Books Galore

     One of St. Louis' independent bookstores--the Book House--is having to move. Yes, it's a larger place and it's a better location (if they're able to snag the spot they're hoping for), but with multiple floors full of books (3), it's going to be a gargantuan task to move.

    However, they're still open, so if you're in the St. Louis area and want to check them out in their soon-to-be-"old" location, call ahead (if you're looking for a particular book) and head their way.

Three floors of books...It's a cool place, and no, the owners are not
whackadoo--they don't have the place all decked out for the
holidays all year long. This is a photo from last December's Chicken Soup
 for the Soul's book signing. At this book
signing, a rare sighting of the elusive "Val" occurred.

      And it's a building that's brimming over with character (the building is being torn down--it was built in 1863), so it's going to be a loss to the Rock Hill community...but not to the independent book store community because the Book House is moving to a place that is going to be bigger and better. 

      One of my favorite independent book stores I visited earlier this summer is Half Price Books in Kansas City. It's a huge expanse of used books and is meticulously organized. My son got me hooked introduced me to it.

      What is your favorite book store (and why) or what is a book you've read this summer that you are recommending? (I've read Joe Hill's NOS4A2, which is brilliant, if you like scary/creepy stories. I'm also still singing the praises for Leonard Pitts Jr.'s epic novel Freeman, and earlier this summer I read Hosseini's And the Mountains Echoed. All three I would give 5 out of 5 stars.)

Now There is Light!

Our part of St. Louis lost power on Friday evening, a little before nine. Tonight (Monday), a few minutes after nine, we regained power. Many people had a great deal of property damage; thankfully, I don't think a life was lost because of these tornadoes that dropped in for a visit. I figure, houses and cars can be replaced; loved ones can't.

 

On Thursday I went to see Khaled Hosseini, the author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns and now his most recent novel, And the Mountains Echoed.  His second book, Suns, is one of my all-time favorite books.

 

 

This is Khaled Hosseini signing his book.

This is the cover of his newest novel. Before the story begins, Hosseini includes a 13th century
quote from Jelaluddin Rumi. It could have been written yesterday. It is, "Out beyond ideas of
wrongdoing and rightdoing,there is a field. I'll meet you there." Brilliant! 

     He gave the audience some helpful hints. If you want to be a three-time best-selling author like he is, do this:

• become a political refugee
• come to a country where you don't know anyone
• learn a foreign language
• get into a profession (like medicine) that takes 10 years of school (Hosseini is a doctor and has lived in the U.S. since 1980) and then work on writing a book

     When asked what his writing day was like, he offered this golden nugget:

"I take my kids to school, I sit at my computer and hope something happens." (That's what all writers do...we hope something magical happens...)

       The woman who interviewed him asked a few silly questions. One of them was, "Why don't your stories have happy endings?" He responded as kindly as he could. (This ain't a Disney movie. These are stories about real life.)

      I finished the book this morning. (I read it by flashlight for the past couple of nights.) It did not disappoint...

A Winner...and a Reason to Squeal

        First of all, it's been a tough week, work-wise, so I am behind in posting this...Jennifer Brown Banks, of Pen and Prosper, won the book of poetry Gemini/Scorpio/Capricorn by Shay Simmons, Kelli Simpson and Joy Ann Jones.
It is phenomenal poetry--you won't regret purchasing it. (Jennifer, send me your address and I'll put it in the mail sometime this week.)

             Also, one of my favorite authors, Khaled Hosseini, has a new book out this month. I've been holding my breath (I'm Smurf blue, baby), waiting not very patiently, until I can get my paws on a copy and devour it like a jackal tearing apart a zebra.

         I meandered around the internet and discovered he's doing a book tour and is coming to Chaminade, in St. Louis, on May 30. (The cost of a ticket includes a copy of his new book.)

          I'm sorry if my squealing is irritating to your ears. I can't help it. I can't.

Running Down Kites

          If I was a stalker, I would stalk a few people...Khaled Hosseini, John Reynolds Gardiner, Rick Bragg, Sandra Dallas, John Prine...There are others, but these are ones that come to mind immediately.

        They all have one thing in common: they're all writers (although Prine is a singer-songwriter, albeit a brilliant one).

John Prine---photo by Steve Hopson

       For me, a marvelous book is better than crack or meth (or at least how powerful I imagine the drugs are).  Perhaps I should not include meth, because I think that drug makes you very energetic---you can stay up for days---and since I love to read on the couch or bed and eventually fall asleep, I can't really compare an engaging novel to meth.

       Writing about an alluring author is easy this afternoon, because I just finished watching the movie The Kite Runner.  Truth is, I had been avoiding it for years...

photo of Khaled Hosseini  by wnyc

        Falling in love with a book, and then seeing the story being butchered on the screen, is painful.   When the novel came out, I read it and was completely enamored.  (Alright, there was a part that didn't quite ring true, but I remained loyal until the last page, and it redeemed itself.)  It was such a powerful story, I did not know how a movie---a decent movie---could do it justice.  So when the film came out, I refused to see it.

          Then there were press releases about a second book by Khaled Hosseini.  I scanned the internet when that month came, and...no book.  I went onto this website and found the book was taking longer than anticipated. Drats!

          There I was, waiting like an impatient lover.  And no car lights coming up the street...I was all dressed up, make-up on, anticipating the arrival.

         When the book A Thousand Splendid Suns finally came out, I fell in love all over again.  And as hard as it was to believe, I loved his second book (a book about women) even more than his first (which is really a book about boys and men).  If you have not read either one, and would enjoy seeing a small picture of life in Afghanistan, read them.  They are among my favorites...

         Grudgingly, this morning I put the disc in, still dubious.  Mostly, I was afraid of the movie being all whitebreaded-up.  Would all the Afghans speak English throughout the film? (Why in the world does that happen?  Do producers and directors think Americans are incapable of reading subtitles?  Do they think we don't want to hear the richness--the diversity--of a foreign language?) Would it look like American cheese---all wrapped up in plastic sleeves---instead of fragrant and a bit rough around the edges?  I was prepared for the worst...

        In my opinion, they did a great job.  It was like reading the book all over again.  (And if anyone wants to pay me for this review/opinion, I will gladly accept it.)

photo of Rick Bragg by Kalamazoo Public Library


         To the above authors, consider this a warning:  If you see a frumpy woman, bags under her eyes and a bag of books in her hand, her hair several different colors (unless she gets it dipped this evening) lurking around a corner, watch out.  She might chase after you, snare you, and pepper you with questions about what your writing process is like, as she slobbers out praise for your words.