By Mary Ellen Hannibal American history has been looked at every which way, and the questions we ask about our past will no doubt continue to change as our sensibilities do.  Eric Jay Dolin has written a highly engaging chronology of European incursion through these parts in Fur, Fortune, and Empire–focusing on yes, the fur [...]

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By Marcia Schneider Rain or shine, there is perhaps no greater pleasure than to curl up in a comfortable chair, with a beloved cat or dog nearby or in your lap to keep you company, steaming mug of tea or coffee and bar of chocolate close at hand, to devour a well-crafted mystery. Fortunately, there [...]

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Our most esoteric book of the week. Daily Treats are sweet finds from our Treat Avenue Donation Center. Hungry for more collectibles?  Follow us on Twitterand Facebook! Find more rare reads at Amazon and AbeBooks.

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By Byron Spooner No one in the car seems to notice as we approach the tunnel; everyone is drowsy from sun and languor.  We’ve been to Petaluma, a day-long retreat on a sympathetic ranch; food, talk, an actual swimming hole. We’re all exhausted from four days and nights of the SF International Poetry Festival. After [...]

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When having a large and boisterous personal library is not enough, we present to you-the Book Bar. Created by the folks at Vestal Design, the Book Bar is made up of old books from the Stanford library that were rescued from a dumpster-fate. Here’s to the weekend!

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By Rosie Levy Merlin I am terribly lucky that my baby’s daycare is in walking distance from my work. While I used to spend my lunch break reading (while I’m generally a pretty social person, there is something about a bit of mid-day private time to read a few chapters that I cherished), I now [...]

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It’s true, you never really recover from that initial misstep in goat milking. Daily Treats are sweet finds from our Treat Avenue Donation Center. Hungry for more collectibles?  Follow us on Twitterand Facebook! Find more rare reads at AmazonandAbeBooks.

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By Mary Ellen Hannibal The word “graphic” has both Latin and Greek roots and also bridges the concepts of “writing” and “drawing.”  The graphic novel thus fulfills its etymology.  Belle Yang’s memoir, Forget Sorrow, likewise bridges two very different worlds – the past and the present—finding through lines not only of loss but also of [...]

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By Byron Spooner “I got more of those Kaw-macs for ya,” the voice yells into the phone.  I feel like everyone in the book store can hear him. It’s Howie, I can tell right away from the Bronx accent and the smile behind the voice, telling all those who can hear it is all but [...]

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Is there really anything you can’t find at the library?  Hat tip to our very own Mary Abler, who was the fabulous host!  Read more about the event here!

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