goodstore

2012-03-04T14:35:00.003-08:00

Check out AbeBooks' catalog of bookstore cats residing in independent bookstores across the US & Canada. Henry & Dickens aren't included but this one sort of looks like Dickens.

The Joy of Books

2012-02-12T12:09:00.000-08:00

Have you seen this yet? Awesome short by an awesome independent bookstore in Toronto.
(You can check them out here: http://typebooks.ca/).

From Aimee Bender's Review of "The Room", in the NY TImes

2012-01-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

Emma Donoghue’s remarkable new novel, “Room,” is built on two intense constraints: the limited point of view of the narrator, a 5-year-old boy named Jack; and the confines of Jack’s physical world, an 11-by-11-foot room where he lives with his mother. We enter the book strongly planted within these restrictions. We know only what Jack knows, and the drama is immediate, as is our sense of disorientation over why these characters are in this place. Jack seems happily ensconced in a routine that is deeply secure, in a setting where he can see his mother all day, at any moment. She has created a structured, lively regimen for him, including exercise, singing and reading. The main objects in the room are given capital letters — Rug, Bed, Wall — a wonderful choice, because to Jack, they are named beings. In a world where the only other companion is his mother, Bed is his friend as much as anything else. Jack, in this way, is a heightened version of a regular kid, bringing boundless wonder and meaning to his every pursuit.

Donoghue navigates beautifully around these limitations. Jack’s voice is one of the pure triumphs of the novel: in him, she has invented a child narrator who is one of the most engaging in years — his voice so pervasive I could hear him chatting away during the day when I wasn’t reading the book. Donoghue rearranges language to evoke the sweetness of a child’s learning without making him coy or overly darling; Jack is lovable simply because he is lovable. Through dialogue and smartly crafted hints of eavesdropping, Donoghue fills us in on Jack’s world without heavy hands or clunky exposition. The reader learns as Jack learns, and often we learn more than he can yet grasp, but as with most books narrated by children, the gap between his understanding and ours is a territory of emotional power.

Donoghue’s ingenuity also soars as she animates the novel’s physical space through her characters’ rituals: they run around a homemade track; watch TV, but not too much, because “it rots our brains”; string eggshells together with a needle to make a kind of snake. Toys and books are treated like gold. A lollipop is a revelation....

On the whole, Donoghue goes the distance with “Room,” and she brings her story to a powerful close that feels exactly right. This is a truly memorable novel, one that can be read through myriad lenses — psychological, sociological, political. It presents an utterly unique way to talk about love, all the while giving us a fresh, expansive eye on the world in which we live.

2011-10-27T12:25:00.000-07:00

A Big Congratulations!

Martha Frederick, Our Famous Customer!

In late September, Martha Frederick won the USTA National Women's 70, 80 and 90 Indoor Championship. "Martha defeated Patricia Yeomans in straight sets to win the national singles title for women who turn 90 and older during 2011." The above quote is from The Columbian, which wrote a great article about Martha that we had taped to our window: http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/sep/29/champion-at-any-age/

Recently, we asked Martha if she could drop by our store so we could talk with her and get our own photo of her posing with her trophy and racket.

Martha always has a smile on her face and a story to tell. She is one of our favorite customers and we all hope we can be as spunky, healthy, and happy as her at her age.

Congratulations, Martha!

New Publisher & EBook - Ebook and Bookstore Synergy?

2011-09-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

We are now working with a new EBook publisher, Spirehouse Books. Spirehouse specializes in Science Fiction and Fantasy for both young adult and adult readers, and provides their content in three different formats, for e-reading across multiple devices - including the Amazon Kindle!

