Hi Everybody
First things first. I am thrilled to tell you that FAB colleague, ace bookseller, and dear friend Pat Rudebusch will be the new owner of Orinda Books! Danny and I could not be happier to pass on the store to someone as passionate and knowledgeable and loved in the community as she is. I can slip out quietly (after a bit of a party on Sept 14th - all welcome!) confident that the store will only go from strength to strength. It's been a tricky few months for all of us, but such a happy ending.
Danny and I were delighted (but not that surprised) to see the number of people who were attracted to the idea of taking on their local indie bookstore. We live in such a wonderful, literary community of supportive customers who understand the whole
shop local concept…and with the exciting plans for downtown Orinda being discussed and developed, things are only going to get better and better.
I can slope off down to our menagerie in Carmel Valley knowing that everything is in excellent hands… but wishing you could all follow me there.
Anyway, we hope you will stop by to say hello and congrats to Pat (and husband Glenn who I am sure has promised to work the counter during the holidays). We are planning a celebratory party on September 14th at the store from 1-3 PM. And on September 30th I will hand over the keys! So strange to be writing all this.
But until then it is business as usual… we still have some wonderful events through August and September and beyond – check out our
website or see below.
We had a good ol’ British afternoon tea today (courtesy of
Susan Leech from Orinda Antiques) with scones, thick luscious cream and berries, together with cucumber sandwiches, shortbread, freshly brewed leaf tea and (not so British) Prosecco. Gillian Gray of
Rose and Heather Tours gave a great presentation on the history of British gardens - grand and not so grand - from the Medieval era to the current day and all gardening and cook books were offered at a discount. If you missed the boat (it sold out in two days!) we are planning another event soon, so call to get on the waiting list.
As always thanks for all your support. Come in and meet Pat if you don’t already know her. See you all soon,
Maria and all of us at O Books.
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TWO EXTRAORDINARY LUNCHEON EVENTS SCHEDULED IN SEPTEMBER
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH AT 11:30 AM
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HOST
ORINDA'S VERY OWN
AMANDA HAAS
former Culinary Director of
Williams-Sonoma and
manager of their test kitchen Amanda has developed hundreds of recipes. She founded
One Family One Meal
, which offers resources, menus, and advice for families to simplify cooking and help them come together for meals. After years of stomach pain, nausea and back spasms Amanda started to explore the role of diet as it related to the inflammation in her body. She wrote
The
Anti-Inflammation Cookbook
to help us understand how eating whole foods can impact one’s health. We are so excited she will be here with her latest book
THE VIBRANT LIFE: EAT WELL, BE WELL
Luncheon will feature a delicious recipe from the book
Tickets are $20 which includes a $5 coupon off the price of the cookbook.
Call 925-254-7606 to make your reservation.
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Amanda says:. I’m a cookbook author, brand ambassador, cooking video host, and recipe developer. I guess I’m also a business owner. I’ve been in business for myself for about a year now, but I had no idea I was starting my own company when I struck out on my own to free-lance. It’s just hitting me now. (Like, right this very minute.) I have two teenage sons who are my biggest food critics, but secretly I know they’re into my work. I cook simple, clean food that is heavy on the veg and protein.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH AT 11:30 AM
MEET DUENDE'S PAUL CANALES
& AMOD CHOPRA OF VIK'S CHAAT
AT OUR CULINARY EXTRAVAGANZA
introducing the latest cookbook
from award winning food writer
CAROLYN JUNG
Carolyn Jung is an award-winning food and wine writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. For 11 years, she was the food writer/editor for the San Jose Mercury News. She also was a contributor to the “Good Living” section of Gourmet magazine, and to the book,
The Slow Food Guide to San Francisco and the Bay Area.
$40 includes
a copy of the cookbook
East Bay Cooks: Signature Recipes from the Best Restaurants, Bars, and Bakeries
and luncheon featuring recipes from the book prepared and cooked by our guest chefs!
Call 925-254-7606—seating is limited.
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The book includes stories of chefs and restaurateurs who persevered when they opened their establishments during one of the most devastating economic downturns in history. It spotlights businesses that have endured for generations, as well as ones that are barely a year old. Recipes run the gamut from classic to cutting-edge, from meat-centric to vegetable-focused to vegan, and encompass a myriad of cuisines and cultures. Get your taste buds ready for everything from “Oysters with Habanero-Blood Orange Granita” and “Noodles with Pan-Seared Duck Breast in Thai Red Curry” to “Txakolina Sorbet with Preserved-Lemon Tuiles.”
