On Thursday, May 7th from 7:00-8:30 PM Book Beat is pleased to present the bestselling inspirational speaker and actor Hill Harper at the Oak Park Library, 14200 Oak Park Boulevard,  (just one block West of Coolidge at 9 1/2 mile). Please call Book Beat at 248-968-1190 for more information or to reserve books.                   Do not miss this electric evening of straight talk and inspiring advice for America's youth, from the powerhouse public speaker and star of CSI:NY. Hill Harper will be presenting the newly released paperback edition of Letters to a Young Sister, a follow up to the national bestseller Letters to a Young Brother, winner of NAACP Image Award. In the new book, Hill shares powerful wisdom for young women everywhere, drawing on the courageous advice of the female role models who transformed his life.
Harper Hill is also founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, a non-profit youth organization dedicated to empowering, encouraging, and inspiring underserved youth to succeed. The philosophy behind the organization is to provide young men and women with nurturing support systems, resources, encouragement, and guidance through mentorship, scholarship and grant programs.“I want young women and men to have knowledge of the things that can bring them true empowerment:  education, a strong sense of purpose, compassion, confidence and humility...” – Hill HarperLetters to a Young Sister unfolds as a series of letters written by older brother Hill to a universal young sister. She’s up against the same challenges as every young woman: from relating to her parents and dealing with peer pressure, to juggling schoolwork and crushes and keeping faith in the face of heartache. Hill offers guidance, encouragement, personal stories, and asks his female friends to help answer some truly tough questions. Every young sister needs to know that it’s okay to dream big and to deFINE her own destiny. This is a book that will educate, uplift and inspire.

  Including original contributions from: Michelle Obama * Angela Basset * Ciara * Tatyana Ali * Eve * Malinda Williams * Chanel Iman * Kim Porter * and many more.

“When Hill told me about Letters to a Young Sister, my first thought was how badly I could have used a book like this growing up.” —Gabrielle Union

  “This book would make a wonderful gift for any teen looking to find her place in life.” —Star Tribune (Minneapolis) 

“Hill, speaking like an older brother, lays out his vision to young women who are confronting rough issues on how to become the architect of their own lives.” – Ebony

“In his straight-talking style, Hill helps his young sister build self- confidence, self-reliance, self- respect, and encourages her on her journeys towards becoming a strong and successful woman.” – Concrete Loop

“Letters To a Young Sister: Define Your Destiny" won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens

Press about Letters to a Young Brother:  Most people associate Hill Harper with Hollywood, as he’s appeared in dozens of films and television shows. But he is just as comfortable in a school auditorium, rousing groups of students with his unique style of real-life wisdom. Having addressed thousands of high-school and middle- school students over the years, Hill is ready to take his message to an even wider audience. Letters to a Young Brother is drawn from the humbling life lessons he learned on the road to his Ivy League education and beyond. Inspired by the countless letters and e-mails he has received from teens, Hill Harper set out to write a series of letters to young people that would catch the attention of even the most reluctant readers.  The result is a motivational but approachable book full of encouragement on a wide array of hot topics, particularly among young African-American and Hispanic men. From the challenges of getting a good education and making it through college to the media’s destructive emphasis on material wealth, Letters to a Young Brother delivers eye-opening answers. Reminiscent of Marian Wright Edelman’s New York Times bestseller, The Measure of Our Success: A Letter to My Children and Yours, Hill Harper’s words will resonate for years to come. Praise for Letters to a Young Brother:  In a direct and often colloquial tone . . . the letters stress the importance of having options and working smart, not just hard. (THE NEW YORK TIMES)

Harper’s message is a solo soaring above the choir. (LOS ANGELES TIMES)

Hill writes in a down-to-earth style. . . . A priceless, no-nonsense, step-by-step guide. (The Dayton Defender)

Filled with heartfelt wisdom and solid step-by-step strategies for cultivating self-respect, Letters to a Young Brother is an inspirational guidebook to a better life and a book that will change lives. (Black College Today)

[This] book can serve as a strong and silent mentor. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

IIn clear, accessible language, Harper encourages his youthful readers to maintain productive values and never give up hope. . . . With frank, loving advice about relationships, careers, sex, education, spirituality, and money, Harper helps young readers take that first step toward fruitful change. (Jabari Asim, The Washington Post)The Book Beat is an independent locally owned bookstore serving the metro Detroit area since 1982.  Located at 26010 Greenfield in Oak Park, the Book Beat specializes in Art, Children's books and Quality Lit. Visit us often, and online at The Book Beat .com   Thank you for your support!

Welcome to 2009! In celebration of this exciting New Year we are pleased to announce a very special "Three Cups of Tea" event:  

Book Beat & The Berkley School District presents Humanitarian, Adventurer & Bestselling Author Greg Mortenson in Detroit Area Appearance    

Book Beat is pleased to annouce New York Times Bestselling author Greg Mortenson, subject and coauthor of Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace. . . One School at a Time,  in his only Detroit area appearance at the Berkley High School Auditorium (2325 Catalpa Drive) on Sunday, January 25th from 1-4 PM.  Mr. Mortenson will give a one hour presentation followed by a two-hour book signing. We are grateful for the donation of this space provided by the Berkley High School and The Berkley School District. 

This event is free and open to the public, however due to space availability, publisher and time restrictions, all books to be signed are required to be purchased through the Book Beat, where a special proof-of-purchase ticket will be given. A portion of all book sales for this event will be donated to Mortenson's Pennies for Peace project.  Two new children's books by Greg Mortenson will be released on January 22nd. Advanced orders are encouraged and can be accepted before that date. Books will also be available for purchase at the event. For more information please call Book Beat at 248-968-1190. 

What Reviewers have said about THREE CUPS OF TEA: 

"Captivating and suspenseful, with engrossing accounts of both hostilities and unlikely friendships, this book will win many readers' hearts." ---Publishers Weekly                                                                                                 

                                                      "This book should be... read or listened to by anyone who wishes to understand the Muslim world." ---The Roanoke Times                                                                                                 

                                  "A cliffhanger as well as a first-hand introduction to the people and places of a region little understood by most Americans." ---The Washington Times                                                                                                 

"Greg Mortenson, a humanitarian and co-author of the best-selling book "Three Cups of Tea," has a surprising new job: advising the U.S. military on how to fight Islamic extremism." Source article: The Wall Street Journal

More reviews and articles available at http://www.threecupsoftea.com/

The Book Beat/ Three Cups of Tea event is part of a limited seven city tour, to announce the publication of two new Greg Mortenson books about his experience in the Middle-East, adaptations aimed to promote concepts of peace and the understanding of different cultures for younger children.  Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World... One Child at a Time (Paperback) is a young adult adaptation (for ages 8 and up)  that brings his remarkable story of humanitarianism up-to-date. It includes brand-new photos, maps, and illustrations, as well as a special afterword by Greg's twelve-year-old daughter, Amira, who has traveled with her father as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program for children. Release date: January 22nd, advanced orders encouraged.  

