Flooding Brandon With Books Since 2019

Four years ago this week, The Bookstore opened its door for business at its new/old location in the Briggs Carriage House at 8 Conant Square in Brandon, Vermont. Our mission was to provide not just a place to purchase the latest James Patterson opus, but also a place for the community to gather and share a love of reading, literature, and the occasional bowl of soup (raise your hand if you remember Souper Thursday!). Four months later, a pandemic threatened our ability to fulfill that mission, but thanks to loyal customers and some creative delivery methods, we survived.

As we look back on the past four years, so many happy memories stand out. We’ve celebrated Independent Bookstore Day, hosted Zoom and in-store author appearances, eaten dozens of rosemary chocolate chip cookies, and hand sold our favorite books to hundreds of avid readers. As we enter our busiest time of the year, we are grateful for you, our customers. We could not have done it without you and we thank you.

And now, on to the newsletter! In this month’s edition:

• Celebrating Jolabokaflod
• Children’s Literary Foundation Book Drive
• The Bookclub at The Bookstore
• Website News
• Staff Favorites; and, of course
• Food for Thought

Merry Jolabokaflod!

Jolaboka-whaa? Jolabokaflod! It’s an Icelandic term that translates to “Christmas Book Flood,” and dates to WWII, when currency restrictions limited imported gifts but paper goods (such as books) were readily available. As a result, giving books as Christmas gifts quickly became an Icelandic annual tradition and the term Jolabokaflod was coined to describe the, well, flood of new books published to satisfy the increased holiday demand.

Now, we in Brandon know that floods are not generally something to look forward to with joyful anticipation. Who can forget when Hurricane Irene helped to relocate Brandon House of Pizza? But a flood of books? Now that’s something to get excited about! And right now The Bookstore is waist-deep in new books and old favorites, from Barbra Streisand’s chatty memoir to Christopher Paolini’s latest fantasy epic to boxed sets of classics like the Lord of the Rings , Goosebumps, and the Chronicles of Narnia. Not to mention addictive mystery series from Louise Penny, Mick Herron, Paul Doiron, Richard Osman, Jacqueline Winspear, William Kent Krueger, and Elly Griffiths, to name just a few. And we would be remiss not to mention our AMAZING children’s and Young Adult book sections where you can find the perfect book for babies through teens . . . oh my!

“But wait!”, you say, “what about non-book gifts? Can I flood my friends and loved ones with those?” Why yes, yes, you can! We have a wide array of games, puzzles, toys, art supplies, socks, and other tchotchkes to choose from, including some wonderful toys and games from Melissa & Doug.

Children’s Literacy Foundation Book Drive

This holiday season, The Bookstore is partnering with the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) to provide high-quality books to children ages 0 to 12 across Vermont and New Hampshire who might not otherwise have the opportunity to own books of their own. From December 8 to December 22, The Bookstore is encouraging patrons to add a book (or two, or three) to their purchase for the CLiF drive. Choose from books we have selected as possible donations, or find something that speaks to you in our aforementioned AMAZING children’s section. For each book purchased for CLiF, you will be entered into a drawing to win one of two $25 Gift Certificates to The Bookstore.

 

The Bookclub at The Bookstore

December’s meeting of The Bookclub at The Bookstore is Sunday, December 17 at 3:00 PM. This month’s theme is “House Hearth Home.” We will start with a scavenger hunt through the store for books that speak to us on the theme, and then regroup to discuss the books we chose and let the conversation flow where it flows (like a river in flood, perhaps?).

Website News

This month we rolled out our new website. It looks a bit like our old website, but has some significant improvements. It’s easier to navigate (and easier for us to update), but the most exciting news is that you can now pay for your order with a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover) when you place it, and have it shipped anywhere in the US. So now as you scroll through our product pages and pick the books you want, you can complete the transaction online! Of course, we still have the “Pay in Store” option for our local clients, and we’d love the opportunity to see your smiling faces as you pick up your orders.

Staff Favorites

Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward

I picked up this book as an Advanced Reader’s Copy one day when I had nothing to read. I knew it would be good (It’s an Oprah’s Book Club pick, and had a glowing review by Barack Obama on the cover), but I didn’t expect it to be one of the most moving and engrossing books I’ve ever read. I devoured it over the course of two days. My emotions ranged from despair to pride as I followed the story of the young protagonist, Annis, and her harrowing journey through slavery to freedom. Filled with spectacular imagery and references to African folklore, you simply must read this book. — Liv

Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart

If you come into The Bookstore asking for my historical fiction recommendation, I will find a way to include Girl Waits With Gun. Stewart masterfully mixes feminism, mystery and humour into one incredible book. Based on the real lives of The Kopp Sisters, an eccentric and amusing trio of women, it has everything I require in historical fiction. Not to mention it’s also a detective novel (I mean really, how does Stewart do it?). The best part? Girl Waits With Gun is the first in a six book series, so you won’t have to leave the Kopps too soon. — Liv

Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willan

I was so excited when I saw this book arrive in our latest holiday shipment. I’m a long-standing fan of Willan and his ever-suffering goblin protagonist. Elves Are The Worst is the fourth book in the the series, and just as funny as the other four. My introduction to Goblin and his general inability to make friends with any of his neighbors was with the best-selling Unicorns Are The Worst!, the first in the series. I laughed so hard, I cried, and then I promptly bought the book for my nieces. If you’d like to add a little levity to your holiday season, I highly suggest Elves Are The Worst! You might also like Dragons Are the Worst! and Yetis Are the Worst! . — Liv

Food for Thought

This months’s recipe for a simple but tasty party snack comes from East by Meera Sodah.

Sweet Chile Cashews

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red chile powder (like Kashmiri) (Note: that’s chile with an “e,” not chili powder with an “i,” which is actually a spice mix for, well, chili.)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

3 Tbs sugar

2 cups unsalted cashews

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the salt, chile powder and pepper in a small bowl, mix well and set aside. Put the sugar in a small frying pan over medium heat and allow to melt into a clear pool without stirring. Once the sugar is melted, tip the cashews and spiced salt in the melted sugar. Mix well, let sit one minute, and mix again to glaze the nuts. Cook for another minute until the sugar starts to cluster on the nuts, and then tip out onto the paper-lined pan. Spread into a single layer and allow to cool. When cool, break up any large clusters and place the nuts in a bowl for serving.