What is especially intriguing to us - "us" being an mostly analog, old-school bookstore - is that Spirehouse offers brick-and-morter bookstores a discounted rate on their EBooks. The book we are currently featuring, Artemis Rising, is available in-store for $2.99, but the price on Amazon; iTunes; Spirehouse's website; etc.; is $6.99. We have a placard in the store with the cover of the book and a description of the story - much like a physical book has - and if the customer wants to buy the book, we sell them an activation card with a unique number (garnering the customer the discounted "in-store" rate of $2.99) for use on Spirehouse's website.

We think there is some good synergy going on here: a small publishing house like Spirehouse can get their EBooks placed in a physical location, thereby extending their exposure beyond the web; we can sell EBooks in our store immediately, without having to direct customers to our website; finally, our customers benefit by receiving a discounted rate when shopping with us, not to mention finding out about new EBooks and publishing houses without going on the web.

Spirehouse's website: http://www.spirehousebooks.com/
Artemis Rising listing: http://www.spirehousebooks.com/item_description.php?IID=52
Artemis Rising Promo Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dl9bFVQUj2E

2011-09-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

We're happy to be participating in this year's Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out!

The Read-Out gives people the opportunity to be recorded reading from their favorite banned or challenged book. All the videos are viewable at Banned Book Week's youtube site: http://www.youtube.com/bannedbooksweek

On OurGoodStore blog, we are featuring those individuals that stopped by Vintage Books to do a reading. Thanks to all of them for participating!

Jemeshia reads from A Scary Story Treasury

Sarah Reads from Little House on the Prairie

Mark reads from The Sorcerer's Stone

Peace and Justice Fair Recap

2011-09-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

I originally got excited about doing this fair because I knew we have SO MUCH material that would find an audience there, many books that don’t get much attention unless someone is looking for them specifically. For example, books from our black history section, or sociology, gay studies, women’s spirituality, and even politics. I knew we had good books to show. In the end we took books from all these sections and more, and some magazines.

The broad mix of causes that came out for "Peace & Justice" was really
inspiring--Christians & Muslims, Fair Trade organizations, Veterans for
Peace, Animal Rights groups, the NAACP, and various human rights groups--the whole spectrum. It felt right to be there, and there was a
nice comraderie among the participants. This is something we'll think about doing next year...

-Pepper Parker

2011-09-09T17:19:00.001-07:00

Hello All,

We are going to have a booth at the Vancouver Peace & Justice Fair tomorrow (Sept. 10, 2011).

We'll have everything from green living, to history, to animal rights, to spirituality.

Please stop by if you can. We'd love to see you! We are there from 9-5:00 PM this Saturday (9.10.11)

p.s. The Farmer's Market will be open, and there will be lots of food and live music all day long.

Best,

Vintage Books

http://www.vancouverpeaceandjusticefair.org/

Mother's Day

2011-04-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

I recently received a text from a nearby big-box store, suggesting that for $64.99 I could purchase a gorgeous bouquet for Mom, for Mother's Day. "Oh, lovely," I thought to myself. "Those might last a week, then they'd start to droop and then deposit their petals all over the dining room table. Do I really want my mother to spend the week cleaning up after my gift?"

But hold on...what if - instead of buying Mom a bunch of soon-to-be-rotten vegetation - I bought her BOOKS instead! There's an idea. She could keep them forever; or share them with friends; or bring them into Vintage Books to trade in for other books later on.

Oh, my goodness, that is a smart move.

The following are some great gift ideas that match that Big Box Store's $65 weed bundle.

Let's kick it off with $65 worth of kids books: new and used! A few classics, a few board books; some stickers; 20 items in all!

Gardening; crafts; herbs; card-making; baking chocolate; sewing; quilting - man, so many things to create and accomplish with this bundle of fun!

How about some Literature? Or some science, with the mind-bending, always interesting Malcolm Gladwell? His books are guaranteed to intrigue. Or the so, so popular Forgotten Garden. So many books clubs are reading or have read this one. And magazines! Vintage Books has so many darn magazines to choose from it hurts!

What if she's into older magazines, ephemera, rare stuff in plastic bags?! We've got that, too. Elizabeth Taylor on the cover of Look. See. Old Better Homes and Gardens. These are collector's items.

