Category Archives: The Reading Life

Library Shelfie Day 2019

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close-up photograph of antique leather books on a shelf

Once upon a time (in a not-so-distant, selfie-obsessed past), the good folks at the New York Public Library launched Library Shelfie Day, an annual occasion to share portraits of personal—and, often, creatively arranged—book collections. Reading is such a personal experience for so many of us, informed by our individuality, our life experiences, even our schedules, that it’s no surprise our bookshelves can offer a revealing window into our literary souls…or, at least, a peek into our book-organization methods! Continue reading →

Winter 2019 Reading List

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picture of woman in orange sweater and colorful winter socks reading a book

Happy new year, bluestockings! Now that the champagne has been drunk and the confetti swept up, you may be wondering how to keep the celebration going as the bluster and chill of January settles in. Bas Bleu has the perfect solution: new books! Our Winter 2019 edition lands in mailboxes this week (if you don’t already have yours, you lucky duck), and it’s full of terrific books and gifts guaranteed to keep you occupied throughout the long, dark months. We’ll even deliver your books to you, so you don’t have to venture out into the cold! Today, we’re sharing a dozen of our favorite picks, perfect for hibernating with this winter. And be sure to check our special Cozy Winter Reading Collection! Continue reading →

Editors’ Choice 2018

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Bas Bleu's four editors seated in front of bookshelves

Christmas and a new year are just around the corner, which means book reviewers everywhere are releasing their literary “best of” lists for 2018. Bas Bleu‘s annual Editors’ Choice list is a little bit different, because Bas Bleu is a little bit different. For starters, we don’t carry books in our catalog unless we think our readers will love them, value them, and enjoy sharing them with others. Plus, many of our books aren’t recently published titles; we love digging up old favorites or spying those literary gems that fly under the radar.

But though we love all of our books, some do resonate more strongly than others with our staff. Today in the Bluestocking Salon, Bas Bleu’s editors (that’s us, above) are sharing a few of our personal favorites from our 2018 catalogs. These aren’t all of our top picks: We limited each other to two books and one non-book item, for the sake of brevity! Continue reading →

Books Recommending Books, Vol. 2

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From time to time, fellow bluestockings ask us, “I really liked this book. Do you carry something similar?” So as we prepare to roll out Bas Bleu’s 2019 Book a Month picks (they are so good, y’all), we compiled a list of “books recommending books.” The titles in these pairings aren’t exactly alike: Yes, some have similar plots or subject matter, but others are kindred spirits in terms of character, theme, or mood. We hope you’ll find something new you’ll enjoy! (All of the suggested “try this” titles are available for purchase on our website. Just click on the book cover.) Continue reading →

Write a Bas Bleu Reader Review

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It is a truth universally acknowledged that Bas Bleu’s customers are the absolute best, for a multitude of reasons. Among our favorites: Y’all recommend some wonderful books! So wonderful, in fact, that we created our Reader Review program inviting readers to submit your own Bas Bleu-style book reviews. Many of the reviews we’ve  received over the years are for books we’d never heard of; some are for books we were “on the fence” about and a Reader Review cast the deciding vote; others are for books we’ve already carried, but are thrilled to know you loved, too. Continue reading →

10 Treats for National Book Lovers Day 2018

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August 9 is “officially” National Book Lovers Day! We say “officially” because—let’s get real—every day is National Book Lovers Day for avid readers. But just as Valentine’s Day serves as a special day once a year to go all in for the person you love most (even if that person is you!), why not take this occasion to celebrate your devotion to books and treat yourself? In honor of this special day, Bas Bleu’s editors put together a collection of ten items we think particularly capture that bookish love we all know so well. Continue reading →

Literary Friendships: Celebrating Best Friends in Books

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Jane Austen once wrote, “There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends.” Since Sunday, August 5, is National Friendship Day, we thought this week was the perfect occasion to celebrate some of our favorite literary friendships. In honor of this very special day, Bas Bleu’s editors have selected ten of our favorite pairs—and sometimes trios—of kindred spirits from classic literature. Check out our list (beware spoilers!) then tell us about your favorite literary friendships in the comments section below. Continue reading →

Which Literary Destination Should You Visit?

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Vacation season is here! And while European tours and coastal getaways are nice if you can swing them, avid readers don’t need to budge beyond the comfort of our reading chairs to embark upon extraordinary adventures. Inspired by a recent Bas Bleu Facebook poll (“What fictional place from literature would you like to visit on your summer vacation?”) and PBS’s fun “travel posters based on famous novels,” we crafted this handy quiz to help you decide which literary destination YOU should travel to this summer. (Results not based on science; with a book, you can travel anywhere!) Continue reading →