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Every month The Book House, Little Book House, and Market Block Books release a combined newsletter that helps keep our customers up to date with all our new events as well as some new releases. Find out what fiction and non-fiction books have made their paperback debuts or just scroll through for some great recommendations. Be sure to look through the archives for even more book recommendations.
Don't miss the chance to meet your favorite local authors!  Subscribing is super easy, just click here and type in your    e-mail address.

Graceling in Paperback!

Just a quick note to say Graceling by Kristin Cashore arrived in the store in paperback yesterday. This book is one of our favorite young adult novels, great for lovers of fantasy, romance, the Twilight series (though Katsa is way cooler than Bella), or anyone looking for a well written story with cool characters, a wonderful romance, and a ton of adventure. Those of us who have read it -- and there are many -- couldn't put it down!

Bonus: Graceling's prequel, Fire, will be out in hardcover in a matter of months!

And finally, check out Kristin Cashore's blog for more tidbits about the books!

Looking for Local?

Looking for something sporting Capital District flair? Look no further than the Book House! We carry a wide selection of local postcards in addition to beautiful greeting cards--both photo and art--by local artists.

Need something a little more substantial? We have Albany magnets and key chains and even Albany mugs. And of course, we have a large selection of books both by local authors and about the area, including hiking guides and maps.

Stop in and let us help you find what you're looking for!

New Titles for August

Fall is a big season for books! Many favorite authors will be releasing new titles over the upcoming months. We'll give you the breakdown at the start of each month.

Here's what's new for August for adults:
August 4th: That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo and Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon
August 11th: South of Broad by Pat Conroy
August 18th: The Law of Nines by Terry Goodkind

And for kids and young adults:
August 4th: the long-awaited paperback of Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer
August 11th: The 39 Clues Book 5: The Black Circle by Patrick Carman and What Was I Scared Of? by Dr. Seuss

Give us a call at 489-4761 to reserve your copy today!

Chocolate Gecko, Theo Chocolate, and Mu Mu Muesli

As many of our customers already know, we now carry fresh local chocolate from Albany's Chocolate Gecko. We all have our favorites among their delectable selection: chocolate dipped handmade marshmallows, jumbo caramel and pecan turtles, chocolate covered Newman-Os, spicy Komodo Crunch toffee...and the list goes on!

We've just added another kind of chocolate to our front counter, making it even harder for the staff to concentrate: smooth, organic, fair-trade Theo chocolate bars from Seattle. Their website states that they are "proud to be the only organic, fair trade, bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the United States." These bars come in a wide variety of flavors, ranging from 70% rich dark chocolate to Fig, Fennel, & Almond and Coconut & Curry. Check out their website for more information, then stop by the Book House and try some for yourself!

And finally, we now carry Mu Mu Muesli. This blend of cranberries, dates, coconut, roasted almonds, and flaxseeds has been a hit at area farmer's markets; now it is also available at the Book House. It makes a delicious breakfast or snack. Eat it with yogurt, milk, or by the handful! And check out their logo...what could be cuter than a cow in a mu mu?

Book House is on Twitter!

We've done it...Book House is now on Twitter! Follow us for book news and event updates: @bookhousealbany

BEA Recap from Susan T.

This past weekend, I headed down to New York City for Book Expo America, the annual bookseller convention. Every year, thousands of booksellers and publishers gather to kvetch, kvell, and talk books; it is also a reflection on the state of the bookselling industry in the United States. To judge by the scaled-down booths, parties, and swag, the state of bookselling is at a cautious crossroads. Are books terminal? Will we all be doing our bedtime reading on screens in the foreseeable future? I think (and hope) that books will be a viable option for the rest of my life (and, I hope, my career!) For me, BEA is all about learning about the new books coming out in the fall, meeting authors whose books I love, and hanging it with people who share my passion for reading. On to the show!

I arrived an NYC on Friday night and headed to the Housing Works Cafe and Bookstore for a Midnight Fried Chicken Party put on by the Lee brothers of The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook fame. They have a new cookbook coming out this fall, The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern, and if the food at this party is any indication, it is going to be a heck of a cookbook! I especially enjoyed the soybean & tomato salad with buttermilk dressing. YUM! And the fried chicken was meaty, juicy & flavorful. All in all, an excellent way to start the show.

