As we promised during the Q & A session, here is a link to Judy’s blog about her book.  When she gets her information up on Facebook and/or Twitter, you will be able to find that information on our website here, as well.  One quick word about her website, she has a lot of links on there for how to buy her books online from big places like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  But, if it is convenient for you, we would love to sell Judy’s book to you from our shop.  You save on shipping, you support local business, and we will try our best to always have signed copies on hand. I’m not 100% sure about it, but since we are buying directly from her publisher, I think Judy gets a bigger slice of the pie than she would from some larger corporation.  It’s a win-win for everyone!

Thanks again to Judy for inviting us to sell her book for her at her launch! I hope all of you will get the chance to read it. It really is something special in our community, just as Judy herself is.

“Looking Through Water” by Judy Allen is a post from: Ekahni Books

I thought that you all might like to know more about Brian, so I am posting a link to a podcast from OPB here on our website so you all can listen to his recent “Think Out Loud” radio interview.  It is a great interview that touches on everything from parenthood to his reaction to 9/11 (three of his friends were murdered on that fateful day), not to mention his life and his writing.  Feel free to click over and give it a listen:  http://www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows/northwest-passages-brian-doyle/

I suspect that everyone who lives on the Oregon Coast will recognize the town of Neawanaka.  I imagine we will all think it’s based directly on wherever we live.  It captures the feel of life here so well.  It feels so realistic.  It’s hard to believe that it isn’t your hometown he is talking about.  Brian does a fantastic job of weaving character pieces together to create a rich tapestry of the hilarious, sad, jealous and crazy ways that life really is sometimes.  But don’t just take my word for it.  Some other wonderful people have had some great things to say about Brian’s book.  Take David James Duncan, the author of “The River Why” and “The Brothers K”.  He wrote about Brian’s book: “In its sights, setting, insinuations, flora and fauna, his tale is quintessential North Coast, but in its sensibility and lilt this story is as Irish as tin whistles — and the pairing is an unprecedented delight….I’ve read no Northwest novel remotely like it and enjoyed few novels more.”  That’s fairly high praise from Mr. Duncan, given that he is somewhat of a Pacific Northwest legend in his own right.  But, I find that I can’t disagree.  The book is all that and more.  I love everything about this book… even the cover image, which will make a lot more sense once you have read it, too.

I hope that you all get to join us for the Manzanita Writers Series… it’s going to be a really wonderful evening.  So come on out and listen to a reading by a great guy with your friends and neighbors.  And don’t forget the Open Mic night afterwards where you can listen to local folks trying out their writing before a live audience.  After all, it’s winter… what else do you have to do?

Getting Excited for January Writer’s Series! is a post from: Ekahni Books

Thanks!

Yelp! is a post from: Ekahni Books

Closing to celebrate! is a post from: Ekahni Books

Here are the highlights:

The Spiritual Quest and the Way of Yoga – The Goal, the Journey and the Milestones by Swami Adiswarananda

Inner Yoga – Selected Writings of Sri Anirvan

Practical Yoga – Restoring the Body, Mind and Spirit – A practical guide to yoga

Outstanding in the Field – A Farm to Table Cookbook by Jim Denevan

The Wisdom of Ptah-Hotep – Spiritual Treasures from the Age of the Pyramids by Christian Jacq

Escape on the Pearl – The Heroic Bid for Freedom on the Underground Railroad by Mary Kay Ricks

The Natural Paint Book – A complete guide to natural paints, recipes and finishes by Lynn Edwards and Julia Lawless

The Other by David Guterson – New book by the author of Snow Falling on Cedars

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland – a wonderful reinterpretation of The Canterbury Tales

Dora the Explorer – 18 Board books in a box

Dinosaurs in the Round – A pop up diorama

Goodnight Moon and other Sleepytime Tales – DVD – featuring performances by Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Billy Crystal, Lauren Hill, Patti LaBelle, Aaron Neville, and Susan Sarandon

Plus so much more…

Don’t forget we do special orders and we track down used, rare and out of print books as well.

Thank you for supporting local booksellers in your community.

New for the week of June 21st is a post from: Ekahni Books

Very exciting news today, folks!  Our new sign, courtesy of Aaron at Signmakers in Nehalem, is up! Woo hoo!  I must admit, I am excited all out of proportion about this sign.  For those of you who have been following us, this one little sign has taken well over a month from idea to execution, and there have been a few bumps along the way. But, now it is here, it is up, and it is beautiful – if I do say so myself! Yay! Go Team Ekahni!

So, this was me running and gunning, shooting this picture as I was crossing the street with oncoming traffic! Yikes! Though it was a little nerve-wracking, you can get a good idea what the sign looks like from a little closer.

And, last but not least, here is the up close view of our new sign.  Thanks to Terry for putting it up with short notice and on a Friday afternoon! When you have to find a good contractor willing to help out at the last minute before a weekend, Terry Fullan is the guy to talk to!  He was a huge help and even let us borrow his ladder to take down the old peeling vinyl sign on the front window. Yay Terry and thanks again, sir!