Listen to the Wind (Hardcover). The picture book, while close in content to the longer books, is written in the voice of Korphe's children rather than providing Mortenson's view, making it easier for American kids to enter the story. Roth (Leon's Story) pairs the words with her signature mixed-media collage work, this time using scraps of cloth along with a variety of papers. Her work has a welcoming, tactile dimension-readers would want to touch the fabric headscarves, for example. A detailed scrapbook featuring photos from Three Cups of Tea and an artist's note firmly ground the book in fact. (for ages 5-8 years) Release date: January 22nd, advanced orders encouraged.  

                                                  ***

The cofounder and executive director of the nonprofit Central Asia Institute and founder of Pennies for Peace, Mortenson has dedicated his life to promoting community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountainous regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In 1993, Mortenson climbed Pakistan's K2, the world's second-highest mountain. After his climb, while recovering in a local village, Mortenson met a group of children writing with sticks in the sand. He made a promise to help them build a school.
 
From that grew a remarkable humanitarian campaign. Mortenson has established more than 60 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan that provide education to more than 25,000 children, including 14,000 girls, for whom few education opportunities existed before. 

On August 14th, 2008, Pakistan’s government announced on its Independence Day, that Greg Mortenson will receive Pakistan’ highest civil award, Sitara-e-Pakistan (“Star of Pakistan”) for his courage and humanitarian effort to promote education, and literacy in rural areas for the last fifteen years. Pakistan’s President will confer the award on March 23rd, 2009, in a official ceremony in Islamabad.

Berkley School District Art Exhibition, January 5th - January 31st

An exhibition featuring some of the best artworks by students in the Berkley School District from K- grade 12 will be on exhibit in the Book Beat gallery from January 5th - 31st. There will be a reception for the young artists and their familes on Wednesday, January 14th from 6-7 PM. Artworks feature a wide variety of media and projects including; drawings, photography, ceramics, weaving, computer art  and multi-media collages. Over 100 works of art have been selected from young community artists. Please note: your purchases during the exhibition date will help raise funds for the art departments of the Berkley school system. Just mention you'd like your purchase to help the Berkley School district and we will register your purchase.      

Writer's Festival with Shutta Crum For Teens and Adults: Jan. 17th

Writer's Workshop at Farmington Community Library, Satuturday, January 17th  Shutta Crum, author of nine published works, will give  you tips on creating plot, using literary techniques, and writing prose and poetry. She is an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Registration is required.  visit www.farmlib.org Select “Programs/Events” and then Library Programs/Event Calendar” or call 248 848-4315 to register by phone. For more information visit her website at www.shutta.com

Book Beat  is now a facebook page. poke us! wall us! fan us!

 Suport Detroit's PuppetART Center  located in Detroit’s Theater District, just a few blocks from the Michigan Opera Theater, Music Hall and the Gem and Century Theaters. The Center includes an intimate 70-person theater, a museum that accommodates a growing collection of puppets and a studio featuring various workshops.The Japanese classic The Crane Maiden will be performed every Saturday,  November 8,15, 22 and 29 at 2:00 PM. PuppetART is located at 25 East Grand River Ave. - Detroit       MI. - 48226 - 313.961.7777      What an amazing place!   

 Book Beat Reading group selection for January 28th, 2009

Our next meeting will be Wednesday,  Jaunuary 28th at 7 PM at the Goldfish Teahouse in Royal Oak. We will be discussing the Russian classic Master & Margarita by Mikail Bulgakov.  For more information, call 248-968-1190. Reading club books are discounted 15% at the store.  

The Master and Margarita  is a novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, woven around the premise of a visit by the Devil to the fervently atheistic Soviet Union. Many critics consider the book to be one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, as well as one of the foremost Soviet satires, directed against a suffocatingly bureaucratic social order. -- Wikepedia

There's an interesting annotated "map of the novel" that can be read and seen at: Master & Margarita Map.  I don't think it's a spoiler - but just in case, check it out after you've read the book. 

Thank you for being our customers. We are grateful for your continued support and friendship - stop by soon!

In our backroom blog:  Singing for America: Obama's Inaugural Poet, Susan Sontag's Journals, favorite books of 2008, pennies for peace, What is Obama Reading? Thinking Photography, Branding Disorder and more.. 

The Book Beat is an independent locally owned bookstore serving the metro Detroit area since 1982. For more information call 248-968-1190. If you'd like to be taken off our mailing list, send us an email and write "unsubscribe" in the subject area. If you would like our newsletters delivered via email please write "subscribe" in the subject line and send an email to: info@thebookbeat.com. If you have trouble reading our newsletter, it can be read online at:http://thebookbeat.com/shop/newsletter.php  Read Global, Buy Local & Peace Now! 

Greg Mortenson, author of the bestselling book Three Cups of Tea continues his charity work of building schools for children in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan through his Central Asia Instutue foundation and the Pennies for Peace project. We hope to bring this charity program to schools in the metro Detroit area prior to Mortenson's visit here on January 25th. In 2008, "Pennies for Peace" has raised over $900,000.00 --that's a lot of pennies!

We have not yet secured a facility or theater for Mr. Mortenson's  January 25th, 2009 visit, but we will make an announcement soon. If you are a teacher, parent or citizen concerned for peace, please consider starting a program in your school, business or at home. By saving and donating your pennies you will be raising awareness to the real roots of conflict in the Middle East - a lack of education. Mr. Mortenson has written two new books aimed to educate children about how building schools in less developed countries builds a foundation for peace. These two books will become available in late January, 2009.

"Since 9/11, Westerners have tried two approaches to fight terrorism in Pakistan, President Bush’s and Greg Mortenson’s." - read Nicholas Kristof's New York Times July 13, 2008 column: It Takes a School, Not Missles

The penny, 1% of a dollar, is symbolic of the '1% of Gross Domestic Product' goal set by the United Nations. The goal was for wealthy countries to give foreign aid to impoverished nations each year.

Pennies for Peace teaches children the rewards of sharing and working together to bring hope and educational opportunities to children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A penny in the United States is virtually worthless, but in Pakistan and Afghanistan a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy.

Pennies for Peace educates children about the world beyond their experience and shows them that they can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time.

Our best hope for a peaceful and prosperous world lies in the education of all the world’s children. Through cross-cultural understanding and a solution-oriented approach, Pennies for Peace encourages children, ultimately our future leaders, to be active participants in the creation of global peace.

To participate in the Pennies for Peace program, please start by completing the registration form and returning it to Pennies for Peace.

It starts already: the first photo of President-elect Obama clutching a book (the first such photo as far as we know) features Lincoln: The Biography of a Writer by Fred Kaplan (Harper), which was published just last month. The AP shot showed Obama leaving the Chicago home of friend Penny Pritzker after having dinner this past Saturday.Kaplan is a former professor of English at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is the author of several biographies, including The Singular Mark Twain, Gore Vidal, Henry James: The Imagination of Genius, Charles Dickens and Thomas Carlyle. - Source: Shelf Awareness, Nov, 26, 2008.

In his 60 Minutes interview on Sunday Barack Obama mentioned he's reading two books about President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. One, about FDR's history-shaping first 100 days, is Jonathan Alter's The Defining Moment: F.D.R's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope. The other: Jean Edward Smith's brilliant FDR.

