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Titcomb's Bookshop Newsletter
May 2011
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Titcomb's Bookshop
(508) 888-2331
Email Us!
HOURS:
Mon-Sat 9am-6pm
Sunday 11am-5pm
*We will be open until 7pm on May 3rd, the release date of
The Kane Chronicles Book Two: The Throne of Fire*
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Staff Happenings
We all watched this year's exciting Boston Marathon but did you know that Margaret has run the Boston Marathon *five* times? On Saturday, April 30th, she ran in the Providence Marathon - which was her 22nd! Go Margaret! |
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Mother's Day
Sunday, May 8th
Though we've been busy getting ready for our Rick Riordan event on May 8th, we haven't forgotten about the moms out there! There are so many great books out there that honor mothers. Here are a few of our favorites:
For You Mom, Finally
by Ruth Reichl
Reichl--a former New York Times restaurant critic, editor of Gourmet, and author of three bestselling memoirs--examines her mother's life and gives voice to the unarticulated truths of a generation of exceptional women. *After reading the memoir, your mom can then meet Ruth Reichl at Sandwich High School on Thursday, August 18th at 7:00pm. Co-sponsored with Sandwich Reads Together*
The Little Book for Moms
Edited by Lena Tabori and Alice Wong
This beloved classic's 10th anniversary edition features a fresh cover design, new art, and a new introduction. Ideal for moms who don't want their little ones to miss out on classic tales, this book contains fairy tales, nursery rhymes, stories, and early 20th-century illustrations.
A Knitter's Home Companion: A Heartwarming Collection of Stories, Patterns, and Recipes
by Michelle Edwards,
photographed by Jen Gotch
One of this month's staff picks, A Knitter's Home Companion is the perfect Mother's Day gift for a knitter.
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Graduation Presents
With both high school and college commencements just around the corner, we've stocked up on some of the most requested graduation gift books.
For the college bound the advice books range from the practical - like College Rules! 3rd Edition: How to Study, Survive and Succeed in College ($14.99) - to the fun - like The Naked Roommate: and 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into In College ($14.99) - to wise advice from your peers - like Been There, Should've Done That: 995 Tips for Making the Most of College ($10.99).
For those who are graduating college and are about to make their way out into the world, we carry the popular 101 Things I Learned series, which offers advice from specialists in a variety of fields like architecture, film, fashion, business. ($15.00)
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Author Joan Anderson has been a longtime friend of Titcomb's Bookshop. She's running some great retreats for women. For more information, visit her
website.
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Shop Local Weekend in Sandwich!
May 14th - May 15th
Shopping locally not only makes good sense - it's also fun! Local businesses have planned a weekend of sidewalk sales and other events for the weekend of May 14-15. We'll have a sidewalk sale and will host radio personality and author Howie Carr on Sunday, May 15 from 5-7 p.m. For more information, go to
www.shopsandwichfirst.com
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There is an excitement around the shop when daylight savings kicks in and we get a glimpse of the long sunshine-filled summer days ahead. The out-of-town visitors come by, and there's a buzz among us staff members about all the upcoming author visits. But summer seems to have come early for us this year. What a month of wonderful events we have planned! We hope you will join us as we welcome Rick Riordan, Henry Winkler, Howie Carr and others to our bookshop this May.  Have we ever told you what fun it is for us when we get to host authors whose work we admire? Someone people have been asking for time and time again? Rick is a #1 bestselling children's author and his books are on required school reading lists across the country - including the
Sandwich Public Schools. 
Howie Carr was here about 5 years ago and people still ask us if he will be coming back. He proved to be warm and kind to every single person who came to the shop to meet him. 
