BLUE CYPRESS BOOKS

What's new today?

2011-11-08T13:14:00.002-06:00

It's all about the children's books. Two different ex-teacher brought in piles of barely touched Scholastic books. I'm stoked about the new Magic School Bus stack, new David Shannons, and nice selection of Thanksgiving/Christmas books. I also picked up a big stack of Magic Tree House, Horrible Harry and Harry Potter!

New and Notable Today

2011-06-21T14:57:00.004-05:00

May and June are really busy times with everyone moving around so there is a stack of new books most every day. For just today a huge lot of French children's books. These are all in really great shape and are pre-k age. I'm also loving the antiquarian set of "A Thousand and One Nights" in slipcase. I'll have to get pictures posted of that one!

UPDATE: Yeah, that set didn't last long enought for me to get photos up. :)

Antiquarian books I can't read

2011-05-02T15:18:00.006-05:00

This set arrived today and I wish I could read French. Le sigh.

Online store

2011-04-26T10:45:00.002-05:00

Even with all the local love, sometimes it's hard to find a home for some books. So I put them on ebay. Did you know I had an ebay store? Click on this link to check out some of my online books!

Happy Reading!

New and Notable Today

2011-04-22T16:06:00.009-05:00

Whew, what a busy day for bringing in books ~ everyone must have the "Spring Cleaning" need, which works out great for us!

Today's notable books:

1. The complete collection of Marilyn Ross' "Dark Shadows", all 32 volumes. Haven't decided on a price yet as there don't appear to be any complete collections on the market. Having fun doing the research . . .

2. A wonderful collection of Dover and Usborn activity books just in time for the Spring/Easter Break and the just-around-the-corner summer. Think stickers, mazes, road trip games, cut-and-assemble models, and the ever-popular (not really) "Kings & Queens of England to Color." Frankly shouldn't it be titled "Kings & Queens of England to Colour?"

Happy reading!
Elizabeth

*UPDATE: That was quick. The Dark Shadows set is gone.

New Orleans Street: A Walker's Guide to Neighborhood Architecture

2011-03-18T11:23:00.001-05:00

Hoping everyone can join us on Saturday, March 19th at 1:00 for the signing of Stephanie Bruno's popular book, "New Orleans Streets: A Walker's Guide to Neighborhood Architecture."

Despite a customer's misstatement, Ms. Bruno's book is titled as above. It is not called "The Streetwalker's Guide." :)

What I read in January

2011-02-01T14:13:00.003-06:00

The dark nights and slower weekends following the mad holiday season made for a great month of reading! Finished all these books in January:

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip by George Saunders (Illustrated by Lane Smith). This is sort of a children's book, sort of an adult book. The story is simple: Gappers, little orange balls with dozens of eyes torment the goats of the three townspeople of Frip. A change and adapt or perish sort of tale. While the story was cute, the illustrations were wonderful.

Solar - Ian McEwan. Typical McEwan: anti heroic protagonist, flat ending. Last year, this book riled up the critics last year like few others. Is it supporting or disproving global climate change? Are we supposed to like or hate the main character? Did his penis freeze and fall off?! Seriously?! Frankly, as an avid reader of McEwan's works, I'm more interested in whether or not he hates women. Or if he just hates everyone. I'd stop reading him if it wasn't so hard to stay away from his powerful prose and compelling stories. But if McEwan keeps killing it with the bad endings, he going off my favorite author's list. Except for Atonement. That will always be on the top of the "Bests" list.

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. Only picked this up (okay, it was brought to me) by someone who was crazy about the book. Not a bad read, just juvenile and at times, terribly tedious. King writing as Bachman and Golding did the same idea much better. Nothing new here.

The Girl of His Dreams - Donna Leon. This was the BCB book club selection for January. Excellent international fiction, mystery story. Not exactly difficult reading but strong, funny characters and such a lovely Venice setting.

Nada by Carmen LaForte. Ever read a classic (in this case Modern Library Edition) and thought, why oh why is this a classic? What a dud. One of the most vapid and poorly written books I've read in ages. Somehow Laforte managed to make one the time after the Spanish Civil War so damn dull. Reading this was like peaking into a young girl's diary. A stupid, boring, girl's diary filled with such insightful comments such as "I had a feeling." Really? Do tell. Or, please don't. And Llosa gave the introduction to the book but "I had a feeling" he didn't actually read this book because Llosa states that Laforte hardly brings up the Spanish Civil War when actually there is a strong story line wherein one of the characters turns in another during the war and the conflict that now stands between the. So, yeah, did you read the book Llosa?

While Standing on One Foot (Puzzle Stories and Wisdom Tales from the Jewish Tradition) by Nina Jaffe and Steve Zeitlin. A brief introduction into some of the historical and contemporary Jewish thinkers set in a "What Would You Do" format. Definitely a book for someone unfamiliar with Jewish fables and stories.

The Torturer's Apprentice (Stories) by John Biguenet. Big mistake setting down to read these short stories at work. I could barely contain myself after "Fatherhood" and "Rose." Weepy booksellers freak people out. These short stories were just so beautiful and poignant they left me wanting more. That's usually my quibble with short stories. If it's good, just write a novel. Thankfully Biguent has (Oyster) and it's fabulous.

The Wapshot Chronicle by John Cheever. Finally some funny New Englanders! Not that they are humorous, oh, that wouldn't do at all, but funny in a lovingly, quirky way. One of the best lines comes when a young man has gone off to seek his fortune in New York and while watching the hustle and bustle of the city reflects: "with some skepticism, even with compassion, for although you have come here to make your fortune you think of the city as a last resort of those people who lack the fortitude and character necessary to endure the monotony of places like St. Botolphs.” He's right. I do lack the fortitude and character necessary to live in a small town ~ that's why I live in New Orleans!

The favorite for this month was The Wapshot Chronicle very closely followed by Biguenet stories. Looking forward to next month's reading, though Mardi Gras is sure to cut into the reading time.

Happy reading y'all!

Elizabeth

Author signing and discussion

2011-01-10T10:36:00.001-06:00

Please join us on Thursday, January 13th at 6:00 here at the shop to read, discuss and celebrate Tara Jill Ciccarone's newest work "From Beyond The Pale - the lost child's guide to wayward lands."

Moving books around.

2010-12-18T10:19:00.002-06:00

This week went somewhat like this: Five new bookcases?! Where to start?

So, let's move, the Art books to the back next to the Photography. However, that means we have to move Reference/Dictionaries/Reading over one case. Umm, now we have to move Travel/Travelogues over a case. Whew, but now we have another whole bookcase for Cookbooks!

Um, but then, there is bit of extra space in Cookbooks, so maybe we need to move Regional/New Orleans cookbooks with all the others. That looks great! Except, now the New Orleans/Regional section looks terrible so let's reorganize that.

Okay, I'm exhausted but we are done right? Um, no, I found two huge stacks of Memoir/Biographies so let's move the one bookcase full to the back and expand it into two sections. However, before we do that, let's make one small reinforcement to the bookcase. Aww, $%@#, we broke the bookcase. Pull all the books off, fix the bookcase and then put the books back on. Wait, who moved them out of order? Shouldn't take long to fix (6 hours).

But WAIT, because we haven't been tormented enough, let's expand all the books in the back room so they have more space. Yeah, sounds great . . . but it's going to have to wait until next week.

Thanksgiving Special

2010-11-23T16:38:00.003-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

Opening regular business hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and offering a great post-Thanksgiving Special Sale:

15% off all our Putumayo World Music, including the super popular New Orleans Playground and New Orleans Christmas AND Basin Street Records including Kermit Ruffins fabulous "Happy Talk." This weekend only so get 'em while the getting is good!

What a Festival!

2010-11-16T09:35:00.004-06:00

Thanks so much to everyone who showed up to make this year's New Orleans Po-Boy Preservation Festival our best one yet! I'm still cleaning up shreaded lettuce and there are napkins glued to my outside wall but I couldn't be more pleased. The merchants and residents of Oak Street fought so hard to keep this Festival on Oak where it was created and nurtured. There are clearly still issues with crowds and lines, especially the bottleneck created on the 3rd block due to the huge demand for Jacques-Imo's po-boys. But again, to each and every one of you who came to see all that Oak Street had to offer, THANK YOU!

