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Weekly Words about BooksOCTOBER 20, 2013
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It's All In Fun:
Great Gifts For a Grin
| STILL FOOLIN' THEM: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? by Billy Crystal. This is one of the funniest and most entertaining show business autobiographies I've read in a long time. I'll confess to being a stand-up comedy fan, so I may have laughed out loud more than some of you might, but there is plenty here for any Crystal fan. Humor  certainly informs much of his success, but this is not just a book of one-liners. Crystal has stories about his movie career (When Harry Met Sally, City Slickers, Analyze This), multiple hostings of the Oscars, his "mahvelous" stint on Saturday Night Live, longtime relationships with Muhammad Ali and Mickey Mantle, and much more. Interspersed throughout this engaging memoir are hilarious reflections on growing old - Crystal is now 65 - and observations about sex, religion, politics and whatever else strikes his funny bone. Here are a couple of examples; don't worry about me giving too much away, there are laughs in every chapter.
On being an insomniac: "It actually started back when I was born. First seven days, perfect. Then day 8, they woke me up and somebody with a black hat and beard cut off the tip of my penis. I've been up ever since."
Things that aggravate him: "I am really annoyed at teachers who have sex with students. STOP! It seems like once a week you hear of a 35-year-old math teacher who had sex in her car with some 16-year-old. I am furious. Where was she when I was growing up?"
GRUMPY CAT: A Grumpy Book. About a year ago, Grumpy Cat became an internet sensation after her photo was posted by her owners on Reddit. Many people argued that the photo had been photoshopped, so the owners posted a few videos on YouTube. The videos went viral and the rest is history.
 Grumpy Cat's real name is Tarder Sauce. Her unique visage isn't a characteristic of an exotic breed - it's just what she looks like. And that look has proved to be quite popular and lucrative, as Grumpy Cat has her own website, merchandise, and probably an agent at this point. And now, a book featuring Grumpy Cat and her famous feline frown is available. It features both new and classic photos, along with grump-inspiring activities and games, and it makes a fun and reasonably priced ($12.95) gift for cat lovers and grouches.
| EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED FROM A LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK by Diane Muldrow. The author is a longtime editor of the iconic Little G olden Books, and she's matched small, gentle tips about life (Don't forget to enjoy your wedding! Be a hugger. Frolic.) with original illustrations from more than 60 Little Golden stories including The Poky Little Puppy, We Help Mommy, Scuffy the Tugboat, and The Little Red Hen. Plus, the illustrations represent the work of some of the book world's best artists over the course of the 70+ years that Golden Books has published - the likes of Richard Scarry, Garth Williams, Eloise Wilkin, and many more. The book is hitting bestseller lists, fueled by its deceptively simple but timely messages and the inevitable nostalgia that Little Golden Books evoke.
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Poetry Makes the Bestseller List
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| DOG SONGS: Thirty-Five Dog Songs and One Essay by Mary Oliver. This collection of  poems old and new offers a revealing portrait of Pulitzer Prize-winner Mary Oliver's relationship to her canine companions over the years. Born in Ohio and living for years in New England, the prolific poet's work is influenced by her love of nature and the imagery it inspires on her daily walks - most made with four-legged companions.
Here's an excerpt from Dog Songs:
BENJAMIN, WHO COMES FROM
WHO KNOWS WHERE
What shall I do?
When I pick up the broom
he leaves the room.
When I fuss with kindling he
runs for the yard.
Then he's back, and we
hug for a long time.
In his low-to-the-ground chest
I can hear his heart slowing down.
Then I rub his shoulders and
kiss his feet
and fondle his long hound ears.
Benny, I say,
don't worry. I also know the way
the old life haunts the new.
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Mary Oliver and friend in 2005. Photo by Rachel Giese Brown
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WHERE TO
FIND AN INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
Many of you already have a favorite local bookstore, but for those of you without such a relationship, this link will take you to a list of Northern California indie bookstores by region.
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A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME
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My name is Hut Landon. I'm a former bookstore owner who now runs the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) in San Francisco.
My goal with this newsletter is to keep readers up to date about new books hitting the shelves, share what booksellers are recommending in their stores, and pass on occasional news about the book world.
I'm not into long, wordy reviews or literary criticism; I'd like HUT'S PLACE to be a quick, fun read for book buyers. If you have any friends who you think might like receiving this column each week, simply click on "Forward this email" below and enter their email address. There is also a box in which to add a short message.
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