It used to be that schools assigned the same books year after year, but with the advent of computers, its far to easy for unscrupulous students to take an old paper from a previous year, change a few lines, and claim its their own.  Thus many school change their lists annually and focus on newer texts to cut down on plagarism.  Books also go in and out of fashion.

This is a compilation of several different schools lists in Connecticut. I’ve only listed it here if multiple schools have assigned it.  From the list, it looks like the theme for this year is “It Could Be Worse!”  It’s a mix of books by minority authors, on economic disaster, illness, and basically why suburban teens have it VERY good.   At least you’re not dying, in jail, being oppressed, homeless, or in the middle of a natural disaster! The surge in books by African American authors probably also reflects an interest in President Obama.

4

Steinbeck: Grapes of Wrath

This is by far the runaway winner for reading assignments.  Big surprise with it being about the Great Depression. East of Eden and Of Mice and Men also made it onto the list this year.  Several years ago, the only Steinbeck to make it onto the lists was Travels With Charlie

3

Ellison- Invisible Man

A classic on race and how looks can be deceiving.  Most school always try to include some literature by or about African-Americans, but there seems to have been an absolute EXPLOSION in the number of these making it onto the lists year.  The election of a black president seems to have judged many schools into including more than a token book on race.

Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

A contemporary book that’s been widely assigned here for several years in a row, plus is frequently requested by regular customers.  An autistic 15 year old is falsely accused of killing his neighbor’s dog and sets out to discover the real killer.  With autism being diagnosed in roughly one in every 166 americans, it’s not hard to see how this made the list.  Most school will have at least a few kids with autism or the related Asperger’s Syndrome.

John Irving: A Prayer for Owen Meany

Set in New England, it centers around a weird boy that believes he’s an instrument of God’s will. The other book commonly assigned is The World According the Garp.  The two seem to swap positions as the “popular” assigned book every few years.

Austen: Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen seems to be a hot topic of late, spawning various modern… variations.  The most bizarre of these is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which I did actually see on one reading list.

Friedman: The World is Flat

Most schools opt to include one or two nonfiction titles every year.  This year it’s “The World is Flat” which is about how all these crazy web 2.0 things like blogs, podcasts, social networking and how they’ll affect the skills needed to succeed in the business world in the next few decades. A few schools also assigned Friedman’s “Hot, Flat, and Crowded” in tandem with this book.

2

Alvarez- In the Time of the Butterflies

Four sisters becomes revolutionaries fighting against the brutal dictatorship of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic.  This books has only been suggested for those who are entering junior or senior year of high school due to the subject matter.  Her other book, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, appeared on one or two lists as well.

Larson: The Devil in the White City

A true crime yarn set in Chicago.  This seems to have displaced In Cold Blood and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil which were used in previous years. That its a history of Chicago probably also helped secure it a place on the list due to the upswing in interest in Chicago with the change in administration.

Martel: The Life of Pi

An Indian boy trapped in a life raft with a tiger.  This one seems to be waning on popularity.  It was a top pick a few years ago.  India as a topic hasn’t fallen completely off the radar, but schools don’t seem to have selected a succesor to Pi yet.  Mistry’s A Fine Balance and Foster’s A Passage to Indiea” appeared on some lists and may be the eventual successor.

Sinclair: The Jungle

More on Chicago!  And meat packing. This one seems to be declining in popularity.  However, food origins are a hot topic and some other schools picked Fast Food Nation and Omnivores’ Dilema.

Picoult: My Sister’s Keeper

A teen sues her parents to avoid undergoing a kidney transplant to save her older sister, who she’s already donated blood and bone marrow to for her entire life. This one has finally tumbled from its top spot as most assigned book around here.  The upcoming movie is probably to blame for the slide in popularity as kids may cheat and watch the film instead.

Thomas Hardy: Jude the Obscure

Talk about obscure!  I haven’t seen an Hardy on a list in five years, and now this title is suddenly on multiple lists! The theme of losing an education due to premarital sex is probably what suddenly landed it on the list.

Albom: Tuesdays with Morie

A tale of the power of a mentors… and terminal illness. This books has been on multiple schools lists for the last five years, along with The Five People You Meet In Heaven.  It’s tumbled in popularity and no school assigned Five People this year.

