Dear
Friend of Rakestraw Books,
Welcome to the third issue of Bookpost, “The Rakestraw Reader” online. As in our first two issues, our aim is to make this newsletter easy to read and enjoy. Most of the technical bugs seem to be ironed out. If I am incorrect in blithely assuming this, please let me know at newsletter@rakestrawbooks.com
We look forward to hearing from you.
EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS
The May Calendar of Events is by far the most
lavish we have ever offered. Great novelists, mystery-writers, cookbook authors, and ever
so much more. We look forward to welcoming you to one, or all, of these splendid events.
WEDNESDAY, 3 MAY, 7:00 PM
PINO LUONGO/SIMPLY TUSCAN: RECIPES FOR A
WELL-LIVED LIFE
Renowned restaurateur, bon vivant, and armchair philosopher Pino Luongo presents a year of Tuscan menus in Simply Tuscan: Recipes for a Well-Lived Life (Doubleday, $35) with many suggestions for living the good life.
Pino Luongo is Tuscan by birth, by sensibility,
and by temperament. “To be Tuscan,” he says “is to honor all your senses.”
Spend an evening tasting a bit of Tuscany with Pino Luongo on Wednesday, 3 May 2000 at
7:00 PM. Call for reservations.
MONDAY, 8 MAY, NOON
JANE LANGTON/THIEF OF VENICE
Many years ago the great jurist Oliver Wendall Holmes wrote, “there comes a point somewhere near the summit of fame, that a man reads nothing but detective stories.” If this Boston Brahmin were alive today, Jane Langtons Homer Kelly mysteries would be ones he would love. With her shrewd eye and sketchers hand, Langton has created one of the most enjoyable series of mysteries we know. It is a special treat to have come to visit Rakestraw Books – this is her first tour in nearly a decade! We hope youll help us welcome her.
Set largely in New England, with excursions to Italy and England, these intelligent, clever stories feature Homer Kelly – a shambling detective inspector turned literature professor. The Thief of Venice, the latest installment sees Homer and his wife, Mary, on sabbatical in Italy. This tale of lost treasure, forbidden love, and intrigue in Venice sees the formidable sleuthing talents of Mary Kelly blossoming. Illustrated with her own evocative sketches, this is the perfect escapist read –whether youre near the summit of fame, or not!
It is our pleasure to invite you to luncheon with
Jane Langton on Monday, 8 May 2000 at Noon. Tickets are available at $12 each.
Reservations are necessary.
TUESDAY, 9 MAY, 7:00 PM
KENN HARPER/GIVE ME MY FATHERS BODY: THE STORY
OF MINIK, THE NEW YORK ESKIMO
From the great age of polar exploration comes the astonishing untold story of Minik, an Eskimo from Greenland. In 1897 Minik was presented to the Museum of Natural History as a living specimen. During his twelve years in New York, Minik was stared at by the public, examined by scientists, and adored by society. Miniks life was shattered when he discovered his fathers skeleton on view at the Museum; he would spend much of his life trying to recover it.
Give Me My Fathers Body: The Story of Minik,
the New York Eskimo is Kenn Harpers brilliant recounting of this fascinating and
tragic story. We are honored to host a reading and signing with Kenn Harper.
WEDNESDAY, 10 MAY, NOON
JEFFREY LENT/IN THE FALL
Jeffrey Lent’s magnificent debut novel, In the Fall, has become, in the month since its publication, an absolute sensation. A richly layered rendering of a rapidly evolving America, it begins in the wake of the Civil War, ends in the shadow of the Depression. In the Fall is a sweeping, yet intimate, novel. In the words of the Booklist review, “this is an astonishing piece of work – period.” If you read one novel this spring, read this one.
We are thrilled to announce a luncheon with Jeffrey Lent on Wednesday, 10 May at noon. Tickets are $12 and are limited to two per person. Join us to meet a remarkable writer and to celebrate a fine book.
FRIDAY, 12 MAY, 7:00 PM
JONATHAN HULL/LOSING JULIA
In the January/February 2000 issue of “The
Rakestraw Reader,” we introduced you to Jonathan Hulls remarkable first novel, Losing
Julia (Delacorte Press, $24.95). Quite frankly, this book is a pleasure to read
evoking as it does the love and pain that exists between men and women. We are pleased to
able to bring Jonathan Hull to Rakestraw Books for a reading and signing of Losing
Julia on Friday, 12 May 2000 at 7:00 PM. This event benefits the Friends of the
Danville Library.
