All posts by Diane

What is the Wants List?

August 23, 2010UncategorizedDiane

We are again accepting books to buy for the store, and they are pouring in (literally)! Consequently, if you have been looking for a particular book that has not made our shelves, be sure to come by or call so that we can add it to our wants list. The wants list is a very low-tech, but effective, system to keep track of things our customers are looking for. We each regularly review the list of books wanted, and with four or more people watching, we can match quite a few books with the wantee. What if we don’t call? Either we did not recognize the book and it slipped by, or it has not come in. Sometimes new books take six months to a year to really start turning up in the used market, and some titles, like Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson, are handed around and held onto so frequently that they remain hard to find used. If it has been longer than six months and you still want us to look, call again and we’ll update the list. If desperation sets in, we can always do an internet search for a new or used copy and order one in for you!

So bring us your wants when you bring in your books, Murphy’s Law of Book Selling says that if we don’t write down your name, the book you want will show up the very next day… and we of course will not remember who was looking for it!

See you in the store,

Diane

Feedback Contest – Anniversary!

August 14, 2010Events, UncategorizedDiane

I think you all have missed this contest announcement, only 16 more days to enter this month! What do we want to know? Your favorite memory from the store, in honor of our anniversary month! It could even be a memory of the store in its earlier version as The Worn Book Worm.

One of my most loyal, and sweetest customers, Robert Renfro who died two years ago, told me at least once a month about his favorite Bookworm book ends discovered at a garage sale – former owner Jeanne Holt coveted them as a perfect match for the store in its Worn Bookworm incarnation. Robert’s amazing estate of books can still be found throughout the store, especially in the old classic mysteries, Egyptology, and languages. We counted at least nine different languages among his collection of learning foreign language materials, everything from Persian to Swahili. He had thousands and thousands of books stacked, literally, to the ceiling in his small home, and I believe he read most of them. He was the epitome in my mind of a “life long learner”, and some of his estate was credited to Altrusa to help grow more life long learners. So, you could say Robert’s visits and stories are one of my favorite memories of my time behind the counter. Hopefully that primes the pump and gets you thinking of your special moments in the store!

Also wanted to say that the Anniversary Open House was a great celebration, and I hope fun for the many folks who came by. Laura Vios and her gifted children Caber and Manna, sang and played for a full three hours, which was wonderful! A lot of browsing and visiting, a few cookies, all the good stuff. You will love the great artwork submitted by younger customers to help advertise the store, I’ll get it posted soon.

Thanks to Lindsey, Kim, Mary, and Melissa for all their work and contributions to the party. Of course, thanks to my family too, who do face coercion on party days, but manage to help mom with patience and good humor.

Lastly, the winners of the July comment contest were Amy, the pregnant woman on the roof watching a pregnant moose, while reading, and Allie, the random winner but also a highly dedicated reader checking out the guidebooks while the scenery goes by outside….(okay Allie you may want to save the books until after dark next time!). We were thoroughly entertained with all the entries!

Diane

August Anniversary! Contest, Party, Sales, ETC

August 3, 2010Events, Sales, UncategorizedDiane

August marks the 5th anniversary of Dave and I owning the store, and we intend to celebrate! I don’t know the starting month but it is about the 27th year of the store’s existence, which is a long time for a business with a slim profit margin. The reason for the longevity is, of course, the wonderful, loyal customers who read, sell and buy such excellent books. So THANK YOU for that. Now for celebrating….

Comment Contest: This month, we invite your favorite memories of moments in the store. Meeting your future spouse maybe? Finding a book on the shelf you loaned a friend a year ago? Reading to your baby? Whatever, it is, we’d love to hear, and you have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate just for commenting! We will again have a certificate for the “best” comment, and a random drawing from all those who posted responses to any blog during the month.
Party Time: August 13 will be our Anniversary Open House, from 5:00 to 8:30. Come enjoy some live music, snacks, a sidewalk sale and your friends that evening. Then on Saturday, August 14, we’ll continue the fun with more sidewalk sale items, kid’s story time at 10:30 and 2:00, and some kid’s activities in-between.
5 for $25 Sale: You’ll be clearing the shelves with this excellent anniversary sale! Pick any 5 books, originally priced $9 or less, for only $25. Any genre, any combination, you choose, and you could save big time! With any luck, we’ll solve the overflow problem for months to come.

Any questions? Give us a call or stop by. I am adding more details on the anniversary celebration on a daily basis, so we could have more to share.

There are so many customers that are a joy to see every time they come in, I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate you all. Since I barely have had time to read in the last five years, hearing about what you are reading is the next best thing! And again, thanks for your loyalty to the store and buying locally.

Hope to see you this month,

Diane

OVERFLOW ALERT

July 28, 2010UncategorizedDiane

In record-breaking time, our back room is once again full and overflowing. So, unfortunately, we have had to put book buying on hold until August 21, 2010. In the meantime, we will be processing those that are already here and any donations that come in.