Gaines: A Lesson Before Dying

A young black man is the only survivor of a liquor store shootout and is sent to death row. This has appeared on a few lists before, but was never popular.  This is the first year it is on multiple lists.

Bill Bryson: A Walk in the Woods

Well we need something to counter all the gloom and doom… This book chronicles a trip down the Appalachian Trail and all the wacky people Bryson meets on the way.  This seems to fill the role of a “bone for the boys” being an adventure book with a bit more serious content.

Baker: Growing Up

Also new

Kite Runner

This has slid from popularity.  It was on virtually every list a few years ago.  One local school included it on its optional list along with a half dozen other books labeled “learn about Afghanistan”.

Angelou “I Know why the Caged Bird sings”

Wilder – Our Town

Rand- Anthem, The Fountainhead, & Atlas Shrugged

Somehow Rand has gotten wildly popular this year.  I’ve had many, many requests for Atlas Shrugged by regular customers.  Rand seems to have totally pushed Karl Marx off the list.  There was one or two schools in the area that routinely assigned the Communist Manifesto, but they seemed to have dropped it this year in favor of Atlas Shrugged, a complete 180.

Golding- Lord of the Flies

Orwell- 1984

Adams- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Another amusing book clearly meant to keep kids from sliding into a depressive funk after reading about all about death, oppression, and how we’re all going to die horribly from food poisoning and global warming.

Brown: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Guterson: Snow Falling on Cedars

This seems to have pushed Farewell to Manzar, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Snow Flower and the Secret Fan off people’s list as the representative “asian culture” book.

Hugo: Hunchback of Notre Dame

Junger: The Perfect Storm

This seems to have displaced Into the Wild, which was on every reading list for several years in a row and now appears on none of them.

McCourt: Angela’s Ashes

McEwan: Atonement

Morrison: The Bluest Eye

Some schools opted for Beloved or Song of Soloman instead.  Sula seems to have dropped off lists after being popular for several years.

Remarque: All Quiet on the Western Front

This seems to be the new “war” book that gets assigned and is displacing Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage and O’Brien’s The Things They Carried and Going After Cacciato, which were widely assigned in previous years.  One school also opted for Trumbo’s “Johnny Got His Gun”, which I’ve never seen on a list before.

Stoker:  Dracula

With the success of Twilight, this is a bit of a no brainer that it showed up.  Frankenstein was popular on many schools lists for several years and Dracula seems to have displaced it.  Apparently there can be only one monster on the list at a time, even if they have totally different themes.

Walker: The Color Purple

Plath: The Bell Jar

Courtenay: The Power of One

There’s always a sports book of some sort. This one is doing double duty in talking about apatheid AND boxing.  It seems to have taken the place of In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle (about women’s basketball, which Connecticut is totally obsessed with), Friday Nigt Lights, and The Last Amateurs.

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“To Hold or Not to Hold? That Is the Question”

Pamela Grath

Dog Ears Books was Dog Ears Used Books when it opened in 1993, with rows of titles culled from our home library–all good books but duplicates or books we knew we wouldn’t re-read. That and the fact that we’d just adopted Nikki from the Humane Society inspired the name. What a beginning like that, questions about price are nothing new to me.

“Can you do any better?” is the question often asked. Sometimes it’s “What’s the best you can do?” Although I understand the intent, the phrasings rankle a bit. “Better” for the buyer is “worse” for me, obviously, and I already work without health insurance, taking extra jobs on the side when necessary! If the person wanting to haggle can well afford the price marked, why should he have an extra drink before dinner at my expense?

Then there’s the guy “on a fixed income,” and here again what is meant is very different from what I can’t help but hear, i.e.: This person knows how much money he’ll have next month! What a sense of security that must give! I have no idea what my future income will be, and he wants me to lower my prices today? How is this supposed to make sense to me?

Years ago, frustrated by people mistaking my bookstore for a weekend garage sale, I wrote up a lengthy explanation of my prices and discounts (trade credit, volume and dealer). One bookseller colleague with whom I shared the statement posted it on her sales counter.

