Square One Books Online Book Club - West Seattle's Neighborhood Book Store

Author Reading With Jonathan Evison "All About Lulu"

2010-03-11T07:31:00.000-08:00

As part of our ongoing Author Reading series with the Seattle Public Library, we will be hosting an evening with Bainbridge Island author Jonathan Evison who will be reading from “All About Lulu."

When: March 25th, 2010
Time: 6:30-7:45 p.m.
Where: West Seattle Library, 2306 42nd Ave SW

Library events and programs are free and everyone is welcome.
Copies of the book will be for sale, and Jonathan will be on hand to sign them.

You can always pick up your book prior to the event at Square One Books. We have plenty of copies available in the store. We hope to see you at the event. Jonathan is quite a character, and his reading should be one to remember!

John Irving Interview

2009-11-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

I came across this interesting interview with one of my favorite novelists, John Irving at http://bigthink.com/johnirving. Mr Irving has a new book out - his 12th novel, titled "Last Night on Twisted River." This is one of the many books released this fall that I am really excited about. It seems like the publishers have opened the floodgates on anticipated books this Fall. Hope you enjoy the video!

Lyanda Haupt - Author Reading Series -Seattle Public Library and Square One Books

2009-09-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

As part of our ongoing Author Reading Series with the Seattle Public Library, we are happy to host an evening with Lyanda Haupt.

Lyanda Haupt has created and directed educational programs for Seattle Audubon, worked in raptor rehabilitation in Vermont and as a seabird researcher for the Fish and Wildlife Service in the remote tropical Pacific.

In “Crow Planet” her focus is closer to home. Haupt follows local crows in her neighborhood and gains a greater understanding of nature in the urban landscape. Join us as she discusses her key observations from the book

Thursday, SEPT 24TH, 2009

6:30 pm – 7:45 pm

High Point Library

3411 SW Raymond St.

Library events and programs are free and everyone is welcome. Registration is not required. This event is co-sponsored by Square One Books. Copies of the book will be for sale at the reading.

Square One Books Featured in Marc Fitten's INDIE 100 - a look at 100 Independent Bookstores Across America

2009-07-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

We were happy to be visited by Marc in his recent trip through Seattle.

You can read about it here.

You can also peruse Marc's entries on other notable Seattle bookstores and read more about his project on the site. Here, in his own words is what he is working on:

I'm going on an extensive book tour in support of my new novel,VALERIA'S LAST STAND. Only, to spice things up, I've decided that while I'm on the road, I will visit 100 independent book stores and blog about what I think makes them unique. I'll also keep a photo diary on Flickr for anyone interested in seeing more of what these stores look like. It's a road trip, thousands of miles around America, from city to city -- 100 stores, as long as it takes. ..

You can also read about Marc's journey in this New York Times piece.

Good luck, Marc. Hope to see you in Seattle again soon.

15 Coolest Bookshelves

2009-03-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

For a light diversion, we thought you would get a kick out of this entry on the 15 Coolest Bookshelves... as if all those lovely books weren't beautiful enough...

From Oddee... http://www.oddee.com/item_96613.aspx

Literary top ten lists

2009-03-17T14:26:00.001-07:00

The Times (UK) online has three fun lists about novels: 10 Spectacular second novels, 10 Cursed second novels, and 10 Literary one-hit wonders.

Joe Hill -- Stephen King's son -- promotes indie bookstores

2009-03-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

---from BoingBoing:

The author Joe Hill (son of Stephen King) is doing a great thing to promote the support of independent bookstores. He announced on his blog that he will draw a winner of a signed, slipcased edition of his new novel, Gunpowder. All you have to do is to buy something at an independent bookstore and email him a copy of the receipt.

Subterranean Press liked the idea so much that they've added a list of limited editions as prizes, including a limited edition of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book and two titles by Ray Bradbury, among other treasures.

Love Your Indie: The Contest http://joehillfiction.com/?p=714

A few new changes

2009-02-13T12:20:00.000-08:00

First, we've changed our Book Club night! We will now be meeting on the first WEDNESDAY of each month, beginning in March.

We wanted to accommodate a few of our customers that wanted to attend other First Thursday events, so we have changed the date beginning on Wednesday March 4, when we will discuss The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner. You can read more about this and other book club selections on our Web site at http://www.square1books.com/bookclub.htm

We look forward to seeing you there for a great discussion.

