Ye Olde Partners Page

Ye Olde Partners Page

*A Collection of Antiquarian Curios & Relics*

"Always go to other people's funerals,

otherwise they won't come to yours . . ."

                                                                        --Yogi Berra

I stood within the City disinterred; 

And heard the autumnal leaves like light footfalls . . .

  It was not a good week for the 1980s.  First, author Jackie Collins died after a long battle with breast cancer.  When I first began my illustrious career in the book industry, Jackie Collins was huge.  Nobody was bigger, not even Sidney Sheldon.  Every book by her was guaranteed to rocket to the top of the bestseller lists.  However, tastes change over time, and what was once considered risque seems to have become rather tame by today's standards.  Her fame eventually waned.  Jackie is survived by her older sister, actress Joan Collins, who starred in one of the greatest Star Trek episodes of all-time, The City at the Edge of Forever, which was written by Harlan Ellison.

   Furthermore, publisher Jeremy Tarcher passed away.  You may recognize his name from the eponymous Penguin imprint that he ran, which specialized in the mind, body, and spirit genre.  I also learned that he was married to author Judith Krantz, another 80's staple and that he was the brother of puppeteer Shari Lewis, who was known for her annoying Lambchop character.  Next I'm going to find out that his father invented Mister Microphone.  (Checks Wiki:  Whew, he did not.)

  While we're on the Me Decade, the largest larger than life personality was that of Ronald Reagan, and we have a new book by Bill O'Reilly called Killing Reagan (9781627792417) 30.00.  Now, Reagan didn't actually die in the assassination attempt by John Hinckley, but he obviously dodged a bullet.  I'll save my trite comparison between the pre-Christian Roman Emperors and the deification of St. Ronnie by the Republican Party for some other time.

  Thankfully, it's really 2015, or we may never have heard from bloggess Jenny Lawson.  Let's Pretend This Never Happened (9780425261019) 16.00, her first book, is a comedy classic.  Not since Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (9780679785897) 14.95 had I received so many uneasy glances from my co-workers as I literally laughed out loud while reading her book.   I should warn my co-workers, Ms. Lawson has released a new book, Furiously Happy (9781250077004) 26.99.  It is on the docket to be read next, and there will be much guffawing on my part.  Sorry in advance.

  

  Back to the future, er, 80s, much beloved and former Good Morning America host Joan Lunden is back with another book, Had I Known (9780062404084) 26.99.  It is a memoir of her successful fight against breast cancer.  She has lent her time and name to so many charities that one cannot help but root for her.  This is a tale that will empower women everywhere.  Good luck, Joan, we look forward to seeing you on the Today Show.    

 Odds & Sods

You will want signed copies of Lisa McMann's The Unwanteds: Island of Graves (9781442493346) 17.99.  Lisa stopped in to sign copies last week and mentioned that she was a former bookseller.  She worked at both Pooh's Corner and Booksellers on Main Street before becoming an author.  "One of us, one of us, one of us . . ."

We have a limited quantity of Basford's Secret Garden (9781780671062) 15.95 and the even fancier Secret Garden: Artists Edition (9781780677316) 22.50.  We are also expecting more Colored Pencil Sets (9781441314512) 14.99 from Peter Pauper Press, shortly.