I’ve relaxed since then, and that’s where I am now on my prices, firm but relaxed. With established customers—or anyone who buys so many books that we need boxes to carry them out the door—I sometimes offer a discount without being asked or throw in one or two titles as “bonus” books at no charge. On those occasions, it’s nice to see smiles and hear thanks. In general, however, I rarely come down on the priced marked. Instead (1) I price carefully at the outset, (2) never overprice, and (3) if something has been around for years and I’m eager for it to find a new home I mark it down myself, either before someone brings it to the counter or when someone does.

I’m very clear in my mind that how much to charge for a book is my decision. Whether or not to buy a given book is up to the customer. As I explained recently to someone surprised by this policy, “That’s why I’ve been able to stay in business for 16 years instead of closing after three or four.” The important thing is to say it firmly but gently, and with a smile. There’s no need to take anyone’s head off for asking.

Most people understand my answer. Those who find my bookstore are generally glad it’s here and want to see it stay and flourish. Bless them, every one!

Pamela Grath
Dog Ears Books

106 Waukazoo Street
P.O. Box 272
Northport, MI  49670

(23…

dogears@netonecom.net
www.dogearsbooks.net
http://booksinnorthport.blogspot.com/

I didn’t think about franchising until a friend of mine brought up the concept.  Think about it.  If you have a trade system, an acquisitions system, an employee requirement system, a pricing system, a fixture system, a sorting system, an advertising system, a bathroom cleaning schedule system (OK… this one’s a stretch), etc., why should you NOT open the doors for franchising?
My wife and I have been preparing our newest store (you can see our labor at www.gottwalsbooks.com), and I must say that it is far easier the second time around.  We know where things should go, how they should be arranged, etc.  We also know WHAT WORKS for our area, and I promise that that’s the biggest thing.  We, of course, have concerns about the future success of a new store in a new town.  However, being prepared eases so much of the concern so that none of the concern has turned into worry (and, yes, I think they are two different things).
I do not plan on ever franchising.  I simply do not want to give the branded name of my store to someone else.  We have prayed pretty hard for the success that we’ve had, and the labor has not been light.  However, I do think that owning a used bookstore is a fine art.  There are secrets to honing the craft, and a business owner has every right to be rewarded for the things he has learned and employed.
I never realized how hard it must be to mimic another store’s success.  We have tried using the practices of other stores, yet there is a certain mix of functions, advertising, pricing, etc. that will work together.  Knowing a company’s trade policy, pricing, and sorting system (things you can figure out just by studying a store for its face value) does not guarantee that you can make it work nearly as well or nearly as quickly.  This is where the sense in franchising comes.  I know that someone cannot offer Gottwals Books’s value until they have our business model.  They cannot understand completely what we do.  Hence, why not franchise?
I’ve written many times before about the spirit of the used bookseller.  I think that franchising doesn’t fit the goal of the average bookshop owner.  That’s not our vibe.  I do like the idea of chain ownership, but I don’t like the idea of conceding control.  Even as we are opening our second store, my wife and I will not be the distant “managers.”  We will be the owners that you can see and smell (but not touch).
I would like to know what everyone thinks about this idea.  Is it a good idea?  Do you know of anyone who has franchised their store?  I know that there are some 4, 5, 6-store chains out there, but I don’t think I’ve seen any franchises.
I am always thinking about bigger and better things.  Some may say I’m a dreamer…
Speaking of John Lennon, England has some fantastic shops, huh?  Has anyone read 84, Charing Cross Road?

But, even if you have the best intensions, you only have so much time each day and your grand plans often get pushed to the side.  So here’s a quick tip on how to do a little every day.  Switch the home page on your browser to The Literacy Site. It’s a simple concept.   You click the donate button once a day it takes you to a screen full of ads.  The money the advertisers pay per impression is then routed to charity. (either <a href=”http://www.firstbook.org”>First Book</a> or <a href=”http://www.roomtoread.org”>Room to Read</a>as of June 2009)

By resetting your home page, everytime you open your browser you’ll see the button urging you to take 3 seconds to click the button and donate a little to literacy.  If you want to keep your current page, you can set you home page to open multiple tabs on opening. You’ll probably use the computer at least once a day, so every day you’ll do a little.

How to reset your home page…

FIREFOX.

