Dear Friends,
Well, this has been quite a year, hasn’t it? Early in the year, even as the pandemic continued to affect our lives and our stores with protocols in place, we negotiated the June sale of our Parksville store, and moved our head office to our Qualicum store. As early as July our publishing partners were warning us of supply chain delays due to Covid and shortages in the book industry, both here and overseas. However, as we adjusted to that new reality, we didn’t count on the severity of recent weather systems and the transportation challenges that were the result.
As we swing into our Christmas season, things are now easing, and new inventory is arriving daily, thanks to our intrepid carriers.
The good news is that this Fall and Christmas season is packed with amazing books, many of which we have at The Mulberry Bush. We also carry lovely stocking stuffers, Christmas cards, 2022 calendars and engagement diaries, and a great selection of jigsaw puzzles in stock.
Our last author event of the year is on December 2nd, featuring Rick Mercer, talking with Alan Doyle about his new book, “Talking to Canadians”. (See details below). And don’t forget to read to the end of this newsletter to see if you are the lucky winner of our Great Book Giveaway for December.
Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for the new books that are coming in daily.
We are overwhelmed by the generous and loyal support you have given us during these transitions. All of which is to say that we wouldn’t be here without you! And a huge thank you to our wonderful bookstore team: Antonia, Sue, Kylee, Marianne, Bethany, and Tina. We couldn’t do it without you!
We and our staff want to thank you most sincerely, and we send our very best wishes to you and your families for a safe, warm and blessed Christmas and holiday season.
Tom and Barb
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BOOKS THAT MAKE THE PERFECT GIFT |
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Bestselling author Diana Gabaldon returns with the newest novel in the epic Outlander series.
The past may seem the safest place to be . . . but it is the most dangerous time to be alive. . . .
Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall were torn apart by the Jacobite Rising in 1746, and it took them twenty years to find each other again. Now the American Revolution threatens to do the same.
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In Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown takes us on a journey through eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. As she maps the necessary skills and an actionable framework for meaningful connection, she gives us the language and tools to access a universe of new choices and second chances - a universe where we can share and steward the stories of our bravest and most heartbreaking moments with one another in a way that builds connection.
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Canada's beloved comic genius tells his own story for the first time. From personal childhood stories, to his career in television, this biography is packed with funny, sweet, and hugely entertaining anecdotes and stories. If you're looking for a wonderful, lighthearted, humourous book, or if you just miss Rick Mercer, this book is for you! |
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With humour and heart, Peter shares never-before-told stories from his distinguished career, including reporting on the fall of the Berlin Wall and the horror of 9/11, walking the beaches of Normandy with Tom Brokaw, and talking with Canadian prime ministers from John Diefenbaker to Justin Trudeau. But it’s far from all serious. Peter also writes about finding the “cure” for baldness in China and landing the role of Peter Moosebridge in Disney’s Zootopia. |
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A fascinating account that links early maritime history, Indigenous land rights, and modern environmental advocacy in the Clayoquot Sound region by award-winning author and historian Barry Gough. |
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Full of the fascinating technical detail, The Apollo Murders puts you right there in the moment. Experience the fierce G-forces of launch, the frozen loneliness of Space and the fear of holding on to the outside of a spacecraft orbiting the Earth at 17,000 miles per hour, as told by a former Commander of the International Space Station who has done all of those things in real life.
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Never is an extraordinary novel, full of heroines and villains, false prophets and elite warriors, jaded politicians and opportunistic revolutionaries. It brims with cautionary wisdom for our times, and delivers a visceral, heart-pounding read that transports readers to the brink of the unimaginable.
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In Call Us What We Carry, Amanda Gorman explores history, language, identity, and erasure through an imaginative and intimate collage. Harnessing the collective grief of a global pandemic, these poems shine a light on a moment of reckoning and reveal that Gorman has become our messenger from the past, our voice for the future.
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In the Galápagos Islands, Diana finds herself examining her relationships, her choices, and herself - and wondering if when she goes home, she too will have evolved into someone completely different.
Barb recommends!
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Instead of convincing you to become vegan or shaming you for eating meat, Jessica Seinfeld simply wants to show you how easy it is to be a vegan, at times, by cooking flavorful, affordable, and robust plant-based meals whenever you want - whether that’s every day, once a week, or just once in a while. |
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Our Last Indie Author Event of the Year:
Join us on Thursday, December 2nd at 4:00 pm PT for an entertaining conversation with Rick Mercer, celebrated television humourist and author of “Talking to Canadians”, and moderator Alan Doyle.
