Ye Olde Partners Page

*A Collection of Antiquarian Curios & Relics*

"The world's 85 richest people own as much as the poorest 50% of humanity . . ."

                                                     --Oxfam report

"May the odds ever be in your favour . . ."

                                                    --The Hunger Games (9780439023528) 10.99

THE 2014 ALSC MEDIA AWARDS

Stoner Bill:  Hey dudes and dudettes!  Welcome to the 2014 Association for Library Service to Children Media Awards from beautiful downtown Philadelphia in the venerable Pennsylvania Convention Center.  Double D and I are outside on the red carpet eagerly anticipating the arrival of a galaxy of literary stars.  As Double D mentioned earlier, we are stoked!  It looks like the first limosine has pulled up.  (craning neck)  It couldn't be . . . yes, it is conservative superstar Stephen Colbert!  He is fresh from his Grammy win for the Spoken Word category  for his own America Again (9780446583978) 28.99.  Man, I hope Double D can fight through this rabid crowd of librarians to interview him . . .

 Double D:  Mr. Colbert!  Congrats on your Grammy win!

Stephen Colbert:  Winning the Grammy proves I am the greatest word-spoker on the planet.  Just imagine if I could read!

Double D:  Well-spoken, Stephen!  Well-spoken . . .

Stoner Bill:  Dressed in a squirrel motif, I can see Kate Dicamillo,  who won the Newbery MedalTM for her latest book, Flora and Ulysses (9780763660406) 17.99, striding down the aisle.  Also, since the winners were announced this morning, I can give you the rundown on who won what.  The Caldecott MedalTM went to Brian Floca for his Locomotive (9781416994152) 17.99.  The Michael Printz Award was awarded to English author Marcus Sedgwick for Midwinter Blood (9781596438002) 17.99.  The Coretta Scott King Author Award went to  Rita Williams-Garcia for P.S. Be Eleven (9780061938627) 16.99.  Watermelon Seed (9781423171010) 16.99 by Greg Pizzoli received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award.  And last and probably least, Susan Roth's Parrots Over Puerto Rico (9781620140048) 19.95 won the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal.  And I believe all of the winners will be attending tonight's soiree.

  

  

Double D:  Thanks, Bill.  And very prosfessionally done I might add.

Stoner Bill:  But what about David Wiesner's Mr. Wuffles (9780618756612) 17.99?  I loved Mr. Wuffles.  Mr. Wuffles?  Mr. Wuffles was only an honoree!?!?

Double D:  I knew it was too good to be true.  We'll be right back after the break.  

Odds & Sods

As far as I am concerned, there can never be too many penguin books and I have stumbled upon another cute one.  Melissa Guion's Baby Penguins Love Their Mama! (9780399163654) 16.99 is the perfect book to bring a tear to mom's eye on Valentine's Day.  Much like penguins themselves, it is beyond adorable . . .

We have also received a pretty nifty Detroit sports book called Detroit City of Champions: The Players Volume 1: Joe Louis and the 1935 Detroit Tigers (9780981743417) 39.95.  Granted, the title is a bit unwieldy, but each book is signed and includes a DVD chronicling the 1935 season . . .

Ye Olde Partners Page

*A Collection of Antiquarian Curios & Relics*

"As I was reading Duty (9780307959478) 35.00, probably one of the best

Washington memoirs ever, I kept thinking that Robert M. Gates clearly has

no desire to work in the federal govenment again in his life . . ."

                                          --Thomas R. Ricks' review in the NYTBR

IN DEFENSE OF THE POSTMODERNISTS

    I was as pleased as punch to see that Thomas Mallon had been added to the roster of writers that adorn the Bookends section of the NYTBR.  As of late, I have been enamored with Francine Prose's dollops of wit and wisdom in this question and answer column, and I had believed Mr. Mallon would be a welcome addition.  I met him many years ago at the GLiBA show, which at that time was still GLBA, in Toledo, and he was promoting his upcoming book, Dewey Defeats Truman (9780312180867) 14.00.  Unfortunately, as he was seated alone in a booth with a large stack of ARCs surrounding him, I feared his promotion was not going well.  I ambled over, asked him to sign an ARC for me, and rambled on about various books for fifteen minutes or so. He was a nice guy.

