NEWS
10 June 2021: Joining the Local Authors bookcase is Mike Bernhardt's "Voices of the Grieving Heart", an anthology of poems, essays and images from 83 contributors who share their journeys through loss, grief, and transformation, serving as a companion on the darkest road many of us will ever have to travel: grieving the death of someone we loved.
4 June 2021: Sharon K. Sobotta is a weekend anchor for radio station KPFA, the director of the Center for Women & Gender Equity at Saint Mary’s College of California, and a local author. She is now sharing two of her books with visitors to the local authors bookcase at Reasonable Books. "Journey of Life: 100 Life Lessons from Around the World" is a tapestry of universally applicable lessons and stories that Sharon collected while interviewing people from every walk of life (famous and unknown) from around the world. It shows how much humans have to learn from each other; how experiences, when shared, bring us one step closer to understanding ourselves.
In "Confessions of a Dream Chaser", Sharon details the kind of life you can have when you decide to keep the dream but do away with the plan. After launching her other careers, she decided to pursue her childhood aspiration to be a talk show host by auditioning for a spot on the Oprah Winfrey Network, learning to embrace life’s mishaps and kooky detours as the kind of pivotal experiences that can show you what you’re made of.
27 May 2021: Also in the Local Authors bookcase, "Journey from A to Z with Teacher Judy" by Judy Lynn Ohlrogge is an adventurous children's alphabet book filled with animals and alliteration. Join Teacher Judy on a rhyme-filled alphabet adventure, visiting places around the world with a cast of beautifully illustrated animals.
26 May 2021: From the early days of shock and devastation through the following phases of grief over time, Pascale Vermont, PhD, offers insight and recommendations for bereaved parents, their family and friends, as well as medical providers. "Surviving the Unimaginable" is in our Local Authors bookcase.
15 May 2021: Daniel Campbell's "Going to the Library with Kenny the Clown" was inspired by Ken Kahn aka Kenny the Clown, a 25 year veteran street performer. A UC Berkeley graduate with a Degree in Child Psychology, it has been Ken's lifelong pursuit to motivate, entertain, and educate children. "Going to the Library" is a fun and entertaining book that delivers a positive social and moral message to children.
12 May 2021: Oscar Porter adds two books to the Local Author bookcase! In the first, "Coyote Grayshadow", Oscar presents images and descriptions of coyotes, the native Bay Area canine. And in his autobiographical book "The Civilian", he recounts true stories of real-life heroism.
7 May 2021: Local author and clinical psychologist Anne Brodzinsky joins our Local Authors bookcase with a pair of books for young people that help to make sense of challenging situations that affect many children: adoption and divorce. "The Mulberry Bird" has sold many thousands of copies since it was first published in 1986. In it, Dr. Brodzinsky addresses common issues in adoption, from the enduring force of a birth parent's love and contact post-adoption to the importance of nurturing an adopted child in his or her new environment.
Dr. Brodzinsky's recent book "The Falling Down Time" invites parents to have a dialogue with their children about their own family's experiences with divorce. Her hope is that by reading this book to your children and being open to their feelings that you will grow closer in time.
17 April 2021: Those who enjoy good mysteries may be familiar with Dorothy L. Sayers, a contemporary of Agatha Christie during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction" in the period between the World Wars. Arguably the better writer, if not the more accomplished plotter, she wrote numerous novels including "Whose Body?" the first chapter of which you can read below. We also have a few scarce first editions of her novels in the store.
14 April 2021: Debut thriller "Good Lookin'" joins the Local Authors bookcase! T. L. Bequette weaves a drama focused on a fight for justice involving a lawyer and his, obscure young client accused of murder. You can read the detailed review (itself quite a piece) on Kirkus Reviews.
31 March 2021: Adria Martinez adds a fun book for little readers to the Local Authors bookcase with "Tartlin the Terrific Tortoise Dog". Tartlin is a desert tortoise who is adopted by a lively little girl on her eighth birthday. The little girl's disappointment at gaining a reptile instead of a dog or even a cat quickly fades, as she learns to accept Tartlin for the slow-moving and expressionless reptile that he is.
