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Junie B.!

By Former Lemurians

On June 5, 2013

Junie B. Jones and her shenanigans are coming our way! Three years ago, Junie B. showed up on our doorstep and of course, we invited all our friends to meet her. On Monday, June 17th at 2:00, Junie B. is back! Our favorite precocious kid is out on the Stupid Smelly Bus Tour to bring Park’s lovable character to fans across the country, all of whom love to meet their favorite book character in person.

So what exactly happens on a Stupid Smelly Bus Tour? The fun begins when the doors of Duling Hall open at 1:30 with fun activities, and the main show begins at 2:00 and features live performances by two actors playing Junie B. Jones and Mr. Woo. Junie B. and her teacher travel from city to city in a bright pink “Stupid Smelly” school bus adorned with colorful graphics, including the series’ signature checkerboard and the faces of Junie B.’s friends in the windows.

At each event, Junie B. will open her Big Pink Trunk of Junk and perform a Show and Tell, sharing instantly recognizable items from the series such as her stuffed elephant, “Philip Johnny Bob,” and the floaty ball from the toilet tank, Junie B.’s favorite plumbing supply.

Tickets for this event are $10 and can be purchased at Lemuria Books. The ticket provides admittance to the event for one child and parent, as well as one paperback Junie B. Jones book. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to promote the arts in Fondren. And after the event, Junie B. and Mr. Woo will stick around for an official book stamping and to hand out free Junie B. souvenirs for all kids in attendance. For more information about the Junie B. Jones book series, visit the series website at JunieBJones.com. We hope to see you at Duling Hall!

OZ First Editions Club is back and ready for action!

By Former Lemurians

On March 13, 2013

In First Editions Club, Oz: Children's Books, OZ: Young Adult Fiction

As some of you may know, we have a great service called the OZ First Editions Club. Much like our regular First Editions Club, we bring you a signed first edition every month–except these are the best (signed) picture books and middle grade novels we can get out hands on!

OZ FEC took a little bit of a hiatus recently, (the lovely Adie and Zita have been helping me revamp the club) but we are proud to announce we’re back in action! We made a few changes which I discuss here, but the biggest change is that the authors no longer have to come to the store for their book to be picked. We want our selection to be the best and unhindered by publishers’ touring schedules.

For February, we picked Penny and Her Marble by the amazing Kevin Henkes. Mr Henkes’ has won a Caldecott Medal, a Caldecott Honor, and a Newbery Honor, but I’m pretty sure being a selection in Lemuria’s OZ FEC trumps all of that, right? Ok, fine, maybe the Caldecott was a bigger honor, but still, you catch my drift. Penny joins the ranks of Mr. Henkes’ other well loved mice: Lily and her purple plastic purse, Julius her brother, worried Wemberly, Chrysanthemum, and others that have been favorites here at the store for years. In this installment, Penny finds a marble on her neighbor’s yard. Entranced by it, she takes it home, but she starts to worry. What if she stole this marble? Penny will steal your hearts and be a great addition to any collection.

March’s selection will be Otis and the Puppy by Loren Long. This is Loren’s second time to be inducted into the OZ FEC. He was a big hit in 2011 when we picked Otis and the Tornado, and we were thrilled to be able to bring you the newest installment in the “new classic” Otis series. When creating this series, Loren told us that he really studied other classic children’s books such as Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel and The Story of Ferdinand. The Otis series feels like it could be decades old or just created. Loren is one of our favorites not just here at the store, but in the community as well and we are so glad to have signed copies available again!

If you aren’t a part of the club yet, now is a great time to jump on board. We are working on some really cool stuff, kinda like we did here and you don’t want to miss it! To sign up, email us a ozfec@lemuriabooks.com!

Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food

By Former Lemurians

On January 28, 2012

In Cooking, Health

“Fish is the only grub left that scientists haven’t been able to get their hands on and improve. The flounder you eat today hasn’t got any more damned vitamins in it than the flounder your great-great-grandaddy ate, and it tastes the same. Everything else has been improved and improved and improved to such an extent that it ain’t fit to eat.” -a Fulton Fish Market, denizen, in Old Man Mr. Flood by Joseph Mitchell, 1944

And this is how Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg begins.

Think about it. When you go out to eat or shop for seafood at your vendor of choice, what are your choices? There are four fish that reign above all other ones. They are: cod, salmon, sea bass and tuna. It’s possible that if one does not know better, one could think those are the only fish that exist in the world because we are rarely offered anything else.

Monterey Bay Aquarium provides a Seafood Watch Guide you can browse to see which seafood is safe and best to eat at that time. Also available as a printable pocket guide, it can tell you which fish are your best choices, good alternatives as well as ones to avoid. After reading Four Fish, it appears we are not paying enough attention to such important things. If we aren’t careful, these four will end up on the avoid list because they will be so low in numbers.

Within this book, Greenberg also takes us on a mini history lesson. In early times, it was unnecessary to think of preserving wild food. People didn’t even think that we had the potential to harm the world. In present day, the situation is very different. We eat, live, breathe, dispose and do as we please. While we are not doing what needs to be done to preserve our oceans, we are very aware of the consequences. Hopefully, we follow the advisement of Four Fish and change our course before it’s too late.

