Inside Jacket

Shakespeare is very good with the English language, but to be honest, I prefer the works of PG Wodehouse. All you have to do is open the front page of any of his novels, and you are totally swept away to a different area of your brain. The roots of British wild and crazy humor can be traced to Woedhouse’s novels of the 1920’s.

Which one of his hundred or so novels is his best? A very difficult question, but a simple answer: all of them! The wonderful Overlook Press for the past ten years have been publishing his books in beautiful smart editions. I have ten at home, and have 90 in my desire box. Here is this a random few from the Overlook Press:

Here are a few quotes to capture this man’s wit and genius:

“He was a tubby little chap who looked as if he had been poured into his clothes and had forgotten to say ‘when.’”

“I know I was writing stories when I was five. I don’t know what I did before that. Just loafed I suppose.”

“It was my Uncle George who discovered that alcohol was a food well in advance of modern medical thought.”

“She had a penetrating sort of laugh. Rather like a train going through a tunnel.”

“The fascination of shooting as a sport depends almost wholly on whether you are at the right or wrong end of the gun.”

“It is a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them.”

(View entire post here)

It's kind of like finding an original copy of the Constitution behind an old print that you bought in a garage sale or going on Antiques Road Show and finding out that old sword hanging in Mom and Dad's attic originally belonged to George Armstrong Custer.

There had been a few buzzings about the whereabouts of the old Busy Bee Lunch sign, but imagine my surprise to read in last weeks Buffalo Bulletin that not only had the original sign for the local landmark been found, but that it was ‘going to be up there again'.

Hmm… That's news to me, especially since it's sitting in my shop.

I was at an auction at the rodeo grounds back in '05 when I noticed the rather large sign resting on a gooseneck trailer, one of the items to be auctioned off later in the day. I saw a few people walk over and attempt to pick it up with little success. There were a few things I was looking for inside, in this case a copy of Jack Gage's Ten Sleep and No Rest, so I went in and listened to Larry Brannian do his thing. Later that day I came out and found that although most of the outside goods had been sold off, the Busy Bee sign was still there.

One of the auction assistants was nearby, so I asked who'd gotten it.

"Nobody."

I was a little surprised. "Nobody?"

"Yep, it's headed to the dump. It was so heavy that nobody wanted it."

I thanked the young man and walked over to take one last look at the sign with its broken neon; sorry it was going to meet such an ignoble end. I remembered many a fine meal at the local institution, so much so that I included it as a staple in the fictitious Absaroka County of my mystery series. I get emails and cards from all over the world asking me about locations in the books, and one of the most popular is the Busy Bee. I am always saddened to tell readers that it was no longer there.

Testing my own strength, I attempted to lift the sign, which didn't budge. It was about then that I noticed that it was cabled to the trailer. I walked around and loosened the cables and then easily lifted it with one hand.

The young man that I'd asked about it in the first place was still loading unsold goods and carrying them inside when I yelled to him, "Hey, I'll give you twenty bucks for the sign."

He looked back over his shoulder. "Sold!"

I loaded it into my truck myself and brought it home in hopes of someday repairing and replacing the neon and possibly hanging it off of my shop, but like a lot of projects it got put on the back burner.

So imagine my interest last week when according to Occidental Hotel owner Dawn Wexo, the Busy Bee would be reopening in May in its old location by Clear Creek, and that the ‘key to bringing the Bee back to life', said sign had been found and acquired-without having contacted me.

While away this weekend in Greybull, Basin and Ten Sleep I came home to find a phone message from Ms. Wexo asking me if I'd please give her a call back at my earliest convenience. I don't think we've ever met, but she sounds like a nice person.

I wonder what she wants.

All the best,

Craig

PS: Brevity being the soul of wit, I am not going to relist April and May events here (see www.craigallenjohnson.com if you missed them on the last post-it), but here is the JUNKYARD DOGS tour as it stands right now.