New sign is up!! is a post from: Ekahni Books

First, Robert Michael Pyle is doing a workshop at Alder Creek Farm sponsored by the Lower Nehalem Community Trust and the Manzanita Writer’s Series.  We currently have 2 new copies of Pyle’s book Sky’s Time in Gray’s River and a used copy from 1974 of Watching Washington Butterflies.  Here is some info for those who might be interested: http://hoffmanblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/en-plein-air-registration.pdf

For those of you that were at the Tillamook County Water Trail Dedication this past Friday, you may be interested in The Nehalem Estuary and Adjacent Wetlands by Gareth Ferdun.  This is a great book about the history and preservation of our estuary by a local author who has spent 8 years studying this area.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen – The novel, told in flashback by nonagenarian Jacob Jankowski, recounts the wild and wonderful period he spent with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus he joined during the Great Depression. When 23-year-old Jankowski learns that his parents have been killed in a car crash, leaving him penniless, he drops out of Cornell veterinary school and parlays his expertise with animals into a job with the circus, where he cares for a menagerie of exotic creatures.

Retire Right – 8 Scientifically Proven Traits You Need for a Happy, Fulfilling Retirement by Frederick T. Fraunfelder, MD and James H. Gilbaugh, Jr., MD – A scientifically backed, bullet proof prescription for a successful retirement.  Signed by Dr. Gilbaugh, who is a part time resident on the North Coast.

Washington and Oregon Nature Guide by Erin McCloskey – Another wonderful guidebook from Lone Pine; this one covers mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, invertebrates, trees, shrubs, herbs, ferns and seaweeds. Plus it is thinner & lighter than previous editions- making for even easier carrying while hiking!

Finally, we are excited to announce we have just received some of the last hardback copies of At the Foot of the Mountain by Jane Comerford.  This book details, in words and pictures, the history of Manzanita and Neahkahnie. Believe it or not, this book was in real danger of going out of print. Luckily, Jane and Dragonfly Press were able to re-print the book and there will be new soft cover copies coming in July!  In the meantime, though, we have the last of the hard covers- so come and get ‘em!

That is all for now, but we are expecting a shipment of over 20 titles next week ranging in topics from yoga, cooking, children’s books, history and fiction.

Thanks again for supporting independent booksellers in your community.

New This Week at Ekahni Books for the Week of June 8th, 2010! is a post from: Ekahni Books

Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon – The complete guide to organic vegetable gardening in the Pacific Northwest. This is the 6th edition of this incredibly popular guide.

Compost, By Any Other Name, Makes Good Dirt by Leo D. Mock – Leo is from Scappoose and writes about how and what to compost as well as how to build a compost bin. (I asked him, and no, he isn’t any relation to Tom Mock – but wouldn’t it be neat if he was??)

Heat:  An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany by Bill Buford – Bill is a highly acclaimed writer and editor for The New Yorker and this is the story of his experiences after deciding to go work for Mario Batali in his kitchen at “Babbo”.  If you enjoy reality cooking shows like “Hell’s Kitchen,” you will love this book. (One word of caution.. this book is a little more real than “reality television”.  And is even more fascinating!)

Look Me In the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison – John is the older brother of Augusten Burroughs (of Running with Scissors fame) who was labelled a “social deviant” as a child. It wasn’t until he was forty that he was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.  This is a darkly funny memoir of his life.  (This was a “must read” recommendation from our good friend at Moxie, Angelina.

Elephants of the Tsunami by Jana Laiz – The true story of elephants rescuing humans from the tsunami in Indonesia and their subsequent survival told in children’s book form with wonderful illustrations.  (This was one of the books presented by James Roddy at the tsunami lectures at the Pine Grove. We also have Oregon’s Greatest Natural Disasters and Unthinkable from that same presentation.)

Lastly, don’t forget to get those pre-orders in for Stieg Larsson’s third book The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.  The book will be released on May 25th, and is the last book in the series which began with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and was followed by The Girl Who Played With Fire.  As many of you know, we are huge fans of this series and we highly recommend it to anyone who loves excellently tight writing, seamlessly crafted complex plots, or intriguingly intense thrillers.  You won’t be disappointed! Call us at 503-368-6881 or email us at: sales@ekahnibooks.com and we will get you set up!

As always, thank you for supporting independent booksellers in your community!

Franz & Sherry Hasslacher

New This Week at Ekahni Books for the Week of May 14th, 2010. is a post from: Ekahni Books

Just when you thought Twitter was only good for finding out what your favorite celebrity had for lunch today, here comes a great idea from @crowdsourcing!  Could we create a place where everyone in the world could read the same book at the same time?  Could we really create a worldwide frame of reference for millions of people? Just with the power of Twitter and a good book?  As it turns out, the answer to all of these questions is “yes”!

