What Our Staff is Reading

The Kind Diet
by Alicia Silverstone

Rather than hit you over the head with scary health stats or gory visions of slaughterhouses, Alicia Silverstone, actress and vegan activist, maintains a positive gentle approach in this uplifting manual to the all-veggie lifestyle. Silverstone presents easy steps for healthier eating through sections on everything from phasing out meat and dairy to macrobiotic-style eating.

Reviewed by: Jen R.

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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot

This book blends science, race, and class issues seamlessly. In the 1950s, a poor black woman was diagnosed with a rare form of cervical cancer, and samples of both her cells were taken. However, unlike any other cell line in history, her cancerous cells kept growing in culture, leading to incredible treatments for polio, cancers, and other research—a fascinating story.

Reviewed by: Chris


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Touching the Void
by Joe Simpson

This is an utterly harrowing yet compelling tale, and one of the most remarkable mountaineering accounts I have read. Simpson and his companion were descending Siula Grande when Simpson fell and broke his leg. What follows is at first heroic, then tragic, then almost unbelievable. This book will leave you astounded at the potential of the human spirit to survive and endure.

Reviewed by: Mathew

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Every Day in Tuscany
by Frances Mayes

The herbal scent of mountain air, the click of heels on cobblestones, the taste of new olive oil: Mayes' ability to capture the senses is truly remarkable. In the third volume of her Italian memoirs, this ex-pat guides us through the simple pleasures of her day-to-day life. Prepare to be transported by Mayes' lyrical prose and entranced by the spirit of Tuscany.

Reviewed by: Jen

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The Hakawati
by Rabih Alameddine

Filled with Middle Eastern folklore and interspersed with a modern-day tale, The Hakawati is a multi-layered, culturally rich novel that will delight literary fiction fans. Alameddine’s storytelling is seductive, poignant, and full of ruminations about what stories mean to each of us. One of the most delightful and thought-provoking novels that I’ve read in years. Great for Bookclubs!

Reviewed by: Mandy

Showing a Whole Different Side: Window Displays on Pearl

Taking a stroll along the mall is never complete without some window shopping, no matter what your purpose may be. This summer we've seen some very eye-catching and fun window displays popping up along Pearl. Our favorite displays were vibrant yet cohesive, showing the store's contents in the most attractive presentation possible. A few exciting windows to check out as you're wandering about include Peppercorn (kitchen supply), Into the Wind (kites and games), Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and the ever-changing lanterns and origami shapes in Penny Weights (jewelry). Be sure to keep an eye out for more interesting windows, especially with the 4th of July coming up and lots of summer products rolling off the shelves.

Delightful Summer Reads

There really is nothing better to do with a warm afternoon than grab a paperback, head to the park, and plop down in the first free shade you see to read away the afternoon. Here's a few selections from our newest books to indulge in.

Kabul Girls Soccer Club: A Dream, Eight Girls, and A Journey Home, by Awista Ayub

In Kabul Girls Soccer Club, Awista tells both her own story and the moving stories of the eight original girls, how they found strength in each other, in teamwork, and in themselves- taking impossible risks to obtain freedoms we take for granted. This is a story about hope, home, and determination.

Generation A: A Novel, by Douglas Coupland

Generation A is set in the near future in a world where bees are extinct, until five unconnected people all around the world— in the United States, Canada, France, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka—are all stung. Their shared experience unites them in ways they never could have imagined.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery

In this enthralling international bestseller, two girls live inconspicuous lives in the center of an elegant Paris apartment building. It is only when a stranger moves into their building--and sees through the girls' disguises--that Paloma and Rene discover their kindred spirits.

Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals, by Temple Grandin

Drawing on the latest research and her own work, Grandin (austistic, as well as a very sucessful professor at CSU) identifies the core emotional needs of animals and then explains how to fulfill the specific needs of dogs and cats, horses, farm animals, zoo animals, and even wildlife. Whether it’s how to make the healthiest environment for the dog you must leave alone most of the day, how to keep pigs from being bored, or how to know if the lion pacing in the zoo is miserable or just exercising, Grandin teaches us to challenge our assumptions about animal contentment and honor our bond with our fellow creatures.

Let the Great World Spin, by Colum McCann

In the dawning light of a late-summer morning, the people of lower Manhattan stand hushed, staring up in disbelief at the Twin Towers. It is August 1974, and a mysterious tightrope walker is running, dancing, leaping between the towers, suspended a quarter mile above the ground. In the streets below, a slew of ordinary lives become extraordinary in bestselling novelist Colum McCann’s stunningly intricate portrait of a city and its people.

Enjoy!

Musical Group Paper Bird comes to Boulder on June 16th (Photo courtesy of James Holden)

As the summer season- and the heat, rain, and various other types of extreme weather that come along with this time of year in Colorado- kick off, downtown Boulder evening entertainment is getting into full swing as well. Bands on the Bricks provides live music every Wednesday night from 7-9 p.m., ranging from the folksy Colorado band Paper bird on June 16th (tonight!) to Funkiphino, a funk group playing on the 18th of August. New this year for Band on the Bricks is the addition of a beer garden run by Boulder Draft House, so you can work on a frosty one while watching everyone who's already done so get their groove on.

Full schedule of musical guests is available by clicking here. Bands on the Bricks takes place on the 1300 block of Pearl Street. Enjoy!