Blenheim Hill Books» Barbara Balliet

A Dr. Seuss You Might Not Know

Barbara Balliet — Sun, 17 Apr 2016 20:18:14 +0000

Did you know that before Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) wrote children’s books and played with language he was a political cartoonist for PM, a favorite read for New Deal liberals? His cartoons are fiercely anti-fascist, pro-intervention and critical of anti-semitism and anti-black racism. They share the zeitgeist of the times undeniably racist in their portrayal of Japanese Americans, urging support for the war effort and caricaturing Nazi leaders. A book of these cartoons from 1941-42 with an introduction by Art Spiegelman is revealing of both contemporary attitudes about the war and Geisel’s illustration work before he became a renowned children’s author. Perhaps most startling some of his mythical beasts make an early appearance in these cartoons. Page through Dr. Seuss Goes to War for some surprises.

What are you reading this cold April?

Barbara Balliet — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 18:00:35 +0000

I’ve just started a really fun biography, Irrepressible: the Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham by Emily Bingham. It’s a wild ride through the roaring twenties and beyond with an outrageous heroine and the author is one of her descendants. And, I’ve just completed the life of a very different woman living in an equally tumultuous time, The Civil Wars of Julia Ward Howe by literary scholar Elaine Showalter. If you know JWH only as the author of the lyrics to the Battle Hymn of the Republic during the Civil War prepare to be surprised by this complex, highly educated and very political woman. There is something about the long slide from winter into spring that makes biography an especially compelling read — the narrative arc of a life from spring to winter is somehow comforting, reminding us that there is value in all the seasons. Read about a life different from yours, explore, challenge yourself!

Hobart Festival of Women Writers 2015

Barbara Balliet — Sun, 17 May 2015 16:54:40 +0000

The Hobart Festival of Women Writers returns for its third year September 11-13 in the book village. New writers this year include Bessie Rayna, Julie Enszer, J. P. Howard, Linda Lowen, and Mecca J. Sullivan. Fifteen writers are returning to conduct innovative workshops and read. New initiatives this year include two-day intensive writing workshops, a table reading of a new play on Alberta Hunter and a flash reading featuring the returning writers. For more information and to register visit www.hobartfestivalofwomenwriters.com. See you in September!

Spring Returns to the Catskills

Barbara Balliet — Sun, 17 May 2015 16:46:29 +0000

We are enjoying a beautiful spring in Hobart after a harsh winter. Bird song, fresh green leaves, sumptuous tulips, daffodils, lilacs, crabapples and cherry blossoms surround us. A joyous time of year and time to commence serious gardening. Whether you need help understanding pruning, planning your new perennial or vegetable garden or attracting wildlife to your garden Blenheim has books to help you become the gardener you long to be. Or perhaps you are an armchair gardener, visit Blenheim Hill Books and find books filled with photographs of beautiful gardens around the world. As you turn the pages you can walk through traditional English walled gardens or striking contemporary designs.

Memorial Day Sale Weekend, May 23-25

Barbara Balliet — Sun, 17 May 2015 16:10:12 +0000

Visit the Hobart Book Village next weekend for the wonderful Memorial Day sale. All books (except some consignment) 30% off – this a real deal. Six bookstores, tens of thousands of books, a new restaurant to visit and two art galleries, two antique stores within walking distance. For more information visit: www.hobartbookvillage.com

Angels Make Their Hope Here by Breena Clarke

Barbara Balliet — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 19:44:11 +0000

Breena Clarke has just released her third novel, Angels Make Their Hope Here. Breena, an Oprah Book Club pick for her first novel River Cross My Heart, has written a powerful novel. Its strong characters and dialogue draw you into the lives and experiences of a fictional free black, and mixed race community living outside of Paterson, New Jersey before the Civil War. Its a great story and you’ll learn some history too. The story of blacks living in the North is rarely told and in this novel the possibilities and limitations imposed by white supremacy are narrated with subtlety and a compelling attention to detail.

Breena’s novel is published by Little, Brown, part of the Hachette group, who are currently involved in a huge dispute with Amazon over pricing e-books. Amazon is holding up delivery of Hachette authors. You can order her novel from any independent bookstore. Visit her website breenaclarke.com for more information about how to get this fabulous book. Full disclosure her older sister, poet Cheryl Clarke, is my partner.

