it. Here are a couple nooks that seem to hit all the right notes for me:
I also came across a few links to help me along the way: Here, Here, and Here! When I create a corner, I will be sure to share a photo!
Netflix has a book club focused on the books they are turning into shows. I have to say this looks pretty cool! Their first book is Passing, written in 1929. I have heard great things and have been meaning to read it for while.
Watch the trailer for the book club here.
Recent Reads
A Town Called Solace is one of those slice-of-life books where characters cross paths and become linked together. Seven year-old Clara is watching and waiting for her older sister to come home, and for her dear neighbor, Mrs. Orchard to return from a short hospital stay. In the meantime a mysterious stranger, Liam, has moved in to Mrs. Orchard’s home and Clara can’t make sense of things. Told through each of these character’s perspectives, we learn how the events of the past shaped today. What made this novel special to me is that though the characters are going through hard times, they are fundamentally likable and doing the best they can. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a saccharine sweet novel. It is filled with just enough goodness to make my heart smile. Longlisted for the Booker Prize, this book is a gem - wonderful characters, simple but evocative small town setting, and a subtle plot that keeps the pages turning.
From the Gram: Damnation Spring was my August Book of the Month. What do I say about a book that is beautifully written with incredibly developed characters that wrecked the heck out of me? Set in the logging forests of Northern California in the late 70’s, it told from the perspectives of a family of three: Rich, Colleen and Chub. Told with a sense of foreboding, a tight-knit community is dealing with new logging restrictions, mud slides, miscarriages, the use of chemical sprays, and so on. Everyone in this book seems to be struggling; some incredibly so. I loved the main characters, but the author also creates some incredibly unlikeable people as well. The plot moves fairly slow, so there seems more character and setting development than action but it does move along through the course of a year. This is a beautifully written, hard story. Towards the end, an event occurs that made me want to throw the book across the room. I don’t cry a lot when I read, but I did with this book. Obviously, I have some complicated feelings about Damnation Spring. Have any of you read this? Thoughts?
Each August for the past 17 years (since 2005), mystery lovers have been given the gift of a new Louise Penny novel and this year is no different. Devoted readers of her series can discuss/argue about which are the strongest of these books but we fans always look forward to her new release as a bright spot on the calendar. The Madness of Crowds takes on the topic of free speech and what its limits might be. Our beloved Inspector Gamache is charged with protecting an academic with some very dangerous views and fallout occurs. This book returns to Three Pines, which is a comfort to most of us, though last year’s book, set in Paris, was terrific. I enjoyed listening to this title (it is the first time I have listened rather than read) and there is such a comfort to reading a series where the scenes and characters are so familiar they are like old friends. Who am I to rank or compare her titles, as she is genius enough to turn out a well written & constructed novel every year. If you like Louise Penny, you will like The Madness of Crowds. If you have never read her, then by all means start now, but start with her first book Still Life. The books definately should be read in order.
For October, I decided to read Halloween Party by Agatha Christie. This Hercule Poirot mystery is one of my favorites in the PBS TV Series with David Suchett. Joyce, a boastful and annoying 13 year old is killed at a Halloween Party after she brags, earlier in the day, that she once witnessed a murder. The joy of reading and watching so many mysteries is that I can never actually remember who did it. So even though I have seen this on TV, this is my first time reading the book and I don’t know the end. What can I say? Agatha Christie is adept at writing tight well constructed mysteries with an astute detective and a multitude of suspects. This is classic "country house" murder and I am always here for that.
What are you reading this fall season?
If you enjoy this newsletter, please share with friends. I have been running a bit behind but hope to be back in your mailbox mid-November. Happy Reading Friends!