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Wellesley Books Newsletter
August 28th, 2019
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If you've stepped into Wellesley Books within the past few weeks, you may have noticed that things look subtly different here--perhaps a bit lighter and brighter. Summer turned out to be the perfect season for a round of moving and organizing, with inclusiveness and browseability in mind. We've expanded our Science Fiction and Fantasy section by an entire case (!) and Poetry, Essays and Graphic Novels are now getting a new lease on life at the front of the store, near our paperbacks table. We've made additional moves and tweaks too numerous to mention here--just ask a bookseller for a tour if you need help finding your favorite section. Thank you for your ongoing support as we strive to best serve all of our community members as your community independent bookstore!
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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 11th, 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 12th, 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 13th, 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 14th, 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 21st, 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 28th, 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 1st, 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.
More October events:
Breaking early October event news!
Although details aren't available yet, we can't wait to let you know about our upcoming special event here in the store with Bryan Rafanelli
, party-planner extraordinaire and author of the forthcoming A Great Party: Designing the Perfect Celebration.
Full details will be announced very soon, and newsletter readers will be the first to know.
Stay tuned!
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Book Clubs
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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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Highly Educated: A Book Club for Teachers & Librarians
Kelly Yang
Highly Educated, a new book club for teachers and librarians, will meet once a month here at Wellesley Books in the Used Book Cellar. Copies of the monthly pick will be available for purchase at the store and your Teacher Discount can be applied to the transaction. Please contact rachael@wellesleybooks.com to join!
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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 emerita 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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Yes, it's about making beer, but it is also a book about family ties, what binds them together and what splits them apart. Two sisters, growing up on a family farm take two completely different paths. Edith gets married and starts a family, beer-obsessed Helen sells the family farm out from under Edith, without much regret, and builds a beer empire. I love Edith, by the way, and I love the way J. Ryan Stradal tells the stories of these two sisters.
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Two very interesting subjects meet in this story: friendship and gardening. We meet May, a botanist working at a university, who explores her friendships by visiting her four friends. We're also treated to her thoughts about landscaping and which tree should be planted in her father's honor. This novel gave me a lot to think about and was an enjoyable and absorbing read.
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New In Hardcover
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Bookseller Recommendations For Young Readers
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Lauren recommends:
You Are My Friend by Aimee Read (illustrated by Matt Phelan)
Freddie Rogers was frequently sick and had to spend a lot of time indoors. It was hard to make friends, so his puppets became his friends; he could talk about his feelings and didn't have to hold them inside. He also found comfort in playing music and in the words of his grandpa McFeely, "you've made this day a special day, by just your being you." This confidence sent Fred off into the world believing that he could help everyone feel as special as his grandpa made him feel years before. And through Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, he did just that. This is a truly lovely book.
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Calling all aspiring teen writers! This fall, Wellesley Books will kick off a monthly fiction workshop for young writers aged 14 to 18. This will be a drop-in, 90-minute workshop at Wellesley Books where young writers will form a local writing community and develop life-long writing habits. Writing instructor 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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Bookseller Recommendations For Young Adults
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Cassie recommends:
Moira Fowley-Doyle's latest is an emotional gut-punch of a book. Deena Rys' older sister Mandy is presumed dead, having last been seen at the edge of a cliff. But then Deena starts receiving letters from Mandy that tell the story of their family history, and why all the Rys women wind up cursed by their 17th birthday. Deena, along with old and new friends, sets off on a cross-country tour of Ireland to find her sister, and get some answers. Weaving in Irish folklore, historical and recent events surrounding reproductive rights, queer rights, and bodily autonomy, All the Bad Apples leaps from the page, grasps your hand, and invites you to scream along with it.
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New in the Gift Department
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Our new assortment of adorably-packaged, pun-tastic onesies and food-grade silicone bowls, spoons, teethers and more make the perfect gifts for the new small person in your life.
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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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Pip, a one-and-a-half year-old Goldendoodle, is a beloved member of bookseller Kieva's family. He charmed us all with his energy, floof and floppy tongue. Kieva reports that he delights in belly rubs and big sticks, and that he makes an excellent morning alarm clock for the entire family. Our buyer Lorna was especially taken with his name, which reminded her of
one of her favorite books. Don't be a stranger, Pip!
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Thank you for supporting your community
independent bookstore!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Stimpson
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