Oscar Wilde's most famous play. A classic of wit, intelligence, and sophistication. This Easton Press is a collectible, red leather bound wonderful item for those interested in plays.

16 paperbacks!!! How can you go wrong with this, Darn it! That's like 64 hours worth of reading right there. Keep your mom out of your hair for 2.67 days straight. Add on the time it takes to sleep, shower, eat, go to work, and you've got like 4 weeks worth of mother- being-occupied time with this great gift.

But seriously, this beautiful book of poetry by Tess Gallagher & Jakucho Setouchi will mean a lot to the mom in your life. It's an accordion-style masterpiece, limited edition, in a slipcase. It's an art piece. And at 30 dollars, you'll have money left over to spend on a windsurfing lesson for yourself, or for bowling a few games, or some sausages, or whatever else you want to spend all the leftover loot on.

Mother's Day.

A Time to Celebrate Great Savings and Value.

-Vintage Books

We Have Arrived!

2011-04-15T15:29:00.000-07:00

Vintage Books is now selling dog toys.

We have: a floppy frog; a bone that floats; a teddy bear (not pictured); Tux (a strange shaped rubbed toy that bounces around); and various chews. The rubber-like chews are 100% recyclable.

We guarantee that your dog will at least look at them.

Some new Stuff on our Shelves w/ Spring

2011-04-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

It is quite a sunny day today. Of course, all Debbie wants to do is play with the paper cutter. Typical.

We just received a large shipment of these Puffin Classics. Wonderful stories in super cute covers!

Debbie bought some books that have stuffed animal tie-ins. I like the dino and the bear.

We have TONS of Spot right now!

Our front table is also stuffed with new books!

2011-04-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

2011-04-02T10:09:00.002-07:00

2011-04-02T10:09:00.001-07:00

Library

2011-03-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

What's on G.U.S. ?

2011-03-05T10:32:00.000-08:00

(Remember: G.U.S. is our new Gardening, Urban Farming, and Sustainable Living Shelf. We will be featuring books from G.U.S. from time to time on this blog.)

G.U.S. is featuring The Backyard Homestead: Guide to Raising Farm Animals

Edited by Gail Damerow

-reviewed by Tom

This book is simple and straightforward. It offers a great introduction to different animal breeds and how to care for them. Rabbits, Chickens, Ducks, Turkeys, Sheep, Pigs, Cattle, and Bees are all covered. The book includes clear drawings on how to build hives, pens, fences, and how to handle animals properly. The book is a good way to both familiarize oneself with potential homesteading animals and to take the first step in their raising and care.

All the Bookshelves Fit to Print

2011-03-05T10:08:00.000-08:00

Just for fun, I'm going to start posting pictures of shelves of books.

Enjoy.

What's New on G.U.S.'s Shelf?

2011-03-04T15:23:00.001-08:00

The Food Lover's Garden: Amazing Edibles You Will Love to Grow and Eat

by Mark Diacono

This wonderful book came across my desk yesterday. It's currently on display on our new Gardening, Urban Farming, and Sustainable Living shelf. (This shelf's name is too long, so I'm going to use the acronym G.U.S. from now on. As in, "It's over there, on G.U.S.'s shelf.)

I really appreciate Diacono's approach to gardening: basically, don't spend time and money planting and harvesting what you can get cheaply and easily, rather, spend your time cultivating and nurturing exotic, unfamiliar, or indeed better fruits, vegetables, and trees. For example: don't plant potatoes when they are so cheaply found at the store and local farms, plant Oca, a versatile tuber that acts partly like a carrot, and partly like a potato or radish, depending on how you prepare it.