  So before I read his essay, I was predisposed to view it in a positive light.  But then I read it.  And my impression of him became that of the old man of the internet quixotically shaking his fist at the sky while channeling Andy Rooney from the depths of Hell.  It was not a pretty sight. 

  The question was posed:  Salman Rushdie spoke recently about the power of 'negative influences.'  What works have inspired you to take an opposing approach in your own writing?  Mr. Mallon then disparaged just about every author that I admire.  He made it abundantly clear that he does not care for the entire Postmodern genre.  This is his 'negative influence.'  Sure, Richard Brautigan and John Barth are not as popular as they once were, but much to Mr. Mallon's chagrin, I feel future generations will still be reading Vonnegut, author of Kurt Vonnegut: Letters (9780385343763) 20.00, and Thomas Pynchon, author of the Bleeding Edge (9781594204234) 28.95.  Alas.  By extension, I'm sure he would dump contemporary Postmodernists like David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, and Roberto Bolano into the trash bin, too.  These are Important writers.  His way of marginalizing these authors was the repeated use of this example: A writer freed from the need to calibrate with reality could put a washing machine into the sky along with a rainbow.  His ludicrous image reminds me of the Blue Whale falling from the sky in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (9780345391803) 7.99.  However, in the universe Mr. Adam's created, the Blue Whale was relevant to the story.  Sadly, there was more than a tinge of sour grapes to this essay, and Mr. Mallon it does not become you.

  So instead of belittling other genres in the fiction world, whether it be science fiction or young adult or romance, let us instead embrace the diversity.  There should be a book out there for every person to enjoy and champion.  And to me, that's what makes reading novels so darn fun.  

  

Odds & Sods

And as for the aforementioned Duty by Robert Gates, we are expecting another batch of his book in today.  This one will stick around as a bestseller for a while . . .

My new favourite children's picture book is Salina Yoon's Penguin and Pinecone (9780802728432) 14.99.  It is adorable, it has a great message, and it has penguins, which isn't quite as cool as auks, but still pretty awesome . . .

And lastly, another book that has been creeping out of here has been Adam Minter's Junkyard Planet (9781608197910) 26.00.  Did you ever wonder where your junk was going?  Apparently, it is being sent to China.  True story  . . .

Ye Olde Partners Page

*A Collection of Antiquarian Curios & Relics*

"Books and movies are like apples and oranges.

They both are fruit, but taste completely different . . ."

                                                                                     --Stephen King

Channel 13 Community Access TV Presents:  BOOK TALKERS

(Camera pans Double D's basement and settles on Stoner Bill and

Double D munching on popcorn.)

Stoner Bill:  Hey Dudes and Dudettes!  Welcome to our humble abode and the TV show Book Talkers with your hosts, Me and Double D.  This week we will explore upcoming big screen movies that are based on some of our favourite books.  By the way, I'd like to thank Double D for letting me live in his basement.  My parents kicked me out until I pay off all my legal bills from our Wisconsin fiasco.  They were calling it tough love or something . . .

Double D:  You're welcome, Bill.  But remember, this is not going to be a permanent thing (cocks his eyebrow at Bill).  Okay, let's get started.  I read an article on Buzzfeed called: 16 Books to Read Before They Hit Theaters This Year, and I was flummoxed.  I would actually like to see a lot of these films, and apparently, I'm not alone.  At my real job, we've been selling both Joyce Maynard's Labor Day (9780062313638) 14.99, which stars Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin, and Ron Rash's Serena (9780061470844) 14.99.  Serena features Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, who you may recall starred in a little something called The Silver Linings Playbook (9780374533571) 15.00.  It seemed to do alright at both the box office and the OscarsTM.  And I don't think it would be hyperbole and a half to say that Jennifer Lawrence is the best actress working in Hollywood right now . . .

