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!