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Hello bookworms,
Big news! Our 2022 Christmas catalogue is out. It is 64 pages of our picks of the seasons’ best books with a sprinkling of pens and stationery, puzzles and games, and other gifts for bibliophiles. Again this year, the catalogue is bookended by the customer favourite ‘staff picks’ section. A digital version is also available on our website with links to the title if you are interested in more information or wish to order on-line. Have a look.
In case you missed it, PEI’s own Nicholas Herring was recently awarded the prestigious Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize for his debut novel,
Some Hellish. Congratulations Nicholas! We have a limited number of signed copies of
Some Hellish available in-store.
Our 50th anniversary celebrations in Charlottetown continue. We have, to date, hosted three wonderful authors in our 50th anniversary reading series: Wayne Johnston, David Adams Richards, and Ann-Marie MacDonald. Watch our event page for information about more events in 2023. Additionally, our limited-edition commemorative chapbook has gone to the printer and will be available in mid-December.
Our 2023 Readerity Series on books and reading was greatly appreciated by those in attendance in Halifax and Charlottetown. We are indebted to Alexander MacLeod, Sheree Fitch, Deirdre Kessler, and John Flood for participating in this initiative and for the inspiration they brought to us. We have a limited number of Readerity chapbooks available in-store. These are free courtesy of Bookmark and our Readerity authors. In future issues of this newsletter, we will quote meaningful lines from each of their Readerity essays that captures the essence of why we read. This line from Alexander’s,
Re-reading J.M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy is one such line, “All the stories that we went through sitting on that chair under the lamp, the books that went through us, are still here.”
Happy Holidays from all of us at Bookmark.
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In this section of the newsletter, booksellers from Halifax and Charlottetown will give you a sneak peek of what they’ve been reading or are looking forward to reading soon! |
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Lori
Lori has been a book nerd for as long as she can remember. She even won her elementary school read-a-thon in grade four! She discovered the joys of Atlantic Canadian and Canadian literature in university but her first love is murder...mysteries that is. If you ever go missing, rest assured she's on the case. |
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Anyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with everything Irish. I fell in love with Claire Keegan’s writing last year with
Small Things Like These (shortlisted for the Booker Prize) so can’t wait to dive into
Foster. My only complaint is that it just isn’t long enough but what talent to tell an entire story in fewer than one hundred pages. It’s worth buying for the cover alone.
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Is it wrong to say murder and mystery are my comfort reading? If that’s the case, I don’t want to be right! There’s nothing as comforting to me as a visit with my old friend Rebus. |
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This story of friendship and forgiveness is set in Newfoundland and was recommended to me by one of our publisher friends. It’s getting some great buzz as a perfect book club book so I thought I’d check it out before January when book clubs start asking me for recommendations. |
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This is one of my most anticipated books this fall, being a convert to Gamache during the pandemic. There is just something about Three Pines that makes you long to call it home- even if there are a lot of murders! |
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Joseph
Joseph is honoured to work at a shop that sells three of the most important products ever invented: socks, mugs, and of course books. Due to his not insignificant height, his main job is reaching things from the top shelves. He particuarly enjoys classic literature, but he still hasn't gotten past the first page of
Moby-Dick. |
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I’ve been delighted by this beautifully bound collection of weird and witty cartoons from celebrated cartoonist Tom Gauld. This is a book for book lovers who don’t take themselves too seriously. Prepare for cartoons that take aim at pretentious Halloween costumes, your lack of shelf control, and the disappointing shortage of exploding vicarages in Jane Austen’s
Emma.