Billings, MT, Barnes and Noble, June 1, 7 PM; Decatur, GA, Georgia Center for the Book, June 3, time TBA; Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC, Flyleaf Books, June 4, 7:30 PM; Pittsboro, NC, MacIntyre's Fine Books, June 5, 11 AM; Nashville, TN, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, June 7, 7 PM; Saint Louis, MO, St Louis County Library, Lindbergh Blvd. St., June 8, 7PM; Austin, TX, BookPeople, June, 8, 7 PM: Houston, TX,  Murder by the Book, June 11, time TBA; Yoakum, TX,  DD Ranchwear, June 11, noon; Scottsdale, AZ, Poisoned Pen, June 12, 2 PM; Orange, CA, Book Carnival, June 13, 1 PM; Los Angeles, CA, Mystery Bookstore, June 15, 7 PM; Thousand Oaks, CA, Mysteries to Die For, June 16, time TBA; Portland, OR, Murder by the Book, June 17, noon; Beaverton, OR, Powell's Books, June 17, 7 PM; Denver, CO, Tattered Cover (Colfax),  June 18, 7:30; Denver, CO, Murder by the Book, June 19, 12:30 Pm; Longmont, CO, High Crimes, June 19, 7 PM; Jackson Hole, WY, Jackson Writer's Conference, June 24; Vero Beach, FL, Vero Beach Book Center, June 27, time TBA; Boynton Beach, FL, Boynton Beach Branch Library, June 28, 2 PM; Delray Beach, FL, Murder on the Beach, June 28, 7 PM; Salt Lake City, The King's English, July 1, 7 PM; Sunriver, OR, Sunriver Books and Music, July 3, 5 PM; Sisters, OR, Paulina Springs Books, July 5, 6:30 PM: Redmond, OR, Paulina Springs Books, July 6, 6:30 PM; Portland, OR, Murder by the Book, July 7, 7 PM; Olympia, WA, Whodunit Books, July 8, 7 PM; Seattle, WA, Seattle Mystery Bookstore (with Mike Lawson), July 10, noon.

The New York Times Bestseller List
March 28th, 2010

Hardcover Fiction

1. THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett. A young white woman and two black maids in 1960s ­Mississippi.
2. HOUSE RULES, by Jodi Picoult.  A teenage boy with Asperger’s syndrome is accused of murder.
3. THE SILENT SEA, by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul.  Juan Cabrillo and the crew of the Oregon make discoveries that lead back to an ancient Chinese expedition.
4. THINK TWICE, by Lisa Scottoline. A woman takes over her twin sister’s life.
5. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, by Seth Grahame-Smith.  Lincoln fights the undead; by the author of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.”

Hardcover Nonfiction

1. THE BIG SHORT, by Michael Lewis. The people who saw the real estate crash coming and made billions from their foresight.
2. CHELSEA CHELSEA BANG BANG, by Chelsea Handler.  More humorous personal essays from the comedian.
3. COURAGE AND CONSEQUENCE, by Karl Rove.  President George W. Bush’s senior adviser and deputy chief of staff explains his choices.
4. THE PACIFIC, by Hugh Ambrose.  Stories of Marines and a Navy pilot during World War II; companion volume for an HBO mini-series.
5. CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, CHANGE YOUR BODY, by Daniel G. Amen.  Using the brain-body connection to lose weight and avoid depression.

Paperback Trade Fiction

1. THE LAST SONG, by Nicholas Sparks. A 17-year-old spends the summer with her father in North Carolina and finds many kinds of love.
2. LITTLE BEE, by Chris Cleave.  The lives of a British woman and a Nigerian girl collide.
3. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson.  A hacker and a journalist investigate the disappearance of a Swedish heiress.
4. A RELIABLE WIFE, by Robert Goolrick.  Complications ensue when a wealthy Wisconsin widower in 1907 advertises for a wife.
5. THE 8TH CONFESSION, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. Detective Lindsay Boxer and the Women’s Murder Club investigate a pair of killings.

Paperback Mass-Market Fiction

1. THE LAST SONG, by Nicholas Sparks. A 17-year-old spends the summer with her father in North Carolina and finds many kinds of love
2. DEAR JOHN, by Nicholas Sparks.  An unlikely romance between a soldier and an idealistic young woman is tested after 9/11.
3. FIRST FAMILY, by David Baldacci. Former Secret Service agents, now P.I.’s, search for a child abducted after a party at Camp David.
4. SHUTTER ISLAND, by Dennis Lehane. A United States marshal hunts for a beautiful patient escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane on an island in Boston’s outer harbor.
5. LONG LOST, by Harlan Coben.  Myron Bolitar helps a former lover search for her daughter.

