Interview Today w/Mark Concannon on Fox 6 Wake-Up News; Snow Strategy is to Panic & Reschedule David Wagner's American Wildlife Art

This morning I was on Fox 6's Wake Up News, talking to Mark Concannon about some holiday ideas. Here's what I recommended:

1. Little Bee, by Chris Cleave (shocker!)

2. Ad Hoc at Home, by Thomas Keller

3. The Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion, by John C. Eastberg (reminder, our event is on Wednesday, December 16th, 7 PM)

4. Otis, by Loren Long

5. Raymond Carver, by Carol Sklenicka

A big thank you to Mark and WITI for having me on, particularly on a day when everyone is glued to their TV sets for updates on the big storm. Maybe some folks out there will get some ideas. And yes, the implication is that we have copies of Ad Hoc at Home; I know that many stores have sold out. If you got here by search engine, our phone number is (414) 332-1181. You can order on our web site, but you must "hold for pickup" and we will call you back to get your credit card number.

I should have had this totally set up. My apologies.

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Speaking of big storms, ours is predicted for late today and tomorrow. We'll probably stay open until the customers disappear, and we're planning to open a bit late tomorrow, around 11 AM. (Editor's Note: Milwaukee got slush, snow was further north and west. We'll probably open regular hours).

We're rescheduling our event for David Wagner's American Wildlife Art for next Monday, December 14th, at 7 PM. Read more about David's book here. (Editor's note: we did get a handful of people, all of whom were local and were happy to come back next Monday...I hope).

Meanwhile, we're probably a bit bored. Give us a call at (414) 332-1181 or use our general order email address at info@boswellbooks.com. You can also always email me at daniel@boswellbooks.com.

Yesterday I got an email back from Pat, who was a bit shocked that I replied to a note she sent me about my appearance on Susan Stamberg's book segment on NPR's Morning Edition. The only stops me from replying to all real (that is, all those that don't promise me a million dollars) emails is my disorganization.

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A big apology to Carol S., with whom I missed having coffee. In my panic, I showed up at Fox yesterday (!), having mixed up the two appointments. It had to happen eventually, and I'm shocked it's not more often. Anyway, thank you for understanding, particularly because it had to do with a service gaffe on our part. This turn of events doesn't exactly make things better.

Things for Sale That Aren't Books Update

1. Robots are back. After being out of stock for a few weeks on anything but gray, we've gotten in a fresh shipment of X7 robots. As you know, they are far superior to the X6 robots, utilizing the latest in string technology for full body motion. There are no more gray small robots. What once was the much maligned sibling is now a collector's item. Blue and red only.

Shown are the robots in their vacuum-sealed pods.

1a. We've also bought a display of Whatsits, which utilize the same technology but they are more like connected rectangular blocks that make all sorts of shapes. Look for a picture in this week's email newsletter.

2. Our South African tribal candles were a big hit so we went back and cleaned out the warehouse. Pictured are our blue and white line, which I call Hanukkah/pagan. We also have green-and-red Christmas, and shades of brown on our Africa table.

If our sell-through is good on this, we're hoping to bring in some pastels for spring.

3. Zewing Girl (or rather her husband, Not-Zewing Guy) delivered a new assortment of her wonderful hand-made keychains. We've got a great assortment of vintage fabrics, some of which are shown left. There are many more in the store.

Now Exactly Why Did I Have to Rent a Car for This Week? Shouldn't I Be in the Store Selling?

Yes, I should be in the store selling. But no, I can't guarrantee that my potential customers know I'm there. So there's quite a bit of running around, as we take advantage of this craze for marketplaces. I think there were five of them yesterday alone in the Milwaukee area.

Today (Sunday) we will be at the Our Milwaukee Buy Local Fair, along with other members of the organization. Lanora Hurley of Next Chapter will be selling kids books and I've got adult. I'm trying to bring a broad selection, but I will do some focus on local authors and regional books.

It's 1-5 PM at the Lakefront Brewery Palm Garden, 1872 N. Commerce (on the Beerline, the west bank of the Milwaukee River, north of downtown). Contiguous to that is the Outpost Natural Foods Alternative Gift Fair (these fairs are two parts of a whole, not competitors) where nonprofits are have booths that offer options buying, well, stuff.

And then...

