A Roomful of Questions

I am delighted to write about a new book by Ann Arbor author, illustrator and dollmaker, Tracy Gallup. A Roomful of Questions is a beautiful picture book, but is more than just a book to read to kids at bedtime. It is full of questions that we all ask ourselves at different times in our lives, whether or not on a conscious level. Each question is accompanied by a whimsical illustration that deepens the meaning of each question asked, and you will no doubt find yourself lingering on each page as you contemplate both the question and the accompanying image. This book makes a perfect gift to anyone who seeks the greater meanings in life, adult and child alike! (Mackinac Island Press, $12.95).

October Author Events

I am pleased to announce two great author appearances in the month of October! Our first is sent to us from Red Wheel/Weiser, a leading publisher in body/mind/spirit titles. On Thursday, October 16th at 7pm, Author Priscilla Costello will be in our Tea Room, discussing her book published earlier this year, The Weiser Concise Guide to Practical Astrology. Priscilla Costello will discuss the dramatic changes that are destined to take place over the next decade. With all the economic, political and environmental changes headlining the news, this event is not to be missed!

And on Tuesday, October 21st at 7:30, the co-authors of Survivor Moms: Women's Stories of Birthing, Mothering and Healing After Sexual Abuse, Mickey Sperlich and Julia Seng, will be in the Tea Room discussing this important work. A compilation of 81 stories from women survivors of childhood sexual abuse, this book is intended to break through the isolation that survivor mothers often feel during pregnancy, and offers ways to connect and get assistance during this sometimes difficult time.

Both events are open to the public and free. Please arrive early so that you can ensure a good seat!

Urban Sustainability

A while ago, I mentioned our ever popular "Green Living" section, a relatively new, but important addition to Crazy Wisdom's subject base. From basic books on the various ways to conserve energy, to instruction manuals on building straw bale houses, the section offers a diverse array of titles reflecting on the most serious issue facing our planet. Most of these titles, while appealing to a wider audience, contain ideas and suggestions that are not always feasible to implement in a city. Which is why I'm excited to highlight a couple of great titles that deal specifically with sustainability for city dwellers.

The first, The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City, is a title in the Process Self-Reliance Series ($16.95), a series dedicated to educating urbanites on making the right choices to live sustainably and self-sufficiently. Written by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen, a couple who live in the heart of Los Angeles, The Urban Homestead is full of city-friendly/earth-friendly projects. Key focuses include gardening, home economics, and water and power conservation. Also included in this handy, attractive book are plenty of bright green illustrations and tips to make projects both easy and fun.

Toolbox for Sustainable City Living, by Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew, is another great resource (South End Press, $16). The authors are two of the founders of the Rhizome Collective, a group in Austin, Texas, who transformed an abandoned warehouse into a sustainability training center. Full of intricately drawn illustrations and photographs, this book may not offer as many projects as The Urban Homestead, but the projects included are much more elaborate and detailed. Chapters are broken down as follows: Food, Water, Waste, Energy, Bioremediation.

Be sure to come in and check out these two invaluable guides to helping the planet, right here in the city!

Upcoming Author Events

I'm very happy to announce 2 exciting author events that are happening this month! The first event, which is Sunday, September 21st at 1pm, is with Robert Schwartz, author of Courageous Souls: Do We Plan Our Life Challenges Before Birth? (Whispering Winds Press, $16.95).
The book contains ten true stories of people who planned physical illness, having handicapped children, deafness, blindness, drug addiction, alcoholism, losing a loved one, and severe accidents. The information about their pre-birth plans was obtained by four gifted mediums and channels, including one who has the ability both to see and to hear the dialogue we have with one another before we’re born. The book presents the actual conversations people had with their future parents, children, spouses, friends, and other loved ones when they planned their lives together.

The other event will be on Sunday, September 29th at 2pm. Shaman and author Kenn Day will discuss his book, Dance of Stones: A Shamanic Road Trip. (Dhyanna, $17.95). Kenn will offer an introduction to his Post-Tribal Shamanism training along with descriptions and readings from his book, followed by a question and answer session and book signing.

Both events will take place in our beautiful tea room located on the second floor, overlooking Main Street. Both events are open to the public and require no pre-registration. But you may want to arrive early to ensure a good seat!

2012: The End or a New Beginning?

