May 2023
Dear Readers,
At a recent event for author Jennifer Egan, she was asked what she thought about AI written material and its impact on books, publishing, and authorship. Her response was perfect. AI might entertain, she commented, but it is deep reading that will be a form of resistance to our ever-increasing technological world. That is one reason why Bookshop Santa Cruz is once again excited to serve as a community partner with The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz for their Deep Read Program. It challenges all readers in Santa Cruz County (and Banana Slug alums around the world) to read one book and engage in deep learning of that text, with multiple community events, to better understand our world.
May 2023
Dear Readers,
At a recent event for author Jennifer Egan, she was asked what she thought about AI written material and its impact on books, publishing, and authorship. Her response was perfect. AI might entertain, she commented, but it is deep reading that will be a form of resistance to our ever-increasing technological world. That is one reason why Bookshop Santa Cruz is once again excited to serve as a community partner with The Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz for their Deep Read Program. It challenges all readers in Santa Cruz County (and Banana Slug alums around the world) to read one book and engage in deep learning of that text, with multiple community events, to better understand our world.
April 2023
Dear Readers,
It finally feels like spring, and Independent Bookstore Day is right around the corner. In fact, on April 29th, Independent Bookstore Day is celebrating 10 years of supporting indies all across the United States. It is a day for book lovers to show their support for the role that indie bookstores play in creating a vibrant literary culture within our communities.
March 2023
Dear Readers,
Recently, a bookseller asked me what I do when I have a reading slump. She said her tried and true method is to sit down and "read a Steinbeck story." Having just read East of Eden, I have to agree. There is almost nothing that can compare to John Steinbeck's exquisite writing. He is an author who can center place, human relationships, and history in every sentence.
February 2023
Dear Readers,
I work a one-hour register shift every Tuesday. The best part of my week is engaging with customers and learning about the books they are looking forward to reading. Yet, during this past Tuesday's shift, it was all about selling Valentine's Day cards.
January 2023
Dear Readers,
Happy New Year! A new year means new books to look forward to, and I already have a list of over 50 titles I want to read in the first half of 2023. I've put together lists (below) of 16 exciting titles to share with you. Click on the links to read more about each book, and don't forget you can preorder the ones you're most excited about.
November 2022
Dear Readers,
Another year of reading coming to a close means another painstaking attempt to narrow down all my favorites to my top 10. And here they are! These are the top 10 books that have stayed with me long after finishing the last page.
October 2022
Dear Readers,
Twenty years ago this month, my husband and I went out on our first date. As you can see from this photo, one of the first things I did when I fell in love was gift him a Bookshop Santa Cruz t-shirt.
September 2022
Dear Readers,
After 55 years in business, we've seen a lot of cycles in the life of the bookstore. I think this year's reality is one of my favorites. We are seeing a huge influx of younger customers who are hitting the book aisles with the explosion of buzzy romance books, LGBTQ+ focused stories, more diverse representation in books being published and a wide exposure for books on #booktok.