So, after a few weeks of good natured arguing back and forth and tons of voting from folks all over the world, the book has finally been decided upon.  And it is Neil Gaiman’s incredible bestseller “American Gods”.  Neil beat out such classics as Fahrenheit 451 and Slaughterhouse-Five to be the first ever “one book, one tweet” worldwide book club reader’s choice.  Here is a brief teaser about the book:

“Shadow is a man with a past. But now he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life with his wife and stay out of trouble.  Until he learns she’s been killed in a terrible accident.  Flying home for the funeral, as a violent storm rocks the plane, a strange man in the seat next to him introduces himself.  The man calls himself Mr. Wednesday, and he knows more about Shadow than is possible.  He warns Shadow that a far bigger storm is coming.  And from that moment on, nothing will ever be the same…”

If you read Gaiman’s “Neverwhere” and “Stardust” you will understand what a serious statement I am making when I agree with others that this is Gaiman’s most ambitious book to date.  We have four copies here at the shop, so come and get’em while supplies last.

The “schedule” starts today, but you can read at your own pace.  If you want to join the discussion, which is the fun part of a book club after all, all you need is a Twitter account and the ability to follow “@1B1T2010”.  Folks will start tweeting their reactions and opinions about each chapter according to a schedule found here:

http://www.crowdsourcing.com/cs/2010/05/ready-set-read-the-one-book-one-twitter-discussion-schedule.html

I am really excited about this!  I have seen large scale book groups like this work for city-wide reads, in places like Seattle and Chicago.  But this the first time that people from all over the world have come together to read and discuss one book.  I can’t wait to see what my fellow Manza-Whee-Lems (gosh, I hope I spelled that right!) think of Neil Gaiman’s book. And if anyone needs any help signing up for Twitter, I would be happy to show them how.  It’s easy, it’s free, and it’s fun!

Alright, everybody, get ready – get set – READ!

Special Announcement: Join the World Wide Book Club! is a post from: Ekahni Books

This week, we have new books from the presentation given at the Pine Grove on tsunamis and Native American history, a new young adult (YA) book from John Green, and some just general fun books.  Let’s get to the list, shall we?

Books From The Tsunami Presentation

The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes- And Why by Amanda Ripley – the NPR’s Book Tour said of this book that it is “The thinking person’s manual for getting out alive.”  And that is exactly what it is.  Personal behavior in an emergency is often the single most important factor in a person’s survival.  This book shows you how you can change your behavior and save your life.

Oregon’s Greatest Natural Disasters by William L. Sullivan – You might recognize Mr. Sullivan from the excellent travel & hiking guide of his that we carry here at the shop, and he has done just as good a job with this book while talking about our state’s very active disaster history.

(Note: Many of you have asked about “Elephants of the Tsunami”- after some  initial confusion from the publisher, we are hoping to see these books shipped out sometime next week.  They will be coming from back East, so it might take just a bit longer than usual.  We are working on it diligently, though!)

New From YA Author John Green

Those of you who have a young person in your home probably already know about John Green.  He and his brother Hank became massive internet celebrities with their “Brotherhood 2.0” videos on YouTube.  They used that following to build up John’s YA writing career, further Hank’s reporting on green issues and the environment, and perhaps most importantly, they built a community on the internet for young people of a nerdy persuasion to get together to discuss their lives, their books and their worlds.  Members of this community are called Nerdfighters.  Well, Nerdfighters unite (and DFTBA), because John Green’s new book (written with the equally awesome David Levithan) is out.  It is called Will Grayson, Will Grayson and it is brilliant.  One thing is certain with this book… neither of them have forgotten to be awesome.

Other Interesting New Books

Convictions: A Prosecutor’s Battles Against Mafia Killers, Drug Kingpins and Enron Thieves by John Kroger – Mr. Kroger is our Writer’s Series author in August and we are very happy to start selling his book early.  He is Oregon’s Attorney General, and after just glancing at this book I can see how lucky we are to have him.  This book is a truly fascinating (and very well written) look at what it is to be a federal prosecutor.  (Let me put it this way, we ordered one more than we have at the shop because I will be reading this one at home.)

The Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne – originally published in 2006, there has been a lot of recent interest in this book because of the film adaptation of the same name.  This is a beautifully written, deeply affecting and powerful book. It’s made for teens,  but it’s probably one that everybody should read.

Store Notes:

We got in a bumper crop of used paperbacks yesterday… so we have over one hundred new paperbacks in the shop today!  Many are classics, but there is also some romance, mystery, fiction and even some philosophy and non-fiction.  A little something for everyone and the vast majority of them are on sale for $2.00 a piece!

Alright, without any further adieu, here is our new shop logo (designed by Franz, me, and Kate Johnstone of Smite The Pellet Graphic Design- look for her on Facebook!):

We hope you like it!  (It might look a little stretched on your screen- it just depends on what kind of screen you have.)  And thanks again for supporting local independent bookstores in your community!

New This Week at Ekahni Books for the Week of April 30th, 2010! is a post from: Ekahni Books