Weller Book Works
Bookstore Eclecticism and Author Events
Bi-monthly Word from Weller's
June 2017  
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From Catherine Weller
Chance is always powerful. Let your hook always be cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be fish. -- Ovid

Ansel Adams: Letters and Images 1916 - 1984, The M1 Carbine by Tom Laemlein, My Life in France by Julia Child, Refiner's Fire by Alvin R. Dyer, Faith of a Heretic by Walter Kaufman, Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset, Selected Poems by William Carlos Williams. What do the books on this list have in common? I just walked by them on our "to be shelved" shelves. Mixed with those titles are books on construction, a collection of short stories that at first glance looks like a chemistry book, and a work co-authored by the Dalai Lama. 
to be shelved
When was the last time you walked into a bookstore not knowing exactly what you wanted? Most of us are pressed for time these days, rushing from one item on the to-do list to the next. Many of us are also reluctant shoppers or introverts who don't particularly care to engage with sales people. Others want to engage the wisdom of the crowd by examining reviews and shopping online. I'd like to encourage you to step out of any of those boxes and into the realm of bookstore exploration.

Just as opening and reading a book is an act of discovery, so can be walking into a bookstore. The shelves are filled with products of the wealth of the human mind and creative spirit. The ancients, your contemporaries, fantasy, reality... it's all here. While there is much to be said for careful curation and selection, for the finely honed particular, we must not forget the opportunity provided by chance. When one walks the aisles of a bookstore such as Weller Book Works with open eyes and open spirit, remarkable books can be found. They may not be on the New York Times bestseller list. They may not even be remembered by many of the living. And to be honest, they won't all be extraordinary or even your cup of tea. But those books you hadn't heard about or even knew you wanted can introduce you to strange new worlds, fine people, provocative thoughts, neglected works, or best of all a new favorite author or area of interest.

An hour or more of time to enjoy our space and explore our shelves shouldn't be considered wasted. At the very least it's an hour unplugged but still engaged. At the most, it's the beginning of a new love affair. Our booksellers are here to help you, or to leave you to your wanderings (wonderings?). Our eclectic offerings are here to delight, intrigue, and inform. Who knows, you might find something you haven't previously encountered by a famous photographer, a book on a certain rifle, the autobiography of a famous chef, an out of print book on the L.D.S. people in Missouri, a Nietzsche scholar discussing his views of religion, a Newbury medal winner adapted into a film that was much worse than the book, a trilogy of historical novels written by the Nobel Prize winner of 1928, or poetry by one of the greatest American poets of the twentieth century.
From Tony Weller 
Old British Cookbooks

I am fascinated by old how-to books. I am urged by the can-do ambition they promote.

The relevance of the ages of books is affected by many cultural factors. One that affects the survival of old cookbooks is the manner in which they are used--a kitchen is not a friendly book environment. Attrition of cookbooks occurs similarly to losses of children's books, or hiking, boating or mechanics guides.

Many moderately priced books are found in our rare book department. In this Word from Weller's we offer four well-preserved cookbooks from England:


A Good Housekeeping Cookery Compendium from the Good Housekeeping Institute . 640 pages in heavy black cloth. An abundantly illustrated 1960 printing in very good condition, and uncommon thus. $100

Warne's Every-Day Cookery with Full Details of All Requirements. This circa 1870 illustrated cookbook by Mary Jewry contains occasional delicately colored plates. It's bound in blue cloth, decoratively and attractively embossed in black and gilt. $75

The Make-It-Easy Cookery Book: Recipes and Hints for Inexpensive Every-Day Dishes. A 1939 Warne "Useful Book" by Mrs C. S. Peel. Color pictorial wraps. $15

queen of creams
A smart little 44 page pamphlet, The Queen of Creams in pastoral illustrated color wraps and with color illustrations. Circa 1914 from the Nestle and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. Very good condition and delightful. $40
June Events 
SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 3 PM
Wine Drinkers with Reading Problems Book Club  at  We Olive.  This month we're reading 
The Mad Feast: An Ecstatic Tour Through America's Food , by Matthew Gavin Frank. The renowned essayist takes on America's food, examining a quintessential dish in each state, interweaving the culinary with personal and cultural associations of each region.
 
TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 6:30 PM
Patricia Koerner  presents  Remember This Hannah, a gifted pianist and Grammy-winning composer, has been looking forward to seeing her lover, John, an actor, after months of separation. When he dies suddenly only days before he was to arrive, their hidden relationship is made a public internet scandal. In a chance encounter, Hannah meets Sophie, an aspiring young journalist eager to write Hannah's side of the story along with its secrets.
 
THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 7 PM
Books and Bridges is a community institute that facilitates ideas and conversation on the best of human thought. This event will see retired BYU philosophy professor James Siebach holding a discussion on Jesus and Socrates.
 
TUESDAY JUNE 20, 6:30 PM
Book release party for Christopher Husberg who will  present the second volume in his Chaos Queen Quintet:  Dark Immolation . A new religion is rising, gathering followers drawn by rumors of prophetess Jane Oden. Her sister Cinzia is by her side, but fears that Jane will lead them to ruin; for both the Church and the assassins are still on their trail, and much worse may come. Meanwhile, Knot, his true nature now revealed if not truly understood, is haunted by the memories of others, and is not the ally he once was.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 7 PM
Join us at the  City Library  for a conversation with New York Times bestselling author  Mary Roach  and Salt Lake Tribune writer  Ellen Fagg Weist ! After the chat, Mary will sign copies of her provocative and illuminating books. All will be available for purchase. Mary Roach is the author of  Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife , and  Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers .
 
THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 7 PM
David Sedaris  will be at Weller Book Works to present  Theft by Finding: Diaries 1977-2002 . In print for the first time, this collection of David's diary entries documents the odd and funny events that are the sources of his hilarious autobiographical essays. 

The event is free and open to the public. There will also be a free ticketed signing after the reading, with priority given to those who purchase Theft by Finding in hardcover or on CD from Weller Book Works. The ticket will also grant you access to Café Sedaris while you wait for your group to be called for the signing. Café Sedaris will be hosted by We Olive. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.

Call or visit us anytime to pre-order Theft by Finding and get a priority ticket. Free tickets for getting any other items signed may be picked up in store after June 9.
For more bookstore news, events, reviews and rare book acquisitions, visit our newsletter archive.