Headin’ across the Snake River “Smile”

One more note on this gray morning:  I’m traveling across the state later today, for a writing workshop tomorrow presented by author Teresa Jordan (Riding the White Horse Home, Cowgirls) as part of the American Folklore Society’s annual conference being held in Boise.

Then on Thursday, I’ll be participating in the annual retreat of the Idaho Commission on the Arts — the first meeting in my third term of service to the ICA, a role I am extremely honored to fill.

Liz Alva Rosa, just back from a quick trip with her children to see her father in Portugal, will be holding down the fort at Dark Horse Books for the next couple of days.

Pop on by and say hello and check out the HUGE assortment of Halloween things we have in! Also, there’s still plenty of bargain books to check out, and at super $$-saving prices.

I never mind being gone with such good help.

Liz is a better recommender than I am on many fronts — she’s  super familiar with kids books, parenting titles and just about everything literary, too (she’s even read the entire Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, which definitely qualify as big books — see earlier post from today) – so enjoy having someone else behind the counter!

I’ll see you Friday! — jeanne

Read Full Post »

A bit about big books

If you have never read a book that could double as a doorstopper, well, this is my two cents this morning — you just might try it!

Starting with Gone With the Wind, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Ben-Hur — the first “big books” I remember reading at a pretty young age –I’ve always loved epic fiction. And that hasn’t changed over the decades; once in a while, only a tome of at least six- or seven-hundred pages will do.  (Thinking back, was I even 13 yet when I devoured those one single summer, all read by flashlight in bed after it was time for lights out in our household? )

I especially relish long books with rich historical detail, like those by Edward Rutherford (The Forest, Sarum, London, Russka), the Herman Wouk books about WW2 (Winds of War and War and Remembrance), and Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth (I liked the follow-up World Without End just as much, even though it didn’t earn Oprah’s seal of approval). Although I don’t remember ever actually FINISHING  War and Peace, American classics like Sacajawea, Lonesome Dove and Roots remain favorites, too.  

Margaret George has contributed her share to the big book scene (Memoirs of Cleopatra, Helen of Troy, The Autobiography of Henry VII, etc), and though I haven’t tackled it yet, Shantaram comes highly recommended by DHB staffers Lorene Bagley-Kane and Danielia Kotler. And of course the last Harry Potter books certainly qualify in length and complexity of story.

I just finished No Angel by Penny Vincenzi, a recommend by a customer about a patrician British family prominent in publishing which starts pre-World War One. This one weighs in at more than a pound and a half (and that’s in paperback!)  Now I’m fully into Something Dangerous, the second book of the Lytton Family Trilogy, another big book which brings the Jazz Era of the 1920s to life and  proceeds into WW2.  I’m holding off ordering Into Temptation, the third one, at least for a couple of weeks, as I might need to squeeze in some other (shorter!) books in the meantime…

What’s your favorite big book?  Let us know so we can make sure it’s on our shelves.

If you don’t have one, and if you’re looking for something new and hearty, don’t be  intimidated by poundage. Give such a book a chance, and I think you’d find yourself all wrapped up in some interesting storyline quicker than you can say “What page are you on???”

Read Full Post »

On calendars, crackers and creepy stuff

Happy Saturday! Hope this finds you well and warm.

Wanted to remind you all that we have a nice assortment of 2010 calendars, including the ever-popular We ‘Moon and three new ones from Crane Creek Graphics (next door in Wilson, Wyoming), which we haven’t carried before.  (Sorry, having trouble posting the pictures of them.)

Someone asked me this week why we rarely had good ol’ fashioned cookies on our treat table anymore. The answer is — popular demand!  We have had many (MANY) parents ask that we keep the nibbles to saltines, graham crackers and other kind of things with not-so-much sugar. And now we have a secret supply of gluten-free crackers, too — so if this is better for your youngster, please ask!