1. 1. Go to The Literacy Site.
2. 2. At the top of your browser,  click on Tools-> Options
3. 3. Select the Main tab and then use the button that says “Use Current page”. If you have multiple tabs open, it’llsay “use current PageS” and will automatically open them all.
4. 4. Hit OK.

INTERNET EXPLORER

1. 1. Go to The Literacy Site.
2. 2. At the top of your browser, click on Tools-> Internet Options
3. 3. Select the General  tab and then use the button that says “Use Current”.
4. 4. Hit OK.

You can also run ads on The Literacy Site. Clearly the people stopping by care about reading, so may be a good match for some bookstores.

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Christopher Milne (son of A. A. Milne) and his wife decided after World War II to leave London and open a bookstore elsewhere. In his autobiography, The Path Through the Trees (1979), Milne muses, “I doubt if any modern ‘feasibility study’ could have offered us a town in which both bookselling and living have been such a pleasure for so many years.” Sixteen years after opening my first bookshop in little Northport, Michigan, my feelings are very much in line with Milne’s.

There are various ways to finance the start-up of an independent bookstore. My husband and I started on the cheap and hauled ourselves up by the boostraps gradually, year by year, but we also learned that, for us, bigger is not always better.

Location is crucial, but much as shutter speed and aperture must be brought into balance for a good photograph, a bookseller needs to find the equilibrium between traffic and rent. Every bookseller’s dream ideal would be low rent and high traffic. (Right!) How much rent is feasible for your business? If high rent isn’t paying off in sales dollars, you can’t afford it. What other businesses are flourishing near yours, and kind of sales do they generate? If your typical customer is spending $15 while your next-door neighbor is taking in $50 or more every time the cash register rings, the other shopkeeper can afford higher rent. This difference can be partially offset by doing all the work yourself (or at least keeping it in the family), but whether or not that closes the gap will depend on how wide the gap is. If, on the other hand, you gravitate conservatively toward the lower-rent end of the scale, what can you do to increase traffic, improving the equation in your favor?

After moving from our start-up village to a nearby larger town and spending a couple years as an urban bookseller, we moved back to the small village with no regrets. Overall traffic would not dictate such a decision. On the other hand, the rent is lower here; because the town is so small, it’s hard for any business to be overlooked; ours is the only bookstore in town; and, like the Milnes, we have joined business and life. Key to continued survival was the recognition that business here will always be seasonal. Tourists come in the summer, while even locals, if they can, leave for the winter. Now, having tried both large town and village, summer-only and year-round, we’re operating on a nine-month year, cutting our losses by closing February through April.

Four years ago this village was considered down for the count, but negative attention galvanized community spirit. Now there are building renovations and new businesses spring up all over town, and it’s exciting to be part of it, to feel we have made a place for ourselves in the history of this small place. And we’re still here!

May 31, 2009

Pamela Grath
Dog Ears Books
106 Waukazoo Street
P.O. Box 272
Northport, MI  49670

(231) 386-7209

www.dogearsbooks.net
http://booksinnorthport.blogspot.com/

For information on becoming a contributor click here..

image courtesy of Cato Lein

The more you know about a book, the easier it is to hand sell it. At the invitation of Literary Affairs , I was able to attend a breakfast interview with Linda Olsson about her latest book, Sonata for Miriam.  What I enjoy most about Linda’s writing is her uncanny ability to portray a sense of place.  I felt that the landscape was almost a separate character in her first book, Astrid & Veronica, and should be part of any reading list trying to highlight that particular attribute of writing. Sonata for Miriam occurs in three locations, all of which are strongly portrayed in the book. The primary theme of Sonata for Miriam is the search for family and home when you need to create it.  We see that in Adam, Cecilia and Moishe as they each try to reconcile their history and how to be at peace in their present.

