Getting LOST In A Book!

Posted by Kevin on February 10, 2010

Oh my! Jacob was reading Flannery O’Connor!

When Desmond fled the hatch, he left behind his copy of The Third Policeman!

Henry Gale drew his map on the title page of The Brothers Karamazov! This means something!

Some of you have no idea what I am talking about. You’re probably asking yourself, “Who is Jacob?”

Exactly.

Though I’d rather spend most of my free time reading, every once in a while I find myself getting drawn into the occasional television show. One such show is ABC’s LOST, about a group of plane crash survivors who end up living on a mysterious island in the South Pacific. The show is filled with puzzles, mystery, allegory and questions about who we are as human beings. To be brief, the show weaves a complex narrative filled with all of the elements I tend to love in a book.

Best of all, LOST features books as plot devices, quick homages, and even clues to what might really be going on amidst all of the show’s ambiguity. Rarely does an episode play out where there isn’t a book or two on screen. The show piqued my interest early in the first season, when the quick-tongued con-man Sawyer was seen reading a copy of one of my favorite books, Richard Adams’ Watership Down. “It’s about bunnies!” he exclaims.

From that point on, I was hooked! Each week, I eagerly watch the show to discover what answers the writers will share, what questions will be raised, and (most importantly) what books will be featured.

Those of you who have visited the Open Books Store recently may have noticed a strangely marked table in our Dragonfly Lounge with books piled on top. Fans of the show will surely recognize the logo as that of the Dharma Initiative, a strange secret society that once inhabited the island.

Many of you still have no idea what I am talking about. That’s okay. Just know that each week, I will add quality titles that have been featured in the show to the table. Whether you want to read them to gain insight to LOST’s puzzling narrative, or are just looking for your next book, these volumes are a great starting point.

Now for the most important question…

On last night’s episode, what book was Lennon reading in the temple right before Jack walked in???

Just In (our) Case!

Posted by Kevin on February 9, 2010

Like any bookstore, we see many bestsellers and popular literature come across our counter. Every so often, though, someone is gracious enough to donate something that makes us gasp with more excitement than usual. To us, all books are special, but (at the risk of sounding a bit Orwellian) some books can seem a bit more special than others. Whether it is an autographed volume by a favorite author or a beautiful leather bound edition of a classic, some books catch us off guard. These are the kinds of books we like to showcase in our Rare & Wonderful case.

Two such books have been donated recently. First, we received a gorgeous copy of a very strange cookbook written by the famous surrealist, Salvador Dali. Les diners de Gala is a collection of 136 recipes ranging from mouth-watering to downright bizarre. Though this particular copy is missing its dust jacket, the wraparound illustration on the cloth cover is enough to turn any kitchen into a point of interest (even before you start cooking). The book’s text is accompanied throughout with paintings and sketches by Dali, but my favorite feature has to be the hilarious photos of the artist enjoying an elegant spread of his own… well… surreal food.

The second book is something that is sure to interest any fan of classic literature. While digging through a stack of new arrivals, I came across this unassuming volume of 14 William Faulkner stories. Since it is a bit faded on the spine from exposure to the sun, I didn’t think much of it at first. Something, though, compelled me to leaf through the pages. As it turns out, what I was holding is a limited first edition of Faulkner’s Doctor Martino and Other Stories! According to the final printed page of the book, there were 360 copies printed and only 350 were sold to the public. To top it off, each copy is numbered and signed by William Faulkner himself! I know the contents of a book are what matters most, but even the most jaded bookseller can’t help but feel a tinge of literary magic when holding an item like this.

If you’d like to see more pictures of these treasures, please visit our Flickr set for our Rare & Wonderful Case! Any questions regarding these books can be e-mailed to the store: store[at]open-books.org

The Frequent Power of Used Books!

Posted by Kevin on January 20, 2010

“Haven’t we seen you before? Yeah, you’re the one with the good taste in literature! Come on in! You know you’re always welcome here…”

We’re confident that everyone who walks into the Open Books store will want to come back soon and come back often! As a token of gratitude for doing so, we offer every customer free enrollment in our Frequent Buyer program and the opportunity to earn free books! After enrolling in the program, we keep track of how much you spend in the store. For each $100 spent, you will receive a $5.00 gift certificate toward your next purchase.

With your super stylish Open Books Frequent Buyer card, you’ll be able to earn free books and help support literacy all at the same time! What’s better than that?

Be sure to sign up at the cashwrap the next time you come into our store… after you say hello, of course. We can’t wait to see you again!

Who Watches The Watchlist?

Posted by Kevin on January 13, 2010

No, not the movie adapted from the groundbreaking and genre-bending graphic novel, Watchmen (which we have in stock as of this writing for $10.00!)… The Watchlist!

The Watchlist is a service that the Open Books store offers to you, faithful reader! We know what it’s like to walk into a bookstore and forget what you came in for in the first place. We also know how it feels to be in search of that one specific title. I’m happy to report, we are here to help! Do you have a few books you are looking for that you’d like us to keep an eye out for? Just let us know the next time you are in the store browsing and we’d be happy to add your title to the list.

Each morning, we will scour our inventory to see if your title has come in recently. If it has, we will contact you and put the book aside for 24-48 hours.

Keep in mind, new titles will probably take a bit longer to come in, but we’ve already had some great success! Just the other day, one of our regular customers was looking for a copy of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Twenty minutes after she left the store, we received one in a donation! As another comic book great would say, we made a true believer out of her!

Excelsior!

Won’t You Tell Me A Story?

Posted by Kevin on January 12, 2010

Here at Open Books, we all love to read, but sometimes it is nice just to sit back and have someone tell us a story. Whether it is a friendly account of someone’s camping trip or hearing one of our student’s stories from our Creative Writing Field Trips, we believe that the oral tradition of literature and the sharing of ideas is an integral part of creating a more powerful culture of readers.

That’s why we are inviting you to join us for our first in-store Children’s Storytime of 2010 this Saturday, January 16 at 10:30 AM. Our storytime is open to children of all ages and absolutely free. Come delight in hearing an old favorite or a new discovery as our talented volunteers tell tales both tall and short in our newly reformatted (and highly comfortable) Children’s Section!

Hope to see you there!