And Henry Winkler!!! You couldn't find a nicer person in this world, a man who has truly used his fame and popularity to raise awareness about learning disabilities - and now fly-fishing! He changed lives when he came here several years ago and we can't wait to see him again. (Some of us didn't wash our cheeks for weeks after he kissed us!!) Events such as these would not be possible without the support of our wonderful community. We are partnering on a number of events this spring and summer with the Sandwich Public Library, Sandwich Public Schools, Sandwich Reads Together and others. As always, the support of these wonderful groups has made it possible for us to attract and host a truly stellar group of authors to Cape Cod. |
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Upcoming Events  *Ticketed Event*
Book Talk and Signing with Rick Riordan, author of The Kane Chronicles Book 2: The Throne of Fire Sunday, May 8th, 2:00pm, Sandwich High School Rick Riordan, author of the hugely popular Percy Jackson & The Olympians series, comes to Sandwich to discuss the latest installment in The Kane Chronicles. Tickets are $5 per person and seating is limited. Tickets include a coupon for $5 off The Throne of Fire ($18.99). Costumes are encouraged! Co-Sponsored with Sandwich Public Library and Sandwich Public Schools. Please Note: We will be open until 7pm on May 3rd, the day The Throne of Fire releases!
 Men's Book Club- Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
Thursday, May 12th, 9:30am The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt. Though her life spanned fewer than 40 years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world.
 Navigating ADHD: Your Guide to the Flip Side of ADHD - Author Signing and Reception
Friday, May 13th 7:00pm Please join authors Tracey Bromley Goodwin and Holly Oberacker as we celebrate the publication of a very insightful and informative new book on ADHD. Navigating ADHD ($15.99) is a beacon for parents and children alike. Holly, an art therapist, and Tracey, an educational consultant and coach, provide numerous examples and hands on solutions to the challenges of ADHD. (By the way, as were planning this event, we realized that we have three really exciting signings this month that deal with learning disabilities. This reception with Holly and Tracey is one of them. Did you know that Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series features a main character with learning disabilities? Rick made the stories up to tell his son, who had ADHD and dyslexia. Henry Winkler's life was very much affected by his struggles with dyslexia and the main character in his warm and funny Hank Zipzer stories for children has problems learning.)  Book Talk and Signing with Howie Carr, author of Hitman: The Untold Story of Johnny Martorano: Whitey Bulger's Enforcer and the Most Feared Gangster in the Underworld
Sunday, May 15th, 5pm-7pm The radio talk-show sensation, crime reporter, and Boston Herald columnist has written a new book Hitman: The Untold Story of Johnny Martorano: Whitey Bulger's Enforcer and the Most Feared Gangster in the Underworld ($25.99; our price $20.79). The signing line will be numbered and numbers will be given out with book purchase. We will also have copies of Howie's other book, The Brothers Bulger, for sale. Contact us to place your order and reserve a place in the signing line.  Book Club - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Tuesday, May 17th, 7:00pm Ever since its publication 1847, Jane Eyre has enthralled every kind of reader, from the most critical and cultivated to the youngest and most unabashedly romantic. We revisit this heralded classic in our monthly book club.  Book Talk and Signing with Henry Winkler, author of I've Never Met an Idiot on the River
Saturday, May 21st, 7:00pm, Sandwich High School Henry Winkler, well known actor, producer, director, author, and all around nice guy has written a wonderful new memoir and photography book about the impact of fly fishing on his life. Henry is also the author of 17 Hank Zipzer novels for children. This wonderfully funny series for children ages 7-12 features the adventures and friends of a boy who struggles in school but meets life's challenges head on. Admission is $2 per person at the door; children ages 13 and under are free. This event is being co-sponsored with Sandwich Public Library and Sandwich Reads Together, which are celebrating memoirs this year with their program, "So Many Ways to Tell Our Story, So Many Stories to Tell!" For more information, visit www.sandwichreadstogether.org  Book Talk and Signing with Stauffer Miller, author of Cape Cod and the Civil War: The Raised Right Arm
Saturday, May 28th, 10:00am Join historian Stauffer Miller for a fascinating discussion about Cape Cod in the Civil War ($19.99), which includes the four bloody battles that led to considerable loss for Cape Codders. Cape Cod recruiting officers often urged soldiers to "raise the right arm of the old Bay State," and many heeded the call. Stauffer Miller was a resident of the Cape for a number of years and now resides in Virginia. His interest in Cape Cod and the Civil War sprang from his membership in a local Civil War Roundtable.
