Western Book Roundup

Books and Politics Mingle in Denver

By Jenny Shank, 8-27-08

The intense media focus on Denver this week for the Democratic Convention is casting some light on the city’s bookstores, too.  As Shelf Awareness noted, the Tattered Cover was featured in two articles recently. Kathy Baruffi of USA Today interviewed Tattered Cover manager Tamra Monahan about her ten favorite places in Denver (she doesn’t name her own bookstore, but Coors Field and the Denver Art Museum make the list.)

And Bookselling This Week checked in with the Tattered Cover about the special displays the store has planned during the convention.  The store, just a few blocks away from the Pepsi Center, is going all out, selling, “souvenirs, including nonbook items like the official Democratic National Convention T-shirt and mug, politically themed gifts, and other convention-related items.” They are also featuring a display of books that should be on the Western “Reading List for the President-Elect.” Jeff Lee of the Rocky Mountain Land Library surveyed authors and bookish folks of the region to come up with the list, and contributors included Rick Bass, Barry Lopez, Laura Pritchett, and, well--me. 

The Tattered Cover’s website also lists a slew of appearances by authors of political books this week, but the highlight in my view is today’s Michael Chabon event.  Okay he’s not a political writer, but he happens to be in town, and will speak at 11:30 a.m.

Another bookstore on Boulder’s Pearl Street is going the way of the dodo: Greg Glasgow of the Daily Camera reports that following the recent shuttering of High Crimes Mystery Bookshop, its former neighbor, “Word is Out Women’s Bookstore, 2015 10th St., will close Sept. 22, owner Louise Knapp said Friday. A ‘Word is Outta Here Party’ for customers is planned for Sept. 6.” The store, specializing in women’s and gay and lesbian literature, has been around since 1994 and has succumbed to market pressures.  Knapp said:

“Because of the Internet and increased visibility of LGBT people, there’s not quite as much of a dire need for stores like mine and for people to feel connected.  Twenty years ago, or even 15 years ago, it used to be that bookstores were real lifelines for lesbians and for gays and feminists and people outside the mainstream. That’s less the case now, and that’s a positive thing.”

Boulder author Eli Gottlieb published a column on the ”top 10 scenes from the battle of the sexes” for the Guardian in London last week. (Via Shelf Awareness.)

Judy Alter, the director of the TCU Press in Fort Worth, discussed the history and contributions of several of Texas’s university presses for The Dallas Morning News recently.  These presses have published a lot of regional literature over the years, including books by Rick Bass and Elmer Kelton.

And finally, I am way late in mentioning this story, but I only just realized that it involves a writer from Montana: As many have noted, Random House recently dropped its planned publication of The Jewel of Medina, Sherry Jones’ novel written from the perspective of one of Muhammad’s wives, because it feared that the book might “incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment.” Sherry Jones, who now is based in Spokane, is a former reporter for the Missoulian. Jones left Spokane last week to return to Missoula, she told Missoulian reporter Gwen Florio, because of intense worldwide scrutiny.  Jones said that Missoula is “my home, where I feel safe and comfortable.”

Have some regional literary news or events to share?  If so,

Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.