Book Event Tonight: POWERLESS

Join us tonight when local author Jim Owen discusses his new book Powerless: Our Children's Future at 7:00 p.m. here at Camalli (1288 SW Simpson, Suite C). We are not daunted by the snow, so the event goes forward as planned.

Other upcoming events . . .

February 7 . . . Story Time at 10:00 a.m.; theme is transportation
February 8 . . . Judith Montgomery @ 6:00 p.m., reading from her latest poetry chapbook, Pulse and Constellation
February 13 . . . Story Time at 3:00 p.m.

Outside the store, mark your calendars for February 21, when Word Cafe once again takes place at COCC at 7:30. This event features poetry and fiction performed featuring Brad Hills new repertory group as well as a unique reading of poetry interpreted by dance and accompanied by live music. The performances will be followed by readings by featured local authors--including Suzanne Burns (see below) and an open mic.

On FEBRUARY 4 we begin Creative Consciousness. The idea for this program was taken from local resident Karen Castelbaum, who places an information box (real-estate style) in front of her house. Every month she places a poem in the box for people to take. We're using the idea (thanks Karen!) with Creative Consciousness. Each week we'll feature a new poem, literary passage, or piece of art (changing each Monday). On Monday the 4th we begin with a wonderful piece of poetry by Bend resident Cassie Moore, with original art by our own Britanny Zendejas. The poem and art are beautiful together, so be sure to stop by sometime after the 4th to pick one up! These are FREE, and you can pick up your piece of Creative Consciousness from the flyer box outside the front door of the store. If you'd like to submit your own work just e-mail us! We want this to be a community-centered project.

Also upcoming in the store ... local author Suzanne Burns will read from her wonderful new chapbook, Double Header. Check back in for date and time! Also look for upcoming author visits from Wayne Kee, author of the narrative poem Song of the Snake Wars . . . and Fred Swisher & Sarah Whipple, authors of 55 Myths, Tips & Secrets: Bend's Essential Guide to Landscaping.

Coming Now and Later

STORY TIMES: Thursday, 1/24, 10:00 a.m. & Wednesday, 1/30, 3:00 p.m. ... Tina's Favorites! Thursday, 2/7, 10:00 a.m. & Wednesday, 2/13, 3:00 p.m. ... Transportation. And great news ... we have guest reader Karen Grace Kassy coming in March. She'll read a story about Lewis & Clark and will bring her sweet and gentle Newfoundland, the type of dog that is at the center of our story. Mark your calendars for March 12 at 3:00 p.m. for that story time.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS: We've had some great special orders and book club picks recently. One book club is reading Ursula K. LeGuin's translation of Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching. It's one of the best selections yet, as it's unique and filled with simple & beautiful wisdom . . . and I was completely surprised to find this version from LeGuin. Another unique selection is Persepholis: The Story of a Childhood. This graphic novel tells the story of a young girl's life under the Islamic Revolution. If you've never looked through a graphic novel, we highly recommend you take a few minutes to browse a few. These are kids' comic books ... many graphic novels are sophisticated tales accompanied by amazing art. They certainly warrant a look.

The Devil and Miss Prym: A Novel of Temptation, by Paulo Coehlo, is another pick from a local book club. Coehlo's book is a parable of a community devoured by greed, cowardice, and fear—as it struggles with the choice between good and evil. Another club is reading Coehlo's Veronika Decides to Die.

If you're looking for a classic for your club pick, consider Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary. One of my personal favorites, this tale of adultery in the provinces certainly deserves another look following any requisite high school reading. The "Madame" here is Emma Bovary, the wife of a doctor who is less than satisfied with the banalities of her provincial life. She embarks on adulterous affairs and comes to a tragic end. She would be the most desperate of the desperate housewives. Other classics to look at again: The Scarlett Letter, Fahrenheit 451, Invisible Man, Atlas Shrugged, Lolita, Under the Volcano . . . so many!