Linda is very open about the writing process and the development of the book.  Here are some of the highlights of the conversation (mild spoiler alert and this isn’t a review but background information to help sell the book):

Music Theme

• The structure of the book is a sonata.  The two themes, Adam’s recent past and his family history, combine to leave Adam in a new place securely rooted in his past.  It’s a formula that should be held loosely though since the American edition didn’t keep the same numbering.  Moreover, the reader who doesn’t know musical form won’t miss a beat, but the one who does will have fun matching the two arts.  Linda wrote the book without fitting it into a sonata form.  She then realized how the musical formula and title fit Adam’s character, so she asked musicians to read it and give comments.  She found she just needed to tighten up a few parts for a closer fit to the sonata form.
• The opening quote is from the overture to Music of Another World by Szymon Laks, an actual piece of music.  Szymon Laks survived the concentration camps because he played in the camp orchestra.  Linda wanted the music played at the book launch party, but couldn’t find it anywhere, not on a CD, not in sheet music, not on the Internet.  Finally, she remembered hearing it at the US Holocaust Museum and called their archives.  The staff was terrific; they located the music and sent it to her.  The world premiere of Music for Another World was at the launch party.
• Music is used as a connection throughout the book:  Moishe plays it in his study; Cecilia wakes up to music; it is what ties the previous generation of teenagers together; and, the sonata is Adam’s tribute to Mimi.  Linda feels that one of music’s magical qualities is that it connects people from different cultures and languages.

Holocaust Aspects

• Moishe’s apartment and Clara’s life story give a sense of the community in Krakow before the Holocaust.  Linda visited a survivor in Poland and they spoke for several hours.  As Linda was leaving, the survivor thanked her for asking what her life was like before the Nazis, she said no one asked her that anymore.
• A scene in the book is picked up from a visit to a survivor in Wellington, the woman had a silver box similar to one Linda owned and said “I just keep old photographs in there.”

Writing Process

• Linda believes a reason for the sparseness of her language is her Swedish roots, since Swedes tend to use precise words.  On the other hand, if she was writing in her native language, she might use more words due to familiarity with the language.  Because English is her second language, she is more particular and chooses her words carefully.  She did not translate her books into Swedish; each book has a separate translator.
• Linda described Adam as someone who walked into her life one day and showed himself to her. She knew how he looked, but only discovered his character over time.  She doesn’t believe that she chose some of the plot elements, but that they are part of Adam’s story that he revealed to her. Her first visit to Krakow was unique because it was Adam’s first visit also; she experienced the city through her eyes and his at the same time. She feels very humbled by the entire Adam experience and initially wondered if she could or should write his story.
• Linda is a visual person who sees her books in pictures first.  She feels that she is watching a film and writing the script.

Hopefully, these revealing and fun insights into the book will make it easier to sell during the upcoming summer season.

Selling strictly online means that we forfeit direct face to face interaction with customers and vice versa. We are not able to ‘read’ one another. Impressions of sincerity, honesty and integrity are filtered when exchanges are made online. What can online booksellers do to make a  positive and lasting impression. It can be tedious and time-consuming, but there are three things that I believe work to our advantage and in the end, I believe they pay off.

For starters, and I think that most sellers do this, it is important to acknowledge book orders via e-mail. It is our first direct communication with what (with any luck) will be a repeat customer. The gray area for some sellers may be that many sites send an automated order confirmation to the customer which makes sending a second order confirmation seem redundant or if it is a particularly busy week, an expendable step. My feeling is that relying on the book site to confirm a book order is a missed opportunity for the seller.

The seller confirmation is important because you are able to provide the buyer with your contact information and confirm exactly what has been ordered. It may seem obvious to the seller what has been ordered, after all, we have the product in hand, but buyers are not always aware of what they will be receiving. If I think a customer has made an assumption about a book they’ve ordered I will send out a gentle reminder, a ‘did you know…’ e-mail. I informed one customer that the graphic novel he ordered was a non-English version, it was in Chinese. The book was being sent as a gift and he was very grateful that this was  pointed out to him prior to mailing. The inevitable return was one less thing that I’d have to deal with down the road. I’d rather lose the sale than spend the time dealing with an unhappy customer. Another time I had a Woody Allen biography that was  getting a lot of action on Ebay. It was signed by the author. I sent an e-mail to the winning bidder reminding him that the book was signed by the author, not Woody Allen. He was aware and the sale went through. The order confirmation is an opportunity to establish a rapport with the customer, set the tone of the exchange and nip any potential problems in the bud.