FRIDAY, 19 MAY, 7:00 PM
RACHEL NAOMI REMEN/MY GRANDFATHERS BLESSINGS
In My Grandfathers Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge and Belonging, Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen delivers a powerful message of hope and healing. This long-awaited new book gives us Dr. Remens pioneering teachings on serving life. She shares inspirational stories of how engaging in small acts of blessing and kindness can heal the wounds of loneliness, isolation, and feelings of helplessness so many experience today. Dr. Remen tells us that “blessing and serving life offers us a place of belonging and strength, a refuge from loneliness. When we discover that we can bless the life around us, we learn the value of our own lives.”
It is a joy to announce that Dr. Rachel Naomi
Remen will be once again visiting Rakestraw as we celebrate the publication of My
Grandfathers Blessings. This eagerly anticipated event will take place on Friday, 19
May 2000 at 7:00 PM. Group reservations are essential.
THURSDAY, 25 MAY, 7:00 PM
MARINA WARNER/NO GO THE BOGEYMAN: SCARING,
LULLING, AND MAKING MOCK
We are excited to be able to host an event with
Marina Warner, author of From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers
(Noonday Press, $16); “a book that on its best pages can itself evoke the sense of
startled wonder that these tales first gave us” (The New York Times Book Review
– front page). She will be joined her husband, Nick Groom, author of The Making of
Percys Relics (Oxford University Press).
Thats it for May. Really quite enough . . . But,
so, so good!
ANOTHER GRATUITOUS RECIPE FROM PINO LUONGOS SIMPLY
TUSCAN:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
24 whole leaves of radicchio, rinsed and dried
24 slices pancetta
Season the scallops with olive oil and salt and
pepper. Wrap each scallop in a radicchio leaf. Fold a slice of pancetta around each
packet, securing with a toothpick or a skewer that has been soaked in water to prevent
burning on the grill. Grill over medium-hot coals until the pancetta is crispy, 4 to 5
minutes. Serves 12.
From Simply Tuscan (Doubleday, $35).
RAKESTRAWS READERS RECOMMEND
That public-spirited and tireless crew at
Rakestraw has read the following solely on your behalf and recommends them to you. Each is
well worth your while. Actually, wed read anyway, its just more fun if we can recommend
what we read. At least this way, you can benefit.
· In a
Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
(Broadway, $25). The innimitable Bryson turns his insightful gaze on the land down under.
Feeling that at least one non-resident should know the name of the Australian prime
minister, he spends several weeks on walkabout. What fun! Im a Stranger Here Myself
– last years Non-Fiction Book of the Year – will be published in paperback. Both
available in June.
· England, England by Julian Barnes (Vintage, $13). Nominated for the Booker
Prize, this book is one of the darkest, funniest books Ive read in a long time. Sir Jack
Pitman is a man with a vision, and an axe to grind. His theme park version of England, and
its effects on contemporary Britain upsets all sorts of apple carts. – Mike.
· White Oleander by Janet Fitch (Back Bay Books, $13.95). “Sure, it was an Oprah selection;
but was a fantastic book! The story of Ingrid, a poet imprisoned for murder, and Astrid,
her daughter caught in the mire of the foster care system, is a mother-and-daughter story
you wont forget. This is one of the three best books I read last year.” – Trudy.
· Blue by
Benjamin Zucker (Overlook, $40). A stunningly
original fiction in which the central story – that of diamond merchant Abraham Tal
– is surrounded by the stories of others: Bob Dylan; Marcel Proust; Franz Kafka;
Chief Crazy Horse; and many others. Each page is accompanied by a piece of art that
further comments on the text. A kaleidoscopic thrill-ride of a novel! Available in June.
· Flags
of Our Fathers by James Bradley (Bantam,
$24.95). In this unforgettable chronicle of perhaps the most famous moment in American
military history, James Bradley has captured the glory, the triumph, and the heartbreak of
the six men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima. Here is the true story behind the immortal
photograph. Perfect for Fathers Day reading.
· The Tale
of Murasaki by Liza Dalby (Doubleday,
$25.95). The life and work of Lady Murasaki Shikibu, author of The Tale of Genji is
the inspiration for this lovely first novel by Liza Dalby. Rich in historical detail and
emotional truth, The Tale of Murasaki illuminates the life of one of the worlds
great artists. Available in mid-May.