If the novelty of growing something unusual isn't enough for you, Diacono describes each fruit and vegetable's use in simple and varied recipes from all over the world. He really wants us to try different foods. "Make Your Garden Unbuyable," he says, meaning grow things you can't find anywhere else, or else grow things that you can harvest when they are naturally ready. Instead of rock hard peaches at the grocery store, plant a peach tree and harvest them at their prime.

I know I'm not going to stop going to the grocery store and farmer's market. And these places have all the essentials. Why grow an onion when you can grow this beautiful monster?

Or these fantastic peppercorns. (I currently pay a premium for these at specialty shop down the street.)

Why grow the basics when they're so readily available and cheap? Why not be adventurous and grow something new and interesting?

I just can't argue with his logic.

Gardening + Sustainablity + Urban Farming = Loads of Fun

2011-03-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

We've had lots of fun lately buying a lot of new stuff - books, magazines, journals and cards. And more books and more books. Some of this new stuff makes up our new section on Urban Farming, Sustainability, Do It Yourself House and Home, and Gardening. We've got books on raising chickens and building coops. Actually, we have books on raising all kinds of animals in urban and non-urban settings; goats, ducks, and pigs included. We have book on honeybees, magazines on organic gardening, books on starting small plot gardens, and a classic book on container gardening. We also have books and magazines on beer and beer making - everything to get you started in your adventures in alcohol! Come in or give us a call if you have questions or would like a book on a specific topic. We'd be happy to try and order whatever you you're looking for.

A New Year Brings You More

2011-01-13T11:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, the New Year has brought us more. Much more. Our Civil War section has tripled in size and many are book club editions - reasonably priced around $10.00.

And Pepper has created a great new Spirituality section, with selections by authors Ken Wilber; Pema Chodron; Thich Nhat Hanh; and Tim Freke.

Also, our Judaica section is growing and growing...

And finally, we just received a giant Doonesbury collection, so stock up before these disappear.

Happy New Year everyone.

12 DAYS OF BOOKSELLING

2010-12-17T13:53:00.001-08:00

On the twelfth day of bookselling, my bookseller showed me:

12 stocking stuffers

11 ancient treasures

10 Nobel winners

9 Swedish mysteries

8 fancy cookbooks

7 stellar staffers

6 greeting cards

5 MAG-A-ZINES

four squishy books

3 3-D bookmarks

Two store cats

and a Raymond Carver biography

Happy Holidays from all of us here at Vintage

Preschool Ideas!

2010-12-13T15:20:00.001-08:00

Ideas, Ideas!

If your little one is ready to move up from board books, here are a few suggestions:

"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" This 25th Anniversary edition is a great gift. The drawings are wonderful, and the author has spun this idea into many other stories.

Nick Jr. books. If your preschooler is fan of Nick Jr., you'll find their favorite characters here. Dora, Diego, Max and Ruby, and Kai-lan.

Activity books- We have lots of great coloring/activity books with Disney favorites, Nick Jr., and more.

Are you working on potty training? Might we suggest: "Princess Potty" and "Pirate Potty" by Samantha Berger and Amy Cartwright or "Dinosaur Vs. the Potty" by Bob Shea. these books talk about potty training in a fun way.

And finally, a recent family favorite - Small, Medium, Large - this mostly wordless book offers a very sweet story with adorable illustrations. Great for kids of all ages.

Debbie Buck

Gift ideas for very young readers 0-2

2010-12-08T12:18:00.000-08:00

A few suggestions: "Indestructibles" These chew proof, rip proof, non-toxic, washable books are great for the little one in your life who is a hands on "reader" With beautiful bright pictures, these wordless books let you tell the story.

Indestructibles

Sandra Boynton- One of my kids' favorite authors. Her charming animal characters are sure to be a hit!

Eric Carle's classic "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" in board book format.

"Who is it?" A peek-a-boo board book with babies and favorite Disney characters

"Jungle Fun" This squishy bath book comes with an elephant that can squirt water.

What more can you ask for.

These are just a few titles among many. Come in and browse!