Barack Obama's election is a milestone in more than his pigmentation. The second most remarkable thing about his election is that American voters have just picked a president who is an open, out-of-the-closet, practicing intellectual.

Maybe, just maybe, the result will be a step away from the anti-intellectualism that has long been a strain in American life. Smart and educated leadership is no panacea, but we've seen recently that the converse — a White House that scorns expertise and shrugs at nuance — doesn't get very far either.

We can't solve our educational challenges when, according to polls, Americans are approximately as likely to believe in flying saucers as in evolution, and when one-fifth of Americans believe that the sun orbits the Earth. Source: The New York Times: Obama and the War on Brains by Nicholas Kristoff

also: FDR Books on Obama's Nightstand, Chicago Tribune

 A 5 CD Boxed set collector's edition, spoken by Barak Obama

The Essential Barack Obama (CD set)  A CD collection featuring the best-selling audiobooks, The Audacity of Hope and Dreams from My Father from Grammy® award-winning author, Barack Obama....  A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a skeptic, and above all a student of history and human nature, Senator Obama has written a book of transforming power. Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution, he says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken...

Our bestselling calendar -a great  souvenir for a phenomenal year!

                                  

100+ years ago puzzles were a relatively common form of entertainment for all ages and appreciated for what they did to develop the mind. They faded slowly with the coming of so many other forms of entertainment and until now they are pretty rare. These unique puzzles are handcrafted and made by artisans in the USA, and are made from renewable and sustainable harvested wood resources. They will make a long-lasting gift to hand down for generations.  

Soma Cube (Wooden Toy) » 7 wooden pieces, all different, will form a cube 240 unique ways. In addition, there are many other shapes that are generally more difficult to solve than the cubes. Instruction sheets include 60 3-D shapes that can be made (with solutions), along with recommended websites that are dedicated to this puzzle that will give you many more shapes, plus math theory, history and more. Invented by Danish mathematician Piet Hein in 1936. Recommended for ages 5 - 96.

Wooden Snake Cube (wooden toy) » The cube unravels, staying in 1 piece like a snake. Can you get it back to the cube? A Great puzzle that stays in one piece so there are no pieces to lose. Good initial solution time is about 1 hour, but with practice this can be done very fast (under 10 secs) and made to look deceptively easy - thus has a high "showoff" factor:) These premium wooden models have beveled edges on each of the 27 cubes that make up the snake. This gives an attractive and comfortable feel in the hand. Wonderful fun and educational item for young children and adults.

Wooden 3-D Pentominoes (wooden toy in wood box) » This is a beautiful hardwood pentominoes set in wood box with cover. The box is about 5.7 x 4.8 x 1.2". Quality is particularly high on this set.

Our Pentominoes 3D set is quite special as the depth of the pieces is equal to the width, thus the cross section is a square. This gives on the ability to build 3-dimensional shapes as well as flat 2-D shapes. This configuration further expands the possibilities of this terrific puzzle!

 here is a small sample of our fine & unique 2009 calendar offerings: 

GIVE THE GIFT OF READING: A love of books begins early

The Book Beat has been a donator and supporter of The Gift of Reading Program since its inception. We offer a 20% discount on any donated book purchased through our store.   

Since 1987, the Gift of Reading program has put more than 500,000 books into the hands of Michigan children to help them discover the joy of books. Through your contribution, you can open the door to a whole new world. Your generosity will help provide books to homeless shelters, Head Start programs, agencies serving Braille-reading youngsters and others in need.

Book Beat Days are Here! Help Support the Temple Emanu-El Library and Celebrate Jewish Book Month November 1st - 30th. Mention Temple Emanu-El when you purchase books at Book Beat during the month of November and the Temple Emanu-El Library receives 20% of your total purchase. (other discounts do not apply). 

Suport Detroit's PuppetART Center  located in Detroit's Theater District, just a few blocks from the Michigan Opera Theater, Music Hall and the Gem and Century Theaters. The Center includes an intimate 70-person theater, a museum that accommodates a growing collection of puppets and a studio featuring various workshops.The Japanese classic The Crane Maiden will be performed every Saturday,  November 8,15, 22 and 29 at 2:00 PM. PuppetART is located at 25 East Grand River Ave. - Detroit MI. - 48226 - 313.961.7777      What an amazing place!   

In our backroom blog: What is Obama Reading? Thinking Photography, Collectable Art & Photography books, Obsessive Branding Disorder and more.. 

The Book Beat is an independent locally owned bookstore serving the metro Detroit area since 1982. For more information call 248-968-1190. If you'd like to be taken off our mailing list, send us an email and write "unsubscribe" in the subject area. If you would like our newsletters delivered via email please write "subscribe" in the subject line and send an email to: info@thebookbeat.com. If you have trouble reading our newsletter, it can be read online at:http://thebookbeat.com/shop/newsletter.php  Thank you for your support! Read Global, Buy local! 

Happy Holidays from our shelves to yours! We hope this holiday season you consider giving a book to someone you know -- always a top notch, classy gift of high value. At Book Beat we have a superb gathering of unique art, photography, literature and children's books you won't find anywhere else in the area. Our friendly service-with-a-smile staff can help with the most demanding shopping lists. We offer shipping to anywhere in the world and FREE gift wrapping. There are discounts available on most new hardcover titles and we have a better-then-average  selection of sale books, CDs, quality remainders, international folkart and even fun gag-gifts. Our President Elect would agree: Be smart, Buy smart and give books! We thank you for shopping at Book Beat.     

 "One of the most delightful and innovative pop-up books I have ever seen."--Robert Sabuda                 

THIS BOOK WILL BLOW YOUR BASKETBALL-LOVING MIND!

 FreeDarko presents The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac: Styles, Stats, and Stars in Today's Game (Hardcover) »  a one-of-a-kind guide to the NBA and its most charismatic players. The almanac breaks down the styles of each player to show what each man reveals about himself through his conduct both on and off the court. A series of brilliantly illustrated chapters categorize NBA's celebrity players as "Master Builders," "Lost Souls," and everything in-between. The illustrations are accompanied by smart, funny sports writing that will delight fans of pro basketball.

 CITY & STATE ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES  

Great Architecture of Michigan (Hardcover) » In addition to icons like the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, and the Fisher Building in Detroit, this volume includes vernacular charms like the D. H. Day Farm near Sleeping Bear Dunes, architectural survivors like the Point Betsie Lighthouse, and some thirty-five private homes. A spirited collection of churches, theaters, office towers, stadiums, and government buildings rounds out the selections. The emphasis throughout is to help the public see, understand, and appreciate what makes these buildings great.

ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Louise Bourgeois (Hardcover) » Louise Bourgeois is among the most prominent contemporary sculptors. Strongly influenced by surrealism, abstract expressionism, and minimalism, her work focuses on the exploration of her psyche. A recurring theme is her troubled childhood and difficult relationship with her father. Despite early success, she did not receive widespread acclaim until the '70s....

