Day 231: Week in Review Oct 26 - 31, 2020

Chatting Books Online Day 231. The Week in Review Oct 26 - 31, 2020

Another week gone by, and a week's worth of book recommendations just for you!

This week I told you about a little bit of everything.

We had two favorite children's book in Dog's Don't Do Ballet by Anna Kemp, and of course It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown by Charles M. Schulz.

A Young Adult novel set right here in St Francisville with Shalanda Stanley's Drowning is Inevitable .

A witty book on the proper use of grammar : Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynn Truss,

A book I regret not reading sooner in Modern Baptists by James Wilcox

and a book to teach you all about government and elections: For Which We Stand by Jeff Foster

I hope you enjoyed reading about my recommendations, and maybe have come in to pick up a book to add to your TBR (To Be Read) pile. Next week brings another assortment of recommendations to get ready!

If you missed any of these reviews and want to read what I had to say about them you can see all of our Chatting Books Online picks by visiting our website at: http://www.conundrumbooks.com/chatting-books-online .

We still (and always will going forward) offer shipping if you cannot make it to the store. Or just stop by the shop Monday - Saturday between 10:00am and 4pm and between noon and 4pmon Sundays.

Day 230: For Which We Stand

Chatting Books Online Day 229. Today's recommended book is Modern Baptists , A novel by James Wilcox.

This Louisiana novel originally published in the early 1980s tells the story of a group of misfit adults in Tula Springs , Louisiana. This book has been recommended to me several times over the years from folks whose opinions on books I truly value - but for some reason until this week I had never picked it up. Definitely a Mistake ! Wish I had read it sooner . It is definitely one that will now be a constant on our shelves - probably over near A Confederacy of Dunces . Though the two books are completely different something about the mood of the books feels similar . This is a strongly character driven story with Carl Robert Pickens, a man in his 40s still trying to figure out his place in the world playing the part of the main character. I will wonder for a long time what became of Bobby, his brother FX and their friends Burma (Burma Jones - what a great name !) Toinette (Short for Antoinette - again , great !) and Donna Lee.

We carry the paperback of this novel, currently selling for $18.95 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you -Now mask up , stay positive and test negative!

Day 229: Modern Baptists

Chatting Books Online Day 229. Today's recommended book is Modern Baptists , A novel by James Wilcox.

This Louisiana novel originally published in the early 1980s tells the story of a group of misfit adults in Tula Springs , Louisiana. This book has been recommended to me several times over the years from folks whose opinions on books I truly value - but for some reason until this week I had never picked it up. Definitely a Mistake ! Wish I had read it sooner . It is definitely one that will now be a constant on our shelves - probably over near A Confederacy of Dunces . Though the two books are completely different something about the mood of the books feels similar . This is a strongly character driven story with Carl Robert Pickens, a man in his 40s still trying to figure out his place in the world playing the part of the main character. I will wonder for a long time what became of Bobby, his brother FX and their friends Burma (Burma Jones - what a great name !) Toinette (Short for Antoinette - again , great !) and Donna Lee.

We carry the paperback of this novel, currently selling for $18.95 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you -Now mask up , stay positive and test negative!

Day 228 : Dog's Don't Do Ballet

Chatting Books Online Day 228. Today's recommended book is Dogs Don't Do Ballet by Anna Kemp.

I love this storybook. It is the story of a little girl and her dog Biff. Biff is not like other dogs, he does not scratch fleas or drink out of the toilet. What Biff really likes is Ballet. But when the little tries to take Biff to her ballet lesson , or to a performance, everyone tells her Dogs Don't Do Ballet. That is until Biff steals (and saves) the show!

This fun hardcover story book sells for $18.99 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you -Now mask up and give us a twirl !

Day 227 : It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

Chatting Books Online Day 227. Today's recommended book is "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" by Charles M. Schulz.

This edition is a beautiful cloth bound over hardcover oversized story book. In this beautiful wrapping it delivers the story we have all come to know and love. The story starts with that iconic scene where Lucy convinces Charlie Brown that this year she will not pull away the football as Charlie Brown runs to kick the ball. I think we all know what happens. How many times in life have you used this scene to describe something going on in your real life? Isn't it funny how a single page from a childrens story has become such a part of our common experience?

