WORD FROM WELLERS | DECEMBER 2018
A Holiday Reflection from Catherine
Different things make the holidays meaningful to each of us. Some of us worship, others gather with family and friends, still others travel or recreate, and some do all of the above. I think it’s fair to say what stays with a person year upon year are the memories that form over time. They become the stories and traditions we pass along to younger generations. They are the moments we reflect upon this time of year, when decorations and recipes come out of boxes and music takes a turn to the sacred and nostalgic.

My Bestamor, my grandmother, gave me the same things for Christmas every year. And yet each November I would eagerly await the box that would arrive in the mail from New Mexico packed with Advent presents -- special treats of which my Utah friends were at first ignorant, then jealous – and pecans, often a ristra for the kitchen, and several beautifully wrapped rectangular objects. They were books, of course. Bestamor was a high school English teacher with excellent taste in literature. She exposed me to many authors I never would have read on my own. Some, such as Eudora Welty, I have enjoyed through the years; others, not so much. But at least I have read them and I know who they are, a fact for which I have thanked my grandmother more than once or twice. Many of the books are still on my shelves.

Bestamor used to say she’d never given a book she hadn’t read. Since she was a phenomenally well-read woman I took her at her word. Only when I was an adult did I realize the humor in that statement. Some of the books I received, though new, were obviously to my more educated eye, gently read. Sneaky! When I figured that out, I was delighted that she gave herself little gifts when she purchased ones for me. Each and every book she gave me was inscribed, “For Catherine from Papa and Bestamor. Christmas,” followed by the year. It was her tradition. Now the memories make me smile when I see one of those books on my shelves or when I get out the decorations. She gave me the best gift of all, a lifelong love of books and writing.

I hope you will all find yourselves the recipients of such wonderful gifts as that, as well as all of the hope and joy you will need to sustain you in the New Year.

Catherine
Tony's Rare Book Spotlight
Seven Pillars of Wisdom - One of a limited edition of 750 copies bound in 1/4 leather, $2,000.
Spine view of Seven Pillars of Wisdom in 1/4 leather, $2,000.
Many know Thomas Edward Lawrence from the marvelous 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia , but before the film, most knew him by his beloved memoir, Seven Pillars of Wisdom , first published privately in 1926. The philosophical book was commercially published in 1935 in England and America in limited editions of 750 copies. We are presently offering two British editions from 1935. A beautiful, very clean and well-kept cloth bound trade copy for $500 and one of the 750 copies bound in ¼ leather for $2000.
Great Gifts for Everyone!
December is a month of giving, and books make lovely gifts. Take this mini virtual tour of our store for gift ideas!
KID'S DEPARTMENT
Here you'll find picture books, first readers, chapter books for all levels, and childhood classics. We even have a selection of Spanish language and French language favorites like El Gato Ensombrerado by Dr. Seuss! We love our bright and colorful selection of picture books, particularly these new releases by Deborah Bruss and Abby Huntsman.
Good Morning, Snowplow! by Deborah Bruss tells the story of a dad and his trusty dog who plow through the night so that everyone can get to school and work safely in the morning. Soft, charming illustrations and beautifully written text make this a perfect read-together book.
Who Will I Be? by Abby Huntsman asks a question many children are wondering, and offers a look at the roles of teachers, police officers, sanitation workers, and many others. This life-affirming book encourages gratitude for the people who help in our society and offers choices to young readers. Hardcover / $18.99
ART DEPARTMENT
Large enough to encompass books on artists and their art, photographers, art history by style or period, and art by place, this is where to look for inspiration, a visual feast, or a solid coffee table book to impress your friends. We're enamored with these new books:
Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art by Mary Gabriel - Set amid the most turbulent social and political period of modern times,  Ninth Street Women  is the impassioned, sometimes tragic, always exhilarating chronicle of five women who dared to enter the male-dominated world of twentieth-century abstract painting not as muses, but as artists.
His Holiness: The Fourteenth Dalai Lama by award-winning photographer Raghu Rai has captured the Dalai Lama’s journey in India since exile from Tibet in 1959. Rai presents an intimate photographic portrayal of the life of one of the most popular twentieth-century spiritual leaders.
FILM DEPARTMENT
Our film department has books on the history of filmmaking, great filmmakers, movies by title, and even has a subsection for animation and television. You'll also find a trove of biographies about America's and the world's favorite entertainers. Here are a few of this year's new books we're excited about:
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King is the first full-length biography of Fred Rogers. Drawing on interviews, oral histories, and archival documents, King traces Rogers’s personal, professional, and artistic life through decades of work. An engaging story that is rich in detail,  The Good Neighbor  is a portrait of a beloved figure. Hardcover / $30.00
True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking by Don Coscarelli is the white-knuckle memoir of a Hollywood wunderkind whose career in indie film spawned cult classics such as The Beastmaster , Bubba Ho-Tep , Phantasm , and John Dies at the End . Take an inside peek into the rough and tumble world of indie filmmaking through Coscarelli's eyes. Hardcover / $29.99
Store Announcements
Storytime with Weller Book Works!
Each Saturday leading up to Christmas, one of our booksellers will read a holiday picture book under the Christmas tree at 1:00 PM. Join us in the North Court of Trolley Square for a fun & cheerful read!
Extended Holiday Hours
As a courtesy to our shoppers, we will be open extra hours the week of December 17-22, from  10 AM - 10 PM.  Sunday, December 23 we will be open regular hours, and on Christmas eve, we will open from 10 AM - 6 PM. See you soon!
December Events
BREAKFAST CLUB - Join our lead new book buyer and raconteuse, Catherine Weller, for book news and conversation every Tuesday morning. The Breakfast Club meets from 10:00 - 11:00 AM at the Coffee Connection.