Paperback Non-Fiction

1. THE BLIND SIDE, by Michael Lewis.  The evolving business of football, viewed through the rise of the left tackle Michael Oher.
2. A PATRIOT’S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, by Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen. America as a “city on a hill.”
3. ARE YOU THERE, VODKA? IT’S ME, CHELSEA, by Chelsea Handler.  Humorous personal essays from the comedian.
4. EAT, PRAY, LOVE, by Elizabeth Gilbert. A writer’s yearlong journey in search of self takes her to Italy, India and Indonesia.
5. MY HORIZONTAL LIFE, by Chelsea Handler.  A memoir of one-night stands.

Hardcover Advice

1. THE KIND DIET, by Alicia Silverstone.  The actress’’s recipes and insights for going meat- and dairy-free.
2. SWITCH, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.  How everyday people can effect transformative change at work and in life.
3. WOMEN, FOOD AND GOD, by Geneen Roth. How women can free themselves from the tyranny of fear and hopelessness surrounding their bodies.
4. REWORK, by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. Counterintuitive rules for small-business success, like “Ignore the details early on” and “Good enough is fine.”
5. HOW TO NEVER LOOK FAT AGAIN, by Charla Krupp.  A simple way to determine whether a piece of clothing is the visual equivalent of packing on the pounds.

Paperback Advice

1. FOOD RULES, by Michael Pollan.  A manual for healthy eating, from the author of “The Omnivore’’s Dilemma.”
2. NOW EAT THIS!, by Rocco DiSpirito. Recipes for favorite comfort foods, all under 350 calories.
3. WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.  Advice for parents-to-be.
4. THE BELLY FAT CURE, by Jorge Cruise.  Do-over recipes using the “Carb Swap System” steer you away from foods full of hidden sweeteners and processed carbohydrates.
5. COOK THIS, NOT THAT!, by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. Saving calories by cooking “restaurant” offerings at home.

Children’s Picture Books

1. THE EASTER EGG, written and illustrated by Jan Brett.  A story of kindness and the hatching of spring. (Ages 4 to
2. DISNEY’S ALICE IN WONDERLAND: THE VISUAL GUIDE, written by Jo Casey and Laura Gilbert.  A movie tie-in. (Ages 8 and up)
3. THE LION AND THE MOUSE, by Jerry Pinkney.  A fable of reciprocal kindness, redrawn. (Ages 4 to
4. POET EXTRAORDINAIRE!, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.  Fancy Nancy’s fancy turns to rhyme. (Ages 4 to
5. MY GARDEN, written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes.  A little girl’s garden yields a bounty of magical variety. (Ages 4 to

Children’s Chapter Books

1. THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins. In a dystopian future, a girl fights for survival on live TV. (Ages 12 and up).
2. CATCHING FIRE, by Suzanne Collins.The protagonist of “The Hunger Games” returns. (Ages 12 and up)
3. PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS (THE ULTIMATE GUIDE), written by Mary-Jane Knight. Designed by Philip Chidlow. Gods, beasts and tips for children with one immortal parent, based on the series by Rick Riordan. (Ages 10 and up)
4. ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, by Lewis Carroll. Illustrated by Camille Rose Garcia.  Down the rabbit-hole again, with new illustrations. (Ages 9 to 12)
5. FALLEN, by Lauren Kate.  Thwarted love among misfits at a boarding school in Savannah, Ga. (Ages 12 and up)

Children’s Paperback Books

1. FANCY NANCY’S ELEGANT EASTER, by Jane O’Connor and Carolyn Bracken. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.  Bunnies, flowers, eggs and a soupçon of French. (Ages 4 to
2. THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak. A girl saves books from Nazi burning and shares them with a Jewish man in hiding. (Ages 14 and up)
3. L.A. CANDY, by Lauren Conrad.  Excitement in TV land by someone who has been there. (Ages 14 and up)
4. DARK VISIONS, by L. J. Smith. A school for psychic teens. (Ages 14 and up)
5. THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN, by Sherman Alexie. Illustrated by Ellen Forney.  A young boy leaves his reservation for an all-white school. (Ages 12 and up)

Children’s Series Books

1. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.  A boy records the hazards of adolescent life. (Ages 9 to 12)
2. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan.  Battling mythological monsters. (Ages 9 to 12)
3. MAXIMUM RIDE, by James Patterson. ) Winged children try to save the world. (Ages 10 and up)
4. VAMPIRE DIARIES, by L. J. Smith.  Vampires in school, with a love triangle. (Ages 12 and up)
5. THE TWILIGHT SERIES, by Stephenie Meyer. Vampires and werewolves in high school. (Ages 12 and up)