  

 Stoner Bill:  Amen, my brother!

Double D:  Thanks, Bill.  And how about Gillian Flynn . . . ? 

Stoner Bill:  She was great on The X-Files.

Double D:  (Shakes his head.)  No comment.  She has not one, but two movies due out this year.  They are Gone Girl (9780307588364) 25.00, of course, starring The BatmanTM, Ben Affleck, aaaaand Dark Places (9780307341570) 14.00 with the Acadmy Award winning Charlize Theron.  Anything to add, Bill?

 

Stoner Bill:  I didn't see a mention for The Hobbit: There & Back Again.  I can't wait to see Evangeline Lilly reprise her Elvish babe role.

Double D:  Meh.  You can read about the rest here:  http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/books-to-read-before-they-hit-theaters-this-year  

Odds & Sods

Our good friend Laurie Halse Anderson stopped by on Monday to sign our copies of her latest book, The Impossible Knife of Memory (9780670012091) 18.99.  She told me that this has been the best week of her life.  Not only did she garner an outstanding review in last week's NYTBR, but she realized her dream of being interviewed on NPR.  She also asked that I mention her selection as the second title on the Reblog Book Club.  You can check it out here: reblogbookclub. tumblr.com . . .

Finally, if you're looking for a good kids book on Nelson Mandela, we have just received Pam Pollack's Who was Nelson Mandela? (9780448479330) 4.99. 

  

Ye Olde Partners Page

*A Collection of Antiquarian Curios & Relics*

"Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood,

Where Christopher Robin plays.

You'll find the enchanted neighborhood,

of Christopher's childhood days . . ."

                                                                       --Winnie the Pooh theme song

WINNIE THE POOH & THE HUM-TASTIC DIET BOOKS

  Now, Winnie the Pooh, a bear of very small brain, had accumulated a vast diet book collection of nearly every shape and size.  Some of his bookcovers showed buff young celebrities flexing their muscles like Joe Manganiello's Evolution (9781476716701) 26.00.  Others had pictures of doctors with glasses and white lab coats like Travis Stork's The Doctor's Diet (9781939457035) 25.95.  Although Winne the Pooh had known several storks and they had all been remarkably thin, he was quite sure that none of them had been doctors.  He also knew most of these books had surely made promises that they could not keep, but he noticed they had one thing in common: exercise.  Now Winnie the Pooh loved to do his stoutness exercises every single day, but he couldn't find one in these books, so he had had to make up his very own. 

 

  On this particular day, Pooh had gone outdoors in front of his home, which had a sign in front that said Mr. Saunders, carefully stacked up his diet books, and lifted them over his head.  He had one called Super Shred (9781250044532) 24.99 by Ian K. Smith, another called The Daniel Plan (9780310344292) 24.99 by Rick Warren, and finally, The Fast Metabolism Cookbook (9780770436230) 26.00 by Haylie Pomroy.  He soon realized that diet books were heavier than other books, so a bit winded, he sat down on tree limb to rest.

  

  Gloomy ol' Eeyore happened by and asked, "What are you doing Pooh Bear?"

  Pooh replied, "Hello Eeeyore, I am resting from my stoutness 'sizes.  I seem to be gaining a bit more stuffed up fluff, and I am beginning to burst at the seams."

  "Humph, stoutness 'sizes.  It probably won't work anyway," Eeyore added, as he shook his head.

  Right then Tigger bounced into view and said, "Hoo-hoo-who, what are you doin' Poohy Bear?"

  "My stoutness 'sizes."

  Tigger screwed up his face in a distasteful way, "Stoutness 'sizes?  That's only for Heffalumps and Woozles."

