Spotlight Titles: 20% off all year long

Thank you to all of our customers who made this weekend’s sale a success.  It’s extremely heartening in this economy and with all the “dire” predictions we hear about the book industry to see how many people there are who still enthusiastically read and buy books.

I know that the 20% discount during the sale makes a difference, and so I want to make sure that everyone is aware of our Spotlight Titles program.  It’s an opportunity to get the sale discount on a rotating selection of our newest and most popular titles.

These are some of our current Spotlight Titles:

Prices on our website reflect the discounted price.

Buyer’s Picks: Children’s Books

Of everything I do at Book Culture, buying the children’s books is certainly the most fun. I always pull out the kids catalogs first and go through them, first quickly and then again more slowly. I’m searching for reprints of long lost favorites and those few special new books that do emerge every season.

Below are my favorites so far this year. I’m particularly attached to the first title about life in a traditional Mongolian home, told from the point of view of a baby. It combines beautiful illustrations and a simple, charming story in a way that is both strikingly unusual and comfortingly familiar.
-Annie

	My Little Round House by Bolormaa Baasansuren Hardcover $18.95 Groundwood Books In this delightful picture book, baby Jilu recounts his first year of life in a nomadic Mongolian community. He remembers being cradled by his singing mother, the delicious smells from the cooking pot, his first meeting with his grandparents, and the family’s wandering life with a camel caravan. They celebrate Tsagaan Sar, the new year, and later revel in the warmth and freedom of summer. Richly illustrated by a young Mongolian author/illustrator, “My Little Round House” reveals a world very different, and yet surprisingly similar, to that of young readers and their parents.
	Jacob Lawrence in the City by Susan Goldman Rubin Board Book $7.99 Chronicle Books Lawrence’s exuberant artwork guides readers through a bustling city. With rhythmic text and 11 iconic paintings, this book is both an introduction to an influential artist and a celebration of city life. Full color.
	The Three Robbers by Tomi Ungerer Hardcover $16.95 Phaidon Press First published in 1962, this classic has delighted readers around the world for generations. Unavailable in English for years, this international bestseller is now reissued in a lovely new edition. Full color.
	A Walk in New York by Salvatore Rubbino Hardcover Our Price: $13.60 (Retail Price: $16.99) Candlewick Press Spotlight Title – 20% off New York City — the perfect place for a boy and his dad to spend the day. Follow them on their walk around Manhattan, from Grand Central Terminal to the top of the Empire State Building, from Greenwich Village to the Statue of Liberty, learning lots of facts and trivia along the way. In this unabashed ode to America’s biggest city, Salvatore Rubbino’s fresh, lively paintings and breezy text capture the delight of a young visitor experiencing the wonders of New York firsthand.
	Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes, Adapted by Martin Jenkins, Illustrated by Chris Riddell Hardcover Our Price: $22.40 (Retail Price: $27.99) Candlewick Press Spotlight Title – 20% off From the award-winning team behind the acclaimed retelling of Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver” comes an accessible, lavishly illustrated edition of one of the most beloved stories in the world. Full color.
	Tropical Secrets: Holocaust Refugees in Cuba by Margarita Engle Hardcover $16.99 Henry Holt & Company Daniel has escaped Nazi Germany with nothing but a desperate dream that he might one day find his parents again. But that golden land called New York has turned away his ship full of refugees, and Daniel finds himself in Cuba. Yet even in Cuba, the Nazi darkness is never far away.
	Toby Alone by Timothee de Fombelle Hardcover $17.99 Candlewick Press Translated into 22 languages, this imaginative debut is a gripping and witty eco-adventure set on a Lilliputian world where a tree is under threat and a boy hunted by his own people must protect his father’s secrets. “The impressive debut novel from French playwright de Fombelle deftly weaves mature political commentary, broad humor and some subtle satire into a thoroughly enjoyable adventure.” –Publishers Weekly
	Book of Cities by Piero Ventura Hardcover Our Price: $15.16 (Retail Price: $18.95) Universe Publishing Spotlight Title – 20% off Ever wondered what people are doing in cities all over the world at any given moment? Piero Ventura’s charmingly illustrated children’s book—appreciated by both young and old—brings bustling scenes of major cities to life in intricate detail. This facsimile edition of Ventura’s original book, first published in 1975, provides a colorful, educational, and unique tour of major world cities. Delight in each city as you look for the London policeman holding up traffic, children shoveling the heavy snow of the side streets in Moscow, clerks waiting on customers in a huge Parisian department store, or the steam rising from the Chinese food cooking on a tiny houseboat in Hong Kong. The finely drawn illustrations and humorous details in Book of Cities are a celebration of the many ways people live, work, travel, and have fun in the major cities of the world.