Tomorrow night (Monday, December 7th) we'll be at the Shorewood River Club from 5-9 for the Holiday Gift Show, put together by The Basic Shop. Other folks whol'll be there include Shop, Murray Hill Pottery, our friends at Chartreuse, who recently moved from Bay View to Brady Street and Adam from Eco Hatchery, who told me on a recent visit that their energy-saving, carbon-footprint-lowering, one-stop-shopping gift pack has been finding its market. If you can't make the show, we're also selling it at Boswell.

The Shorewood River Club is at 3565 N. Morris Blvd. We'll bring an eclectic mix of books and some gifts that don't conflict with folks selling at the other stores (my mentor on these things, Angela, is a big fan of category exclusives at these fairs.)

Vendors at the show, a map, and more.

And then...

Thursday (December 10th) we're at the Eastcastle Book Fair from 2-6 PM. It's open to the public, and just down the road from the store on Bradford Avenue. It's of course targeted to residents, it's definitely open to outsiders (the fair does double duty as an open house) and they would love to see you. My emphasis is on kids books this time because...

There's also a Giving Tree--they are collecting books for Ronald McDonald House. Read more.

And then...

Finally, on Saturday, December 12th, we're a vendor at the Urban Garage Sale. It's 10:30-5:30 at the Turner Hall Ballroom. The focus on this show is bargains, so we're bringing out some fresh bargain books that we just found at the CIROBE show, plus we're marking down lots of our older bargain and second hand titles.

A link to everything garage.

Now if only there wasn't snow on the forecast for just about every day, I'd be happy but exhausted.

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Congrats to Polly Morris, just named Executive Director of the Bradley Sculpture Garden. I skimmed the article, but I didn't catch that one of my favorite FOB's (Friends of Boswell) was running the thing. This is going to be a great move for Milwaukee, as anyone who's visited the wonderful sculpture gardens in Minneapolis and Grand Rapids (Yes, Grand Rapids, you have to go) will attest. Read the article here.

Holy Cow! This is Quite the Top Ten of the Year on the The New York Times Book Review

Here's the Top 10 of The New York Times Book Review.

fiction first...

Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It, by Maile Meloy

Ooh, I have to read Meloy someday. Book is very out of stock at the moment.

Chronic City, by Jonathan Lethem

I read this as did Conrad. In fact, his quote was used for the Indie Bound pick.

A Gate at the Stairs, by Lorrie Moore

The first time I've mentioned this book in the blog. Just kidding.

Half-Broke Horses, by Jeannette Walls

Don't forget, we're hosting Walls at Alverno on January 9th!

A Short History of Women, by Kate Walbert

I read her short stories from Sarabande years ago and really liked them. But I haven't kept up, to my dismay.

nonfiction

The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science, by Richard Holmes.

A nice subtitle makes the book's content self-explanatory. Isn't that nice?

The Good Soldiers, by David Finkel.

Voices of soldiers in Iraq.

Published by Sarah Crichton, we just exchanged emails over my love of Blame.

Lit, by Mary Karr.

That's the thing with sequels, I feel I can't read this until I have at least read The Liar's Club. Yes, another embarrassing confession.

Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World, by Liaquat Ahamed.

The perfect book for our financial meltdown section (note to Jason), giving a historical perspective.

Raymond Carver: A Writer's Life, by Carol Sklenicka.

You can read what I think on my NPR rec list.

Wow! I'm usually lucky to read one of the top ten on this year end list. And this year I've sometimes felt like I'm reading all the wrong books. Congrats to Scribner, who got 3 books on the list (and 7 front page reviews, but my count is sometimes off). It isn't quite the sweep of Knopf last year (who nonetheless had decent representation.)

6 out of ten women. Very different from the PW list, which had no women at all, for which they got a bit of flack.

I Got to Talk to Susan Stamberg and Everyone Listened in on the Conversation

Here's the Link to the Indie Bookstore Holiday Pick Roundup. You can listen to me recommend Little Bee, as if you haven't heard me recommend it before. I've also got my other favorite books to talk about--hope I didn't make to many factual errors.

Needless to say, I was a little starstruck about the whole experience. And not just about Ms. Stamberg, though let's just say I am still a bit overwhelmed by those kinds of interactions. No, I was sort of starstruck at being grouped with regulars Lucia Silver and Rona Brinlee.

Especially Rona Brinlee of the Book Mark in Atlantic Beach, Florida. I still remember her 2008 piece where she talked up Wrack and Ruin and City of Thieves, books that are familiar to folks who shop Boswell regularly because I always want to talk about them. This year's book that she hyped that I'm obsessed with was Jonathan Tropper's This is Where I Leave You...except with everything going on, I didn't read it yet.

