Nov

2

The New Curiosity Shop.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

November 2, 2007 | 1 Comment

The recently opened Sherlock’s Book Emporium & Curiosities, in Lebanon, Tennessee, is, in many ways, itself a curiosity. While owner Steve Guynn opened his first bookstore as a way of getting his expanding book collection out of his house, the new 14,000-square foot store offers new books, used books, DVDs, board games, action figures, comic [...]

Oct

3

Costumes!

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

October 3, 2007 | 1 Comment

There’s a down town fairy singing out “Proud Mary”
as she cruises Christopher Street,
And some Southern Queen is acting loud and mean
where the docks and the Badlands meet.
This Halloween is something to be sure
Especially to be here without you.
-Lou Reed

Don’t feed the plants!
I’ve always enjoyed costumes. In recent years I’ve been a gargoyle, Seymour [...]

Sep

17

Happy (Belated) Birthday, Mr. Dahl.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

September 17, 2007 | 1 Comment

Roald Dahl was born September 13th, 1916. While he’s best known as the author of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (made into a film with Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka And The Charlie Factory, then made again by Tim Burton into a film with Johnny Depp, this time under the book’s original title) he wrote [...]

Sep

3

Back To School: The Cheese Stands Alone.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

September 3, 2007 | 2 Comments

This fall students going into high school or even middle school may be assigned to read one of two books: The Chocolate War or I Am The Cheese. Both books are by Robert Cormier. Born on January 17th, 1925, Cormier passed away on November 2nd, 2000, and left a legacy of some of the most [...]

Aug

31

Jellyfishing!

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

August 31, 2007 | 2 Comments

I’ve always had a fascination with jellyfish. These strange, brainless, spineless bells that swim through the ocean trailing deadly tentacles, sometimes reaching one-hundred feet long, are beautiful and strange, and beautiful because they’re so strange. I recently ran across an article detailing myths about dealing with jellyfish stings and actual remedies. (The article is from [...]

Aug

27

Dog Days: It’s A Dog’s Life.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

August 27, 2007 | 1 Comment

The Call Of The Wild by Jack London
The other day I saw a pack of dogs scavenging in a vacant lot. There was something depressing, even tragic about it. For humans the veneer of civilization is thin; for our best friends, dogs, it’s even thinner. When it’s scratched away only a complete retreat into the [...]

Aug

13

Dog Days: Dog Star.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

August 13, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Dogsbody by Dianna Wynn Jones
What if strange, supernatural beings inhabited each star, overseeing the destinies not only of the planets that orbit them but the individual creatures on each of those planets? And what if one of those beings were exiled, as punishment for a terrible crime, to life as a creature on one [...]

Jul

11

Hooked On Books.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

July 11, 2007 | 3 Comments

The organization First Book, a non-profit whose mission is to give low-income children a chance to read and own their first books, is asking, What Book Got You Hooked? Go to the web site and tell them your first and favorite book–the book that got you hooked on reading. Check out the testimonials from such [...]

Jun

4

Book ‘Em: Shiver Me Timbers!

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

June 4, 2007 | 1 Comment

Maybe this weekend you checked out a pirate movie, or maybe you’ll be checking it out soon, or maybe you live under a rock and have never heard of it. The important thing is, if you like pirates and you like books, you should probably check out So You Wanna Be A Pirate? Here’s How! [...]

Mar

23

A Fungus Among Us.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

March 23, 2007 | 2 Comments

When I was nine my mother gave me a book called, The Wonderful Flight To The Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron (Little, Brown, 1954).
It brought together two of my favorite things: science fiction and mushrooms. I was enthralled. Cameron is not as well-known or highly regarded as some other children’s literature authors, but The [...]

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