Spring in Morningside Heights!

Spring has finally come to Morningside Heights and the Columbia neighborhood is suddenly awash in color. This is possibly the most beautiful moment of the year in New York and this cozy area of the Upper West Side that feels almost like a town within the city is a great place to experience it.

The tree in front of our store is in bloom and inside we’re excited about all the new spring titles that are flowing in.  A few of the highlights so far:

These are some of our favorite books from the past year that have just been released in paperback:

And if you mix in academic circles, you might want to check out the new (and popular) How Professors Think: Inside the Curious World of Academic Judgement.

Many more new spring titles are due in over the next several weeks, so come back regularly to see what new “must reads” are in store for you this summer.

Where can you find a great book for under $10?

At Book Culture, of course!

Hit the stairs first, which are lined with stacks of remainders. On the first landing you’ll find Mark Mazower’s recent book Hitler’s Empire for only $8 and Tony Judt’s Reappraisals for $7. Turn the corner and check out the literary criticism section, where you’ll find Michael Wood’s The Road to Delphi for only $4.99 and the timely Panic! Markets, Crises & Crowds in American Fiction for $5.98. There are several gems lining the stairs, including two titles by Pamuk, Snow and Other Colors, each for $7.98. Stop at the next landing to browse the philosophy sale books and then continue on up to the tables on the 2nd floor. Here you’ll find, among many other things, a new crop of architecture titles, more literature and poetry (look for DeLillo’s Falling Man and Coetzee’s Inner Workings), and an overflowing table of history and african-american studies books.

Don’t miss the carts featuring a selection of the very newest remainders (on the carts now: Putin’s Russia by Anna Politkovskaya, Untapped: The Scramble for Africa’s Oil by John Ghazvinian, Vishnu’s Crowded Temple: India Since the Great Rebellion by Maria Misra).

If energy and time allow, head on to the cases of bargain books, where you will find a wonderful mix of mostly used books on every topic, all at excellent prices.

More new remainder titles to watch for while browsing at Book Culture:

Book Culture has Chico Bags!

These eco-friendly compact bags are large and sturdy enough to carry books or groceries. When you’re not using it, stuff the bag into its attached pouch and tuck in your purse or pocket. Pick one up at Book Culture for $5.95 (or order by phone/email)

Book Culture’s Spotlight Section

Our spotlight titles (20% off) are now located all together along a rear wall of the first floor of the store. Look for the two bays of books next time you visit.

Great titles discounted!

Book Culture Gift Ideas – Totes and Tees!

WE have a variety of tee shirts and tote bags for sale – perfect to package with a gift book!

Just ask a bookseller for assistance if you don’t see the color or size that you like.
All of our tee-shirts are $7.50:

We’ve recently lowered the price on some of our tote bags, to encourage “green” shopping and less use of plastic bags (although we still have them if you prefer).
A large selection of our totes are now available for $2.95:

Salman Rushdie Signed Short Stories!

We have about 30 Salman Rushdie signed copies of The Best American Short Stories 2008 in the store right now. At $14, it is a great buy – for yourself, or as a gift. The books are on a downstairs table in the store — look for the ones with the “Signed by Author” sticker on the front. They’ll go fast, so stop by this weekend and pick up your copy! (Or copies!)

Come Visit Our New Children’s Section

We’ve dedicated a large upstairs area to children’s books. You’ll discover new titles, classics, foreign language titles and and some great discounts. Check out our recommended children’s titles and search our website for many more excellent selections for kids.