26 March 2021: The commemorative edition of Amanda Gorman's Inaugural Poem for the Country, "The Hill We Climb", goes on sale next Tuesday, 30 March 2021! We will have a few in-store for you on that day.
16 March 2021: Victoria Lorrekovich-Miller's "If a Mantis Finds a Fly in the Sky" joins our other local authors in the Local Authors Bookcase. Victoria is an award-winning author of short stories and essays. She writes for animal magazines like The Bark, Dog & Kennel, and Animal Wellness Magazine, and her fiction can be seen in Cricket magazine and on the WOW website.
12 March 2021: Hello, friends! Our greatest hope is that you will enjoy visiting the store and browsing our bookcases. However, we are now partnering with Bookshop.org for those who would like to support their local bookstore online. You can order books via Reasonable Books here. Please send any comments or suggestions to us at books@reasonable.online.
3 March 2021: Josephine Mele brings mystery and memoir to the Reasonable Books Local Authors bookcase with four titles. The first three books are a page-turning blend of travelogue and mystery that will keep you up at night trying to solve the puzzle amid exotic locales. Learn about the culture, food, and people of each country as you travel along with June Gordon to try and solve a murder.
In "The Odd Grandmothers", Josephine tells the story of three generations of strong Italian matriarchs, and how they struggled to make a better life for their children. The book takes us from old Sicily, to Brooklyn, to San Francisco and back.
26 February 2021: Kent Gordon has added two of his books to the Local Authors bookcase. The first is "Victory over Anxiety, Depression & the Human Condition":
"This book is a compassionate and easy read for those who are hurting and in need of rescue on the road. It opens up possibilities where only dead ends are thought to exist. It gets those in need back on the road with the understanding and insight God intended."
Kent Gordon's second book is "Difficult Conversations: Restoring the Relationships Between our LGBT-Q Friends, Families and the Church":
"This book is a compassionate introduction to and discussion of Gods’ viewpoint for both the open-minded non-Christian and the Christian struggling to believe."
25 February 2021: Thank you, Peter Boffey, for adding two volumes of his series "The Three Naked Ladies of Cliffport" to the Local Authors bookcase!
"In Volume I, we hear the distinct yet disparate voices of Elisabeth and Katelyn Lowrie, and Jan McLoughlin, as they struggle to come to terms with one another and themselves. We witness Elise--despairing over failing communications with her headstrong daughter--retreat to the attic, there to embark upon her memoir composed as a long letter to her only child. Meanwhile, downstairs, buoyed up by her bottles of whisky and cartons of unfiltered cigarettes, Jan--the outspoken landowner returning after fifty years--launches out on telling her life story to Katie aloud.
"In Volume II, we watch Katie spanning the gap between the two older women while hatching a plan that may enable the Lowries (and Donald Duncan, Katie's 10-year-old son) to remain living on the place."
30 January 2021: Two books from James Benney have joined the popular "Native American Indian Sites in the East Bay Hills" in the Local Authors bookcase!
The Volvon tribal territory remains virtually untouched today. Many village and camp sites lie undisturbed in the Black Hills behind Mount Diablo, part of the Morgan Territory Regional Preserve. One can still walk the paths Kaaknu the Volvon tribal leader walked, and see the same panoramic views of central California that he saw. In thirty-five short years he saw the complete dissolution of his tribe and the total loss of all of their ancestral territory to Spanish soldiers and settlers and the Jesuit Missions.
"Grandpa: Eldred Tyrrell Benney" is a moving, wonderful tribute to the San Francisco Bay Area's rich history and a soulful retelling of one man's outstanding life.
23 January 2021: Hello, friends! The American Bookseller's Association has sent us a big collection of Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of upcoming books. They also make it easy for us to send you an email preview of upcoming releases (like the printed ones we have in the store). If you are an avid reader and would like to learn about new books via email, and especially if you are interested in teaming up with us to read and write a short review of an upcoming book, please reach out at books@reasonable.online. Spam is not our thing, we won't use your email ourselves for that, and there is a very high probability that the ABA won't, either :)
14 January 2021: Two books from Ken Kerkhoff have been added to the Local Authors bookcase: one, a collection of stories about the history and culture of India, and the other, a novel of historical fiction set in 21st century Central Africa.