 Statue Welcome!
Sunday, June 5th, 1pm-4pm This past year we've been overwhelmed with all of your generous concern for the wrought iron statue (which the Cape Cod Times and our customers have dubbed "Ben") that has stood in front of the bookshop for the past 38 years. He's been welded, sandblasted, galvanized, primed and now is in the process of being painted by Nancy Titcomb, who has kept him looking good for many years. Are we excited? Yes! We've missed him! So we're thrilled to finally say that we will officially welcome the old man back on Sunday, June 5 from 1-4 p.m. Please stop by as we celebrate the grand unveiling at 2:00 p.m. We'll be taking a picture of everyone with the statue and we'd love to have to bring out the wide angle lens! We'll have cake and other refreshments as well. Hope to see you then! |
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Staff Picks
Adult Fiction  From Karen: Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks ($26.95; our price: $21.56) This amazing book by bestselling author Geraldine Brooks is based partly on the true story of the life of Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard. He grew up on Martha's Vineyard in the 1600s, during a time when the native and white populations were struggling to live together in peace and learn from each other, the natives more open-minded at he differences in their spiritual beliefs than the whites, who sought to convert them to Christianity. The title refers to the struggle of Caleb in reconciling his native beliefs to his newfound Christian beliefs. Ms. Brooks convincingly tells the story in the language of the time, and I felt transported to the windswept island and the mucky, shantytown of early Cambridge, Harvard yard. Here is some amazing info: after Caleb, the next Martha's Vineyard Wampanoag to attend Harvard is Tiffany Smalley, graduating THIS year! Here is a link to a fascinating article about Tiffany and the archaeological dig at the site of the original Indian School at Harvard, where Caleb studied! http://www.mvgazette.com/article.php?14242
 From Rita: When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt ($14.99) This story takes place in the late 19th century telling of a poor Italian 16 year old girl named Irma. Irma's mother's last words to her before she died was, that for Irma to leave their Italian village dooms her to die among strangers.Circumstances force Irma out of her Italian home and cross the ocean to America. She used her needlework skills to find a job in Cleveland and later moves to Chicago and is hired as a dressmaker. While in Chicago she meets an Italian nurse and this meeting sends Irma west to California to pursue a new dream.This is a book filled with adventure, sadness and hope. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy stories on immigration to America. This would make for a good book club discussion book.
 From Vicky: 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson ($25.95; our price: $20.76) There's something about a WWII love story!! 22 Britannia Road is the story of a young Polish couple, separated for years by war. In a world turned upside down, Janusz ends up in England during the war while his wife, Silvana, pregnant with their child, is left to fend for herself, hiding in the woods until the war is over. The year of war have changed them, and the story of their reunion and attempts to make a new life in England after the war as husband, wife and son are often poignant and unforgettable.
 From Elizabeth: The Red Garden by Alice Hoffman ($25.00; our price: $20.00) This latest tale by Hoffman is for all of us who are fans of her Blackbird House which traces the history of a house from one inhabitant to another. It is the story of a small town in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. In 1750 a young bride, Hallie Brady braves unusually cold weather and an encounter with a bear to establish a homestead. She creates a garden where only red plants grow and it becomes the central character in a series of inter-related stories over a period of three hundred years. The vivid characters include a folk hero who plants apple trees, a reclusive poet who falls in love with a blind man and a Civil War veteran. These and other inhabitants of the town will linger in your mind long after you finish the book.
