February... News, Events and What We are Reading!
Love & Literacy
Love is the air this month. Yes, it’s Valentine’s Day, but it’s also Black History Month. A time to remember to love your neighbor regardless of their color. A time to honor the generations of African Americans who have struggled with adversity and their many contributions to our country. We have an extensive recommended reading list on Black History which we would love to share with you. So please come browse.
The highlight of last month had to be our special event with Isabel Allende who absolutely enchanted a SRO crowd of 200 at the Spinnaker. If you missed this legendary author and our conversation about her writing, her feminism and leading a passionate life, here is the video.
The event was the launch of our new non-profit Literacy by the Bay which we hope you will support. As you will learn below, it is an innovative new business model that will help us remain sustainable while helping children, young adults, people of all ages and backgrounds grow as successful readers, writers and communicators.
Cheryl–
Literacy By The Bay
Literacy by the Bay is our new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children, young adults, people of all ages and backgrounds grow as successful readers, writers, and communicators.
• 54% of adults in America have less than a 6th grade level of literacy
• Children who are not reading well by the end of 3rd grade are 4 times more likely to drop out of high school and not graduate… if they are Black or Hispanic students that likelihood doubles.
Literacy has the power to change lives and break the cycle of disadvantage. By improving literacy, we engage, enrich and inspire lives as well as our community.
Our new non-profit will also help us remain sustainable as a brick and mortar independent community bookstore. The way people buy and read books has changed dramatically, so the way we run our business must also change. Literacy by the Bay will help us preserve the physical space where literacy is celebrated; where people browse, discover and read books; where we host programs that foster literacy; where we provide a community forum.
Learn more and make a tax-deductible donation today.
Photo Gallery Of Past Events
ABOVE
1, 2, 3) We were so honored to host the legendary author Isabel Allende who enchanted and entertained a SRO crowd of 200+ at the Spinnaker. In conversation about her writing, her feminism and the importance of a passionate life.
4) Authors Larry Smith & Melanie Abrams presenting The Joy of Cannabis
5) With Bay Book Fest founder Cherilyn Parsons & Susan Griffin
6) We were delighted to co-host a special event at The Pines with Bay Area Book Fest/Women Lit – featuring literary luminary & feminist author Susan Griffin, celebrating publication of her newest book Out of Silence, Sound. Out of Nothing, Something.
7) Teen Book Club with Azalais Flanders and friends – meets every first Saturday of the month at 4 PM
Black History Month
Why is February Black History Month? Because it was originally created to celebrate Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass – both of whom were born in February. You know Lincoln, but do you know Frederick Douglass? He was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman in the 1800’s. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, famous for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. Highly recommended reading: Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight. A excellent biography and winner of the Pulitzer Prize.
Year Of The Rabbit
The Chinese Lunar New Year of the Rabbit started January 22nd but we are still celebrating because I’m a Rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac (!) We’ll be offering Fortune Cookies this coming weekend. Chinese astrologists say The Year of the Rabbit will be a year of hope; a time of peace, harmony and comfort. Let’s hope so. In Chinese culture, the rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity. All good.
Creating a Life of Integrity
In the Asian tradition / spirit of Buddhism, seriously consider signing up for an incredible program (11 inspirational sessions over 11 months) with local business woman and author Gail Stark.
Every first Tuesday, 6-7:30pm
Starting Tuesday, March 7th
About the Program
When we don’t speak or act from our own sense of integrity, we can feel lousy. Join us and find out how you can live with more integrity, and subsequently more joy. Together we will unpack the components of integrity, taken from ancient Buddhist teachings. They are: generosity, virtue, renunciation, wisdom, courage, patience, truthfulness, resoluteness, loving-kindness and equanimity. As we strengthen and weave these qualities into our daily lives, taking them one by one each month, they become our trusted first response in a world that needs our integrity now. Buddhists call this “The Bliss of Blamelessness.”
About Gail
Co-founder of a highly regarded real estate company, Gail has been quietly infiltrating the world of business with Buddhist teachings for 30+ years. A disciple and student of Joseph Goldstein, she recently worked with him to publish Creating a Life of Integrity – a practical, step-by-step guide on how to incorporate the components of integrity into your daily life. She lives in Sausalito with her husband Ron.
To sign-up, and for more details ask our booksellers, call 415.887.9967 or email staff@sausalitobooksbythebay.com
Upcoming Events
February 14th, 5:30pm
Book Club
Inseparable
By Simone de Beauvoir
A slim but most memorable novel that was written in 1954 and suppressed for years. Finally translated & published here in 2021, it is a joy to read and a deep insight into the iconic writer’s life and what influenced her. A beautiful book about female friendship, identity and coming of age.