Appreciate the incredible history and culture of India through the fascinating tales of Kerkhoff and Pejathaya in "Paper Boat: Discovering India with a Master Storyteller". Both write with remarkable feeling as they interweave Indian experiences. Their stories offer a refreshing look at a remarkable country, its people, customs and its maze of religious proclivity.
In "Four Degrees North: Confronting Terror in Central Africa", Alan Burke accepts his first assignment with the U.S. State Department and travels to Africa. His wife, Mona, plans to join him in Cameroon after she finishes an assignment in Nigeria for her U.S. law firm. Mona is forcefully abducted and held hostage by Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group. Alan, frustrated by the inability of the various governments to assist his wife, acts on his own. In defiance of protocol, he crosses the Cameroon-Nigeria border to track the terrorists. He is aided by Eric Mbando, a Cameroonian, who risks his life for righteousness and justice.
12 January 2021: Reasonable Books is pleased to announce that we have received copies of Deven Greene's newly released book, "Unnatural". Deven is a local author and this is the first book in the Erica Rosen MD trilogy.
From Indies Today:
Unnatural is a flawlessly written medical thriller that focuses on a Chinese mother who will sacrifice everything to save her children. Erica is a bold protagonist who follows her instincts to some amazing discoveries. The narrative is driven by intelligent dialogue and a clever, yet heinous, plot. The cultural aspects between Ting and Erica feel authentic and the technical medical language is just complicated enough to feel genuine without becoming difficult to read. Deven Greene has created a truly gripping international thriller with just the right amount of humanity and compassion.
6 January 2021: Our first new local author title of 2021 is "Journey To Self: Discovering Paths Beyond My Dreams" by Barry Hampshire.
For the National Association of Memoir Writers, he writes:
Over the past roughly seven years, I have written my memoir Journey to Self. It describes how a journey I took 42 years ago affected me and resulted in who I have become. In the last few years before retirement, I wrote short stories about my earlier life that I hoped my daughter may read, someday. As I looked at this mass of material, much of which related to the journey, I couldn’t deny that I’d had and was still living an incredible life. There were lessons to be found that could help other people steer their own lives to maturity and/or fulfillment.
2 January 2021: In celebration of the 101st anniversary of Isaac Asimov's birth, you will find an excerpt from his 1955 short story, "Youth", below. You can read the entire short story at gutenberg.org.
31 December 2020: 明けましておめでとうございます!
26 December 2020: A pair of new authors have joined our Local Authors section during this holiday season!
Denise P. Kalm is a Board-Certified Coach and President of DPK Coaching offering personalized transition coaching services and workshops. In "Retirement Savvy" she offers excellent practical advice and real-world examples about how people experience the challenges and opportunities related to retirement.
Denise also wrote "First Job Savvy" to show first-time and returning job seekers how to create a plan for success. "Readers will learn how to hit the ground running and be a standout success in their new job."
Spencer Mains shares how he sees the world around him, and asks, "What do you see?". Visit his website here.
17 December 2020: We have added a pair of new books to the Local Authors bookcase. The subject matter is a little different and hopefully timely for this holiday season.
Susana Sanchez-Young has turned a pandemic side-project into a purposeful activity, finding a following on social media. Her coloring book captures many themes of 2020 in a book that will delight young and old.
Local resident Carol Green has written a short, colorful picture book for the very young who have a new sibling on the way. Illustrated by Ron Clelland, it is meant as an encouraging and engaging aid for the growing family.
14 December 2020: The Local Authors section has a new bookcase today, and that's all the room we have for new furniture — for now. By the way, we are on Twitter here, but please note that it is not (only) typical marketing and promotion :)
10 December 2020: St. Mary's alumna Madison Mooney has published "Manny the Monkey", an engaging book for children, and we are pleased to have it available in our Local Authors section!
