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Dear Friends,
Who knew, a year ago, what was coming? Who knew George and I would have to stop working at the store on March 14 and wouldn’t be able to get back for almost 12 months? We’ve missed being there so much. Yesterday we got our 2nd doses of the vaccine and in three weeks we plan to be working at the store again. It’s been a long year for all of us and we hope you’re safe and well.
So – February! The month of love – with Valentine’s Day coming up. Get your honey a book this year. Maybe love poems, maybe not. Maybe a great novel. I just read the latest from Vendela Vida, We Run the Tides, in our store now. I read it after hearing George chuckling while listening to the audio book. “Oh, you’re going to love this book!” he kept saying. And he was right. From the first paragraph I was hooked. The voice – that ephemeral quality we talk about when we talk about fresh, original, unforgettable – in this case the voice is 14 year old Eulabie’s. Her neighborhood is in the Sea Cliff area of San Francisco. The adults are equally well drawn, and the situations – you want to stop her and shake her and say, Don’t! Funny, honest, heartbreaking, yet satisfying.
And how about a Valentine treat for the little ones in your life? If you can’t come in to browse, tell us the age and interest and we’ll find a picture book for you. Or a middle grade story. For older teens, Jennifer Niven’s latest YA, Breathless. She says it’s her ode to Forever but I like it better. Sexy and romantic. You don’t have to be a teen to enjoy this book. But you may wish you’d had a first love like this one.
Then there are the two authors I’ll be talking to in the next month. First, Lily King, whose latest novel, Writers and Lovers, a book I liked so much I read it twice in a row, is now out in paperback. I’ll be talking to Lily on a Zoom as part of the Friends of the Library series on Feb 15.
And on March 2 I’ll be chatting with Susan Conley in a virtual event for Books & Books – about her new book, Landslide, another novel I devoured and highly recommend to all. Susan and Lily are friends, they live in Maine, the setting for Susan’s book. A stormy story in many ways, a marriage that may or may not survive, parenting teen boys, work, and a nor’easter that sets it all in motion. You’ll be thinking about these characters long after you read the last page.
Our bookstore will celebrate its 5th birthday on Saturday, Feb 13. With a drive by, walk by, bike by party. Can you believe it’s been five years? We can’t. We’ll be there in our mini with the top down for masked and socially distanced greetings. Hope you can stop by. And maybe even buy a book.
We have to thank our loyal and hard-working staff for keeping the store going this year. Emily, Gianelle, Lori, Robin. You are the best! And big thanks to you, our loyal customers for doing your part. A special shoutout to Meg Cabot, who told her readers to order her books from our store. We love you, Meg!
Let’s hope it won’t be long until we can meet in person for store events. For now, we’re open and ready to help in any way we can.
Stay well.
For Black History Month this year our focus is on fiction.
The theme for Black History Month this year is “Our Fiction, Our Truth,” and is celebrating the great stories told by Black writers, from Toni Morrison and James Baldwin to exciting new writers.
We have plenty of nonfiction on display dealing with race and Black history and lives, but we want to highlight the range of fiction showcasing the breadth and depth of Black experiences.
We’ve chosen a stunning debut novel, The Prophets by Robert Jones, Jr. as our new Virtual Book Club selection.
Isaiah and Samuel are teenagers, lovers and slaves. The tenderness of their love affair is contrasted by the physical, emotional and sexual abuse perpetrated against people who were not viewed as human but as property.
“A hard read, but very rewarding,” says bookseller Lori.
Our virtual book club gives us the chance to share a book we love with other readers far and near. Share your thoughts and photos with our virtual book club on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by using the hashtag: #bbkwbookclub.
Dear Friends,
I hope you made it through the summer and that reading good books helped you and your family. Between Covid news and the upcoming election it’s been hard to focus except when I’m in the middle of a good novel. I’ve been reading political books, too. Michael Cohen’s Disloyal is next on my list. George says it’s a must read. I reminded him that I’m the one who ordered it for us.
I’ve been trying to celebrate all the little things. A busy bird feeder seen on my morning walk, a Little Free Library made from a brightly painted filing cabinet, the pesky squirrels of Cambridge, MA. One of them ate a hole in my daughter’s trash can for easy access. I spend a lot of time watching them in the garden of the house we’re renting.
Judy recently tweeting about a Little Free Library she noticed on a morning walk.
