Stories . . . and Dust

Next story time is Thursday, October 18, at 10:00 a.m. Our theme this time is DINOSAURS. Looking out the window I realize I perhaps should have chosen the theme of CONSTRUCTION TRUCKS, as the construction on Simpson continues. Again. Which makes it hard for customers trying to access either the shopping center we're in or the one across the street. Make your way in via Century/14th if you can. The trucks are a bit loud and they're kicking up some dust, but anyone with a young child who loves construction trucks should stop in in the next two days and read some big truck books while watching the show outside the window. Lots of "heavy machinerey," as my son used to call them.

I recently finished Mister Pip, a book that was shortlisted for this year's Man Booker prize. A very good book, but it drained the emotion out of me at one point. I won't give it away here. But I was left thinking about it for days after. Very powerful. It was one of those books that affected me in a way that I had to immediately get into another book to help clear my head of the imagery. So I picked up an advance reader's copy of The Somnambulist, which doesn't publish in the U.S. until February, though it's already out to good reviews in the U.K. It's somewhat of a gothic mystery set in Victorian England. Or, as the cover describes it, "An extraordinary tale of poetry, secret societies, travelling circuses and walking dead set in a richly realised Victorian London." Interesting so far.

What are you reading? What have you loved? We'd love to publish you favorites in the store . . . give you your own little shelf corner with your recommedation. Just drop an e-mail!