Delaware's Independent Bookshops

“What I say is, a town isn’t a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it’s got a bookstore, it knows it’s not foolin’ a soul.”
― Neil Gaiman

As I was surfing for something else the other day, I stumbled across a list of independent bookstores in my tiny state of Delaware. I was surprised at the sheer number of them, so I set myself the task of visiting the ones that appealed to me and seeing for myself what they had to offer. The individuality of each of them was fun to explore.

Listening to a Story

Life is busy at the moment. Working two jobs, moving house, trying to keep up with my writing obligations while my computer chooses to crash and burn -- all have conspired to make me give up one of the things I love most in this world. A good book. But then, I realized that life was providing me an answer.

June Book Club: The World We Found

Going to university is life changing. One enters little more than a child and leaves very nearly an adult. The experience will form one’s personality in ways that continue to reveal themselves as one ages.

May Book Club: My Korean Deli

One of the joys of tending bar is meeting the people who come in. Once a month, a group of really smart, funny women would come in for their dinner before heading to our local bookstore for a book club meeting. It seemed like such a great time that I asked if I could join. They agreed and I tagged along for the first time this month.

The Man With A Load Of Mischief

I had a terrible day Saturday, the kind of day that ended with floods of tears and glasses of scotch. I woke up Sunday and needed comfort. As usual, I found it in a book.

The Great Gatsby

“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter — tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning —


So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

I recently re-read The Great Gatsby. Universally acknowledged as one of the great novels in English, if not in any language, it is one of those rare books that truly deserves all the plaudits that come its way. Published in 1925, this nearly century old book tells a timeless story in a way that can (and has been) interpreted in an almost infinite variety of ways.

Best of 2012

2012 has been an interesting year, but a pretty good one. As we close in on the new year, here is my list of the best and most interesting things of 2012. Enjoy the list and all the best for 2013.