And here’s something that caught me by surprise. This month is the 50th Anniversary of the publication of Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret. Fifty years! I’m having trouble getting my head around that but I’ve done the math so I know it’s true. 1970 sometimes feels like yesterday (but not when I squat to get something off the floor and try to get back up). I was living in suburban NJ then – married with two little kids. My first two books had been accepted for publication when I sat down at my college typewriter to start Margaret. I knew next to nothing about writing. But I knew a lot about being in sixth grade. Or thought I did. My memory for the details of life at 12 was so fresh. And I knew what I didn’t want to write. I didn’t want to follow the rules and regulations for writing a children’s book. I remember thinking I’m going to be honest. I’m going to tell the truth. Well, my truth anyway. The story isn’t autobiographical but the character of Margaret, both physically and emotionally is pretty close to the girl I was. The first draft came out quickly and spontaneously, in about six weeks. These days I can’t write a six page essay in 6 weeks. But then it was all so new, so exciting, so close to the surface. Margaret is the book that changed my life. It gave me my career. It brought me my first loyal readers. I would never have dreamed then that kids would still be reading it 50 years later. I remember being asked in an early interview by a snarky reporter – Do you think your books will still be around in 20 years? I laughed. What a crazy idea and who cared anyway?
Don’t blame me for the shocking pink leather commemorative edition. Publishers like to celebrate big anniversaries. I’m actually okay with it. As I said, I’ll celebrate just about anything these days. Lately I’m asked by grown fans to write about Margaret in menopause. But Margaret is never going to grow up. She’ll always be 12. Except for one thing — when I’m asked What would Margaret say? That’s a question I can answer. She would tell us to vote early in what might be the most important election of her lifetime. (And certainly of mine.)
The movie based on the book was supposed to be filmed over the summer. The writer-director was thrilled with the young actor she’d found to play Margaret. Now, like most productions, we hope it will be next spring or summer. Will our Margaret sprout up and out by then? Who can say?
Artwork courtesy of the American Library Association, www.ala.org
With Banned Books Week coming up I’m reminded that when Margaret was first published I was so proud I gave three signed copies to my children’s elementary school. Later, I found out the books never made it to the shelf. The male principal decided that the book was inappropriate because of the discussion of menstruation, never mind how many 5th and 6th graders already had their periods. My first experience with having a book banned. But not my last. Visit our display of Banned Books. You’ll be surprised by what you see. Celebrate the Freedom to Read!
I’m homesick for Key West, and missing the store and staff more than I can say. We won’t stay away much longer. I just want to get back to work, to petting the books, arranging displays, and greeting all of you.
Stay well.
Love,
The Literary Pantheon we dedicated last February celebrated the memory of forty-four deceased members of our community whose accomplishments had brought honor to Key West and helped establish it as one of the country’s noteworthy cultural landmarks. The sadness of the months since then has been compounded by the loss of four more extraordinary individuals whose names will be added to the frieze above our bookshelves.
Terrence McNally (1938-2020) has been described as “the bard of American theater” and “one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced.” McNally was a long-time seasonal resident and homeowner in Key West, and was recognized as “part of the theatrical fabric of this community.” Most recently, a new production of his play “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune” was scheduled to open at the Red Barn Theatre on the day of his death, but was cancelled, like him a victim of the novel corona virus.
J. Seward Johnson, Jr. (1930-2020) was a man of huge talent and creativity, known principally for his ultra-realistic bronze sculptures. He wintered for many years in Key West, and was a well-known and popular member of the artistic and literary community. Johnson left his mark in Key West with a number of installations, including the assemblage of figures over the tarmac-side entry to the airport that welcomes passengers to town. Perhaps his most photographed local installation is the figure of Marilyn Monroe in front of the Tropic Cinema.
Robert D. Richardson (1934-2020) was a distinguished historian and biographer, focusing on leading American thinkers of the 19th Century, including William James, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. He was winner of the Bancroft and Francis Parkman Prizes (the most prestigious in the field of history). If you wanted one word to describe Bob, it would be “gentlemen,” in both senses of the word. He was certainly a man — a distinguished leader — but he was a gentle friend to the many in town who knew him.
Alison Lurie (1926-2020) described by the New York Times as a “tart-voiced novelist of manners,” who “wrote about academics and intellectuals, straying spouses, snobs and artists, in novels of close observation and sharp prose.” She was the author of 11 works of domestic and black comedy, including the 1984 Pulitzer Prize winning novel FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Noted for her sly wit and generosity of spirit, she was a vivid member of the Key West literary scene for decades. Perhaps her last public appearance was a store event in February 2020, just before the pandemic closure, where she very charmingly discussed her final book WORDS AND WORLDS, essays on topics from autobiography to zippers.
