Two weeks ago, during Spring Cleaning 2021 Giveaways Week on Bas Bleu’s Facebook page, we asked our readers: What song always makes you smile? The responses had us smiling from ear to ear, and to show our appreciation we decided to compile the songs into a playlist for you! Because couldn’t we all use something to smile about? Continue reading
What a difference a year makes! Yes, we’re still grappling with the coronavirus, and political dissension hasn’t magically disappeared. But as we watch the fruit trees begin to bud and the daffodil shoots push free from the soil, we feel hopeful for the future. At Bas Bleu, we’re celebrating the promise of the new season in true bleu fashion: by delivering our Spring 2021 edition (and the following spring reading list) to readers nationwide! Continue reading
COVID-19 disrupted just about every aspect of life in America…and libraries were not immune. Officially, they’re book repositories, but public libraries also operate as community centers, technology access points, continuing education centers, after-school hangouts, and unofficial social services agencies. When the pandemic forced libraries across the country to shut down, their doors may have locked but their work never stopped. From finding creative new ways to continue regular services (e.g., curbside book pickup, e-library card sign-ups, virtual storytime) to offering pandemic-specific services, libraries have stepped up in a big way. The Bas Bleu community is full of library lovers (and February is Library Lovers Month), so we thought we’d share just a handful of examples of how libraries continue to serve during the pandemic. Continue reading
At long last, 2020 is over, and we step into a new year filled with hope. Many aspects of life still remain uncertain, but Bas Bleu is thrilled to offer something you can count on: New books! Our Winter 2021 edition lands in mailboxes this week, filled to the brim with fresh reads, cozy gifts, beautiful note cards, and plenty of new puzzles to keep you busy through winter’s cold days and long nights. Y’all loved our seasonal reading collections in 2020, so we’re continuing them in the new year, with three winter sets for you to choose from: Fiction, Nonfiction, and Mysteries. In the meantime, we’ve assembled a 2021 winter reading list, highlighting a dozen new (to Bas Bleu) titles to whet your appetite. Continue reading
Christmas is drawing nearer; if we listen very closely, we can hear the bells jingling on Santa’s sleigh! Like other celebrations and holidays this year, Christmas will be a quieter occasion for many, but that doesn’t mean we can’t embrace the spirit of the season. From twinkling lights and pretty packages to delicious baked goods and cups of cheer to time with family and friends (albeit masked and socially distanced!) to reflection back on this singular year…we hope you’re able to make some happy memories this Christmas. To add a literary dash to your holiday season, Bas Bleu’s editors have collected twelve of our favorite Christmas and New Year’s poems. (To read each poem in full, click on the title or image.) Continue reading
A crisp breeze drifted through our neighborhood last weekend, scouting the path ahead, perhaps, for autumn’s approach. Somehow this summer has seemed both endless and fleeting, and the thought of cooler temperatures, burnished sunlight, and—dare we say it?—long sleeves is at the forefront of our minds on humid afternoons. Though the heat lingers here in Bas Bleu’s hometown of Atlanta, our editors have turned the calendar page to September…and selected a dozen of our favorite autumn poems with which to beckon the new season. (To read each poem in full, click on the title or image.) Continue reading
The mercury may feel stuck at “blazing hot summer,” but Bas Bleu‘s new Autumn 2020 edition is blowing into mailboxes like a cool breeze! Inside you’ll find engrossing new books to refresh your TBR stack, along with wonderful little gifts to captivate your imagination…and to jump-start your holiday shopping. This time we’ve included four Autumn Reading Collections: Novels, Mysteries, Nonfiction, and one collection dedicated to “vintage” Bas Bleu booksellers. To help you create your autumn reading list, our editors have selected fifteen of our favorite picks, including several absorbing reads by authors of color. Continue reading
Audiobooks have been available to readers for nearly a century, since The American Foundation for the Blind began recording books on vinyl records in 1932, followed soon after by the Library of Congress. From cassette tapes to compact discs to digital downloads, audiobooks continue to evolve. Today in the Bluestocking Salon, Bas Bleu editor KG shares her own audiobook experience.
When we’re children, we learn how books work before we actually learn how to read them. We learn not through our eyes but through our ears, listening intently as adults and older siblings read aloud to us. This is how we discover that stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Continue reading
An updated version of our Summer 2020 edition landed in mailboxes earlier this week, sprinkled with new books and gifts chosen particularly for “staycationers” and youngsters who may be climbing the walls. It’s been a tough summer all around, and while we know Bas Bleu can’t magically resolve all of the challenges you’re facing, we hope these fresh summer picks will add a little extra sunshine to your day. Continue reading
If you’ve lost all track of time, let us reassure you: Summer is coming! Bas Bleu’s new Summer 2020 edition sails into mailboxes this week, because if ever there was a time to escape with books, it’s now. A new trio of Summer Reading Collections will transport you to England, Australia, Iran, Japan, Poland, Scotland, Iraq, and Denmark (no passport required!), and a plethora of other books and gifts will brighten your day along the way. To help you create your summer reading list, our editors have selected a dozen of our favorite picks. Continue reading