With all the dramatic changes currently effecting all aspects of our lives -- from the environment to food supply -- the question of what our future holds has understandably become an important topic of conversation. Many people are looking to the Mayans and the year 2012, which marks the end of the 5,000 year "Fourth Age," for answers. Are the increasing global catastrophes foreshadowing the apocalyptic end to our planet, or are we simply entering an "Age of Enlightenment"?

At Crazy Wisdom, we have an entire section, Future Visions, devoted to the possibilities of what is yet to unfold before us. Like the best selling book, 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck (Tarcher Penguin, $14.95), Hwee-Yong Jang's The Gaia Project: 2012 The Earth's Coming Great Changes (Llewellyn, $14.95), and Barbara hand Clow's The Mayan Code: Time Acceleration and Awakening the World Mind (Bear & Co., $18.00) we carry titles that offer explanations for the changes we are experiencing and what they mean for mankind and our planet. Whether you are looking for something to calm your fears, or looking for something that resonates with your own personal theory about our future, you are sure to find something that will confirm that we are surely on the verge of something great.

Come in and check out our Future Visions section, located at the back of the store on our first floor. Our friendly staff would be happy to lead the way!

Breaking Dawn is in stock!

The newest in the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer, the highly anticipated Breaking Dawn (Little, Brown $22.99), has arrived! At 754 pages, Breaking Dawn is sure to add more dramatic twists and turns to a story that has millions captivated. The Twilight Series follows the story of Isabella Swan, a girl who happens to fall in love with a vampire, which complicates her life, to say the least! Follow her harrowing adventures by picking up Twilight (Little, Brown $10.99), the first in the series, and see if you don't get hooked. Crazy Wisdom is the place to pick up all of Stephenie Meyer's books, including her recent title for adults, Host (Little, Brown $25.99).

Ted Andrews Writes Again!

Ted Andrews is the go to guy for all things animal and nature related. In his best selling books Animal Speak and Nature Speak, Andrews unravels the many mysteries of the natural world and teaches us how we can both become aware of the animals and nature around us, and how to apply their lessons to our own lives. With his new book, Intercession of Spirits: Working with Animals, Angels & Ancestors, Ted Andrews for the first time gives us a glimpse into his personal life story and the magic that is found there. You'll learn about the world of fairies and realm of angels and in the end, will be inspired to open your heart to the world of spirit, in whatever form that happens to take(Dragonhawk, $14.95).

As local as it gets

By now you've probably heard all kinds of things about how buying local helps support your community. Well I've come up with a way for you to get the most bang for your buck: buy a locally created book by a local organization published by a local publisher, from your local independent bookstore! Below are a couple of great ways to put your money into your community.

Hot off the presses from 826 Michigan comes Tall Tales and True Stories, a year long collaboration between 826 Michigan volunteers and students of Childs Elementary School in Ypsilanti. The book, which is sprinkled with whimsical illustrations by Ian Huebert, is a combination of personal essays and fictional stories, all written and edited by elementary school students with the help of 826 Michigan Volunteers. Located in the back room of Liberty Street Robot Supply and Repair at 115 E. Liberty, 826 Michigan is our local chapter of the national non-profit organization that offers free writing assistance and tutoring to kids ages 6-18. Show them your support by buying this book! (Blotch Books, $10)

And from Community Farm of Ann Arbor comes the newly published A Hard Day's Night, a picture book inspired by the farm (Pine Printers, $8.99). Written by Anne Elder, who has been farming at Community Farm of Ann Arbor for 17 years, the book is illustrated by Miranda Bissinger, age 13, and Stephanie Body, age 17. Community Farm of Ann Arbor is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and has been using sustainable methods of agriculture for 21 years and are located at 1525 S. Fletcher. Check out their website to find out more about this incredible farm (Community Farm of Ann Arbor), and stop in to pick up a copy of this delightful book!

Don't Forget to Pack the iSpeak

Traveling to an exotic location this summer but don't know the language? Forget about all those phrasebooks that leave you wondering how to pronounce the words. Try an iSpeak phrasebook instead! iSpeak is an audio MP3 Cd with 1,500 travel phrases that you can both see and hear before you even attempt to speak out loud! Built to work with iPod, iSpeak is also compatible with Zune and most other MP3 players. Just download onto your MP3 device and scroll through a variety of categories to find what you are trying to say. Main categories include: Conversation, Travel, Accomodations, Food, Services & Shopping, Entertainment and Reference. Each category has several subcategories to help you narrow down what you are looking for, faster than you can flip through a book. With a very reasonable price of $12.95, you can't afford to travel without one! (McGraw Hill).

