As I grow older, I find that I take the approaching season less flippantly with each passing year.  Be it family or friends or just familiar faces of long-time customers, there is something special about making a little extra effort to appreciate the people in our lives.  This is a true, touchable transcendence.   Tom & I, Jason, Kale, Harold & Mark just wanted to wish everyone a pleasant holiday season.

I know that many of us are a little uncertain this year – the economy has us counting pennies and watching ourselves.  Others (I'm with you here) who simply loath the shoving and snatching and hunting parking spaces at the mall.

With this in mind, I'd like to remind you that Prospero's is a one-stop gift shop.  We offer something for everyone – near new books, movies (DVD & VHS), music (vinyl and CD), organic coffee, original art, jewelry, local musicians & authors.  All-in-all, Prospero's offers well over 50,000 possible gifts most priced under $10. 20,000 gifts priced under $10. We even offer gift certificates for that hard-to-purchase for distant cousin.  

While you are at it, you can drop by one of the more than 20 restaurants all within a couple blocks.

So grab your mom or your brother, and enjoy one-stop bargain hunting. When you are done, grab a drink and a bite.

Thank you for supporting local KC businesses.   Your willingness to keep your dollars in our community can make the difference for a small business like ours – and remember, the job you save may be your own.

Peace,

The Right Duke 

CALENDAR

Sat 11/29 – Jessie Kates (of the Sexy Accident) 10:30 pm.  www.myspace.com/sexyaccident

Sun 11/30 – Prospero's birthday party (11-years).  5pm.  Refreshments. Bring a poem or your guitar. FREE

Nov 19 – Dec 19 – Prospero's Birthday Specials – free t-shirt raffle, scavenger hunt coupons & reduced price specials on specific categories.

NOTE – Prospero's will be featured on KCPT television Wednesday 11/26 @ 9pm on the show Uniquely Kansas City.

Here we are, in the full throes of our month-long Prospero's Birthday Fandango.  Yes, Prospero's is 11 years old. In this business climate (and with our "business" model), this is something to crow about. 

There are great book bargains (just in time for the holidays), our annual Sylvia Beach Bash party, a scavenger hunt, and t-shirt raffle.  So drop by and stock up on like-new books for your holiday giving (and throw in a title for yourself while you are at it). 

CALENDAR 

Sat 11/22 – Live Music - Jessie Kates (of the Sexy Accident) @ 10:30 pm.  Some fine alt pop songwriting – sort of Ben Folds meets The Clash.   www.myspace.com/sexyaccident  

Sun 11/23 – Live Music/guitar clinic - Peter Mulvey @ 3pm (1 hour program) guitar clinic and showcase performance.  With 11 CDs or original music under his belt, Mulvey has been featured on NPR on several occasions. 

If you love great songwriting and are looking for a chance to learn a few chops from a master – join us for a holiday clinic & performance.   

Peter Mulvey is simply the Right Duke's favorite songwriter (Kitchen Radio is a desert island disc).  Peter is a virtuoso guitar craftsman showcasing creative fretwork and rhythmic work underpinning captivating melodies. We are charging $10 for an hour of music and discussion.  (Please give me a call 816.256.7243 or email me w84gdo@prosperosbookstore.com if you are planning on coming). 

Check out a tune at www.petermulvey.com  

Sunday 11/30 – 11^th Annual Silvia Beach Bash @ 5:30 pm.  Entertainment and refreshments. 

Nov 19 – Dec. 19  Prospero's Birthday Happenings

 

• Sylvia Beach Bash Holiday Party featuring refreshments and live entertainment on Sunday Nov. 30 at 5 pm at Prospero's Books, 1800 W. 39^h Street

 

• FREE BOOKS Scavenger Hunt – hidden in selected books, certificates worth $10, $20, $50, $100 and $250 (over $1,000 in free books).