BOOK CLUB: Camalli Book Co.'s next book club selection is SPECIAL TOPICS IN CALAMITY PHYSICS by Marisha Pessl. Don't let the title scare you! This mesmerizing debut novel centers on the clever, deadpan Blue van Meer, who has a head full of literary, philosophical, scientific, and cinematic knowledge. But she could use some friends. Upon entering the elite St. Gallway school she finds some--a clique of eccentrics known as the Bluebloods. One drowning and one hanging later, Blue finds herself puzzling out a byzantine murder mystery. Nabokov meets Donna Tartt in this novel--with "visual aids" drawn by the author--that has won over readers of all ages. Paperback. We will meet to discuss the novel on Wednesday, February 27, at 6:00 p.m. We had a great book-focused discussion for The World to Come, so we hope you can join us on the 27th! Everyone is welcome. Our March pick discussion will be held on Monday, March 31, at 6:00 p.m.

WHAT'S UP: Join us on January 31 as Bend author Jim Owen discusses his new book, Powerless: Our Children's Future. Owen explores the world’s need for a massive new energy economy in this powerful new book. Written by a grandfather to his three young grandchildren to read in ten years, it’s also a call to action, for anyone concerned about the world’s future. Powerless is a wake-up call based on the scientific research and ideas of great thinkers from Adam Smith, E.O. Wilson and Thomas L. Friedman. The book shows how four key elements create our coming environmental disaster: world population, distribution of power and wealth, natural resources and humans’ natural hesitation to act on long-term problems, even when they pose a threat to our children.

WOMEN ... HOT FLASHES GOT YOU DOWN?: On 2/21 Dr. Azure Karli of Bend Naturopathic Clinic will discuss the variety of menopause treatments available. Questions are welcomed, and you'll also find a range of books available to help you navigate your way through the change. :)

Story Time / Book Club

STORY TIMES
Story Times continue to be wild and fun! Here's the January schedule:

• Thursday, January 10, 10:00 a.m. - Folk/Fairy Tales
• Wednesday, January 16, 3:o0 p.m. - Folk/Fairy Tales
• Thursday, January 24, 10:00 a.m. - Tina's Favorites
• Wednesday, January 30, 3:00 p.m. - Tina's Favorites

BOOK CLUB
We're closing in on our discusson of Dara Horn's The World to Come. We'll meet on Thursday, January 10 at 5:30 p.m. here at the store. EVERYONE is welcome. If you can think of one discussion ahead of time that'd be great. I know I'll be re-reading the last two chapters of the book before we meet . . . what happens at the end will certainly help propel a spirited discussion! We'll also need to decide on our next read. Books in consideration include (all in paperback):

• The Known World, by Edward P. Jones
• The Autumn of the Patriarch, by Gariel Garcia Marquez
• Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
• Special Topics in Calamity Physics, by Marisha Pessl
• Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates

But we're also open to more suggestions! Shoot me an e-mail if you have a book in mind. We hope to see you on the 10th!

Open Earlier and Later

Temporary holiday hours this week . . . not to say there are any last-minute shoppers out there, but just in case ;-)

Monday - Friday: 9:30-7:00
Saturday: 9:30-6:00
Sunday: 10:00-5:00
Monday 12/24: 9:00-1:00

If you know exactly what you want, you can always call ahead of time and we'll pull it off of the shelf for you and have it wrapped and ready when you pick it up. We have until Thursday (12/20) morning to place our last holiday order, so if there's anything out there you want us to order simply give us a ring and we'll get it in the order for arrival on Friday.

STORY TIME ... Christmas books galore on WEDNESDAY, 12/19 at 3:00. I plan on reading Snowmen at Christmas, The Night Before Christmas, and Olive the Other Reindeer. The craft is a good ol' paper chain garland.

We have 4 copies left of the author- and illustrator-signed Life of Pi Illustrated Edition books left (hardcover/$29.95). A great and rare gift for the book lover. I'm in love with Bird: The Definitive Guide from DK & Audubon (hardcover, $50.00). It's a gorgeous book and would be a welcomed treat by any birder on your list.

We still have a few stuffed penguins left, and the kids love these (2 ft. plush toy, $19.99). Pair the stuffed penguin with a penguin book and, voila, you're a hero ... Santa would be jealous. Or, for the mini chef, perhaps a copy of William Steig's hilarious book, Pete's a Pizza (hardcover, $16.99), paired with Melissa & Doug's Pizza Party pizza toy ($19.98). Mmmm, pizza.