Second, we have introduced a monthly email newsletter that discusses the books that we are reading now, what's hot in the store and exciting new releases to watch out for in the coming months. We'll also include coupons and special offers for subscribers. You can sign up on our home page at http://www.square1books.com.

Finally - check us out on Facebook - we'd love to connect with you there and hear what you have to say about the most recent bestsellers and other great books.

Longer Holiday Hours

2008-12-09T11:16:00.000-08:00

Square Books wishes you and your family Happy Holidays.

We're extending our holiday hours to make it more convenient for you to come by.

We will now be open the following times:

Monday - Friday 10-7

Saturday 10-5:30

Sunday 11-5

We hope to see you in the store soon.

Looking to find a book in Tanzania...

2008-11-20T01:50:00.000-08:00

First, a thanks to everyone who joined us in celebrating our birthday and 21 years of serving the readers of West Seattle. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help Gretchen and her team celebrate.

Right now, I'm on the hunt for a copy of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, while I'm here in Tanzania - I sure miss having a good book store nearby ;). I hope to get a copy so that I can lead the discussion on Thursday, Dec. 4.

I hope to be fully recovered from jet lag and readjusting to life back in the States by that date.

In the interim, I thought I'd share with you this photo of Bismark Rock that I took at sunset in Mwanza, in the NW of Tanzania.

See you all soon.

Anniversary sale - 21% OFF!

2008-09-13T18:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to US!

November will begin our 21st year serving the readers of West Seattle.
To celebrate we are having our anniversary sale on November 13, 14 and 15.

On those days, our customers will receive 21 percent off everything in the store.

Thank you again for your support. We look forward to celebrating with you at the sale!

More info on new Harry Potter books!!!!

2008-08-17T17:22:00.000-07:00

More info is emerging on the new Harry Potter book due out December 4. Remember to pre-order your copy with us today!

From Scholastic:

The stories are accompanied by delightful pen-and-ink illustrations by Ms. Rowling herself, featuring a still-life frontispiece for each one. Professor Dumbledore’s commentary—apparently written some eighteen months before his death—reveals not just his vast knowledge of Wizarding lore, but also more of his personal qualities: his sense of humor, his courage, his pride in his abilities, and his hard-won wisdom. Names familiar from the Harry Potter novels sprinkle the pages, including Aberforth Dumbledore, Lucius Malfoy and his forebears, and Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington (or “Nearly Headless Nick”), as well as other professors at Hogwarts and the past owners of the Elder Wand. Dumbledore tells us of incidents unique to the Wizarding world, like hilariously troubled theatrical productions at Hogwarts or the dangers of having a “hairy heart.” But he also reveals aspects of the Wizarding world that his Muggle readers might find all too familiar, like censorship, intolerance, and questions about the deepest mysteries in life. Altogether, this is an essential addition to our store of knowledge about the world and the magic that J. K. Rowling has created, and a book every true Harry Potter fan will want to have for their shelves. This purchase also represents another very important form of giving: From every sale of this book, Scholastic will give its net proceeds to the CHILDREN'S HIGH LEVEL GROUP, a charity cofounded in 2005 by J.K. Rowling and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, MEP. CHLG campaigns to protect and promote children's rights and make life better for vulnerable young people. www.chlg.org

Things that go bump in the night.

2008-08-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the photos and coverage from the most recent Movies on the Wall on the West Seattle Blog: http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=9816

We were happy to co-sponsor the showing of Ghostbusters with Curious Kidstuff. Garlic Jim's also provided free pizza to the crowd and everyone had a great time. Jasper drew the lucky raffle winners' tickets.

Special thanks to Lora at Hotwire for her help organizing the movies.

Brisingr coming soon!

2008-08-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

Just a quick reminder that the finale of the Eragon Trilogy by Christopher Paolini, Brisingr will be released on September 21st. We are taking preorders now - be sure to reserve your copy today!

A new book in the Harry Potter universe!!!???

2008-08-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

Thought the Harry Potter saga was over with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?

So did many, but it was recently announced that on DECEMBER 4, J.K. Rowling will release The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a new addition to the Harry Potter Universe!