Busy weekend for the bookstore

2010-11-11T12:56:00.002-06:00

Happy to be having our first table event at this year's Healing Arts Festival this Saturday, November 13th, from 12-8 at Michauls Restaurant at 840 St. Charles Avenue. From the website:

At The Healing Arts Festival the public will not only have the chance to talk to opinion leaders, philosophers, therapists, artists, product suppliers in health, beauty, and fitness, but also to attend a wide range of fascinating and inspiring workshops and demonstrations taking place throughout the events on healing on all aspects, Art, environmental issues, philosophy and spirituality for adults and children. Our aim is to inspire the city, creating a community dedicated to sustainable, joyful,sharing, caring and creative living.

Then we roll right into our beloved New Orleans Po-boy Preservation Festival starting at 11 on Sunday, November 14th. Check out the food and drink map to see that this year's organizers finally figured out that Oak Street would be much easier to navigate if the food lines were on the side streets. People, this is THE place to be on Sunday. See ya there and don't drop too much shredded lettuce on my floor!

Healing Arts International Festival

2010-10-27T15:22:00.002-05:00

Will be there with a table full of great books!

http://www.healingartsinternational.com/festivals/

Support for Lusher libraries

2010-10-27T10:42:00.002-05:00

Lusher Parents check your Lusher Letter ~ You can now bring in your outgrown children's books (or your own gently read books) for credit that can be turned over Lusher libraries - Willow, Fortier and JCC campuses. The librarians are looking forward to shopping (Lusher Middle already has several new books on their shelves). A perfect way to help support your school library!

1st Annual Pelican Block Party

2010-10-20T10:35:00.010-05:00

Come join us this Saturday, October 23 on Oak Street for the Humane Society of Louisiana's Inauguaral Oak Street Pelican Block Party from noon to 5 p.m.

Celebrating All Things Pelican!

This event will be a celebration of the wonders of our coastal wildlife, especially the brown pelican, our state bird, area businesses will be decorating their stores with pelican-themed ornaments. Participating businesses will also donate 10% of all proceeds on this day to the Humane Society of Louisiana. You can purchase a pelican t-shirt, visit our mega-grooming salon, or enter our raffle drawing for fabulous prizes. Oak Street businesses participating include:

Curry Corner, Skip and Whistle, Oak Cafe, Zotz’s Cafe, Blue Cyprus Books, Salon Alphonse, Lil Dave’s Alterations, Carollton Jewelry and Beatrice Shops, Oak, Jacques-Imo’s, Body Bistro Spa & Salon and Glue. You can buy specialty drinks and food at Oak, Oak Cafe, Zotz’s Cafe and Jacques Imo’s.

Only On Oak!

UPDATE: I posted this before I saw the news that the Humane Society of Louisiana had endorsed David Vitter for Senate. Apparently this is the National group and not our local Louisiana group and they have been scrambling for damage control on this one. So, despite the National groups stance, don't let that keep you from supporting our hardworking local organization.

Blue Cypress Books Book Club

2010-10-19T13:02:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder the Blue Cypress Books Book Club is meeting this Sunday at 4 to read and discuss Chuck Palahniuk's "Survivor." There is still time to read and join us!

Come Get Your Craft On

2010-09-30T17:05:00.002-05:00

We are very happy to host this great crafting class:

Beginner Embroidery Class

Saturday October 9th 2-4

Learn all the basics of embroidery! Start with easy decorative stitches, discuss supplies, other resources, how to make and use hot iron on transfers, project ideas, etc.

We will also have time in the second part of the class to do some hands on practice stitching together. Practice supplies will be provided to use in class.

Class is $12. Registration is limited to only 8 people!

If you would like to register or have further questions, please contact Laura Jane Yarbrough at candlesboat@ymail.com.

New New Orleans books.

2010-09-30T10:17:00.003-05:00

It's possible went a little crazy on the book buying spree but I picked up FOUR BOXES of new New Orleans and regional books. Oh, boy. I'm sure I needed to have every book that Johnette Downing wrote, right? And maybe I didn't need both the gold version of River Road Recipes in addition to the white "original" RRR. But I definitely did need the copy of Art Blakley Cookin' and Jammin' by Sandy Warren as there is an author signing event at the Maple Leaf Bar next Sunday, the 10th from 3-5. There is something so endlessly fascinating about New Orleans and I'm glad to lose myself in the writings of people who clearly love this town.

The Awakening - Kate Chopin

2010-09-26T20:21:00.004-05:00

So glad to have another satisfying book club today. The general consensus was Kate Chopin's book remains the go-to novel on woman's search for self hood, self-discovery and identity. Chopin is almost relentless in her study on the revolt against gender conformity and against the standardized social norms of her times. Personally, I simply enjoyed how Chopin is able to bring each and every one of her characters, main and secondary, to life in just a few sentences. Brilliant. The best part of book club was when a fellow member set the stage for "What If." What if Edna had spoken to the Doctor and he'd advised she take an European sabbatical? What if Robert hadn't denied Edna? What if Robert hadn't come back from Mexico? I was a disappointed to find my edition did not have Chopin's collection of vignettes including, At Fault, as her shorts add to a greater understanding of her body of work.

Looking for these?

2010-09-23T13:32:00.005-05:00

Some very requested books just showed up today:

Steig Larsson's "The Girl Who Played With Fire"

Kathryn Stockett's "The Help"

Elizabeth Strout's "Olive Kitterage."

In addition I finally have copies of "A Howling In The Wires" Edited by Sam Jasper and Mark Folse. Haven't had a chance to read it but I've read Robin Kemp's poetry (oh, so powerful and lovely) and Mark's other work "Carry Me Home - A Journey to New Orleans". Also, this book collects Ashley Morris' best and are giving back a portion of the proceeds to his wife. I'm so glad to see the bloggers who gave me strength during those dark times being honored with this book.

Customer question of the day!

2010-09-21T19:01:00.002-05:00

"Do you have any books on lovemaking? I'm just an old brother trying to make his wife happy." - Awesome bookstore customer.

What I lifted from the shop this week.

2010-09-17T21:08:00.005-05:00

I'm probably being ambitious on the amount of reading time I have this week, but here's what I lifted from the shop this week:

The Day Road by Joseph Boyden. There hasn't been an extra copy at the shop until now. Now there is no longer an extra copy.

The Inquisitors' Manual by Antonio Lobo Antunes. Oh, if you could have heard the uproar at the shop when my Brazilian friend, Alex, swore Antunes was better than Jose Saramago (may he rest in peace)! Blasphemy! As there was no Antunes on the shelf, I thought the argument would also rest in peace. However, Alex showed up at the shop with this book in hand. I do love when someone brings The Book Lady a "MUST" read book. Alright, alright, I'll give it a shot. But I'm sure I'll be right. No one can top Jose Saramago.

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. Confession: I wasn't really impressed with The Time Traveler's Wife. Strong plot and story but the whole punk thing felt silly and false. However, I've recalled the book enough and read enough reviews of Niffengger's newest work to want to see for myself.

The Magicians by Lev Grossman. I think I stuck this on my Shelfari list after reading a review on The Onion. I'm not often driven to fantasy but I recently read two that make me want to give the entire genre more attention: The Stolen Child by Keith Donahue and The Book of Lost Things by John Connelly. One comment that turns me away from these type of books is the whole "Harry Potter for adults" and "Harry Potter but with a dark side." Please, fantasy fiction existed way before Harry Potter (no offense Mr. Potter) so stop comparing every fantasy book with children protagonists to Harry Potter.* *Gets off soapbox.

And as if all those weren't enough to keep me busy for more than a month, Mr. David Lummis, stopped by to introduce himself and show me his new book The Coffee Shop Chronicles of New Orleans. According to Swampland.com: Cultures of the South: "Lummis' tender and affectionate descriptions of New Orleans, his 'Paris of the South,' evoke Pat Conroy's lush and loving portrayal of coastal South Carolina. Yep, I'm going to read this one.

Elizabeth, Book Reader and Book Seller

Friday to Friday Sale 7/30 - 8/6

2010-07-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday!

This week's Friday to Friday Sale:

Biographies, Auto-Biographies, Memoirs

Buy 1, Get 1 Half-Off!

Friday to Friday Sale 7/23 - 7/30

2010-07-27T14:09:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday!
This week's Friday to Friday Sale:

Mystery, Thrillers, True Crime

Buy 1, Get 1 Half-Off!

Friday to Friday Sale!

2010-07-16T12:14:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday!

This week's Friday to Friday Sale:

Travel Guides, Travelogues, and Maps

Buy 1, Get 1 Half-Off!