Fantastic Reality: Louise Bourgeois and a Story of Modern Art (paperback) » From Bourgeois's formative struggle with the "father figures" of surrealism, including Andre Breton and Marcel Duchamp, to her galvanizing role in the feminist art movement of the 1970s, to her subsequent emergence as a leading voice in postmodernism, this book explores the artist's responses to war, dislocation, and motherhood, to the predicament of the "woman artist" and the politics of sexual and social liberation, as a dialogue with psychoanalysis.

  "He is the Leonardo of our time.'' - Eero Saarinen

Le Corbusier Le Grand (Hardcover) » "Futuristic high rise apartment complexes, office towers, highly functional streamlined interiors and furniture made primarily of industrial materials may all be attributed in part to him and his controversial utopian mission to transform our daily lives into a highly functional and beautiful system. Le Corbusier Le Grand is an extravagant, yet essential tome for libraries, those interested in modernism, city planning, and especially those with a really big coffee table." --Lauren Nemroff

''He has provided enough for a whole generation to live on.'' - Walter Gropius

 A New Soul Jazz Underground Classic from Jamaica:

 Chris Ware Returns this Holiday Season with an indefinable tome of profusive Beauty & strange Delights                       

Acme Novelty Library 19 (Acme Novelty Library) » New surprises and discoveries concerning the now legendarily reclusive and increasingly influential writer mark this nineteenth number of the ACME Novelty Library, itself a regular award-winning periodical, lauded for its clear lettering and agreeable coloring, which, as any cultured reader knows, are cornerstones of any genuinely serious literary effort. Full color, seventy-eight pages, with hardbound covers, full indicia, and glue, the ACME Novelty Library offers its readers a satisfying, if not thrilling, rocket ride into the world of unkempt imagination and pulse-pounding excitement.

The Best American Comics 2008 (Hardcover) » Editor Lynda Barry and brand new series editors Jessica Abel and Matt Madden--acclaimed cartoonists in their own right-- have sought out the best stories culled from graphic novels, pamphlet comics, newspapers, magazines, mini-comics, and the Web to create this cutting-edge collection "perfect for newbies as well as fans"--The San Diego Union Tribune. This newest volume features luminaries like Chris Ware, Seth, and Alison Bechdel alongside Paul Pope's "Batman" and beloved daily cartoonists like Matt Groening. Not to be missed is Chris Ware's unflatering  parody of George Parrot, an old-time explorer and retired television travel host.

Magic Books & Paper Toys: Flip Books, E-Z Pop-Ups & Other Paper Playthings to Amaze & Delight (Paperback) »  .. --> DESCRIPTION //--> “Esther K. Smith is the Betty Crocker of bookmaking—and it's a calorie-free hobby! Yay!” —Simon Doonan, Creative Director, Barneys New York

“This ingenious, beautifully-designed book brings the miracle of paper structures to readers of all ages. Esther Smith brings her expertise as a book maker and paper folder extraordinaire to this delightful volume that is packed with projects and ideas.” —Ellen Lupton, author of D.I.Y.: Design It Yourself and D.I.Y. Kids

Jim Shaw Distorted Faces & Drawings: Almost 16 inches tall and 12 inches wide and jacketed in a 53 x 37-inch foldout poster of Jim Shaw's deeply disturbing black-and-white oil painting of Ronald Reagan's distorted face (layered with smaller, ghostlike figures of American violence... 

Jim Shaw was born in Midland, MI and currently lives in Los Angeles. He is the author of "Thrift Store Paintings" and "Dream Drawings".

   Flight of the Hummingbird: A Parable for the Environment (hardcover)     A story that speaks words of wisdom, and is embraced by contemporary environmental leaders who urge readers to take positive action. The hummingbird parable, with origins in the Quechuan people of South America, has become a talisman for environmentalists and activists who are committed to making meaningful change in the world. In this inspiring story, the determined hummingbird does everything she can...

---

The Best American Nonrequired Reading of 2008 (Paperback)   "A bouillabaisse of non required reading that should be required." (Publishers Weekly )

"This great volume highlights the very best of this year's fiction, nonfiction, alternative comics, screenplays, blogs, and more" (OK!). Compiled by Dave Eggers and students of his San Francisco writing center, it is thoroughly "entertaining and thought-provoking reading" (Library Journal).

---

Mr. White's Confession (paperback) »  "As thrilling as it is unnerving . . . Could have been written by Dashiell Hammett or James Crumley--at their best."--Greil Marcus, Esquire

"A pulsing tale of redemption and original goodness."--Pico Iyer, Time

Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA (Paperback) »  Is the Central Intelligence Agency a bulwark of freedom against dangerous foes, or a malevolent conspiracy to spread American imperialism? A little of both, according to this absorbing study, but, the author concludes, it is mainly a reservoir of incompetence and delusions that serves no one's interests well. Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times correspondent Weiner musters extensive archival research and interviews with top-ranking insiders, including former CIA chiefs Richard Helms and Stansfield Turner, to present the agency's saga as an exercise in trying to change the world without bothering to understand it.

---

Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries » Give Me Liberty is essentially an act of optimism…Wolf's goal is to educate a wave of "democracy commandos": Learn how to write a news release and how to be safe as you protest. Get tips on how to speak in public, how to raise funds and how government works. In short, use this book to study up, and you'll be ready to start your own movement. Which is precisely what Wolf hopes readers will do." --Washington Post 

The Zookeeper's Wife (paperback) A true story—as powerful as Schindler's List—in which the keepers of the Warsaw Zoo saved hundreds of people from Nazi hands.

"[A] shining book beyond category....[A] book to read and reread and give to others." -- Los Angeles Times

SAVE MORE ON SALE BOOKS & NEW REMAINDERS:

Some People, Some Other Place (Hardcover, SALE) »  This multigenerational novel by the author of The Future Has a Past is set on Dream Street, in a town called Place. The interwoven lives of its residents are also seen in the context of America's social history since the black migration from the South in the 1890s. "It's a kooky book!" laughed Carolyn See in the Washington Post. "Sometimes it barely makes sense. But in its attention to domestic detail and 'everyday life,' it may tell us more about African American life than the literary flights of Alice Walker or Toni Morrison.... What can I tell you? I have no defense! I was hypnotized. I was helpless. I couldn't stop reading."  was $25.95 now SALE $6.99

"HOLD FAST TO DREAMS / For if dreams die / Life is a broken-winged bird / That cannot fly." -- Langston Hughes

The Dream Keeper and Other Poems 75th Anniversary Edition (SALE, Hardcover)   

The Dream Keeper, is the great African-American writer Langston Hughes's only collection of poems for children, includes some of his best loved works. It is being reissued in a handsome hardcover edition in celebration of its 75th anniversary. Filled with elegant scratchboard illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Brian Pinkey, and featuring an introduction by noted children's poet Lee Bennett Hopkins, this gift edition is sure to be cherished by young readers and longtime poetry lovers alike.was $19.95 now SALE $6.99