Adult Nonfiction From Elizabeth: A Knitter's Home Companion: A Heartwarming Collection of Stories, Patterns, and Recipes by Michelle Edwards, photographed by Jen Gotch ($17.95) This is a perfect Mother's Day gift for a knitter. I love this wonderful collection of stories, patterns and recipes by children's book illustrator and essayist Michelle Edwards. You will want to read her book suggestions, try the recipes, create the projects and share the stories. The reader will be very grateful that Edwards' mother taught her to knit!  From Karen: In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson ($26.00) Another fascinating book from Mr. Larson, I think I've read them all. This one follows the Dodd family, William Dodd having just been assigned as the first American ambassador to Hitler's Germany. At first the family, Mr. Dodd, his wife, son, and free-thinking (and living) daughter Martha, are all quite impressed by Berlin, and Germany in general. Martha especially, seems to have fallen in love with the country and it's people, and is sympathetic to the Nazi's, believing Hitler has made great strides in restoring Germany after WWI. As time passes, they all realize the horror hiding behind it all. Martha, known for her numerous love affairs (including a Communist Soviet, the USSR attempted to recruit her, she was later forced to flee the US during the McCarthy era), later became inextricably linked to the Communist Party. A fascinating look at U.S. policies & government opinions during the years leading up to the Second World War. (May 10th)
 From Vicky: Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incrediblea Rescue Mission of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff ($26.99) This is an absolutely gripping true WWII survival story in New Guinea. In 1945, a group of military men and women flew over treacherous mountains to a long hidden valley inhabited by tribesmen rumored to be cannibals who had never had contact with the outside world. The plane crashed, killing all but two men and one woman. The story of how they survived, interacted with the native people and were rescued is fascinating. This is a great read!
Children's Books  From Edye: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall ($16.99) Well, Jeanne Birdsall has done it again. She has captured true sense of "family" with the four Penderwick sisters in this third book of the series. This time, the girls travel with their aunt to a Maine cottage for summer vacation. Of course, their "honorary brother," Jeffrey, joins the trip. As the days pass, the children share fun, heartbreak, and laughter as they continue coming of age. A treasure of a book. I laughed. I cried. This series is a modern classic in children's literature. (May 10th)
 From Vicky: Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed Their World by Allan Drummond ($16.99) Sometimes even grownups love to learn from picture books. I loved this true story of the island of Samso in Denmark, which has become almost completely energy independent through the use of wind power, solar power and other renewable sources of energy. This inspiring book tells the story of a teacher who led the way and includes lots of information on renewable and nonrenewable energy. Wonderfully illustrated by the author. Ages 6-9.
Picture Books  From Vicky: I adore Paul Galdone's versions of classic children's folk tales, including The Little Red Hen and The Three Bears (each $8.99 in hardcover). His illustrations perfectly match these stories all children should know. The books have just been reprinted with beautiful gold details on the covers. These will make wonderful gifts to keep and treasure. Who could resist them?? Quoting the cat and the dog and the mouse to the Little Red Hen, "Not I!"
 The Voyage of Turtle Rex by Kurt Cyrus ($16.99) A baby sea turtle is born on a primeval beach. Enormous enemies surround her from from the moment she scrabbles out of her shell. Dinosaurs!! When she reaches the water, she faces even more dangers. Mosasures! Plesiosaurs! Oh, my!! Children will love the story, which is told in rhyme and shows a circle of life which continues to the present day.
 The Queen of France by Tim Wadham; illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton ($16.99) This is an utterly delightful story of a little girl named Rose who decides she is the Queen of France. As she goes through the day, her interactions with her loving and patient parents, both as the Queen of France and their daughter, are so sweet and true. The illustrations are absolutely charming and perfect, too. Reading this book is almost as good as eating a croissant!
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New and Recommended
Adult Fiction
 The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon ($24.99; our price: $19.99) In 1968, Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and Homan, an African-American deaf man, are locked away in an institution. Deeply in love, they escape, and find refuge in the farmhouse of a retired schoolteacher and widow. But the couple is not alone--Lynnie has just given birth to a baby girl. And so begins the 40-year epic journey of Lynnie, Homan, Martha, and baby Julia--lives divided by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet drawn together by a secret pact and extraordinary love.