Time to indulge in a little armchair travel.

Thinking Sara Wheeler's "Terra Incognita," an account of the seven months she spent in Antarctica is looking pretty appealing right about now.

What I read in May

2010-06-01T18:18:00.004-05:00

Just some notes on my readings for the month of May:

Olive Kitteridge (A Novel in Stories) by Elizabeth Strout. Strout won this year's Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. The book is a collection of short stories with the main character, Olive Kitteridge, tying all the stories together. Strout's writing was so lovely it almost, almost, made up for the horrible people she was writing about. Please save me from ever meeting the upright, uptight, repressed, depressed people of Maine. One character described how she "didn't like music." We weren't talking a specific genre here, just she didn't like music. Oh boy.

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. I was excited to read this book for three reasons (1) feminist (2) African-American (3) science fiction writer. This was Blue Cypress Books' book club pick for May and I'm glad we choose it. I'll confess the story of a time-traveling woman interacting with her ancestor in a terribly brutal way was riveting but in the end, the writing itself was so "he said, she said", and "then this happened" style which began to bore me. However, I'm going to read more of Butler's works before further judgement.

What the Dog Saw And Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell. It wouldn't be possible for me to love Gladwell any more than I do. I'm a huge fan of not only The Tipping Point (connector! mavens!), and Blink (changed the way the Mister and I work out our disagreements) and Outliers (practice practice practice). That said, not loving the disjointedness of these articles. Several of the articles covered the same issues more than once. Individually, these were thought provoking essays but collectively in a book, they weren't as powerful.

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. This was my light read of the month. Sittenfeld tries to claim this book isn't about Laura Bush, but please, you'd have to have been under a rock to not read this book while imagining Laura as the main character. Which makes it a little disconcerting during the sex scenes. In the end, I'm a little embarrassed that I enjoyed it as much as I did. Definitely a beach read type of book, though Sittenfeld's end of the book analysis of how responsible we are for our loved ones' actions was pretty insightful.

When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka. A lovely novella about a Japanese family's struggles during Internment. Each member of the family took a turn with their tale and while the writing was lyrical, the book felt too short and abrupt. Would have love to see these characters grow more with a full novel.

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. Once again, Fforde does not disappoint me. I've read the entire Eyre Affair series and his Nursery Crimes books. This dystopian story about a group of people who are divided into groups according to Color Perception has much of the wit and satire Fforde is famous for but this one is much darker. I didn't mind and was so pleased to find in the end this was part one of a planned trilogy. Lucky me!

The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan. Yes, I read this. Frankly I read it most every day. The garden is growing oh so well and I've been eyeballing the "moonshine" section a little too closely. Intriguing . . .

Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon. Still working on this one. Question is, will I ever finish? Gonna try again but ugg, this one, not sure.

Best of the Month: Fforde's Shades of Grey.

On my list for June:

Blessed Unrest (How the Largest Movement in the World Came Into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming) by Paul Hawken
Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami
Seeing by Jose Saramago
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Plus anything amazing that comes through the shop. Yep, I get first pick for a reason.

Happy reading y'all!

These are a few of my favorite things.

2010-05-29T11:11:00.006-05:00

A stack of 30+ immaculate French children's books. Foreign language books trickle into the shop a few at a time but this is the largest collection I've gotten in awhile. Happy me!

This huge stack of awesome audio books. Audio books are also something that trickle in here a few at a time. A timely find as I have lots of requests for audio books for the summer road trips. *Update* Since I started typing, I've already sold two. Ha!

My rocking first stickers! I'd been wanting some promotion for the store and I'd remembered seeing this in a bumper sticker version outside my shop back in August of 2008. This is how long it takes me to think of something and then get it done. But the stickers are in and you want one. You know you do. ;)

Po-boy Festival

2010-04-08T14:37:00.001-05:00

Last night, the Oak Street Main Street Association voted to move the Po-boy Preservation Festival off of Oak Street and into Palmer Park.

Check out my Facebook page to see what I think of this.

Why don't you let the Oak Street Association know what you think? Here's their link.

March Book Signings & Author Events

2010-03-11T13:04:00.003-06:00

We are really lucky to have so much going on this month. This time last year, the Oak Street construction started and that was pretty much the end of business. V E R Y slow and boring months followed. Well, a year later, we are hopping!

On this Saturday, March 13th at 2:00 o'clock, we look forward to hosting local author and potter, Casey Willems as he discusses and signs his novel "On The Run." Mr. Williams' novel is the moving coming-of- age story of Frans, a twelve-year-old boarding school student taking care of a band of ponies in 1944, when an American airman is shot down over occupied Holland. Frans rescues Bill. While trying to bring him to a safe place, they are both nearly captured by the Germans. This book tells how people survived the occupation, the hunger winter, separation, displacement, and the loss of family, friends and homes. It is a story of friendships, of people taking care of each other.

Next Saturday, March 20th, at 4 o'clock, author Erin Akey will be discussing and signing her book "After The Rain." Ms. Akey's work details the journey of one family's survival after one of the most devastating and destructive natural disasters in this country's history. However, this is not just a story of desperation but also of conquest. Despite the misery and heartache, Erin's story has a wonderful and exciting conclusion and the anticipation of a wonderful future filled with happiness and service to those who find themselves in circumstances similar to those she and her family faced.

Cornell P. Landry, author of the wildly popular children's book "Goodnight NOLA", will be signing and discussing his book on Saturday, March 27th at 11:00 a.m. Goodnight NOLA is a lovable tribute to things unique to New Orleans. People of all ages will enjoy this rhythmic salute to red beans and rice, po'boys, celebrated chefs, music, historic landmarks, the sporting scene and many other features of the Crescent City. An excellent introduction for young children and a wonderful souvenir.

Book Reading Tomorrow

2010-03-04T11:50:00.000-06:00

Zoe from Oak Street Cafe is going to be doing a fabulous reading of "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss, tomorrow, Friday at 10:30 a.m.

See you there!

Overflowing stacks!

2010-03-02T10:50:00.001-06:00

“It is completely unimportant. That is why it is so interesting!” Agatha Christie.

How did I get so many Mysteries/Thrillers?

Buy 2 get 1 free for the rest of the week!

Poetry Reading, Saturday, February 21st @ 2 p.m.

2010-02-19T10:06:00.002-06:00

Simpatico Poets Press
presents a reading
with poets Joseph Makkos
Laura Mattingly
Gina Ferrara
Daniel Kerwick
&
more
at
Blue Cypress Books
8126 Oak Street
on Sunday Feb 21st at 2pm
after this reading, head over to
the leaf

OPRAH!

2010-01-21T16:43:00.002-06:00

HOLY MOLY. Blue Cypress Books is in this month's OPRAH MAGAZINE! The article is titled 100 Things That Are Getting Better and Oak Street is featured as #12, with this little bookstore mentioned by name. WOW. Okay, WOW.

"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting." Edmund Burke

2009-12-07T14:35:00.001-06:00

Book Club updates:

Here are the selections for the entire entire year of 2010. Our meetings are held on the last Sunday of the month at 4:00, with a few date changes for holidays. The days and books are below:

January 31 - "Zeitoun" Dave Eggers
February 28 - "People of the Book" Geraldine Brooks
March 28 - "The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao" Junot Diaz
April 25 - "The Stone Diaries" Carol Shields
May 23 - "Kindred" Octavia Butler
June 27 - "Cold Mountain" Charles Frazier
July 25 - "The Haunting of Hill House" Shirley Jackson
August 29 "On The Road" Jack Kerouac
September 26 - The Awakening" Kate Chopin
October 25 - "Survivor" Chuck Palahniuk
November 21 - "Girl of Dreams" Donna Leon
No December meeting.

One change from this last year: now requesting that you kindly RSVP for the book club meetings. I will be working very hard to ensure that books are available for all months and need a little help in anticipating attendance.

"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting." Edmund Burke.

All about the Fest!

2009-11-17T14:29:00.001-06:00

Sunday's author signings set for Po-Boy Fest: Diane Grove's "Dot.Conned"; Tom Morgan's "Historic Photos of New Orleanss Jazz"; Susan Norris-Davis' "Living New Orleans 2010 Day Planner"; Karen Ocker "Ray Nagin Coloring Book"; Dean Shapiro's "Historic Photos of Steamboats on the Mississippi"; Melissa Lee Smith's "Historic Photos of New Orleans." Come support your local authors and get you Po-boy on!