The second means of making a positive impression is packaging. Packaging speaks volumes about the seller. The care taken in packaging a book tells the customer that the inventory was cared for and has value.
Start with a final look-over. Dust of the edges of the text block if necessary, flip through the pages, erase any penciled in prices and take care of any sticker residue that may have been overlooked. It’s important that the book match the description. If there is highlighting that you were unaware of, contact the seller and let them know. It’s better to deal with any discrepancies or inaccuracies sooner than later. Customers will appreciate that you are forthcoming and it is an opportunity to establish trust.

I’m a stickler for wrapping books. I wrap every book that I send out in plain brown kraft paper. This doesn’t have to be expensive. I buy a twelve inch roll that is 180 feet from the paint aisle of the local home improvement store. It is masking paper but works very nicely as wrapping paper. I can put an ink stamp with my web address on the outside of the nicely wrapped package and then put that into a clear plastic bag to protect it against dampness. The presentation is simple and clean. Treating even the most inexpensive books well implies value and it doesn’t go unnoticed. Most of the letters, e-mails and feedback that I receive mention satisfaction with the packaging.

The last point of contact with the customer is that which finalizes the transaction. This can be an e-mail or an enclosure that accompanies the book. I have a thank-you letter that I try to include with my orders. I’ve noticed a very strong and positive response when I enclose this letter with the book and print it on a better quality paper stock. Showing gratitude goes a long way as does reassuring customers that they can always contact you if they have any concerns.

Selling online does have its limitations in that we have less direct interaction with our customers. Being smart with our customer contacts can mean reaping the rewards of a repeat customer and future sales. As a customer and as a seller value is key. I would like the books that I order to be treated as though they have value and were cared for. As a seller I want to convey to my customers that I value their patronage, I realize that there are many, many buyers they can choose from.

Roberta Navares

Bertski Books
The Poet in You

We invited some new writers to join us and were quite pleased with the response. One was Kim Allen-Neison of Bookstore People. Her idea of reading adventure books with the kids was terrific.

Some of our regulars added terrific pieces as well, from Nora sharing some brilliant cover art from the 70s to Shane giving us his opinion on choosing your opening hours (which I completely agree with). Tom Nealon gave us his view on the growing trend in Vampire fiction.

And finally a beautiful poem by John Pollard on Why I Have a Book Store.

Hope you enjoy these.

I wrote the previous post on an up note.  Things went well my first weekend, again thanks to many supporters, friends and family.  Since then, I’ve met some very nice people.  Some people grateful there’s a place to give their books another home.  I’m finding more and more people who, just like me, won’t throw away a book.  I’ve gone through so many basement boxes sorting and organizing along with trying to decide if it’s something I can put a price on or something to practically give away.

My shelves are full and my husband has had to build me another bin.  I wanted a table I could put discounted (even further) hardcover books I have weighing down the shelves.   In a month and a half I have filled four 4 feet sections of shelves.  I’ve had plenty of deposits and moderate withdrawals in my used book section.  I’ve tweaked my exchange policy to something I and my community can live with and have advertised to the best of my financial ability.  I started a website, www.ambrosiasbooks.com and signed up with twitter.com.  I’m networking through my business association and my children’s school.  And yet I still go whole days without one customer.

The Saturday before Mother’s Day I sat at the store from 9am until 5pm without one customer.  Talk about discouraging!  On Mother’s Day, I was torn.  I could spend more of the day with my children or I could spend a nice quiet day catching up on my reading at the store.  I chose the store for the morning (alone) and went for dinner with my family after we closed.  I never would have thought that day would be the best business day we’ve had since we opened!

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were valleys.  A couple browsers came in and out, but no sales.  Another point I thought ‘What am I doing?’ Friday and Saturday, peaks.  Sunday again, a few browsers came through but no sales.  I’m doing enough business to cover the rent and utilities but I’m still supplementing with my income from my job.

It’s discouraging but it’s something I love.  I’m sacrificing dinners out, family vacations, and any regular shopping!  It’s worth the sacrifice to do what you love.  I have great children, a supportive family and many new friends who have encouraged me to keep going.

So I will continue to learn, to believe in the value of holding a book in your hand and reading until you’re lost in another world, and believing in the small business and communities around the country that one way or another, make our world a better place.