I had the pleasure, and the terror, of visiting a bookstore while I was out of town this weekend. It was the kind of bookstore that’s a little bit of a hole in the wall, which was perfect after visiting the hole-in-the-wall cafe next door. It had some new books, some used books, a dedicated local author section, gifts and crafts, and a wonderful atmosphere.
The pleasure of it was browsing with friends, pointing at the spines of books we’d loved or been meaning to read, discussing favorites and recent reads, and discovering titles together.
The terror? I feel like a kid in a candy store at bookstores. A kid who already has way too much candy at home. Good thing books have a long shelf life.
Even though there were carts advertising “Buy 1, Get 2 Free” and the book you actually bought was only $2, I escaped mostly unscathed. Mostly. I did end up coming home with a book I was interested in after a friend informed me she already had a copy she could lend me.
Please note, I am not trying to discourage purchases from bookstores. In fact, I highly encourage them. I especially encourage visiting local bookstores and hole-in-the-wall hidden gems with friends who love books as much as you do.
I have simply had to take a break from bringing home stacks at a time and don’t have much faith in my ability to exercise restraint in settings like these.
Friend of NSRRU, the Reading Farmer, has been enjoying books that weren’t originally on her TBR but instead treasures she discovered at the Two Harbors Public Library book sale. That’s another potentially dangerous setting that I had to avoid this time around. I KNOW you can find incredible books at these events, and I also know I am unlikely to walk away with only one or two.
The Reading Farmer recently picked up The Day Trees Bent to the Ground, which she described as “unreal.” Janet Boylan’s collection of personal accounts chronicles the devastating 1964 Alaska earthquake. I know we’re told not to judge a book by its cover, or its title, but this one sounds intriguing based on that alone. She’s also reading Lost at Sea, a book about shipwrecks.
It sounds like the Reading Farmer had a successful trip to the book sale, and I’m happy to live vicariously through her adventures.
She also mentioned that she enjoys Kate DiCamillo’s children’s books, noting that they are “so creative and fun that ‘kids’ isn’t entirely accurate.” She recently found Flora and Ulysses in a Free Little Library.
“It’s a delight,” she said. “As is her iconic, Because of Winn-Dixie.”
Gotta love a good kids’ book. I’ve been itching to revisit some of my childhood favorites myself, which only proves they really aren’t just for kids. Sometimes they’re exactly the breath of fresh air I need after spending too much time reading heavier or more serious material.
Bea Rose wrote back to report she finished For Bea: The Story of the Beagle Who Changed My Life by Kristin von Kreisler, which tells the story of a beagle rescued after life in an animal research laboratory and the profound impact she had on the author’s life. Bea described it as quite the journey.
I’ve found that some of the best dogs are the ones that simply happen into your life. Almost as if they’re placed in our paths for a reason. Which, of course, makes it all the more difficult when we lose them.
As Bea continues navigating the loss of her beloved service dog, she is reading Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet by Gary Kowalski.
“In my opinion, it should be required reading for all humans,” she wrote. “The depth and compassion of the words and ideas surrounding the end of life, death, the last breath, and how we learn to take the next breath and carry on alone.”
She is also reading FOX and I: An Uncommon Friendship by Catherine Raven and promised to let us know what she thinks when she’s finished.
As for me, I’m picking up the pace again after spending time with local poet Lynn M. Anderson’s Rainbow Seeds Planted by the Light.
It was wonderful to become immersed in such beautiful language and thought-provoking stanzas, and it’s not the kind of book you rush through. Poetry demands a different pace than most of the books I read, and I enjoyed taking my time through it.
Afterward, I dove into The Prohibited by Minnesota author Matt Goldman.
I would describe Goldman’s book as part family saga, part historical drama, and part crime story. Set during Prohibition, it follows a Minnesota family whose lives are turned upside down when the liquor business they know suddenly becomes illegal. Between mob entanglements, family secrets, and the changing roles of women in the 1920s, the book paints a vivid picture of a fascinating period in Minnesota history while keeping the focus squarely on the people living through it.
What I found especially enjoyable was seeing familiar places woven into the story. The book touches on areas including the Twin Cities, Duluth, Hinckley, Bessemer, and Hurley, creating a setting that feels both familiar and distant thanks to the era in which it takes place.
I’ll be talking with Goldman soon and am excited to hear more about his approach to writing the novel he said is loosely based on his family history.
I’ve already started the book my friend lent me after our bookstore adventure. No sense letting that one gather dust. The book originally caught my eye because of the names on the cover. My immediate response was, “That seems like an odd duo.”
Remain is a collaboration between Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan. At first glance, they seem like an unlikely pairing. One is known for sweeping romances, the other for suspense and supernatural twists. But Remain blends those strengths into a story that is equal parts love story, mystery, and ghost tale. The novel follows architect Tate Donovan as he arrives in Cape Cod hoping for a fresh start and becomes involved with a woman named Wren, whose past is intertwined with mysteries that challenge his understanding of life, death, and human connection.
I’m also reading Colin Jost’s A Very Punchable Face, which Bea sent my way. I love, love, love Saturday Night Live and have long been a fan of Jost from the Weekend Update segment. It’s already been fun learning more about him through his very funny memoir.
I’ll be sure to report back on both of these.
Your recommendations are reaching farther than the North Shore! Recently, a colleague of mine, whom I must have bragged to about this wonderful side gig more than once, reached out to tell me he picked up Sipsworth after reading about it in this column. David lives in Pennsylvania and reads voraciously, which is probably one of the reasons he’s such a smart guy. I’m hoping he enjoys the book. I know several readers who certainly have.
What treasures have you discovered at a bookstore, library sale, or garage sale? What children’s books have you reread as an adult and loved just as much as you did when you were young? Have you discovered a poetry collection you’d recommend? Who are your favorite local authors? Has anyone else picked up Sipsworth or other books we’ve NSRRU’d about? As always, all book thoughts are welcome and encouraged at sarahwritesnsj@yahoo.com.