Debbie Buck

Bird on a Wire

2010-12-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

It's happening again. This is the third year it's happened and it continues to be very strange. At intervals, different birds come swooping into the store with Vintage Book Gift Cards clutched in their talons and spreading their holiday cheer. We thought at first it was a shameless birdy promotion of our great gift cards - advertising at its lowest - but then we realized that the birds honestly really like our gift cards and want other people to know about them. Who knew birds were so into gift cards - or for that matter that birds can read - but we stand astonished. At the very least they seem very giving, gift oriented birds, interested in making others happy and we understand and appreciate that.

Anyway, I snapped some pics of these little fellas as they circled the cash registers this morning. You should come in and see them, and maybe purchase some gift cards for your loved ones while you take in this strange and (seemingly) annual event of nature.

Red one.

Pheasanty looking one.

Red one again. There was a Bald Eagle earlier, but my camera jammed and I missed him.

GREETINGS, CHRISTMAS!

2010-12-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM VINTAGE BOOKS!

Thanks for shopping with us in 2010!

-from the staff at Vintage Books

Oh my Gluten! (Free)

2010-12-01T13:56:00.001-08:00

Great Gluten-Free Baking: Over 80 Delicious Cakes and Bakes

by Louise Blair

I am not gluten-free, but I have many friends who are, and I end up eating many gluten-free items. Turns out I enjoy gluten-free food and after checking out Louise Blair's new book, Great Gluten-Free Baking, I would not hesitate to give Louise Blair's book to any of them for Christmas. The book is well laid out, with a picture of the baked good on one page and, on the other, a well formatted easy-to-read recipe. There are a bunch of bread and biscuit recipes, so the book isn't strictly desserts, which is nice. The Nutty Seed Loaf looks particularly good, as does the Pecan Pie - my favorite kind of pie!

And here is the seed loaf I was talking about.

-Tom

Cookie Dreams

2010-11-26T12:25:00.000-08:00

So now that things are gearing up for the holidays, it's time for me to start baking. By the end of December, I'll have participated in a couple of cookie swaps, and have handed out baskets of goodies to at least 2 dozen people. Last year, my husband kept on adding people that he worked with, even in other states! I am always looking for new recipes. I have my old favorites - Grandma cookies,-a family twist on Scottish shortbread, and my hubby's favorite the good ol' chocolate chip.

"Cookie Swap", by Lauren Chattman, Workman Publishing, offers plenty of choices. There are color photographs with each recipe. I don't know about you, but I like to know what my end product is "supposed" to look like. It doesn't always turn out that way, but as long as they taste good, they work. And my family gets to eat all of the "mistakes". Biscotti, Sesame Ginger Munchies, and Lemon-Poppy Seed Cornmeal Cookies along with Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies are all just calling out my name for me to bake them.

-Debbie Buck

Sci Fi & Fantasy Sale

2010-11-26T11:11:00.001-08:00

Friday Surprise!

Big sale on Science Fiction and Fantasy today. $1.25 a piece for the paperbacks or 5 for $5.00. We also have a large selection of books on tape - buy one get two free - to choose from.

Also, we have cats. But not for sale, for looking.

Crochet for CATS!!

2010-11-19T13:31:00.001-08:00

That is Henry.

Today we are featuring a Crochet for Cats event at Vintage Books.

People are welcome to come and hang out and help make kitty blankets for the Humane Society for Southwest Washington. If you know how to crochet already, you can jump right in. If you don't, Stephaniejo--the organizer and mastermind behind the Crochet for Cats program--can teach you how to make a perfect blanket for a shelter cat.

If you would like to submit a blanket for the crochet for cats program you can email Stephaniejo (featured above) at stephaniejo333@hotmail.com.

The blankets should measure:

approx 8" x 17" Kitty Blanket 2 strands

Crochet size N or Knit size 15

Crochet: ch 20, work 19 sc for 46 r

Knit: CO 19 work garter st for 92 r

If you know what all of that means, you are way ahead of me and well on your way if you would like to submit a blanket for the animal shelter.