We are taking pre-orders for this book now. Reserve your copy today!

From Scholastic:

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers’ attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, thanks to Hermione Granger’s new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J. K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore. Never before have Muggles been privy to these richly imaginative tales: “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart,” “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump,” and of course, “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” But not only are they the equal of fairy tales we now know and love, reading them gives new insight into the world of Harry Potter.

A Dear John, from John Moe

2008-04-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that West Seattle author, radio host, humorist and all around man about town is now an ex-West Seattle author, radio host and all around man NO WHERE TO BE FOUND.

Actually he's moved to St. Paul and wrote our fair city a farewell in this weekend's Seattle Times: Sorry, Seattle - I've found somewhere else.

Actually, I've been following his journey at his blog: Monkey Disaster.

You can also continue to hear him on "Weekend America," heard locally from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday on KUOW.

Good luck to you, John.*

*Oh, and... I'm on to you , little plastic tape holding bread bags closed.

Reading What is the What...?

2008-02-01T12:30:00.000-08:00

If you are reading our current book club book, What is the What by Dave Eggers, and would like to learn more about the Lost Boys of Sudan, below we have put together some additional resources (courtesy of Wikipedia) to aid you in your discovery.

Lost Boys of Sudan, official IRC website.
Lost Boys from the Red Cross.
Photojournalist's Account - Images of Sudan's displaced
God Grew Tired of Us - Excerpts from a documentary about the Lost Boys
Lost Boys Program Fresh Ministries'
Sudan Emancipation & Preservation Network (SEPNet)
Alliance For The Lost Boys
Sudanese Lost Boys Association of Australia
"Do Not Forget The Lost Girls of Sudan", Refugees International, February 11, 2002.
Gabriel's Dream A charity dedicated to securing education and dental care for the lost boys.
They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky Official book site

Brisingr -The Inheritance Trilogy

2008-01-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

You've enjoyed Eragon and Eldest... now prepare for the final book of the sensational Inheritance Trilogy, BRISINGR!

The final book by Christopher Paolini will be released on Saturday, September 20, 2008.

We are currently taking pre-orders. Come and reserve your copy now, and stay tuned for more details.

Congratulations, PNBA Award winners!

2008-01-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

From the Seattle Times:

Northwest booksellers name PNBA winners

The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association (PNBA) has announced the winners of the 2008 Pacific Northwest Book Awards. The honorees are:

Sherman Alexie, of Seattle, for "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," his young-adult novel which also won the National Book Award.

Jim Harrison, for his novel "Returning to Earth" (Harrison lives part-time in Montana).
Denis Johnson, of Idaho, for his novel "Tree of Smoke," which also won the National Book Award.

Lauren Kessler, of Oregon, for her nonfiction book "Dancing with Rose: Finding Life in the Land of Alzheimer's."

Aryn Kyle, of Montana, for her debut novel, "The God of Animals."

Matt Ruff, of Seattle, for his novel "Bad Monkeys."

The six books were chosen from nearly 200 nominees by a committee of independent booksellers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. The winners will be feted at a reception for PNBA members in Portland on March 29.

PARKING TROUBLE?

2007-12-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

Having a difficult time finding a parking spot at Jefferson Square in the busy holiday rush? Remember, parking in the lot underneath the store is FREE on weekends and after 4 p.m. on weekdays. The elevator near the West Seattle Animal Hospital can take you right up to our store.

New Staff Picks on Square1books.com

2007-12-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

We just loaded up some new staff recommendations over at Square1books.com.

Check them out at http://www.square1books.com/recommendations.htm.

One of them could be your next favorite!

Tis the Season!

2007-11-25T12:57:00.000-08:00

Every child deserves a good book.

Purchase any children's book from us Dec. 1-2 for 15 percent off and we will donate the book to West Side Baby. The books will be distributed to families in need in December.

Keep an out for us at the 2007 Hometown Holidays "Light Up the Junction" celebration on Dec. 1. We'll be out in our "satellite" booth in the Junction with plenty of our Holiday catalogs and samples of the must have books of the season.

Thanks for your years of support, for again voting our store as "The Best Bookstore in West Seattle" and for making our 20th year in the community a special one.

Happy Birthday to Us!

