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Welcome to a new series of blog posts that we hope will introduce you to our taste, our neighborhood, and our customers a bit better.
The front table changes more than any other part of the store, and as Tuesday is traditionally the day on which new books are released, Wednesday morning is when the table is at its freshest and newest. We’re a little obsessive about the front table, but with good reason. It’s the first thing both new and regular customers see when they walk in the store, so it’s everyone’s first impression of who WORD is and what we care about. It’s hands-down the part of the store with the most sales, so what we put there matters from a financial perspective as well. And what people see matters for authors and publishers, too, so we want to make sure we’re supporting the authors and presses that we love and that our customers love.
Here are some of the things our manager thinks about when she fusses and frets over the table: is there a somewhat-even gender distribution? are international authors adequately represented? what’s getting a lot of attention on NPR and The Daily Show? what about small presses? what about authors with a proven track record in our neighborhood? what about books we love but nobody’s heard about for some reason? are there books about which, when someone asks, “have you read these?” we can proudly say yes? is it possible to balance all of these qualities in a selection of just sixteen books, most of which came out this week?
We’re not sure if it is, but we do know that it’s our duty as independent booksellers to give it our best shot—to balance the debut and the proven, the foreign and the Brooklyn, the fiction and the non-fiction, the paperback and the hardcover, the NYTBR front-pager and the up-and-coming. Every Wednesday, we try again, and now we want to share that attempt with the world every week. You’ll see a picture and a short explanation of what’s new and why we chose it.
Without further ado, here’s this week’s picture:
WORD front table, 7 October 2009.
And here’s our commentary: As fits this crazy fall of basically every famous English-language author releasing a book, there’s a lot of heavy hitters on here this week: Bukowski, Roth, Bolano, Byatt, Saramago, and a new translation of The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass. It should shock no one to hear that McSweeney’s is especially popular in our part of Brooklyn, so Dave Eggers’ The Wild Things and McSweeney’s More Things Like This both get prominent placement this week. In a similar vein, we’re also featuring Sarah Vowell’s The Wordy Shipmates, now in paperback.
We’ve got Terry Tempest Williams on there because dozens of other indie booksellers love her, so even though no one here has read the book, their recommendations are good enough for us. The Sealed Letter by Emma Donague because Stephanie loved it, and the paperback of State by State because it is a cool collection. And George Orwell for good measure. You can’t go wrong with George Orwell’s essays.
I don’t know anything about Totally Killer except that it’s one of the best covers of the week. And in a week super heavy on fiction, there was still room for Alphabet Juice, a great book for word lovers (and hopefully also WORD lovers. Haha! Yes, those jokes never get old for us.)
Rounding things out, at the top we’re featuring Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger a. because The Time Traveler’s Wife is one of Christine’s favorite books of all time and b. because the publisher sent us a gorgeous letterpress broadside to display with it (poking out the top there) and we love letterpress more than a simple blog post could express.
So there you have it! The bizarre thought patterns behind our front table. As you can see, we don’t always solve every question perfectly every week. But we hope you’ll continue to read along and let us know what you think.
We’ve got all the essentials covered with this month’s event schedule: food, sex, music, travel – all the basics. Really, it’s that simple. Plus something family friendly for the kiddies too.
Thursday, October 22, 7:30 pm: Sex Writing Night hosted by Rachel Kramer Bussel – With Mara Altman, author of Thanks for Coming: One Young Woman’s Quest for An Orgasm, Dagmar Herzog, author of Sex in Crisis and contributors to Best Sex Writing 2009, Tom Johansmeyer and Debbie Nathan
Saturday at 4 PM – Frank Portman 
Poet, translator, essayist and New Yorker staffer since 1959, Alaistair Reid has also published many books for children. He’ll join us to read from the recently reissued classic 
Do you get our monthly newsletter? It’s the best way to receive the detailed scoop on what is new at the store each month. Our manager Stephanie puts together an all-around entertaining and very informative bulletin. We can only offer a mini version here at the blog, so to be sure you don’t miss out on the next one, 
The best place to grab details (besides our newsletter) is over at 
-Sept 13: Come visit us at booth #30 at the BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL!
-Sept 20: WORD PLAY Family Event! reading with Alastair Reid, author of OUNCE DICE TRICE (3 pm)
Our biggest announcement this month is that we’re starting a new program here at WORD. From now on, whenever you pre-order and pre-pay for a book before its release date, we’ll give you 10% off the cover price. Big fan of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Well, pre-order its follow-up, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, anytime up to a week before the release date on September 15, and get 10% off. (Not sure if you’d like Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters? 
While you consider which books you can’t live without this fall, don’t forget about the kids’ section! The sequel to 
We’ve got a light event schedule for August – a lovely afternoon of crafting (this Sunday!!) and a brokenheart storytelling “session” – perfect entertainment (in our cool basement) for upcoming hot summer days and nights. Here’s the scoop on the Crafternoon and Love is a Four Letter WORD events:
Our next YA Not? event is this Thursday night (July 31, 7:30 pm) with Sheba Karim, the author of Skunk Girl, which has been praised as a welcome addition to teen collections, providing a rare exploration of Muslim culture. Sheba will read from the book, and participate in a Q&A with Abeer Hoque.
6) Can you name one author or book that was influential in writing Skunk Girl?
Green thumb alert! We’re digging in to discuss plants tomorrow night at the bookstore – wicked, dangerous, intoxicating and deadly botanical creatures. We’ll hear from two authors, or as we like to call them – plant goddesses!
We’re celebrating mid-season for the WORD basketball league this Sunday with a special brunch and event at the store. Basketball, Brunch and Books will feature Dave Reidy, author of the new short story collection Captive Audience. Dave will read his short story “Postgame”, about the retirement and fast-following fatherhood of a scrappy NBA guard. We’ll start the event at about 12:15 or so, after the WORD basketball teams finish up their Sunday morning games. Come by American Playground between 10:30 – noon to watch the players in action. Then join us across the street at the store for breakfast goodies and the reading. (Yes, there will be Peter Pan Donuts!) Here’s The WORD Interview Dave recently did with us:
6) Can you name one author or book that was influential in writing any of the stories in Captive Audience?
This Thursday, July 9th, we’ll host an Indie Press Night with 
6) Can you name one author or book that was influential in writing Once You Go Back?
Our latest WORD Interview is with 
Ok folks, here’s the WORD from us today: We are having as awesome event this Thursday night – you should come. Seriously. No excuses.
I’ve been wondering if the Sealed Letter was any good. Thanks for the rec.
FYI, Emma Donoghue wrote a great bio about two crazy Victorian spinsters who wrote poetry and plays under the pen-name Michael Field. It’s really good. Check it out if you can find a copy: We Are Michael Field (Absolute Press, 1998).