MARCH INTO

  

SPRING WITH

 THEBOOKJEANIE

I am going to try and follow the advice from this poster produced in the 1930's, as one of the WPA projects for the arts. Haven't you always wanted to read Jane Austen?  I know there are many of you who are already Austen fans, seen the movies, etc. but how many people have read the books?  I know you Austen readers are out there.  I vow to finally become a member of this exclusive enclave of readers and would appreciate your suggestion of a favorite title.  Please let me know the Jane Austen book that I should not miss in the comment section at the end of this post.  Many thanks, dear readers.

Don't open this book if you are not going to allow yourself to be open to any and all possibilities.  In Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, Clay Jannon finds himself out of a job as a web designer in San Francisco. One day he happens to notice a Help Wanted sign in a narrow bookshop window.  When he reveals to the owner, Mr. Penumbra, that his favorite books are a fantasy series called The Dragon-Song Chronicles, he is offered the night shift at this unusual 24 hour book store. Alone every night from 10pm until 6am, Clay has mainly infrequent customers who generally just exchange books in what he calls the Waybacklist, a collection of books that he discovers are written in an indecipherable code. The novel takes off at this point on a wild ride from Google's vast complex in Silicon Valley to the deep recesses of a secret society in New York City only accessible through a moving bookcase and an secret underground staircase.  If you love the look, feel, and smell of books, appreciate the limitless possibilities of technology, are intrigued by cryptography, and enjoy a fast-paced adventure with unique friendships and a bit of romance thrown in, this is the book for you.  Once you are hooked, you won't  be able to put this one down. 

Puppyhood: life-size portraits of puppies at 6 weeks old

by J. Nicole Smith is for all ages - it has no text except for information about breeds and the importance of adoption at the end of the book.  It is a book that will delight all browsers, whether you are a dog-lover like me or not.  It is impossible not to just marvel at the large format of this book that allows for all of the puppies to be presented in full life-size, even if a tail or paw extends to the next page.  I found this book on display at my local library - take a look in yours and see if you can find a copy - it's a joy to turn the pages.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

MARCH 9-10, 2013

The biggest, most wonderful
book event in town.

With more than 100,000 attendees, 450 authors, and over 300 exhibitors, the annual Tucson Festival of Books (TFOB) is easily one of the top five book festivals in the U.S., attracting the interests of book lovers from across Southern Arizona and the nation! Hosted on The University of Arizona campus, theFestival is free and open to the public, providing a wide array of educational and book-related events, including author signings and presentations, writing workshops, vendor booths, food and refreshments from Tucson-area eateries, and more. Plus, ALL PROCEEDS from the Tucson Festival of Books are donated to support local literacy groups, including Literacy Connects, The Reading Seed, and UA BookStores' own WALK Storybook Character Hourevents.

All I need is a cozy reading area and a stack of books to make me happy.  Here's what I am browsing through this week:

In Sunlight and in Shadow by Mark Halperin - Another NYC tale, this time set just after World War II when a young paratrooper meets a glamorous singer/heiress and their relationship involves risking everything.  Halperin is known for the beauty and clarity of his writing.

The Round House by Louise Erdrich - Set on an Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota, this story of a traumatized family is considered a literary masterpiece.

I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron - The last book by this witty and talented memoirist, novelist and screenwriter who passed away last year.  Ephron makes you laugh, cry, and cherish every word she writes.  Rest in peace, dear Nora.

REMEMBER, KEEP READING - SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!