Dear Friend of Rakestraw Books,
Welcome to the second part of the twelfth issue
of “Bookpost” a.k.a. “The Rakestraw Reader” online. Having neglected
to pass along any Rakestraw’s Readers Recommendations, I’ve decided to send you
this mini “Bookpost.” As always, it is our intention to make Rakestraw Books,
our events, and our reviews more accessible to you. If you prefer not to receive this
newsletter in the future, please e-mail us rakestraw_books@yahoo.com and just type “unsubscribe” in the subject
line. If you do like it, tell all your friends from Greenwich Village to Hampstead Village
about Rakestraw Books and www.rakestrawbooks.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!
RAKESTRAW READER’S RECOMMEND
Capturing Light edited by Drew Heath Johnson (WW Norton, $60). This new
book of masterpieces of California photography from 1850 to the present is so magnificent
both to look at and to read that I am taking the unusual step of recommending it in the
newsletter. And, why not? As Edward Weston said, “Everything worth photographing is
in California.”
The Fig Eater by Jody Shields (Back Bay, $13.95). Set in Vienna, 1910, The
Fig Eater is at once a page-turning tale of murder, sleuthing, and sexual secrets and
a rich, glittering evocation of a city and a culture in fateful transition. Rich,
evocative writing – very highly recommended.
The Ugly Daschund by G.B. Stern (Townsend, $15). As R.C. Feld put it in his
1938 review “If you’re the sort of person for whom life is incomplete without
the wag of a dog’s tail, or the feel of a cold muzzle in your palm, G.B. Stern’s
new book, The Ugly Daschund, will give you a couple hours of unalloyed delight. And
even if dogs are just animals to you, you’ll get a lot of fun out of the book as an
extremely clever travesty on human nature.” What a treat!
Man and Boy by Tony
Parsons (Source, $21). Harry Silver has it all: a beautiful wife, a wonderful son, a great
job in the media – but in one night he throws it all away. In this poignant and witty
novel, Harry has to bring up his child alone, look after his parents, work out his
relationships, and hold down a job. As millions of women have discovered before him, that
is not as simple as it may have seemed. Edith loved this import.
No Great Mischief by Alistair Macleod
(Vintage, $13). The starkly beautiful landscape of Cape Breton is the setting luminous
novel of two brothers and a family enmeshed in the present and trapped by the past. By
turns epic and intimate, this is awesome storytelling.
EVENTS EVENTS EVENTS
And
just to hit the ground running for May, here are a couple of early May events:
Jorge Argueta and Elizabeth Gomez
Reading and Signing
A Movie in My Pillow
Wednesday, 2 May 2001 at 10:00 AM
Diane Johnson
Reading and Signing
Le Mariage
Thursday, 3 May 2001 at 7:00 PM
If you have any questions about
these events, please do not hesitate to call us at (925) 837-7337 or e-mail us at rakestraw_books@yahoo.com.
Danville, California 94526
Located in downtown Danville,
less than a block from the Danville Farmers’ Market and Andronico’s Grocery.
Owner & Manager: Michael Barnard.
Booksellers: Julie Barnard (webmistress); Tyler Hutton; Trudy Macmillan; Joni Nelson; Katie Nicholson; and Edith Rubanyi.
Book Group Moderators: Jo
Loecher, Kathy Moore and Jonathan Hunt.
(925) 837-7337 · Fax (925) 837-7645
E-mail us at rakestraw_books@yahoo.com
Visit us online at www.rakestrawbooks.com.
Great books, gifts, and lots of
recommendations from folks who read an average of four books every week, plus gift
certificates, author events and more! We also sponsor four book groups: Adult;
Mother-Daughter for elementary school; Mother-Daughter for middle school; and Children’s
Fantasy.
Remember all book groups receive
10% their group’s monthly selection as do Friends of the Danville Library and
teachers purchasing materials for classroom use. Greater discounts are available for bulk
purchases.
Hours of Opening: M thru Th. 9
AM to 6:00 PM; F 9 AM to 7 PM; Sat 9 AM to 5:30 PM; and Sun 12 PM to 5 PM.
And don’t forget dogs and children are always welcome!
Enjoy the late April showers; just look forward
to the May flowers! And what do Mayflowers bring?
Thanks,
Mike Barnard
Rakestraw Books