Paul Greenberg, author of James Beard Award bestseller Four Fish -Quinn

The Tactile, Sensual Experience of Books

On January 10, 2011

Today, many people are using an e-reader, or debating about getting one. This is what was happening in the early 1840s: “Americans were buying books as decorative objects for their homes as well as works of literature. This was not the same as buying sets of books by the yard to decorate the shelves of a home library. The beautiful covers of individual books were meant to be seen, not hidden on shelves with only their spines exposed” (Richard Minsky).

Maybe you read Mark’s blog a couple of days ago about Richard Minsky’s The Art of American Book Covers 1875-1930 (George Braziller, 2010). Even though I am a sucker for beautiful, clever art work on books, it took a while to sink in. I kept admiring the many beautiful examples of book covers from the Golden Age that Richard Minsky has cared for and brought to our attention. Then it donned on me: the two charming books I bought many years ago from an antique bookstore are from this era.

This sent me back to Minsky’s book scouring for any information that might give me more clues about my books. The first book is entitled My Heart and Stephanie by R. W. Kauffman. Published in 1910 by L. C. Page & Company, the cover featuring artwork by A. G. Learned. Tooling around on the Internet gleaned little information about Learned. Obviously, the content of the book was simply the fiction of the day. (Sadly, someone appears to have used Stephanie as a coaster at some point.)

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No doubt, the books I innocently picked up were not in the gorgeous condition featured in Minsky’s studies. But studying Minsky’s collection, I began to imagine the what vibrancy The Man on the Box must have had. Published in 1904 by the Bobbs-Merrill Company, the cover art does not yield any information or initials for the artist. Nonetheless, it is still charming in its rather worn state.

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Sharing the books with my coworkers eventually led me to Lemuria’s copy of The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad published in 1907 by Harper & Brothers. As Minsky points out in American Book Covers, many publishing houses felt that the book cover artist was just as important as the contents of the book. Harper & Brothers seems to have been a prolific supporter of the arts as Minsky has numerous examples from this publishing house.

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Still snooping around Lemuria for beautiful books, I found that the Franklin Library books of the 1960s and 70s reminded me of these Golden Age books. Even Raymond Carver’s collection of short stories entitled Where I’m Calling From signed by Carver and bound in 1988 by Franklin is a beautiful tribute.

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Back to our present book industry jolt with the e-book: Where are our beautiful books? No doubt there are many, but I chuckled when I realized the much-loved and popular-selling stamped linen classics series published by Penguin seem to be the closest and most affordable treasures similar to the books of the Golden Age. I have to wonder as the e-book becomes more prolific if book lovers will not hunger even more passionately for the tactile, sensual experience of books.

Lemuria Reads Mississippians: Ellen Douglas

By Former Lemurians

On December 17, 2010

In Southern Culture

As a young bookseller at Lemuria in the late 70s I became intrigued with the writer Ellen Douglas. She visited the store a few times and introduced herself as Josephine Haxton. I couldn’t believe my lucky stars that I had met another Mississippi writer and one who had a PEN NAME at that, and who was so very nice to me and interested in the store and my recommendations! Shortly after that Jo moved to Jackson full time, and we got to know her.

She continued to become one of the true voices in Mississippi letters. I believe her writing about human relationships, and the relationships between blacks and whites, women particularly, is her particular and outstanding legacy in literature. She became a wonderful friend and supporter of Lemuria. I am thrilled to see her in this book acknowledging and celebrating her contribution to MS arts and letters.

-Valerie

Click here to see all of “Lemuria Reads Mississippians.”

Signed copies of Mississippians are available now. Purchase a copy online or call the bookstore 601/800.366.7619.

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Lemuria Reads Mississippians: Larry Brown

On November 24, 2010

In Southern Culture

Around 25 years ago, I met Larry Brown. My pal and great bookseller, Richard Howarth, had mentioned to me that he had met a great reader though his store (the incomparably fine Square Books), who wanted to write. Soon there after, he introduced me to Larry Brown.

At a party on a front porch in Belhaven, one block from Ms. Welty’s house, I met and talked books with Larry. Common reading tastes was the immediate doorway to begin our friendship. Over the years, we shared many books together, our fondness for authors as diverse as Louis L’Amour to Cormac McCarthy. We were reading buddies.

A bookseller’s relationship with an author can grow to be very special over time using books and reading as a bridge. The labor of these two professions can emerge into a natural bond tied together through love and deep friendship.

As I think about Larry’s passing on this anniversary of his death, I feel the loss of this short writing life. No more Larry books to read or book talk to be had.

However, so very fondly I reflect on Larry and Richard and value knowing both and understanding the meaning and fullness of a bond through books.

Click here to see all of “Lemuria Reads Mississippians.”

Mississippians is available now. Purchase a copy online or call the bookstore 601/800.366.7619.

Neil White will be signing copies of Mississippians Friday, November 26th.