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BEAUTIFUL BARGAINS
We are continuing to feature a gift table offering handmade handicrafts made by the women of Mumbai under the sponsorship of Industree, an organization dedicated to building sustainable livelihoods in the creative manufacturing sector to ensure that underemployed women can have high and regular incomes, decent and equitable working conditions, and the ability to cope with life crises.
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NEW FICTION & NON-FICTION—GO WEST, READERS!
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Inland
Tea Obreht
Random House $27
In the lawless, drought-ridden lands of the Arizona Territory in 1893, two extraordinary lives unfold. Nora is an unflinching frontierswoman awaiting the return of the men in her life--her husband, who has gone in search of water and her elder sons, who have vanished after an explosive argument. Meanwhile, Lurie, an outlaw has taken refuge in Arizona’s unlikely Camel Corps. Obreht (
The Tiger’s Wife
) showcases her talents as a writer, as she reimagines the myths of the American West, making them entirely--and unforgettably--her own.
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This Land: How Cowboys, Capitalism, and
Corruption are Ruining the American West
Christopher Ketcham
Viking $19
Ketcham talks with ecologists, biologists, botanists, former government employees, whistleblowers, grassroots environmentalists and other citizens who are fighting to protect the public domain for future generations.
This Land
is a colorful muckraking journey--part Edward Abbey, part Upton Sinclair--exposing the rot in American politics that is rapidly leading to the sell-out of our national heritage.
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Have You Eaten Grandma? Or, the Life-Saving Importance of Correct Punctuation, Grammar, and Good English
Gyles Brandreth
Atria $26
Our language is changing, literary levels are declining, and our grasp of grammar is at a crisis point. In this brilliantly funny and accessible guide to proper punctuation and so much more, Gyles Brandreth explores the linguistic horrors of our times, tells us what we've been doing wrong and shows us how, in the future, we can get it right every time.
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AND A NEW THRILLER IS ALWAYS WELCOME
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The Swallow
Lisa Lutz
Ballantine $27
A teacher at a New England prep school ignites a gender war--with deadly consequences--in this dark and provocative novel by the bestselling author of
The Passenger
. This blistering, timely tale of revenge and disruption shows us what can happen when silence wins out over decency for too long--and why the scariest threat of all might be the idea that sooner or later, girls will be girls.
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Virgil Wander
Leif Enger
Grove $17
The first novel in ten years from award-winning, bestselling author Leif Enger (
Peace Like a River
), this is a sweeping story of new beginnings against all odds that follows the inhabitants of a hard luck Midwest town in their quest to revive its flagging heart. Carried aloft by the pleasures of kite-flying, movies, fishing, baseball, and falling in love,
Virgil Wander
is a swift journey into the heart by an award-winning master storyteller.
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A Ladder to the Sky
John Boyne
Hogarth $17
Discover one of the most intriguing fictional literary opportunists in print: Maurice Swift is handsome, charming, and hungry for fame. The one thing he doesn't have is talent - but he's not about to let a detail like that stand in his way. After all, a would-be writer can find stories anywhere. They don't need to be his own.
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The Hotel Neversink
Adam O’Fallon Price
Tin House Books $15.95
Told by an unforgettable chorus of Sikorsky family members--a matriarch, a hotel maid, a traveling comedian, the hotel detective, and many others--this is the gripping portrait of a Jewish family in the Catskills over the course of a century. With an unerring eye, the author details one man's struggle for greatness, no matter the cost, and a long-held family secret that threatens to undo it all.
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The Art of Racing in the Rain
Garth Stein
Harper $16.99/9.99
(
mass market)
Meet Enzo, the unforgettable canine narrator of this bittersweet and transformative story of family, love, loyalty, and hope. Enzo is a philosopher with a nearly human soul, and he's gained a wealth of knowledge from hours spent in front of the TV. Before you see the movie (with Kevin Costner bringing us Enzo’s doggy voice) pick up this terrific book and a box of Kleenex—we’ve loved it at Orinda Books ever since Garth Stein visited over ten years ago.
