Oh, are you a #1 bestseller on Amazon? That's great for you. Don't see why you'd need your book our shelves then. Cheers!

Finished "Katabasis." It's great. Much more self-contained and concise than "Babel," and less didactic. Ultimately, it's a similar story about the power of human connection and "what matters" but in a way that's a bit more accessible. Also, it's quite gross at times. Very bloody.

Are we dunking on Stephen King today?

EP100, the last and final episode of "John Updike's Ghost" is now up on YouTube, y'all: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgn9...

Congrats to @jessicaanthony.bsky.social and the other three amazing authors here (Jessica just happens to have come and spoken to our Shop, so gets bigger congrats). We love all these books. Read them!

"generative AI is an unsustainable bubble propped up by hype and bad math." A talk with @edzitron.com and @parkermolloy.com #AI, like Dutch tulipmania and the British South Sea Company, but in the 21st century.

Am now reading the new RF Kuang and I'm not sure how you're supposed to put this thing down. It's like a drug.

It sounds dumb, I know, but I genuinely think decades of CSI:Wherever and countless shoot-the-bad-guys shows have trained Americans to believe there are just disposable people you can just shoot and never think about again.

Anyone else read this "Dear Monica Lewinsky" ARC yet? We might have something here.

Just had two people pay in cash and when I thanked them they said, "well, we read your newsletter." And now my heart has grown two sizes.

There's no way to satirize this. They don't even aspire to cogency anymore. There's no wink-wink, nod-nod. It's just full kick-you-in-the-shins-and-complain-you-hurt-their-toes.

Still marveling over the person who pronounced themselves "very offended" by this book being displayed at point of sale: bookshopofbeverlyfarms.com/item/1iqMaW6...

We talked about Molly's book and how strong it was back on EP88: open.spotify.com/episode/4PCI...

This and "Superbloom," by Nicholas Carr are the two I think best explain what's going on with how online discourse warps society.

How's this for a big deal? 20 years ain't bad. Come join us: onelongfellowsquare.com/event/20th-a...

Just posted episode 100 — the very last one! — of John Updike's Ghost. Should be on the streamers shortly. It's just a normal episode. Which means it's awesome, but not, like, more awesome than usual. Just wait till you see what we come up with next.

Heads up that the new Lily King book is [fire emojis].

Oh, wow, we just used the phrase "great state of Massachusetts" in our newsletter and got scolded and reminded that Massachusetts is, in fact, a commonwealth. Dummies!

Hey, you guys want to know how the stupid new tariffs are affecting little bookstores like us? Well, our labels that we stick on books are now 50% more expensive for ... reasons! This shit is so dumb.

Very cool picture-book event with Endicott College coming up next week! bookshopofbeverlyfarms.com/events/48089

Holy smokes, y'all: Episode 99 of "John Updike's Ghost" is out and we have revealed, which is a BIG DEAL, that this will be the second-to-last episode EVER. bookshopofbeverlyfarms.com/cool-stuff/p...

Interested in this year's @thebookerprizes.com long list? We take a look at all the selections in Ep98 of "John Updike's Ghost"! youtu.be/A-XBJqbs_nI

Was it Watership Down? That one always gets us.

Things are kind of crappy, obviously, but the first two books sold today are "The Two Towers" and "Demon-Haunted World," so things must not be completely terrible.

It's because readers are too busy to answer these dumb surveys. Yuk. bsky.app/profile/nyti...

Do you guys even follow the Grassholes on Bandsintown? bnds.us/qbh7fo

You know, books are kinda great. Which would you rather have, right now? The internet, or a 2024 edition encyclopedia created by a reputable publisher? I'd take the books six days a week and twice on Sunday.

Oh, hey, EP98 is up! Unfortunately, they've oddly broken Podlink. Look: pod.link/1594686894/e...

Remember, y'all: Tax-Free Weekend here in Taxachusetts. Add that to SALE WEEK and you've got some DEALS. See ya soon.

WTF

Did you guys see that it's Sale Week here in the Book Shop? If you come in this week, there are big savings. If you buy on our website, it's 10% off everything. Do it. bookshopofbeverlyfarms.com

The Department of Homeland Security wants me to "defend my culture" so we're standing on the sidewalk out front and punching people in the face if they can't recite at least one sonnet from memory. Is that how you do it?

FOUR BOOKS A FORTNIGHT. Seriously, if you see this, give a thumbs up or thumbs down for the new podcast name.

Did I need this book about Steely Dan? Yes, absolutely I needed it. Re-released and updated since original publication in 1994. Can't wait to read it. bookshopofbeverlyfarms.com/item/XbWspuQ...

Well, we've got a little reading to do. But we did talk quite a bit about Endling in EP92: pod.link/1594686894/e...

We bet this guy can work MAGIC on iPads when they're broken.

You guys check out EP97 of "John Updike's Ghost" yet? If you like death and/or time travel, this one's for you: pod.link/1594686894/e...

Working on EP97 right now (talking about this super-dope Nnedi Okorafor and not being embarrassed AT ALL by how little we knew about her while talking about the book, oh well). In the meantime, try EP96: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pfr...

Look, we like digital stuff as much as the next person (oh, wait, no we don't), but if you're thinking to yourself, "hmmm, maybe it's bad that the internet is now policed by billionaire payment-processor owners," might we suggest that books you own are not subject to the whims of future fascists?

Shoutout to the person who just ordered "Tender Is the Night" online. Fitzgerald wrote more than one banger, folks.

A horrifying statement published today by the Editorial Committee of the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency. "Without immediate intervention, the last reporters in Gaza will die" Translation from French to English by @cnorristrent.bsky.social:

Just had a GREAT chat for EP97; make sure you're caught up with EP96 (actually, it doesn't matter; every episode is its own unique flower): pod.link/1594686894

Now we're talking.

It's crazy the way people just accept the vision of the future offered to us by the tech bro vampires. "No way to stop all this AI. Just have to accept it. It's the future." Or, we could say: "Make this planet-killing, people-destroying, toxic garbage illegal." Let's try that.

Have you guys read this new(ish) Nnedi Okorafor? Holy smokes is it good. I feel like people should be raving about it more. bookshopofbeverlyfarms.com/item/UhelvOr...

Why are you buying shit from Amazon? www.thecooldown.com/green-busine...

Uploading EP96 right now, so you might want to make sure you're caught up on EP95! youtu.be/Z0h1ve-OvUE

Also: Have any of you read "Ramona," by Helen Hunt Jackson? Just an absolute masterpiece. No idea why it seems to have dropped out of the canon. Oh, wait, maybe SOME idea.

Just a heads up that Hannah and Sam both read "Dungeon Crawler Carl" for EP96 of "John Updike's Ghost." If you're into that kind of thing. It drops later this week. Maybe you should subscribe now. pod.link/1594686894

Just sharing this episode of John Updike's Ghost again for no reason at all. youtu.be/4ii8X6Rkatc?...