For the Fun of It - 5 books I bought on my travels and SAVE THE DATE!
storytime at the new Booksie Lala space!
I have been settling back in LA! I spent a week traversing the Maritimes, mostly in Halifax, but I wandered up to Antigonish and Prince Edward Island too.
First, most importantly, if you’re in LA next weekend and you have kids (or you just love great music), come by BOOKSiE LALA for a wonderful open house!! Founded by Emily Arrow, it’s going be so so special- It’s an art and music and literacy space for kids, and you can enroll in classes!!! It’s going to be a little piece of magic on W. 3rd. I’ll be there reading a story, and I bet I’ll be there helping out as much as I can!! :)
(also peep the mural and lettering I painted on the front!)
Next Saturday, Sept 28, from 10 to 5pm!
Now, into some books!
I love buying books when I’m traveling to a new place. I usually don’t pack any in my luggage (just my kindle, for the flight), and try to pack as light as possible because unfortunately this is one of the heavier travel hobbies.
Here’s how I like to do it. Avoid chain bookstores, and hunt for an indie bookstore, or bookstore/cafe. Almost all good bookstores have a local section. I’m not necessarily talking about non-fiction books about the place you’re visiting, but local authors in general. It’s such a look into an area! You get a greater grasp of a place you might only be spending a few days in, even if you’re reading a romance novel set in the small town on the east coast. For bonus points, ask the bookseller to recommend you something! They’ll love to share some local talent with you (and if you’re lucky, you might even get a signed copy if they’ve visited the bookstore!)
It’s seriously one of my favorite things!!! Maybe I can get some of you hooked on it. Here are my selects from this trip.
“For Folks’s Sake: Art and Economy in 20th Century Nova Scotia,”
Erin Morton
(available here from McGill press)
I’ve been screeching about folk art a lot lately, so when I saw this textbook in the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s gift shop, I couldn't resist. This is much more of a textbook and heavy reading than art, but it goes so deeply into the hows and whys of folk art in the Maritimes (the collapse of the fishing industry, and the Maritimes already have a collaborative spirit in the Antigonish Movement). The author is a professor in New Brunswick! Maybe this is a bit heavy of a travel read… to continue the folk art vein…
“Folk Artist”
William D Roach
(found here on abe books, self pub )
oh hellll yeah it’s full book of a ton of William Roach’s whittlings!!! How could I not buy this. Look at the fish!!!!!!! This is the kind of book you can only find IRL in local bookstores, this was in a little shop in Halifax by the water that only stocked Nova Scotia goods.
“Waiting for the Long Night”
Amanda Peters
(available at most bookstores, find some here)
Amanda Peters is a Mi’kmaw author in Nova Scotia, and this book of short stories is just great. I devoured half this book in the Halifax used&new bookstore cafe that I bought it in.
“Dirty Birds”
Morgan Murray
(available at most bookstores, here’s B&N.)
This book is hilarious, an absurdist dark comedy set mostly in Montreal and involves Leonard Cohen and the mob and I can’t spoil anything else. I picked this up at a bookstore in Antigonish- and despite the fact that this book is set in Montreal, it’s a deeply Canadian book (and Morgan Murray lives in Mabou, Nova Scotia, with his wife Kate Beaton. yes. that Kate Beaton!!)
and my final book, which made a waitress at a bar ask “what is that??” is…
“Blood in the Water”
Silver Donald Cameron
(available at most bookstores, here’s PRH’s page!)
Okay it’s also fun to pick up local true crime. This book is about the “murder for lobsters” story, where three men were accused of killing another who stole their lobsters from their traps. But it’s much much more, and gives a great overview of Cape Breton’s fishing village culture, and Acadian history. Some of the true crime books you might find in a local section will give you a deeper view of local history.
okay that’s all from me! Have you ever picked up any books while travelling? Any favorites?
ok love u bye
The cover of Dirty Birds = 😍