Ann Patchett's Blog, page 27

Here’s the Deal: Getting to Know Author Courtney Maum

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You could think of Courtney Maum’s new book, Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer’s Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting and Surviving Your First Book, as a kind of crash course in publishing. That is, it contains a ton of information, all in one place, and it doesn’t get too bogged down in details. But if the words “crash course” make you think “shallow and perfunctory,” that couldn’t be further from the truth.

To begin with, Maum, the author of Costalegre, Touch, and I Am Having so Much Fun Here Without You, has been through the publishing gauntlet herself, so she has plenty of firsthand experience to draw on. That makes the book read more like handy notes from that friend who knows what’s what than some slapdash seminar that’s mostly just someone reading off a PowerPoint. It’s also something you might not expect from an industry guide: funny. “For reasons we will not get into here, I once attended clown school,” Maum writes at one point, as a way to introduce talking about your inner critic. At another point, talking about preparing to submit to editors: “Only one more circle of query hell to go!”

But this isn’t a memoir, and Maum doesn’t only draw on her own experience. The list of people cited or interviewed for this book is four pages long (!) and includes everyone from Saeed Jones to R.O. Kwon, Mira Jacob to Edan Lepucki, Maggie Nelson to Cheryl Strayed, Ottessa Moshfegh to Roxane Gay. What’s more, there’s no brow-beating about you must do things exactly this way in order to succeed. Sure, you’ll hear about what industry folks will expect you to do in certain situations, but at every point there is acknowledgment that your mileage (and word count) may vary.

Get to know Maum as she answers our Authors IRL questionnaire.

I’ve been listening to: Yucatan FM! My husband got this gizmo called a Roberts Steam 94i that plays any radio station in the world without having to futz around with an app. I’ve been taking Spanish lessons so he pre-set some Spanish stations for me, and Yucatan FM is my very favorite. The music is beautiful and cheerful, and it’s broadcast from Mérida, Mexico, which is a city I have a lot of affection for.

I love to watch: I tore through the entire first season of Mytho on Netflix and now I’m in a program rut. Over the holidays we watched Wrong by Quentin Dupieux with our daughter — it’s an unlikely feel good movie, but once you settle into the ballsy weirdness and surrender to the rhythm, a Dupieux film is like nothing else — his movies display the most original humor I’ve ever heard or seen.

[image error]Courtney Maum. Photo by Colin Lane.

Something I saw online that made me laugh, cry, or think: On January 1st, the author Rebecca Makkai tweeted, “Listen, I had a hell of a decade (four books, etc.) but the honest-to-god high point was when my second kid could finally click herself into her own damn car seat.” I loved that. The car seat milestone resonated with me — I’ve also published four books in the last decade but the non-publishing timeline is equally interesting and poignant. My child is reading herself to sleep now and it’s beautiful to see.

Best meal I’ve had in the past month: I live in a rural area so the best meals are usually at friends’ homes. Our friends Bevan and Eliza cook like nobody else — every meal is wildly different from the last one and made from the truest scratch: rabbit that our friends raised and butchered, homemade pappardelle …

A creator who’s doing something I admire or envy: I don’t know her personally, but Hanya Yanagihara has a pretty swell career. To have written a book as profound and accomplished as A Little Life and then to travel around the world as T Magazine’s editor in chief to the world’s most intriguing destinations sounds pretty good to me!

A book I recently recommended to someone else: Hex by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight. It’s not out until March but please trust me — pre-order it. It is the antidote for anyone looking for something impeccably unique.

The last event I bought tickets to was: I went contra dancing on Thanksgiving in Lincoln, MA. Dancing with strangers was the perfect way to spend a holiday that is supposed to be about communion and good-neighborliness.

Most meaningful recent travel destination: The indescribable Careyes in Western Mexico. This place is my muse. It was a principal character in my short story “Tourist Season” and my chapbook “Notes from Mexico” and my latest novel, Costalegre, too. It also makes an appearance in a memoir I’m revising at the moment.

I wish I knew more about: Religion(s). My daughter is at an age where she has a lot of questions about the afterlife. I was raised without religion but I want to let her know how many belief systems there are. If anyone knows of a religious buffet somewhere that I can take her to, let me know.

My favorite thing about bookstores: Bookstores are a brick and mortar edifice of resistance. My big thing for the last few years has been to fight against the siren call of convenience. There is real and vital magic in the act of taking time to visit an independent bookshop, talk to the humans who work there, purchase a book that you came for (or possibly one that a bookseller helped you discover). The bookstore is an ecosystem that needs us to fight for its survival, and the few dollars more that it costs to buy a book from a shop (rather than an online outlet) is an investment we should cherish.

Dream Weaver: An Excerpt From Isabel Ibañez’s Woven in Moonlight

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We are thrilled to kick off 2020 with an action-packed fantasy for ParnassusNext members! The January selection for our monthly YA subscription box is Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez. This #ownvoices YA fantasy draws inspiration from real events in Bolivian history — Ibañez is the daughter of two Bolivian immigrants — while spinning a fantastic tale all its own.

[image error]Isabel Ibañez

Protaganist Ximena serves as a stand-in for the queen, who is the last of her line. The queen’s people, the Illustrians, lost everything when Atoc used the power of an ancient relic to drive them from their city. With her ability to spin real thread from moonlight, Ximena can weave hidden messages into tapestries for the resistance. And when Atoc demands the queen’s hand in marriage, Ximena must go in her place — providing the perfect opportunity for her to infiltrate the usurper’s stronghold and recover the relic. But then things get complicated.

Court intrigue, a masked vigilante, and a case of hidden identity make it a compelling read. You’ll want to read the story of romance and revolution in turns slowly (to make it last) and quickly (to find out how it ends)!

In the following excerpt, Ximena appears before the people of the kingdom as the queen’s double.

My banged-up spoon scrapes the bottom of a barrel that should’ve held enough dried beans to last for three more months.

No, no, no.

There has to be more.

Sickness churns my stomach, and my knuckles brush against bare wood as I coax a handful of shriveled beans into a half-empty bag. I wipe dirty hands against my white trousers and ignore the sweat dripping down my neck. The kingdom of Inkasisa is in the middle of her stifling wet season. Even though it’s night, there’s no escaping the muggy heat.

“Something wrong, Condesa?” asks the next person in line waiting for their ration.

Yes, in fact. We’re all going to starve. Not that I can say this out loud. It goes against everything I know to do as their leader: A condesa should never show fear.

I school my features into what I hope is a pleasant expression, then turn to face the long line of Illustrians waiting for their evening portions. Drawn faces stare back at me. White clothes hang off gaunt frames, loose and big like the tents the Illustrians sleep in next to the keep.

My whole life, I’ve trained for situations like this: manage expectations, soothe people’s worries, feed them. It’s the condesa’s job.

We’re standing in the round storage building with the door propped open, allowing for people to crowd around as I sort through the provisions. Luna’s light casts rectangular patterns on the dozens of empty barrels piled on their sides, while a rickety wooden staircase leads up to the armory housing swords, shields, and bundled arrows. All we could carry when we fled for our lives the day La Ciudad Blanca fell.

What would Ana, our general, want me to say? Manage them. You’re in charge. Don’t forget what’s at stake. We need to survive until we can take back the throne.

I glance at the door, half expecting to find Ana’s broad shoulders leaning against the frame, moonlight reflecting off the silver wisps in her hair. But she’s not there. Ana left four days ago on a mission to chase a rumor about Atoc, the false Llacsan king — a rumor that guarantees our victory.

