Meet a Community Member: Frances Martin of 826michigan

photo (16)If you live in Ann Arbor, you’ve probably seen the Robot Store. It’s a little shopfront on Liberty, just around the corner from Literati, and it’s got big windows full of silvery robots beckoning passersby inside, promising robot supplies, robot repair services, and tutoring, of all things. Come inside, and you see not only robots, but reading and writing humans, aged 6-18, as well as older humans, writing tutors, volunteers, and staff. Continue reading “Meet a Community Member: Frances Martin of 826michigan”

Fresh this Weekend, Like a Bag of Donuts from the Cider Mill Enjoyed Beside the River, but Without the Bees

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A few new books blew into our store this week: Robert Reich’s latest, The Heart Goes Last from the ever-prolific Margaret Atwood, and an irresistible trocito (and opportunity to join Patti Smith in a chorus of “Hail César!”) from the brilliant César Aira. Dang, New Directions, never stop giving us the finest book covers in the land. Too dang fine. Continue reading “Fresh this Weekend, Like a Bag of Donuts from the Cider Mill Enjoyed Beside the River, but Without the Bees”

Gourd Season Reading

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The blood moon has entertained us, the leaves begun their burnishing, and ahoy there, is that sweatered hunk strolling the windy boulevard Autumn Man? (Or local author and sweetie of the bookstore Chris McCormick?) How’s your gourd? Are you filling it with knowledge? Or simply soups and gourd-flavored lattes? Is Midterm ennui upon you? Do your fingers itch to knit a sweater in three hues of goldenrod, but find themselves hopelessly tangled? We got you. Do you wish to make jam, but fear poisoning all dear to you with botulism? We got you.  Continue reading “Gourd Season Reading”

Meet a Bookseller: Jeanne!

Get to know our Queen. Her name is Jeanne. FullSizeRender (1)

1.) What do you do at Literati?

I’m the manager at Literati and I love my job. I needn’t have worried that there wouldn’t be “life after Borders.” Specifically, I do backlist ordering (my favorite task except for fussing with books), staff scheduling, and payroll. What I love doing at the store is: talking and learning about books with the staff and customers; doing displays (especially tables)–trying to find the right juxtaposition of books to highlight and draw attention to beautiful book covers and trying to find a mixture of books on a table that will have something to appeal to almost everyone who comes in (I call this “fussing” or alternatively “playing” with books); writing a review of a book I loved and want to share with others, though I agonize over my reviews excessively; poking around at Treasure Mart for things that will improve the store (a “new” typewriter, a bench to facilitate browsing, to name a few recent finds); but I suppose what I like most about my job is working with Mike and Hilary and the amazing staff they hired and continue to hire—that’s the best part, hands down. Continue reading “Meet a Bookseller: Jeanne!”

Getting Real (A Little Too Real?) With Coloring Books Intended For Adults

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If you’ve visited our bookstore lately–or any bookstore for that matter–you’ve probably noticed that we are carrying a ton of coloring books intended for grown-up people. Paisley prints, urban scenes, weird animals, intricate mandalas–we’ve got it all displayed on two of our three floors. It’s possible you’ve read about the persistent publishing trends underlying the presence of adult coloring books in bookshops across the nation, and about the psychological studies in support of the mental health and wellness benefits that might be attributed to the activity of coloring inside the lines. And perhaps you’ve read the snarkier skeptics of the trend also. (To which I sorta shrug and go, “Don’t tell me what to do; I’m grown.”) Continue reading “Getting Real (A Little Too Real?) With Coloring Books Intended For Adults”

New in the Shop this Weekend (September 18th–20th)

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So much reading to do this weekend! We are delighted that our very first Literati Cultura pick, Lauren Groff’s Fates and Furies, has arrived in the shop. Many of our booksellers had the chance to get a sneak peak at an advance of this book, and absolutely loved it. Here’s a great write-up in the Sunday NY Times Book Review.   (And if you haven’t joined Literati Cultura yet, here’s everything you need to know in order to receive beautiful signed first edition books, lovingly handpicked by Literati booksellers, along with a piece of word art letterpressed by local dynamos Wolverine Press every month.) Continue reading “New in the Shop this Weekend (September 18th–20th)”
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