Joshua Poteat paperback $15.99 (Harper)

Josh Poteat is local and we are extremely proud of him for this achievement! 

The National Poetry Series s long tradition of promoting exceptional poetry from lesser-known poets delivers another outstanding collection of poetry by Joshua Poteat. Through an investigation of the haunted spaces where history collides with the modern southern American landscape, The Regret Histories explores themes of ruin and nostalgia, our relationship to a collective past, and the extraordinary indifference of time to memory.For thirty years, the National Poetry Series has discovered many new and emerging voices and has been instrumental in launching the careers of poets and writers such as Billy Collins, Mark Doty, Denis Johnson, Marie Howe, and Sherod Santos. 

So, read some local poetry, yo.

Kathryn Aalto hardback $24.95 (Timber Press)

This is one you really must see in person.  See Roo's Sandy Pit, Wren's Warren, and Poohsticks Bridge in photographs and drawings.  

Did you every play Poohsticks when you were little?  I did.  I decided to play it with our brand new fishing poles that we had just gotten for camping trips.  

Very expensive fishing poles.  

That was not a popular decision with my parents.  

(But they did make most excellent Poohsticks).

paperback $12.95 (Workman Publishing)

Need a quick gift to take to Sunday supper? This is a lovely little volume.  The strong God of Exodus. The ancient poetry of the Psalms, and the eternal teachings of Proverbs. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the mystical beauty of John. The new heaven and earth of Revelation. 

Bible verses an enduring source of guidance, peace, and rejuvenation are here given a very special treatment in colorful letterpress illustrations that bring each phrase to life in a fresh and meaningful way. The verses are drawn from seven translations.

Toni Tipton-Martin hardback $45.00 (University of Texas Press)

I met the author at Fire, Flour, and Fork this year and was fascinated by the journey she took to create this landmark book of culinary history.  

"The Jemima Code" presents more than 150 black cookbooks that range from a rare 1827 house servant's manual, the first book published by an African American in the trade, to modern classics by authors such as Edna Lewis and Vertamae Grosvenor. The books are arranged chronologically and illustrated with photos of their covers; many also display selected interior pages, including recipes. Tipton-Martin provides notes on the authors and their contributions and the significance of each book, while her chapter introductions summarize the cultural history reflected in the books that follow. 

These cookbooks offer firsthand evidence that African Americans cooked creative masterpieces from meager provisions, educated young chefs, operated food businesses, and nourished the African American community through the long struggle for human rights. "The Jemima Code" transforms America s most maligned kitchen servant into an inspirational and powerful model of culinary wisdom and cultural authority.  I adore this book.

Bill Smith hardback $19.00 (University of North Carolina Press) autographed copies while supplies last

So...a few times a year you get a bushel of crabs or some oysters...this is if you're me. By the time I have located that oyster recipe in whichever of the million Southern cookbooks I have in my collection, the oysters are no longer safe to eat.  

Bill Smith has gathered the best of the best recipes for these fine Southern shellfish and collected them in one handy volume. Bundle this with a nice oyster knife or a little box of Old Bay Seasoning for a great gift for the home cook.  Love it!

Mikael Krogerus & Roman Tschappeler hardback $17.95 (W.W. Norton)

Just the right size to slip in a stocking, this is a great gift for the trivia lover. It is a history of 64 of the world's most useful tests and has a lot of tests in it too. So, why not use a few tests to figure out your family members around the holiday table? 

This could fill up hours and cause endless arguments! Aim high, my friends!

Simon Winchester hardback $28.99 (Harper) we have signed first editions while they last!

The follow-up to his bestseller Atlantic, Winchester has taken on a much larger topic in this tome: the history of the Pacific Ocean since 1950. 

It is a testimony to the author's talent that he was able to keep me vigorously engaged even as I was reading about difficult and unpleasant subjects. Divided into ten chapters, each covering a different topic, I felt I got just enough information about a particular topic (say, thermonuclear testing on Pacific islands and its lasting effects or the history of surfing culture) to leave me interested in learning more, but not so much that I felt bored or depressed.  

There are some weighty subjects in this book such as the devastation of superstorms, but there are an equal number of inspiring moments such as one man's successful attempt to save the albatross from extinction. Highly recommended!  

Dr. Seuss board book and socks $11.99 (Random House)

Fox in Socks.  In a Box.  With some Socks.  I think this one is pretty self-explanatory.  

Fox in Socks is my favorite Seuss book, by the way.  But the socks aren't in my size which is kind of sad for me.

Clement C. Moore, Adapted and Illustrated by Daniel Kirk hardback $16.95 (Abrams)

This is my favorite interpretation of this classic to come out in the last few years.  The mouse (yep, he's stirring alright!) is the star of this show.  

We get to see the holiday from Father Mouse's point of view and the illustrations absolutely charmed me.  Very, very sweet and fresh.

Julia Elliott paperback $15.95 (Tin House Books)

Science fiction meets southern noir with a twist of cryptozoology. This book swept me off my feet right away and had me swooning on nearly every page at Julia Elliot's quirky and poetic prose! Recommended for fans of Cory Doctorow, Philip K. Dick, and Douglas Adams.

Patrick Ness hardback $17.99 (Harper Teen)

This book is the answer to the recent trend of "chosen" hipster kids fighting vampires, werewolves, aliens, governments, evil minions, robots or whatever crazy things are happening. Instead, it focuses on everybody else, normal people who have very real stories of their own! This powerful and witty narrative is a reminder that being "ordinary" and just trying to get by in life is challenging and extraordinary in itself.

Adam Christopher hardback $24.99 (Tor Books)

autographed copies available

A noir, pulpy, detective novel about Raymond Electromatic who uses his PI credentials to hide the fact that he is really a hit man. Ada, his Artificial Intelligent boss, realized they'd make more money that way. He also happens to be the last robot on Earth. Each night his memory is wiped to make room for new data and Ada has to fill him in daily on his casework.This book is super rad.

Steve Shienkin, illus. Tim Robinson paperback $9.99 (Square Fish)

Want to sound like an expert about the American Revolution but don't get down with thick text like I do? (I know, I'm weird). Steve Sheinkin tells the story of our Revolution in a way that is hilariously educational, filled with anecdotes, quotes and pointed descriptions of the main players involved, as well as some of the "other guys" that most people never hear about. This book is geared for the middle school ages, but I'm an adult most of the time and I love it.

Shelley Pearsall hardback $16.99 (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers)

"On a bitter November day in Washington D.C. when everything felt metallic... thirteen-year-old Arthur Owens picked up a brick from the corner of a crumbling building and threw it at an old man's head." So begins this unexpected and disarming story of a young man sentenced by a judge to fulfill 120 hours of community service for the very same trash collector he intentionally harmed. As an unlikely respect forms between these two societal outsiders, Arthur soon learns there's more to the old man than meets the eye... and gradually begins to appreciate the power of artistic expression to transform loss and loneliness.

Mary Oliver hardback $24.95 (Penguin Press)

"Listen. Are you breathing just a little and calling it a life?" Imbedded in naturalistic observation and everyday ritual, Mary Oliver's newest collection invites the reader to sink more deeply into relationships which give otherwise isolated lives their fullness. Simply put, "Felicity" is all about love... and the work does not disappoint.