Books To Jump Up and Down Over
Magic Hours by Tom Bissell: This marvelous collection of essays chronicles everything from film shoots to novelists rescued from oblivion. (The essay on the Underground Literary Alliance, with its portrait of raucous factions, unexpectedly reveals how soft today's literary world has become.) But if you peer between the cracks of these smart pieces, you may very well see how cultural lives are formed from the most unexpected life choices. And as we follow Bissell's development as a writer over the years, that goes for Bissell as well. (Bat Segundo interview with Bissell)
Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway: Harkaway's latest novel greatly improves on his previous book, The Gone-Away World, which I'm already on record as praising. Angelmaker adopts genre elements without ever feeling like a genre book, and it leads me to believe that Harkaway is well on his way to a narrative grace close to China Miéville's. Yet inexplicably this very fun book, which includes an eightysomething badass named Edie Banister, a mysterious mechanical object that may destroy the world, farcical scenarios involving lawyers and the police, and some unexpectedly moving moments about fatherhood, doesn't appear to be getting much attention in American newspapers. Nothing from the snobs at The New York Times Book Review, nothing from The Washington Post. And since I can't get Harkaway on Bat Segundo, I hope this Jump Up and Down mention gets you hopping as well.
The Age of Insight by Eric Kandel: Unless you're really pressed for time, forget Jonah Lehrer. If you want to understand creativity and its relationship to neuroscience, then the bowtie-wearing Nobel laureate is your man. In addition to being a physically beautiful book (you will drool over many of the paintings), there are helpful overviews on optical illusions, science, biographical backgrounds, and many vital figures from the Vienna Secession. Kandel's enthusiasm (and his call for greater unity between the humanities and science) is contagious.
Bookstores Archive
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Indie Sheetcred
Posted on February 16, 2006 | 1 CommentPatricia Storms has been offering reports and interviews on independent bookstores. Her latest report is on The Bookmark and is starting to delve into interesting description and history. I’d say... -
The Bookstore That Cried Wolf?
Posted on January 25, 2006 | No CommentsFrances notes that Book Passage, the independent bookstore in Corte Madera, might be in trouble. It seems that a Barnes & Noble may be moving into the vacated storefront (once... -
Yours Is Not to Question Why
Posted on December 28, 2005 | No CommentsAn employee who worked at a bookstore and wrote about a Rachael Ray appearance has been fired for venturing his opinion. We don’t have cable ourselves and watch television perhaps... -
Indie Bookstores: Not Unlike a Bedside Manner
Posted on November 30, 2005 | 3 CommentsBookdwarf, who is apparently more quick on the draw with my hometown newspaper than I am, points to this interesting claim by A Clean Well-Lighted Place President Neal Sofman. Sofman... -
In Which Jennifer Weiner Is Assaulted by the Marina People
Posted on October 28, 2005 | No CommentsJennifer Weiner is back home and she notes this strange question about a woman asking her at the San Francisco Barnes & Noble if she was “self-actualized.” This is not... -
Powell’s — Another Outlet Promoting Online Classism?
Posted on October 27, 2005 | 6 CommentsWhat M.A.O. said. Dave Weich can keep living in a glass tower as long he wants. But to take on the attitude that one must have a credit card in... -
Kepler’s Lives. Cody’s Lives.
Posted on October 11, 2005 | No CommentsI haven’t checked it out yet, but the SFist has the scoop on the new Cody’s near Virgin Megastore. Beyond the delicious irony of the failed Planet Hollywood (co-owned by... -
Disagree With a Politician and You’re a “Security Threat” — Even When You’re a Minor
Posted on August 23, 2005 | No CommentsCommon Dreams reports on a very disturbing incident that occurred at a Delaware Barnes & Noble (as more specifically reported here). Eighteen year-old Hannah Shaffer saw that Senator Rick Santorum... -
If Only They Can Reshelve Certain Goons From 1600 Penn to Penn Block 1600
Posted on August 18, 2005 | 1 CommentThe Ministry of Reshelving has a fun and mischevious project on their hands. They hope to redistribute copies of 1984 from the fiction section to various nonfiction sections. (via MeFi) -
Seven Pillars of Bookstore Customers
Posted on March 31, 2005 | No CommentsThe Book Geek: S/he can be counted upon to buy something obscure or with literary underground streetcred (like say Steve Erickson or Kathy Acker) and will spend at least 20... -
On the Rebound
Posted on February 26, 2004 | 1 CommentPerhaps consulting the will of Dr. Evil, Susanna Clarke has netted a millionaire’s deal for Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, an 800-page novel dealing with the last two magicians in... -
Did the Van Man Wear Ray Bans?
Posted on January 21, 2004 | No CommentsRonald Jordan, known as the White Van Man, stole tens of thousands of Lonely Planet guides and hawked them on the street with help of a few shadowy vendors. But... -
Quick Quickies
Posted on January 6, 2004 | No CommentsMargaret Drabble on Bloomsbury (via ElegVar, a Unix-like acronym I couldn’t resist) Journalista investigates the implications of Borders’ “category management” on graphic novels. Unusual San Francisco Architecture and The Map...