June 2012 eNewsletter

"When you sell a man a book you don't sell him just 12 ounces of paper and ink and glue—you sell him a whole new life."

—Christopher Morley

Dear {First Name},

June, with its packed agenda of grads and dads, is the summer squall of months. You can see the black clouds racing across the sound and almost before you have time to react they slam into you with wind, rain, confusion and then it's over. The sun comes out, and the world is still, clear, and green, and time almost stops just for moment.

Our daughter is one of those graduating this spring. Work has been a bit busy and my wife and I suffer from our normal state of parental semi-distraction. It feels like we are rushing unprepared toward the inevitable collision with a moving front. We want to stop, be clear, and give her a special gift to mark the moment. It feels like it ought to be a book.

Now there are some titles that make wonderful gifts for graduates, from funny books by Seuss to wise ones by Anna Quindlen. But I have been thinking about a story I read about Isaac Newton. He was sent off to college (in 1664) with a chamber pot, some candles, and a tiny blank book. After a year there was a plague (!) and he had to go home and live in the attic. His mom was not happy with him. He sat there alone and wrote his story of the universe—its meanings, motions, and restlessness. That book sold well.

When you send the child off you really have no idea what story they will write. But at the very least give them a pen and their own book to write in as they blow by.

Roger Page
Owner and Bookseller

GRADUATION SPEECHES AND MORE

Words from the Wise

You don't have to be a graduating senior to enjoy these words of wisdom from memorable commencement speakers and other books for grads.

Dads Deserve It

“You know, Dad,” Roger Page's son says, ”some of my friends don’t have books in their homes. Their parents buy their kids cable TV.” This sort of talk makes Roger woozy. “Well, good luck with THAT!” he exhales, before opening his book for the evening. As Roger falls asleep, he drifts through his grandfather’s house with its piles of dusty leather books and shelves of odd volumes. The books in that house speak to him and somehow he thinks the books on his own shelves still talk, to each other, late at night, after the lights are out. So this year, give your dad something that will speak to him in a meaningful way, and we don't mean something electronic.

Reading Adventures

Once you've picked up your Ticket to Read, it's time to start selecting your books. Let us help! Here are some of our top picks for kids and teens to enjoy this summer.

Your Best Friend in a Book

You've spent the year breezing through 200 pagers, but now, it's time to meet your new best friend. Take these 500+ page guys with you wherever you go. Make them your icon. Get to know the characters. Flex your reading muscle. And when you reach the end, by all means, brag.

Reading-Related Rambles

Catch up on recent posts, including a story of forking over cash to help a reader desperate to read Fifty Shades of Grey, confessions of a scribble snooper, and a nonfiction edition of First Line Friday.

By the way, did you know you can get our Store Journal by email?

Summer Cookbooks

Wheel out your grill, fire it up, and get ready to throw some memorable summer parties with these tempting guides to fresh summer fare.

Marni's June Pick:

Gone Girl

We read a lot, and despite ourselves, we're guilty of playing favorites. For example, this month Marni's excited about Gillian Flynn's masterful new thriller about a marriage gone very, very wrong. Here, our booksellers share their May recommendations.

See More Staff Picks