---

The Trials of Lenny Bruce: The Fall and Rise of an American Icon ( SALE Hardcover and CD) » One of the most incendiary entertainers in American stand-up comedy, Lenny Bruce was never one to shy away from controversy or a legal fight. Written by a First Amendment scholar and law professor, this is the story of the series of obscenity cases that Bruce had leveled against him and how they played out. Many details from the trials are included here, making the book a literal walking tour of his time in court. An outstanding feature is the accompanying audio CD, the contents of which are all keyed to passages in the book. Narrated by Nat Hentoff and containing performances by Bruce and interviews with other entertainment notables, including George Carlin.... was $29.95 NOW $9.99

The Art of Romare Bearden: A SALE Book of Postcards » Best known for his brightly painted photomontages and collages, Romare Bearden (1911-88) grew up during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. He was inspired by jazz musicians and life in the rural South, the urban North, and the Caribbean, and suffused his art with visual, literary, and musical references. Along with a brief biography, this book of oversized postcards contains 30 unique images by Bearden, printed in brilliant, glossy color.  was 12.95 now $4.99

An Uncertain Grace (Hardcover, SALE) » This lovely yet disturbing book of black-and-white photographs takes viewers from a Brazilian gold mine, where men struggle with bags of dirt, to western Africa, where starving people haunt the desert landscape. As unsettling as the photographs are, they are each tempered by the sensitive, caring eye of the photographer. Aptly titled, the collection as a whole confronts us with the most fundamental question: What place do humans have on this planet?was $60, SALE $34.95

No. 1: First Works by 362 Artists   Sincere and ironic. Hip and stodgy. Academic still lifes and ready to hang museum pieces. When you ask over 300 artists, “What was your first work of art” the results are vast. An inspirational collection, No.1: First Works by 362 Artists showcases works by a variety of contemporary painters, photographers, sculptors, and filmmakers. The artists were asked to submit what they considered their “first” work of art--not necessarily the first piece they ever created.....  was $39.95 now $22.99

Celebrate Our Historic Election:

  Dreams From My Father (paperback)  In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father—a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man—has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey—first to a small town...

“Provocative . . . Persuasively describes the phenomenon of belonging to two different worlds, and thus belonging to neither.” —New York Times Book Review

“Fluidly, calmly, insightfully, Obama guides us straight to the intersection of the most serious questions of identity, class, and race.” —Washington Post Book World 

   The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream (Paperback)   "Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children; but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a child's life."-- Barak Obama 

Powered by

English

Albanian

Arabic

Bulgarian

Catalan

Chinese

Croatian

Czech

Danish

Dutch

Estonian

Filipino

Finnish

French

Galician

German

Greek

Hebrew

Hindi

Hungarian

Indonesian

Italian

Japanese

Korean

Latvian

Lithuanian

Maltese

Norwegian

Polish

Portuguese

Romanian

Russian

Serbian

Slovak

Slovenian

Spanish

Swedish

Thai

Turkish

Ukrainian

Vietnamese

GIVE PEACE DAY A CHANCE: One Peace presents Detroit area peace events with special guest Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, September 9th through the 21st. 

"Our mission is to inspire and motivate people to come together as ONE human family to generate inner peace and create a boundless world landscape of compassion, hope, love and PEACE."

Please join us at these free seminars and talks with Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne before the main event to be held at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center from 1-5 PM on the International Day of Peace, Sept. 21st.  This will be one of the largest peace day gatherings held in the United States. Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center will lead the mediatation and dialogue with Dr. Ariyaratne. It is free and all are welcome. Dr. Ariyaratne is a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, Gandhi Peace Prize Winner and founder of the Sarvodaya movement. Book Beat is one of over 30 sponsors for the One Peace events. A complete listing of area events is available at the One Peace Calendar of Events.  Watch a video of 300,000 at Peace Meditation, Sept. 21st, 2004.

"According to the Peace One Day organization, last year's Day of Peace resulted in roughly 1.4 million children receiving inoculations and helped establish a mass polio vaccination program in Afghanistan, reaching children they otherwise would not have been able to as they are living in Taliban-controlled areas." --Source: BBC, Jude Law promotes Afghan Peace   Said Mr. Law: "The message is simple. What will you do to make peace on 21 September?"

September 19th & 20th: BRISINGR, a Midnight Release at Book Beat

BRISINGR (Hardcover) », the third book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle will be released at midnight September 20th. The Book Beat will be open at 11:30 PM - on September 19th until 12:30 AM September 20th to arrange sales and pick ups of the Brisingr book. Prepaid orders before September 20th will receive a 30% discount, copies can be picked up at the midnight release. Please call 248-968-1190 for more info or to reserve your copy now. 

OATHS SWORN . . . loyalties tested . . . forces collide. Following the colossal battle against the Empire's warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still there is more at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.

Wednesday, September 24th: Book Beat Reading Group Meeting

The Book Beat reading group will meet Wednesday, Sept. 24th at 7:00 PM to discuss The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad. Our meeting will take place at the Goldfish Tea House located at 117 West 4th Street in downtown Royal Oak, just west of Main Street. We have moved our meetings to Goldfish Tea from Gayles in order to be more flexable with our discussion time.

Gayles Chocolates was one of the original forces behind forming the reading group ten years ago, and we warmly thank them for the use of their space.

The Secret Agent (paperback) The Secret Agent is an astonishing book," said Ford Madox Ford. "It is one of the best--and certainly the most significant--detective stories ever written." "The Secret Agent is an altogether thrilling 'crime story' . . . a political novel of a foreign embassy intrigue and its tragic human out-come," said Thomas Mann. And F. R. Leavis deemed it "one of Conrad's supreme masterpieces . . . one of the unquestioned classics of the first order that he added to the English novel." Inspired by an actual attempt in 1894 to blow up London's Greenwich Observatory, here is a chillingly prophetic examination of contemporary terrorism and the literary precursor to today's espionage thriller.

Children's Author, Librarian & Children's Bookstore Owner Jody Fickes Shapiro at Book Beat 

 Join us on Thursday, September 25th from 7:00-8:30 PM at the Book Beat, for a discussion and booksigning with children's writer, librarian and bookseller Jody Fickes Shapiro. The Book Beat is located at 26010 Greenfield in Oak Park. For more information please call: 248-968-1190

We are pleased to present Jody Fickes Shapiro back to her hometown in Detroit. She is someone who has had a long and varied career in the book world and we hope to learn more about her unique perspective on the importance of books in the lives of children and the future of books and community bookstores.

About the Books: 

Up, Up, Up! It's Apple-Picking Time is a satisfying tale that celebrates not only apples but all the cozy trappings of fall. On a crisp, cool morning a family drives to the grandparents' "apple ranch," where they help with the harvest.