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Lemuria Reads Mississippians: Leontyne Price

By Former Lemurians

On November 12, 2010

In Southern Culture

When I was a little girl growing up in Laurel, Mississippi, my mother would tell me stories about Leontyne Price, the famous opera singer, born in Laurel, but then currently residing in the big city of New York. I was shown the house where Leontyne’s mother had been a housekeeper and was told how the people who lived in the large house recognized Leontyne’s exceptional musical abilities and talent. I was told that these people helped send Leontyne to exceptional music schools. I was in awe of her, the beautiful, talented young singer. I was proud to be from Laurel, Mississippi, the same town where Leontyne grew up too.

Flash forward to the mid 1980s when I took my young daughter to a book signing in Jackson when Leontyne’s book Aida was published. I stood in line with my little eight-year-old, and with my parents who were visiting from Laurel that weekend, and we all watched Leontyne from afar and thought about how she had her beginnings in our home town. It was a moment for reflection and pride once again. Even today, whenever I hear a recording of her voice from time to time, I remember my first impression of her. She is one of many reasons that I am proud to be a Mississippian.

Click here to see all of “Lemuria Reads Mississippians.”

Mississippians is available now. Purchase a copy online or call the bookstore 601/800.366.7619.

Neil White will be at Lemuria Friday, November 26th.

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-Nan

The Mississippi Blues Trail Experience

On November 9, 2010

In Blues, Southern Culture

On my travels to hear music throughout Mississippi, I enjoy setting the tone by visiting Mississippi Blues Trail markers. Scott Barretta, author of State of Blues, has written and designed,with Jim O’Neill, many of these blues trail placements. I’ve found it’s fun to slow my journeys, seek out a marker while listening to the music of the placement honor.

One special afternoon, Jeanie (my blues-hound girlfriend) and I stopped in Indianola to visit Club Ebony. We read the marker, visited with the hangouts, and walked into to get a beer. Mary Shepard, Ebony’s owner, was friendly and offered to visit over a beverage. While talking, she ordered up a fresh batch of fried catfish. As it turned out, an old Ebony music pal of Jeanie’s also turned out to Mary’s buddy. Mary called him and he quickly showed up. A couple of beers later we drove up 49 eating a batch of fresh catfish, laughing about our fun.

“It’s nice to be important and it’s important to be nice.” -Mary Frances Shepard

This quote from Mary’s memoir sums it up.

Blues trail markers have special placement festivities, usually featuring live music. Honeyboy was on hand for Stovall’s placement at Muddy’s Cabin site. Recently, I caught the Ike Turner introduction on his Clarksdale corner.

Surprisingly, to me it seems there is no John Lee Hooker Blues Trail marker. Tell me if I’m wrong, and if I’m right, but let’s start an e-mail campaign to Scott to help get him a marker.

I would love to hear about your favorite Blues Trail markers so I can check them out. You can click on the trail map below to enlarge it.

jjj

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Lemuria Reads Mississippians: Mississippi John Hurt

On November 1, 2010

In Southern Culture

Mississippi John Hurt’s soft and articulate blues is always reliable for pleasant listening. His finger-picking style seems effortless, delivered in his typically relaxed manner. His music has a plain spoken nature, which I think truly represents Mississippi John as he lived mostly in obscurity. His success came late in life, as his music feels as if he is playing his music for himself, a pure musician.

Around 40 years ago, my pals Peggy and Charlie started me listening to Mississippi John. Thus, I never saw him perform live. I never grow tired of his unique sound, especially my favorites “Candy Man” and his immortal version of “Stagolee”–That Bad Man.

Mississippi John and Son House, Photo by Dick Waterman. Click on the image to view his photo blog.

In contrast, John Hurt as a blues singer presents the most gentle and genial image in his music and photographs of him. Dick Waterman, who is also featured in Mississippians, has taken marvelous photos of John.

For me, John Hurt is a Blues Buddha.

If you had the pleasure of seeing John perform, please share with us when and where and any special memory about his music. If like me, all you have is listening to his recordings, please relay your favorites.

In honor of John, we have an original Kruse portrait of this music saint. It’s our association with his presence in our reading & music space.

Cruze art is available for sale at the fine Cat Head store in Clarksdale.

Click here to see all of “Lemuria Reads Mississippians.”

Mississippians is available now! Purchase a copy online or call the bookstore 601/800.366.7619.

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Mississippians Event Tonight

On October 28, 2010

In Southern Culture

Maybe you’ve had time to peruse Neil White’s Mississippians. It’s a great conversation piece. Maybe you’ve wondered at the individuals you’ve never heard of. Maybe you’ve wondered why a particular person was not included in the publication.

It could be because Neil views Mississippians as an on-going project; categories will be added and existing ones may be expanded. I think this make sense as there will always be new contributing and innovative individuals. These forthcoming editions will reflect growth and the dynamic nature our state.

As you share Mississippians with your family and friends, keep your ideas in mind. Add your ideas in the comment section below or keep your eye on our blog for future opportunities to share your ideas with Neil.

Tonight Neil will be signing and talking to us about how he put the book together. Come on over for a relaxing evening!

Click here to see other profiles in Mississippians.

Editor Neil White will be signing Mississippians at Lemuria today at 5:00. If you cannot be here, copies are available for purchase online or call the bookstore 601/800.366.7619.

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