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*News From the Glamorous World of Bookselling*

It's not often that I get to break out the 'World's Smallest Violin', but Julia Robert's comments on her acting in Eat Pray Love (9780143118428) 16.00¹ is the perfect opportunity. This is from Contactmusic.com and Ms. Robert's own gaping maw: "But the constant eating on takes took its toll on Roberts, who almost began crying after one tough day on the set. She says, 'I was really hot that day. I was almost in tears . . . It's always the things that you don't think are going to require any acting that required the most acting.'"

Speaking of gaping maws, what the heck has happened to Laura Schlessinger? I don't want get into the political aspects of her recent comments from her show, although I would recommend that she look a little more into the history of the First Amendment since she seems determined to wave it around like a loaded pistol, but I did see a photo of Dr. Laura today and . . . My God, Man! She looks worse than the 'The Crypt Keeper' from those Creepshow movies. I also learned that Dr. Laura does not have a doctorate in either psychology or psychiatry, but instead, in physiology, which is the study of living systems. So she's really no more qualified to dispense advice to anyone than me or you. Alright, on to books . . .

Apparently I have the Midas' touch. Robert O'Connell's The Ghosts of Cannae (9781400067022) 27.00, who I don't believe is related to Jerry O'Connell, and Jon Falk's If These Walls Could Talk (9781600783302) 22.95 are two titles that I've had perched on my desk. We sold out of both of them yesterday. Of course, The Ghosts of Cannae features the Carthaginian General Hannibal's greatest victory over the Roman Republic, and the reviews have been glowing. If These Walls Could Talk highlights the personal stories by Jon Falk, the longtime equipment manager for the Michigan Wolverines football team. He will be autographing at The M-Den on September 2. We should have more stock in a few days . . .

Also, Bruce Cameron's A Dog's Purpose (9780765326263) 22.99 has been flying out of here. There are a lot of similarities between this title and The Art of Racing in the Rain (9780061537967) 14.99 by Garth Stein. Dogs, reincarnation, Incan gold, etc. So this one should be an easy handsell for the fans of Mr. Stein's book. The other title that has been going like gangbusters has been Pat Kirwan's Take Your Eye Off the Ball (9781600783913) 16.95, which delves into the intricacies of football. Ceterum Carthaginem esse delendam . . .

¹ Inexplicably, the Julia Robert's cover of Eat Pray Love is a dollar more.

Odds & Sods

Rumor has it that we will have our shipment of Jonathan Rand's American Chiller #28: Curse of the Connecticut Coyotes (9781893699748) 5.99 tomorrow. The kiddies have been waiting for this one . . .

While our Minnesota friends are waiting to see if Brett Favre is returning, they might want to thumb through Patricia Overson's Minnesota Minutia (9780878393619) 9.95. There are tons of fun facts like: Austin is the home of Spam luncheon meat, and the lift bridge in Duluth lifts about 5,500 times a year. As the Dandy Warhols once said, "If I found my way to Minnesoter . . ."