For the know-it-all, try The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge (hardcover, $31.95). They may know a lot, but this book will show them that there still are a few new things to be learned.

And, yep, gift wrap is complimentary! We get backed up from time to time with wrapping, but you can always buy it, leave it, let us wrap it, and come back later if you're short on time.

Happy holidays!! We look forward to seeing you soon . . .

The holidays are upon us and we at Camalli are caught in a festive whirlwind of wrapping paper and ribbon! Wow . . . some of us are simply impressed that people get their shopping done anytime before the 15th. But it's been wonderful to meet so many new people and catch up with our more regular visitors. Our Holiday Catalog titles are moving quickly . . . remember, titles from the catalog are 20% off through December! The Adventures of Cinnamon Bear is in much demand, but luckily we have many in stock. Whether the person on your list is a little reader-to-be or a life-long bibliophile, we have great ideas for unique gifts. And remember . . . COMPLIMENTARY GIFT WRAP lets you cross one more thing off of your list!

NEXT STORY TIME . . . we hope to see you Thursday 12/13 at 10:00 a.m. with your little one. Our theme this week is HOLIDAY, and if we miss you on Thursday the story time and craft repeats on Wednesday, 12/19, at 3:00 p.m.

BOOK CLUB . . . remember to mark your calendars for January 10, 5:30 p.m., when we will discuss our December book selection, The World to Come. It's not too late to pick up and read this fabulous book. Dara Horn's provoking tale centers on a Chagall painting, tracing its possible provenance in Russia through its theft from a Jewish museum in New York and forward in time to the thief's motivations. Drawn from the real-life theft of the painting, Horn's narrative beautifully blends the real and the mystical to paint a memorable tale that will stay with you long after you've finished the last page.

Thanks so much for sharing your love of reading with us!

Camalli Book Company Recent Bestsellers:
The World to Come
The Adventures of Cinnamon Bear
Three Cups of Tea
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
The Omnivore's Dilemma
Water for Elephants
... and cookbooks! Lots and lots of cookbooks!

Be Independent!

Stuffed Turkey, Stuffed Store

Unbelievably, the holiday shopping season is already upon us. Our holiday catalog is filled with great titles for gift giving, from northwest authors to children's books. If you didn't get your catalog in the Bulletin, be sure to swing by and pick up one. All books in the catalog are 20% off through December. Going fast: the Mark-My-Time digital bookmarks. These are GREAT for kids! They make it easy to track your child's reading time . . . and therefore make it a breeze to fill in their time on those class reading logs.

We have a few copies left of the Life of Pi signed illustrated editions, but they are going much faster than I had anticipated. So many people loved this book. And the illustrations in this new edition are gorgeous. The books are first edtion/first printing, and they're signed by Yann Martel and illustrator. A rare treat!

STORY TIMES . . . we added another one to our schedule! This week's story time is on Thursday (11/29) at 10:00 a.m., with the theme of SNOW. That story time and theme then repeats next Wednesday (12/5) at 3:00 p.m. We'll of course do a craft after we read the books. Thursday Story Times are ideal for kids 2 - 5, while Wednesday Story Times will be geared to a little older audience (ages 3 - 6+) for those getting out of school early. Regardless of age, though, all are welcome!

AUTHOR SIGNING . . . Paty Jager joins us this Saturday, 12/1, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to sign copies of her latest Western romance, A Perfectly Good Nanny. Come by, pick up a cookie to munch on, and chat with Paty about her book as well as her experience as a writer.

Following the Thanksgiving holiday, I'm reminded of how thankful I am to own an independent bookstore. It's the best job I've ever had, and the people I've met have been amazing. Thank you for shopping with us!

Be Independent!

New Edition of Life of Pi ... Signed and Illustrated!

This just in . . . signed copies of the NEW illustrated edition of Yann Martel's Life of Pi! We at Camalli are very lucky to have these signed editions, especially considering that they are signed by both the author and the illustrator, and are first edition/first printing copies. Best of all, they're available at the retail price of $29.99. We have only 20 copies, and when they're gone, they're gone. A copy of this beautiful book would make a wonderful gift for a friend . . . or a perfect gift for yourself! With the gorgeous illustrations, now is the time to re-read (or read for the first time) this Man Booker-prize winning novel.