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The Death of Truth: Notes on Falsehood in the Age of Trump
Michiko Kakutani
Tim Duggan Books $16
A Pulitzer Prize-winning critic takes a penetrating look at the cultural forces that contributed to the gathering storm of fake news. With remarkable erudition and insight, Kakutani offers a provocative diagnosis of our current condition and points toward a new path for our truth-challenged times. Fareed Zakaria calls this a “must-read”!
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FOR YOUNGER READERS
BOOKS FOR ALL AGES AND STAGES
ASK US FOR HELP -- WE LOVE TO OFFER SUGGESTIONS
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WE HAVE A TABLE OF GREAT BACK-TO-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS
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The King of Kindergarten
Derrick Barnes & Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Nancy Paulsen Books $17.99
Starting kindergarten is a big milestone--and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to be part of a whole new kingdom of kids. And afterward, he can't wait to tell his proud parents all about his achievements--and then wake up to start another day. (Ages 3-6)
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Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls
Dav Pilkey
Graphix $12.99
Kids love the books and their grown-ups love the titles. We welcome #7 in this best-seller series. The Supa Buddies have been working hard to help Dog Man overcome his bad habits. But when his obsessions turn to fears, Dog Man finds himself the target of an all-new supervillain in this new adventure from the creator of Captain Underpants. (Ages 8-12)
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The Downstairs Girl
Stacey Lee
Putnam $17.99
1890, Atlanta. By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel Caroline Payne, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for 'the genteel Southern lady'. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South. (Young adult)
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Good Time
RankyTanky
Resilience Music $12.97
Flavored with equal helpings of jazz, soul, and gospel, this Charleston, South Carolina based quintet performs timeless music reflecting the unique Gullah culture born in the southeastern Sea Island region of the US. Aptly titled, this is a joyful album indeed; good-natured, danceable, spirited, and soulful from beginning to end.
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OUR ARTIST OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST
IS LISA GUNN
"I discovered my love for art and music at an early age. Making a painting that really works and really has something to say is like a beautiful piece of music to me...I am hoping that people will connect with my painting and find some attachment that speaks to them whether it be through color, composition or some thread of energy transmitting from one human to another".
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See what's happening on our social sites
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COMING UP AT ORINDA BOOKS
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EVERY THURSDAY
10 - 11 STORY TIME with
Cathy G.
Join Cathy for a lively hour of books and fun for all ages.
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The Second Wednesday Book Group
will read and discuss
Little Fires Everywhere
by Celeste Ng. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome new members.
The Random Readers
will read and discuss
Last Hope Island
by Lynne Olsen. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome new members.
Maria's Book Group
will read and discuss
The Only Story
by Julian Barnes. Everyone welcome.
Join us for luncheon celebrating the publication of
The Vibrant Life: Eat Well, Be Well
by
Amanda Hess.
Meet Amanda and enjoy
l
uncheon featuring recipe from the book: $20 includes $5 off on price of book.
The Poetry Circle
will meet and discuss
Leaves of Grass
by Walt Whitman. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome anyone interested in poetry.
The Second Wednesday Book Group
will read and discuss
Two Among the Righteous Few
by Marty Brounstein. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome new members.
Literary Luncheon: Carolyn Jung
will introduce her new book,
East Bay Cooks: Signature Recipes from the Best East Bay Restaurants, Bars, and Bakeries.
The Random Readers
will read and discuss
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
by Gail Honeyman. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome new members.
Maria's Book Group
will read and discuss
Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight
by Alexandra Fuller. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome new members.
The Poetry Circle
will meet and discuss
Soft Targets
by Debra Landau. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome anyone interested in poetry.
The Random Readers
will read and discuss
Educated
by Tara Westover. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome new members.
The Random Readers
will read and discuss
The Other Einstein
by Marie Benedict. They meet monthly at Orinda Books and welcome new members.
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OUR BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK PROGRAM CONTINUES
Through June, July and August we are raising money for
Reach Out & Read
a national non-profit organization that provides books to pediatricians to give to new mums, most of whom are on low incomes, and encourage them to read aloud to their babies. Research has proven that reading aloud to young children results in greater vocabulary, critical brain stimulation and a better overall school experience.
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All you do is choose a wrapped book from our baskets on the counter and donate any amount.
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WRITING CLASSES NOW ENROLLING!
Join Janine and Andrea this Fall
Visit: diablowriters.org
Contact: janine@diablowriters.org
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Contact US
276 Village Square
Orinda, CA 94563
Tel: 925-254-7606
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