2007-11-06T15:10:00.000-08:00

whoo heeee yipppeeee!

It's our birthday again..... 20 years in West Seattle!

Every year we celebrate by having a SALE! For our 20th - that means everything is 20% off for three days - November 8-10.

Come have fun with us as we kick off another great year!

Enrique's Journey

2007-10-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

Thursday, October 11
(second Thursday)
Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

In this astonishing true story, award-winning journalist Sonia Nazario recounts the unforgettable odyssey of a Honduran boy who braves unimaginable hardship and peril to reach his mother in the United States.When Enrique is five years old, his mother, Lourdes, too poor to feed her children, leaves Honduras to work in the United States.

Lourdes promises Enrique she will return quickly. But she struggles in America. After eleven years apart, he decides he will go find her. Enrique sets off alone from Tegucigalpa, with little more than a slip of paper bearing his mother’s North Carolina telephone number. Without money, he will make the dangerous and illegal trek up the length of Mexico the only way he can–clinging to the sides and tops of freight trains.

Having just come back from Central America, I'm looking forward to this discussion... see ou all Thursday.

November book club book change decided

2007-09-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

For the November 1st book club, we will be discussing Sarah Dunant's "In the Company of the Courtesan," a wonderful historical novel set in 16th century Venice. Thanks to everyone who provided suggestions. We will read "Restless" by William Boyd for the December 6th discussion. We will have more copies of "Restless" available in the store in a few weeks.

Just a reminder that we will not be meeting next Thursday. We will meet on Thursday, October 11th.

See you soon,

Gretchen & Matthew

Neeed suggestions for bookclub book

2007-09-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

"Restless," our book club pick for November, has suddenly gone completely out of stock at the publisher and all of our distributors. We will not be able to get any for a few weeks, so we'll just make it the choice for December.

Anyway, I'm looking for suggestions of books you might like to read for November. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know right away, as I'll need to order the books by this Thursday.

Hope to hear from you,

Gretchen

One last reminder: Words from the Westside - TODAY!

2007-09-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

WORDS FROM THE WESTSIDE: West Seattle Authors Speak Sunday, September 16, 1-5:30 p.m.

This is an opportunity to join your community in meeting and supporting local authors. The following West Seattle authors will be talking about their most recent works:

1 PM: Clay Eals and his book: STEVE GOODMAN: FACING THE MUSIC.

2:15: Carmela & Steven D'Amico, the creators of the ELLA THE ELEGANT ELEPHANT SERIES.

3:30 Beth Whitman; author of WANDERLUST & LIPSTICK: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR WOMEN TRAVELING ALONE

4:45 Judy Pigott & John Gibson; authors of PERSONAL SAFETY NETS: GETTING READY FOR LIFE’S INEVITABLE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES

This is a terrific example of a community pulling together: a non-profit theater, an independent bookstore, four sets of authors and a community of people coming to enjoy the presentations. The line-up offers something for every age and interest group. So come out and support local authors and see what the buzz about West Seattle writers is all about!

ArtsWest Theatre is hosting the event and is located at: 4711 California Avenue SW. For any questions, please call Square One Books at 935-5764.

Update: Words From the WestSide: West Seattle Authors Speak

2007-08-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

I wanted to point out that West Seattle author, Clay Eals, is featured in a nationally syndicated Associated Press story about his recent book.

It was printed in today’s Seattle Times - here.

Clay is one of the West Seattle authors who will be appearing at Square One Books upcoming Words from the West Side: West Seattle Authors Speak event at Arts West. (see blog entry below)

Words From the WestSide: West Seattle Authors Speak

2007-08-13T12:08:00.000-07:00

We thought you might be interested in an upcoming event we are planning to celebrate local West Seattle authors. The date and time are firmed up as is the list of authors. We’ll have more details soon…

Square One Books Special Author Event:

Words From the WestSide: West Seattle Authors Speak

Featuring:

Clay Eals: Steve Goodman: Facing the Music

Carmela and Steven D’Amico: Ella the Elegant Elephant series

Beth Whitman: Wanderlust and Lipstick

Judy Pigott and Dr. John W. Gibson: Personal Safety Nets

At Arts West, Sunday, September 16th beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Books will be available for purchase, and the authors will be on hand to sign them. Stay tuned for more details!

