A Note from Roberta: April 2009 update

For us, at The Book Stall, it’s a very strange time. It is Spring Break week – the last week of March – and Winnetka, and our store, feels like its place is that of a ghost town. We have tidied the store getting ready for the Spring rush of books – and I hope that you will find time, and the interest, to come into the store to shop.

We have some “big” names coming in April:

Matthew Pearl, The Last Dickens on April 2,

Abraham Verghese, Cutting for Stone on Friday, April 24,

Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain on Sat. April 25,

Alexander McCall Smith, Tea Time For the Traditionally Built (a Detective Ramotze title) on Wed. April 29,

and Reza Aslan, How To Win a Cosmic War on Thursday, April 30^th.

Not to mention the rest of our calendar of good writers. We hope that you are here at 811 Elm Street for any number of the authors we are hosting. Our online event calendar is continuously updated. Click the "Monthly Events" link and view our home page to purchase books and get up-to-the-minute event news: www.thebookstall.com.

I will keep in touch as the month proceeds. I hope our weather – and our financial climate – continue to improve. Thank you for supporting us in all the wonderful ways you do – the TV Tune Out week, the friends and authors that you bring in, and the calls of reassurance as we survive the retail atmosphere of today. Thank you.

Next up in our Women Writers Series...

Time: Thursday, April 9, 2009 12:00 p.m.
Location: Mirani’s, 727 Elm St., Winnetka, IL 60093
Title of Event: JANE HAMILTON - Women Writer Series

JANE HAMILTON, Wisconsin writer and award-winning author of the bestsellers A Map of the World and The Book of Ruth (both Oprah Book Club picks), speaks about her new novel, Laura Rider's Masterpiece, a poignant and hilarious story of a couple who run a successful nursery business and share a zeal for storytelling.

Spring Storytime Program

Beginning April 6th, Musica Baby, an eight week bilingual storytime, will begin! Geared towards children 6 months to 36 months, local artist and author Hamlet Menses leads the kids in song, stories, art, and fun! The meetings are at 10:00 am on Monday mornings. The cost is $220 per child and each child must be accompanied by an adult. Limited space is available, so sign up soon!

Tonight's the night *** Roberta's List

Join us tonight at 7 p.m. as Roberta shares her list of the Books Not to be Missed for 2009.

Can't make it? Link to the list on our homepage at www.thebookstall.com

More March events in our Women Writer's Series

Today, Wednesday, March 4
YIYUN LI, award-winning writer and native of China, speaks about her highly anticipated debut novel Vagrants , a portrayal of China in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. The advance buzz is huge! Li has gotten rave review in both the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times!


Tuesday, March 10

Mary Pat Kelly talks about her new novel, Galway Bay, based on Irish Emigration to America - and the story of an emigrant family who transform Chicago from a frontier town to the City of the Century.

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Friday, March 20- (co-sponsored by Ragdale)

Anne LeClaire speaks about her memoir Listening Below the Noise, based on her practice of total silence two days a month—fostering new connections to nature, with others, and herself.

-- posted by Helen