Hardcover Graphic Books

1. TWILIGHT, by Stephenie Meyer and Young C. Kim.  The comic adaptation of the ever-popular vampire series.
2. KICK-ASS, by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr..  A “realistic“ and violent look at what would happen if a teenage boy put on a costume to fight crime. Not for the weak of heart.
3. THE BOOK OF GENESIS: ILLUSTRATED, by R. Crumb. The legendary artist tackles the first book of the Bible.
4. DARK TOWER: THE FALL OF GILEAD, by Robin Furth and Peter David.  This comic series explores the world set forth by Stephen King’s “Dark Tower” novels. Has Roland committed the worst crime of all?
5. SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON, VOL. 3, by Greg Rucka, Geoff Johns and James Robinson.  The Man of Steel must play peacemaker as a new Kryptonian society begins to take shape on another planet. Unfortunately, General Zod has some ideas of his own.

Paperback Graphic Books

1. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: SEASON 8, VOL. 6, by Joss Whedon, Jane Espenson and others. The vampires hold the upper hand, but the slayers are about to get some help: Oz. Plus, more on the mysterious Twilight.
2. HELLBOY, VOL. 9, by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo. A by-the-numbers giant hunting case takes an unforeseen detour that forces Hellboy to confront the truth about his lineage.
3. THE WALKING DEAD, VOL. 11, by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. The road to Washington is filled with many dangers for Rick and his band of refugees. To say anything more will ruin the story.
4. FABLES, VOL. 13, by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges. The Fables face-off against the Literals, the embodiments of romance, comedy, fantasy and one who can forever erase them from the world.
5. THE WALKING DEAD, VOL. 1, by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore. The gripping story of the human survivors in a world overrun by zombies begins.

Manga

1. NARUTO, VOL. 47, by Masashi Kishimoto.  Naurto learns more secrets from his past and moves closer to discovering the identity of his nemesis, Pain.
2. BLEACH, VOL. 30, by Tite Kubo.  Ichigo Kurosaki sees dead people and must help usher them safely into the afterlife.
3. BLACK BUTLER, VOL. 1, by Yana Toboso.  Sebastian is a loyal butler who moves easily from dinner parties to the underworld. Is he too good to be true? Is he even human?
4. SOUL EATER, VOL. 2, by Atsushi Ohkubo.  Maka, an arms expert, wants to turn the Soul Eater, her living scythe, into the ultimate weapon for Death.
5. SOUL EATER, VOL. 2, by Atsushi Ohkubo. Maka, an arms expert, wants to turn the Soul Eater, her living scythe, into the ultimate weapon for Death.

Source: The New York Times Best Seller List

Copyright 2009. Maw Books Blog

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Yesterday, President Barack Obama paid a visit to the famed Prairie Lights bookstore in Iowa City, IA. Among the books he selected to bring home for his daughters, Sasha and Malia, was Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson.

Read more about this this ALA Notable children's novel, and the complete story about Obama's visit to Prairie Lights in the Washington Post.

About the book:

Accompanied by Miss Minton, a fierce-looking, no-nonsense governess, Maia, a young orphan, sets off for the wilderness of the Amazon, expecting curtains of orchids, brightly colored macaws, and a loving family. But what she finds is an evil-tempered aunt and uncle and their spoiled daughters. It is only when she is swept up in a mystery involving a young Indian boy, a homesick child actor, and a missing inheritance that Maia lands in the middle of the Amazon adventure she's dreamed of. Readers of every generation will treasure Ibbotson's lush historical adventure that harkens back to the beloved classics of Frances Hodgson Burnett and Louisa May Alcott. 

Read an excerpt

Read an author interview

Read notes on the text

View the reading group guide

View books featuring President Barack Obama

Photo credit: Associated Press 

Penguin Penguin books Journey to the River Sea Eva Ibbotson Young Readers President Barack Obama reading children's books YR

Great images of books from around the world and the Web.

From the White House’s official Flickr stream comes proof positive that there’s nothing quite like a good editor.

Click here to see the meticulous revisions close-up.

Official White House Photo, by Pete Souza.

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