A 47-page Guide to the Key West Literary Pantheon is available for purchase at the store.
~ George Cooper, store co-founder
Read the Feb. 2020 article about the Pantheon dedication.
What a crazy, crazy year 2020 has been. Pretty much nothing looks like it did in January. But throughout the pandemic, even when we didn’t have enough concentration to read, we’ve continued to be comforted by books. Comforted, enthralled, enlightened, entertained. And we’ve had the pleasure of talking to all of you about books, lots of times over Zoom or via social media, but sometimes from just six feet away. Here’s a round up of the books we’ve enjoyed this year. Maybe they’ll help you finish off your holiday shopping, or maybe they’ll be an excuse to take an afternoon for yourself and read.
Fiction
Writers & Lovers
Lily King
Recommended by: Judy
Give this to: Writers; also fiction lovers
In March, Judy wrote: The reviews are glowing and I can’t say it any better, except to echo Lily’s own words when asked what moves her most in reading a novel, which turns out be exactly what moves me. “Small unexpected moments of human connection.” There’s not a false note or sappy sentence in this book. But there are many moments of unexpected human connection.
Read Judy’s full review and read the Q&A we did with author Lily King.
Dear Edward
Ann Napolitano
Recommended by: Judy, Lori
Give this to: Readers looking for memorable characters
The Glass Hotel
Emily St. John Mandel
Recommended by: Judy, George
Give this to: Fans of mysterious, sophisticated storytelling
Godshot
Chelsea Bieker
Recommended by: Emily
Give this to: Fans of things dark, but beautiful
Emily writes: This is my new favorite book. Some books have beautiful words. Some have inspiring characters. Some have an amazing story. This one has it all.
Network Effect : A Murderbot Novel
Martha Wells
Recommended by: Robin
Give this to: Fans of Lost in Space or Battlestar Galatica
The Only Good Indians
Stephen Graham Jones
Recommended by: Lori
Give this to: People who want to be scared
Lori writes: The best horror story I’ve read in years!
Mexican Gothic
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Recommended by: Gianelle
Give this to: People who want a new take on the gothic, also fans of Jane Eyre
Nonfiction
Caste : The Origins of Our Discontents
Isabel Wilkerson
Recommended by: George, Lori
Give this to: People who want to know how we got where we are as a country
George writes: so smart – an eye opening book that might change the way you think about the U.S.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
James Nestor
Recommended by: Gianelle
Give this to: People who want to learn how to do it better
Dancing with the Octopus : A Memoir of a Crime
Debora Harding
Recommended by: Emily
Give this to: Lovers of True Crime Memoirs
Humankind : A Hopeful History
Rutger Bregman
Recommended by: George
Give this to: People with curious minds, fans of Sapiens
In the Dream House : A Memoir
Carmen Maria Machado
Recommended by: Robin
Give this to: People who want a true story with all the art and craft of innovative fiction
Walking with the Wind : A Memoir of the Movement
John Lewis, Michael D’Orso
Recommended by: Lori
Give this to: People who want to know how to find some “good trouble.”
Fan Favorite
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret: 50th Anniversary Special Edition
Judy Blume
Recommended by: Many fans
Give this to: The young or the young-at-heart; also fans of Judy Blume
This was the most signed book this year, and you can still get a signed copy. Just include the name for personalization in the order comments online or ask the bookseller on the phone or in store.
UPDATE: Thanks, everyone! Winners are in the process of being notified.
School librarians are often huge fans and advocates for Judy Blume’s ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET. As we continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this classic coming-of-age novel, we’re giving away a stack of the anniversary special edition.
Celebrate the legacy of the bestselling and iconic Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret with this special edition, featuring a deluxe faux-leather embossed cover that looks and feels as vibrant as the story within.
Margaret Simon, almost twelve, likes long hair, tuna fish, the smell of rain, and things that are pink. She’s just moved from New York City to Farbook, New Jersey, and is anxious to fit in with her new friends—Nancy, Gretchen, and Janie. When they form a secret club to talk about private subjects like boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret is happy to belong.
The long-awaited movie based on the book is set to shoot in spring of 2021.