From Readers' Favorite: "Manny The Monkey by Madison Mooney is a charming story about self-discovery, self-confidence, and being unique, and Manny's inner journey will encourage readers to find themselves and understand that they can do anything as long as they use their minds. The illustrations are colorful and lively and breathe life into the characters and the scenes. The book is also a good way to introduce children to different types of animals and travel. Parents and tutors can use it for read-aloud and storytelling sessions at home and in schools to motivate children to find themselves, discover their life's purpose, and decide what they want to do in life."
4 December 2020: "The Lafayette Reservoir: A Visual Celebration" by Steve Hobbs is a beautiful book of photographs from Lafayette's own man-made lake, and has joined our growing collection of works by local authors. From the jacket:
People fall in love with the Lafayette Reservoir. Local photographer Steve Hobbs has conceived of this book of his photographs and essays as a tribute to that amazing place. His book celebrates the "lifescapes." of the Reservoir - its striking landscapes, the diversity and beauty of its birds and wildlife, and the people from all backgrounds who come there to walk and jog, boat and fish, or pursue other outdoor passions. Steve also includes a section devoted to the beloved dogs of the Reservoir. His evocative images capture the beauty and rich variety of the Reservoir, with a touch of humor and playfulness thrown in.
2 December 2020: It is typically a great pleasure to meet the residents of Lafayette and nearby either in person, or on the phone, or via email, and so we are keeping online ordering from Reasonable Books to a bare minimum. This means you should feel free to send us enquiries at books@reasonable.online. We'll do our best to get you information on availability and pricing, and will happily place an order for you when you'd like us to do so.
We are also looking into hosting book-related events online, and are currently trying to gauge local interest in Richard Haiduck's "Shifting Gears: 50 Baby Boomers Share Their Meaningful Journeys in Retirement". Shifting Gears is based on interviews with retirees, telling how they are shifting gears in their retirement. Sometimes they shift smoothly, sometimes they grind the gears, and often they take some time to find their groove. The stories reveal the rich abundance of retirement ventures, from the exotic to the mundane. Discover their joys, challenges, and inspirations that were part of their journey in this next stage of life. If you belong to a book club or similar group that might be interested in attending an online event with the author (and perhaps someone from Reasonable Books), please reach out to us at books@reasonable.online. You will find the book in our Local Authors section.
29 November 2020: An update to our reading section can be found below with an excerpt from the logician Charles Dodgson.
28 November 2020: Thanks to everyone for their support during 2020's Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. We hope you have a safe holiday season and thank you for your patience when visiting the store; we are currently permitted six persons at a time in the store according to the county's public health guidance.
The Local Authors section now includes "Invisible Wounds" by Lyn Roberts, "a powerful portrait of one man's struggle to heal from his trauma experienced in both war and personal life. When Steven discovers David Lane's Civil War letters, the similarities that haunt his own war in Vietnam set him on a path of redemption. With each discovered letter, Steven learns another part of the secret to healing and building a fearless life of purpose."
24 November 2020: We wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving for 2020! Our Local Authors display continues to grow with a book sure to draw the East Bay hiker and historical enthusiast, as well as a compelling work of historico-cultural fiction.
"Native American Indian Sites In the East Bay Hills" by James Benney guides you across Native American sites in the East Bay Hills along with a brief history of indigenous culture in the East Bay Hills. You can read more about it here.
Cheryl Vaught is a teacher, writer, and ex-Mormon activist. She lives in Northern California with her husband and near her two grandchildren. "Plural Bride To Be" captures in novel form the the historic 1953 statewide police investigation of polygamy called Operation Seagull as it leads to young Karen Hardy's Utah farm family. You can read more about it on GoodReads.
21 November 2020: We're very pleased to include Jill Hedgecock in our Local Authors section next to the counter. Jill is an award-winning and internationally-published author.
Rhino in the Room is a beautifully written and an intellectually stimulating debut novel from Jill Hedgecock. It's power is in advocating for a worthy cause-that of the rhino, using the storyteller's eye. This is a novel for anyone with an interest in the natural world and the rhino. This is a novel for everyone!: Read more here.