LIT KNIT - Do you craft? Do you like books and casual conversation? Join our bi-weekly craft circle held the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month from 6:00 - 8:00 PM.

COLLECTORS' BOOK SALON - Though the Collectors' Book Salon is in recess until January, please add next year's Salons to your calendar. On the last Friday of each month from January through October, bibliophiles gather to mingle and share their bibliopassions in the Rare Book department. Glasses are filled and refreshments served at 6:30, and at 7:15 an invited guest leads the Collector's Chat, a wild and wonderful exploration of a collector's particular passion or interest. The next will be held January 25, 2019 .
We're hosting the launch party for Salt Lake City Cemetery by Sexton Mark E. Smith, Corey Rushton, and Annastasia Hirt.

The Salt Lake City Cemetery was established in September 1847 when George Wallace, who arrived with the first company of Mormon pioneers two months prior, buried his young daughter on a picturesque hillside above the Salt Lake Valley. It has since grown to become the largest municipal cemetery in the United States, containing approximately 130,000 gravesites.

To walk through the Salt Lake City Cemetery’s 120 acres is to trace a path through Utah history and experience a mosaic of the diverse and fascinating individuals who have shaped it: politicians, pioneers, artists, inventors, outlaws, educators, activists, and currently 12 presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This book highlights these influential figures and many more. It also serves as a guide for navigating the cemetery grounds in person, with grave locations accompanying most captions.
Weller's is proud to host the launch of The 50 Year Secret by Julie MacNeil. Thanks to a chance DNA test, author Julie MacNeil learned she has a rare genetic liver-lung disease which, if left untreated, could be life-threatening. Doctors encouraged her to reach out to family members because of their likelihood to have this genetic disease, but MacNeil had been adopted.  The 50 Year Secret  chronicles her journey to find her biological parents in the aftermath of her diagnosis.
Former Salt Lake Tribune columnist Eileen Hallet Stone will read from her story of the Jewish immigrants who founded Auerbach's, a store that would go on to dress the "Ladies of Aristocracy" in their finest clothes. From a perilous sea journey and an arduous trek west, the story of Auerbach's is one of tenacity and triumph over adversity. Join Ms. Stone for a reading and signing of  Auerbach's: The Store That Performs What It Promises  .
Weller Book Works | 801-328-2586 | books@wellerbookworks.com | wellerbookworks.com
Store hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 AM-8 PM | Friday-Saturday, 10 AM-9 PM | Sunday, 12 PM-5 PM