Shapiro ably conveys a sense of family togetherness and love..."—Publisher's Weekly

Shapiro ... provides a delightful picture of a young family's interactions with their grandparents, people I would like to see more often in literature as well. --Jean Boreen, Ph.D. - Children's Literature

Shapiro laces her narrative with evocations of that heavenly taste and smell, and caps it with a yummy-looking recipe for microwave-baked apples.  --Kirkus Reviews

Family Lullaby 

"Given the many people who love and nurture a newborn, this picture book is a deserving testament to the extended family at the core of a child's universe. Shapiro's (Up, Up, Up! It's Apple-Picking Time) singsong text consists of simple, short verses that detail each family member's designated role in baby's life, followed by the repeated anthem "We all love Baby. Yes we do!" Whether it's mommy feeding baby a bottle or grandpa giving a piggy-back ride, each job is unique, yet shares the common thread of doing everything humanly possible to make baby happy. Felstead (Big Wolf and Little Wolf) depicts these caregivers at work in separate circles, drawing readers' eyes to each person, one by one. The text adheres to a steady pattern and rhythm-youngsters will relish the repetition. By story's end, it's no wonder that the "sleepy family" members all have their eyes shut tight. The final page, showing a satisfied and beaming baby, summarizes the result of all their hard work-and the goal of any new parent." Ages 0-4.-- Publisher's Weekly Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008: Literature, The Child and the Teen presents: A Matter of Interest: Matching Books to Readers at the Farmington Community Library

A Celebration of children, teen books and authors for librarians, educators and adults interested in literature for children and teens.

The Michigan Library Association presents a day-long conference with stimulating speakers, storytelling, book discussions and idea sharing. It will be held at the Farmington Community Library, Thursday, Sept. 25th.  Keynote speaker Donna Jo Napoli has written books in multiple genres and will share ideas on how we can match books to readers. She covers a wide range of books, including books with disturbing content that she feels are necessary to develop the empathy of the child.

The Book Beat will be supplying books at the event. Schedule details and registration is available at: Michigan Library Association

Sunday, September 28, 2008:  Great Architecture of Michigan and Art in Detroit Public Places at Book Beat

On Sunday, September 28th from 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM the Book Beat is honored to present a new title by Detroit Free Press architecture critic John Gallagher and renowned photographer Balthazar Korab. The book, Great Architecture from Michigan, is recently published by Wayne State University press. With photographs by Balthazar Korab and text by John Gallagher, Great Architecture of Michigan will be a treasured volume, indispensible for anyone wanting to learn more about Michigan's impressive architectural legacy. John Gallagher and Balthazar Korab will be at the event to sign books and discuss this exciting project, combining some of the finest architectural history and photography of Michigan into a single keepsake artbook.

We will also be presenting a new third edition of Art in Detroit Public Places by art historian Dennis Alan Nawrocki and photographer David Clements. This new and updated edition of a classic guidebook considers over 150 pieces organized by section into six geographical districts of metropolitan Detroit. Each of these sections is accompanied by a comprehensive street map for easy planning of walking or driving tours, and the artworks in it are presented with individual descriptive histories and photographs. Art and Architecture enthusiasts, and all citizens interested in the rich cultural diversity of our city and state will appreciate this afternoon arts celebration.

The Book Beat is located at 26010 Greenfield, in Oak Park. Call 248-968-1190 for more information or to reserve books.

New QQQuality Book Beat Fall Favorites for Children:

  Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa (Hardcover) » As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. But years later when she returns home, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something—and starts by planting nine seedlings in her own backyard. And as they grow, so do her plans. . . .

This true story of Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a shining example of how one woman's passion, vision, and determination inspired great change. Includes an author's note. This book was printed on 100% recycled paper with 50% postconsumer waste.

Bats at the Library (Hardcover) » "Join the free-for-all fun at the public library with these book-loving bats! Shape shadows on walls, frolic in the water fountain, and roam the book-filled halls until it's time for everyone, young and old, to settle down into the enchantment of story time. Brian Lies' joyful critters and their nocturnal celebration cast library visits in a new light. Even the youngest of readers will want to join the batty book-fest!" --Publishers Weekly

Yoon and the Jade Bracelet (Hardcover) » It is Yoon's birthday and all she wants is a jump rope so she can play with the other girls in the school yard. Instead, Yoon's mother gives her a Korean storybook about a silly girl who is tricked by a tiger. Yoon also receives a jade bracelet that once belonged to her grandmother. The next day at school, a girl offers to teach Yoon how to jump rope, but for a price: she wants to borrow the jade bracelet. When Yoon tries to get her bracelet back, the girl swears it belongs to her. Yoon must use the lessons learned in her storybook and her “Shining Wisdom” to retrieve the precious keepsake. In this third book featuring Yoon, lush impressionistic dreamscapes evoke a simple and timeless message: it is possible to trick a tiger.

The Land of the Dragon King and Other Korean Stories (Hardcover) »  is a collection of nine of the best loved Korean tales. The author tells how the book came about:

"I first visited South Korea in the 1990s... I caught a glimpse of villages, rice fields and the hills beyond. It was a landscape I recognised from the Korean folk tales I was reading and I was inspired to go up into the hills sketching...

Later, I met up with a Korean editor and showed her my sketches. She encouraged me to illustrate this collection of Korean stories so that children everywhere would be introduced to this beautiful land and its magical tales."   -- "Stories without feet travel far, if told." Korean proverb

God's Dream (Hardcover) »Archbishop Desmond Tutu has a vision of God's dream, which he shares here with the youngest of listeners. It involves people who reach out and hold each other's hands, but sometimes get angry and hurt each other — and say they're sorry and forgive. It's a wish that everyone will see they are brothers and sisters, no matter their way of speaking to God, no matter the size of their nose or the shade of their skin. Aided by vibrant artwork evoking such images as a rainbow and a sharing circle, Tutu offers the essence of his ubuntu philosophy, a wisdom so clear and crystalline that even the smallest child can understand.

Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story (Hardcover) » The sighting of the moon's first crescent begins the month of Ramadan for Muslims all over the world. This vibrantly illustrated story invites children to experience the traditions of the month through the eyes of a seven-year-old Pakistani-American girl named Yasmeen, who watches each night as the moon grows and shrinks and finally disappears. When the moon's first crescent reappears, it's time to celebrate "The Night of the Moon" and the gift-giving holiday of Eid--when Yasmeen has a wonderful gift in store! With lush illustrations that evoke Islamic art, this beautiful story of growing awareness offers a window into modern Muslim-American culture--and into the ancient roots that its traditions have grown from.

A Brand-New Day with Mouse and Mole (signed, Hardcover) » Mole is having a very bad morning. His pants have holes in them. So do his shirts. What could be the cause of all these holes? Turns out, moths make holes in clothes, and that makes Mole very grumpy. So Mouse does what a good friend should do and takes Mole on a trip to the store. There, Mole realizes all of his clothes are OLD. And what's NEW is in. What is a reluctant-to-change Mole going to do? The latest adventure of Mouse and Mole shows that sometimes it's fun to try something new . . . and sometimes it isn't. But friendship helps make each brand-new day one to look forward to! Ages: early reader 5-8 years, signed by the author/illustrator!

Melting Stones (Hardcover) » our years have passed since Evvy left the streets of Chammur to begin her training as a stone mage. At fourteen, she's unhappy to be on a new journey with her mentor, prickly green mage Rosethorn, who has been called to the Battle Islands to determine why the plants and animals there are dying. Evvy's job is to listen and learn, but she can't keep quiet and do nothing. With the help of Luvo, the living stone heart of a mountain, Evvy uncovers an important clue. Now, with the island on the brink of disaster, it's up to Evvy to avert the destruction that looms ahead.