Feed the meters!

2009-10-08T11:12:00.002-05:00

Our Oak Street renovations are complete with wide sidewalks, comfortable benches, beautiful trees, plenty of bike racks and a pothole free street. These are the good things. The bad things are green and money hungry: the meters. And I ain't talking 'bout the The Meters.

I watched 4 meter maids, park their city car (in a metered spot without paying, of course), divide up, and spread the tickets all around. And yes, I was 4 minutes past my allotted time and got a little present myself. They are doing this about three times a day and enjoying it.

So, please, feed the meters. Or park on the side streets. Or walk. Or take the streetcar. And if you came to see little 'ol me and paid to park, let me know, and I'll give you a little discount 'cause you shouldn't let those meters tell you what to do.

Things I'm Happy For Today

2009-09-17T11:59:00.002-05:00

1. Being busy! I get weird(er) when I have too much time on my hands.
2. Oak Street Party today. I love shaking things up and am so impressed with the hard work of all the merchants in pulling Oak Street together. I definitely feel the love.
3. Kristen Fouquet's book signing for her new book "Twenty Stories" on Friday. Great little collection of short stories and sure to be a fun time.
4. Cleared out another four boxes of books from the back room. May actually get the renovations done on time, though probably not, and I'll just have to be alright with it all.
5. Ordered several new copies of "Where The Wild Things Are" because I think the movie is going to rock.

That's not too bad before noon.

BCB Update for September 1st

2009-09-04T08:37:00.001-05:00

Greeting and Salutations! Check out what's new and happening at Blue Cypress Books!
~ Be our "FAN" on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for special online only discounts and updates.
~ The next Blue Cypress Books' book club meeting is September 27th at 4:00 where we will be discussing Cormac McCarthy's "The Road." New members are always welcome.
~ We are stocking even more Basin Street Records . Come on down and support your local musicians, like Kermit Ruffins, Jeremy Davenport and Teresa Anderson.
~ Get your books on sustainable agriculture, local gardening, whole foods cooking, and environmental stewardship at the Hollygrove Market and Farm. We have a bookcase there and a portion of sales go to supporting the market.
~And as always, we are committed to providing New Orleans with high quality, affordable used and rare books!

This Week's Updates.

2009-08-14T10:44:00.000-05:00

Greetings and Salutations! Check out what's new and happening at Blue Cypress Books -
~ Be our "FAN" on Facebook and follow us on Twitter - we love to stay in touch and you can send your book thoughts thataway. Special online discounts!
~ Blue Cypress Books' book club will meet August 30th at 4:00 to discuss Italio Calvino's "The Baron In The Trees."
~ So very happy to be sponsoring the Youth Empowerment Program's book club. Currently looking for any used copies of "A Disobedient Girl" by Ru Freeman. Visit YEP's website www.youthempowermentproject.org for more information about this great organization.
~ While, we are all about the used books we've added quite a bit of NEW books all about New Orleans. Fiction, Art, Children's Books, Travel, and more.
~ A very special THANKS to all the dedicated teachers and educators who came by this summer committed to stocking their classrooms with books for the children of New Orleans. They are being the difference!
~And as always, we are here to provide New Orleans with high quality, affordable used and rare books!

Youth Empowerment Project Sponsorship

2009-08-10T12:09:00.002-05:00

Blue Cypress Books is very proud to be a new supporter of New Orleans' Youth Empowerment Project. Any project that has this kind of success deserves our support.

BCB has committed to supporting YEP's Book Club for one year in addition to providing supplemental materials necessary for literacy and continuing education. This month's book club selection is A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman. (If anyone has a used copy they are no longer needing, please bring it down to the store and we will buy it from you.)

Quick Book Review - The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

2009-06-27T08:44:00.002-05:00

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

What I liked: Intriguing, quick moving story. Witty, sardonic, interesting characters. Great layout in epistolary style.

What I didn't like: Typical detective novel in that I saw who-done-it but didn't see why-done-it as the withholding of critical information is integral to the story style. Also, not the novel's fault at all but this "Barnes and Noble Classics" publication is terribly cheaply constructed as the corners started to turn up almost upon my touch. Also, not the novel's fault, but a product of the time in which the author lived, but the romance between the first cousins is icky. Just icky.

So glad I picked up this Dickens' contemporary and creator of the entire detective novel genre and would definitely do so again.

You never know who is going to call . . .

2009-06-18T11:42:00.000-05:00

Actual conversation:

"Blue Cypress Books, can I help you?" "Yes, do you sell pets?" "Um, pet books?" "No, pets. Specifically, I'm looking for a reptile dealer." "*long pause* No, I don't sell pets." "Well, you are listed under in Superpages.com as selling pets." "Well, thanks for letting me know, have a good one!"

Bargain Books Galore!

2009-06-11T21:03:00.003-05:00

I posted this on Facebook a couple of days ago, but neglected to cross-post. Ugg. Here goes on the 'ol blog:

"Through a generous donation, I've gotten boxes upon boxes of books. Most are former library books, with creases and wear, but some are also great works of literature and some are fun summer reads. I don't have room for them so come grab a bag, fill it up and make whatever donation you'd like knowing ALL PROCEEDS will go to KIPP: Believe College Prep on Carrollton!"

Now, quit fussing 'bout the heat and come get the books. Nice air conditioning awaits . . .

Local writers

2009-06-06T15:59:00.002-05:00

I love when local writers come into the shop. The problem is I often recognize them as I often read the words but don't pay attention to their photos. Well, one of my favorite editorial Times-Picayune writers came into the shop today. This article is an example of why he is one of my favorite writers: http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/deberry/index.ssf?/base/News/124417926144810.xml&coll=1.

Thank goodness he paid with a credit card or his face would have gotten past me and I would have missed the opportunity to tell him how much I enjoyed his work. So authors, please don't use cash.

Where Y'At Magazine Writers' Picks Blue Cypress Books!

2009-06-05T08:14:00.003-05:00

Thanks so much to Where Y'at Magazine writers for picking Blue Cypress Books as the "Best Place to Buy Used Books and Support a Small Local Business." Awesome!

REVIEW - The Condition by Jennifer Haigh

2009-05-18T13:46:00.003-05:00

So, I picked this book up on the high praise of The Onion's AV Club, a website I spend entirely too much time on. Here's what I thought:

The Condition - Jennifer Haigh. This novel is revolves around a dysfunctional New England family. The story opens in 1976 with the timeworn ritual of the summer vacation on the Cape. The story purports to revolve around the daughter Gwen's "condition", a genetic, chromosomal abnormality that will keep her tiny her whole life. However, Turner's Syndrome seems to affect all members of the McKotch/Drew family seem to suffer not from a lack of physical development, but mental and emotional growth. The father is a cliched oversexed professor who studies his family from a scientifically. The mother is a passive/aggressive prude. The oldest son is a closeted homosexual. The daughter is not so much limited by her genetic condition as her mother and father issues and her frankly, dull outlook on life. The youngest son is a middle aged stoner whose job and family are a bad joke. In all, the book is filled with unlikeable people who frankly, need to grow up. This is a classic tragic-family-secret book, ironically beautifully written. However, the self-absorbed, dull characters and especially the neatly wrapped up ending culminating with a cheap shot of September 11, made this book an unsatisfying read. C-

Frankly, I should have relied less on the official AV Club review and more on the comments section: "It does sound like a Lifetime movie."

Party On!

2009-05-12T16:51:00.002-05:00

Jumping on the party bandwagon with Oak Street Cafe and Queen of the Ball Snoballs.

Party set for this Sunday evening, from 6-9 and will include music, food and drinks. Come on down and enjoy our new road, sidewalks, benches, and bike racks!

What's Happening . . .

2009-05-07T16:38:00.000-05:00

This is the group email that went out this week . . .

Greetings and Salutations! Check out what's new and happening at Blue Cypress Books -

~ Be our "FAN" on Facebook! We love to stay in touch and you can send your book thoughts thataway.

~ Blue Cypress Books' book club will meet May 31st at 4:00 to discuss Marjane Satrapi's "Persepolis."

~ Every day new books arrive. As always, they are in the gentlest used condition with exceptionally affordable prices. Fill up your "Frequent Reader" card for free books. Don't forget we both buy and trade books!