Lastly, it’s 10/10 (can you believe it?) so that means Halloween is just three weeks away. We’ve ordered in some wonderful spooky titles for youngsters of all ages, everything from It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown to Berenstein Bears and the Spooky Tree (with Goosebumps and Bailey School Kids thrown in for good measure.) Come on by if your Halloween collection needs some new titles!

Read Full Post »

Bargain book bonanza!

Liz hard at work -- she checked in half of the boxes in just about five hours the day they arrived! Of course it took me a week to finish up the rest...

The 30 boxes of bargain books we received at the end of September have all been priced and are on display at the bookstore.

There’s a little bit of everything, including some terrific natural history, regional and wildlife titles (along with plenty of biographies, novels, kids books, postcard sets, along with my new favorite, poster catalogs!) – and some wonderful ideas for holiday gift-giving.

Never too early to think Christmas (especially with this morning’s snow here in Teton Valley….)  You’ll want to shop early for best selection, so come check ‘em out!

Read Full Post »

Ya missed it?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynna Howard (at left) and Leland Howard (with hat, at right) gave a top-notch multi-media presentation of their trademarked show Art Meets Adventure at Dark Horse Saturday night, all about their most recent book from Caxton Press, Backcountry Roads Idaho.  The slide-show took us all from the Owyhee canyonlands to Lemhi Pass, with shots from all seasons and detailed (often funny!) descriptions of their experiences finding the 30-plus “expeditions” highlighted in the book .

We had a small but appreciative audience (I’m blaming it on the beginning of spud break and probably our last good weekend for folks to actually get out there on those backcountry roads themselves!)  

Of course, we have signed copies of their book at 10% off through this week.  This makes a wonderful gift for anyone who loves the Gem State. Call to reserve a copy, and/or pop on by and check it out!

Read Full Post »

Much in the media….

I always love it when I see something that talks about the fact that in spite of all our technological ways to gather information, people still like to READ, and that independent bookstores around the country are still thriving.

Thanks to Bob Heneage, who gave me a copy of a recent issue of The Economist magazine, which discussed “the rising vogue for shopping near home” and the tale of two bookstores in Austin, Texas, BookPeople and Waterloo Records, who successfully fought against the city subsizding a new Borders which would have been located directly across the street from the existing stores. The two competitiors called in a consulting firm (Civic Economics) to show that more of the money spent at their stores stayed in Austin.  This piece is worth reading (click here for the on-line version.)

If the concept sounds familiar, it’s similar to what the folks at the 3/50 Project have found out, and that we practice when we recommend that shoppers at Dark Horse also head over to Habitat, Guchiebird’s, Yostmark, Big Hole Music, the Wardrobe, Corner Drug, MagPie, Mountain Knits, Peaked Sports, and all over our favorite local restaurants.   

In another encouraging article Peter spotted for me, Newsweek magazine recently had a list of “25 Things You Need to Know Now” — number two on the list is the fact that “Books aren’t dead” which details two things: that the number of books in print is up (it’s risen 38 percent each of the last two years in comparison to the previous year) and that a number of major universities (i.e., University of Michigan, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania) are all selling publishing rights to the contents of their own libraries. (Most will be available “on-demand” and yes, some of them may even be in digital format.)  It concludes: “Publishing’s obituary may be, much like Mark Twain’s, premature.” You can read the full piece by clicking here.

Lastly, someone asked me yesterday why we didn’t have a link to the New York Times Sunday Book Review on the Dark Horse Books blog – so, this seemed like a good time to post it as well.  Click here to read the most recent reviews (or to find an archived review.)

Happy reading!  See you at the store soon — and do call if you want us to save a seat for Saturday’s event with Leland and Lynna Howard.

Read Full Post »

Art Meets Adventure™

Photographer Leland Howard and writer Lynna Howard will bring their exciting multi-media presentation Art Meets Adventure™ to Dark Horse on Saturday, September 26. The event will begin at 7 p.m. and include a reception and booksigning of their most recent publication, Backcountry Roads—Idaho.