Graceling (Hardcover) » "Here's a WOW of a book! Seeing half-wild Katsa learn humanity as she battles soldiers, storms, and her own obsessive nature--I HAD to know how it ended!" --Tamora Pierce 

With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.
 An extraordinary novel. Young Adults 14 years and up.  Read the author's blog:  THIS IS MY SECRET

Hunger Games (Hardcover) » "Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like "Survivor" and "American Gladiator." --School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

"The plot is front and center here—the twists and turns are addictive, particularly when the romantic subplot ups the ante—yet the Capitol's oppression and exploitation of the districts always simmers just below the surface, waiting to be more fully explored in future volumes. Collins has written a compulsively readable blend of science fiction, survival story, unlikely romance, and social commentary." --Horn Book, STARRED REVIEW

Layered with more than a few surprises and chock full of nail-biting action and suspense, The Hunger Games is a plot deserving to be savored, a story demanding to be devoured, and, with the turn of each page, an adventure that leaves you craving more. Ages 14 and up - the first of a trilogy. Collins is best known for her five book series Gregor the Overlander.

New Sale Books: (Quantites are limited, please write or call soon to reserve titles of interest).

Reminiscing in Tempo: A Portrait of Duke Ellington (Sale, Hardcover) » Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was one of the most romantic, flamboyant, and charismatic figures in the world of jazz, acclaimed by the likes of Igor Stravinsky as "one of the greatest living composers." This illustrated life of Ellington from the biographer of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday—both New York Times Notable Books of the Year—draws on rare archival material, a wealth of memorabilia, and interviews with Ellington himself and many others to re-create the jazz great's life and musical artistry against the background of his times. Hardcover was $44 now on SALE $9.99

Mozart: Letters and Manuscripts (Sale, Hardcover) » In the admittedly fanciful treatment of Mozart's life depicted in the 1984 film "Amadeus", there is a scene in which his rival Salieri is given a portfolio of Mozart's music—original staves without correction or amendment—and he is overwhelmed by this glimpse into the mind of a musical genius. This abundantly illustrated biographical guide to Mozart's work reproduces some of those same musical manuscripts in color, as well as letters and scores in Mozart's hand, portraits of the most important figures in his life, and contemporary testimony and documents. The author is the former director of "France Musiques" and a specialist in baroque music, Mozart, and Bach. was $55 now on SALE $25.99

Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves (Sale, Hardcover) » "Adam Hochschild's wonderful, vivid new Bury the Chains argues, in part, that the British abolition movement of the late 1700s pioneered the strategies that every activist group now takes for granted: direct mailings, legal test cases, campaign pins, grassroots lobbying.... Fascinating as this is, what makes Hochschild's book so readable is the rich cast of characters who created the movement, and the appalling nature of slavery itself. This isn't just any social movement, and the reader can't help but share the mingled sense of outrage and disbelief that the abolitionists themselves must have felt as they witnessed or heard about the incredible inhumanity of this practice."—Washington Post

The Best American Comics 2006 (Sale, Hardcover) » Guest editor Harvey Pekar kicks off this first-ever edition of Best American Comics, although "comics" is hardly a fitting description of the thoughtful, bizarre, hilarious, and poignant stories told here, all in the form of graphic narration. The 30 pieces include work from Kim Deitch, Alison Bechdel, Joe Sacco, Chris Ware, Jaime Hernandez, Rick Geary, Jesse Reklaw, Lynda Barry, and R. Crumb. Since its inception in 1915, the Best American series has become the premier annual showcase for the country's finest short fiction and nonfiction. For each volume, a series editor reviews hundreds of periodicals from the previous year, then selects between 50 and 100 outstanding works. Then the guest editor—a recognized expert in the field—pares the choice down to the twenty or so very best pieces. was $22 now on SALE $7.99

The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records (Sale, Hardcover) » During the rapid changes of the 1960s and 70s Impulse Records was the sound of jazz tradition and the shape of jazz to come—edgy, soulful, and elegantly packaged. With a lineup led by John Coltrane that included Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington, and Keith Jarrett, Impulse was hugely influential. Here the author of A Love Supreme: The Creation of John Coltrane's Classic Album traces the unusual company's two-decade arc of artistic triumphs and unlikely marketing coups, and features more than 100 illustrations as well as 36 album profiles detailing the inside stories of some of our most enduring jazz recordings. Published at $29.95 now on SALE $7.99

Rabble-Rouser for Peace: The Authorized Biography of Desmond Tutu (Sale, Hardcover) » To be a rabble-rouser for peace may seem to be a contradiction in terms. Yet this perfectly describes Desmond Tutu, Nobel laureate and spiritual father of a democratic South Africa, who believes that justice is the only real foundation for peace. This biography by John Allen, a journalist and longtime associate of Tutu's, tells the story of a barefoot schoolboy from a deprived black township who became an international symbol of the democratic spirit and of religious faith, and how he was able to appeal to the world's conscience as well as to the emotions of angry street crowds. Allen also describes how, when the battle for South African rights was finally won, it was Tutu who insisted on finding a path to forgive the former oppressors. was $28. now SALE $8.99

Path of Wisdom, Path of Peace: A Personal Conversation (hardcover, sale) » "Contentment, joy, and happiness are certainly the highest goals in life. And the source of happiness is an empathetic and loving heart," says Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Culled from interviews with the Dalai Lama over a number of years and filled with his humorous simplicity, this is a book of his thought under such headings as Tibetan Buddhism, the One Human Race, and Spiritual Crisis in a State of Affluence. The book is compact and handsomely produced, with a ribbon marker; the interviewer, a scholar of theology, philosophy, and history, is an accredited UN correspondent who has written more than 70 interviews. was $16.95 now SALE $6.99

Walking Meditation (sale hardcover w/DVD and CD) » "In the midst of our chaotic world," writes Nguyen Anh-Huong in her Introduction to this volume, "we tend to lose touch with the peace and joy that are available in each moment: the sunshine, the birds' singing, the autumn leaves, a baby's smile. The practice of walking meditation brings us back to being fully present and alive with every step." This instructional guide, which combines a book with a DVD and an audio CD, offers a program that explains how to walk with presence and peace of mind, whether in nature or on a busy city street. Walking Meditation illuminates the central tenets of this art including how to see walking as more than a means to an end and how to use walking meditation to work with such difficult emotions as anger and anxiety. was $24.99 now $7.99

The Visionary State: A Journey Through California's Spiritual Landscape (Hardcover) » Perhaps it's the gorgeous natural scenery and climate, or it's the free-spirited innovation of the people who ventured there; either way, California seems to enjoy more than its share of spiritual and sacred architecture, from rocks painted by ancient Native American shamans to the towering Crystal Cathedral of the Garden Grove Community Church. In this heavily illustrated book, culture critic Erik Davis brings together immigrant and homegrown religious influences that have been part of the region's character from its earliest days, drawing connections between seemingly unlike traditions and celebrating California's spiritual diversity of neopaganism and televangelism, UFO cults and Zen Buddhism. Published at $40.00 Hardcover on sale $14.99

A Hungry Heart (A Memoir) (Hardcover, sale) » Acclaimed photographer, filmmaker, composer, novelist, and memoirist, Gordon Parks has participated in, been witness to, and documented many of the major events in the twentieth and the twenty-first centuries.