~And as most are aware, Oak Street is still undergoing serious renovation. Our deepest thanks to those that continue to support our business and the businesses of Oak Street. Rumor has it, we are still in for another four weeks of renovation so stay tuned!

And as always, we continue to being committed to providing New Orleans with high quality and affordable used and rare books.

Oak Street Renovations

2009-04-22T12:46:00.003-05:00

Thanks so much to everyone who has checked in on me since Monday's Oak Street Renovation article: http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/oak_street_upgrade_costly_to_n.html

What I'd like to know now, is who ran off with the cobblestone? The much ballyhooed cobblestone strip running up the middle of Oak Street was ripped out last week and hauled off. Where did it go and why? Also, why are holes that were dug up three weeks ago and then refilled being dug up again? Something is going wrong with this project and not a word from the Oak Street Association, Fleming Construction, or the City. I for one, would certainly like to know how long I can expect my business to flounder.

Book Club Information

2009-04-19T14:13:00.002-05:00

This month's book club meeting is today. We will be discussing F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Super short story as we wanted to squeeze a meeting in before the chaos of Jazz Fest was upon us all!

Here is a list of the upcoming meeting dates and the books to be discussed:

Sunday, May 31st - Marjane Satrapi "Persepolis"
Sunday, June 30th - Richard Price "Lush Life"
Sunday, July 26th - Robert Olen Butler "A Good Scent From a Strange Mountain"
Sunday, August 30th - Italo Calvino "The Baron in the Trees"
Sunday, September 27th - Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
Sunday, October 25th - Truman Capote "Other Voices/Other Rooms"

I'll be trying to gather copies of the above books. Just send an email or call if you'd like to reserve any copies.

The Onion's Many Layers

2009-04-15T12:01:00.004-05:00

I'm a huge fan of the The Onion's AV section, especially the film reviews. And while I check out the book reviews, I've sometimes found it lacking. Recently disappointing was the Best-Of-The-End-Of-The-Year selections. Not that the books weren't worthy, it's just there were so few of them. The selection of about 8 books to the about 20 Best-Of-Film showed a lack of effort to take books as seriously as film and music. Well, this is a great start to making up for the past:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/announcing-a-new-av-club-book-club,26645/

Fellow Blue Cypress Book clubbers, please note the introductory selection . . .

Vacuuming will set you free?

2009-04-12T14:22:00.003-05:00

I'm giving Joyce Carol Oates work another try. I'd really disliked her past work, not the style or story, just the bleakness of it all. However, several of her recent works have appeared on my reading shelf, so not unlike Phillip Roth, I'm willing to give this author another shot.

Also, just checked out this interview which made me wonder: who would win a fistfight, Oates or Didion?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/magazine/12wwln-q4-t.html?_r=1&ref=books

NPR thoughts

2009-04-09T12:52:00.005-05:00

This morning's NPR reports kept leading to book related thoughts. Surprise.

First there was segment regarding "brown fat", specifically on weight loss. Now, I don't give a flying Snickers about weight, as I've long accepted the extra padding my kids gifted me with. But what caught my interest was the reference to mitochondria. I fondly remembered the first time I'd heard of mitochondria - Madeline L'Engle's "A Wind in the Door", the book that followed her award-winning "A Wrinkle in Time." L'Engle's children's novels were awesome in that they never presumed to talk down to young adults. She made learning about science an adventure.

Also, NPR interviewed Sandra Cisnarios this morning on the 25th Anniversary of her novel "The House on Mango Street." I always felt this book was especially relevant on the idea of home versus the place one lives. I haven't read this one in so long, but feel I'm ready to pick it up again.

Favorite Find of the Day

2009-04-03T15:58:00.003-05:00

Was able to crack open another box today (thanks road work for all the free time!) and was super pleased to find it filled with vintage children's books. Children's literature is a favorite of mine, thanks to a childhood filled with a lot of time on my hands and unfettered access to the public library.

I was most happy to pull out of the box, Astrid Lindgren's "Of Course Polly Can Ride A Bike." Most readers will recall Lindgren's unforgettable character Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraimsdaughter Longstocking, otherwise known as Pippi Longstocking. I couldn't get enough of Pippi with her emotional and physical strength and her intelligence. She was mocking, scarcastic and often rude to those adults she was forced to interact with but was also, so much fun and truly a good friend. I was forever trying to make my own braids jut sideways from my head, but I was weird like that anyway.

Lindgren's personality shines on in "Of Course Polly Can Ride A Bike" as Polly channels Pippi's spunk to prove she can ride a bicycle like her older brother and sister. The illustrations are so bright and complete the story.

Boxes upon boxes.

2009-04-02T10:46:00.013-05:00

Some may know I'd been gathering books for years in order to get this place up and running. Two storage units later, I have my little bookstore with rapidly filling shelves. Unfortunately, the back store room is filled with precariously piled boxes threatening to engulf any who venture into the catacombs. Well I've stopped procrastinating (thanks massive construction!) and am finally cracking open these boxes, some containing books I haven't seen in years.

There are some really solid books in there (if I do say so myself) but I had a few favorites today. First, I found a copy of Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood, a play for "voice", later adapted for stage and film. While, I'm a fan of Thomas' work, I'm also a fan of Folio Society books. I just love the quality and the slipcases are a nice touch.

And, though I burn water, I was excited to find a stack of regional interest cookbooks, especially Tony Chachere's recipe for Wild Cherry Bounce, consisting of wild cherries, sugar, and bourbon. How could that combination be a bad thing?

Looking forward to tomorrow's finds . . .

We'll eat you up, we love you so.

2009-03-26T12:58:00.002-05:00

The first trailer for Where the Wild Things Are, based on Maurice Sendak's children's classic about the terribly naughty Max who creates his own wild world where he can be king. Oh boy, is this going to be either totally creepy in a magical, otherworldly way, or way to sad and dark for the audience Max was created for. Holding my breath that it's the first. Don't disappoint me Mr. Jonze.

Book v Film

2009-03-25T09:10:00.001-05:00

Because I've had this conversation several times this week:

http://www.avclub.com/articles/book-vs-film-watchmen,24746/

Discuss amoungst yerselves.

$7 Million Dollar Man?

2009-03-22T08:45:00.002-05:00

The AP is reporting former president George W. Bush will write a book, tentatively called "Decision Points," to be published in 2010. Rather than writing an autobiography, Bush "will concentrate on about a dozen personal and presidential choices," such as his selection of Dick Cheney as vice president, sending troops to Iraq, and his response to Huricane Katrina. “I want people to understand the environment in which I was making decisions. I want people to get a sense of how decisions were made and I want people to understand the options that were placed before me,” he told AP. Rumor has it, the cost of Bush's insight on the failures over the last eight years is $7,000,000.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

2009-03-20T17:00:00.004-05:00

March 20, 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" is published, provoking a wave of hatred against slavery, as well as the publication of 30 books defending the "peculiar institution." The novel becomes the first to sell a million copies and becomes the best selling book of the 19th Century. The power of the word.

BCB Updates

2009-03-19T12:02:00.001-05:00

Greetings and Salutations! Check out what's new and happening at Blue Cypress Books besides the massive Oak Street construction -

~Saturday, March 21 at 3:30, Louis Maistros will be signing his new book "The Sound of Building Coffins." Check out the great reviews, here and here. This will be much fun and all are welcome!

~ Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 4:00, Blue Cypress Books' book club will meet to discuss Katherine Dunn's "Geek Love." It's not too late to grab a copy and join an always insightful discussion group.

~ Every day new books arrive. As always, they are in the gentlest used condition with exceptionally affordable prices. Fill up your "Frequent Reader" card for free books!

~ And as many have noticed, Oak Street is undergoing serious renovation. Please know side street parking is still available, the sidewalks are free and clear, and all Oak Street businesses are open! And kids off all sizes love watching the work, so on that note, Children’s' Books are discounted 10% until further notice!

~ Need a recommendation? We love to make suggestions! Also, check out the front bookcase for Blue Cypress Books "Recommends."

~ We don't have it in right now? Leave your request and you will have first dibs when it arrives. Out-of-print or hard to find? Let us take a crack at it!

And as always, we continue to being committed to providing New Orleans with high quality and affordable used and rare books.

Not as bad as it looks.

2009-03-12T09:58:00.003-05:00

Okay, it's pretty bad. The City has finally begun the much talked about and little done Oak Street renovation. The good - parking is still available on the side streets and upon completion, Oak Street will look amazing. The bad - no parking on Oak for the first two blocks of Carrollton. The ugly - the six foot prison fencing blocking the sidewalks from the street and renovations aren't expected to be complete for two months.

