"To learn which questions are unanswerable, and not to answer them: this skill is most needful in times of stress and darkness." - Ursula K. Le Guin

There is a lot running around my head at the moment while I'm trying to decide on what to write for this intro letter. In normal times, independent booksellers around New England would be gathering for our annual conference to hear about new books, participate in educational sessions, and hang out with friends we really only get to see in person once a year or so. Like everything else, the conference is virtual this year, and, again like everything else, a virtual conference is better than no conference, but it still doesn't feel the same. It makes me visualize my social life as a series of concentric circles and reminds me that there is value in those more distant rings. Sure, seeing someone once a year or once every couple of years doesn't amount to a whole lot of time, but that time is still important to my personal sense of community.

I'm also (as you know) looking ahead to the holidays and the winter, but at this moment, I'm thinking less about holiday shopping (please shop early this year) and more about the social isolation we're all certain to face. While it's still nice out, we've been able to occasionally get together in small groups, outside, where it's relatively safe, sometimes to work together, and sometimes just to hang out. Furthermore, since many of us share space at the store, these social interactions don't add new risks to our lives. With both front and back doors open we have pretty good airflow through the store, so the different shifts crossing over for a few minutes every day to check in both professionally and personally feels pretty safe as well. But in the winter? When we can't gather outdoors? When the store is less safe because there is less air flow? I've started asking around the internet for online games PSBers can play together, activities that are still social, but are less likely to carry their own exhaustion the way Zoom calls do. I got some great suggestions to research, but, really I don't know how much, if at all, this will help when we're inside all the time and it gets dark at 4PM. I just know that I want to take care of the people I work with as much as I can and if this helps a handful of us feel like a little more like complete human beings in a time so much human activity is cut off, then I'll call it a win.

I'm also thinking (as usual) about books and reading. At the moment: about how I tend to prefer books that are comfortable with ambiguity, that will let the reader flounder, that are more interested in posing questions than answering them, over books that try to tie everything up. (I like those, too, sometimes, but need to be in the mood for them.) I've always felt that ambiguous works are more realistic because the world is ambiguous, both on the macro scale (Was this a good federal policy?) and on the micro scale (Was the last message I sent to my friend about getting together more annoying than helpful?) and that we can develop a comfort with ambiguity that helps us navigate the world, through books like this. I still believe that. Also, it is clear the social and emotional context of ambiguity has changed dramatically. Some people are weaponizing it to undercut critiques of their positions and policies. With the constant tragedies the "unknown," feels a lot more like "the terrible stuff we just haven't heard about yet," than, you know, "the unknown." Do I know of any books that speak to that? Maybe.

And now I've rambled too long, without anything resembling a point in sight. I guess I'll close with something short, declarative, and small scale. The Friday issue of Shelf Stable will be a special issue featuring works from our Poetsonas. It is going to be super fun. Don't miss it.

--Josh

Curbside Pick Up: Daily, 3PM-7PM

Virtual: Arvind Ahmadi with Adam Silvera & Becky Albertali, How It All Blew Up

Join us for a virtual event with acclaimed author Arvin Ahmadi to celebrate the release of his new novel, How It All Blew Up, in conversation with Adam Silvera (Infinity Son) and Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda)! This event is hosted on Crowdcast, and is free and open to all.

Virtual: Helen Macdonald with Kathryn Schulz, Vesper Flights [Ticketed]

Porter Square Books is pleased to present a virtual talk with Helen Macdonald, author of H Is For Hawk, for the release of her new book Vesper Flights, in conversation with Kathryn Schulz! An entry link will be emailed to ticket holders in the week of the event. The signed book included in your ticket can be shipped or picked up, simply choose your preferred method at check out. Books will be available prior to the event.

In Vesper Flights Helen Macdonald brings together a collection of her best loved essays, along with new pieces on topics ranging from nostalgia for a vanishing countryside to the tribulations of farming ostriches to her own private vespers while trying to fall asleep.

By one of this century's most important and insightful nature writers, Vesper Flights is a captivating and foundational book about observation, fascination, time, memory, love and loss and how we make sense of the world around us.

It’s been said that David Herbert Lawrence (1885–1930) once described as, “the greatest imaginative novelist of our generation,” is now forgotten. Not so fast. His work endures, continues to be taught at universities worldwide, and many of his books and short stories have found their way to Hollywood.

