Dispatches from a Reading Traveller.

Hello,
To state the obvious, Powell's Bookstore in Portland Oregon is everything that an independent bookstore should be. Walking around in there today made me miss my former employer Sam Weller's. However Powell's is much more successful and better managed by far. While I marveled at their vast inventory, ultimately I was captured by the little touches of originality that always appear in stores like this. There I was able to find a book that had slipped through my fingers long ago. This is the book:


I snatched it up and will be adding it to the TBR pile. Otherwise I showed a lot of restraint and just marveled at what they have. Every book lover owes it to themselves to visit Powell's. It's a book mecca not to be missed.

Portland & Some Merchant

Hey,
Sorry that posts have been scarce this week. I am in the magical world of tragic hipsters: Portland, Oregon! For a few days the weather was awesome, but then it fell apart and became horrible. I'm here to attend a librarian conference with people from all over the country. I will try a few short bits now, and a wrap-up of the experience.

On the first day we were graced by a concert by Natalie Merchant featuring material from her new album. Just the very concept of the album Leave Your Sleep already had me interested: Merchant adapted works of poetry, primarily from pre-1920s. Being a poetry nut this was made for me. I enjoyed the material, particularly an adaptation involving a work by E.E. Cumming. However I will say that unless your interested in something unique, offbeat, even quirky, then I don't see Leave Your Sleep being more than an "arty" blip. Music culture has changed so immensely sing Merchant's real hey-dey in the 90s that I don't see this album getting much attention.

In essence she was playing to the right audience, librarians, who ate it up with a spoon. This included myself, but then again I think that Merchant is an auteur who doesn't really care about being the top of the charts. It's not like she does duets with Miley Cyrus. So this new album will play to a very small niche. I still enjoyed her performance and will be seeking out her album when it's released.

I'll try to post more, Have a great week! Book Slave.