I haven't decided what kind of discount to offer, but rest assured there will be a nice one should you brave the road construction. Remember, little kids love work trucks. That's it! A discount on all Children's Books starting right now!

Window displays

2009-03-07T17:26:00.001-06:00

My window displays may not always be the most creative, but they certainly shouldn't be offensive.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/bookdisplay.asp

Today's events

2009-03-07T09:11:00.000-06:00

Today, March 7th, Nyame Adama Selassie will be reading, discussing and signing her book "Moon Womb Lodge Offerings." The event will start here at 6. Come on down and join us for a conversation and wine.

Back to work!

2009-02-27T12:40:00.001-06:00

Still have beads all over the house and work but I guess it's time to get back to work. Just updated the calendar (look over there, no, to the right) and have some great events scheduled!

"Mardi Gras makes me tired."

2009-02-22T08:43:00.010-06:00

One of the drawbacks to running your own business, is the conflict between needing to be at the shop versus anything but work. The little ones' faces when I told them no parades on Saturday was enough to make me delay opening the store until Tucks had stopped rolling.

Back on track today with regular hours thanks to Ms. B, but make no guarantees for the next three days, other than definitely closed on Mardi Gras. May stagger in on Lundi Gras afternoon depending on much I enjoy Bacchus. Ash Wednesday same as before only probably even later in the afternoon.

Sorry for the lack of professionalism but as my mister says "Everyone should get a pass during Carnival."

Give me a call at 352-0096 to see if I've stumbled in and a Happy Mardi Gras to all!

***Title courtesy of my 3 year old.

Funny Books

2009-02-20T12:51:00.003-06:00

Abebooks just listed the Top 10 Funniest Books According to the British. Our little known New Orleans book made the list:

Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
Catch -22 by Joseph Heller
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome
Wilt by Tom Sharpe
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall by Spike Milligan

People often ask me if they would "get" Toole's book if they don't live in New Orleans, well, clearly one doesn't have to even live in the country to find the humor of it all.

Books for disaster times

2009-02-19T13:21:00.007-06:00

I received a very kind email from a friend under the heading "Books for Bushfire Relief" from another booklover's blog regarding donations to the Australian bush fire victims.

I quote the blogger: ". . . a writer by the name of Tali Lavi is organising a project involving books being donated to victims of the Victorian bush fires. She is also asking writers to donate signed copies of their books. So if you are a published writer with spare copies to hand, or anyone with some spare books about the house, please think of donating." The writer Tali says "I've been wondering what I can do for those people who have been affected by the terrible fires that have raged through Victoria. There are so many stories of devastating loss and those fortunate to be left with their lives are lacking any possessions." Tali goes on to seek donations in order that "our stories and the stories of others will help them to see through the smoke and transport them to other, more beautiful, places than the ones they might occupy now."

Okay, here's my problem. Sending books to people in disaster areas is a mistake. The teeming towers swaying overhead in the flooded and gutted East New Orleans Regional library illuminated the futility and uselessness of STUFF in terrible times. In my humble opinion, the library would have been better served with a check rather than a box of paperback John Grishoms and the cost to ship same. Can use books when there are no floors, no walls, no shelves.

Australians would be better served by donating money to a recognized and respectible charity.

What I Read - January 2009

2009-01-30T11:22:00.011-06:00

The following are the books that peaked my random interests this month . . .

~Curious Men by Frank Buckland. This arrived as part of McSweeney's Book Release Club. This book is part of the Collins Library, a series of newly edited and typeset editions of unusual out-of-print books. I'm really digging the Collins Library reprints (especially English As She Is Spoke, and To Ruhleben - And Back by Geoffrey Pike, and Banvard's Folly: Tales of Renowned Obscurity, Famous Anonymity, and Rotten Luck by Paul Collins). Curious Men is a series of 18 essays regarding the side show types of freaks that so obsessed large portions of Victorian Londoners. Buckland is at very matter-of-fact when describing the fossilized mermaid, guano mummy, and especially the man who walked upside down. Not every story is compelling but still a fascinating glimpse at a freakish past.

~Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. There probably isn't much I could say about this book that hasn't been said before (and much has been said, here and here and here). I was unprepared for the total awesomeness of this novel. My youngest son has been determined to have me read my own books to him and Lolita was by far my favorite read-out-loud book. Stunning sentences, tripped off the tongue. My only regret is I didn't read this book sooner.

~The Book of Lost Things by Michael Connolly. I'd had this on my Shelfari wish list for sometime now based upon The Onion review. Well, the book finally arrived this month and only took two days to read. Connolly is known for his adult criminal thriller books, however, The Book of Lost Things, falls more on the side of young adult fiction. The story delves into that special time when childhood is left behind but adulthood is still far away. Twelve-year-old, David, who is thrust into a world where stories and fairy tales assume an often gruesome reality. David's childhood fell apart upon the death of his mother, the start of WWII, his father's remarriage, and his stepmother's pregnancy. As David withdraws into himself, a physical land of beasts and monsters opens to him. While the quest tale is familiar, paying homage to the great fairy tales and legends, Connolly makes this fantasy world something so much darker and frightening. I was mesmerized by David's tale, and passed this on to my teenager.

The New Kings of Nonfiction - Edited by Ira Glass. I'd read anything with Ira's name on it, see below blog for my somewhat creepy love of all things Ira. Thankfully the book was full totally great works of Nonfiction (hence the name, right?). While all the articles were great, I really enjoyed my first taste of Michael Pollen. His following a calf from birth to meat/consumption was so information and complete. I really appreciated his lack of shock, and just-the-facts ma'am style. Also, even more sorry for the death of David Foster Wallace. I didn't always enjoy his fiction, he was a great nonfiction writer and his complete analysis of the Talk-Radio world was something that I've cited at least three times this month. And while I didn't know most of what the poker guy was talking about, I certainly felt his passion and was rooting for him in the end. Thanks Ira, edit something else, I'm sure I'll love it.

The Year of Living Biblically (One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible) by A. J. Jacobs. Appealing to those with a philosophical, historical, and religious bent in addition to being quite funny. This was a strange one in that I liked reading the book but I'm not really sure what I got out of it. I kinda got the feeling Jacobs wasn't sure what he got out of it either. Compare this one to The Know it All (One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A. J. Jacobs or Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horowitz.

Digging to America by Anne Tyler. I often look to Tyler for stability. I trust her books will take me into other lives, not necessarily so different from my own, and handle them with respect and care. She is simply, just a really nice writer and didn't disappoint me with this work. Read most anything else, although, The Accident Tourist, Back When We Were Grownups, Breathing Lessons and A Patchwork Planet are a few of my favorites.

The Sound of Building Coffins - Louis Maistros. I am SO lucky to have received this as my first official Blue Cypress Books Advanced Reading Copy. From the back: "It is 1891 in New Orleans, and a young Typhus Morningstar cycles under the light of the half-moon to fulfill his calling, rebirthing aborted fetuses in the fecund waters of the Mississippi River. He cannot know that nearby, events are unfolding that will change his life forever - events that were set in motion by a Vodou curse gone wrong, forty years before he was born." All the characters' lives are interwoven with each other, no one further away from another by more than one degree of separation, an all too real New Orleans phenomenon. This novel has so many elements, compelling story, music, love, hate, and true heartbreak. The story's greatest strength is the literal water rebirth and the redemption that hopes to follow, something intimately known by New Orleanians. With elements of Katrina indelibly on this book, I'd love to know if the author, a previously unpublished writer, had this book in mind before The Storm or if it only came into being post Storm. Maistros' book is this month's favorite read (okay, second but only to Lolita). So glad this one was sent my way. Look for the official release this month!

What's ahead: I swore that upon opening the store, I wouldn't make a pile, okay a HUGE pile, of books for myself. So far, so good. I put on my little shelf behind my desk the following: Indignation - Phillip Roth (signed!); A Mercy - Toni Morrison (signed!!); Villa Incognito - Tom Robbins; The Painted Bird - Jerzy Kosinski; Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans (The Best of McSweeney's Humor Category); Vernon God Little - DBC Pierre; The Monster of Florence - Douglas Preston w/Mario Spezi; Maus - Art Spiegleman; How to Lie With Statistics - Darrell Huff; Sway (The Irrestible Pull of Irrational Behavior); Principia Discordia; 1 Dead in Attic (Updated) - Chris Rose. Whew! Sure to get all that reading done next month, right? Stay tuned . . .