We’re giving away 10 copies of the new edition of ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET to school librarians across the United States. Judy will personalize the books to the winners and their schools.
One copy will be reserved for a school librarian in Key West, one copy will be reserved for a school librarian in Monroe County, and one for a Florida school librarian. Non-winning qualified entries in the location-specific raffles will be included in the other raffles they qualify for. Winners must have United States mailing addresses. No purchase required to win and making a purchase will not improve your chances. Shipping is included as part of the prize.
Entry is via Google Form. One entry per person. Entries due 6pm EST Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Winners will be notified via email on Dec. 17.
As part of the giveaway, we’ll be celebrating ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET. Join in by sharing your #BlumeShelfie and tag us. We’re @booksandbookskw on Instagram and Twitter and @booksandbooksatthestudios on Facebook. Follow us on social media, we’re always up to something fun.
Winners, show off your new pink covers. Brag a little and share your prizes with us on social media.
And, if you just want to purchase a copy of ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET, you can have it personalized by leaving the name you want it signed to in the order comments. Order by 5pm on Thursday, 12/10 for delivery by Christmas using free media mail shipping. After 12/10, choose the shipping upgrade for Christmas delivery.
Resident horror reader Lori offers up our new Virtual Book Club pick: The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix.
In Grady Hendrix’s latest horror tale, 90’s suburban Charleston housewives form a new “true crime” book club after the massive meltdown of their old one, and find themselves confronting a terrifying predator who has infiltrated their circle. Stepford Wives meet Dracula!
It’s fast paced, funny and suitably gory. Just as a talking point, I was a little unsure if the black characters were deliberately less developed to align with the way they were often portrayed in horror movies from that time or whether he could have done a better job of making them more dimensional. Let’s talk about that after you read the book.
Check out a couple of his other books that also put a horror spin on commonplace things – Horrorstor (about the haunted goings on at a famous Scandinavian furniture outlet – you know which one!), and My Best Friend’s Exorcism about two teenagers who have to survive not only high school but demonic possession, too. He’s fun and frightening and a great choice for this month.
~ Lori Reid, Bookseller
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Our virtual book club is an online, social media opportunity for us to read together even when we’re socially distancing. Join us by reading the book and sharing your thoughts and questions with us by using the hashtag #bbkwbookclub on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Tag us in your #bookstagram-style photos and we may reshare. It’s a fun way to read together and show off your #booklove.
Dear Friends,
The exciting news this month is about Robin Wood, one of our long-time employees. Robin joined the staff of Books & Books @ The Studios as a volunteer shortly after we opened, but we quickly put her on the payroll. She is currently our Social Media Manager, handling all our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter posts as well as this newsletter. She manages our virtual book club. She’s also our resident expert on Middle Grade, YA, Graphic Novels and Science Fiction. Her breadth of reading is daunting.
Robin’s horizons broadened this month when she was hired as the Communications and Marketing Specialist of the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc). No worries, it’s a remote job, and she’ll be able to continue her work for us on a part-time basis. Binc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to assisting booksellers in need. It has been tremendously helpful to bookstore employees adversely affected by the panoply of natural disasters in recent years, as well as by the ongoing COVID crisis. We wish her well in this new position. Click here for more info on Binc.
The store’s preparations for the coming shopping season are fully underway. We’re stocking up on gift items like snow globes, mini-clocks, puzzles, and socks — that have proven so popular. We’re cramming our shelves with the latest books, fresh off the presses. Come in any time and take a look. We’re open every day from 10 to 12 for appointment browsing, and from 12 to 5 for general admission. Masks required, and gloves provided at the door.
Look for more news about special holiday shopping hours coming soon.
Can’t wait to see you!
George + Judy
We have a winner!
Having more than doubled the vote count compared to last year, with more than 600 votes cast in-store and online, the canvases with the most votes this year are (from left to right):
“Storm” by Evalyn Berthold
“Where the Wild Things Grow” by Anna Stohner
“Sunset Sail” by Emma Norman
With the most votes “Where the Wild Things Grow” by Anna Stohner is our grand prize winner. “Where the Wild Things Grow” will display in the bookstore through the end of 2020.
Limited-edition bookmarks featuring the top-three winning works are being distributed now with every purchase.
There were many talented artists who submitted art for the Summer Art Contest this year. Thank you to all of the artists who participated in this years’ Summer Art Contest and to everyone who voted.