Thanks!

-Vintage Books

p.s. We have frequent crochet for cats events at our store. If you would like to be emailed about our events you can sign up for our newsletter. See details on our website at vintage-books.com

Not Horror, Ghost Story

2010-11-16T11:56:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure whether it's the marketing I've been subjected to, or listening to King talk about writing, or because I read his book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, but I have always respected King as a storyteller; the man can spin a yarn. There is an honesty to his writing earned by hard work and from experience - like the seasoned songwriter who understands his audience and eliminates the unnecessary for the compelling - that makes King easy to read. Even when King is long winded - like when a character's own mental narrative spirals out of control for pages and pages - at least he takes you somewhere. Bag of Bones takes you lots of places.

Bag of Bones is a love story, wrapped in a mystery, bundled in a ghost story. It is melancholy at times, shocking at others, and thoroughly wrapped in a wonderful gauze of eerie longing. Bestselling author Mike Noonan's love for his recently deceased wife, his intensely vivid memories of her, and his wakeful dream life, propels him into a rich narrative that extends deep in the town's unspoken history - a history of fraught race relations and a blanket of old time Yankee secretiveness. Noonan is a sweet, likable character and we feel bad that his world has fallen out from under him; we can't help but root and worry for him.

I love mysteries and I love ghost stories, and this is one of the most enjoyable, gripping books I have read in either genre. I have also listened to King read it on one of my long road trips. His wonderful "everyman" voice and delivery complements the first person narrative perfectly. Highly recommended.

The inside has lots of little words.

-Review by Tom

Great Playing Cards

2010-11-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

I love these cards. Artist Viginijus Poshkus's images are light and clean. The formatting is simple and neat. I own the endangered species cards as well as the birds and trees.

The trees are my favorite.

These make great gifts and, at $6.00, a good bargain.

-Reviewed by Tom

...annnnnd here'ssssss....Caleb, with our Friday Surprise!

2010-11-12T10:48:00.000-08:00

No Self Help. Well...maybe one.

2010-11-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

Life is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake up, Be mindful, and Live Intentionally, by Patti Digh

I don't read self-help books. They're endless, the whole process

is endless, I suspect. But this one was so brightly-colored, full

of collages and photos and quotations and diversions. I started it,

and couldn't put it down. Okay, and my daughter made me read it.

It's hilarious, and really insightful. You can't go through it without smiling, without getting teary-eyed. And she has this four-year old sweetie who continually steals the show (part Keystone Kop, part enlightened soul). Anyway, it all comes down to the little, everyday things, we know that. But because of this book, now whenever we see a bus, any old bus, my whole family says, WOWWWWW!!!!

(And Patti's new book, Creative is a Verb, is just out!)

- Reviewed by Pepper

More Mushrooms!

2010-11-11T10:54:00.000-08:00

Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest by Steve Trudell & Joe Ammirati, Timber Press, 349 pp., $27.95

I have mushrooms on the brain right now. This guide to Pacific Northwest mushrooms is comprehensive, full of great color photographs, well bound, and has a nice sturdy glossy cover - great for resisting water as you're walking through the wet forest.

It also has a fancy ruler on the back cover for referencing fungi in the field. My thumb is only 3" long. I always thought it was longer.

Highly recommended. Great gift for a forager.

-Reviewed by Tom

2010-11-10T14:45:00.001-08:00

Every Friday morning, we get our latest magazine titles in, and every Friday afternoon, I have to buy the latest editions of several of my favorites. My favorite titles right now are: "Food Network Magazine" What can I say? I am addicted to that channel. I consider myself a foodie, even though I probably wouldn't eat a lot of the stuff that they make on the shows, especially if it involves seafood or blue cheese. This month's issue includes some yummy looking cranberry sauces, Alton Brown's guide to making the best Turkey, and even a Chocolate-Toffee Pecan Tart.

