High Shelf Esteem

Archives for February 2017

Literary Linking: February 20 – 24

This week’s articles cover topics including: a profile on the new Librarian of Congress, books and libraries in unexpected places, an ultimate thriller reading list, and more!

My favorite bookish links from the week of February 20 – 24:

Against Readability
“A micro-history of cultural gatekeeping: once told by the censors what we may read, then by critics what we should, we are now told merely what we can read.  What could it mean to say that a novel is able to be read?  Composed of words that you can pass your eyes over one after another and comprehend?  “Readable,” like “drinkable,” seems almost an insult: this book isn’t good, but you’ll be able to finish it.”

The Ultimate Thriller List from the New York Public Library
“All thrillers are suspenseful, compelling, and intensifying, but the genre runs both broad and deep.  We  present here, a list of thrillers we recommend. We categorized them to illustrate the many variations on the Thriller genre.”

Finding Books in the Least Expected Places Around L.A.
“In cafes and bars, skate shops and co-working spaces, books are popping up everywhere in Los Angeles — and as more than just decor.”

The Librarian of Congress and the Greatness of Humility
“The values of Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and the first person of color in the position, can be seen in every aspect of the institution she runs.”

From Trains To Tanks: More Libraries in Unexpected Places
“…libraries aren’t just staid, immobile buildings (as awesome as those buildings can be). They’re found all over—from horseback to donkey-back, from vending machines to supermarket shelves.”

A Conversation with Erin Barker from Hooray for Books!

Erin Barker, Buyer & Manager at Hooray for Books

I love being a school librarian and there’s always more to learn in my specific field, but sometimes it’s fun to explore other facets of the book world. To satisfy my bookish curiosity, every so often, I will interview folks who make their living in the book industry.

My very first guest is Erin Barker, buyer and manager at Hooray for Books in Alexandria, Va. I actually worked with her at the store many moons ago, so it was great fun catching up and nerding out on books.

How would you describe Hooray for Books?
We’re an independent bookstore with a focus on children’s books. We doubled our floor space a couple years ago so we’ve grown our selections for adults and we have some sidelines as well.

What is your position? What do you do? How long have worked there?
I’m the buyer and manager. I’ve been there 4 and half years.

How did doubling space come about?
Our owner, Ellen, always had it as a goal in the back of her mind to expand. We expanded in April 2015. The office suite behind us moved upstairs, so it was vacant and it was too good an opportunity to pass up. It’s been really cool. We had a record year last year. People are finally realizing that we have adult books so they’re coming into browse.

Interior of Hooray for Books in Alexandria, Va. after a 2015 expansion that doubled its space.


Do you have programming for adults?
We two book clubs. One is  an adult book club (which just sounds funny!) that reads fiction and nonfiction and another that reads YA. We’ve also had events with established local authors from known houses.

We’ve also had cocktails and coloring events, last year we had a book swap party for adults, and this month we’re doing a blind date with a book.

If you had infinite space what would you add?
I would love display fixtures and features for kids, like a little tree house or something cute and quirky and inviting. And Ellen’s goal is to continue growing the adult section. One great thing about the expansion was that we were able to bring in couches and have more space for people to linger instead of being packed in. We’ve been getting some big author events and we’d love to find some partnerships in the city so we can do some off-site ones.

What do you do better than any other bookstore?
I think a lot of indies do this, but it’s our relationship with kids and customers. We have kids who go through all our book clubs who are now employees! We have regular loyal customers who want to come in and help us do inventory.

[Before the inauguration] one of our regular customers came in and asked if she and her daughter could come in and make posters for the Women’s March in the store. It started with this one customer saying, “Hey can maybe me and 8 of my friends come?” and it turned into 60 people in the store making posters!

What’s the funniest situation you’ve ever had to deal with in the store?
My favorite probably was when we did Where’s Waldo Scavenger Hunt and these two little boys, probably about 5 and 7, came in to look for Waldo. One was explaining it to the other: “You have to find Waldo. It’s like a video game, only we’re in the game and someone else is controlling it.” He paused and then said, “Wait…it doesn’t feel like we’re being controlled…” This seven-year-old was having a mini existential crisis!

How did you get into the bookselling business?
I always loved reading. I used to teach junior high, so literature for that age interests me. And then after teaching I did an MFA in creative writing and I specialized in writing for children and young adults. It’s definitely  always been an interest

I was copy editing patent search reports and one day, I was just like, “I can’t do this anymore!” and I Googled bookstores in my zipcode. I told myself I’d just go in and see if it was an option. Maybe they’d give me 5 hours on Saturday night, that’s all they’d be hiring for. But when I went into interview, they needed someone who could be at the store Monday through Friday, 40 hours a week and I was like, “Pick me!” For the first 6-8 months I was selling books out front, and then I assumed the buying role. It just worked out.