Published by Caxton Press of Caldwell, the Howards’ book includes more than 100 photographs, GPS coordinates, 30 color maps, and detailed descriptions of expeditions for would-be explorers.

To me, this book is a rarity – a guidebook that is also a work of art—a valuable tool for anyone who wishes to experience firsthand the rugged beauty of scenic Idaho. 

Leland and Lynna are a brother-and-sister team who live in Shelley — they’re connected to Teton Valley, though, because another of their siblings, Isabel Waddell, makes her home here, operates Allstate Insurance, and is also an active participant in the Teton Valley Women’s Book Club. FYI: several years ago, Lynna wrote a piece about Driggs for Idaho Magazine, and Leland has competed in numerous juried art shows presented by the Teton Arts Council.

Art Meets Adventure™ is expected to provide both a visual and auditory feast; Leland’s slides are projected from medium-format originals, a technological achievement that provides audiences with a high-resolution view, accompanied with Lynna’s narration.

Idaho is crisscrossed by thousands of miles of seldom-traveled roadways, and some of the most striking features of the Gem State can only be enjoyed by exploring off the beaten track, the two say. Their book  is intended to make those remote roads more accessible to tourists and Idaho natives alike.

The entire state is covered within the Howards’ book.  Many of the featured expeditions include tips for photographers, as well as information related to hunting, fishing, biking, hiking, boating, rock climbing, traveling in a 4×4, and over-snow winter travel. History buffs will delight in tours that include Idaho’s “outdoor museums” of mining, logging, Native American culture, and Lewis & Clark’s 1805-1806 expedition. 

Backcountry Roads—Idaho,  a 240-page softbound book,  regularly retails for $27.95 but will be discounted 10% to purchasers at the bookstore throughout September as part of this month’s sale on all titles with an author’s autograph.

To reserve a copy or to make special seating arrangements, give us a call! Hope to see you here for this fun event!

Read Full Post »

This Thursday!

Just heard about this — Christopher McDougall, author of the best-seller Born to Run will be doing a presentation and book signing at Dreamchasers Outdoor Adventure (Lisa Smith-Batchen’s new storefront south of the stoplight) tomorrow night, Thursday Sept. 10th at 6 p.m. 

Lisa wrote his appearance here came up last minute –  Teton Valley benefits!

FYI: We only have a few copies here at Dark Horse right now – if you want one, call us ASAP (we’ll be ordering more, but can’t be here overnight.)

Here’s what Lisa sent about Chris’ book, which is subtitled A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen:

“Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question:  Why does my foot hurt?  In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.

“Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tamarah’s Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tamarah’s immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence.

“With the help of Cabal lo Bianco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the  author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tamarah’s but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.

“With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. 

“Born to Run is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

“For more information contact Lisa at 208-787-2077.”

Read Full Post »

Get wild at Storytime Saturday!

                                                                                                      

A quick reminder — Storytime takes place this Saturday, Sept. 5th, at 11 a.m. We’re only going to do ONE book — Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak — but that should be plenty as we are ALL going to “act out” the story.  (And there might be a surprise or two in store.!  Everybody plan to play each of the characters and each of the scenes in this perennial favorite. (And remember, all kids and parenting titles — everything in the yellow room — is 10% off all day. And all month we’re doing 10% off autographed titles. )

See you here!

Read Full Post »

Coming up…

We’ve had such a busy summer — and now that September’s almost here, we’re all set to have a busy fall, too. Our ad in the Valley Citizen outlines the dates: as far as details go, remember that titles autographed by author include local favorites like Trail to Table Mountain by Kelley Coburn and I Always Did Like Horses and Women by Earle Layser and Damnyankee by Tom Walsh; Pin-Ups is the fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness sponsored by the Teton Arts Council; Storytime will be all about Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (prepare to get wild and act out the story, kiddos!),; the book-club book is Moloka’i by Allan Brennert; and lastly Art Meets Adventure features Lynna Howard and Leland Howard, authors of Backcountry Idaho. It’ll be a great month — see you here!

Read Full Post »