Simone de Beauvoir is the French existentialist, philosopher, novelist, editor and groundbreaking feminist perhaps best known for her feminist classic The Second Sex.
Register for the club & buy the book at the shop – or call 415.887.9967
February 14th
Valentines Day
It may be too late to get a dinner reservation at a local restaurant, but it’s not too late to find the perfect card, book or other gift for your sweetheart at your independent bookstore!!
February 16th, 6pm
A Celebration of Well-Being!
Author Marilynn Preston in conversation with Brent BecVar
Join acclaimed journalist Marilynn Preston and master teacher Brent BecVar for a lively conversation about matters near and dear to us as we navigate recovery from all things COVID – our health, our happiness, and our sense of well-being. They will share their favorite strategies for living your best life based on Marilynn's book All Is Well – one of the most entertaining and practical user-friendly guides for managing stress and living not just a long life, but a good life.
A Fundraiser for Marin Humane –
Free to Attend – Donations Encouraged
February 20th
President's Day Holiday
We will be open!
March 4th, 4pm
Teen Book Club
Salt To The Sea
By Ruta Sepetys
With Azalais Flanders
Azalais lives in Sausalito and is in the 7th grade at Mount Tamalpais school in Mill Valley. She is an avid reader, volunteers at the bookshop on Saturdays, and will be leading the book group discussion.
Salt to the Sea – Winter 1945. WWII. Four refugees. Four stories. Each refugee born of a different homeland; each one hunted, and haunted, by tragedy, lies, war. As thousands desperately flock to the coast in the midst of a Soviet advance, four paths converge, vying for passage aboard the Wilhelm Gustloff, a ship that promises safety and freedom.
THE TEEN BOOK CLUB meets the FIRST SATURDAY of every month @ 4pm –
For more information or to sign up: 415.887.9967
March 7th, 6pm
The First in a Series of Classes on Integrity
With Gail Stark
Every first Tuesday, 6-7:30pm
Starting Tuesday, February 7th
{11 sessions over 11 months}
The $200 class fee (all eleven sessions) includes a copy of Gail’s extraordinary book Creating a Life of Integrity.
To sign-up, and for more details ask our booksellers, call 415.887.9967
or email: staff@sausalitobooksbythebay.com
March 14th, 5:30pm
Book Club
The Cabala & The Woman of Andros
Thornton Wilder
With Tappan Wilder, Literary Executor for his Uncle Thornton Wilder
It is a divine and lavish pleasure to tuck into tales written long ago by a true master. Wilder had such a profound grasp of the classics, mythology, art, music and history. The Cabala is an irreverent and witty look at the intellectual aristocracy littering Rome in the early 1920’s, but a look laden with insightful observations and heavy motifs such as the “sufficiency of love”. The Woman of Andros, while set in ancient Greece in 400 BC, is just as entertaining and thought provoking a tale of a beautiful, intelligent and powerful hetaira (a highly cultured courtesan).
Register for the club & buy the book at the shop – or call 415.887.9967
March 21st, 6pm
Special Presentation –
She Wrote:
Women Writers Who Have Turned Heads & History
With Cheryl Popp
Woman’s History Month
Join local authors & activists for a special panel discussion: Celebrating Women: Mind, Body & Soul.
Date & details forthcoming
Unless otherwise indicated all events are open to the public
and there is no charge to attend.
March 14th, 5:30
The Cabala & The Woman of Andros Thornton Wilder
Save the date for our April Book Club –
Tuesday, April 11th – 5:30pm
We will be reading Murder on the Dock of the Bay by Rick Seymour
Romantic Sips
Sparkling wines and champagne (PINK bubbles to be exact!) seem most appropriate for Valentine Day. So, if you are opting for a romantic evening at home or on your boat, versus a crowded restaurant, pick up a bottle from us.
What's New
Dog Treats with a Cause
In our ongoing campaign to be THE MOST dog-friendly establishment in Sausalito, we are now stocking healthy, grain-free, soft, chewy, premium dog treats created by GIVEPET whose motto is “Share Infinite Love.” Which they do. When you buy GIVEPET treats from us they donate the same goodness to the shelter of our choice which happens to be Marin Humane. Buy a bag of treats from us for your Fido and you’ll also be providing treats for our local animal shelter.
What Were Reading
The Light Pirate
Lily Brooks-Dalton
In the near future Florida’s hurricane season never ends, wreaking havoc across the state. Wanda is born during a devastating storm that changes the landscape, infrastructure and her family’s fortunes. As Florida continues to unravel and populations move inland to avoid storms and rising sea levels, Wanda and her family must learn to survive in the hostile environment and adapt in a state that is slowly reverting back to nature. Angela K.