Get the Best Sellers at Crazy Wisdom!

Summer is the time to sit back, relax and read that new book all your friends are talking about. Why not pick that book up at Crazy Wisdom? Sprinkled amidst the new titles from spiritual leaders, books on eco-friendly living and titles designed to improve your body, mind and spirit, we have the popular titles you just keep hearing about.

Like the newest from America's favorite humorist, David Sedaris, When You are Engulfed in Flames (Little, Brown $25.99). A frequent contributor to NPR's This Amerian Life and the New Yorker, David Sedaris' sixth book of essays is yet another book of quirky yet witty observations that only David Sedaris can make.

Of course there's also Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain, the story which recounts the tragedies and triumphs of one family, all through the eyes of the dog! At the top of many Best Seller lists this summer, this tale is sure to be on the top of yours as well!

Stop in to Crazy Wisdom to check out our selection of titles to make those long summer days memorable ones. With new titles by Louise Erdrich, Chuck Palahniuk, Annie Dillard, and Paulo Coelho, there's something for everyone!

The Cure is in Your Feet!

Do you ever wish there was a quick way to relieve yourself of that incessent headache? Or a simple way to heal yourself of a hangover, reduce allergies or alliviate depression? With Michelle Kluck's new book, Hands on Feet: The New System that Makes Reflexology a Snap! the answers to a healthy body are all in the feet. This book not only offers a history of reflexology, its benefits and practice, but it comes with a handy pair of Reflexology Sox, an indispensible tool when learning reflexology. These thin socks (a $20 value) have illustrations on them to help you discover what part of your foot is linked to what organs and ailments, allowing you to easily identify the correct spot to massage away your troubles. (Running Press, $19.95)

Don't Just Sit There, Make Something!

It's a well known fact that Crazy Wisdom is the place to come to explore your spiritual, emotional and physical selves, but it's less well known that we carry plenty to explore your creative self too. Like the Stitch-it Kit: Simple Instructions and Tools for 35 Chic to Classic Embroidery Projects ($22.95) and the Paper Craft Kit: Materials and Instructions for Beautiful Handmade Paper Creations ($24.95), we carry some fun, right-out-of-the-box craft projects to turn a lazy summer afternoon into a full fledged "crafternoon"! We also carry a great variety of chic craft books, like A is for Apron: 25 Fresh & Flirty Designs by Nathalie Mornu ($17.95) and the popular book Sweater Surgery: How to Make New Things with Old Sweaters by Stefanie Girard ($19.99). With books on knitting, jewelrymaking, bookmaking, collage, patchwork, stenciling and sewing, we have something to satisfy the crafter in everyone! Stop in and check out our Art and Craft section located at the front of the store to find the inspiration for your next project.

New Releases from Contemporary Spiritual Teachers

Best selling author, psychologist, meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts and of the Spirit Rock Center in northern California, Jack Kornfield has just released a new book, The Wise Heart, a Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology. Considered "the most accessible and illuminating guide to Buddhism's transformational psychology ever published in the West," The Wise Heart is sure to join After the Ecstasy, the Laundry and A Path with Heart as a modern day classic. Bantam (9780553803471) $28.00




And from A.H. Almaas, originator of the Diamond Approach, The Unfolding Now: Realizing Your True Nature through the Practice of Presence, a book about learning to live with open awareness. With chapters on "Freedom from the Filters of the Mind," "The Trap of Identification," and "Being without Mind," Almaas introduces a method of self-observation and contemplative exploration to help overcome the obstacles that keep us from being present. Shambhala (9781590305591) $15.95

Be the Change You Wish to See in the World

With daily headlines forecasting a dim future: rising gas prices, rising food prices, diminishing natural resources, etc., it is easy to feel powerless in what sometimes feels like a world gone mad. Here at Crazy Wisdom, we like to believe, like Mahatma Gandhi quoted above, that each one of us has the power to change the world. Of course, doing so is a bit harder said than done. That's why we've created a section called Social Activism: to give you the tools you need to make the changes this world needs to turn our future into one of hope.
Stop in and become inspired to make a difference, and check out the Green Living section Sarah mentioned too! They are conveniently located in the same bookcase across from the front counter, and both give you tools to create a healthier future.

