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Wellesley Books Newsletter
May 21st, 2020
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We've been awaiting the time when we can (safely) take small steps towards welcoming back our local community. We know that many of you have been waiting for us. This Monday, with the advent of Phase 1 of Governor Baker's small-business reopening plan, we're pleased to be able to offer curbside pick-up again! Just order ahead, via phone or our website, pull up to our rear entrance--located next to the parking lot--and collect your order between 10 AM and 5 PM, Monday through Saturday. As we inevitably finesse our curbside pick-up system, please check our website for additional details. And thank you again for all of your home-delivery orders over these past two weeks--we've logged many miles, consumed many audiobooks and discovered so many new neighborhoods on our travels through town.
Lest anyone forget--though the car processions through local towns might remind you--it's graduation season. We have that big, chunky cookbook that will start your recent graduate off in his or her first apartment. We also have time-honored nuggets of wisdom from Anna Quindlen and David Foster Wallace. And we certainly have the cards to go with them--check out a small sampling of them below. Give us a call; we're happy to offer advice and congratulations. |
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TONIGHT! Thursday, May 21st, 7:00 PM
Christine Hemp, author, poet, and musician, presents her first work of non-fiction, Wild Ride Home. This memoir contains looping themes of finding and losing love, of going away and coming home, of second chances, and, ultimately, of the triumph of love and family. Christine will be in conversation with Sands Hall, author of Reclaiming My Decade Lost in Scientology. To register for this free Zoom event, click here.
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Friday, May 22nd, 7:00 PM
Kids, don your jammies and get ready for a bedtime story read by Angela DiTerlizzi herself. The author of Some Pets and Just Add Glitter reads her new picture book, The Magical Yet. This rollicking, rhyming, and inspirational picture book is perfect for fans of Oh, the Places You'll Go! and every child who is frustrated by what they can't do...yet! To sign up for this free Zoom event, click here.
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Saturday, May 23rd, 11:00 AM
Missing a day at Fenway Park? Join us for a Saturday morning story time with David A. Kelly! David will read from the first book in his Ballpark Mysteries series, The Fenway Foul-Up. Cross Ron Roy's mystery series with Matt Christopher's sports books and you get the Ballpark Mysteries: fun, puzzling whodunnits aimed right at beginning readers. To sign up for this free Zoom storytime, click here.
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Tuesday, May 26th, 7:00 PM
Curtis Sittenfeld, author of American Wife and Eligible, presents Rodham, a novel that imagines a deeply compelling alternate path: what if Hillary Rodham hadn't married Bill Clinton? Brilliantly weaving actual historical events into a riveting fictional tale, Sittenfeld delivers an uncannily astute story for our times. Curtis will be in conversation with Amy Chozick, author of Chasing Hillary. To sign up for this free Zoom event, click here.
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Wednesday, May 27th, 7:00 PM
William Kent Krueger, author of Ordinary Grace, joins us to celebrate the paperback release of his enthralling, staff-favorite novel, This Tender Land. For fans of Louise Erdrich and rich, powerful storytelling, This Tender Land follows "an evil headmistress, four orphans, and an escape of a lifetime" (Jess). To sign up for this free Zoom event, click here
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More upcoming online events:
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Bookseller Recommendations
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Betty recommends:
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
Rodham imagines a different story for Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton. It is fabulous. Starting with their meeting at Yale Law School in the 70s through Hillary's illustrious political career, this story takes unexpected turns that make sense. Hillary seems like the Hillary we've come to know, but with a more human side. While some may wonder about the current of feminism, I applauded it, and actually found it read like a dream come true. Completely unpredictable, Sittenfeld's Rodham will keep you reading.
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The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires starts with an author's note that reads, "I wanted to pit Dracula against my mom. As you'll see, it's not a fair fight." If that's not enough to get you to read Grady Hendrix's latest novel then I hope the rest of this review will be. Set in Charleston during the late 90s, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires chronicles the story of Patricia Campbell and the true crime-obsessed women in her book club. Patricia's life is far from exciting. Her husband is too busy to pay attention to her, her children don't listen, and her mother-in-law needs constant care. And then, one day, James Harris shows up. James is handsome, well-read, and mysterious. There's also something strange and unsettling about him that Patricia can't quite place. Grady Hendrix is a modern master of horror and he really hammers home that vampires can be charming and attractive, but are absolutely terrifying.
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The perfect way to take a well-deserved break from life: getting stuck in to a big book of Calvin and Hobbes. I'd be hard pressed to think of a better gift for these cooped-up days--for someone else or yourself!
The Essential-,
The Authoritative-, and
The Indispensable- are great collections of the first several years of the strip.
The Tenth Anniversary Book includes some of the later years, as well as some interesting musings about the strip, the industry, and culture by Watterson at the start of the book. But the crown jewel, of course, would be
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes, a glorious four-book box set that contains every single strip.
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After watching Paul Solomon's interview with Murphy on PBS Newshour, I wanted to read this book.
What an unexpected treat!
Murphy dropped out of college right before graduation and became a long-haul trucker.
He has crossed crossed the USA many times, both North to South and East to West.
He eventually ended up moving the 1%. His tales of whom he moved and whom he hired are great. This present-day memoir is makes for
interesting non-fiction.
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Bookseller Recommendations For Kids
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Grace and her Aunt Lily spend most afternoons together. While Aunt Lily hosts her writer's group, Grace eavesdrops and illustrates what she hears. Grace has a brand new journal with her name on it but she is convinced she has nothing to write about. A bit of magic appears on the doorstep in the form of Rex, a loving, old Black Lab. This friendly canine gives both Grace and her aunt the nudge they need. Soon they are writing from the heart. It's "a wondrous thing!" A comforting story to enjoy curled up with your favorite person and canine.
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New Books For Young Adults
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Congratulate your favorite graduate!
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What We're Reading Now...
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Bookseller Pet of the Week
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Nigel
This handsome gentleman is Nigel, a five year-old lionhead rabbit who belongs to our marketing coordinator, Geoff. Nigel is a cage-free house
rabbit, meaning that he gets to hang out with his humans as much as he wants, and uses a litterbox like a cat. His interests include digging
through/tearing up piles of paper, eating hay, suddenly running around at top speed at the most unexpected times, and napping. If you look closely, you'll see a copy of
Codenames in the background of this photo, which is Geoff's favorite game sold at Wellesley Books!
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Thank you for supporting your community
independent bookstore!
Sincerely,
Rebecca Stimpson
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