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Here I am in July
But here I am in July, and why am I thinking about Christmas pudding? Probably because we always pine for what we do not have. The winter seems cozy and romantic in the hell of summer, but hot beaches and sunlight are what we yearn for all winter.
- From Take a Load Off, Mona Jamborski by Joanna Franklin Bell
Welcome to the July edition of The Bennington Bookshop Newsletter! In this edition we report on our event with Archer Mayor, as well as Shirley Jackson Day. We also have news of our plans to share space in the Pennysaver building with South Street Cafe once renovations are complete. Phil reviews Sarah Blake's The Guest Book. There's an update on the Bookmark Challenge - thanks to everyone who has been sending in photographs! And don't forget Midnight Madness on Thursday, July 18th! As always, thank you for your continued support of The Bennington Bookshop - your local independent bookstore.
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Event reports
An Evening with Archer Mayor
Friday, June 21st
Adams Free Library
There was a great turnout for Archer's event at Adams Free Library. Archer shared stories about his writing and how he draws on his experiences at work to bring life and color to his novels. There was much laughter, as Archer shared his stories spiced with that special twist of wry humor that makes Archer Archer. And what a fabulous venue the Adams Free Library is! Such a beautiful building.
Note: We have an event with Archer in October to celebrate the release of his latest novel, Bomber's Moon. Details below.
Shirley Jackson Day
Saturday, June 22nd
Left Bank, North Bennington
It was a full house at the Left Bank for Shirley Jackson Day. The event has been running for 14 years, although it skipped a year.
"We're lucky 13th!" Tom Fels, long-time organizer of the event, told the group.
There were readings of Jackson's work from Brett Cox and Bracken McLeod, as well as from Jackson's children, Jay Holly and Barry Hyman.
Brett Cox is the cofounder and current vice president of the Shirley Jackson Awards. He read two passages from We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Bracken McLeod is a finalist for the 2019 Shirley Jackson Award for Best Short Story. He read Jackson's short story The Witch.
Jay read Nine Magic Wishes, a children's book illustrated by her nephew. She told us that her mother always used to say that nine was the magic number. Barry read Jackson's short story, The Mouse.
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Books and coffee
A couple of years ago, we emailed Brian and Maeve, co-owners of South Street Cafe, asking if they'd like to meet for dinner. The subject line of the email read "books and coffee."
We met at Pangaea the following week. It was as if Brian and Maeve had read our minds - they came with floor plans of the Putnam redevelopment project, and were keen to discuss the possibility of a shared space in the redevelopment.
Now that the Putnam Redevelopment Project has closed on the property and work has begun, we are excited to announce that, once work is complete, we will be moving into the old Pennysaver Building, sharing the space with South Street Cafe. We will have separate entries, but there will be an internal door between the cafe and the bookshop.
Congratulations to everybody who is working on the Putnam project. These are exciting times for Bennington.
Here's to books and coffee!
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Book review
 The Guest Book
Sarah Blake
Reviewed by Phil
The Guest Book documents the lives of three generations of the Milton family, powerful New England bluebloods that trace their roots back to The Mayflower. Theirs is a family built on tradition, where things are “better left unsaid” so that no-one “rocks the boat.” But there are secrets and sadness within the family.
It’s 1935. Like his father and grandfather before him, Ogden Milton is president of Milton, Higginson and Company, a private investment bank. He is in Germany negotiating a deal with a German steelmaker when news of the death of one of his sons reaches him. Following this tragic accident, his wife, Kitty, withdraws into herself. In an effort to rekindle their lives together, Ogden takes Kitty on a trip to Maine. They purchase an island, Crockett’s Island, and make it their summer home.
The guest book of the title refers to the record the Miltons keep of all the visitors to the island: people like them, privileged and powerful and Protestant. But the record stops abruptly one day, the last name entered, Len Levy. And what is the meaning of the old photograph, torn in half, with the unfinished sentence, “the morning of…” written on the back.
Sarah Blake has written a powerful novel that explores the themes of race, class and family. The writing is superb, deftly conjuring up the island in Maine and the beautiful home where the Miltons spend their summers. The chapters switch back and forth between the different generations, as Blake carefully peels away the layers that make up the family’s history, revealing the nuanced rituals of family life, and the stresses and strains that underlie outward appearances. It’s beautifully done.