NEW Holistic Resource Guide

Our Holistic Resource Guide has a new look and a new home.
The Ann Arbor Holistic Resource Guide is now online at annarborholistic.com
















The Ann Arbor Holistic Resource Guide was created by Crazy Wisdom to provide information about the terrific array of Practitioners and Teachers in the fields of Integrative and Alternative Medicine, Holistic Health, Spiritual and Psychological growth and more... practicing in and around the Ann Arbor area.

Make sure to check out the new site!

June is for...

Summer is almost here! Celebrate June with the following Green Living events:
June is the official Recycling Month. Commit yourself to reduce and reuse even more.
June is also Perennial Gardening month. Plant native species that thrive within our local conditions without extra irrigation (think Echinacea, Yarrow, Black-Eyed Susan)! Create an organic vegetable garden, too, no matter how small your space, to enjoy produce with the most nutrients.

June 5 is World Environment Day, devoted to reducing your carbon footprint.
June 18 is International Picnic Day. Begin an annual early summer tradition with your children or sweetheart and join picnickers around the world!
Check out our new Green Living book section, located across from the front counter. Here you'll find many, many new books devoted to recycling, diminished car use, green alternatives for your home and work, and ways to help renew and regenerate our beautiful planet.

Eat Local First

I'm glad to report that it's that time of year: the Ann Arbor Farmers Market is finally open twice a week again for our fresh and local pleasure. While personally I love all the beautiful flowers that dominate the vendor booths this time of year, I also very much enjoy learning what fruits and vegetables are in season, as the booths move from colorful annuals to dirty root vegetables. Right now I am anxiously awaiting the sweet corn, a must have for summertime dinners on the porch! For those of you, like me, who need help making creative meals from our local offerings, Deborah Madison has the answer. Founding Chef of San Francisco's Greens Restaurant and well known, award-winning author of several vegetarian cookbooks, Deborah Madison's Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Famers' Markets has just been released, for the first time, in paperback. A perfect cookbook for eating from the farmers market year round--just don't expect to find all the ingredients at a farmers market in the Midwest....

This is for Everybody

Do you ever feel alone? That no matter how many friends you have or amount of support, nobody will ever really understand you? These are the questions Rob Ryan asks as he begins his whimsical journey in This is for You, a beautiful yet simple story about the quest for love. Part storybook, part art book and all heart, the author's personal insights on the universal feelings of despair, hope and anticipation are told on elaborately decorated paper cut-outs. From intricately designed starry nights to woven ribbons circling park scenes filled with fallen leaves and scattered flowers, the pictures give depth to the simple and heartwarming story of a man who dreams of sharing the life he finds so beautiful, with someone else. Highly recommended!

Last week for book and music/audio sale!

Our annual book and music/audio cd sale ends May 18! There are still hundreds of wonderful book titles available! We have sold many, many cds, but some still remain... Sale prices are up to 80% off! The sale table is in the middle room of the store. Check it out!

Highly recommended book!

Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson, is an amazing account of this man's mission to build schools for girls in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Following a failed attempt to climb a mountain in Pakistan, Mortenson was warmly cared for by a Pakistani village. He vowed to return someday to build a school for them when he saw children trying to learn, in an open field, without a teacher. The children would just gather, trying their best. Penniless, Mortenson returned to the States and began searching for donors. Ten years later, his successful attempt has resulted in over 50 schools now, through the foundation he directs: Central Asia Institute. I loved this book because it shows what one person can do, with a vision, with determination, with a generous heart. Plus it's a clear introduction to the political conflicts in those areas, and also relates to 9/11, without propaganda. Mortenson believes the solution to terrorism is education, and his book helps prove this theory. Because of his presence there, the Pakistanis highly revere him and even love him, despite what the U.S. has done to their land and people. It's a really wonderful story!

The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal

The latest edition of The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal is online.
visit CrazyWisdom.net to view.
The online version of The Crazy Wisdom Community Journal includes the events calendar, articles, interviews and more!
Enjoy!