Wellesley Books Newsletter  
April 25th, 2018


On Saturday, along with hundreds of other bookstores across the country, we will be celebrating Independent Bookstore Day.  Join us for a day full of fun events!  From 11:00 AM until 12:00 PM, the one-and-only Dog Man -- from Dav Pilkey's great graphic novels -- will be here to meet the kids and paw-tograph their books.  At 11:30 AM, we will host our popular Dr. Seuss Brunch, complete with green eggs and ham.  At 2:00 PM, we will announce the winners of our very first Kids Poetry Contest, awarding prizes and reading the winning poems aloud.  At 4:00 PM, we channel our inner Anglophile and raise a toast to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at our Royal Wedding Reception.   For more details, click below.


We will also have trivia and book giveaways throughout the day, and free audiobooks from our friends at Libro.fm (see below), so join us in our celebration of Independent Bookstore Day!

Metro Boston Bookstore Day

  Since we are immensely lucky to have so many terrific independent bookstores in the Boston area, Independent Bookstore Day is now also Metro Boston Bookstore Day!  Twelve area bookstores will be raffling off exciting baskets of gifts and books, specially chosen to accentuate the things that make their stores unique.  To win, just pick up a bookmark this week from any of the stores listed, then visit as many as you can on Saturday.  Each visit counts as one raffle entry, and each store will be hosting their own exciting Independent Bookstore Day events.  For more information, click on the bookmark picture to the left, and pick up your Metro Boston Bookstore Day bookmark today!

Upcoming Events
 
All events are free to the public, unless otherwise noted.
 Purchase the lead title  from Wellesley Books to enter the signing line
 



 
TONIGHT! Wednesday, April 25th, 7:00 PM. 
We bring together two great New England writers -- Vermont native and PEN/New England winner Robin MacArthur (Half Wild and Heart Spring Mountain) and Wellesley-based poet Dan Chiasson (Bicentennial).  Join them for an evening of discussion at the intersection of poetry and prose.



 
Friday, April 27th, 7:00 PM.
We adored Madeline Miller's great take on the Trojan War, Song Of Achilles, and we are delighted to bring her to our store to introduce her new novel, Circe.  With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, this is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, and love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.  William, Jane, and Gillian already love this new book!  Please note that this is a ticketed event. Your $5 ticket can be used as a coupon off the price of Circe.


Monday, May 7th, 7:00 PM. 
Our National Poetry Month series ends with Sarah Snyder, author of the poetry collections The Human Contract and Notes from a Nomad.  Selected to be part of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, Sarah has been a mother and an English teacher for several years, both of which have influenced her writing.  Join us for an evening of beautiful poetry.   


 
Thursday, May 10th, 7:00 PM. 
Perfect for fans of David Arnold and Robyn Schneider, Samuel Miller's stunning debut, A Lite Too Bright, follows a young man as he embarks on a  journey to chase the secrets of his namesake grandfather, a famous Salinger-esque novelist. Eager to escape his own demons, he embarks on a cross-country train ride, guided only by cryptic clues left in his grandfather's dementia-influenced writing. Meet this hot new YA author and have your book autographed.


 
Monday, May 21st, 7:00 PM.
Paula McLain expands upon her novel The Paris Wife in her new book Love And Ruin, exposing the hidden story of Ernest Hemingway's third wife.  An award-winning war journalist in her own right, Martha Gellhorn found herself making a choice: surrender to the confining demands of being a famous man's wife or risk losing Ernest by forging a path as her own woman and writer. This event will take place at the Wellesley Community Center. Please note that this is a ticketed event. Your $5 ticket can be used as a coupon off the price of Love And Ruin.

Bill's Book Group For Guys
 
by Samanta Schweblin


This horror/thriller just won the 2018 Tournament of Books, knocking out some heavyweights along the way (including George Saunders) in both the opening round and then again by popular vote in the final.

