Kid's Otter Read Day May 16

Books Inc. Goes to the Dogs

Throughout May we'll be celebrating all things Wooftacular!

Bring in a Photo of your favorite canine friend, or if you cannot make it in, send a jpeg photo file attatchment to cross@booksinc.net with the pooch's name, the owner's name, and contact information to enter our bowlicious photo contest! Photos will be displayed in the store for everyone to adore. The winner will be determined by customer votes.
Winner will be announced Monday, June 1st and will receive a $25 Books Inc. Gift Card.

Jean Hanff Korelitz - Admission

Last night Jean read from her new novel Admission to a small, yet garrulous audience. An interesting discussion ensued upon the reading's conclusion concerning the strengths and shortcomings of the college admissions processes for top tier schools. Are our youth being adjured to write beyond their means in application essays? Are the pressures of matriculation conducive to focus and direction, or rather to an angst-ridden academic youth subculture? Exhaustively introspective applicants stretch and knead their ambitions into feigned likenesses of what they believe to meet national prestigious standards, but what comes of it may be detrimental to our youth and society in general.
While the system has it flaws, it may be argued that it makes more than due with what has been passed down successively from generation to generation. Without a complete, from the foundations up, reworking of the entire system there may be little hope for fundamental change. Jean's new novel gives further insight into the world of the application process and its intriguing unknowns.
Jean's reading was well accepted and very encouraging to those who are yet to crack open her new novel. We invite you to check it out yourself and consider the issues embedded in this engaging story.

-Derek

Fran Gage - The New American Olive Oil

The event today went off even better than expected with a fortuitous gathering of devotees and passers-by. After having made the drive down from San Francisco, where she had earlier made an appearance on KRON Channel 4, Fran was able to appease a curious and prodding crowd with her sagacity pertaining to all things olive. Leaping and bounding through varietal sorts, growing conditions, press processes, bottling, and tasting, Fran was able to engross a crowd that pushed the limits of our seating capacity. The oil sampling lessons and olive cake at the end of the question and answer session put a definitively satisfying end to a particularly gratifying afternoon at Books Inc. in Palo Alto.

Things to remember when selecting your olive oil (not to be confused with Olive Oyl, that would have a-whole-nother set of criteria altogether):

• Never profile your olive oil by its color...this makes no difference in quality or taste and makes you a presumptuous bigot of sorts, only joking of course.
• Make sure it can wear an especially white dress should you decide to settle down with it (i.e. only Extra Virgin olive oil should be used to ensure flavor, quality, and to avoid oils subjected to refinement processes)
• A darker bottle is conducive to longer shelf-life, attempt to stow it "where the sun don't shine" (i.e. your cupboard or closet)
• A bottle of olive oil is neither a bottle of wine nor an exquisite woman, it will not attain any favorable characteristics over time, shelf life is typically 1-2 years...enjoy sooner as opposed to later, and, if need be, throw a party tonight.
  
• When assessing the flavor and quality of a particular olive oil be sure to begin by warming it to approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit; then swish it around in a circular motion in an open faced container that allows for oil to breathe a bit; with nose over the brim of the container inhale deeply while attempting to identify any distinctive characteristics; proceed to imbibe the oil and let it rest on your tongue while breathing in through taught lips, allowing the air to pass over the oil while it rests on your palette; and finally swallow and exhale through your nasal passage in order to take note of any further qualities accentuated through nasal exhalation. Note: this procedure is for the aspiring connoisseur and not to be attempted by the faint of heart nor the uneducated dilettante.
  

-Derek

May Events

Tuesday, May 5th at 6:00 PM
Our Get Gardening program will feature Saxon Holt: photographer of Grasses.

Friday, May 8th at 7:00 PM
David Kessler will read from The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, a compelling analysis of why we eat the way we do.

Tuesday, May 12th at 6:00 PM
The Monthly Middle Reader Book Club will be meeting and discussing Pendragon Book One: The Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale

Wednesday, May 13th at 7:00 PM
Lee Konstantinou will read from his debut novel Pop Apocalypse: A Possible Satire.

Thursday, May 14th at 4:00 PM
Inked Books: Graphic Novel Book Club will be meeting and discussing Epileptic by David B.

Tuesday, May 19th at 7:00 PM
Founder of StencilArchive.org, Russell Howze will read from his book. Stencil Nation: Graffiti, Community, and Art.

Wednesday, May 20th at 7:00 PM
Meet C.M. Mayo author of The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire.