Convos Behind the Counter: Vol. 5
Hello folks! Its been a while since we let you in to the conversations we’ve been having behind the counter, so here are some updates of what we’ve been reading, watching, and talking about here at Dog-Eared Books
What We’re Talking About
Crafting
Bookseller Mariah has been a knitter for years, but over the summer, Bookseller Bailey picked up crochet and became a fiend about it. She quickly made adorable little ducks to hold her trinkets, the famed hexagon sweater, floral headbands, and granny square balaclavas (to list a few). Bailey’s new passion reignited Mariah’s own love for fiber work, so she picked up her needles to make some socks (and this adorable hair tie) and also re-learned crochet. The two will soon be attending an amirigumi (crochet stuffed animals) class at The Knittery Nook. Not long after, Event Coordinator Emily was roped into the whole endeavor and is now a knitter herself, recently completing her first (not to mention wearable) project, the Sophie scarf! The three will soon have the world draped in knitted and crocheted fabrics. Be on the lookout.
Bailey is also a potter (a woman of many talents! We love her so much)—recently renting out some room at a workspace to continue honing her craft after taking some classes at ISU’s Workspace. Emily also took some classes at the wheel and will soon be embarking on a hand-building class at the workspace this fall. Because crafters and artists must have company, Mariah is also overjoyed to begin taking her own ceramics class, and cannot wait to soon make many a wobbly pot and mugs. Bailey continues to be a wonder at her art, so keep an eye out for some of her ceramics in-store soon.
Our Town by Thornton Wilder
Upon the release of Ann Patchett’s new novel, Tom Lake, Bookseller Amy mentioned to Mariah that it was ultimately an ode to Thornton Wilder’s famous play Our Town. Mariah took in that information then went about her life and quickly thereafter read an entirely different novel at Amy’s recommendation—Shark Heart by Emily Habeck. Shark Heart is about a newly married couple struggling with all the normal things newlyweds deal with…and a few that not every does, including the husband gradually turning into a literal, actual great white shark.
Fast forward a week and a customer comes into the store looking for a copy of Our Town. Alas, the store does not have a copy, but, Mariah said, would you maybe like to try this odd little novel about a newlywed man turning into a great white shark? It is an ode to Wilder’s famous play! The customer demurred, and when Mariah later recounted this to Amy, Amanda, and Ellyn, they all burst into laughter. Shark Heart isn’t an ode to Our Town—Tom Lake is! For the briefest of moments, Mariah also laughed—how silly! to think Shark Heart had anything to do with the play! She must’ve just mixed up the titles in her brain.
Except! Shark Heart is, in fact, an ode to Our Town, if a bit more obliquely, with the play being performed in the novel and the ending being mirrored in the last scene, too. Vindicated, Mariah still thinks the story is hilarious. I mean, if we had a nickel for every new release that was actually an ode to the famous play Our Town…well, we’d have two nickels, but isn’t it weird that it happened twice?
What We’re Watching
The Great Pottery Throw down
Along with their crafting fanaticism, Mariah, Emily, and Bailey have been thoroughly taken in by the British series The Great Pottery Throwdown. It’s basically The Great British Bake Off but with amateur potters throwing and hand-building ceramics! It’s delightful and warm and funny and the art the potters make is super inspiring for aspiring ceramicists like ourselves. Ace potter Keith Brymer Jones is one of the staid hosts and all three of us would walk over hot coals for him. You can watch the show on HBO Max.
Heartstopper on Netflix
Booksellers Chad, Mariah, and Amy have all recently finished season 2 of this gentle, swoony, heart-warming show, and let us say—it does not disappoint. Like the first season, the second season of the show follows the graphic novel pretty closely, and the actors do a stellar job of showing the aching yearning felt most keenly in adolescence. One of my particular favorite parts of the show was its focus on Isaac and him learning more about his own asexuality. Amanda recently started season one and is enjoying it immensely. We can all heartily recommend watching the show, but even more ardently recommend reading the best-selling graphic novel series of the same name.
What We’re Reading
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Many of us on staff have picked up for the first time or are re-reading the brilliant Pulitzer-Prize winning novel loosely based on Charles Dickens’s famed David Copperfield. Set in Appalachia, the novel follows a young boy with a single mother, whose only assets are his good looks, bright copper hair, talent for survival, and sharp wit. He must make it through the trials of foster care, child labor, under-funded schools, encouragingly high highs, and absolutely crushing lows. Like Dickens before her, Kingsolver uses her protagonist to expose and examine the desperation and invisibility of poverty and this novel with edify you just as much as it will tear you apart.
AND—we are trying to get the beloved Barbara to come to our store! Whichever indie sells the most hardcover copies of Demon Copperhead in the month of September wins the only event with her for the book’s paperback release! We are definitely in the running, and if you’d like to help our efforts, come into the store and buy a copy, message us on socials to have one shipped to you, or email our Marketing Manager Rachel at rachel@dogearedbooksames.com. Make our dreams come true and buy a copy (or two…or three…or maybe your whole holiday shopping list)!
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck
Mariah was longing for a warm fall-inspired romance after feeling the tiniest indication of cool fall weather earlier this week. Katie recommended this novel (releasing Tuesday, September 12) which Mariah began on audio while she drove to work the next morning. She finished it the same night and will now be utterly insufferable about it.
Inspired by When Harry Met Sally this novel follows Josh, an uptight chef whose father owns a famous New York deli, and Ari, a sexually liberated, commitment-phobic improv comedian. The two originally meet when Josh comes over to cook for his new girlfriend—Ari’s roommate Nat (who she is also sleeping with). They both immediately hate each other, which only worsens when Josh fires Ari’s best friend two years later. They keep running into each other over the years and eventually they relent to the forces of the universe and strike a friendship that eventually falls into more. These two are M-E-S-S-Y, but it’s not annoying for some reason?? You will fall in love with this book and Josh and Ari’s love story as much as we have, guaranteed.