New (to me) Golden Age Mystery Series

Barbara Balliet — Sun, 06 Jul 2014 18:46:50 +0000

I discovered Elizabeth Daly’s Henry Gamadge series by chance in Hobart’s own Mysteries and More bookstore. I was a bit put-off as the cover described her as Agatha Christie’s favorite writer (I am not a fan) but picked it up anyway. And I am glad I did. The books are intricately plotted (she was a life-long puzzle lover) have great dialogue and interesting characters. Her detective is a bibliophile who occasionally is called in to solve a puzzle by friends or family. Set in New York City and its environs among the “best people” Gamadge, often working with the police, must solve the crime and save the reputations of those concerned. The books are a great foray into a forgotten world, just the thing for a summer afternoon. Pick one up at Mysteries and More! They are also being re-issued by Felony and Mayhem Press.

Elizabeth Daly (1878-1967) won an Edgar in 1960 but is largely forgotten today. She was born in New York City, her father a New York State Supreme Court Justice and her uncle the well-known playwright Augustin Daly. She attended Miss Baldwin’s School, then earned a B.A. at Bryn Mawr College and M.A. at Columbia University. There are sixteen books in the series set between 1939 and into the post World War II era.

Why even Luddites love Mr. Penumbra

Barbara Balliet — Tue, 01 Jul 2014 20:02:51 +0000

So the verdict is in and from the most to least tech savvy all agree that Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookshop is a great read. It reminded book club members of their favorite fairy tales, others of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and all agreed that the likable characters and central mystery made this book hard to put down. A great meditation on old knowledge (books, bookstores and libraries) and their relationship to new knowledge (Google, coding, laptops, 3-D printers) the author, Robin Sloan, explores what kinds of connections each from of knowledge makes possible.

Many of the book club members particularly appreciated the networks and friendships that are used and generated as the main character Clay Jannon, a twenty-something out of work because of the recession and under-employed on the night shift at the bookshop, discovers and tries to solve the puzzle. He calls in friends, makes new ones and is befriended as he moves between utilizing new technologies and calling on old ones to crack the code. His quest takes him from San Francisco to New York, from Google’s campus to the mansion of a secret society. Along the way the book references everything from The Hobbit and Harry Potter to 2001 A Space Odyssey and even creates a entire science fiction series that helps guide the action! A great read, peruse the table of contents (below) and begin to discover the humor and magic of this book.

New Website, New Ways to Talk

Barbara Balliet — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 19:04:50 +0000

Blenheim Hill’s new website, designed by Dann Tincher, is ready to launch. I am very excited and eager to commit to giving you all the bookish news from Blenheim. The Dorothy Marshall book club is gearing up to discuss Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. Initial reactions are fantastic — “loved it, laughed out loud reading it, learned a lot about new technology, loved the mystery and the characters”. Most of us would not have picked this book up to read and now we are all so glad we did. Stay tuned for the high points of our discussion tomorrow.

Festival of Women Writers

Barbara Balliet — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 10:54:34 +0000

September 5, 6, 7, 2014
We are happy to announce and bring you details of the 2014 Festival Of Women Writers.

Last year’s Festival was a great success and we have reviewed all the feedback you gave us which has helped us to make this year’s event even better.

This year, there will be:
23 Writers (including a mixture of Returning and New)
19 Workshops (Now 2 hours in length)
4 Blocks of Readings (3 Readers to an Hour Block)
OPEN MIC (During Daytime Hours, Beginning writers are encouraged to participate)
Book Signings & Networking

Some of the guests include: Tara Betts, Esther Cohen, Breena Clarke, Cheryl Clarke, Maria Mazziotti Gillan, Tayari Jones, Remica Bingham Risher, Bertha Rogers, Cheryl Boyce Taylor, Mermer Blakeslee, Lynn Domina, Simona David, Ginnah Howard, Dara Lurie, Stephanie Nikolopoulos, Kat Rosenfield, Tara Betts, Marianela Medrano, E. J. Antonio, and Mary Johnson.

For more information, visit the website