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A delicate fabric of bird song...
A delicate fabric of bird song
Floats in the air,
The smell of wet wild earth
Is everywhere.
Red small leaves of the maple
Are clenched like a hand,
Like girls at their first communion
The pear trees stand.
- May Day by Sara Teasdale
Welcome to the May edition of The Bennington Bookshop Newsletter! Is it ever going to stop raining? It let up a little last week, so I ventured out on the mower for the first time this year. Mistake! I ended up bogged in mud and had to pull the mower out with the car. I also ended up covered in mud from head to foot. I certainly recognized the smell of wet wild earth. In this edition of the newsletter we feature a review from Phil. There's also news of a fun challenge to help you fill the idle summer hours. We have lots of events coming up, so be sure to check out the Coming up section of the newsletter. First up is Teachers' Night - a celebration of all our teachers. I'll be adding more events in the next couple of weeks. You'll find details on the events page of our website. As always, thank you for your continued support of The Bennington Bookshop - your local independent bookstore.
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Independent Bookstore Day
We had a very busy day on Independent Bookstore Day, Saturday, 27th April. Thanks to everybody who made a point of dropping in on the day to support your local indie bookstore.
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Book review
 The Salt Path
Raynor Winn
Reviewed by Phil
In 2013, Raynor Winn and her husband, Moth, suffer two terrible blows to their way of life: Moth is diagnosed with a terminal illness and the couple is evicted from the home where they have lived all their married lives. Hiding under the stairs as the bailiffs pound on the door, they reflect on their options: they have no money and no home.
“We could just walk,” Raynor suggests to her husband.
“Walk?”
“Yeah, just walk.”
And so Raynor and Moth decide to walk England’s South West Coastal Path.
The South West Coastal Path runs for 630 miles, from Minehead in Somerset, through Devon and Cornwall, to Poole in Dorset. This is magnificent country: it’s a land of beauty, of history, and of legend – Tintagel Castle in Cornwall has long been linked to King Arthur and his knights. The myriad bays and coves, once the hangout of smugglers and wreckers, draw artists and craftspeople from around the United Kingdom and beyond.
Raynor and Moth set out with the bare essentials: backpacks, sleeping bags and a tent. To save money, they sleep wild as often as they can. Along the way, they meet a host of interesting characters, including a prophet who predicts they will spend a day walking with a tortoise, a prophecy that comes true towards the end of the book. There’s a sense of camaraderie with the other long-distance walkers, a shared understanding of what life is about, and a gritty determination to keep going.
The Salt Path is a reflective and thoughtful memoir. The pace is measured, like the path, step-by-step. Winn’s mood swings up and down, but, slowly, as they walk the rugged path, she comes to the realization that this moment, this here and now, is all that matters; that walking is purpose enough and gives meaning to the day. And that by enduring, people can overcome adversity and find happiness. This is an inspiring read.
Since walking the South West Coastal Path, Raynor Winn has become a regular long-distance walker and writer. Her themes include camping, nature, and homelessness. Winn lives in Cornwall, England.
Buy The Salt Path
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Bookshop Blues
All Are Welcome Here
The sign on the door of the bookshop reads "All Are Welcome Here." It certainly seemed that way one day last week: There were people from everywhere. There was a couple of young women from Russia browsing the shelves. I could hear people speaking French over near the cookbooks. A Vietnamese couple pored over a travel book on Vietnam. And the customer I had just served had used a Chinese credit card.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man slowly approaching the counter. He seemed to be on a mission - I just knew I was going to get my ear bent. He approached in a zig-zag manner, like a sailboat tacking against the wind. He leaned over the counter and nodded his head to indicate the Vietnamese couple, then the French people.
"Uh oh!" I thought. "Here we go." You just never know what people are going to come out with. I prepared for the worst.
The man leaned in closer.
"I love the sign on your door," he whispered.
The man gestured with his arms to take in everyone in the bookshop.
"All are welcome here," he said, nodding approvingly.
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Bookmark Challenge
Our bookmarks are well-traveled: They have been spotted all over the country and beyond - even as far away as Australia. In honor of our humble bookmarks, we're setting up a fun challenge for the summer months. Please send in your photos of our bookmark in whatever holiday spot you find yourself. We will award a prize to the person who sends in the most interesting bookmark photo. The winning entry will receive a $25 gift certificate for the bookshop. Send entries to phil@benningtonbookshop.com with the subject line Bookmark Challenge. Entries must be received on or before Labor Day.
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Coming up...
Teachers' Night
Thursday, May 16th, 6.00~8.30pm
The Bennington Bookshop
We will be celebrating our local teachers at a special event on May 16th. What a great job they do! There will be drinks and snacks and 20% off all purchases and orders placed during the event.