 

• Free T-shirt Raffle – all purchases for more than $20 will be entered in a raffle for 5 free Prospero's t-shirts (drawing made on December 19)

 

• Special Discounts:
1. 25% off all titles in the following categories: biography, humor, motivational, religion, poetry, true crime and short story collections

 

2. All VHS movies $2.50 (normally $3.95)

Prospero's in the news!

1. Saturday (10/18) night PBS will be filming at the Forrest Whitlow concert (to be aired in November). Be there by 10:30 for the show. Come catch Forrest, always a good evening of tunes, and help show the city that Prospero's continues to serve as a vibrant cornerstone of the KC arts scene. Check out some of Forrest's tunes at his myspace: www.myspace.com/forrestwhitlow

2. Kudos to Marty McCarty for her recent Thorpe Menn Award! Marty's five island diaries – a gentle memoir in the vein of Tuesdays with Morey – triumphed from a strong field of contenders to earn the 2008, 30^th anniversary Thorpe Menn. Now five islands is in contention for "Read Iowa" – Iowa's statewide coordinated read. Prospero's is particularly proud since our publishing arm, Spartan Press, helped bring five island diaries to print. So, Congrats Marty! Be sure to pick up your own copy (it makes a great holiday gift).

3. Shout outs to three KC authors (yes, Prospero's has all three books in stock):

1. Jeff Roberts' collection of short fiction, Little Stories, has just received a nice re-issue and some notable accolades. For a teaser visit: www.outskirtspress.com/jroberts

2. Janet Banks just released a new collection of poetry. I've known Janet several years now, and have enjoyed reading with her at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary art. You will enjoy the words.

3. Bob Sommer's novel Where the Wind Blew seems like it is pulled directly from our David Ayers obsessed news headlines. Check it out: http://voices.kansascity.com/node/2426new

4. THANKS, Thanks, and again thanks!

This November 19 Prospero's will be 9/11 years old (11 years since I helped found it, and 9 years since joined by Tom Wayne) – no we couldn't just be like everyone else and have a 10^th anniversary celebration.

Tom and I want to not only say a heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every one of our wonderful customers, but we want to mark the occasion by declaring the whole month of November - 9/11 birthday shin-dig!

Here's a sneak peak at some of the activities we have in store:

• A Silvia Beach Bash Party (of course) Sunday Nov. 23^rd

• Over $1,000 in book give-aways

• Free T-shirt raffle

• And exceptional book discounts!

Be sure to check next week's APB for more details!

Peace

The Right Duke

Hidden Pictures - 10:30 pm. Richard Gintowt (OK Jones) is joined by his
new outfit. Special guests. Free

Richard Gintowt, known for his wilco-esque melodies and musical quirkiness
brings his new project to Prospero's Books.  Visit their myspace page to
check out a tune: www.myspace.com/okjones

It looks like this is going to be another squeaker presidential election –
and you may want to do a little reading to help you with your decision.

Prospero's has literally dozens of recent-issue (2007-08) political tomes
spanning the entire spectrum– right to left, anarchist to totalitarianism,
Michael Moore to Michael Savage...  All political hardback titles are now
priced at $8.95.  purchase more than 3, and we'll nock another 10% off.

1.   WHO READS CONSERVATIVE BOOKS?  For years now, I've watched
conservative books top the NYT bestseller list.  Even though we carry
dozens of titles, these books simply don't sell. Some allege that big
companies coordinate large purchases of conservative titles simply to get
them on the list (and subsequently into the news). I know Prospero's has
oodles of conservative customers – here's a chance for you to help prove
my anecdotal theory wrong.

2.   REGISTER TO VOTE AT PROSPEROS:  Prospero's has Kansas and Missouri
voter registration cards.  Voter registration for the 2008 presidential
election ends on October 8th.

Don't bitch, if you won't participate – besides, the Right Duke's theory
is that book readers are smarter than the average voter and should be
involved in the decision making.