  Pooh scratched his head,"Whatza Heffalumps and Woozles?"

  "They are crafty creatures.  They like to read those booky things like Everything I Needed to Know I Learned From a Golden Book (9780307977618) 9.99, but most of all, they like to steal honey."

  Pooh placed his paws on both sides of his head and moaned, "Honey?!"

  "Yes, honey," Tigger nodded, "Well, I'm off to bother Rabbit.  Hoo-hoo-who . . ."

Odds & Sods

When I was young, men were judged by whether they liked Mary Ann or Ginger from Gilligan's Island.  In this generation, our choice is between Cameron Diaz and Gwenyth Paltrow.  I'm a Cameron Diaz man and her new Body Book (9780062252746) 25.99 has been selling like hotcakes.  Of course, when I was young, we also wore onions on our belts.  And we liked it.

Congrats to the Rose Bowl Champion Michigan State Spartans!  We will have the commemorative title about their amazing season, Coming Up Roses! (9781597254892) 34.95, in today.  They are short discount (30%) and non-returnable.  

Go Green!  Go White!

Ye Olde Partners Page

*A Collection of Antiquarian Curios & Relics*

"Regulations say we have to go out.

They say nothing about coming back . . ."

                                                                                     --Coast Guard saying

1)  DON'T MISS THE BOAT . . .  Yesterday, Coast Guard ensign Tyler Benson sold his 10,000th copy in his series of books, The Adventures of Onyx.  His third title in the series, The Fight Against the Falls (9780989284622) 14.99 is painted with the brush of non-stop adventure on the starkly beautiful canvas of Niagara Falls.  Onyx, our beloved Black Lab, and his Coast Guard crew race against time to save a family adrift in their boat before they reach the cascading water.  If you can't get enough of Onyx, and my little nipper surely can't, his first two books, Guardians of the Straits (9780615627373) 13.99 and The Gales of November (9780989284608) 14.99 are also available at Partners.  Americans are proud to support their troops, but sometimes the hardworking men and women of the Coast Guard get overlooked.  This is an opportunity to show your support for the dangerous and life-saving work that they do . . .

  

 

(Ensign Tyler and Onyx)

Also, we do have a limited quantity of signed copies of his new book available upon request.

2)  SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS . . .  The latest Walt Disney Studios hit, Saving Mr. Banks starring Tom Hanks and the very talented Emma Thompson, is based on Valerie Lawson's biography Mary Poppins She Wrote (9781476762920) 16.00.  Her biography recounts the life and times of Australian author P.L. Travers (no relation to B. Traven Jr.), who created the beloved children's character Mary Poppins.  Apparently this is a biography that includes warts and all, and I gather that there are quite a few warts.  Ms. Travers had so completely alienated the Disney crew that she was not even invited to the opening night premiere.  So she crashed it.  Also, since this is a Disney feature, I don't believe the audience will get an unbiased view of ol' Walt himself.  Many years ago, I read an unauthorized biography on Mr. Disney called Walt Disney: Hollywood's Dark Prince.  He did have good qualities, but he was also anti-semitic, anti-union, an informant for both the FBI and the HUAC, and an alcoholic.  So he's not really someone I would want my kid to hang out with . . .

Odds & Sods

The NFL's version of Bloody Monday has come and gone, and Detroit Lion's coach Jim Schwartz's head is rolling around like a pinball in front of the chopping block.  In retrospect, Barry Schumer's 7 Years Later and 'I Still Don't Believe It!': Same Old Lions (9780979886690) 14.95 couldn't have been more timely.  Although, before applying for this head coaching opportunity, I think I'd better read Barry's book first . . .

Reminder:  Oprah Book Club (2.0) {.3} (x2+y3) = zx will release on January 7.  The title is Sue Monk Kidd's The Invention of Wings (9780670024780) 27.95 and this one is going to be huge . . .