Join Bill's Book Group for Guys for a relaxed evening in the store discussing a specially-chosen book while enjoying a beer, glass of wine, or select single-malt whiskey.  $25 buys the book and a ticket to the event.
Betty's Lunchtime Book Group
 
by Shirley Hazzard



Betty Sudarsky, unparalleled bookseller and experienced book club leader, chooses each book carefully and leads the discussion.  Bring your own lunch if you like; Betty supplies snacks, drinks, and insight.  No need to sign up; drop-ins are welcome.  
Bookseller Recommendations

William Recommends:
Circe by Madeline Miller
Remember Circe, the sorceress on the island who bewitches Odysseus in The Odyssey?  Now, Madeline Miller ( Song Of Achilles) brings her to vivid life as a woman, a mythological character, and, most tellingly, as a mother.  Mythology comes to life in this astonishing book, which is not only a beautifully written fiction, but also a real page-turner!





Marilyn Recommends:
Miss Ex-Yugoslavia by Sofija Stefanovic
Sofija is part of the immigrant community in Australia, having moved there from the former Yugoslavia.  Her personal story is skillfully intertwined with the history of the place -- now seven separate countries.  Her voice drew me in and allowed me to easily absorb all of the complex historical information.   
 





Pete Recommends:
Stargazing on an island in Maine -- ah, that is my happy place!  You can simply enjoy the pleasure of viewing the amazing constellations, or, like Lightman, you can ponder man's search for truth and meaning through science and religion.





 
New In Hardcover

A Higher Loyalty
 by
James Comey

The Feather Thief
 by
Kirk Wallace Johnson

The Fallen
 by
David Baldacci

You Think It, I'll Say It
by
Curtis Sittenfeld

The Husband Hour
 by
Jamie Brenner

The Only Story
 by
Julian Barnes
New In Paperback

The Rise And Fall Of D.O.D.O.
 by
 Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland

In The Great Green Room
 by
Amy Gary

The Home For Unwanted Girls
 by
Joanna Goodman

The Essex Serpent
 by
Sarah Perry

Standard Deviation
 by
 Katherine Heiny

The Midnight Line
 by
Lee Child
Bookseller Recommendations For Kids
 
William Recommends:
Ghost Boys
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
This is probably the most powerful and emotionally affecting kids book I've ever read.  After a twelve year old African-American boy is killed by a white police officer, he becomes friends with the ghost of Emmett Till . The only person who can see him is the daughter of the officer who killed him.  This is a beautiful tale of forgiveness, awareness, and perception.  As Rhodes says in this instant-classic, "Only the living can make the world better.  Live and make it better."  

New Books For Kids


Waste Of Space
 by
Stuart Gibbs

A Friendly Town That's Almost Always By The Ocean
 by
Kit Fox and M. Shelley Coats

The Lifters
 by
Dave Eggers
New Books For Young Adults

Stay Sweet
 by
Siobhan Vivian

The Ash Princess
 by
 Laura Sebastian

Emergency Contact
 by
Mary H.K. Choi
Mother's Day Gifts

Mother's Day is May 13th, and Mom deserves a great gift.  We have all sorts of beautiful, thoughtful items to bring a smile to your mother's face on her special day.  We have lovely jewelry as well as everything you need to serve her breakfast in bed -- even the tray.  Pamper Mom with spa products or give her special herbal kits.  If your Mom has a green thumb, we have great hats to protect her from the sun (hurray, the sun has appeared at last!) and Pollinator push gardens to help bring out those Spring flowers.
 
What We're Reading Now...

Melinda

Stephanie

William

Marilyn

Maggie

Gillian

Geoff

Lorna

Rebecca
Dog of the Week
Vito

Vito is a ten year old Husky, who visited the store with his owner Stacie, who is a sales rep for IPG Publishers.  He often accompanies her to bookstores, and he quickly chose his favorite new title.  He lives for food and reading -- probably in that order.  Welcome to Wellesley Books, Vito!
Libro.fm Celebrates Indie Bookstores

Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with free audiobooks from our partners at Libro.fm! What better way to discover a new favorite than through a great audiobook? Get Christine Mangan's Tangerine - a current staff favorite - plus an assortment of other great new titles as our thanks to you for supporting your local indie bookstore and our indie audiobook partners. If you don't already have your Libro.fm account, we'll be glad to help get you started -- just visit us at the store, or click the image below for more details.


 

Thank you for supporting your community
independent bookstore!
Sincerely,
William D. Carl

Contact us:
store @wellesleybooks.com
82 Central Street,
Wellesley, Ma. 02482
781-431-1160

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