Upcoming Interview with Author Matt Ruff - You Can Participate

2007-07-21T12:50:00.001-07:00

Many of you may remember Seattle writer, Matt Ruff from when he joined us for a discussion of his novel and bookstore favorite, Set This House in Order.

Matt has a fantastic new book, Bad Monkeys, coming out this week on July 24.

Matt has agreed to participate in an interview/ discussion with our readers, right here on the Square One Books Online Book Club. I'll be collecting questions from this blog and forwarding them all together to Matt.

Click on the comments button below to submit a question about Matt, his previous books or his forthcoming novel, Bad Monkeys.

In the interim, while you are waiting for the new book to arrive on Tuesday, July 24, you can read up on Matt and visit the super-secret Bad Monkeys web site.

We look forward to seeing your questions.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

2007-07-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

I'm very excited about discussing this fascinating and moving story - but maybe not as excited as Mia, who emailed me her comments to post to the blog. Check out what she has to say about the story by hitting the Comments button below...

This One is Going to Be Huge in the Fall

2007-06-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

In his first novel since winning the 2002 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for Empire Falls, Richard Russo is ready to take you on another superb story filled with engaging characters, a compelling story line and his unique sense of humor in his newest book, Bridge of Sighs.

I've just about finished an advanced copy of this book and can only say, "Wow." This book, due to be released September 25, 2007 will satisfy your craving for Russo's unparalleled style and substance.

Once again set in an upstate New York, both the town and a majority of the residents have seen better days. With both sweet and bitter nostalgia this novel follows the past and present of one of the town's focal citizens as he prepares for a new phase in his life.

Keep your eye out for this book - and place it on the top of your list for September!

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

2007-05-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

By the early l940s, when Ukrainian-born Irène Némirovsky began working on what would become Suite Française she was already a highly successful writer living in Paris. But she was also a Jew, and in 1942 she was arrested and deported to Auschwitz: a month later she was dead at the age of thirty-nine. Two years earlier, living in a small village in central France—where she, her husband, and their two small daughters had fled in a vain attempt to elude the Nazis—she’d begun her novel, a luminous portrayal of a human drama in which she herself would become a victim. When she was arrested, she had completed two parts of the epic, the handwritten manuscripts of which were hidden in a suitcase that her daughters would take with them into hiding and eventually into freedom. Sixty-four years later, at long last, we can read Némirovsky’s literary masterpiece.

If the story within this book is even half as compelling as the story surrounding the book, we are in for a truly amazing experience.

For a sneak peek at what the book club descussion may look like, take a look at the New York Times Book Review for Suite Francaise - http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/books/review/09gray.html?ei=5088&en=efa79839c42f4089&ex=1302235200&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print.

Any early readers out there care to comment?

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

2007-05-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

In THREE CUPS OF TEA: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time, Greg Mortenson, and acclaimed journalist David Oliver Relin, recount the unlikely journey that led Mortenson from a failed attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully building schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. By replacing guns with pencils, rhetoric with reading, Mortenson combines his unique background with his intimate knowledge of the third-world to fight terrorism with books, not bombs, and successfully bring education and hope to remote villages in central Asia. THREE CUPS OF TEA is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.

I'm still working my way through this book in preparation for our group discussion on Thursday. Thus far it has proven to be a miraculous and inspiring tale of an individual's singular desire to make a difference.

The characters and dynamics are colorfully rendered and descriptions of the settings are dramatic. Stylistically, co-author David Oliver Relin's journalistic experience flavors the book, and at times it can read like an extended article in your Sunday paper (albeit a truly compelling article).

Overall, the message and actions of Greg and his compatriots speak volumes. We can only hope that they can continue to inspire people to continue to make a difference in this often neglected part of the world.

Greg Mortenson with Khanday community school students, Hushe Valley, Karakoram mountains, Pakistan December 2006. Image courtesy Greg Mortenson, Central Asia Institute.

Boomsday by Christopher Buckley

2007-04-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

In BOOMSDAY, Buckley hilariously envisions the nation's next great brouhaha-generational warfare between profligate Baby Boomers and younger Americans who don't want to be stuck paying the bill.