She promised to be back by yesterday.

An arm brushes against mine. Catalina, silently reminding me of her presence. The knot in my chest unwinds slightly. I forgot she was standing behind me, ever helpful.

“Bring me the wheat, por favor.” I gesture toward the wall the barrels of rations are lined against. “And the cloth bags over on that shelf.”

She obeys, grabbing the supplies off the shelf first and handing them to me, her dark eyes lowered. Then she darts toward the barrel.

“Condesa?” a woman asks. “Is this all that’s left?”

[image error]I hesitate; the lie waiting on the tip of my tongue tastes sour and wrong. My gaze returns to the dwindling piles of food at my feet: husked corn, a half-filled bag of rice, and an almost empty basket of bread. Not nearly enough.

A lie won’t feed all these people.

“We’re short on some supplies,” I say with a tight smile. “No beans, I’m afraid, but—”

Next to me Catalina stiffens, pausing in her attempt to drag the wheat barrel to my side. Normally it takes the effort of two people, but somehow she manages by herself. Which means this barrel isn’t full either.

The woman’s mouth drops open. “No beans? ¿No hay comida?”

“That’s not what I said.” I force my smile to remain in place as I come to a split decision — our best and only option. “We have to be careful with what we have. So here’s what’s going to happen: Starting immediately, everyone will receive less than half their usual ration, per family. I know it’s not ideal, but it’s either that or we starve,” I say bluntly. “Your pick.”

Voices rise up.

“Less than half?”

“Not ideal?”

Another woman shouts, “How can there be no food left?”

A headache presses against my temple. “We do have some food—”

But the woman’s words travel down the line, catching fire in the dark, until fifty people clamor for attention, wanting answers, wanting their rations. They wave their empty baskets in the air. Their loud cries boom like thunder in my ears. I want to duck for cover. But if I don’t do something, I’m going to have a full-blown riot on my hands.

“Reassure them,” Catalina hisses.

“I can’t offer what we don’t have,” I whisper. Catalina shoots me a meaningful look. A condesa should know how to maintain control of any situation. “I’m doing my job. You do yours.”

“Your job is my job,” she snaps.

The people’s cries swell, bouncing off the walls and threatening to strike me down. “¡Comida! ¡Comida!” The crowd stomps their feet and pushes in, hot breath brushing against my face like heavy smoke. I fight the impulse to step back.

Someone in the crowd yells for El Lobo, and I tense, hoping no one else sings that stupid vigilante’s praises. Every time something goes wrong, someone inevitably brings up the man in the mask. The trickster.

“El Lobo can help us—”

“He steals from Atoc’s coffers all the time—”

“He’s the hero of Inkasisa—”

Oh, for goodness sake. He’s a man in a ridiculous mask. Even my niñera could prank that puffed-up idiotic pretend king. And she was eighty the last time I saw her.

“We want El Lobo!” someone shouts.

“Lobo! Lobo!”

“That’s enough!” My voice rings out, sharp like the edge of a blade. “No one speaks his name in my presence, understood? He’s a scoundrel who plays pranks on the false king. That kind of reckless behavior could get us killed. The vigilante is dangerous and not one of us.”

***

Excerpted from Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez. Copyright © 2020 Isabel Ibañez. Excerpted by permission of Page Street Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or used, in any for or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the publisher.

ParnassusNext[image error] is the book subscription box for YA lovers. Every member of ParnassusNext receives a first edition hardcover of each month’s selected book, signed by the author. There is no membership fee to join — and no line to stand in for the autograph. Not only will you have one of the best YA books of the month when it comes out, you’ll have it straight from the author’s hands, with an original, authentic signature! Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite YA reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.

Previous selections include critically acclaimed titles like The Downstairs Girl (read an interview with author Stacey Lee here), Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager, Enchantée, and Wilder Girls, all of which were included on NPR’s 2019 year-end best books list. ParnassusNext selections The Fountains of Silence and Thirteen Doorways were also selected as New York Times best books of the year.

Shop Dog Diaries: Santa Paws Is Coming to Town (But There’s Time for Last-Minute Gifts!)

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Hey there! It is us, the shop dogs of Parnassus Books, and we are ready to do some celebrating around here. Hope you are not too stressed, what with the whole one-week-less-to-get-your-shopping-done thing we have heard about. What’s that? You feel like you need to pet a dog? We are here! You need some last-minute gifts, too? We can help.

[image error]If you are like the shop people and use the Internet, you can go to there right now and order a gift subscription to the First Editions Club or ParnassusNext box. And after you purchase the membership online, you’re all set! All the gift recipient has to do is check their mailbox every month, for the gift of a brand-new signed book. Perfect for book lovers! Just click here to set it up. It’s fast! And you’ll be giving the gift of great reading in 2020. Reward your smart time management with pet snuggles and singing carols like no one’s watching.
[image error]Arguably the best thing about audiobooks is that they leave BOTH hands free for belly rubs, snack-giving and assorted pats. The best thing about Libro.fm is that not only do you get a great selection and an easy-to-use audiobook app (just like that other one), subscriptions are DRM-free and support indie bookstores (unlike that other one). If you’re trying to give less “stuff” this year, audiobooks are a great way to send a great gift with no packaging! You may have heard that Sparky’s mom, Ann Patchett, wrote a book this year called The Dutch House — and the audiobook is narrated by Tom Hanks! Speaking of Sparky’s mom, she’s a bookstore champion, of course. Click here for a quick and easy (and clutter-free) present!

If you live near us in Nashville, scoot on by the store and get those last few stocking-stuffer type gifts taken care of. You can get a Parnassus Books gift card in any amount — or order online and email a gift certificate right to your recipient! (Make sure that you specify “send to email address” in the comments field of the order form.) There are also, in addition to books, plenty of gifty items you can pick up while you’re here. For example…

[image error]Who doesn’t love a good pencil? Ours are classic yellow No. 2 and made right here in Tennessee! We’ve also got pencil cases and cute zipper pouches to keep your implements safe and at the ready.
[image error]Don’t sweat the small stuff! We’ve got miniature wreaths, tinsel trees and the classic Christmas cactus!
[image error]Trim your full-size tree with some great Nashville-themed ornaments!
[image error]Got a music lover in your life who’s also a reader? In addition to our music book recommendations, the Oxford American’s music issue makes a great gift — comes with a CD!
[image error]Human-shaped creatures can wear these! Of course we are excited about the new shop dog T-shirts — here’s head shop dog Opie — and now there are also zip-up hoodie sweatshirts for keeping toasty while curled up with a book or a pet (or both) this winter.
[image error]The shop people want us to tell you not to try to set these one fire. We do not know why you would try to set a nice pillow on fire, but now we’ve told you. Also that is very soft bark.
[image error]Bookseller Sissy says: “Do you have a book-lover on your list who has read EVERYTHING? They want a Lumio lamp, trust me.” Trust her! We also have bookplates and handy list-making notepads to help stay organized. Light it up!

Finally, we’d like to bark a sincere “Happy Holidays!” to everyone who comes to visit the store. Whether you’re coming from across town or across the globe, we are so grateful that we get to come to work and meet such wonderful book-loving people. We wish you nothing but joy and peace. Thank you!