Ah yes, don'tcha love the changing of the seasons, the cooler weather, all
the John McCain House Jokes.  How 'bout this one:

1. It's not McCain's fault he can't remember how many houses he has - he
had the number written down but he left it in his other plane.

or

2. The McCains don't count the motor home because it's only got four
bathrooms and there's nowhere for the gardeners to sleep.

or

3. John McCain's getting an unfair rap for buying all those houses.  Come
on, now!  He needed SOMEPLACE to put all those swimming pools!

and the jokes just keep coming.  If you've heard a good one, forward it on
to the right duke. otherwise - there are more at the end of this email...



The kids are back at school, and now you've got a few minutes to sit down
and read a good book - Prospero's is simply flush with great new books.
The drop by and pick up a few.

CALENDAR

Saturday 8/23 @ 10:30 pm - LISA SANDELL.  Fingerstyle and lap style slide
guitar. lots of blues and some fine guitar work. check out a tune at
www.lisaSandell.com

Sunday 8/24 @ 2pm - book release for Silvia Kofler @ the Plaza Library
(4801 Main).  Join us as we release Silvia's new book of poetry
"Radioactive Musings".  There will be refreshments (wine and snacks) and
live music by Bob Walkenhorst.



OK, as promised, here's some more McCain house jokes:


4. What good do 7 (8?) houses do a fellow when - after trying to enter
Cindy (his wife) in a wet t-shirt contest at Sturgis - she's made him
sleep in the dog house(s)...

5. Don't blame McCain.  Cindy couldn't resist that "buy six mansions, get
one free" sale at Countrywide.

6. Know what else?  McCain doesn't know how many of his houses share a
border with Pakistan.



and my favorite:


7. What?  John McCain doesn't know how many houses he owns?  Can't he ask
Joe Lieberman?

Prospero's & UDP are teaming up to bring you a new collection of poetry by Silvia Kofler – "Radioactive Musings".

Many of you know Silvia as an FOP (friend of Prospero's), member of the Collaborators poetry collective, member of the Riverfront Readings planning committee, and as publisher of "Thorny Locust." (she's also a playwright and educator – where does she find the time?).

Radioactive is Silvia's 2nd book of poetry, her first being "From the Suburbs with the Wedding Dress in Its Coffin."

"Radio Active Musings" is the newest release from UDP and Prospero's. For years we have been working to help place new, original verse of note before your discerning palate.

We are proud to join with the KC Public Library and Riverfront for a release party & reading this coming Sunday (8/24) at 2pm at the Plaza Branch (4801 Main Street).

Silvia will share poems and there will be wine and refreshments. The wonderful & pithy KC songwriter Bob Walkenhorst (The Rainmakers) will provide some live tunes. Paintings by David Paarmann who illustrated the book will have several works on display.

YOU ARE INVITED! While this event is FREE, please RSVP to: http://www. kclibrary. org/rsvp/2008/silviakofler/ so we can make sure to have enough refreshments.

What: Silvia Kofler - Book Release & Reading
When: Sunday August 24 at 2pm
Where: Plaza Branch of the KCMo Public Library (4801 Main)
Special Guests: Music by Bob Walkenhorst, Visual Art by Dave Paarmann

Sunday, July 27, 2008 - Prospero's Books
Book Signing, 1:00 - 6:00 pm

Chuck G. Smith and James Rider II will sign copies of books one and
two of their limited series, Lil'guy: A Graphic Novel at Prospero's
Books. The creators, artists and staff of Lil'guy Productions will
sign copies Sunday from 1-6 pm. Model Caitlin Gibson, starlet of the
Lil'guy series, will also be appearing.

Lil'guy: A Graphic Novel is a story of abuse and its possible outcome.
Murder, mystery, and violence, wrapped in a whirlpool of confusion and
psychological trauma, surrounds the characters as they deal with
oppression. Lil'guy is not any one person; it is that feeling of
smallness or uselessness each of us has felt. "The truth ain't always
pretty, but it's always the truth!"

Sample cover and interior pages are available www. lilguyproductions.
com at the Lil'guy website. Lil'Guy: A Graphic Novel is available for
review.