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A deliciously droll retelling of the classic fairy tale by one of my favourite picture book duos: Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. Every book they produce is crafted with quality and care, and this beautifully illustrated troll-based tale is no exception. |
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While I love to cook, I seem to be unable to do so without producing a frankly obscene number of dirty dishes. It’s as if I feel the need to include every single kitchen implement in the meal-making process so that no one feels left out. Jamie Oliver’s latest cookbook is a game-changer. Every dish, from pasta to pudding, is created in a single pan. Imagine! |
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The Herdman siblings are “the worst kids in the history of the world.” Honestly, they’re just awful. So what happens when they take control of the Sunday school Christmas Pageant? This book is a hilarious and oh-so-heartwarming Christmas classic that demands to be read alongside a steaming mug of hot chocolate. You will laugh heartily and frequently, so try not to spill liquid chocolate across your knees. |
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Caitlin
Caitlin has had the pleasure of being a bookseller at Bookmark Halifax for six years. Her passion is for small press books and translations. She spends pretty much the majority of her spare time reading and has been known to wake up at the crack of dawn to get a chunk of reading in before work, where she loves to recommend books from around the world. |
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Jose Saramago is an amazing writer. This book scared me so much that I never finished it. I am determined to face my fears and finish it this time. |
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I always have a Charo Press book in the pile, they never disappoint. |
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Strange stories, always unsettling. Must read. |
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Mike
Michael grew up in Sambro, NS with a book always at his side. Michael began working at Bookmark on Spring Garden Road in 1998 and has been happily ensconced there ever since. His personal reading passions range from classic and contemporary literature in translation to biographies of David Lynch and Kids in the Hall. |
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After hearing Suzette Mayr speak at Central Library’s Giller authors' event, I knew this book would immediately take top spot on my TBR stack. Everything excited me: reading about cross-Canada passenger train travel in the early 20th century, the story of a young black, queer man trying to navigate the hazards of his societal status and the road to a better life through a career in dentistry, and Suzette's fascinating remarks on the genesis of the book. I am sure it's going to be one of my 2022 favourites. |
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Considered the epitome of a cult novel yet also known to many as a contemporary classic, Katherine Dunn’s
Geek Love was published in 1989. I think I’ve reread it four times. Although not everyone’s cup of tea, it’s always satisfied every quality I wish to find in fiction. It was the last Dunn novel that any of us expected to experience since nothing followed
Geek Love and she sadly died in 2016. Then
Toad arrives! I have kept myself away from any reviews, haven’t even read the book’s flap. |
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I don’t find myself reading too much non-fiction, but I gravitate to those writers who present historical and contemporary reality dressed in the cloak of fictional narrative. Some of my beloved nonfiction writers have displayed such magic: Eric Larson, Dean Jobb, Simon Winchester. I know through other’s love of Ben MacIntyre that he will entertain and educate me in the same style. |
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Less a reading than a study, this is a very practical book that I hope will help me learn this new musical language. Trying to master the piano at this stage of my life has been a challenge but one that I find invigorating and which has already aided me in further appreciating songs and artists important to me. And as I struggle to remember all the note combinations, I like that ‘Quick’ is in this book’s title! |
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Some Useful Words
From
Eliot’s Book of Bookish Lists by Henry Eliot
abibliophobia
- English
The fear of running out of reading material
bibliobibuli - English
A person who overindulges in reading
bibliosmia - English
The smell of a good book
Helluo librorum - Latin
A person with an insatiable appetite for books
lethologica - English
The experience of not being able to remember the right word
scriprient - English
Having a passionate urge to write
sesquipedalianists - English
Writers with a tendency to use long words
tsundoku - Japanese
The habit of buying more books that you can read
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Holiday Books, Cards and Advent Calendars
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'Tis the season. Check out our seasonal displays for many unique books, cards and advent calendars. |
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Credit bundles (formerly known as gift memberships) can be bought for yourself or as a gift! You pay upfront, get credits upfront, and Bookmark is supported by your purchase. With the holiday season approaching, libro.fm credit bundles are a great way to buy for the hard-to-buy-for as well as support your local independent bookseller. Check out this link for full details. |
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For those who enjoy a good list, here is a selection of list-type books suitable for many ages, and all great for dipping in and out. |
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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
Apple Original Films has announced that the animated short film “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” based on the internationally best-selling book of the same name by celebrated author Charlie Mackesy, will be coming to Apple TV+ on Christmas Day.
The poignant and heartfelt journey follows the unlikely friendship of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse travelling together in the boy’s search for home.