But Rebecca in our store loved it and my sister Merrill loved it and Dave loved it at Next Chapter. For me, that's an equation for sure-fire pleasing.

My next visit to Southern California is definitely including a pilgrimage to Studio City. And if I were living in Florida, I'd be driving hours to visit the Book Mark. Hint to everyone I know who lives in Florda.

We've Got Shopping Nights to Support Local Schools, but Maybe You Might Want to Just Come Out to Cheer on Some Reading Kids

Come hear local kids read this weekend at Boswell. Some will be reciting from their favorite books, while others will read their own compositions.

A portion of designated sales (at least 10%) goes back to the school. You must tell us at the front desk because you purchase goes to the school instead of to Boswell Benefits. We'll have a reminder at the front counter.

St. Robert School

Saturday, December 5th

10:30 AM

Maryland Avenue Montessouri School

Sunday, December 6th
4 PM-8 PM

We've also got a program with the Shorewood SEED program later in December.

MAM has had their artwork in the store for the last few weeks. There's cityscapes, Aboriginal art, and inspiration from Click, Clack, Moo. Enjoy some samples here, but it's much cooler in person.

It's so much fun to have in the store--thanks to everyone at MAM for putting this exhibition together, especially Jenni.

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Watch Sherman Alexie on the Colbert Report.

His book's not available on Kindle. Find out why Alexie (alternately known as "my hero") is dubious about the magic bullet of ebooks.

Bolzano Artisan Meats are getting press all over the place. Read this interview with Scott Buel in Onmilwaukee.com. Buel is sampling at tomorrow's (Friday, 12/4) Farmers and Artisans Market, in conjunction with Eric Dregni's Never Trust a Thin Cook.

Late Add--John Eastberg, Senior Historian of the Pabst Mansion to Read

It's may be one of our biggest regional books of the season, but we still hadn't gotten copies of The Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion, when author and Pabst historian John Eastberg came by to see Carole E. Barrowman talk about I Am What I am.

"Maybe you'd like to host an event with me for my book."

Maybe we would indeed.

And now we will. It's a talk/signing on Wednesday, December 16th at 7 PM.
The book's forward is by H. Russell Zimmermann, and honestly, the book that comes to mind is Magnificent Milwaukee, that legendary book put out by the art museum that now sells online for hundreds of dollars.

There are chapters on the Pabst family, the building's construction, the family's heyday and parties, the art collection, its second life as the home of the archbishop, and the current restoration.

I'm planning on reading it cover to cover.

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We've had so many requests for slides from authors that we're finally getting a projection screen. I don't know what to do about a projector because everyone uses a different format. Isn't there a way to set up you laptop for this? We may have the screen in time for Alia Malek (tonight) but it will certainly be there for Eric Dregni (Friday).

Overlooked Books of 2009: Rocking Patrick Somerville's The Cradle

As I've mentioned before, spring 2009 was a wash for me, book, wise. We were closing a bunch of stores and opening others, and who had time to read ahead. But now that I've pretty much lived through the fall books and started into the winter, I'm worrying that I'm not going to be ahead of the game for years to come.

One book that I'd been meaning to get to was Patrick Somerville's first published novel, The Cradle. Schwartz hosted an event for his short story collection and I remembered he had Wisconsin connections. The new book is partly set in Milwaukee, though it's more of a jumping off point. It's about a young man who sets off on a quest to find his wife's childhood cradle, which her mother absconded with when she abandoned the family. Woven into that is another story about an older children's book writer who is worrying about her son going off to fight in Iraq, reawakening memories of her first love, who died in Vietnam. Everybody gets more than they bargained for in the stories (which of course fit together), and the whole thing is a really powerful meditation on family identity.

Halfway through reading The Cradle, the book appeared on Janet Maslin's top 10 of the year in the New York Times. Here's the funny thing--also on that list was Dan Chaon's novel, Await Your Reply. Not only are both books about identity, but both use a very clever literary trick, and I fell for it both times. I can't even name the device (I'll abbreviate it as TS), because naming it would take away your "aha" moment when reading it.

I'm sure it's been used quite a bit in other novels but I in my reading haven't come across it. Coincidence? Or did they share a beer at Breadloaf? Only they know for sure.