An Evening with Archer Mayor
Friday, June 21st, 6.30pm
Adams Free Library, Adams, MA
If you missed our event with Archer Mayor last year, here's another opportunity to see him. Archer's events are always entertaining! There will be opportunities for questions and book signing. We will have plenty of books for sale at the event.
48 Peaks: Hiking and Healing in the White Mountains - Cheryl Suchors
Thursday, July 11th, 7pm
Bennington Free Library
At forty-eight years old, Cheryl vowed to summit the highest forty-eight peaks in New Hampshire’s rugged White Mountains to help her find success during a career transition. Connecting with friends and with nature, Suchors redefines success: she discovers a source of spiritual nourishment, spaces powerful enough to absorb her grief, and joy in the persistence of love and beauty. 48 PEAKS inspires us to believe that, no matter what obstacles we face, we too can attain our summits. After a reading, Cheryl will answer questions and sign books. We will have copies of her book for sale at the event.
The Dog Went Over the Mountain - An Evening with Peter Zheutlin
Monday, October 21st, 7pm
Bennington Free Library
Peter Zheutlin's latest book, The Dog Went Over the Mountain, will be released in September. Here's what Peter had to say about the book:
Inspired by a re-reading of John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley at the age of 64, I took my aging rescue dog Albie on a 9,000 mile odyssey across America in the Spring of 2018, mostly along Steinbeck’s route. With far more sand in the bottom of my hourglass than the top, I wanted to take one last Great American Road Trip and rediscover the country I last crossed by car in 1977, this time in the company of my best friend.
This journey is the subject of my eighth book, The Dog Went Over the Mountain, to be published in early September 2019 by Pegasus Books. The book actually opens in Bennington, on our very last night on the road before returning home near Boston.
More than a travelogue, the book is also a meditation on aging, on finding meaning in the later years of life, and on the deep connections we create with our canine companions. The book is also filled with memorable characters: a marine corps veteran in his late 60s cycling the country for more than two years who we encountered in Bismarck, a legendary 79 year-old New Orleans restaurateur, and an elderly homeless woman met in Redding, California among many others.
Peter will be joining us for an evening of reading and anecdotes - be sure not to miss this event! There will be opportunities for questions and book signing. We will have books for sale at the event, or order them ahead of time at the bookshop.
This event is free and open to the public.
Co-sponsored by the Bennington Free Library and The Bennington Bookshop.
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Etcetera
- Book Bank: Our Book Bank is a flexible way to ensure your loved ones receive a book on a regular basis. Books are gift-wrapped and mailed with an accompanying card. You can choose any genre – children’s picture books, children’s fiction, young adult, adult fiction and nonfiction – paperback or hardcover. Book Bank packages start from $100 and rise in increments of $25. Simply call the bookshop (802 442 5059) to open an account and pay your chosen amount by credit card. We will then send a book a month to the person you indicate until the funds are used up. We select books from the latest releases and the bestsellers list for the Book Bank program. Book Bank customers receive a 10% discount off the price of books purchased as part of the program.
- Secondhand news: We are connected with booksellers across the country and are often able to source books that are out of print or secondhand copies of long-lost favorites. Just let us know what you are looking for and we will endeavor to find it for you.
- Peepers: We stock a great line of reading glasses with strengths ranging from +1.0 to +3.0.
- Newsletter archive: You can find earlier editions of our newsletter and links to various media coverage here: Newsletters
- New releases: Every Tuesday, we get shipments of new releases to put on the shelves. Come on down and check them out!
- Orders: We usually submit orders to our wholesaler on Monday and Thursday mornings. If you place an order before 11am on these days, we can have the book in The Bookshop by the next afternoon in most cases, or in three days if it is held at our Tennessee warehouse.
- Book Clubs: We offer a 20% discount to book clubs and are happy to ship for a small cost. Check out what the other clubs in the area are reading here.
- Dorothy's List: Vermont Public Radio compiles a list of books and reviews suitable for children. You can find the list here. We are happy to order books from the list for you if we don't have them in stock. There is no extra charge for special orders.
- Best Sellers: We update the bestseller list each week. You can find the latest list here: Best Sellers
- Looking for a book to read? Check out the Reviews and Recommendations page on our website.
- Ordering online: To order books online, simply visit our website (www.benningtonbookshop.com), enter the name of the book you wish to order in the "Look for Books" window (in the right-hand column on each page), then enter your address details and credit card information as prompted. There is a small charge for postage or, if you're a local, you can opt to pick up the book in the store. Please note: Books appearing in the on-line search are not necessarily in stock at The Bookshop. We may have to order them in, but can ship most books in 1~5 days. Please call us if you want to confirm immediate availability: 802 442 5059
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Store Hours
Monday~Saturday: 10.00am~6.00pm
Sunday: Noon~4.00pm
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