Another favorite is "Real Simple". The fact that the main cover story is called "Feel Organized for the Holidays" is definitely one that I need to read, tells me that this is my kind of magazine. Of course, I am so unorganized, that I'm not sure where I put my copy of the magazine after I bought it. Hmm..maybe I need how to be organized every minute of the day? This magazine has everything, recipes, health helps, and fashion. I always enjoy looking at decorating ideas, not that I'll get to that, see the unorganized comment.

-Debbie Buck

Foraging, Then Cooking. My Favorite.

2010-11-10T11:10:00.000-08:00

Pacific Feast: A Cook's Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cusine by Jennifer Hahn Skipstone, 223 pp., $21.95

I have recently become a mushroom forager. I enjoy romping through the wet forest; digging through the underbrush; the thrill of the hunt; and the dopamine induced rush brought on by the discovery of a white capped Matsutake. There is also the cleaning; brushing; and the preserving in numerous ways - freezing, drying, vacuum packing - all part and parcel under the wide umbrella of mushrooming. And, of course, I also love eating them - which helps to connect this voracious cycle.

Hunting for mushrooms has piqued my interest for other types of foraging, and Pacific Feast: A Cook's Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cuisine, by Jennifer Hahn, is a perfect book for someone in my position: someone excited about the prospect of discovering foods in the wilds of the pacific northwest, but unenlightened to its bounty.

Pacific Feast features detailed notes on 40 species of flora and fauna. From kelp to shellfish, mushrooms to grapes, Pacific Feast is a great introduction to a variety of foods available for harvest and for cooking. The field notes include descriptions, locations, edible parts, harvest calender, and culinary uses. I have yet to cook any of the numerous recipes, but they appear simple and complementary to the foods they feature. Wonderful.

There is a separate fold out foraging guide that sells for $7.95.

Reviewed by Tom

Oh, boy. A world of cake. Wouldn't that be a great place?

2010-11-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

A World of Cake: 150 Recipes for Sweet Traditions from Cultures Near and Far by Krystina Castella, Storey Publishing, 343 pp., $24.95

Mochi rice cakes in Japan; Nutmeg Cake in Armenia; almond pasty M'hanncha (Snake Cake-because it looks like a snake, not made of snake); and vibrant Pandan Cake in Indonesia.

A real world tour of a cake book. I would eat all of these cakes, and I would become very fat.

-Reviewed by Tom

FRIDAY SURPRISE! Surprise, lit. sale today!

2010-11-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

SALE TODAY

$3.50 for a trade paperback, $ 6.00 for a hardcover, 3 hardcovers for $15.00

what a deal

2010-11-04T10:59:00.000-07:00

Starter Vegetable Gardens, by Barbara Pleasant,

Storey Publishing, 179 pp., $19.95

Like all great gardening books, Starter Vegetable Gardens is about potential. There are a variety of different gardens featured in this book--from the simple yet fruitful beginner's garden--to family gardens and long-season gardens. Many of the gardens offer 3 year plans that build on skills and help the reader understand how their hard work will pay off in the future years--a helpful exercise for beginner gardeners who might overextend themselves, hoping for the one-season "wondergarden", and being disappointed with the results.

Starter Vegetable Gardens, offers promise for the patient, practical mind. Strongly illustrated with a mixture of hand drawn pictures and simple color photographs, its ideas are concise and well presented. There are numerous "tips" scattered throughout the book which help whet the reader's appetite for further study and at the end of the book there are 46 excellent recommendations on which vegetables to grow and tips on their cultivation and use. Its larger paperback format is lightweight and the pictures and text feel open and clean, easy to glance through and study in detail. Highly recommended.

-Reviewed by Tom

Death Come Knockin'

2010-11-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

We posted this on facebook for Halloween, but here it is again for posterity.

Death Come Knockin' from Vintage Books on Vimeo.