Cassandra Devine, a 29 year-old PR maven and blogger, incites massive generational war when, outraged by mounting Social Security debt, she suggests that Baby Boomers be given government incentives to kill themselves. Her proposal catches fire with millions of outraged citizens and a senator who tries to ride the issue to the White House.

Wow. Is Buckley the new Twain or Heller?

Buckley is definitely a student of these masters of satire, and even references Swift's absurd masterpiece, "A Modest Proposal" in this book.

The most frightening element of this book is when you realize that even the most absurdist PR tactics, flaming blog entries and conniving and underhanded political ploys all have a kernel of truth in them.

As one character in the book remarks, "My, my, my... how very different are the workings of government from what we all read about in books as children. I wonder, do the Founders weep in heaven?"

This is a fantastically absurd book that succeeds in illuminating some of the confusion and tactics employed by individuals who attempt to subvert an agenda for their own means.

Anyone else read (or seen) another of his works, "Thank You for Smoking?" How did that one strike you?

God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut

2007-04-12T08:25:00.000-07:00

One of my literary heroes, Kurt Vonnegut, died yesterday at the age of 84. In that ubiquitous question, “In all of history, what five people would you like to assemble for dinner,” Kurt Vonnegut would be at my table, with Voltaire and Swift and others. But between Voltaire’s French and Swift’s “ye olde(ish) English,” Vonnegut would be the only person I could actually speak with… and that would suit me just fine.

I remember the first time I read “Breakfast of Champions.” I still recall the sense of amazement I had, thinking, “I didn’t even know that books could be written this way!”

From that book, to “Cat’s Cradle,” “Slaughterhouse Five,” “God Bless You Mr. Rosewater,” and “Hocus Pocus” all the way through to “A Man Without a Country,” I thought that every time I read Vonnegut’s work.

I read a quote from him in an Associated Press obituary printed in today’s paper: “(My goal is to) catch people before they become generals and senators and presidents" and "poison their minds with humanity. Encourage them to make a better world.”

I know that he made my world a better place.

It’s always a little strange trying to figure out how you mourn an individual whom you have never met. It’s difficult enough when it is someone close to you. For now, I think I’ll pick up my tattered copy of “Breakfast of Champions,” read a little, and try a little harder to make a better world.

Matthew

The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster

2007-04-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

Nathan Glass, a curmudgeonly fifty-nine-year-old retired insurance salesman in recovery from lung cancer, returns to Brooklyn looking for a place to die. The dark premise of Paul Auster’s The Brooklyn Follies belies the humor and surprising mirth Nathan finds upon moving back to his birthplace. Along with his literature-loving, cab-driving nephew Tom and a cast of characters including flamboyant ex-cons, married beauties, a silent nine-year-old, and a lip syncing drag queen, Nathan shows us the joys of modern urban life, the city as a refuge for lost souls, and the rescue a lonely man can feel when he embraces community.

I'm a huge fan of Paul Auster's and was really looking forward to this book. I had just finished an advanced copy of his newest book, "Travels in the Scriptorium," and was amazed as ever. Auster is truly one of the more unique and talented authors writing today.

From what I had heard, this book was going to be the most widely accessable in Auster's catalogue. Our book group verified this assumption as everyone involved enjoyed this book immensely. I'll write more on this discussion soon... in the meantime, what did you think of the book?

One interesting thing I once read about Paul Auster: apparently his books are the second most likely to be stolen from bookstores. I can't find where I read that, I'm still trying to verify it...

And the most frequently stolen author...?

Charles Bukowski.

Welcome to our online book club!

2007-04-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our online book club.

We wanted to provide a forum for our customers in West Seattle and friends from around the world to discuss the books that are relevant today or matter to us.

For those of you who are unable to meet with us in person, this forum is for you.

In our book club, we alternate between fiction and nonfiction. We want to push the envelope of what you might normally read. Reading and discussing books is all about exploration, we hope to share that journey with you.

In order for this to be a truly interactive discussion, we need your comments. There are no wrong answers here. Books affect each of us individually. Through this forum, your perceptions and comments may help another person achieve greater understanding.

In addition to this forum, please feel free to visit our Website at http://square1books.com/, or if you are ever in West Seattle, feel free to come by the store.

Also, if you have a book you would like to see discussed here please feel to email us.

Enjoy!