So long, Amazon! It’s been fun, but there’s something better happening right now. To be honest, very few of you click through to purchase books I recommend, but when you do, I earn a few cents. Literally. I don’t have any advertising on this site, no popups, no ads of any kind. I hate popups! I have a premium account with my host, WordPress, which I pay for to keep it that way. So that said, I get a tiny check a few times a year from Amazon that helps towards my out-of-pocket expenses here. But that’s about to change.
I am now a Bookshop.org affiliate! What is that, you might ask? It’s an online bookstore that actually hosts small, independent bookstores all over the country (maybe the world? I don’t know). Every purchase financially supports local independent bookstores. And yes, I’ll earn a few cents, too. I’d much rather support a small business than a greedy behemoth like Amazon.
This will apply to print books for now. They do sell some ebooks and audiobooks, but I’m not quite ready to switch over because it is a very limited selection, especially the audiobooks, so I am still partial to Audible for those. That’s why I’m saying so long (for now), not goodbye, to Amazon.
As for the ebooks, they do not work on Kindles, and as far as I’m concerned, the Kindle is the gold standard in ebook readers. I know some people love their Kobo, and frankly, I’m not even sure what other ebook readers are out there, so maybe I’ll tiptoe into this and just add an additional link for ebooks for those of you who read on something besides the Kindle. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this – is this something that would prompt you to purchase ebooks? Please let me know in the comments. Meanwhile, check out my new Bookshop.org store!
Book News
Maria Semple Returns With Her Most Personal Book Yet
The comedic writer went through a series of unfunny life events, including a breakup and failed writing projects.
‘The Housemaid’ author Freida McFadden reveals her real identity
Outside of the book world, McFadden is Sara Cohen, a doctor who treats brain disorders. And though it looks like a disguise, she really does wear glasses. The hair is a wig, but only because “I have no idea how to style my hair,” she tells USA TODAY in a phone interview.
Food News
Why the Cookbook Endures
Not too long ago, the physical cookbook seemed to be heading toward the same fate as the compact disc. What happened was just the opposite.
Good News
I wanted to buy less stuff. I ended up bonding with my neighbors.
Why renting items like a drill or a blender doesn’t work, and how I figured out a better way to borrow and lend things that people need.
In 2021, a disabled parrot named Bruce made headlines worldwide for creating his own prosthetic beak. He didn’t stop there: Scientists reported on Monday that Bruce has now become the alpha male of his group.
We went to New York for my granddaughter’s second birthday, and because the whole family was there, we also had a baby naming for her. For the uninitiated/non-Jews, this is a ceremony where a baby girl is given her Hebrew name, while boys have a Bris (or Brit Milah), the ritual circumcision ceremony. It is usually done at a much earlier age, but with girls, it’s not unheard of to do it later.
This was especially meaningful to me as my granddaughter, Sylvie Maya, is named for my mother, Selma, and her maternal grandmother, Evvie. Jews name their children after deceased relatives, and it is an honor that is bestowed on the newborn. Modern Jews tend to use the first initial rather than the full name, and honestly, my mother would have been horrified if they gave her name, Selma, to a baby – she hated her name! It meant the world to me that my son and daughter-in-law chose to use the S and came up with such a beautiful name combining the names of both beloved grandmothers. Her middle name is for my mother-in-law, Maria, and another family member, Maxie, on my daughter-in-law’s side.
It is often difficult to pick a name because honoring one person means not honoring another. I know I would have been crushed if they had gone in a different direction, especially because my son and my mother were extremely close. As far as she was concerned, he could do no wrong, and she loved him beyond reason. In her last weeks of life, I realized that she was struggling to survive, and it dawned on me that she was waiting for Daniel to come home. He came for the weekend and spent most of it with her, went back home on Sunday, and she passed on Tuesday. I don’t think that was a coincidence.
I didn’t mean to wander into melancholy when this was a weekend we celebrated. It was lovely to see the mishpocha (clan) and to see my granddaughter blessed. Life is good!
As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.
Thanks to The New York Times and The Washington Post for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles, a lovely perk for subscribers.
Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™ 
Congrats on the Bookshop.org affiliation! Will you be selling items (t-shirts, hopefully) that amazing Book Bitch image?
I did many, many years ago on CafePress, but it never went anywhere. I will look into it though – thanks for asking!