The Spotty Dog

Jess — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:38:28 +0000

The undisputed king of Spotty Sales is Byrne Fone, with his Historic Hudson once again solidly walloping the competition. Coming up second, however, is a newcomer to the list, itself a tome of local history. Tom Lewis’ The Hudson: A History is a panoramic must-read for anyone whose ever spent time living on the banks of the lordly Hudson. Investigating the river’s influence on history (and vice versa), Lewis’ lively and comprehensive study never sags, and offers ample springboard for further study.

Diamond Street, Bruce Edward Hall’s favorite dirty little tell-all about Hudson’s own Red Light District, comes in third, with Hudson Talbott’s River of Dreams, a pictorial ode to the glories of the Hudson, taking fifth place. Taking a breather from the local, Stieg Larsson’s mystery-thriller The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo dominated our fiction sales, mirroring the book’s international success. Samuel Shem places in sixth with his own paean to Hudson, The Spirit of the Place, one spot below 2008’s fifth-place finish.

Mega-blockbuster sequel The Lost Symbol placed next, followed closely by Tony Fletcher’s compulsive, dishy All Hopped Up and Ready To Go: A History of Music from the Streets of New York, 1927-1977. A must for any serious music fan, Fletcher’s depth of knowledge is unparalleled, and matched well by his lively prose and expansive cultural understanding. Following Fletcher, perennial favorite Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma crept back into the spotlight despite having been released in 2006. Amy Bloom’s Away was the definitive sleeper hit of the year, and her devotees will be happy to know that we have her latest collection, Where The God of Love Hangs Out, available for all.

Other notables included Rebecca Wolff’s searing collection , The King, as well as Jene Luciani’s The Bra Book. Miranda July’s 2007 collection of short fiction, No One Belongs Here More Than You, continued with quietly strong sales throughout the year, and of course Twilight and the ilk also fared well.

A Holiday Pick for the Contemplative Literary Type

Jess — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:23:29 +0000

Among the scores of books that leave an indelible imprint on nearly all who have read them, Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl stands near the forefront as a compelling artifact and literary accomplishment. A wellspring of inspiration, both enduring in its complexity while accessible enough to be grasped by elementary school students, her Diary has inspired pop musicians, Broadway musicals, and a whole young adult literature subgenre. To that end, I remember having encountered Anne Frank only after having read Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars as a fourth grade student. While an excellent book for young people in its own right, particularly for the slightly younger crowd upon whom the subtler touches of Frank’s record might be lost, Lowry (appropriately) offers a slightly less harrowing narrative of the Holocaust. Anne came next, then the blistering Night, by Elie Wiesel, which I devoured after school in one sitting, and have not been able to shake since. A more recent entry into the field is John Boyne’s The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, which has been adapted into a film by the same name.

In Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife, Francine Prose explores the multifaceted impact of the girl’s diary, and attempts to give it’s young author her literary due. Asserting that (rightly) the conventional literary criticism has rarely if ever been applied to the work, Prose then goes on to explore Frank’s compositional methods, the circumstances of its publication, and argues for a consideration of her as a bona fide literary talent, rather than a historical anomaly. Eventually a rumination on the nature of writing and journaling, Anne Frank is as deft and penetrating a meditation on writing as was Prose’s Reading Like a Writer, itself another fantastic pick for your beloved diarist, writer, reader, or student.

For your drunken college roommate

Kelley — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:20:06 +0000

The following books involve humor - no scrooges allowed!!

Daniel Nester is a forever Spotty favorite. His new book How to be Inappropriate is laugh-out-loud funny and will hold an especially warm fuzzy spot for those children of the 80s such as myself. I perked up when I was able to pick myself out of the inappropriate timeline as attending the same David Lee Roth concert as the author, albeit in a different venue.

This is Why You’re Fat by Jessica Amason and Jeff Blakeley has earned itself a cushy spot on the bar for our guests to peruse at their leisure so that they might lust upon the apple pie with lattice bacon crust or the burger housed not in a bun, but between two glazed doughnuts. Check out the eponymous blog and you will see why you need this book.

Along the same disaster-food lines, one might also enjoy Cake Wrecks. With all the cooking shows now dedicated to extra-fancy cake decorating, this book is the seedy underbelly of the confection beauty pagent genre. Confused sentiments in icing, accidentally perverse decorations, and just plain ugly cakes can be found in this collection that will make you gasp, giggle, and seek out a cookie for solace.

Another regular on the bar is The Quotable Douchebag. Stupid remarks by the likes of David Hasselhoff, Gene Simmons, and Brett Michaels? Bring it!

For the globe-trotting chef

Kelley — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:49:27 +0000

. . . or the chef who wishes they could globe trot, how about a feast of many cultures prepared from this delightful array of cookbooks:

The Veselka Cookbook just arrived and is making me hungry! For those of you that have ever eaten at the New York City restaurant, you know the delights of Ukraine you are in for in this book: sausages, pierogi, cabbage - the food of my ancestors. Sprinkle in a healthy dose of American-style diner food (as that’s what Veslka is, after all) and you may possibly have the best cookbook of all time. Yum!

Everyone who loved the movie Julie and Julia should enjoy the book of the same name and the classic French cookbook by Julia Child that inspired all the action. My Life in France about, well, Julia Child’s time in France would also make a lovely gift.

Our favorite sometime-local chefs by way of the south are the gracious and talented Lee Brothers. They have a follow-up to their James Beard Award-winning Lee Brothers’ Cookbook for those of us who need it a bit less complex - Simple Fresh Southern. Boiled peanuts, anyone (for those not yet initiated, they’re delicious!).