 The Love of My Youth by Mary Gordon ($25.95; our price: $20.76) Miranda and Adam, high-school sweethearts now in their late fifties, arrive by chance at the same time in Rome, a city where they once spent a summer deeply in love, living together blissfully. At an awkward reunion, the two--who parted in an atmosphere of passionate betrayal in the 1960s and haven't seen each other since--are surprised to discover that they may have something to talk about. Both have their own guilt, their sense of who betrayed whom, and their long-held interpretation of the events that caused them not to marry and to split apart into the lives they've led since--both are married to others, with grown children. For the few weeks they are in Rome, Adam suggests that they meet for daily walks and get to know each other again. Gradually, as they take in the pleasures of the city and the drama of its streets, they discover not only what matters to them now but also more about what happened to them long ago.
 The Rebellion of Jane Clarke by Sally Gunning (now in paperback! $13.99) We're very happy to announce that Cape Cod author Sally Gunning's third historical novel is now out in paperback. This latest book takes readers into the heart of Revolutionary War-era Boston, where young Jane Clarke has been sent to care for her great-aunt Gill after refusing to marry the man her loyalist father has chosen for her. Not long after settling into her aunt's house near the British Custom House, Jane is thrust into the milieu of violence and intrigue that eventually leads to a declaration of independence by the American colonists. She befriends the bookseller Henry Knox and meets John Adams, who employs her brother as a clerk. As tensions mount, Jane watches the men around her grow more aggressive in their aversion to British rule, and less concerned with truth. When she is caught up in the Boston Massacre, she must come to terms with the importance of honesty over personal and political passions.
 The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender (now in paperback! $15.00) On the eve of her ninth birthday, unassuming Rose Edelstein bites into her mother's homemade lemon-chocolate cake and discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste her mother's emotions in the slice. To her horror, she finds that her cheerful mother tastes of despair. Soon, she's privy to the secret knowledge that most families keep hidden: her father's detachment, her mother's transgression, her brother's increasing retreat from the world. But there are some family secrets that even her cursed taste buds can't discern.
Adult Nonfiction  Bossypants by Tina Fey ($26.99) On her way to becoming an award-winning superstar, Tina Fey struggled through some questionable haircuts, some after-school jobs, the rise of nachos as a cultural phenomenon, a normal childhood, a happy marriage and joyful motherhood. Now she can reflect on what she's learned: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.
 The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives by Katie Couric ($26.00) In this inspirational collection, CBS News anchor Couric calls upon leaders and visionaries in the fields of politics, entertainment, sports, philanthropy, the arts, and business--all of whom share heartfelt, humorous, and useful insights about success and fulfillment. Includes contributions by Madeleine Albright, Bill Clinton, Chelsea Handler, Malcolm Gladwell, Steve Martin, and Michael Bloomberg.
 The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull and the Battle of the Little Bighorn by Nathaniel Philbrick (now in paperback! $18.00) Philbrick, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for Mayflower, presents a monumental reappraisal of the epochal clash at the Little Bighorn in 1876 that gave birth to the legend of Custer's last stand, and brilliantly explains how the battle has been shaped and reshaped by national myth.
 Life by Keith Richards (now in paperback! $16.99) The long-awaited autobiography of the guitarist, songwriter, singer, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. With his trademark disarming honesty, Richards brings the story of a life fans have all longed to know more about--unfettered, fearless, and true.
 Seeds: One Man's Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers from Faulkner to Kerouac, Welty to Wharton by Richard Horan (paperback original - $14.99) From the wooded road made of golden hemlock running past L. Frank Baum's childhood home to the lonely stump of Scout's oak in Harper Lee's Alabama, author Richard Horan gathers tree seeds--and stories--from the homes of America's most treasured authors. At once a heartfelt paean to literature and a wise, funny, and uplifting account of one man's reconnection with nature, Seeds celebrates Horan's triumphs and calamities on his quest to link trees with great writers--a delightfully original meditation on the nature of inspiration and a one-of-a-kind adventure into literature.
Children's Fiction
 The Emerald Atlas: Book of Beginning by John Stephens ($17.99) Kate, Michael, and Emma have passed from one orphanage to another in the 10 years since their parents disappeared to protect them, but now they learn that they have special powers, a prophesied quest to find a magical book, and a fearsome enemy.
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