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Kylee's Pick:
The Christmas Owl is the true story of a tiny Saw-whet owl named Rockefeller. “Rocky” was found in a tree cut down to be used as the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and was brought into the home of a lady named Ellen, who nursed him back to health and released him back into the wild. This beautifully illustrated children’s book is the perfect story for this time of year. It really captures what Christmas is all about, friendship and compassion.
Find The Christmas Owl in our children's section, recommended for ages 4 -8 years old.
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Tom's Pick
The best-selling author, Mitch Albom, has crafted a work of fiction that is quirky, simple, comforting, and full of hope and faith. A luxury yacht has sunk, and nine survivors are cast adrift in a lifeboat, struggling to survive, when they pull a stranger from the water who claims to be the Lord. Written in chapters titled Sea, Land, and News, this fast-paced novel challenges our deepest beliefs, suggesting answers may be where we least expect them.
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Antonia's Pick:
His first novel to be translated from French into English, Bouysse lures us into the tragic life of Rose, the eldest of four daughters sold by her financially struggling father to the local blacksmith. Little does anyone know, Rose is at the precipice of entering into a living nightmare. This book is written in the style of a true gothic classic. It is as if finding you are suddenly cradling a living, beating, sorrowful heart within your hands, desperate to mend its bloody brokenness, to wish that it might someday unfurl secret feathers and take wing on its own and finally be freed from its desolate prison.
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Marianne's Pick:
The material for this excellent new collection of stories and poems by celebrated Indigenous author Richard Wagamese, come from articles and blog posts, previously unpublished in book format.
In his beautifully simple writing style, Wagamese shares thoughts, stories, and poems that are to be treasured as a gift. Varying in length, each piece brings comfort, peace, and, wisdom to all who read them.
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Barb's Pick:
With deep compassion, heartaching intimacy, and subtle humour, the author has crafted an indelible portrait of a New Mexican family living on the edge of fragility. The characters are so vivid, their grasping efforts toward love and redemption are so finely told, and each page is filled with beautifully crafted prose. “The Five Wounds is both heartbreaking, and at the same time tender, wise, and shot through with moments of pure grace.” I loved this one.
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Sue's Pick:
I always love a new cookbook, particularly one sourcing food and drink from local vendors. This one is a gem, with over 80 signature
recipes from Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. It features recipes from many Island hideaways, including our very own French Press in Qualicum Beach.
With beautiful illustrations and local recipes, this book makes a lovely gift for any occasion.
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OUR CHRISTMAS & NEW YEARS HOURS |
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Sunday, Dec. 19th - 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Monday – Thursday, Dec. 20-23 - 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Christmas Eve - 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Christmas Day - Closed
Boxing Day - 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
New Years Eve - 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
New Years Day - Closed
Saturday, Jan. 2nd - 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday, Jan. 3rd - 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
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BOOKS TO CELEBRATE THE SEASON
For the whole family
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The Usborne Advent Calendar Book Collection |
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The Christmas Bookshop
by Jenny Colgan
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The Christmas Pig
by J.K. Rowling
For Ages 8+
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An Irish Country Yuletide
by Patrick Taylor
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The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman
For ages 4-8 years
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Baking for the Holidays
by Sarah Kieffer
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Construction Site:
Merry and Bright
by Sherri Duskey Rinker
For ages 2-4 years
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The Ultimate Christmas Cracker
by John Julius Norwich
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The Snowy Cabin Cookbook
by Marnie Hanel &
Jen Stevenson
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Small Things Like These
by Claire Keegan
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The Vinyl Cafe Celebrates
by Stuart McLean
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We Wish You a Merry Christmas:
A Canadian Carol
by Helaine Becker
For ages 3-8 years
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Why give a gift card?
- available in any denomination
- redeemable in-store & online
Take the guesswork out of your holiday book buying and give a gift card!
Purchase a gift card here
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This month's Great Book Giveaway winner will have the pleasure of receiving a signed hardcover copy of Cloud Cuckoo Land, by bestselling author Anthony Doerr, a $39.99 value.
If you see your name below,
please come in and pick up your new book!
Congratulations...
Barbara Gratton
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