How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking by Michael Psilakis earned a starred rave from Publishers’ Weekly and is gorgeous to look at. More than a collection of recipes, this book is a celebration of Greek culture and its extraordinary effect on the author.

The Twilight fan looking for something else

Kelley — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:30:56 +0000

How about a change of pace (but not too much of one) with a book about pixies? Yes, but not those cutsey, little-girl pixies. Same dark edge and romance as Twilight, different day, so to speak. The first in the series, Need by Carrie Jones, is out in paperback in early December, just in time for gift-giving. And should the recipient become addicted, number two in the series, Captivate, comes out in January.

The ultimate difficult-to-buy-for: Teens!

Kelley — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:12:54 +0000

The following books are great for the hard-to-buy-for teens (boys or girls) on your list, and by teens I mean 14+ as these titles may contain violence, sex, and other difficult themes, but are done well, in my humble opinion.
For those of you who missed the it-book for teens last holiday season, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is still available and now has a sequel. In the distopian future, the United States is divided up into districts that annually must send one boy and one girl to compete in the ultimate reality show, where just one of the 24 kids will come out alive. Fast paced with lots of action, a touch of romance, and characters that keep you cheering for them even though they are flawed, the end of The Hunger Games leaves you in a state of immediate need for the sequel Catching Fire. A great two-book set for a gift.
The title of Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher refers to a set of audio tapes made by Hannah Baker, a victim of a suicide that took place prior to the opening of the story. Each side of the 7 tapes is dedicated to telling the story of one person who contributed in some way to her decision to kill herself, and the tapes plus a map of pertinent locations are now circulating amongst the teens in the stories. If you break the chain and don’t listen to the tapes or send them on, they will be released to the rest of the school and everyone will learn the ugly secrets they contain. Full of suspense and mystery, this book is hard to put down and even harder to forget.
Historical fiction may not seem like it would appeal to teens, but Bug Boy by local author Eric Luper has fast cars, fast horses, and fast women enough to keep even the most jaded teen turning the pages. Jack dreams of becoming a jockey, but when he finally gets his chance to make the big time, the dirty underbelly of the glamorous racing scene at Saratoga Racetrack threatens not only his career, but possibly his life. Another great book by Eric with a more contemporary setting is Big Slick. A great read for boys, especially those that have been bitten by the poker bug. We have signed copies of both, which makes them an extra-special gift.

For the puzzle addict

Kelley — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:20:48 +0000

You know the ones - you think you are carrying on a conversation with them until you notice the furrowed brow and intense stare that have shut down the ability to hear. They are focused on a soduku or a crossword puzzle and nothing else exists at that moment. Is there any question what makes a great gift for them? Only if you have to decide amongst our many puzzle books. We have easy ones, hard ones, page-a-day calendars, Will Shortz-penned, New York Times branded, pocket-sized, fancy-covered, crossword dictionaries, Scrabble dictionaries, world’s longest crossword puzzles, and kid-appropriate. Great as stocking-stuffers or bundled together as a generous gift.

For would-be journalers who need a push

Kelley — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:07:09 +0000

My Nana II (that’s a great grandma for those not in my family) was a great writer of journals. We still have her writings about daily life that have inspired me to take up pen and journal in the past, only to fail miserably at following through after a couple of weeks. Luckily, the solution has arrived at The Spotty in the form of Keel’s Simple Diary, a quickie journal that still allows you to detail your everyday life but keeps the time investment and brain power required to a minimum. Each day (or whenever you feel like it) you choose a page with a set of questions and prompts. Fill out the page and Voila! You’re keeping a journal. Six different cover colors allow even further expression of your mood. As Philipp Keel, internationally acclaimed artist, writer, and creator of the diary explains, “(It’s) an assistant for life, a book for any occasion, for any person at any age. On every page you will discover a taste of philosophy, a pinch of psychology and a twist of insight.” And priced at just $15.00, you can get one for all the people of all ages on your list for whatever occasion you have upcoming this month. Simple.

The ultimate gift for your princess or prince

Kelley — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:34:35 +0000

Melissa and Doug toys are well made, timeless and great for hours and hours of imaginative play. If the young royalty in your house seek refuge for their alter egos, how about castles? These play sets are portable, come in pink for the ladies or traditional castle colors for those keepin’ it real, and come with a cast of characters to act out all their fairytale fantasies. Or, if you want to go the traditional route, we have the ultimate dollhouse, too. Dolls for that one are sold separately or can be taken home without the burden of a giant house to maintain.

Help for you during the gifting season!

Kelley — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:55:52 +0000

Need help finding that perfect gift? Look no further than The Spotty Blog! Throughout the season, we will have great suggestions for everyone on your list, even those that defy gifting logic or “have everything.” Do they have a copy of Russian Criminal Tattoos Volume IV? I thought not! So stay tuned.

For your friends the eco-warriors

Al Gore’s new book has arrived. Our Choice gathers in one place all of the most effective solutions that are available now and that, together, will solve the crisis of global warming. It is meant to depoliticize the issue as much as possible and inspire readers to take action—not only on an individual basis but as participants in the political processes by which every country, and the world as a whole, makes the choice that now confronts us. It is the perfect sequel to An Inconvenient Truth.
Green Start, the new eco-friendly line from Innovative Kids is great for those 3 and up (and their parents, too!). This earth-friendly series is made from 98% post-consumer recycled materials and is printed with eco-friendly ink. Each hardcover book’s simple, non-fiction content inspires children to love and respect the natural world, and the parent spread at the back of each book shows how easy it is to practice (and teach!) earth friendly habits right at home. The series consists of 4 books and 4 different book/game-or-puzzle combos sure to satisfy the littlest tree-huggers.