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Gillian McAllister
McAllister structures her newest mystery in a unique and imaginative way. We witness a crime, along with the protagonist, and then she goes back in time in order to discover why it happened and how to prevent it. This is the perfect season to bundle up with a book and devour it in a day. Imagine seeing your son stabbing a complete stranger outside your house, so Jen goes on a mission to make sure it doesn’t happen. Use your imagination and enjoy this masterful thriller. Evan A.
Liar, Dreamer, Thief
Maria Dong
Liar, Dreamer, Thief is a page-turning psychological novel with a mostly reliable narrator. The story follows Katrina Kim, a troubled office worker who secretly hallucinates a fantastical world and magical creatures during her day-to-day life. Alongside her arsenal of ticks and coping habits, she develops a not-entirely-healthy obsession with her colleague, Kurt, who has some bizarre and sinister secrets of his own. The novel offers a gripping plot and a neat reflection on the tribulations of fantasy vs reality. Matthew K.
The Crow Road
Iain Banks
In a rare departure for me I'm recommending a contemporary novel, published only 30 years ago! Iain Banks is known more for his science fiction, but he was writing non-genre fiction more or less contemporaneously with Ian McEwan, though with less success on this side of the pond. The Crow Road has one of the greatest opening sentences ever: "It was the day my grandmother exploded." Enough said. Jeff B.
Pet Sematary
Stephen King
The Creed family moves into an idyllic new home, where they encounter a burial ground with a misspelled sign and a wonderful, horrible secret. Commonly regarded as one of King's best horror novels of all time, Pet Sematary is a classic for a reason. The novel succeeds as a thriller, a portrait of family, and a reflection on the nature of grief. The scares are surprisingly minimal... until the bone-chilling final chapters, that is. Matthew K.
Drifters
Kevin Emerson
This sci-fi mystery has it all! Jovie lives in Far Haven, Washington and feels down when her best friend Micha begins hanging out with a new group of girls. But when Micha actually disappears, Far Haven is no longer the tiny town that no one's heard of... it's the town where a thirteen-year old girl has gone missing. After months of looking for Micha, the search parties are called off and everyone seems to have 'moved on.' So Jovie takes matters into her own hands and uncovers some dark Far Haven history. As more information is uncovered, Jovie wonders will she end up missing like Micha? Will everyone just wake up one day and forget her too? The author does a fantastic job of making you think you know what’s going to happen, but you don’t right up until the last page. Azalais F.
The Curse of the Marquis de Sade: A Notorious Scoundrel, a Mythical Manuscript,and the Biggest Scandal in Literary History
Joel Warner
Whatever you may think of de Sade, his life was fascinating. I read this, however, for the story of the manuscript he left behind in the Bastille, told in chapters alternating with the biographical material. Although it would become his most notorious novel, how it intersected with its various owners is even stranger, eventually becoming an element of a massive Ponzi scheme which rocked the rare book trade over the last decade. Jeff B.
Out of Silence, Sound. Out of Nothing, Something.
Susan Griffin
A “writer’s guide”, yes, but also a collection of beautiful snippets and quotes about the art. This award-winning author of more than twenty-two books, who has also been teaching creative writing and editing manuscripts for more than five decades, distills daily wisdom for writing fiction, non-fiction or poetry – from start to finish. The short chapters are designed to help beginning writers get started, as well as experienced writers who are navigating blocks and other perils. It is inspirational read even if you aren’t tackling a manuscript! Cheryl P.
The Lego Story : How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination
Jens Andersen
We all probably given a Lego set to the children in our lives, and quite possibly have purchased a set to build as an adult. This fascinating book tells the story of the Danish family that a small wood working company into a global business that sells 100 million boxes of Legos each year. Along that 90 year journey, we learn of the forward thinking concepts of play which innovated the Lego brand. Complete with family interviews and archival pictures, this is a story not to be missed by a casual fan or a Lego enthusiast. Angela K.
Community Supported
Bookstore Program
By opening a CSB account with us – or adding money to an existing
account – you provide us with valuable working capital to help make ends
meet. The pandemic may be waning, but the business has not bounced
back at this independent bookstore!
For more information CSB program
Literacy By The Bay
To learn more about our new non-profit 501(c)(3) visit literacybythebay.org and learn how you can help make a difference.
Hours of Operation
10am – 6pm Seven Days A Week
Fulfilling special orders via phone 415.887.9967
or email staff@sausalitobooksbythebay.com
FREE Home Delivery – right to your doorstep in Southern Marin
FREE Shipping Anywhere in the U.S
TAKE-OUT with CONTACT FREE PICK UP CURBSIDE;
Pick Up Curbside with Free Downtown Parking
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”
The Best Little Bookshop On The Bay!
Sausalito Books By The Bay
100 Bay Street, Sausalito, CA 94965,
415.887.9967
FREE PARKING in front of the store in the Sausalito Yacht Harbor lot.
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