HOLIDAY HOURS

Saturday, Dec. 21 — 9am – 8pm

Sunday, Dec. 22 — 11:30am – 6pm

Tuesday, Dec. 24 — 9am – 4pm

Wednesday, Dec. 25 — CLOSED

Thursday, Dec. 26 — CLOSED

Tuesday, Dec. 31 — 10am – 4pm

Wednesday, Jan. 1 — CLOSED

 

Holiday Gift Books for Kids: 46 Fun Picks for Young Readers

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Gather ’round young readers (and young adults, and grow-ups of young readers), our 2019 gift guide continues with some of our recommendations for picture books, stories for independent readers, and books for readers of young adult literature. (Check out our previous gift guide entries for poetry, nonfiction, fiction, and music and memoir.)  Read on for a great selection of this month’s staff-picked books, plus some of our favorites from this year!

Recommended by Rae Ann
Dasher: How a Brave Little Doe Changed Christmas Forever

By Matt Tavares

Dasher is an adventurous young reindeer with a powerful Christmas wish. The man in the red suit may make her dream come true. Beautiful illustrations with a sweet story.


Recommended by Katherine

The Shortest Day

By Susan Cooper & Carson Ellis

An ode to this fleetingly beautiful time of year — an instant seasonal classic.


Recommended by Rae Ann

The Great Santa Stakeout

By Betsy Bird & Dan Santat

Freddy is obsessed with Santa. This year he sets up a stakeout to get the ultimate selfie. A fun holiday story with fabulous illustrations.


Recommended by Niki

Pluto Gets the Call

By Adam Rex & Laurie Keller

This laugh-out-loud book is perfect for children of parents who remember the mnemonic “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas.”


Recommended by Chelsea

A is for Audra: Broadway’s Leading Ladies from A to Z

By John Robert Allman & Peter Emmerich

An alphabet book complete with dazzling theatre lights and leading ladies! I love a picture book that teaches me, so I loved getting to know even more fabulous Broadway stars next to the faces already familiar to me.


Recommended by Kay

Little Mole’s Wish

By Sang-Keun Kim

A sweet story of friendship that’s just the thing to warm hearts during the cold months.


Recommended by Kay

Pokko and the Drum

By Matthew Forsythe

Pokko’s parents make a big, big mistake when they give her a drum. The chaos that follows is both hilarious and delightful.


More picture books we loved in 2019:

A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel
Truman by Jean Reidy & Lucy Ruth Cummins
Sir Simon Super Scarer by Cale Atkinson
You Are Home: An Ode to the National Parks by Evan Turk
The Farmer by Ximo Abadia
Just Because by Mac Barnett
Ernestine’s Milky Way by Kerry Madden-Lunsford
The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnett
The Girls by Lauren Ace & Jenny Løvlie




INDEPENDENT READERS


Recommended by Katherine
Big Ideas for Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy

By The School Life, Alain de Botton & Anna Doherty

This book is a gem. It works as a gift for the dreamy little one in your life who’s always asking questions, but it also functions as a fun coffee table book for the whole family.


Recommended by Kathy

A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader

Edited by Maria Popova & Claudia Bedrick

A wonderful gift for the young person who just can’t get enough of reading, very affirming in their love of books. Short takes from different people on why it’s OK to be a reader. Beautiful illustrations, too.


Recommended by Chelsea

Shine!

By J.J. Grabenstein & Chris Grabenstein

“Shine on!” is the catchphrase of Piper’s favorite astronomer, but Piper feels like she will never shine, especially when her dad’s new job moves her to a fancy private school. Piper’s story is full of heart, science, and doesn’t shy away from figuring out who you are. This book was made for middle schoolers.


Recommended by Suzanna

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages

By Trenton Lee Stewart

After a decade or so of waiting, Stewart has returned with a fourth adventure for his remarkable team of children who go on secret missions, solve problems, and stop the bad guys from taking over the world. The original trilogy was heart-warming and suspenseful, and readers will love the chance to jump back into the mysterious world with the now young adult heroes.


More books for independent readers we loved in 2019:

Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy
Words on Fire by Jennifer Nielsen
The Twelve by Cindy Lin
To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan & Meg Wolitzer
This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
Island Book by Evan Dahm
Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly




YOUNG ADULT


Recommended by Keltie
Games of Deception: The True Story of the First U.S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler’s Germany*

By Andrew Maraniss

The perfect gift to induce a reluctant teenager into reading a little history: young heroes, basketball, Nazis, great photographs and a lot of inspiration! It will make your kid (and you) want to cheer!


More young adult books we loved in 2019:

The Fountains of Silence* by Ruta Sepetys
Wilder Girls* by Rory Power
Lovely War* by Julie Berry
The Downstairs Girl* by Stacey Lee
We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All* by Laura Ruby
The Rest of the Story* by Sarah Dessen
Frankly in Love by David Yoon
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki & Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

*Denotes ParnassusNext selection. Learn more about our YA first editions club, and get your next favorite shipped right to you when it’s released! You can also read an excerpt from our December pick, The Guinevere Deception, right here!





Need some more gift ideas? Match the books to the reader!


PERFECT FOR …


Anyone looking to start (or continue) a classics collection for the young readers in their lives.

The Illustrated Treasury of Classic Children’s Stories

By Charles Santore

The Kate DiCamillo fan on your list — her latest trilogy, all boxed together!
The Raymie Nightingale Three-Book Collection

By Kate DiCamillo

Kids who love making things — paper craft galore!
The Kids’ Book of Paper Love: Write. Craft. Play. Share. (Flow)

By Irene Smit & Astrid van der Hulst

Readers of all ages! This beautiful collection of classic books is good for read-alouds or individual reading and looks gorgeous on a shelf or coffee table.
The Puffin in Bloom Collection

By Various

Young aspiring artists and writers. Great prompts to really get kids thinking about the stories they have to tell.
Share Your Smile: Raina’s Guide to Telling Your Own Story

By Raina Telgemeier

The Harry Potter fan! What more do we need to say?
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: The Illustrated Edition

By J. K. Rowling & Jim Kay

Young fantasy lovers looking for their next adventure. This fun, action-packed, character-driven series is sure to thrill.
Wings of Fire Boxset, Books 1-5

By Tui T. Sutherland

The John Green fan. A must-have, in a fun format that you can easily read one-handed!
Penguin Minis: John Green Box Set

By John Green

YA readers. A great stocking stuffer.
Penguin Minis: Between Shades of Gray

By Ruta Sepetys

Holiday Hours:

December 21: 9:30am – 8pm

December 22: 11:30am – 6pm

December 24: 9am – 4pm

December 25: CLOSED

December 26: CLOSED

December 31: 10am – 4pm

January 1: CLOSED

* * *

Make sure it gets there! Holiday ordering deadlines for shipped gifts:

Priority rate: December 19

Want it gift wrapped? We’re happy to wrap any orders FREE — just let us know in the “notes” section at checkout. All wrapped gifts must be shipped via priority mail. (Media mail won’t allow anything but books in the package — not even wrapping paper.)

Music and Memoir: 40 Books to Rock Around the Christmas Tree

[image error]Yes, the guitar is for sale, thanks to our friends at Fanny’s House of Music!

This is part of our 2019 gift guide series. Check out our previous entries: poetry, nonfiction and fiction. As a bookstore in Nashville, we’re quite familiar with the intersection of music and books, and 2019 brought us a lot of good ones. It was also a great year for memoir — scroll down for some of our favorites, including hometown favorites Margaret Renkl and Mary Laura Philpott. And on top of that, it was also a great year for music memoirs. So whatever combination you’re looking for, we’ve got recommendations for you!

MUSIC



Why You Like It: The Science and Culture of Musical Taste

By Nolan Gasser

Gasser created Pandora Radio’s Music Genome Project and has been the company’s chief musicologist since it was founded in 2000, so he knows of what he speaks. A great gift for the music obsessive on your list who wants to know how it all works.