IRA IRA IRA IRA IRA IRA

2009-01-29T15:09:00.004-06:00

Anyone who has known me for a few minutes, probably knows of my undying love for one Mr. Ira Glass. A little taste for the uninitiated (Babysitting). I even named a cat after him (R.I.P. dear dear Ira). Well, The Onion (another favorite) has a new article re: the release of the TV version of This American Life. I actually purchased the 1st season some time ago but have been way to busy to watch it so I will reserve comment for on the experimental radio/tv show idea. I'm leaning towards this being a good thing as I've been blessed enough to have seen Ira in person not once, but twice! Once in D.C. and another, when Ira did a live version of his show here in NOLA a few months before HK. Anyway, just wanted to reiterate my deep and abiding affection for Mr. Glass. *Sigh*

Mississippi ahead on Katrina Cottages . . . and fraud?

2009-01-28T11:53:00.003-06:00

Miss. Mayor Indicted on Katrina Fraud Charges

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- The mayor of a Mississippi city hit hard by Hurricane Katrina has been indicted after federal officials say he filed a false claim for disaster assistance. The indictment alleges Warr and his wife, Laura, sought a grant for a hurricane-damaged beachfront house they did not live in. Gulfport is on the coast about 80 miles east of New Orleans. The Warrs pleaded not guilty Wednesday. Charges include conspiring to defraud the federal government and filing a false claim for disaster assistance. Brent Warr is the highest-ranking municipal official indicted for Katrina fraud to date.

Now taking bets on how soon an NOLA official is indicted . . .

John Updike 1932-2009

2009-01-27T16:30:00.004-06:00

Prolific, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist John Updike has died of lung cancer at the age of 76. Updike died at a hospice not far from his home in Beverly Farms, Mass. Several of his works wound up in Hollywood hands, The Witches of Eastwick. Updike's final work, My Father's Tears and Other Stories, his first collection of new short fiction since 2000, is scheduled for release on June 2.

National Book Critics Circle Finalists

2009-01-26T11:11:00.003-06:00

The National Book Critics Circle announced the finalists for its 2008 awards. The winners will be announced on Thursday, March 12, 2009

The complete list can be found here: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6631948.html?desc=topstory

Secretary of the Arts

2009-01-26T08:05:00.002-06:00

From World Music Central:

Musicians, artists and numerous arts lovers are participating in a campaign to support the creation of a Secretary of the Arts in the United States. The United States is one of the few western democracies that does not have a higher cabinet level minister or secretary in charge of the arts or cultural affairs.

In a recent radio interview with John Schaefer on WNYC’s Soundcheck, renowned musician and producer Quincy Jones mentioned that he plans to request from president elect Barack Obama the creation of a Secretary of the Arts. Quincy Jones’ call for a U.S. secretary of the arts inspired an online petition. “The next conversation I have with President elect Barack Obama is to beg for a secretary of the arts,” he said.

An online petition was started by classical and jazz bassist Jaime Austria, inspired by Quincy Jones' interview. According to Quincy Jones' official website, during his travels Quincy Jones has observed that people in other countries seem to have greater appreciation for American music than Americans. He hopes the creation of a secretary of the arts in the U.S. will help preserve American music and other U.S. arts and ensure that they remain a vital part of American schools’ curriculum.

Sign the online petition here.

Thanks to Funky New Orleans for the email/link!

Bookmark This

2009-01-24T13:26:00.005-06:00

Welcoming this week the Blue Cypress Books Frequent Reader bookmark! Come on in, make a purchase, fill up the little boxes and receive a FREE book.

Also, it's a bookmark and totally does its job.

Thanks to Laredo Printing for helping with the design and for the super fast printing.

Decision of the Day

2009-01-23T08:21:00.004-06:00

I'm driving the mister crazy every time I call him excited about some recent Obama Administration decision. So I've decided to just post my favorite Decision of the Day. I'll probably still call him anyway.

This morning, the House approved The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 11) clarifying that every paycheck or compensation resulting from an earlier discriminatory pay decision constituted a violation under the Civil Rights Act. Workers are now required to file their charges within 180 days of a discriminatory paycheck. This Act is a clear legislative repudiation of the 2007 Supreme Court decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear, which ruled employees who believe they've been paid less because of their race, sex, religion or national origin (my own note: where's protection for sexual orientation?) have 180 days after an employer makes a discriminatory pay decision to file a complaint with the EEOC.

The SCOTUS decision was impractical (and frankly out of touch with employee reality) considering an employee is rarely privy to the inner workings of the HR department. It often takes time and employee gossip to realize when you've been shafted.

Thanks Lilly for taking this case to court and sorry you didn't get the compensation you deserved. For legal reasons, fairness, and my own personal experience of work place pay discrimination based solely on my sex, this is my favorite Decision of the Day.

Wasn't working too hard yesterday.

2009-01-21T13:34:00.003-06:00

Only took my eyes of the Live CNN feed long enough to pull out all the George Bush specific books and put them in the window. They are SERIOUSLY discounted, hell, ask me nice and I'll just give you one or two.

Book club acoming

2009-01-09T16:45:00.002-06:00

Per requests, been tossing around time/date/titles for an upcoming book club. Lack of concrete information sound promising to you? Me too! Shoot me an email if you want to know the details as they formed.

Happy Twelfth Night!

2009-01-06T17:18:00.004-06:00

Happy Twelfth Night! Stinks about the rain as I was really looking forward to seeing the Phunny Phorty Phellows roll tonight. Unfortunately the kids don't take too kindly to cruddy weather.

So screw the diet, I want to know (seriously) what local bakery has the best King Cake?

David's House Event

2009-01-06T15:29:00.002-06:00

Thanks to Avi for bringing in a flyer on this event. I'd read the article in The Times-Picayune and was moved by Willow's grief and the resulting beauty.

BCB Updates

2009-01-03T11:44:00.001-06:00

* Today is the last day to get 50% off Christmas, Hanukkah, and Yule books.

* We've had so many requests for a Book Club. If you are interested in joining a book club, let me know, and I'll be happy to help get this started.

* Congrats to John * on winning the 3nd drawing of a Blue Cypress Books gift certificate. Come on down to register!

* Need a recommendation? We would love to make suggestions! Check out the front bookcase for New & Notable in addition to Blue Cypress Books "Recommends."

* We don't have it in right now? Leave your request and you will have first dibs when it comes in. Can't wait for the newest thing? We are always glad to place special orders.

And as always, we continue to being committed to providing New Orleans with high quality and affordable secondhand books. Thank you so much for the continued support!

Music & Wine

2009-01-03T11:15:00.002-06:00

Today is the day to come on down and hear Laurie McConnell play some beautiful tunes on her harp. Also, thanks to some generous gift giving, I have several bottles of wine to open (thanks to Ms. Kay at On The Other Hand for providing a wine opener as mine has somehow disappeared).

See you from 2-4!

Thanks, NYT

2008-12-29T12:49:00.003-06:00

Man, this is depressing.

Didn't see this one coming?

2008-12-29T11:06:00.003-06:00

Once again the literary world and readers are aghast, aghast!, at misrepresentations in a memoir. Herman Rosenblat is the latest tall-tale teller to be brought down by flat out lies. Seriously people, Rosenblat's tale was way too good to believe and by "good", I mean the sugary, folksy, feel-good-about-yourself malarkey that seems to go down so easy. What is especially offensive about this particular fish-tale is the Holocaust angle. Rosenblat claims his deceit was his desire " . . to bring happiness to people." And what literary agent/movie studio/talk show extraordinaire/screenwriter wouldn't be happy to get ahold of the feel-good Holocaust Book/Movie Of The Year? Can't you just smell the Oscar? Rosenblat greatest sin isn't to the literary public, which frankly, seems lately to encourage this kind of fable. Rosenblat's disservice is to his own remarkable life of a loving, 50 year-strong marriage and survival under the worst of circumstances.

