Sunday, July 02, 2006

Nancy Pearl's Army

I did the unthinkable during the month of June...I scheduled something else into my already hectic life. I started a bookclub and named it Nancy Pearl's Army*. Why? I was motivated by the desire to gather unique people to read modern, cult books. Working part-time at a bookstore, I get tired of having to placate people who flock to the bestsellers (not that there's anything wrong with them) and weary of the looks of shock when I recommend a book that doesn't have a happy ending. So many other cities manage to congregate freethinkers, and I wanted to see if we could bring a little bit of that to my hood**. I'm also a sucker for marketing and anything that gives me a chance to try to bring people by being creative gets me high. So, waht I guess I'm saying is join us! Our first book*** is in support of fellow blogger and fab girl, Stephanie Klein. I'm dying to read her new book, Straight Up & Dirty, and hope a lot of you are, too. She may not be very cult, but she's got a fine potty mouth, a way with words, and a badass blog. Buy the book on July 25 and come to the Barnes & Noble in Fairfax on August 25 at 8:00 pm to discuss.


*Nancy Pearl used to be a librarian in Seattle and actually has her own action figure. She has written a few books of her own, including the Book Lust books.
** Fairfax
***Future books include Diary by Chuck Palahniuk and Unlubricated by Arthur Nersesian.

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:24 PM

    If I lived anywhere near Fairfax, I would be there. I'm a major Nancy Pearl groupie. "Nancy Pearl's Army" is a brilliant idea!

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  2. i'm obviously there!

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  3. Just call me Specialist Allie.

    Or not.

    You know I'll be there

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  4. Ok, 1) you made the post express and 2) I want to join this cult book club! Please please please!!!

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  5. Anonymous1:30 PM

    Actually, there is something wrong with today's "bestseller" concept and the publishing industry in general. It's ALL about the bottom line.

    The publishing industry used to be about business and also writing. Publishers were willing to take the occasional chance on an unknown just because the writing was good.

    Today books are a commodity and "authorship" is a priviledge bestowed on anybody who has a marketing platform for any reason - not at all necessarily because they write well or have anything to say.

    As a result there are real writers who will never be heard from.

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  6. Anonymous1:50 PM

    Surprising choice. Curious, but not enough to by the hardcover. Hope you are doing well! Very good idea on the book club and I love tha name of it!

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  7. Thanks, guys!

    Velvet, if you think you can bring the city to the 'burbs, then I say bring it! We'll have flasks prepared.

    Darius, I couldn't agree more. It's just that every once in a blue moon a worthy book does make it to the bestseller list, so I didn't want to generalize too much.

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  8. Lynn,I like hardcovers anyway and enjoy her writing, so why not. Plus, I'm curious to see how people react to the book.

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