Country Music: An Illustrated History

By Dayton Duncan & Ken Burns

The print companion to Ken Burns’ epic PBS documentary series is a hefty, informative tome, as comprehensive a history of the genre as you are likely to find, and a joy to peruse.



Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation

By Jon Meacham & Tim McGraw

Doris Kearns Goodwin calls Meacham & McGraw an “irresistible duo,” and while they may not be headed into the recording studio, this collaboration makes a great gift for the music-history buff.



The Birth of Loud: Leo Fender, Les Paul, and the Guitar-Pioneering Rivalry That Shaped Rock ‘n’ Roll

By Ian S. Port

One of our most engaging events of the year involved author Ian S. Port, Ellen from Fanny’s House of Music and a stage full of guitars. Now out in paperback, The Birth of Loud tells the story of the rivalry between Leo Fender and Les Paul at the dawn of the age of the electric guitar, with lot of fascinating details.



Guitar: The World’s Most Seductive Instrument

By David Schiller

Speaking of guitars, no need to limit yourself to Fenders and Gibsons. This book is a trove of beautiful specimens from all over the world. Beautiful.



High School

By Sara Quin & Tegan Quin

Something we learned when Tegan & Sara visited the store: they and their fans are incredibly sweet people. Learn more about the talented sisters in their dual memoir, complete with an extremely nifty (and shiny!) mirrored jacket.

(Signed copies available while they last!)



The Beautiful Ones

By Prince

Literally written by Prince — the first part of the book features handwritten notes for the memoir he was in the middle of writing when he passed away — this is simply a must-have for fans of the legend.



A Dream About Lightning Bugs: A Life of Music and Cheap Lessons

By Ben Folds

A journey into a life of art and music, this memoir is quirky, unconventional, funny and insightful — just like its author.

(Signed copies available while they last!)


More music books to check out:

Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes on A Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurraqib
Blood: A Memoir by Allison Moorer
She Can Really Lay It Down: 50 Rebels, Rockers, and Musical Revolutionaries by Rachel Frankel
Jay-Z: Made in America by Michael Eric Dyson
Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly by Jim DeRogatis
Horror Stories: A Memoir by Liz Phair
Me by Elton John
Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith
Janis: Her Life and Music by Holly George-Warren
Acid for the Children: A Memoir by Flea
Face It: A Memoir by Debbie Harry
Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain by Danny Goldberg
A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston by Robyn Crawford
Wham!, George Michael and Me: A Memoir by Andrew Ridgeley
Sweat the Technique: Revelations on Creativity from the Lyrical Genius by Rakim
Morning Glory on the Vine: Early Songs and Drawings by Joni Mitchell
I Would Die 4 U: Why Prince Became an Icon by Touré







MEMOIR



Late Migrations: A Natural History of Love and Loss

By Margaret Renkl

We love this book so much we have almost run out of superlatives for it, but here’s another one: It’s perfect. The perfect gift, the perfect book to give and keep one for yourself, the perfect book to read as the year ends and another begins. It is a wonder.

(Signed copies available!)



I Miss You When I Blink: Essays

By Mary Laura Philpott

It’s no wonder that after landing on numerous most-anticipated lists, I Miss You When I Blink is now finding its way onto best-of-the-year lists as well. Musing founding editor Mary Laura Philpott’s memoir-in-essays will have you in stitches, and it just might change your life.

(Signed copies available!)



How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir

By Saeed Jones

Bookseller Kim says: “One of the best books I’ve ever read. Beautiful language, stunning vulnerability, and so much tenderness. Read this book.” Need we say more?


More of our favorite memoirs from 2019:

How to Catch a Mole: Wisdom From a Life Lived in Nature by Marc Hamer
The Yellow House (2019 National Book Award winner) by Sarah M. Broom
Once More We Saw Stars by Jayson Greene
Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur
Inheritance by Dani Shapiro
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed by Lori Gottlieb
Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
The Man They Wanted Me to Be: Toxic Masculinity and a Crisis of Our Own Making by Jared Yates Sexton
All That You Leave Behind by Erin Lee Carr
The Farmer’s Son: Calving Season on a Family Farm by John Connell
Out East: Memoir of a Montauk Summer by John Glynn
Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family by Mitchell Jackson

Holiday Hours:

December 21: 9:30am – 8pm

December 22: 11:30am – 6pm

December 24: 9am – 4pm

December 25: CLOSED

December 26: CLOSED

December 31: 10am – 4pm

January 1: CLOSED

* * *

Make sure it gets there! Holiday ordering deadlines for shipped gifts:

Media mail rate: December 12
Priority rate: December 19

Want it gift wrapped? We’re happy to wrap any orders FREE — just let us know in the “notes” section at checkout. All wrapped gifts must be shipped via priority mail. (Media mail won’t allow anything but books in the package — not even wrapping paper.)

Read an Excerpt From The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White

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The final selection for our ParnassusNext subscription box for 2019 is The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White. We are so happy to end our young adult first editions club this year with the first book in the Camelot Rising trilogy. Kiersten White is a master of re-tellings, and readers will delight that she has delved into Arthurian legend with a feminist twist.

In the following excerpt, Guinevere arrives at Camelot to meet her destiny:

On her way to the convent she had seen castles of wood that grew from the ground like a perversion of a forest. Even one castle of stone. It was a squat, cross-looking building.

Nothing had prepared her for Camelot.

The land was tamed for miles around it. Fields divided the wild into orderly, neat rows, promising harvests and prosperity. In spite of the presence of more villages and small towns, they had seen no one. This did not inspire the same fear and wariness as the forest. Instead, the men around her grew both more relaxed and more agitated — but with excitement. And then she saw why. She removed her veil. They had arrived.

Camelot was a mountain. An actual mountain. A river had carved it free from the land. Over too many years for her mind to hold, the water had split itself, pushed past on either side, and worn away the land until only the center remained. It still cascaded violently on either side. Beneath Camelot, a great lake lurked, cold and unknowable, fed by the twin rivers and giving birth to a single great river on its far end.

On the mountain, surrounded on all sides by water, a fortress had been carved not by nature but by generations of hands. The gray rock had been chipped away to create fanciful shapes. Twists and knots, demon faces with windows for eyes, stairs curving along the outer edge with nothing but empty space on one side and castle on the other.

The city of Camelot clung to the steep slope beneath the castle.

[image error]Kiersten White

Most of the houses had been carved from the same rock, but some wooden structures intermingled with them. Streets wound through the buildings, veins and arteries all leading to and from the castle, the heart of Camelot. The roofs were not all of thatch, but mostly of slate, a dark blue mixed with thatch, so that the castle looked as though it were nestled into a patchwork quilt of stone and thatch and wood.

She had not thought men were capable of creating a city so magnificent.

“It is something, is it not?” Envy laced Mordred’s voice. He was jealous of his own city. Perhaps viewing it through her eyes, he saw it anew. It was a thing to be coveted, certainly.

They rode closer. She focused only on the castle. Tried to ignore the ever-present roaring of the rivers and waterfalls. Tried to ignore the fact that she would have to cross a lake to get to her new home.

Failed.

On the banks of the lake, a festival awaited them. Tents had been erected, flags snapping and whipping in the wind. Music played, and the scent of roasting meat tugged them forward. The men straightened in their saddles. She did the same.

They stopped on the outer edge of the festival grounds. Hundreds of people were there, waiting, all eyes on her. She was grateful she had replaced the veil that hid her from them, and that hid them from her. She had never seen so many people in her entire life. If she had thought the convent crowded and the company of knights overwhelming, that was a trickling stream compared to the roar of this ocean.