2010-11-02T13:42:00.000-07:00

We are going to start doing more book reviews in the coming months. Kicking off the new review section is one of my favorites: Pie, by Angela Boggiano. My friend bought a copy years ago and it's safe to say that I coveted it. Then, one sunny day in Oakland, California, while snooping around at Pegasus Books, my girlfriend's cousin became drawn to its tasty pastry cover.

I slipped him a fiver as a finder's fee and have since made numerous empanadillas; handpies; filled pastries; and, of course, pies. The "soccer pies", or "football pies"--to our friends across the pond--are my favorite. They are small, and you can make a lot of them for lunches, picnics, or indeed, soccer games: these are a perfect warm up for a cold night out. The picture below shows the size of the hand pies I'm talking about.

There is a range of influences in these recipes: empanadillas with a North African and Catalan influences; South Indian masala pasties; sweet pies; and many meat pies. Never boring, some challenging recipes, and all of them are definitely worth a try.

-Reviewed by Tom

2010-11-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

New Calanders!

2010-11-02T13:18:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite from my childhood. I now read it, along with the companion book featuring Elmo and Grover "Another Monster at the end of this Book", to my kids. We have a lot of fun with the voices. I'm not the greatest Grover or Elmo, but the kids enjoy the book just the same.

Debbie Buck

2010-11-02T13:06:00.000-07:00

Loose your cool? Want to stomp that person who charged in front?

"The Cow in the Parking Lot" may be the best hour or two you've

spent in a long time. The simple, humorous, thoughtful process

for learning to rethink how we approach difficult situations is

a bonanza in a small book. I may not be "Zen", but I'll react

differently next time someone "swipes that parking spot."

-from Becky

The Cow in the Parking Lot: A Zen Approach to Overcoming Anger
Lenoard Scheff & Susan Edmiston
Workman Publishing

2010-11-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

We brought AGAAT home from the Winter Institute. A coworker selected it

and was immediately caught up. She is a passionate supporter, and kept

at me until I read it. Amazing book!

P.S. We keep it on display near "Little Bee". Two very different

voices and stories of a world far from our experience but incredible

reads, both.

******

Agaat: savior, nurse, caregiver or demon and punisher to dying

white farm owner Milla? "Agaat" twists and turns and weaves through

time. It is a brutal South African tale, filled with beauty, love,

passion, hatred. Nothing is mellow, not even nature.

The storytelling is superb: poetic and full of mystery.

"One Shoe Blues" Event

2009-11-23T12:35:00.000-08:00

We are celebrating Sandra Boynton's new book "One Shoe Blues" which includes a dvd starring B.B. King.

Saturday November 28th at 1pm.

We will watch the dvd, make sock puppets, play games and have lots of fun.

Bring a sock to make a puppet, we'll supply the rest!

Crochet For Cats Event

2009-10-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

Another Crochet for Cats Event here at Vintage. Friday October 23, 11-2. Bring your crochet hooks, knitting needles and yarn.

Don't know how to knit or crochet? Sign up for the Read Me a Blanket Program. 2 books equals 1 blanket donated to the Southwest Washington Humane Society or the local Snuggles program. These blankets go home with the kitties when they are adopted.

We had a great response to this event during the summer and at your request, we are doing it again.

Have extra yarn laying around? We'd be happy to pass it along to the program for you.

Thanks.

Check out our Vimeo Video Page

2009-09-11T22:04:00.001-07:00

http://vimeo.com/6539997

Bad Store Episode #2

2009-09-11T22:02:00.000-07:00

Bad Store Episode 2 - Self Service from Vintage Books on Vimeo.

Bad Store Episode #1

2009-09-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

Bad Store Episode 1 - Media Mail from Vintage Books on Vimeo.

Just in:

2009-08-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

About 20 Ellis Peters, Jame Axler's Deathland and Outlanders series, Forgotten Realms.