*A Collection of
Antiquarian Curios & Relics*
"I don't
know anything with certainty,
but seeing
the stars makes me dream . . ."
--Vincent Van Gogh
ONE
STARRY NIGHT
I don't know what to believe
anymore. For years I had been under the impression that Vincent Van Gogh
killed himself, but now there is evidence that he may have been accidentally
shot in the gut by two boys. Supposedly, he covered it up so that the
kids would not be prosecuted. So much for his artistic street-cred.
Next someone is going to tell me there is no such thing as Santa Claus.
Sheesh! Of course, before I buy into that hook, line, and sinker, I
should see how forensics expert Patricia Cornwell, author of Flesh and Blood (9780062325341)
28.99 weighs in on this theory.
With Santa waiting in the wings,
it is time to prepare ourselves for the commercial armageddon that we like to
call Christmas. Saleswise, there are certain suspects that rear their
collective snouts every holiday season. For example, Guinness World
Records 2015 (9781908843630) 28.95 sells like clockwork every year,
especially during those desperate last two weeks. Also, count on the
not-so New Comprehensive A-Z Crossword Dictionary (9780380724253) 7.99,
as well as The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary (9780877798224) 8.50
as great last minute stocking stuffers. And since this is the new 5th
edition, you will probably move some of the hardcover edition of The
Scrabble Players Dictionary (9780877794219) 25.95, too.
As for fiction, there is the
new-born King and then there is Stephen King, who is a fixture on the
bestseller lists this time of year. Revival (9781476770383) 30.00,
which is Mr. King's latest title, was featured in this past week's NYTBR
and the reviewer noted that, well, it's Stephen King, you really should know
what to expect by now. Also, we have our yearly contribution to the
fiction genre with Bill O'Reilly's latest book in his 'Killing' franchise, Killing
Patton (9780805096682) 30.00. 'But Mick, Bill's books aren't
fiction. These are important historical treatises on conspiracy
theories. Wah wah wah . . .' No, they are not. They are
not 'important historical treatises.' As a history buff myself, I'm not
going to mince words -- they are crap. However, you will sell more of his
books than Stacy Schiff, H.W. Brands, David McCullough, and Gordon S. Wood
combined. And you wonder why I hate this world. Over the past few
years, John Grisham has switched his big releases from early spring to the
holiday season and his latest is Gray Mountain (9780385537148)
28.95. David Baldacci is back this week with Joe Puller, one of his most
popular characters, in The Escape (9781455521197) 28.00. He's no
Chesty Puller, but then who is?
Bottom line: We've all been here
before, and we know things are going to get a little crazy over the next month
or so. I'll put together some more titles for the next Partners
Page. Until then, whatever you do, don't do anything rash like, say,
chopping off your ear.
Odds
& Sods
As you probably
suspected, Stoner Bill and Dr. Delay are attending the annual National Book Award
dinner tonight. They mentioned something about civil disobedience and
releasing a truckload of live lobsters at the event, but hopefully, that's
merely hearsay. The fiction field should be a spirited contest:
Rabih
Alameddine, An Unnecessary Woman (9780802122940) 16.00
Anthony Doerr, All
the Light We Cannot See (9781476746586) 27.00
P. Klay, Redeployment
(9781594204999) 26.95
Emily St. John
Mandel, Station Eleven (9780385353304) 24.95
M. Robinson, Lila
(9780374187613) 26.00
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