First Officer's Log No 32: Big Changes In Store

Happy spring, Iowa City and book lovers galore. The sun is shining, the snow is all gone, and the spring cleaning has begun, which means we at the Haunted Bookshop have a bunch of new stock to share with our regulars, including a massive amount of Loeb Classical Library editions, quite a few gorgeous new art books, lots of fictions, mystery and science-fiction, and a whole host of other subjects.

We're also planning a big move.

Our friends at Real Records have decided to close down their storefront, so we will be taking it over, and gaining even more room. Big changes are in store for the store, with the children's sections and art room to make some drastic moves, as well as our work area, which will occupy the center of the front room, giving us better ways to serve you as both buyers and sellers. We have big plans courtesy of our Captain Nialle, and I suspect an adventure awaits us as we orchestrate our move.

If you'd care to volunteer to help us out, we'll be posting info on Facebook when we need people, and we'll keep you posted here on our trusty blog. Make sure to check in regularly. We're looking forward to the changes.

More New Inventory!

We have a treat for you today!

Yesterday and today have brought in several Loeb Classical Library volumes, including works by Homer, Virgil, Herodotus, Xenophon, Plutarch, Ovid... oh I could go on and on (and there may have been excessive excitement on my part upon seeing some of these... but I admit nothing). We got the Big Ones of classical history, both green / Greek works and red / Roman works.

The Loeb editions are dual text, with Greek and English facing in the green books, and Latin and English facing in the reds. These will not last long (Nialle and a few others have already snatched the ones they wanted), so come visit us and check out the beautiful books.

I admit, I've never seen so many Loebs at one time. Nialle says it's unlikely we'll see this many again anytime soon. So come on in and check them out.

New Inventory!

Spring Break is upon us. Need something new to read? Lots and lots of new books have arrived in the past week.

We have a heaping piles of new Judaica, some gorgeous International Collector's Editions in literature and science, oversized art books including some beautiful (and rare) collections of Picasso and Van Gogh, and, fresh today, lots of near-new graphic novels, including favorites by giants like Alan Moore and Frank Miller.

"I live for the indignant yo-yo face!" - Ali

Daily Iowan Article 2: E-Books, with Nialle Interview

Check out today's Daily Iowan article about e-books and small independent bookstores, featuring an interview with our very own Nialle.

"I want them to make a teeny tiny dinosaur. Birds are too far removed. I want a theropod."
- Anna, first thing in the morning

First Officer's Log No 31: March Looms, Spring Follows

It is that time of year again, the time of year where the ground is soggy, the trees are shivering in their leaflessness, and the snow keeps filtering in and out, as if it can't decide whether or not that rodent in Pennsylvania was bluffing. In the spirit of these days where we can't be sure what's what as far as the weather goes (this is Iowa, after all), it's time to start planning for a garden, if you have the opportunity to have such a thing. Or a family vacation, or a solitary get away, or something that gives you the opportunity to flee the formerly frigid frontier.

For gardening enthusiasts, we have a whole case of gardening and botany related books, everything from flowers to trees, how-to books on making ponds and tiered gardens, and even the odd professional thesis on the flowering plants of Iowa and what makes them grand. We have a great little Iowa-centric nature section back with the gardening books, as well. So if you're looking for good ideas for your own little piece of gardener's paradise, come on by and we'll see if we can give you some good insights.

For all of our vacation-itching friends out there, those who need books to take with them, we're chock full of recommendations this time of year. If you're planning a weekend getaway, a good mystery never hurts, and Arturo Perez-Reverte's The Club Dumas is a gem of a book, eerie, mysterious and smart. I confess I lost my copy years ago in France, leaving it in a hotel room. Mercifully, I had a back up book with me, which leads me to my next suggestion.

It's never too late to start with the classics, and JRR Tolkien's The Lords of the Rings is as classic as they come. Said book kept me company for two weeks in France and Spain, and I read it twice while traveling by bus and train, from place to place. It's a story with everything: a rich world, great characters, stories within the greater story, a phenomenal mythology, heroes, villains... it's the kind of story that becomes classic because it draws so much of itself from classic stories, like The Odyssey and the great world mythologies. If you've never read it, or if it's been awhile, there's something for everyone within this truly modern classic.

The Club Dumas and The Lord of the Rings. Two great stories for the eager reader, and two great stories that won't fade away any time soon. Check them out and start building your list for your vacation or your weekend getaway.

Until next week, fellow bibliophiles.

Check It Out! We Made the News!

Check out this article from the Daily Iowan's Ryan Cole about the shop. We're a favorite haunt!