· A Place in the Country by Laura Cunningham (Riverhead, $24.95). In this winning memoir, Laura
Cunningham speaks to the universal dream of escape. In this case to a place in the country
– every urban dwellers fantasy. As she recounts her negotiations with the local
inhabitants, both human and animal, the reader not only revels in her fine writing about
place, but also feels the poignant passing of a way of life.
· Home Truths
by David Lodge (Penguin, $11.95). David Lodges witty new novella explores what happens
when the solitary world of writing collides with the intrusive demands of the media
circus. Lodges trademark wit and insight characterize this paperback original. Available
in June.
· White Teeth by
Zadie Smith (Random House, $24.95). This exceptional first novel, already published to
great acclaim in Great Britain, tells a story of England since World War II. A spicy blend
of Bengali, Caribbean, and traditional English cultures, this is one of the richest,
strangest, and funniest books of the season. Read the excerpt on page 4 of this
newsletter.
· Armadillo by William Boyd (Vintage, $14). From the author of The
Blue Afternoon comes an outrageous and satirical story of a mans life going off the
rails. Lorimer Black is supposed to have it all, but as he explores the events that are
proving to be his undoing, he uncovers an apparent conspiracy that involves nearly
everyone he knows. This brilliant novel sees Boyd at his versatile and skillful best.
That lot should keep you busy for some time . . .
Happy Reading!
SOME BRIEF EXCERPTS FOR YOUR DELECTATION
“Alsana, you look like dog shit, Neena called over in Bengali. What is that horrible coat?
Its none of your business, is what it is, replied Alsana in English. I came to collect my husband’s shoes, not to chitchat with Niece-of-Shame.
Neena was used to this, and now that Alsana had
moved to Willesden there would only be more of it. It used to come in longer sentences,
e.g. You have brought nothing but shame . . . My niece, the shameful . . .
but now because Alsana no longer had the time or energy to summon up the necessary shock
each time, it had become abridged to Niece-of-Shame, an all-purpose tag that summoned up
the general feeling.”
from White Teeth
by Zadie Smith
“For me, moments that make up the texture of daily life define the character of Provence as much as the history or the landscape. And if I had to choose a single example of what I missed most in America, it would be a country market; nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual collection of of stalls that are set up each week in every town from Apt to Vaison-la-Romaine.
They have an instant visual charm, these markets,
with their bursts of vividly colored flowers and vegetables and their handwritten signs,
the stalls shaded by ancient plane trees or tucked up against even older walls. They might
have been artistically arranged for the postcard photographer, or for the high season, to
be dismantled and forgotten at the end of summer. But you will find them in January as in
August, because their bread and butter come from local inhabitants. The tourist is just a
dollop of jam. Welcome, but not essential.”
from Encore Provence
by Peter Mayle
“I was glad that it rained. Not just a
drizzle but big furious drops that lashed against us and danced at our feet. Our
discomforts seemed somehow appropriate, all of us standing there with tears and rain
washing down our taut faces, overcome by so many names. The clouds were just right too,
dark and solemn as they marched slowly past, heavy with grief. But what got me most were
the birds, dozens of them in every tree, loud and insistent. I remember listening and
thinking how familiar they sounded, so that I couldnt close my eyes for more than a moment
without tumbling back.”
from Losing Julia
by Jonathan Hull
Book Group News
The Bookworms are reading Two Guys from Verona for our meeting Wednesday, 17 May at 7:00 PM. Jeffrey Lents powerful novel, In the Fall, is our choice for 21 June at 7:00 PM.
The Mother-Daughter Elementary
Book Group, lead by Kathy Moore, is reading Holes for our 23 May meeting. The
Middle School girls will be reading The Mozart Season. Both groups meet at 7:00 PM.
New members are always welcome. Please call us at (925) 837-7337 for information on the
June meetings.
MAY IS . . .
National Salad Month; National Bike Month;
National Teacher Appreciation Week (1st – 7th); Limerick Day
(12th – keep em clean); and the birth month of May Sarton (1912); Thomas
Pynchon (1937); L. Frank Baum (1856); Walt Whitman (1819); Arthur Conan Doyle (1859); and
Raymond Carver (1938). What a month!
And, thats it for now – Bookpost #3 –
hope you enjoyed it! Of course, if you need more information, you can always contact us by
a simple phone call to the real books-and-mortar shop at (925) 837-7337. Or, if you are in
the lovely, verdant Danville area, stop by 409 Railroad Avenue, Danville, California 94526
– just say “I saw you in cyberspace!” We may look at you strangely, but we
promise to be nice anyway. Or, e-mail us rakestraw_books@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Mike Barnard
Rakestraw Books