A hush fell over the crowd, which rippled like a field of wheat. Someone moved directly through the crowd, and the people parted, closing in again behind him. The murmur that accompanied his procession was one of reverence. Of love. She sensed they had come there to be near him more than they had come to see her.

He strode to her horse and stopped. If the crowd was hushed, her body and mind were anything but.

Sir Bors cleared his throat, his booming voice perfectly at home in this environment. “Your Grace, King Arthur of Camelot, I present to you Princess Guinevere of Cameliard, daughter of King Leodegrance.”

King Arthur bowed, then extended his hand. It engulfed hers. It was a strong hand, firm, steady. Calloused, and with a sense of purpose that pulsed warmly to her through him. She began to dismount, but with the rivers and the lake and the travel, she was still shaky. He bypassed that effort, lifting her free of the horse, spinning her once, and then setting her on the ground with a courtly bow. The crowd roared with approval, drowning out the rivers.

He took off her veil. King Arthur was revealed like the sun breaking free of the clouds. Like Camelot, he looked as though he had been carved straight from nature by a loving and patient hand. Broad shoulders over a trim waist. Taller than any man she had ever met. His face, still youthful at eighteen, was firm and steadfast. His brown eyes were intelligent, but lines around them told stories of time spent outside, smiling. His lips were full and soft, his jaw strong. His hair was cut startlingly short, clipped almost to the skin. All the knights she had met kept theirs long. He wore a simple silver crown as easily as a farmer wore a hat. She could not imagine him without it.

He studied her as well. She wondered what he saw. What they all saw when they looked at her long hair, so dark it shone almost blue in the sun. Her swift and expressive eyebrows. Her freckled nose. The freckles told the truth of her life before now. One of sun and freedom and joy. No convent could have nurtured those freckles.

He took her hand and pressed it to his warm cheek; then he lifted it and returned his attention to the crowd.

“Your future queen, Guinevere!”

The crowd roared, shouting the name Guinevere. Over and over. If only it were actually her name.

* * *

ParnassusNext[image error] is the book subscription box for YA lovers. Every member of ParnassusNext receives a first edition hardcover of each month’s selected book, signed by the author. There is no membership fee to join — and no line to stand in for the autograph. Not only will you have one of the best YA books of the month when it comes out, you’ll have it straight from the author’s hands, with an original, authentic signature! Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite YA reader for 3, 6, or 12 months.

Previous selections include critically acclaimed titles like The Downstairs Girl (read an interview with author Stacey Lee here), Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All, The Field Guide to the North American Teenager, Enchantée, and Wilder Girls, all of which were included on NPR’s year-end best books list. ParnassusNext selections The Fountains of Silence and Thirteen Doorways were also selected as New York Times best books of the year.

And now is the perfect time to become a ParnassusNext subscriber if you aren’t already — or give a subscription as a gift. Right now, we’re almost at the end of our holiday special: When you buy a prepaid subscription, you also get a bonus gift card! A 6-month subscription comes with a $10 gift card, and a 12-month subscription comes with a $20 gift card. (New sign-ups only.) Offer ends Sunday, Dec. 8!

Fiction Favorites: 43 Novels and Story Collections for the Reader on Your List

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Welcome to the third installment in our 2019 gift guide series! If you haven’t already, check out our nonfiction picks and poetry favorites. This post is dedicated to fiction in its many forms — literary, mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, short story, and even graphic novel. Not that readers need a reason to get whisked away to another time and place, but the bustle of the holiday season can make it that much more satisfying to tuck into a really good book. Here are 40 staff-picked recommendations — including some new releases and some of our very favorites from earlier in the year.

Speaking of fiction and the holiday gifts, our special offer on new First Editions Club subscriptions ends this Sunday, Dec. 8! Buy a pre-paid 6- or 12-month subscription, and get a $15 gift card (for 6-month) or $30 gift card (for 12-month). (Offer god for new sign-ups only.) Now, on to the books!

Recommended by Karen (and everyone)


The Dutch House

By Ann Patchett

The purchase of the Dutch House by Cyril Conroy as a gift to his wife unintentionally sets into motion the disintegration of his family. Danny, Cyril’s son, is the narrator of this story. Patchett reveals through his coming of age, how collective memories are distinctively shaped by their owners and can change the course of future events. I am a sucker for a book that starts in an eccentric, rambling old house, but this book delivers on so many more levels.


Recommended by Ben

Christmas in Austin

By Benjamin Markovits

When the Essinger clan reunites for the holidays, there’s bound to be drama with so many siblings, partners, children, and in-laws in such close proximity. Action takes a backseat to dialogue and internal monologues (complete with plenty of ellipses), which illuminate the nuances of family relationships rather well. I also enjoyed the solidity of place; Markovits really nails the feel of Austin and central Texas.


Recommended by Kathy

A Single Thread

By Tracy Chevalier

England between the Wars, one of my favorite settings. This is the story of a “surplus woman” who finds a new life of friendship and love in an extremely unusual place


Recommended by Kevin

The Three-Body Problem (Remembrance of Earth’s Past #1)

By Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu

OK, clearly I’m four years behind on my sci-fi reading list, but as readers of the genre know, time is relative. Thankfully it’ll never be too late to pick up the Three-Body Problem, a masterful concoction made from one part mind-bending speculative physics, two parts geopolitical thriller. I gulped down the trilogy in two weeks.


Recommended by Cat

The Guardians

By John Grisham

Give the gift any legal-thriller lover will cherish: a signed John Grisham novel!


Recommended by Steve

Toni Morrison Box Set: The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Beloved

By Toni Morrison

The great Toni Morrison left us this year, but what a legacy she left us with. Three of her indelible novels — The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, and Beloved — come boxed together. A great gift for readers new to Morrison or those in need of fresh copies to revisit.


Recommended by Cat

Disappearing Earth

By Julia Phillips

For anyone who wants an immersive, fully transportive novel with a cast of fascinating characters and the mystery of two missing sisters tying them all together, this is the book for you. Let Phillips whisk you away to the remote Russian peninsula of Kamchatka and in an out of the lives of the characters she bring to life.


Recommended by Sissy

The Family Upstairs

By Lisa Jewell

I hope there’s a sequel to this story. While the tale is told from several points of view, my favorite narrator is the brother. I guarantee you’ll be surprised and want more!


Recommended by Marcia

The Revisioners

By Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

Using a history that spans generations and a narrative that travels back and forth in time, The Revisioners explores the relationships between mothers in the same family. It’s a powerful statement on race, wealth, and power dynamics.


Recommended by Andy

Under Occupation

By Alan Furst

A new one from one of my favorites, set within the French Resistance in occupied Paris.


Recommended by Erin

The Flight Girls

By Noelle Salazar

For the person looking for their next WWII novel, this novel about the Women Airforce Service Pilots program shines a light on this little-known piece of American history.


Recommended by Andy

The Accomplice

By Joseph Kanon

In spy master Kanon’s latest, a CIA agent is on the trail of a Nazi war criminal long thought dead.


Recommended by Cat

The Shadow King

By Maaza Mengiste

A gorgeously crafted and unputdownable exploration of female power. In incandescent, lyrical prose, Maaza Mengiste breathes life into complicated characters on both sides of the battle line, shaping a heartrending, indelible exploration of what it means to be a woman at war.


