"There used to be a story in my days at Cambridge of a book-collecting Don
who was fond of discoursing in public of the various crosses he had to bear. 
He was lamenting one day in Hall the unwieldy size of his library. 
'I really don't know what to do with my books,' he said, and looked round
for sympathy.  'Why not read them?' said a sharp and caustic Fellow opposite."
~ A.C. Benson, 'Books' (1906)
There are some things that make us stop and look.  Things that literally make us open our eyes wide.  Take puppies for instance.  If I see a puppy, I will cross the street, stop what I'm doing, set down whatever else is in my hands, etc.  My eyes open wide and my brain goes to mush.  There are some special kids in my life who make me do the same thing (Rose, Jon, Fern, Olive, you know who you are).  I open my eyes in excitement, and can't concentrate on whatever I was doing before I saw them!  The same thing happens when I see a beautiful book, but it has to be truly, truly special to get my total attention.  There is something emotional about a beautiful book that taps right into my emotions just like puppies do.  I want to touch the cover, smell the pages, and look at all of the details that make it a special edition.  We've got some doozies in the store right now.  Below is a list of some fabulous new arrivals, and here is a link to more big beautiful books that will make you drool. 
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 Staff   
Picks: 
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The Complete Novels of Jane Austen - This box set contains Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, and Lady Susan. 
The Enchanted Collection
-This set includes Little Women, The Wind in the Willows, Black Beauty, The Secret Garden, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.



























*The 2 above sets are normally $99.99, but we will take 50% off while the limited supply lasts!





 
New in hardcover!

From the author of The Language of Flowers comes We Never Asked for Wings.  Check out the trailer for more info.
Need to Get Away for the Holidays?

Try this article from Travel and Leisure: 12 Best Hotels for Book Lovers.  Start planning!!
 
Star Wars:


Can we talk about how crazy it is that there is a new Star Wars Movie coming out in 2 weeks?!  It seems like the announcements for this movie started so long ago, that I almost forgot about it!  Now it's REALLY almost here, and there are a few *cough all cough* of us who are so so excited!!  If you haven't seen the trailer, or just want to see it again, it's above for you! - I'll have related books for you asap.
Brand New Picks from Alex Matelski:






February 2014, William Sandford Nye or "Bill Nye The Science Guy" was part of an evolution vs creationism debate with Ken Ham. After the debate, Bill was inspired to try his best to educate Americans about the topic. Throughout this book he is very respectful to all points of view and he shows, very well, that his intention is education. Nye explicitly says he did not do this book to infringe upon the beliefs of others, but believes that America can not leave out science and evolution in schools, because of a point of view that not everyone agrees with. Undeniable does an amazing job of explaining evolution and many things about our world. It also lets you have a glimpse into the mind of Bill Nye! Now, who wouldn't want that after seeing his show? Even if an individual does not agree with Bill it is still a great chance to see what one of the greatest minds of our time.

ABCDE F You: The ABC's of Cat Ownership by Kate Cook

Do you own a cat? If you do, you will understand: cats are creatures not meant for giving love, only receiving. They will pretend to love you, or maybe they do, but this does not mean that they want you around or believe that they need you.  Welcome to an example for each letter of the alphabet. Starting with cats licking something with the first letter A and ending with the feeling you have very rarely as a cat owner and that of course starts with Z. This is all so true, and it can be the reason you hate cats, or it can be the reason you love them. For me these are the reasons I love them.

Do you know how your cat feels? I don't think anyone understands cats, they are confusing, infuriating creatures, and we love them anyway. Katie Cook has successfully captured the feelings cats get in four letter words and small beautifully done illustrations. We all know cats are angry, they don't care for anything. This is full of the terrible things cats feel and things they do. They are all in the form of postcards, so you can send the feelings of your favorite feline friend to your favorite human friend!
Found on the Shelf:

Harold at the North Pole by Crockett Johnson

Maybe you knew there was a Christmas version of Harold, but I didn't!  It's great, and a wonderful book to read with little ones every year!