In A Hungry Heart, Parks reflects on the people and events that shaped him: from growing up poor on the Kansas prairie to crisscrossing the country on the North Coast Limited; documenting poverty and injustice in Chicago to doing fashion spreads for Vogue; photographing black revolutionaries to writing, composing the soundtrack for, and directing the Hollywood movie version of his novel The Learning Tree. More than a self-portrait of the artist, A Hungry Heart is a striking account of an American era.Was $26.00 SALE $7.99

  The Wright 3 (Hardcover, SALE)   "..determined fans will grab hold of the true-to-life friendship issues Balliett introduces, and some--particularly her brainiest, most open-minded readers--will emerge energized by the invitation to explore themes of an interconnected universe. A new pentominoes code appears in the narrative, and Helquist likewise embeds another challenge in his drawings." --ALA  was $16.99 now SALE $6.99

O Holy Night: Christmas Carols with the Boys Choir of Harlem (Hardcover with CD) » Five favorite Christmas carols—"Silent Night," "O Come, All Ye Faithful," "O Holy Night," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and "Joy to the World"—are illustrated here with African and Middle Eastern themes in folk paintings by master story-quilter Faith Ringgold. This book for all ages also includes an audio CD of the Boys Choir of Harlem singing the carols in their own inimitable style. Previously published at $18.99 now SALE $7.99

PeaceJam A Billion Simple Acts of Peace (Paperback and DVD) » The Dalai Lama, the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Costa Rican president Oscar Arias and political rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi are just some of the Nobel Peace Laureates who have joined the PeaceJam Foundation in their Global Call to Action. This book profiles all of these laureates and their work with teens around the world as they combine forces to help stop the spread of disease, promote women's rights, provide equitable access to food and water, and more. Combining profiles of the laureates— including personal bios—heartwarming tales of the youth and their projects, and tips on how readers can get involved, this is a comprehensive guide to the PeaceJam Foundation. The DVD contains performances of music including local acts the White Stripes and the Go! -- Get involved - change starts here: PEACE JAM. 

The Living is Easy: Dorothy West (Paperback) » One of only a handful of novels published by black women during the forties, the story of ambitious Cleo Judson is a long-time cult classic. The Living Is Easy is delightfully wry and ironic humor—even bitchiness—of the novel coexists with a challenging moral and social complexity.

"A powerful work."—Essence

"Dorothy West is a brisk

Interesting how last week on August 1st, Amazon.com announced it bought ABEbooks, one of the largest resellers of out-of-print books (over 100 million books they claim). ABE was a Canadian outfit that began seven years ago as a service to booksellers who wanted to post their listings online and remain fairly independent about it. Book Beat was one of those thousands of small independent retailers who used the service. We left ABE last year as we saw them become more demanding and greedy. They no longer allowed booksellers to process their own orders, inflated credit-card processing fees and took a larger cut from the already slim margins of booksellers. Bookselling collectives popped up mainly in Europe to combat the oppressive conditions online. Many are now jumping ship under the Amazon announcement of August 1st (at least those who don't feel the need to give Amazon their share).

It may seem a strange move that Amazon bought ABE, as they claim to see the future of the book only in digital terms:

"...over at Amazon they are inadvertently thinking of ways to make the world worse for children and for the grown-ups who love them to pieces. What Jeffrey P. Bezos, Amazon's founder, wants more than anything is to do away with the book as we know it. "Jeff once said that he couldn't imagine anything more important than reinventing the book," said Steven Kessel, one of Bezos's top guys. Kessel is in charge of digitizing everything in sight." --The Washington Post

Buying ABE works into Amazon's strategy of owning and destroying the book market. They did it before in 1999 when they bought Bibliofind. (Book Beat were also once members of Bibliofind, one of the best service providers for professional booksellers selling online). Amazon paid over $20 million for it and then quickly closed it down. Buy out your competition and shut it down. American economics 101.

"Amazon.com has suggested that electronic books–the kind viewed on its Kindle device–are the future. Meanwhile, selling popular paper books helps pay the company's current bills. So isn't Amazon's latest acquisition a step toward the past?" -Wall Street Journal

The small bookseller feels in increasing sense of doom and encroachment not from a level playing field but from a system that forces you to pay your own competition in order to survive -a bit like loading ammunition into your killer's weapon. The public's love affair with Amazon has created a non-taxed behemoth here in the US that has helped to decimate local economies and culture in favor of convenience and low price. In France (and other European countries) where books are highly valued and ingrained in their culture, they have laws in place to avoid the practice of mass market discounting and preserve their cultural standards. Amazon continues to pay heavy fines and operates at a loss in order to remain in Europe. Amazon was ordered to pay the French government 1,500 Euros each day they remain in business and hand over 100,000 euro ($146,000) to the French Booksellers' Union, which sued Amazon in 2004 over its shipping policy. "The union said it was pleased with the court's ruling, which would help protect vulnerable small bookshops from predatory pricing practices." -The New York Times

Another important yet unreported consequence from Amazon buying ABE is that this will also give them 100% owner of Bookfinder.com, the internet's most powerful booksearch engine. By owning Bookfinder, Amazon will control the most important portal to the access of out-of-print books. Bookfinder is considered the google of the book world. Would Amazon ever consider abusing their stewardship of Bookfinder? You better believe it.

Small publishers too have felt the lopsided and often unjust practices by Amazon a threat to their survival. See: Why I Stopped Selling to Amazon.com . The joke is one huge marketing image and claim that "The World's largest bookstore" has deviously foisted on the public. Their supply of "virtual books" is about the same available to any bookseller (unless they are no longer in business).

Slate magazine: "In fact, Amazon's "megawarehouse" in downtown Seattle contains just 200 or so titles. Any other book must be obtained from a wholesale distributor or the publisher. This is exactly what any traditional bookstore does when it doesn't have a book in stock. The difference is that traditional bookstores start out with a lot more than 200 titles in stock. "Earth's Biggest Bookstore"? More like "Earth's Smallest." --Slate.com on the Amazon Con

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lonesome Dove recently published his memoir Books, a title that describes his long-term love for bookstores and bookselling. He has bought the inventory of no less then 30 bookstores for his own shop Booked Up in Archer City, Texas filled with over 400,000 quality "junk free" books. Many chapters are devoted to tales and obituaries of once loved bookstores with not one mention of the the ongoing threat from Amazon. The bookselling profession is fading fast, like the corner drugstore and most remnants of small-town USA. The bookstore is a cultural footnote, quitely passing away. "Civilization can probably adjust to the loss of the secondhand book trade, though I don't think it's really likely to have to. Can it, though survive the loss of reading? That's a tougher question, but a very important one." -Larry McMurtry, Books