Lawrence’s most famous novel is Lady Chatterley’s Lover, published privately in Italy in 1928 and in France in 1929. It was not published in the United Kingdom until 1960 because of an ongoing obscenity trial against the publisher. The novel is sexually explicit and features what was then thought of as inappropriate language. The book was banned in the United States until 1959. The first movie adaptation was a 1955 French film written by Philippe de Rothchild and Gaston Bonheur. The film was banned in New York until 1959. An English version was made in 1981 and another French version in 2006. There have been numerous television versions, the most recent by the BBC in 2015 starring Richard Madden as the gamekeeper Mellors.

The film version of Women in Love (1920) was a massive commercial and critical hit directed by Ken Russell and adapted by Larry Kramer. The 1969 film was nominated for four Oscars and Glenda Jackson won her first Oscar as Best Actress. Interesting trivia: Both Faye Dunaway and Vanessa Redgrave turned down the role of Ursula because they felt Jackson’s Gudrun was the better part. Michael Caine turned down the role of Gerald because he refused to do a nude scene. The Rainbow (1915) was Lawrence’s prequel to Women in Love. The film version, again directed by Ken Russell, was released in 1989 and was not a success, partially due to a TV version that aired the year before.

Twentieth Century Fox produced Sons and Lovers (1912) as a film in 1960. Shot on location in Nottingham, England, the film starred Trevor Howard and Wendy Hiller with American actor Dean Stockwell playing Paul Morel. The film garnered 7 Oscar nominations and won one for Best Cinematography (black and white). Published in the July 1926 issue of Harper’s Bazaar, The Rocking Horse Winner was adapted by Anthony Pelissier in 1949. Considered a faithful adaption of Lawrence’s fantastical short story, the film starred Valerie Hobson and John Mills. 

Based on the 1926 romantic novella, The Virgin and the Gypsy was produced in 1970 with Alan Plater doing the honors of adaptation.  Interesting trivia:  Although written in 1926 this story was lost, but eventually discovered in France after Lawrence’s death and published posthumously. Loosely based on the 1923 novella of the same name, The Fox was produced in 1967 and written by Lewis John Carlino and Howard Koch. The movie was relocated to contemporary Canada (rather than 1918 England) and starred Sandy Dennis and Keir Dullea. Famed composer Lalo Schifrin was nominated for an Oscar for his score.

The novel Kangaroo (1923) was adapted by Evan Jones for a 1987 Australian film.  The movie starred Judy Davis and Colin Friels and was not a commercial or critical success. Published in 1924 The Boy in the Bush was made into a TV miniseries in 1984 starring Kenneth Branagh and Sigrid Thornton. The Plumed Serpent (1926) was adapted by two-time Oscar winner Robert Bolt as a screenplay in 1970. The film was to star Sarah Miles and Oliver Reed and shot in Argentina. However, the film was never made.

I've been trying to use every part of a vegetable/fruit that I can. Having never been able to successfully sprout an avocado pit, I needed to do something else with them; enter natural dyeing! Turns out you can eat your avocado toast and use the remains to dye your grandma's napkins or your stained tea towels a pale millennial pink!

Once you've eaten your avocado, wash the skins and pit. If you don't have 4+ avocados in a day, or you don't want to dye them today, you can freeze the skins and pits until you've amassed enough or are ready to dye.

Your fiber or fabric needs to be mostly plant or animal fiber in order to dye, and white is going to best show the pale pink you're going to get from the dye. This means cotton, silk, and wool are good to use. Wash your fabric to ensure it doesn't have chemicals on the surface, using a simple detergent. You can always wrap rubber bands around it to leave white "tie-dye" style marks.

When the dye has cooled to room temperature (you don't want to shrink your fabric), dampen your fiber/fabric and pop it in your dye pot, pushing it down.

Let it sit in the dye for at least a day. I recommend leaving it in for a few days for a stronger color. When you're ready, pull out the fabric and rinse clean with cold water. Let dry, and you're all set! If you don't like the pale millennial pink color, you can always re-dye with coffee grounds or used tea leaves.

-Marika

Our bookseller bundles have expanded again! Hannah has joined the fun with her new horror bundle! Having trouble getting into spirit this unusual Halloween? Hannah will hand pick you three spine-chilling paperback novels that will make you double check your locks and hide beneath the covers. Let’s embark on a journey of short story compilations, female horror writers, horror poetry, Halloween books for youth, and classic horror together. Now light that pumpkin spice candle and let’s take a ride to Halloween Town.

You can re-watch all of our virtual events on Crowdcast. Check out our event from Friday with Hannah Abigail Clarke, Rory Power, and Emily A. Duncan for Clarke's new book The Scapegraces.

And don't forget to subscribe to our Events Newsletter for the full line up of events coming up, and to our Kids Newsletter for all the latest on events, new books, reviews, and more for young and young-at-heart readers.