Thanks for your patience! We will be having some great anniversary sales to help clear out the shelves!

Diane

Feedback Contest! You Can Win!

July 3, 2010UncategorizedDiane

Okay folks, we have figured out some of the new website, we’ve posted some blogs, and we are SO ready to hear back from you! Really, we do look forward to some feedback regarding the posts and the store from all of you. Expand on the book reviews, add your own summer reading recommendations, comment on the parties, complain about us not buying books in December (that probably won’t change though), remind me the carpet is worn out, whatever you care to share will be of interest.

To encourage you to break the ice and comment, we are starting a contest in July – two contests actually. For the first contest, your name will be entered in a random drawing, one entry for each comment (assuming you are not sending us spam or other evil things which should be filtered out anyway with our high tech wizardry). We’ll draw for the winner on August 1, and the prize? A $20 East Side Gift Certificate! One little comment could win you a month’s worth of reading!

The second contest may require a little more thought….we’ll post a question for all of our customers and readers and then pick our unbiased favorite, the most creative or most humorous, or whatever strikes us as the best, response. The prize for that author? A $25 East Side Gift Certificate!

Here’s the question for July – What is the most unusual place you’ve read a book?

Can’t wait to read your comments,

Diane

Warm up to Quilting Books for the Summer!

June 24, 2010Book Reviews, Latest FindsDiane

It may be too hot to quilt by hand on your lap, but it is just perfect for reading the beautiful new quilting books we just got in! Another two box batch of amazing quilting books, mostly traditional designs but also some painted art quilts and other techniques. I am sure if you start now, you’ll be ready for the Tri-County Fair! Personally, I have not gotten past the reading stage, but I am a huge admirer of all quilters and hope someday to join your ranks.

If I was a quilter, this book would definitely be my first choice, I can barely leave it on the shelf as it is! Quilts from the Quiltmaker’s Gift by Joanne Larsen Line et al, shares 20 gorgeous, and easy patterns intended for experienced quilters to team up with children or novices for mult-generational quilting. It is based on the children’s book The Quiltmaker’s Gift, and those beautiful watercolor illustrations by Gail de Marcken show up throughout. Excerpts are sprinkled through too, of the character that makes quilts for the poor and homeless, and one king when he learns his lesson. I love both the children’s book and now this quilting book…. Call if you want this one, because it isn’t going to last long! If you appreciate the literary/quilt connection, there is also a book in this batch with patterns based on those mentioned by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her Little House series.

Another book that is just a beautiful art book as well as a quilting pattern book, is Quiltmaking by Hand by Jinny Beyer. There are lots of detailed and well illustrated instructional pages, but there are also many lovely illustrations with quilts in historic settings and with various other artifacts. It would make a nice gift for a quilter in your life.

Create Your Family Quilt by Barbara Brackman includes a Design CD. These patterns use State blocks and symbols. There are applique designs for birds and flowers representing each state, and dozens of blocks to symbolize each state, like a Mayflower block for Massachusetts. You can combine these to represent your family history, and learn some US history while you are at it! Southern Pine blocks for Alabama, Dogwood or Virginia Worm Fence for Virginia, Buckeye Beauty for Ohio… there are lots of really creative blocks as well as traditional favorites.

If you want a smaller project than a quilt, check out Prarie People, Cloth Dolls to make and Cherish by Marji Hadley and J.Dianne Ridgley. Some of the folk doll patterns show up in quilts as well, but the three- diminsional dolls are very cute. You could make a few for Christmas.

A scarce title, and also in the doll-sized realm, Easy Paper-Pieced Minatures by Carol Doak has 17 patterns for quilts no bigger than 16″ square. It also has detailed instructions on using the paper piecing techniques.

Two more technical manuals include The Border Workbook by Janet Kime and 250 Continuous-Line Quilting Designs for Hand, Machine, & Long-Arm Quilters by Laura Lee Fritz. I am amazed at how these typically secondary aspects of a quilt become the art in these two volumes.

One last volume to highlight here, Quilt Art, Color Your Quilts with Trish Stuart shows how to paint/draw watercolor type designs onto your quilts using crayons and inks and layering colors. Templates are also included. I have seen painted quilts like these that were very impressive, I am sure it would be a fun technique – it involves crayons after all.

I hope these titles tempt you to come in and check out the full assortment of new quilting books. There are some beauties here, and one I was going to write about appears to be on its way to Ireland, so they may not last long! See you soon.

Thanks,

Diane

Has the Rodeo inspired your riding?

June 18, 2010Book Reviews, Latest Finds, Rare Books, SalesDiane

If watching all the super talented High School Rodeoers has inspired you to improve your riding skills, we just got the batch of books in for you! These two boxes will nearly double our horses and riding section, with a wide variety of technique books, including dressage, horse health books, tack etc.