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The Best Popular Science Books of 2022: The Royal Society Book Prize
The renowned UCL neuroscientist Professor Maria Fitzgerald, chair of the 2022 Royal Society Book Prize, talks us through the judges' selection of the best popular science books of the year—including a whistle-stop tour of the history of the Earth, a self-help book offering evidence-based advice on how to live a longer life, and a primatologist's study of gender among apes.
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The Joy of Finding People Who Love the Same Books You Do
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Seasons of Reading – How Reading Can Bring Us Back |
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There’s something comforting about the colder weather arriving. Days spent in front of a wood stove, curled up on the couch with a comfy blanket, immersed in a good book. Trips to the bookstore are necessary this time of year in that no matter how good the search engine on your computer or phone is… |
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Women Talking by Miriam Toews
The film adaptation of the novel
Women Talking
by Miriam Toews will be released on Christmas Day. The film was written and directed by Canadian Sarah Polley and stars Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand. |
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Autographed Books From Local Authors |
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Canadian author Carley Fortune stopped into the store during her vacation to PEI to sign some copies of her novel,
Every Summer After. “Told over the course of six years in the past and one weekend in the present,
Every Summer After is a gorgeously romantic look at love and the people and choices that mark us forever.”
Carley Fortune’s second novel,
Meet Me at the Lake, will be released in May 2023. |
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Local PEI author Linda Stewart stopped into the store to sign copies of her novel,
Beautiful Sadness published by Acorn Press. “
Beautiful Sadness, provides what audiences are craving right now — an uplifting and inspiring story that gives them a sense that there is still love and hope and goodness in the world.” |
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Our best selling puzzle brand, Cobble Hill puzzles, have been described as nostalgic, lively, endearing, sweet, durable, and fine quality. In an ever-growing technological market, it has become increasingly more important to find ways to bring families and friends together in a social atmosphere that lends to good conversations and quality time together. Here are some of the new images available from Cobble Hill: |
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New Games and Old Favourites
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We stock a small, tightly curated selction of games new and old. We carry many of these based on requests from customers so please tell us about your favourite game. |
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Curated Canadian Giving List
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For the Hallmark Movie Fan |
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For the Instagram Influencer |
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"The rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting."
–Louisa May Alcott, Little Women |
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The Readerity Series is one of the initiatives in which we invest to honour our commitment to promote books and reading. The idea is to give voice to Atlantic Canadian authors and their thoughts on the value of books and reading.
Sidelined for two years by Covid-19, Readerity returned in 2022 with three instalments in the series. Dr. John Flood moderated a lively discussion between Alexander MacLeod, Deirdre Kessler, and Sheree Fitch as they spoke about the importance of books and reading and each read an excerpt from their Readerity essay. Each author’s contribution is preserved in a complimentary chapbook published by Gaspereau Press.
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Backlist Gift Guide Staff Picks
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Our booksellers love to recommend great books almost as much as they love reading them! Here is a selection of some of our back list favourites to give you some gift ideas for the holiday season. |
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“I am reading six books at once, the only way of reading; since, as you will agree, one book is only a single unaccompanied note, and to get the full sound, one needs ten others at the same time.”
– Virginia Woolf |
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Jacinda Sullivan-Erickson has been visiting Bookmark Halifax since 1998. Then working in the airline industry, she would make the bookshop a destination spot whenever she was in the city and recalls her first book inquiry for a title in her favourite genre, the gothic/horror realm. Now settled here, Jacinda is a rehabilitation assistant whose passion for books and reading would eventually result in her actual marriage ceremony within the very aisles of our humble bookshop. She and Deb had such fun browsing the shelves at Bookmark while getting to know each other that both could only think of having the wedding here. We were incredibly honoured to witness the event on March 30th, 2021. Jacinda is an enthusiastic supporter/collector of everything literary and maintains an amazing Instagram account that celebrates the books she cherishes. Find those and her adorable cat, Luna, @literaturebabe |
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With the participation of the Government of Canada. |
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