After orphaned sixteen-year-old Sarah Whitman rescues a Doberman, her secret living situation is jeopardized. Shadow’s incessant barking has drawn unwanted attention from the authorities. Desperate to keep her pet, Sarah turns to an animal behaviorist, Dr. Claudia Griffin, only to be informed that Shadow barks because her house is haunted. Sarah is skeptical until a chance discovery reveals that she can see ghosts through Shadow by placing her fingers between her dog’s eyes — an act that inadvertently draws her into a deadly feud instigated by Dr. Griffin. Can Sarah find a way to save herself and Shadow?: Read more here.
From the moment orphaned teen Sarah stepped through the door of her temporary foster home, her guardian’s “Mean Girl” granddaughter has made her life a living hell. More than anything Sarah longs to take her ghost-seeing Doberman, Shadow, and move back into the cozy home her father bought for her before he died. When Sarah brings Shadow to her new high school to model for a class art project, she spots the ghost of a toddler boy while petting the space between her dog’s eyes. Despite being warned to forget the incident, she becomes obsessed with finding out the child’s identity. Sarah’s investigation into the little boy’s death draws the attention of his murderer and she finds herself struggling to avoid becoming the killer’s next victim.: Read more here.
17 November 2020: "A Promised Land" has been getting a lot of attention and is available as of today. We also have two additional titles in the Local Authors section of the store from Mike Metcalf.
"In his new book, Inklings: John Wilkins Carter and the Carter’s Ink Company, Michael F. Metcalf tells the story of an old New England family and the companies they created and operated— beginning with Timothy Carter’s Old Corner Bookstore in downtown Boston and spanning a 150-year period." You can read more about this beautiful book here.
"In September 1979, newlyweds Michael and Sharon Metcalf set out on a yearlong adventure at sea on their yacht, Mystic Isle." "What's Luck Got To Do With It? Adventures at Sea on Mystic Isle" tells the story of how they "planned, prepared, hard sailed, made friendships, and, most important, how they learned self-reliance, faith in each other, and perseverance."
10 November 2020: Our selection of featured books by local authors is growing and has moved to the wall next to the counter. Six titles have been added to group.
Claudia Long's historical novel "Nine Tenths of the Law" is about "two sisters, their mother, and a Nazi thief: combining the strands of history, mystery and the enduring power of buried memories." You can read more about it here.
Raea Gragg's "MUP" is "a graphic novel for children ages 7-12. It's a coming of age tale that follows two girls on their adventure to save the earth and learn to accept the changes that come with time while staying true to themselves." You can read more about Raea and her book here.
Steven Burchik's "Compass and a Camera" documents his experience in the Vietnam war through his memories, wartime correspondence and photographs. You can learn more about the book at Goodreads.
Brian Donohue's "The Spirit of Fiat Lux" is a hard bound coffee table book with beautiful photography, prose and poetry; it is also a key source of information about Public Service Contracts to help fund public higher education.
Brian Donohue has also recently published "In the Company of Men", an examination of men's issues and Christian life.
"Al Davis: Behind the Raiders Shield" is "an accurate, detailed portrayal of a man in the pantheon of notable sports figures of the 20th century" written by some of the men who worked closely with him, including longtime Oakland Raiders scout and Lafayette resident Jon Kingdon.
6 November 2020: It's a good time to step back from your troubles and read a bit. Here's a story from James Joyce.
1 November 2020: Winston Churchill was an American novelist, and below you'll find an excerpt from his best-selling novel from 1901, The Crisis. Thanks to the Lamorinda Weekly and the East Bay Times for telling our story this week!
26 October 2020: Thanks to the patrons asking for gift certificates! We now have them available in a variety of amounts.
20 October 2020: We are very pleased to have books released recently by local authors. One is "Say Goodbye to Plastic: A Survival Guide for Plastic-Free Living" by Sandra Ann Harris. Sandra's book will help you live more sustainably in your daily life.
We are also happy to carry copies of "Meet the Principal: My Journey Beyond the Curriculum" by Jane Blomstrand, a veteran of public school leadership in California. Jane's stories will inspire and educate anyone with an interest in the important institution of education for the young.
17 October 2020: Do you know that the "Read" link above takes you to a bite-sized selection of public domain reading material that updates occasionally? The latest selection may help set the tone for Halloween season.