Recommended by Rae Ann

The Weight of a Piano

By Chris Cander

This is a mesmerizing story of a piano’s journey — from 1962 Soviet Union to modern-day California — and the two families it connects. Out now in paperback. I loved it!


Recommended by Erin

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

By Stuart Turton

This extra-twisty Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day mystery will stump even the smartest sleuth on your gift list (and now it’s in paperback).


More of our 2019 favorites:

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert (First Editions Club selection)
Nothing To See Here by Kevin Wilson (First Editions Club selection)
The Parade by Dave Eggers (First Editions Club selection)
Lost and Wanted by Nell Freudenberger (First Editions Club selection)
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Trust Exercise, by Susan Choi
Women Talking by Miriam Toews
Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
Light From Other Stars by Erika Swyler
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Flight Portfolio by Julie Orringer
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone
Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman
The Guest Book by Sarah Blake
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
McGlue by Otessa Moshfegh
A Lush and Seething Hell: Two Tales of Cosmic Horror by John Hornor Jacobs
Twelve Nights at Rotter House by J. W. Ocker
The Handmaid’s Tale (Graphic Novel) by Margaret Atwood, illustrated by Renee Nault

If you’re near Nashville, come to our special After-Hours Shopping Event this Sunday, Dec. 8 at 6:15pm. Get book recommendations from Ann Patchett, store manager Andy Brennan, adult fiction and nonfiction buyer Catherine Bock, and children’s manager Rae Ann Parker — plus wine and light refreshments! A $5 ticket is required for entry, but comes with a voucher for $5 off a purchase of $15 or more. Tickets are available on our website.

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Make sure it gets there! Holiday ordering deadlines for shipped gifts:

Media mail rate: December 12
Priority rate: December 19

Want it gift wrapped? We’re happy to wrap any orders FREE — just let us know in the “notes” section at checkout. All wrapped gifts must be shipped via priority mail. (Media mail won’t allow anything but books in the package — not even wrapping paper.)

True Tales: Nonfiction Books Perfect for Giving (or Keeping) for the Holidays

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Hold onto your hats, the holidays are just about here! It’s the second installment of our 2019 gift guide series. (Check out our poetry picks here.) Today’s post is all about nonfiction — the right-hand side of the store as you walk in — and we’ve choices galore: cookbooks, funny books, sports, history, true crime, art, pop-ups and pop culture.

Below you’ll find our latest staff picks, plus specific recommendations for the _______ in your life, and some of our favorites from throughout 2019. (Don’t hesitate to dig deeper into our monthly staff picks as well!) Whether you’re working your way down your list, need a host gift, or just need a new tome for the nightstand/airline tray table, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started:

TO LAUGH ALONG WITH, LEARN FROM, AND THINK ABOUT


Recommended by Ann
The Peanuts Papers: Writers and Cartoonists on Charlie Brown, Snoopy & the Gang, and the Meaning of Life

By Andrew Blauner (Editor)

This fierce and funny anthology shows us the extent to which Charlie Brown and the gang really are the center of the universe. I wrote the piece on Snoopy. This book is a must for every Peanuts lover on your list.


Recommended by Keltie

The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off!

By Gloria Steinem, Samantha Dion Baker (Illustrator)

Wit and wisdom from the incomparable Gloria? Sign me up: one for every woman on my list!

(Signed copies available while they last!)


Recommended by Mary Laura

The Thank-You Project: Cultivating Happiness One Letter of Gratitude at a Time

By Nancy Davis Kho

Write notes of gratitude on a regular basis, and you’ll feel happier — it’s science! Give this brilliant, funny, heart-warming book to everyone you know from ages 18 to 98, and see what happens when they start taking Nancy Davis Kho’s advice. They’ll thank you, for sure.


Recommended by Keltie

Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition

By Buddy Levy

I couldn’t put my finger on why I was so consumed by this book about Adm. Greely’s forsaken expedition to Farthest North — then it came to me. Brutal conditions? An unmapped way forward? Rescue plans based on pure conjecure? It’s like the moon landing, Apollo 13, and the quest for Mars, but set in the Arctic in 1882. The mythology of every great explorer’s voyage starts by asking, “What’s next?”

(Available December 3.)


Recommended by Mary Laura

Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance: Pick Your Plot, Meet Your Man, and Create the Holiday Love Story of a Lifetime

By Riane Konc

Instead of — or in addition to — an ornament or glass of wine as a hostess gift, take this hilarious choose-your-own adventure book of Christmas movie satire. (Then when the party really gets going, enlist some friends in acting out a few scenes.)


Recommended by Andy

Erosion: Essays of Undoing

By Terry Tempest Williams

Acclaimed nature writer Terry Tempest Williams makes the argument that erosion is not just about the land. Whether it’s erosion of our policies, our mindset or the literal erosion of our American Wilderness we are all impacted by what is lost. This collection portrays the despair but also the resistance in today’s struggle to save our natural world. Williams suggests we draw our strength from the natural world and despite the planet’s dire situation she offers hope that people can make a difference in the fight for our public lands.


Recommended by Keltie

The Season: A Social History of the Debutante

By Kristen Richardson

I’ve always been fascinated by the debutante tradition — all those white gowns and curtsies. Guess how it all started? As a Royal marriage market in England! Remember how poor Mr. Bennett despaired at having so many daughters to marry off? This smart telling of how that class convention made its way to America, and how it exists today, is a fun read — the perfect book for when you’re finished binging on The Crown!


Recommended by Jordan

White Negroes: When Cornrows Were in Vogue … and Other Thoughts on Cultural Appropriation

By Lauren Michele Jackson

This collection of critical essays on race and cultural appropriation is outstanding! Readers who are fascinated with sociology and pop culture will enjoy this important read.


Recommended by Chelsea

Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference, and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

By Jessica McDiarmid

I consider myself pretty well-read in true crime, but I had no idea that for decades, indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been murdered along a stretch of highway in British Columbia. McDiarmid brings to light not only the victims’ stories told by family members and friends but also explores the systemic racism, cultural tensions, and general indifference of the public. This book is the perfect blend of true crime, history, and social justice.





COOKBOOKS


Recommended by Cat

The Great British Baking Show: The Big Book of Amazing Cakes

By The Baking Show Team, Paul Hollywood & Prue Leith

Who doesn’t need more Great British Baking Show in their lives! All the recipes are Americanized, so you can gently nudge the recipient towards a recipe you think they should try out.


Recommended by Kim

Mixtape Potluck Cookbook

By Questlove

The perfect gift for a foodie, or your favorite dinner party host who takes the playlist as seriously as the menu. A penchant for pop culture recommended, but not required.


Recommended by Cat

South: Essential Recipes and New Explorations

By Sean Brock

Do you know someone that loves to cook Southern food? Or loves to read about it? Then this is a must-have for their cookbook collection.

(Signed copies available while they last!)





THE PERFECT GIFT FOR …



Bibliostyle: How We Live at Home with Books

By Nina Freudenberger

Book lovers of all stripes, and interior design buffs. (Features Parnassus, too!)



Bibliophile Reader’s Journal

By Jane Mount

Book lovers and writers! It is both unique and practical as well as beautifully illustrated.





Bill Cunningham: On the Street: Five Decades of Iconic Photography

By New York Times

Your favorite fashion-obsessed friend. The coffee table book that won’t stay on the coffee table.

Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over

By Alison Roman

Millenials who like to cook.



The Witches Are Coming

By Lindy West

Your feminist bestie.



Southern Women: More Than 100 Stories of Innovators, Artists, and Icons

By Editors of Garden and Gun

The Steel Magnolia in your life: inspiration, history new and old, and an all-round celebration of what makes Southern Women such a beautiful tribe of warriors!