On Saturday, I headed to the Javits Center for the trade show proper. I won't say anything about all the exciting advance copies of the new fall releases I got, because you can't get them yet and it isn't fair to tease, but I met Kristin Cashore, author of Graceling, and thanked her for writing a novel whose heroine is the anti-Bella from Twilight--strong and independent, with or without a boyfriend at her side. I also met Isa Chandra Moskowitz, a vegan cookbook author whose latest, Vegan Brunch, appeals to me for some reason. I am not vegan, but I am trying to eat healthier, and some of these recipes look pretty simple, even for the novice cook. I glimpsed Craig Ferguson signing his new book, and said hello to Alan Bradley, the author of the bestselling Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. The highlight was meeting Michael Malone, author of Handling Sin, which has been one of my favorite books to recommend for over 20 years. His newest, The Four Corners of the Sky, was just released and is in the store in hardcover. Oh, and I met Tracy Kidder and got a signed copy of his forthcoming fall release.

By 4:00, I was dragging and my arms were tired of carrying canvas bags loaded with books. After a short rest at the hotel, I went out again, to meet friends for dinner. Before dinner, I stopped at the Strand Bookstore. I browsed for an hour and bought a book. Coals to Newcastle doesn't begin to cover it, but I like supporting independent bookstores when I travel. Yes, going to BEA is truly a busman's holiday, but one I totally enjoy. Now if I can only find a place to put all the new books I acquired........

Holiday Message from Roy Blount Jr.

Roy Blount Jr., president of the Author's Guild and author of Alphabet Juice: The Energies, Gists, and Spirits of Letters, Words, and Combinations Thereof; Their Roots, Bones, Inners, Piths, and Pips, has issued the following holiday message on authorsguild.org:

Holiday Message from Roy Blount Jr.:
Buy Books From Your Local Bookstore, Now

December 11, 2008. I've been talking to booksellers lately who report that times are hard. And local booksellers aren't known for vast reserves of capital, so a serious dip in sales can be devastating. Booksellers don't lose enough money, however, to receive congressional attention. A government bailout isn't in the cards.

We don't want bookstores to die. Authors need them, and so do neighborhoods. So let's mount a book-buying splurge. Get your friends together, go to your local bookstore and have a book-buying party. Buy the rest of your Christmas presents, but that's just for starters. Clear out the mysteries, wrap up the histories, beam up the science fiction! Round up the westerns, go crazy for self-help, say yes to the university press books! Get a load of those coffee-table books, fatten up on slim volumes of verse, and take a chance on romance!

There will be birthdays in the next twelve months; books keep well; they're easy to wrap: buy those books now. Buy replacements for any books looking raggedy on your shelves. Stockpile children's books as gifts for friends who look like they may eventually give birth. Hold off on the flat-screen TV and the GPS (they'll be cheaper after Christmas) and buy many, many books. Then tell the grateful booksellers, who by this time will be hanging onto your legs begging you to stay and live with their cat in the stockroom: "Got to move on, folks. Got some books to write now. You see...we're the Authors Guild."

Enjoy the holidays.

Roy Blount Jr.
President Authors Guild

When asked if booksellers could post and forward this message, Mr. Blount's response was this:

"Yes! Forward! Yes! Post! Sound the clarion call to every corner of the Internet: Hang in there, bookstores! We're coming! And we're coming to buy! To buy what? To buy books! Gimme a B! B! Gimme an O! O! Gimme another O! Another O! Gimme a K! K! Gimme an S! F! No, not an F, an S. We're spelling BOOKS!"

You can see the original post here. We here at the Book House are grateful to Mr. Blount for his support and encouragement. Every one of our customers makes a difference. We hope you'll think of us this holiday season and come support your local independent bookstore!

Holiday Sales!

Lots of things at the Book House are now on sale!

First, bargain books (the ones with the orange stickers) continue to be 20% off. That's 20% off what's already the bargain price, so they're double on sale!

Second, our Holiday Picks have been announced! These are nice gift books that the staff has chosen to discount 20% for the holiday season. There are adult and children books, covering a wide variety of topics, all hand-picked by the Book House booksellers. Come in and look for the red tags to find them!

Third, our holiday catalog is out, which includes a 20% off coupon for any book in the catalog. Stop in and pick one up today!

Finally, we're trying something new this year. All books in the store that are originally $50 or more are 20% off as well. That means all the cool gift books, like customer favorite Birdscapes (the singing pop-up book), will be discounted from now until Christmas.

