Ask any avid reader where she first fell in love with reading and you will hear time and again: “at my local library.” No matter if they are big or small, these repositories of knowledge offer more than just stacks of books; they represent safety, freedom, a gateway into the wider world, to readers from all walks of life. And at the helm of those libraries—serving as guides, gatekeepers, and fierce advocates—are librarians. Continue reading
From time to time, fellow bluestockings ask us, “I really liked this book. Do you carry something similar?” As we welcome spring weather and look forward to moving our reading sessions out of the house and into the sunshine, 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 the Bas Bleu website. Just click on the book cover.) Continue reading
Every Bas Bleu catalog is special to us—believe us when we say they’re all labors of love!—but we’re extra-proud of our Spring 2019 edition. It celebrates our 25th anniversary with special features, staff photos, and more. But never fear, dear bluestockings: Our Spring 2019 edition is brimming with plenty of wonderful new books and gifts, too! We were hard-pressed to narrow down our favorites, but our editors have assembled a fresh spring “bouquet” just for you, a dozen terrific reads to keep you captivated throughout the season. Continue reading
From time to time, Bas Bleu’s editors will share with you some of the books that have had a profound impact on our lives. They won’t necessarily be grand literary classics or hard-hitting political tomes. They will be books that have stayed with us over the years and shaped who we are. If you’d like to share a significant title from your own life, feel free to do so in the comments section below.
When I was a child growing up in Tennessee, weekly trips to our local library were a summertime staple. My mother was (and still is) an avid reader, and the library was a book-filled haven where she could feed her literary appetite while her daughters camped out between the short stacks of the children’s department. It was there I met Trixie Belden, Cam Jansen, and Encyclopedia Brown; raced through yellow-spine Nancy Drew hardbacks; and generally allowed my mother an hour’s quiet respite. It’s also where I met Nellie Bly. Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
You won’t find it on your calendar. Your boss isn’t offering you the day off. Your local bank won’t be closed, and there are no greeting cards to mark the occasion. But because Bas Bleu’s editors make it our business to keep you in the literary loop, we thought you should know: September 6 is National Read a Book Day! Continue reading