What’s been the biggest surprise about working in a bookstore?
Something I get all the time, like when I meet people at a party,  is they’ll say, “Oh! You get paid to read!” It surprises them when I tell them you don’t get to read on the job.

For me,  the biggest surprise is how busy it is behind the scenes. I do backlist ordering everyday, emails, coordinating with people.  I feel like I live in the smallest town I’ve ever lived in because of our regulars. We see people, we see them regularly, we know their dogs, we know their kids names. I never thought I’d go to Trader Joe’s and see our customers!

What are your go-to hand-sells for kids? Adults?
I’ve been handselling A Man Called Ove a lot. It’s been out in paperback for a little bit now, but it’s a good go-to crowd pleaser. It’s heartwarming which sounds terribly cliche. It’s very positive but the humor is dark enough that it doesn’t feel saccharine. It’s a good combo of dark humor but at the end you feel like people are good.

I just finished Prisoner of Geography which is non-fiction and it’s basically an overview of geopolitics. It was a fascinating quick read.

Other favorites to hand-sell:
Crosstalk, by Connie Willis
Short, by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Child of Books, by Oliver Jeffers (good gift for adults)
Panda Pants, by Jacqueline Davies
Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier
Everyone Loves Cupcake, by Kelly DiPuccio
Salt To the Sea, by Ruta Sepetys
Nanette’s Baguette, by Mo Willems

Do you have any bookstore crushes?
Yes – a lot! I went to Wild Rumpus up in Minneapolis and they have 20 plus pets there. To the point where you go in the bathroom and turn on the light and where the mirror is, it’s a fish tank. There animals everywhere. Guinea pigs, cats, and chickens!

Books of Wonder in New York is really cool. They feel like what I feel is a classic kid’s bookstore. Very upscale, classics. Things you don’t see when you go into Barnes and Noble. It’s a beautiful store and they have huge-name authors.

Other favorites bookstores: Vroman’s Bookstore in the L.A. area., and Politics & Prose and Kramer Books in D.C.

Do you have any book confessions? (Something you should have read? A bad habit?)
I hate hardbacks, which is kind of weird. I know they’re pretty on the shelf and they’re gifty, but I hate them. Like when I was a kid, my arms would get tired. That kind of tells you what a wimpy little kid I was!

Do you track your reading?
Edelweiss is where I do all my reviews, and I’ve started using Goodreads. I don’t write reviews on Goodreads, but  I’ll do the stars for me. I’m actually really terrible at updating currently reading, but I’ll go and mark it later.

What are some of your reading habits? 
If I’m reading nonfiction, I almost exclusively do audio. For some reason, it’s really hard for me to sit down and read nonfiction but I love listening to it.

I’m not a finisher. Before I started at the store, I’d finish 1 book for every 6 I’d start. Now that I work at the store, that number’s gone way up.

What are you reading right now?
I am reading Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton – I’m listening to it. It’s like 35 hours, so it’s what I read in between books. I go back to it for a few hours at a time. I’m also reading a galley called Finding Mighty, by Sheela Chari.

What’s an upcoming release that you can’t wait to recommend?
I’m excited about Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel in picture books. There’s another Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site book. And on the theme of construction, the the author of the Llama Llama books (Anne Dewdney) has one coming out called Little Excavator.

Other upcoming releases to get excited out:
The World’s Greatest Detective, by Caroline Carson
The Hate U Give, by Angie Davis

Anything exciting coming down the pike for the bookstore?
We’re getting Chris Van Deusen for his new book (Hudson and Hattie) and Ann Brashares is coming this spring.

We have also been working with somebody on a new website and it’s on the cusp of going live. I’m excited for a new website!

How can readers find out more about your store?
While a new website is coming soon, the homepage of the current website (http://www.hooray4books.com/)  has a newsletter sign up and that is the best way to find out what’s coming.

Literary Linking: February 13 – 17

This week’s articles cover topics including: bookstores resisting Trump, using books to teach middle-schoolers kindness, a companion series to Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, and more!