Oh, and best of luck Kyle, Jared, Kaylie, District 9 Queen Haylie and all the District 9 representatives to the State Finals!! All of you rodeo fans can get the same East Side deal the CHSRA participants received, one free paperback per customer (up to $4) – Just mention you actually read this post!

Here’s some highlights:

The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Book of Horses (1996) is a thorough text for all of your horse health questions. It is in very good condition, protected in mylar.

Centered Riding, by Sally Swift ( 1985) looks like a wise and well illustrated philosophy on keeping you tall in the saddle.

And for another riding philosophy, try Resistance Free Riding by Richard Shrake,(1993) which states it “eliminates the horse’s resistance to learningand frees the rider’s ability to achieve” . Maybe he writes parenting books also?

If you’ve been looking for another good horse bio after Seabiscuit, Charisma by Mark Todd looks interesting. Charisma is an events horse, one of two to have won two individual Olympic gold medals according to the dust jacket. Do they put horses on the podium? I think the partnership with rider and author Mark Todd may provide the intersting reading since Todd describes his first reaction to the horse as “unimpressed by this very fat, hairy little creature who didn‘t look as if he could possibly be a suitable event horse.” Todd is from New Zealand.

To stay with the horsemen down-under, try The JefferyMethod of Horse Handling by Maurice Wright (1987 edition) . The numerous photos show what looks like a hybrid English/Western riding style that is apparently the New Zealand and Australian style. The author is passing on an expert horseman’s techniqe for gentling and training young horses, which probably works in this hemisphere as well! For a theory of horsemanship from antiquity, much like Tzu’s

The Art of War, consider reading Xenophon’s The Art of Horsemanship. Written twenty three centuries ago in Greece, this book will surely consider the timelessness of the horse and rider bond. A slightly more contemporary classic, try The Handbook of Riding Essentials by Francois Lamaire de Ruffieu. This book describes “the proper use of the seat, the legs, and the hands – the natural aids” in good horsemanship.

Two more beautiful horse books already on our shelves should catch the attention of the horse lovers in your life, Pride in the Dust by Alan Gold, Sally Harrison and photography by Don Weller, is a work of beautiful photography on cutting horses and western landscapes. We have a copy in both hardback and paperback. Saddles, by Russel H. Beatie is a huge volume packed with illustrations and photos of saddles, saddle components and their changes through history. I’m sure it is all you’ve wanted to know on this practical art form.

Obviously there are many more interesting titles, but I will be impressed if you have read this far. Send me a comment or question, and don’t forget to mention this post for the free paperback deal! Enjoy the summer weather on your horse, or reading about them!

Thanks,

Diane

Welcome to the East Side Books blog

May 12, 2010UncategorizedDiane

Hello and welcome to all the friends and customers of East Side Books checking out our new website and blog! And a huge thank you to Elizabeth Glazner of Sierra Webcenters (google that for more info on her business) for a painless conversion to the 21st century. Obviously I am a print and paper type person. I love the heft and smell of books as well as a great story, but the reality is now digital, and this blog is my compromise. Actually, I think our particular business has many, many interesting things to tell you about on a more frequent and consistent basis than traditional advertising or conversations when you come in. There are the unique batches of books that come in, we may for example be suddenly inundated with classic children’s literature, watercolor techniques or the political history of Canada, any of which may be what you’ve been looking for. (We really have had those batches recently if interested). We also have the fun children’s events to tell you about and pictures to post. There are hundreds of sites to check out for reviews of current bestsellers, but we have the treasures you may have forgotten about, the unique vintage memories from your Grandma’s shelf, and the great reading you did not even know to look for. We really want you to visit the store and browse to discover treasure for yourself, but in recognition of reality, these posts may help. Our staff and friends of the store look forward to writing about those treasures and sharing our enthusiasm!

I know it will take me a little time to be comfortable posting, adding pictures, remembering how to add captions, all of that good stuff, but it will be a fun addition to the store. I also look forward to some FEEDBACK, so please comment and share your opinions. I’ve said before that I think owning the store truly feels like maintaining a legacy, it is the community’s store, the community’s books we share with the world, and now your comments that will help keep the website and store vibrant.

The picture above (I already forgot how to put in captions) is of the fiction room shortly after I bought the store in 2005. It was a test photo to show me how to insert photos, but I left it because it is a good reminder. Yes that was before I had overstuffed the shelves and had overflow baskets on the floor. (Emily, I am still amazed at your organizational skill). While I acknowledge that I tend to overdo book buying, and therefore the shelves overflow, I really only buy books I want to read or think my customers want to read. (I am probably never going to read true crime or math books, I accept that.) The best solution to my overflowing shelves is to move these great books to YOUR shelves! If you have thoughts on what needs to be on the shelves or cleared out of the way, here’s your opportunity to comment!

Again welcome and thanks for looking up the website. Please send us your contact information or subscribe if you want regular updates. Please stop by the store too!

Diane