Benjamin Button

2008-12-27T14:31:00.004-06:00

For what it is worth, I'm a little sorry I didn't take a moment to read F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button because I was totally blow away by the movie. From what I understand, the book is actually set in Baltimore, but after seeing the movie, I couldn't conceive of Benjamin flourishing anywhere but in New Orleans. Not only the quirky characters but the acceptance of the little man/boy seem a genuine New Orleans trait. Movie filming wise, I loved playing spot-the-location. And as grand as it was to see my own little Oak/ Carrollton corner featured, the continuity didn't make much sense as Benjamin lived in the Garden District and was trying to find his way home by streetcar from the Quarter. Also, I was more upset by the Katrina references than I'd expected. Bookending the story with Katrina took much of the magic away from the beauty and unexpectedness of Benjamin's life.

Well, if anyone was thinking of trading in their copy, it will land on my personal stack of must-reads.

Abeona House Reading Time

2008-12-23T12:12:00.003-06:00

Thanks to Abeona House for stopping in for some reading time. It was fun to see all their little faces (especially my two own). Ms. K did an awesome reading of The Little Engine That Could. The little ones were especially happy with their surprise of a book for their Holiday gift from Abeona House and BCB. Hope to see them all again soon!

Holiday Hours

2008-12-23T12:10:00.001-06:00

Headed back to the 'ole hometown so Blue Cypress Books will be closed this week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and returning on Saturday, December 27, 2008 . Happy Holidays to all!

Here, here

2008-12-15T13:34:00.003-06:00

http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/12/12/book-publishing-authors-oped-cx_lo_1212osborne.html

Best quote? "Books don't actually compete with the Internet or movies, and never did."

My only disagreement is on the "crap." Not that The Da Vinci Code wasn't crap, it was, and don't even try to argue otherwise. But I don't think one or even a few crap book leave a literary life in ruins. Now, a whole diet of the stuff, like fast food, will make you fat and stupid.

Holiday on Oak Street

2008-12-02T11:43:00.002-06:00

Join Blue Cypress Books on Saturday, December 6th for Oak Street's Holiday Open House. A variety of artists will be on hand not only selling their wares but some will also be demonstrating how they make their art. Fun for the whole family!

New Hours!

2008-12-02T11:41:00.002-06:00

Because 6 days wasn't enough, BCB is now open 7 days a week!

Monday - Saturday 10-5:30
Sunday 11-4

Same days as before for buying books: Buying only on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday.

Thanks and see you on Monday!!

Today is the Day

2008-11-23T07:34:00.002-06:00

Today is the day! Oak Street Festival begins at 12 and going on to 6. Gotta bless New Orleans for having a festival dedicated to a sandwich. Blue Cypress Books will definitely be open for business starting at 11 and will be busy selling high quality secondhand books in addition to cleaning up shreaded lettuce.

Stay Local ya'll

2008-11-11T11:50:00.000-06:00

From the Stay Local website:

Join Stay Local! on Saturday, November 22 and help inject $1.8 million* into New Orleans through shopping & dining only locally-owned! Thousands of other conscientious shoppers across the country will be unchaining themselves right along with you.

Your choice of where to spend your money has an impact on New Orleans' public services, its schools, its character, and its eco-friendliness.

Studies demonstrate that dollars spent at locally-owned independent businesses generate three times more economic activity in our community than dollars spent at chains. Gambit Weekly has jumped on the Local First train and is urging readers to stay local with their holiday spending, too, with a special promotion for those who pledge to shop local.

BUSINESS OWNERS: Use November 22 to show how local businesses give back to their community in diverse, creative ways. Donate a percentage of the day's sales to your favorite charity, or give a discount to shoppers as a way to thank them for staying local this holiday season. Check out the exciting community events La Divina Gelateria and Mat & Naddie's have already planned for November 22.

N.O. Surf Shop is taking it one step further: between now and the end of the year, mention the "Stay Local! discount" before you make your purchase and get 5% off all regularly priced items.Let us know what you plan to do on November 22, and we'll spread the word. Email Katie Jacobowski at kjacobow@tulane.edu or call 504-232-7821.

Blue Cypress Books is thinking it through and will post tomorrow on our special!

*Conservative estimate based on November 2007 sales tax figures for Orleans Parish.

Upcoming Book Event

2008-11-07T10:21:00.001-06:00

Shreveport author Michael Aro will read from his satirical novel "The Rapture" at Blue Cypress Books, 8126 Oak Street in New Orleans, on Sunday, November 16, at 4:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public, and the author will be available to sign books and answer questions. For more information, contact 352-0096 or mpbookfreak@hotmail.com.

Check the Calender of Events for more upcoming author signings/readings.

First Monthly Gift Certificate Drawing

2008-11-07T10:19:00.002-06:00

This month's first Blue Cypress Books gift certificate drawing winner is *drumroll*

Laurie M*

Come on down and get it!

Also, the first monthly email list is going out today. If you don't want to be on this very awesome email, don't hesitate to contact BCB and let me know!

Goodbye Mr. Terkel

2008-11-01T11:33:00.002-05:00

My favorite Studs Terkel quote:

"I want, of course, peace, grace, and beauty. How do you do that? You work for it."

May his memory be for a blessing.

Crew of Abeona rolled down Oak Street

2008-10-31T10:53:00.004-05:00

A little shoutout to the little ones at Oak Street in all their Halloween cuteness.

Changing it up

2008-10-31T10:46:00.002-05:00

Switching the hours around a bit. Used to be Tues-Sat. 9 - 5:30.

Now business hours are Tues. - Sat. 10 - 5:30 and Sunday 11-4.

Though somehow I wound up here working by 9 again this morning. Ahh, a booksellers work is never done.

Trouble in Fiction

2008-10-23T16:30:00.003-05:00

Book organization and categories go with the bookselling territory. I decided long ago that when it came to fiction, I would place all fiction in one section, alphabetical order by author, and leave it at that.

Well, the Mister, who really really likes Sci Fi/Fantasy/Speculative Fiction was aghast. So, there goes a different section for Sci Fi, et al.

Now, not a day goes by without a lovely customer asking for my "mystery section." When I explain my, may I say, well-conceived system, I watch his/her face fall in disappointment and then I feel bad.

The thing is, I don't really need the added trouble. Fiction was supposed to be the easiest shelving system. Don't even get me started on the Religion/Spirituality/Self-Help/Motivational/Occult/Atheism, ugg. But I am supposed to do what the customer wants, right?

So, starting next week, I'll start a "Mystery" section. But do I include Crime/Thrillers? What about True Crime? Crud.

Shelves of Ignorance

2008-10-10T13:19:00.003-05:00

First, congratulations Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio.

That said, anyone have any of his work? I had to stumble to the computer at the crack of dawn to get on online and order Clezio's work. And I have a whole shelf of French language literature, for crying out loud. Every year the same thing, another winner I don't have. But it wasn't like I didn't see this coming:

Permanent secretary Horace Engdahl said it's no coincidence that most winners are European.
"Of course there is powerful literature in all big cultures, but you can't get away from the fact that Europe still is the center of the literary world ... not the United States," he told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Tuesday. Speaking generally about American literature, however, he said U.S. writers are "too sensitive to trends in their own mass culture," dragging down the quality of their work. "The U.S. is too isolated, too insular. They don't translate enough and don't really participate in the big dialogue of literature," Engdahl said. "That ignorance is restraining."

Okay, well then, thanks again Nobel for highlighting an author whose works I don't have.

Open Letter

2008-10-10T13:14:00.004-05:00

Dear Tom,

Thanks for stopping in on Wednesday. It is always awesome to see you.

Sorry I went all fangirl on you but thanks for signing all the books. I'm glad you thought I was kidding about the picture. Next time, for sure.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth

Celebrating Banned Books in NOLA

2008-09-30T10:31:00.003-05:00

Please join us at we celebrate BANNED BOOKS WEEK 2008!

When: Tuesday, September 30th, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Where: House of Blues, 225 Decatur Street - Voodoo Garden
Why: To celebrate the FREEDOM TO READ!

Featured speakers include author Ethan Clarke (Leaning With Intent to Fall), Ted OʼBrien (New Orleans Noir), and Stephen Rae (Spring 2009 release of Finn McCoolʼs Football Club), Winter Randall, Executive Director of the New Orleans Gulf South Booksellerʼs Association, and Marjorie Esman, Executive Director of the ACLU of Louisiana.

Members of the community are invited to participate. There will be a sign-up sheet for audience members to sign up and read from their favorite Banned Book. We ask that you read for no more than five minutes, and please remember to speak about why this book is important to you. (Of course, please bring the book you want to read from!!!!) We think this will be a great component to the event, and allow for much more community participation. So come and be prepared to read.

Personally, my favorite "Banned Book" is Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The irony is almost too much.