In addition, as always, we offer no fee, no expiration date gift certificates in any amount you desire, plus lots of gifts under $10! Stop in and see us for your holiday shopping!

New Local Interest Calendars

Over the past few days, some of our new local interest calendars have arrived! Here are a few about the Capital District that benefit local organizations:

2009 Quadricentennial Commemorative Calendar
This calendar is made up of beautiful photographs from all around the Capital District and was put out to commemorate Albany's 400th year! It is available at the Book House for $20.00, with all proceeds going to the Downtown Albany BID. The organization's mission, as stated on the back of the calendar, is "to restore, promote and maintain the character and viability of downtown Albany and improve the quality of life and overall image for those who live in, work in and visit the Capital City." If you'd like to support the Downtown Albany BID and have a great calendar, stop in today and pick one up!

Into the Kitchen 2009: Recipes from our Favorite Capital District Chefs
Each page of this scrumptious calendar features a recipe from a local chef next to a mouthwatering photograph of the finished product. Recipes cover everything from soup to main course to dessert. Yum! Even better, the proceeds from the calendar sales benefit Food Pantries for the Capital District. At just $12.95, this calendar is a great way to support a worthy cause, plus get a calendar and cookbook in one for yourself!

2009 Cutest Pets Photo Contest Calendar
Animal lovers will adore this collection of cute local pets put together by the Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society. It features photographs of contest-winning Capital District pets, including a variety of dogs and one adorable cat. The calendar is available for $12.00, and proceeds go directly back to the Humane Society so that they can continue the great work they do.

Other Local Favorites
We also have many local favorites in stock, including the Guilderland Historical Society, Vermont Life, Adirondack Life, Adirondack Mountain Club, Lake George Vistas, and Hudson River calendars!

New Newsletters Are Here!

We've recently added more newsletter options for Book House customers! In addition to our main newsletter, News from the Store, you can now sign up for seven other lists, depending on what information you'd like to receive.

Like to stay up-to-date on which authors are in town for signings? You have four list options, depending on your location(s) of choice:

Events at Book House: Receive invitations to signings and other events being held at the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza

Events at Little Book House: Receive invitations to signings and other events being held at the Little Book House

Events at Market Block Books: Receive invitations to signings and other events being held at Market Block Books in Troy

Special & Offsite events: Receive invitations to offsite events, such as the SUNY Writers Institute author series or Children's Literature Connection events, where the Book House will be selling books

Are you in a book group, or would you like to be? Check out these two lists:

Book Groups this Month: Looking for suggestions or just curious what other book groups are reading? Find out through this list created just for our many book groups.

Official Store Book Group: Over the years, we've started and stopped book groups officially run by the store. We're thinking of starting one up through the Book House in January. Want to stay up to date? Sign up for this list.

Like to hear about books that have been in the media recently?

Check out the Books on the Air newsletter to hear about a selection every week.

If you're interested in signing up for any of these new newsletters, or if you'd like to sign up for News from the Store, check out our website here. We hope you enjoy our new selection of newsletters!

Signed Copies of Champlain's Dream!

David Hackett Fischer, well-known historian and author of the Pulitzer Prize winning Washington's Crossing, among many other books, was at SUNY's Writers Institute last night. He graciously signed some copies of his newest book, Champlain's Dream, for us! We only have a limited supply, so come and get your copy soon!

The book is an in-depth study of Champlain's life, focusing on his exploration of America. Not only is it interesting, but it's beautifully written, making it a pleasure to read. It's a book with plenty of local appeal as well. Christmas is right around the corner...a signed book would make a great gift!

We also have a few copies of two other of Fischer's books, Albion's Seed and The Great Wave. Come on in and check them out!

The Renovations Continue!

The renovations continue at the Book House & Little Book House. The Book House's new counter is looking sharp with its new lights (we think they look like cheesecakes...yum!):
Meanwhile, the Little Book House is getting a new coat of paint in all kinds of fun colors!


Stop in and see us (and the renovations!)...we'd love to see you!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Book House staff wanted to do a special post with some related news and, of course, books.

First off, the news: Marggie of the Book House recently returned from San Francisco, where she walked in the Breast Cancer 3-Day with her two daughters. They, along with almost 2,000 other participants, walked a total of 60 miles over the 3 days of the event. Together, their team of 15 (the Boob Brigade) raised $43,308, and the entire event raised $4.8 million to fight breast cancer!

Now, on to the books! There have been many breast cancer memoirs published over the past few years. We here at the Book House wanted to highlight a few.