My favorite bookish links from the week of February 13 – 17:

Man ‘Rescued’ After Getting Trapped Inside a Bookstore
“Oliver Soskice’s love of book browsing previously almost left him locked in a University library – but tonight he got the full experience of being locked in Waterstone’s”

Why Parents Need To Teach Middle-Schoolers Kindness, from the Author of ‘Wonder’
“In these days that feel a lot less kind and a lot more abrasive than many of us would like, where good examples for our children to emulate might be a little harder to find, books such as “Wonder,” by R.J. Palacio, offer a balm and a positive path for all of us to think about and discuss.”

Author Philip Pullman Announces A Follow-Up Trilogy To ‘His Dark Materials’
“The hugely successful fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials will be getting a “companion” trilogy, author Philip Pullman announced this evening. The first book of the new series, which will collectively be called The Book of Dust, is set for publication on October 19.”

Bookstores Stoke Trump Resistance With Action, Not Just Words
“In the diffuse and suddenly fierce protest movement that has sprung up on the left since President Trump took office, bookstores have entered the fray, taking on roles ranging from meeting place to political war room.”

Toronto Public Library Shedding Light on Seasonal Affective Disorder
“Two white lamps that look like props from a sci-fi film sit in the common area of the Brentwood Library. But they’re anything but common or the stuff of science fiction. They’re light therapy lamps, designed to mimic the sun and treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression that some people experience during the dark winter months.”

Literary Linking: February 6 – 10

This week’s articles cover topics including Haruki Murakami’s & Charles Dickens’ food writing, a judge who believes in the power of literature, and more!

My favorite bookish links from the week of February 6 – 10:

Haruki Murakami’s Metaphysics Of Food
“Murakami writes intricate plots with an extremely high level of emotional intelligence, but no matter how fantastical his stories are, his characters remain relatable, and food provides the balance between surrealism and normalcy. He weaves food into his stories in a mundane way that communicates the deep-seated reasons of why, how, and what we eat.”

Lessons About the iPhone, Courtesy of a Depression-Era Children’s Book
“Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and other classics by Virginia Lee Burton capture a bias in the way people look at technological innovation.”

It Was The Best Of Fries, It Was The Worst Of Fries: Charles Dickens, Food Scribe
“If you’re searching for a tasty glimpse into Victorian victuals, the novels of Dickens will satisfy your craving. He generously sprinkled vivid images of food into his books, often describing the most minute details of a character’s meal.”

Teenagers Who Vandalized Historic Black Schoolhouse Are Ordered to Read Books
“After five teenagers defaced a historic black schoolhouse in Virginia with racist and anti-Semitic graffiti last year, a judge handed down an unusual sentence. She endorsed a prosecutor’s order that they read one book each month for the next 12 months and write a report about it.”

Rereading Is Here! Let’s Say It Again. Rereading Is Here!
“Rereading is such a core part of many of [Goodreads’] readers’ lives that having a better way to keep track of the times you’ve read a book has been your number one feature request. Starting today, that wish has been granted…”

Literary Linking: January 30 – February 3


This week’s articles cover topics including: rereading Orwell’s 1984, Austen & Freud toothpaste, A.A. Milne’s home on the market, and more!

My favorite bookish links from the week of January 30 – February 3:

NYPL Staff Picks 2017
“True stories, tales of courage, historical romances, edge-of-your seat thrillers… There’s a huge world of books out there. [The NYPL] expert staff members pick out their favorites to help you find your next one.”

You, Too, Will Love Big Brother: A Life Of Reading And Rereading ‘1984’
“The adjective ‘Orwellian’ gets tossed around with abandon these days. It’s become such a cliche that the intensity of the original experience, the layers of thought and meaning, can get lost in the noise — so I invite you to pull up a chair (in that little alcove the telescreen can’t see), pour yourself a glass of oily ersatz Victory Gin, and dive in. You, too, will find yourself rolling down that glorious corridor. You, too, will love Big Brother.”

Freshen Up With Jane Austen and Sigmund Freud-Themed Toothpastes
“Believe it or not, there’s more to the world of toothpaste than mint. Aside from children’s fruit-flavored toothpaste, there are also wacky options like cupcake, wasabi, and—a bit more abstractly—Jane Austen and Sigmund Freud.”

Making Your Own House at Pooh Corner — Author A.A. Milne’s Home Is for Sale
“Now the home of the man who wrote that and the other Pooh stories, A.A. Milne, could be yours. Cotchford Farm, where author A.A. Milne wrote the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet and the rest is being sold by British real estate company Savills for $2.38 million.”

Librarians Ponder the Future Under Trump
“In his opening keynote at the 2017 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta, just hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, W. Kamau Bell made a plea to librarians: don’t let Trump’s vision of America become the new normal.”