Sarah Blake lives in Washington D.C. with her husband and two children. The Guest Book is her third novel. Her first novel, Grange House (2001), was also set in Maine. Her second novel, The Postmistress (2010), was a New York Times bestseller.
Buy The Guest Book
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Summer Reading Program
We're offering something new this summer - our special Summer Reading Programs for Adults, Young Adults and Children. This is a fun way to find out about authors you may not have read before and to try something different. How does it work? Simply sign up for the program and receive a book every month for the next three months. Adults and Young Adults will receive one of the latest paperbacks. Children's books will be selected on the basis of the child's age. Subscriptions are as follows:
Adults - $45
Young Adults - $35
Children - $30
We can mail books to you for a little extra, or pop into the Bookshop to pick them up. Call 802 442 5059 to subscribe.
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Bookshop Blues
Furniture business
Man walks into a bookshop...
"Where did you get those chairs?" he asks, pointing to the old armchairs at the front of the shop. The chairs have been there forever, and were a fixture even in the previous location.
"I don't know." It's the best answer I can give.
"Do you know where they were made?"
I shake my head.
"Do you mind if I look?"
"Go right ahead."
The man overturns one of the chairs, looking for a manufacturer's name or label. There's nothing there. He tries the second chair. Nothing.
"I've been looking for chairs just like this forever," the man says, shaking his head slowly. "They're just what I need."
He rights the chairs and pushes them back into their spots in front of the window.
"Would you consider selling them?" he asks.
The following Monday he turns up with a friend and some cash. The chairs are gone. Linda and I are out looking for replacements today!
On the road again
After a break of a couple of years, KC's on the road again. We've had phone calls from airports and train stations and newsstands - anywhere where books might be found. Rather than buy them there, then be faced with the grueling task of lugging them all home, KC phones in an order to The Bennington Bookshop. The books are ready and waiting for her when she gets home. Thanks for all the support, KC.
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Bookmark Challenge
Our bookmark challenge is off to a great start. Thanks to everybody for sending in their photos. Our bookmarks have already been to the beach, to the races, and to a Phis concert!
  
Click here for details of the challenge: Bookmark Challenge
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Coming up...
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.
An Afternoon with Walt Whitman
Saturday, July 20th, 2:00pm
The Left Bank, North Bennington
Actor Stephen Collins is Walt Whitman.
Join your neighbors and friends for a free performance on Saturday, July 20th at The Left Bank (5 Bank Street) in North Bennington. This event is free, open to the public and accessible to individuals with mobility challenges. Refreshments will be available.
For more information about Stephen and this performance, go to http://unlaunchedvoices.com/unlaunched-voices-an-evening-with-walt-whitman/
The Bennington Bookshop will have a small table at this event where Whitman’s books will be available for purchase.
Deceit
An Evening with Diane Sheehan Shovak
Thursday, August 22nd, 7pm
The Bennington Bookshop
We are excited to host an event with Diane Sheehan Shovak, whose debut crime novel, Deceit, is set in Vermont. Diane splits her time between a house in Connecticut and a home on Lake Saint Catherine, Wells, VT. Here's the blurb from her book:
Kate Rourke can pinpoint the exact moment everything fell apart. Unable to sleep, she hears an altercation out on the lake. The scream that tears into the black night begins the unraveling. Lies and secrets are exposed in the family and in the town. No one is who he appears to be...
The event is free and open to the public. We will have books available for sale at the event.
Bomber's Moon
An Evening with Archer Mayor
Thursday, October 10th, 7:00pm
Bennington Free Library
Archer Mayor's latest book, Bomber's Moon, comes out in September. This is Archer's 30th book! Congratulations, Archer. We will be celebrating the release of the book with an event at the Bennington Free Library on Thursday, October 10th, starting at 7:00pm.
This event is free and open to the public.
Co-sponsored by the Bennington Free Library and The Bennington Bookshop.
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~Thursday, Saturday: 10.00am~6.00pm
Friday: 10.00am~8.00pm
Sunday: 10.00am~4.00pm
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