Ashley Longshore: I Do Not Cook, I Do Not Clean, I Do Not Fly Commercial

By Various

Your feminist boss with a good eye and a foul mouth.



Hermès Pop Up

By Patrick Thomas & Stephane Foenkinos

Anyone on your list who believes in the art of fashion! Divinely glamorous!



Lair: Radical Homes and Hideouts of Movie Villains

By Oppenheim (Editor)

The movie buff, architect, or villain on your list. Buy several to kill two …. oh, never mind. Poor choice of words.



We Should All Be Mirandas: Life Lessons from Sex and the City’s Most Underrated Character

By Chelsea Fairless & Lauren Garroni

Your go-to brunch friend who regularly references Sex & The City.



How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems

By Randall Munroe

Your favorite nerd of any age. Fans of Munroe’s wildly successful xkcd web comics will be familiar with his hilarious, yet informative, drawings.



Afoot and Lighthearted: A Journal for Mindful Walking

By Bonnie Smith Whitehouse

Anyone — from your favorite outdoor enthusiast to your friend who just wants to get their steps in. Pair it with the 2020 Radnor Lake Calendar, and you’ve won the holidays.



The Last Stand of Payne Stewart: The Year Golf Changed Forever

By Kevin Robbins

The golf fan on your list. You know the one.



Ballpark: Baseball in the American City

By Paul Goldberger

Your friend who not only loves baseball but loves its place in American culture, and what it means, just as much.



I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution

By Emily Nussbaum

The sharp-as-tacks binge-watching TV obsessive in your life. (Maybe that’s you?)



Figuring

By Maria Popova

The thinker in your life who not only loves history, but loves to explore how stories connect us to each other and the past.



The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World

By Melinda Gates

The person on your list most likely to change the world.





More of our 2019 nonfiction favorites:

Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
Spying on the South by Tony Horwitz
Monster, She Wrote: The Women who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction by Lisa Kröger & Melanie R. Anderson
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power By Shoshana Zuboff
The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson
Skillet Love: From Steak to Cake: More Than 150 Recipes in One Cast-Iron Pan by Anne Byrn
God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America by Lyz Lenz
Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep
Chase Darkness with Me: How One True-Crime Writer Started Solving Murders by Billy Jensen
Mythos by Stephen Fry
The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World by Amanda Little
Mama’s Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves by Frans de Waal
Effin’ Birds by Aaron Reynolds
Stay Sexy and Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
The City Game: Triumph, Scandal, and a Legendary Basketball Team by Matthew Goodman

Make sure it gets there! Holiday ordering deadlines for shipped gifts:

Media mail rate: December 12
Priority rate: December 19

Want it gift wrapped? We’re happy to wrap any orders FREE — just let us know in the “notes” section at checkout. All wrapped gifts must be shipped via priority mail. (Media mail won’t allow anything but books in the package — not even wrapping paper.)

Holiday Hours

Wednesday, Nov. 27 — closing early! — 10am-4pm

Thursday, Nov. 28 — Closed for Thanksgiving

Friday, Nov. 29 — opening early! — 9:30am-8pm

Saturday, Nov. 30* — opening early! — 9:30am-8pm

* Join us on Saturday for IndieNashGiving! Enjoy a special storytime, local authors guest-starring as gift wrappers, and other surprises in store all day! Every year on Small Business Saturday (also known as IndiesFirst day in the book business), Parnassus Books teams up with other Nashville-based establishments, each donating a portion of sales to nonprofit organizations doing good work around our city. Your dollars will have exponential impact right here in town — and you don’t have to spend an extra dime. Our beneficiaries this year are the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and Project LIT Community. (Read more about Project LIT here.)

A Shopping Day That Helps Fight Book Deserts

[image error]Project LIT Community students with author Kwame Alexander

How is Thanksgiving already this week? The fall has been flying by! Importantly for us, this weekend is not only one of the busiest of the year, it’s also one of our favorites. Why? IndieNashGiving, of course!

Also known as Small Business Saturday — and in the bookselling world it’s #IndiesFirst day (go visit your local bookstore, wherever it may be!) — there’s another wonderful aspect to this holiday here in Nashville. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, a group of locally owned shops and restaurants all over Music City team up with nonprofits of their choice and pledge to donation a portion of their sales. This is the fifth consecutive year of IndieNashGiving, and so far it has raised almost $100,000 for nonprofits. Now that’s community power! Scroll down to see the list of this year’s participating businesses.

Here at Parnassus, we’re splitting our 2019 IndieNashGiving donations between two organizations we love: Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition — you can learn more about TIRRC or make a donation here — and Project LIT Community. Today, learn more about Project LIT, an organization that promotes books and reading for young people; it began in Nashville and has grown to include chapters around the country. Here’s a Q&A with founder Jarred Amato.

First off, can you give our readers the basics of Project LIT? What is it, and who is it for?

[image error]Project LIT Community is a grassroots literacy movement led and founded by incredible young people here in Nashville. The first Project LIT chapter launched at Maplewood High School in 2016, and over the past three years, approximately 1,200 schools, or “chapters,” across 48 states have joined our community. All of our chapters work together to increase access to high-quality, culturally sustaining books and promote a love of reading in our schools and communities. The first step is to get great books into our students’ hands, which we know is not always as easy as it should be. Books that matter. Books that spark important conversations. Books that affirm students’ lived experiences, cultures, and identities. Books that promote empathy and kindness. Books that encourage students to write stories of their own. Project LIT is not only about books; it’s also about belonging. We read and write alongside one another as we try to better ourselves and the world around us. (So, to answer your question, it’s for students and all the educators out there who want to ensure that all young people have positive literacy experiences.)

And backing up just a little, what was the inspiration for starting out?

In August 2016, my students and I read an article about book deserts and the importance of book access. From there, Project LIT (initially “Libraries In The”) Community was born. We crafted a mission and vision, designed a logo, organized a book drive, and began to set up little libraries (converted USA Today newsstands) across East Nashville. By January 2017, we started Project LIT Book Club, a monthly opportunity for students and adults to come together and discuss great books. We haven’t let up since!

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How has the program evolved?

Organically. We started this project in one English classroom and utilized social media, particularly Twitter, to share our journey with the world, eventually encouraging other educators and students to join us in this important literacy work. Through passion and persistence, we’ve been able to improve literacy access, attitudes, and outcomes — one step, one book, and one conversation at a time. The most exciting part is that we’re just getting started!

If someone is interested in starting a Project LIT chapter, what’s involved?

Great question! Once they complete our chapter leader application, we will follow up with a “Project LIT starter kit” to help them launch whenever they’re ready. We also host an annual Project LIT Summit here in Nashville.

Can you talk about how you’ve seen students react to the program, and what they bring to it?

[image error]Our students are the heart and soul of this community. They drive everything that we do. As educators, it’s our responsibility to listen and learn and let our students lead this work. Project LIT empowers students of all ages, particularly middle and high school students, as readers, writers, and leaders. And it’s incredible to watch them fall in love with reading, whether it’s again or for the first time. As for our founding students, here’s a video from our senior sendoff last May. Additionally, 13 of our founders received full scholarships to Belmont University, including Jakaylia, who actually interviewed Nic Stone at Parnassus last month!

What else would you like people to know?

Thanks to everyone who continues to support our community. Please reach out if you’d like to get involved.

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Nashvillians: Get out there and support your local businesses that are paying it forward this Saturday!

