April 2023 | Rooted in Community | |
Tsundoku
Tsundoku is Japanese for the act of acquiring reading materials and letting them pile up in one’s home. We thought it a perfect heading for this section, as we’ll feature books that are new or popular in the store. If you’re like us, tsundoku is a constant state of being.
The Peace Book, Cidermill Press, $13.95
When we gave our history section a makeover, we worked with a former UW professor to decentralize war across our shelves; accessible, peace-focused literature is important to us. That's why we also added a section called Peace Paths, where you can find The Peace Book, a small collection of peace-centered quotes and ideas from a span of writers, poets, and peace advocates.
A People's History of the Hmong, Paul Hillmer, $22.95
Published in 2010 by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, Hillmer has collected and categorized a variety of personal stories and histories that paint a portrait of Hmong American communities.
In the Next Galaxy, Ruth Stone, $15.00
Stone was recently featured in a PBS special, Ruth Stone's Vast Library of the Female Mind, so we're highlighting this National Book Award winning collection. Written at the saucy age of 83, these poems are visceral, sharp, and visionary.
Venco, Cherie Dimaline, $32.00
Published in February of this year, VenCo is a modern take on an old story time favorite--witches. If you've read Marrow Thieves or Empire of Wild, you know Dimaline is a funny, fiery, spooky storyteller with a gift for lyrical writing.
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Ask a Booktender
Our goal for this section is to have a regular dialogue amongst our booksellers (booktenders, if you will) and our customers. Feel free to send us a message via email, Facebook, or Instagram asking about books, genres, plots, characters, anything (within reason).
Since I’m here, I’ll start; I’m Rachel, I’ve been at the bookstore since November of 2021. I studied literature and creative writing (I still study them), but in 2009, I made it official with an MA from the University of Northern Iowa. Besides working here, I’m one half of the small local press, Ope!Publishing; we make zines. As far as reading, I range pretty far: magical realism, sci-fi, the natural world, our unnatural society, food ethics, land practice, anarchism, art, music, memoir, city design, and a touch of graphic novels (recommendations welcome). Two of the best books I’ve read this year are Geek Love by Katherine Dunn and Victory City by Salman Rushdie; if you happened to catch Viterbo's recent performance of the Pirates of Penzance--that's the kind of expressive, ebullient energy I like to see applied to the English language.
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Monthly Pearl
Featuring our Community
Here’s our chance to play Mr. Rodgers and be a good neighbor. This month we're featuring the wonderful staff at Kroner's Hardware Store.
Kroner's is our direct neighbor to the south, and gosh do we love them! They're an excellent place to find just about anything you need - a screw you lost behind the stove, a new cast iron pan, lefse supplies, or birdseed, just to name a few. If they don't have it, they can probably order it for you.
One of our favorite things about Kroner's is their delightful window displays - such as this haiku. And we adore their team - Bill, Mark, and Andrea!
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Customer Corner: Garrett
Who am I: I currently work at the front desk in the Academic Advising Center & Career Services Office at UWL. Prior to this, I was a bookseller at a store in Seattle, WA. My partner and I have lived in the area for two years now and absolutely love it! I enjoy hiking, going to the pool, and warm sunny days reading on my patio with my dog, Barb.
My favorite part of Pearl Street Books: When I set foot in the store, I make a beeline to the Used Fiction Bestsellers, then to the Used Fiction cart by the checkout counter, I swing through the Sci-Fi/Fantasy shelves, and around to the LGBTQ+ books. I think the Women's Issues/Health and Erotica section is one of the underappreciated parts of the store because you RARELY see those kinds of sections in other bookstores. I also love to take my current read to a chair way in the back near Romance and Sports to have a bit of quiet reading time.
Book I would recommend: One book that I really loved over the past couple of years is Slewfoot by Brom. It's a story of a young woman in a puritan village who is sick of being told to shut up and obey. Full of magic, mystery, and sweet, sweet revenge!
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