I did get to read a three books over the weekend. I finished Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture by Ellen Ruppel Shell, a very interesting account of how our desire for cheap goods has led to the extolling of convenience over quality. It’s fascinating learning about how and when our perceptions changed. Then I read Await Your Reply by the nice Dan Chaon. I met him last week at a dinner and am looking forward to eating with him again this Thursday. His latest novel investigates what makes up a person. Finally I decided to read Elizabeth Strout’s Pultizer Prize winning Olive Kitteridge to see what the fuss was about. I liked how she used the connected stories to paint a picture of one person. It’s not a long book, but very engaging.

I’m off tomorrow to New York for Book Expo. I’ll be meeting publicists, authors, and of course, other booksellers. It’s always exciting and I’m hoping to post while I’m there. I’ll also be on a panel called Social Media and the Independent Bookseller with several other great folks. That’s on Thursday at 2:30. Come check it out if you’re attending the day of education!