Nashville independent business owners: Don’t miss your chance to turn a busy business weekend into life-changing outreach for your Nashville neighbors — be a part of IndieNashGiving! Fill out the form here to pledge your donation and choose the nonprofit your business will support. Then use the #IndieNashGiving tag to spread the word on social media.

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The following locally owned businesses have committed to participate in IndieNashGiving, and these are their chosen beneficiaries. Look what an impact you’ll have when you shop or dine!

Bang Candy Company ★ Oasis Center

Bar Otaku ★ The Karen Wellington Foundation

The Blowout Co ★ The Nashville Food Project

Bongo Bakery ★ Book ‘Em and Bongo Community Foundation Fund

Bongo East ★ Book ‘Em and Bongo Community Foundation Fund

Bongo Java ★ Book ‘Em and Bongo Community Foundation Fund

The Bookshop ★ Crossroads

Brixx ★ Tennessee Alliance for Kids

Chopper Tiki ★ The Nashville Food Project

Dozen Bakery ★ TIRRC and The Nashville Food Project

Edley’s Bar-B-Que ★ Friends Life

Fenwick’s 300 ★ Book ‘Em and Bongo Community Foundation Fund

Fido ★ Book ‘Em and Bongo Community Foundation Fund

FLWR ★ CASA Nashville

Frothy Monkey (all locations) ★ Metro Police Christmas Charities

Game Point ★ Book ‘Em and Bongo Community Foundation Fund

The Green Pheasant ★ The Growing Together Project

Grimey’s ★ MusiCares

Grins ★ Book ‘Em and Bongo Community Foundation Fund

Gumption ★ Project R12

Halcyon Bike Shop ★ Oasis Center and TIRRC

Haum Nashville ★ The Nashville Humane Association

Hester & Cook ★ Wonderful Life Foundation

High Note Gifts ★ Room in the Inn

Las Paletas ★ Grow Enrichment

Levy’s ★ YWCA Weaver Domestic Violence Shelter

Little Gourmand ★ Monroe Harding

Magpie’s Baby and Child ★ Preston Taylor Ministries

Magpie’s Girl ★ Preston Taylor Ministries

Marché ★ The Nashville Food Project

Margot ★ The Nashville Food Project

Miel ★ St. Luke’s Community House

Nisolo ★ Ecosphere+ and Soles4Soles

Old Made Good ★ The Next Door

Otaku Ramen ★ The Nashville Food Project

The Paper Place ★ TIRRC

Parnassus Books ★ TIRRC and Project LIT

Plaid Rabbit ★ Songs for Sound and My Epilepsy Story

Two Ten Jack ★ TIRRC

Wilder ★ The Martha O’Bryan Center

The Wine Shoppe Green Hills ★ Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Woo Cosmetics ★ The Women’s Fund

Yeast Nashville ★ Dogs Deserve Better

Holiday Hours:

Wednesday, Nov. 27 — 10am-4pm

Thursday, Nov. 28 — Closed for Thanksgiving

Friday, Nov. 29 — opening early! — 9:30am-8pm

Saturday, Nov. 30 — opening early! — 9:30am-8pm

Farewell to Our Friend Bear

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Hello, friends. We, the shop dogs of Parnassus Books, have some sad news to report today. Our good friend and the oldest of our shop dogs, Bear, has passed away.

As you may know, Bear belonged with shop person Sissy, who took him in as a senior dog six years ago when her neighbors could no longer care for him. Sissy had never had a dog, and at first, she did not know quite how to care for one. What do dogs eat — cheese? Where do dogs sleep — on the people bed? Yes and yes, in Bear’s case. (Sissy soon learned that dogs eat dog food, and while Bear’s cheese dinners dried up after that first week, he did get to keep sleeping on the people bed.)

Bear transitioned to his new life relatively well. The only thing he couldn’t handle was for Sissy to leave the house. She tried setting up an outdoor dog-run, but he climbed out and escaped the bounds of the fence. She made the walls higher; he dug under. She tried putting him in the guest bathroom during the day. He ate the wall. It became clear that Bear could not be left alone. He needed to go where Sissy went, and where Sissy went every day was the bookstore. So Bear got a job as a shop dog.

[image error]Bear with his human. (And books. Always books.)

Things went great at first. Bear made a handsome and loving impression on customers of all stripes. He especially tolerated babies and toddlers, who often wanted to bury their hands in his luxuriant brindle fur, close their fists, and yank. He never minded.

But it turned out Bear had boundary issues at work, too. After the shop people found a few mysterious puddles around the store, they realized Bear was attempting to mark his territory. Sissy tried tying his leash to the front table so he couldn’t wander unattended, but … well … he had good aim and impressive distance, even from there. What bibliophile could blame him for wanting to claim all the books as his own? But we can’t have soggy copies of Pride and Prejudice lying around. Humans have a real thing about dry books.

Sissy loved Bear, and Bear loved Sissy. Sissy loved Parnassus, and Parnassus loved Sissy. Bear loved Parnassus, and Parnassus loved Bear, too, except for the wetting-the-inventory thing. It was almost perfect how much everyone loved each other — if only love were enough to make an impossible situation work. It looked like Bear was going to have to give up his post. But Sissy couldn’t leave Bear any more than she could leave her job. What to do?

[image error]Bear gets a visit — and some pets! — from Jodi Picoult.

Sissy fired up the internet and researched. Maybe love + Google could save the day.

She found a product called a tinkle belt — a diaper, basically — and when Bear showed Andy and Karen how nicely he could wear his belt in the store, they agreed he could have another chance. So from then on, every morning when they arrived, Sissy hung up Bear’s leash and put on his belt, and off he went into the shop. The books stayed dry, and he never missed another day of work.

Dashing in his belt and colorful neckerchiefs, Bear became a customer favorite. He followed readers around quietly, and it wasn’t uncommon to see someone holding a book in one hand and absentmindedly patting Bear’s head with the other. He also followed the shop people into the employee restroom, because he knew that’s where the dog biscuits are kept — and that the newer booksellers wouldn’t yet know the just-one-biscuit rule.

When Bear began to lose his sight and hearing, he stuck extra close to Sissy. Because Sissy works up near the register, Bear became the de facto greeter at the front of the store. He’d stand on the welcome mat, gazing into the middle distance with his cloudy eyes and jaunty underbite, and lean gently against each new visitor who walked through the door. When he got tired, he curled up on the dog bed under the front desk (a gift from writer Elizabeth McCracken) and napped.

[image error]He was never going to do toothpaste commercials, but you have to admit there was a certain crooked appeal to his smile. Those TEEF!

Working alongside Bear made us all better dogs. If you think that’s a weird sentence, let us remind you that you’re currently reading a blog post co-written by animals. We canines are a big part of what happens around here. We spend our days together, like siblings. Each of us belongs to one shop person, but all the shop people are like our aunts and uncles.

To lose a dog from our ranks changes the dynamic of our family, but he changed us first. Bear taught us about persistence, gentleness, and making fresh starts as often as necessary. We have all learned to be careful around the blind and deaf, to yield the softest furniture to our elders, and to live and let live when it comes to what others wear. (Any of us could end up in a diaper belt one of these days.) So please join us in raising a biscuit for Bear today. Lean on someone you love. Have a bite of cheese. Find a great book and proclaim it yours. But don’t pee on it.

In loving memory of our friend Bear,

Sparky, Opie, Mary Todd Lincoln, Marlee, Lewis, Eleanor Roosevelt, Goober, Frankie, and all the extended members of the Parnassus family, both canine and human (and some cats)