Of course the story goes on to see the Peanuts gang each face their own decisions to trust and try again or move on. Will Charlie Brown trick or treat again this year even though he only seems to get rocks in his bag? Will Sally follow Linus on any goose chase even if it means she misses Halloween? And of course, will Linus spend the entire night sitting in a cold pumpkin field waiting for the appearance of The Great Pumpkin?

Relive a little bit of childhood, or share this experience with a child who is new to the story with this lovely hardcover book. The book currently sells for $19.99 . Halloween is in just a few days so come and get them soon , we have a limited quantity on hand.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you -Now mask up and keep on believing in The Great Pumpkin.

Day 226 : Eats, Shoots & Leaves

Chatting Books Online Day 226. Today's recommended book is "Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss.

Ok, so I know I have recommended a book or two on

grammatical style previously but really if I had to choose one as my favorite to just read, not use as a reference, this one wins hands down.

I first learned about this book when my sweet husband gave it to me as a Christmas gift in 2005 (I know , he is terrifically romantic isn't he? ). Actually, I did find this gift terrifically romantic because it shows he truly gets me. A gift that is both a book and a snarky take on the proliferation of bad grammar in the world - I mean come on, could anything be better?

So that is what this is all about. It is a book that talks about the proper use of grammar, and that does so through truly readable vignettes full of wit and snark. I love it ! As the title implies the sentence "Eats Shoots and Leaves" can give you two very different pictures in your head depending on if there is a comma after Eats. With a comma you may be thinking of a mobster or a cowboy who gets his fill, kills someone in the room and exits. Without a comma you are probably talking about a Panda bear .

Another vignette talks about the author's horror when standing on a London street corner watching a bus go by with an advertisement for the then upcoming movie "Two Weeks Notice". Where was the apostrophe ? How did this get past the editors? If it had been "One Week's Notice" certainly an apostrophe would have been used, so where was the apostrophe ?

When I read this book the first time I laughed out loud. When I read it again nearly 15 years later I laughed even harder, and snickered even more. Grammar police unite and celebrate our love of language by reading this fabulous book.

We carry this New York Times # 1 Bestselling book in hardcover , it is 209 pages and currently sells for $24.00 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you -Now mask up and for goodness sake , use a comma when you need one!

Day 225 : Drowning is Inevitable

Chatting Books Online Day 225. Today's recommended book is Drowning is Inevitable by Shalanda Stanley.

This heartwarming book is set right here in St Francisville. Olivia has lived her entire life here in our lovely town, but she has lived it under a cloud of struggling to escape the shadow her mother left behind. Olivia has a handsome boyfriend named Max , and her best friend Jamie. When Jamie and his father get into a terrible fight things turn deadly and without a real plan the group of friends take off on the run towards New Orleans.

In this book you will find the power of real friendship and overcoming obstacles. You will see so much familiar in the pages of this powerful book . The trees of downtown, The Magnolia Cafe and The Birdman , and of course the river.

We currently have this book available in paperback , 280 pages long and selling for $9.99 a copy.

To purchase a copy come see us at the shop during business hours or you can call or message me to have a copy shipped to you -Now mask up and read a book about our home town.

Day 224 : The Week in Review Oct 19 - 25, 2020

Chatting Books Online Day 224. The Week in Review Oct 19 - 25, 2020

Another week gone by, and a week's worth of book recommendations just for you!

This week I told you about a little bit of everything.

We had a favorite children's book in Pete the Cat: I love my white shoes by Eric Litwin and James Dean

A Louisiana cookbook / photography book together in The Fonville Winans Cookbook by Melinda Winans

A new beautifully illustrated book of poetry (aka "spells" about nature) in The Lost Spells by Robert MacFarlane

A Halloween story book that also teaches good manners in The Monsters Three by Rosalind Bunn

a new garden book from The Timber Press in The Modern Cottage Garden by Greg Loades.

and once again one from my favorite genre "Books set in bookshops" with Paris by the Book by Liam Callanan.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my recommendations, and maybe have come in to pick up a book to add to your TBR (To Be Read) pile. Next week brings another assortment of recommendations to get ready!

If you missed any of these reviews and want to read what I had to say about them you can see all of our Chatting Books Online picks by visiting our website at: http://www.conundrumbooks.com/chatting-books-online .

We still (and always will going forward) offer shipping if you cannot make it to the store. Or just stop by the shop Monday - Saturday between 10:00am and 4pm and between noon and 4pm on Sundays.