16 October 2020: A fallacy is an invalid pattern of reasoning, that is, a form of argument whose premises do not imply its conclusion (which may be true or false). For example, TU QUOQUE or APPEAL TO HYPOCRISY: Denying or excusing guilt by attributing it to the accuser.
15 October 2020: Shopping locally is an important way to help make up for the shortfall in local sales tax revenue, and doing so helps local businesses struggling during the public health emergency. You can find alternatives to online shopping by consulting the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Member Directory. Thank you for considering your local businesses!
2 October 2020: It is a pleasure to open the store each day and meet everyone who visits. Even short conversations about books and the love of reading are special. For those wondering, "Reasonable LLC" uses the word in this sense: fair, commonsensical, rational, practical and polite.
30 September 2020: The bookcases have been delivered and are now in place! This means we will be reorganizing the new and used books shortly, and expanding our selection. A number of visitors have asked for books we did not have, and we have copies of them now. We'll gratefully take any suggestions for good titles we lack.
24 September 2020: It has been a pleasure meeting so many visitors during our first two weeks! The topic of used books has come up on occasion. Currently, we are accepting used book donations and will try to find them a home, either through the store or with outside non-profit organizations. We hope to have a credit policy in the future, as space and time permit.
19 September 2020: What a week!
18 September 2020: Not making much noise about this, but... we are open for browsing, counter service and pickups. Still waiting on bookcases, so the inventory is tucked away in the back of the store. It has been nice to meet so many people during the quiet opening. The chairs in front are for anyone to use; we're thinking about how to put some reading material there for friends, neighbors and visitors. :)
13 September 2020: Thanks to our friends for all the work on the sign! Next: some chairs, tables, plants, bookcases. We will require safe practices for visitors, and hope to welcome you very soon :)
9 September 2020: An alpha version of our in-store inventory is available here.
7 September 2020: The latest work has been twofold: sorting and preparing new books for display on shelves arriving in the next week, and getting the new signage ready for installation next weekend. Once the sign is up, we have an eager crew ready to prepare the storefront with book displays and other elements to make an inviting shop. We will adhere to current safety precautions diligently while being ready to welcome visitors in numbers of three or so, safely distanced.
An online service via email should be straightforward since the kids have helped to create a database of all the current inventory. You will see a rough-and-ready list of everything we have soon, and please feel free to send comments. Soft-open will be the week after the sign is installed (this is an aspirational statement). Thanks for all the good wishes so far, Lafayette!
3 September 2020: Most of the new book inventory has arrived, and there are sizable offerings in the following areas: Current Fiction, Classic Literature, History, Philosophy, Humanities, Young Adult. The new sign will be delivered this Sunday, and after a week of preparation, painting and lettering, we intend to install it the following Sunday. We intend to soft-launch Reasonable Books the following week, with some work left to do :)
26 August 2020: That's a lot of boxes of books and it's only halfway done.
25 August 2020: The initial used book inventory has been moved to the store, and for now these books are living on our repurposed library shelves (we are fairly certain these came from the Alameda County Public Library). The timing on this is good, since the new book inventory will begin delivery tomorrow and continue through the rest of the week.
The store signage will be a challenge as it involves a full rebuild of the sign and installation over a sizable awning. We're keeping our fingers crossed that this will happen within a week or so.
10 August 2020: The build out of our space continues at the former Papyrus storefront at 3645C Mount Diablo Boulevard, in the West End Shops near Trader Joe's. This was the second Papyrus store and will feel familiar even after it has been repurposed for books. Stationery and children's books are already served in Lafayette, so please visit our neighbors as the holidays approach.
So far, a lot of the messy work is done, including patching, painting and cleaning, with flooring up next, and then installing shelving and stocking the initial inventory of books. This has already been fun as well as hard work, and it has been a pleasure to meet so many people. More updates are forthcoming :)
Retail restrictions related to public health circumstances are a challenge in addition to those one would already expect of a new independent bookstore, and we appreciate your understanding and thank you for your input as we launch Reasonable Books to serve the residents of Lafayette, and the greater Lamorinda and East Bay Areas.
Work is in progress to provide online and delivery services locally. This may begin with email orders and personal deliveries in accordance with required safety protocols. It will be great to meet you however we can.