Erin's pick is It's Not About the Hair by Debra Jarvis (Sasquatch Books, $16.95), which just came out in paperback this fall. Jarvis works as a chaplain in the general oncology department of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. The book tells of her experience of going through treatment for breast cancer while helping others undergoing similar experiences. Erin's Staff Recommendation card for the book in the store reads: "I read this book and passed it along to my mother, who read the first 50 pages and promptly bought 2 more copies for friends before finishing it herself. It's warm and honest, funny and heartbreaking. I'd recommend this book to anyone dealing with, affected by, or interested in a survivor's experience with breast cancer."


Rachel's favorite is Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acocella Marchetto (Random House, $22.00). It's a graphic memoir, told through cartoons, about battling breast cancer while living in New York City. Rachel's Staff Recommendation card reads, "This is a wonderful memoir, filled with biting humor and poignancy, of cartoonist Marisa Marchetto's battle with breast cancer in graphic novel form. I really loved it!" You can browse Marchetto's website by clicking here.

In addition, the Little Book House staff has some favorite children's books that deal with cancer. Here are two of their recommendations:

The Lemonade Club by Patricia Polacco (Penguin-Putnam, $16.99) is, as Kathleen writes, is "a look at how cancer affects a classroom--both students and teacher--as only Patricia Polacco can tell, with grace, sensitivity, and humor." When both a student and the teacher are diagnosed with cancer, their classroom comes together to support them. Kathleen continues: "Once again, Polacco delves into her rich history to share with us a beautiful, life-affirming tale--be sure to have Kleenex on hand!"


Hair for Mama by Kelly Tinkham (Penguin-Putnam, $16.99) is described by Rachel as being "simply lovely!". She goes on to say that "Marcus' mom doesn't want to be in the family photograph this year because she has lost her hair to chemo. Marcus' solution doesn't come out the way he thinks bus is the perfect answer!" It's a touching story about a child struggling to understand his mother's illness and to find a way to express his love.

A Brief Renovation Tour

Renovations here at the Book House are coming along nicely. Here's a quick tour of what we've done so far:

The biggest project underway at present is the new counter. The Little Book House's counter has been partially dismantled, and a doorway has been cut to connect it with the new Book House counter.

The new Book House counter, which will be joined to the Little Book House counter, is starting to come together. It should be beautiful when it's done!

This is the beginning of the new entry way on the Book House side. There will be double doors instead of the single one we currently have, and you'll come straight in instead of at an angle.

The Little Book House has been getting a fresh coat of paint over the past few weeks. This means moments of chaos as the books find short term homes wherever they fit! Bear with us--it's only temporary! And we're happy to dig through the stacks to find what you're looking for so that you don't have to.

Entire walls have been dismantled to get the painting done!
The end result, however, is very clean and fresh-looking. As more of the store gets painted, we think it will really start to come together.
That's all for now. Check back periodically for more updates as the renovations move forward!

What's happening at the Book House?

Many of our wonderful customers have asked us why we've boarded up our front window, installed a large translucent sheet of heavy plastic where the best seller wall used to be, and begun playing obnoxiously loud construction sounds instead of nice calming music. The answer is that we're undergoing a face lift!

There are actually many things we're planning to have done, but there are four main ones:
1. First and foremost, we (well, not we personally...) are moving the sales desk on the adult side to the other side of the store. The end result will be a horseshoe-shaped counter area that will be shared by the Book House and Little Book House. Which will open up space for...

2. ...more seating plus room for events! We are hoping to have more chairs, as well as a larger open area where we can hold things like signings and readings.

3. Since we've taken out the window to fix up the counter area anyway, we'll also be changing our front entrance from a single door to double doors. We're going for something a little easier to get in and out of with strollers and wheelchairs, plus an entrance that feels more welcoming to all our wonderful customers.

4. Finally (this is a big one!), we'll be getting new carpet throughout the store. Yep, that means moving all the books and shelves so that the carpet can be installed, then putting everything back. Should be...um...fun.

So that's what's going on at your local independent bookstore. Please bear with us through the construction. We're still here, still knowledgeable, and still eager to help you find that book you're looking for. Come in and pick our brains!

We're under construction-literally!

Welcome to the new Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza blog! We'll get started posting soon, we promise. In the meantime, even though our store location is undergoing renovation, please come visit us in person and we'd be happy to talk about books and recommend reading for you or for a gift.