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Wellesley Books Newsletter
August 14th, 2019
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The clothes in storefronts all over Wellesley are looking suspiciously autumnal...we're receiving reports of a pumpkin-flavored invasion in local supermarkets...but, here at Wellesley Books, we're trying to keep one sandal-clad foot in summer while looking forward to the school year. We still have displays of local summer reading titles, if several hundred pages remain on your to-do list, and some fabulous, just-arrived Goodr sunglasses so you can beach-read in style. In the children's section, a display of back-to-school titles helps make new transitions less scary. And if the past few years' lunchboxes and water bottles are looking a little worse for the wear, we have those too. Get ready--here we go again!
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Upcoming Events
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All events are free to the public, unless otherwise noted.
Purchase the lead title
from Wellesley Books to enter the signing line
.
Thursday, September 5th, 7:00 PM
Karl Marlantes, whose debut novel
Matterhorn was hailed as a modern classic of war literature, returns with a new novel,
Deep River. Marlantes turns to a different mode of storytelling--the family epic--to craft a stunningly expansive narrative of human suffering, courage, and reinvention. This is a ticketed event.
Tickets are $5 and can be used towards the purchase of
Deep River.
Wednesday, September 11, 7:00 PM
In his new book
The Dog Went Over the Mountain, Massachusetts writer Peter Zheutlin and his beloved rescue dog take a poignant, often bemusing, and keenly observed journey across America and discover a new-found appreciation for the life they temporarily left behind, and a determination to live more fully in the moment as old age looms. This is a free event; however, we request that you
RSVP.
Thursday, September 12, 7:00 PM
Local writer Diane Stelfox Cook presents So Many Angels, her memoir of community support in the face of adversity. When two devastating events upend her life, her friends and community come together to help her and her sons every step of the way. Ultimately, So Many Angels is an uplifting story of resilience and strength--and a tribute to the many friends and strangers who helped Diane and her boys survive the greatest trial of their lives.
Friday, September 13, 7:00 PM
In
The Only Plane in the Sky, a comprehensive oral history of September 11th, award-winning journalist and bestselling historian Garrett M. Graff tells the story of the day as it was lived--in the words of those who lived it. More than simply a collection of eyewitness testimonies,
The Only Plane in the Sky is the historic narrative of how ordinary people grappled with extraordinary events in real time.
Saturd
ay, September 14, 2:00 PM
Join local author Nandini Bajpai to celebrate A Match Made In Mehendi, a lighthearted young adult novel about tradition, high school social hierarchy, matchmaking, and swiping right (or left!). This sweet and quirky story stars a fifteen year-old girl from a long line of Indian matchmakers who upends the high school hierarchy when her matchmaking app pairs a wallflower with a star soccer player.
Saturday, September 21, 4:00 PM
Massachusetts writer Joan Cohen presents her first novel, Land of Last Chances. Jeanne Bridgeton, an unmarried executive in her late forties, discovers life doesn't begin and end on a spreadsheet when her expected menopause instead becomes an unexpected pregnancy. Though accomplished at managing risk professionally, Jeanne realizes her skills don't extend to her personal life. Land of Last Chances takes readers on an intensely emotional journey.
Saturday, September 28, 10:00 AM
Lisa Rogers, local elementary school librarian extraordinaire, presents 16 Words: William Carlos Williams and "The Red Wheelbarrow." This simple nonfiction picture book about a beloved American poet is also about how being mindful can result in the creation of a great poem. Young listeners will see how paying attention to the simplest everyday objects can inspire the greatest art.
Tuesday, October 1, 7:00 PM
Maureen Stanton presents her debut memoir Body Leaping Backward. Distinctly New England in setting, this straight-shooting and astutely observed memoir is spot-on with social and cultural references that will resonate with anyone who grew up in 1970s America.
This is a free event; however, we request that you RSVP.
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Book Groups
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Rachael's Book Club for Kids
Ryan Andrews
Rachael Conrad carefully curates choices for children ages 8-12 who love to read. Join her for a lively discussion about a new book every month.
Parents, if your child would like to attend please e-mail rachael@wellesleybooks.com to reserve your spot!
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Bill's Book Group for Guys
This semi-autobiographical Vietnam War thriller is rife in detailed battle scenes with the North Vietnamese Army and the complex politics and race relations of the late 1960s. Written over the course of 30 years by a highly decorated veteran, this reads like an early Tom Clancy novel.
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.
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Betty's Lunchtime Book Group
by Richard Powers
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.
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Bookseller Recommendations
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I have never been so mad to realize a newly released title was an author's debut. Sweet, tender, funny, I devoured this book. I wanted to cancel plans for this book! Spending time with these characters was the literary equivalent of curling up by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate, while it's snowing outside. McQuiston's words were a direct line to my 23-year-old self. I couldn't believe they stared back at me from the page. And while I wish this book had been around when I had just come out, when I was figuring myself out, reading it now is almost just as good.
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This timely novel follows two roommates from a women's college in the south in the '60s through the '70s and beyond. Despite their intense bond, their life paths, ambitions, and cultural awakenings progress at different rates and their friendship ebbs and flows accordingly. Susan Rebecca White skillfully examines the intricacies of female friendship amid the cultural shifts of the southern US in the late 20th century.
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An in-depth look at the best high school cross-country program in the country over the last fifteen years. I wouldn't exactly recommend it as a precise training program, but their Stotan principles and their quest to find that last 20% are worth emulating. Pain Is THE Purifier!
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Fierce and wonderful, moving and truthful, I love the story and characters in this amazing debut novel from Cara Wall. It reminds me of the best of Laurie Colwin and Elizabeth Strout. I fell into it completely, felt connected to it and did not want to leave it at the end.
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New In Hardcover
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Bookseller Recommendations For Young Readers
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Rebecca recommends:
This beautifully-illustrated nonfiction book is a feast for the curious kid. Jennifer Thermes explores the uglier and sometimes hidden parts of the island's history, serves up a lot of quirky NYC lore (what might be buried under Central Park?), and all the famous landmarks make an appearance too. She also looks to the post-Hurricane Sandy, climate change future. This would make a great gift and is a school-library essential!
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Calling all aspiring teen writers! Wellesley Books is interested in assembling a monthly fiction workshop for young writers, aged 14 to 18, to be led by our children's book expert Cassie. Cassie Duncanson has taught creative writing at Portland State University in Oregon and at the Juniper Institute for Young Writers in Amherst. She is also an avid reader of YA fiction. If you would like to participate, or you know a teenager who might be interested, please contact Cassie at
cassie@wellesleybooks.com.
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New Books For Young Adults
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New in the Gift Department
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Make back-to-school cute and cheerful with our new assortment of lunchbags, water bottles and backpack charms.
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Available for Pre-Order Now
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What We're Reading Now...
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Over the past two months, we've been collecting books for the Prison Book Program. So far you've donated two boxes of books and we want to thank you for your generosity! Our book drive is still going strong so visit the store or click below to learn more!
The Prison Book Program believes in the life-changing power of literature. Books give people the chance to learn, grow, and explore the worlds of their choosing. Since 1972, the Prison Book Program has been sending free books to individuals in prisons. Along with each hand-selected package, volunteers send personalized notes to each reader because everyone deserves the freedom to read.
Click here for the Prison Book Program wishlist.
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Tina
Tina is a one year-old purebred Chihuahua. She spends most of her time on Martha's Vineyard but happened to stop by Wellesley the other week. Her owner reports that she's a fantastic watchdog, but is easily distracted by boy dogs, and they by her. (Given her evident beauty and poise, can you really blame them?)
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Thank you for supporting your community
independent bookstore!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Stimpson
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