Indigo Bridge hosted a grand opening celebration last Saturday for its new location at 1624 S. 17th St. in Lincoln, Neb., with performances by local musicians, a raffle and more, the Journal Star reported.

"I like to describe us as a bookstore, coffee shop and community space," said director of operations Aaliyah Samci.

Indigo Bridge's original location in the Haymarket opened in 2008, but closed at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. That experience led to a reevaluation of the goals and mission statement of the business. The company took the downtime to think about what it means to the community.

"The team at the time, and especially our owner, sat down and decided that this was the perfect opportunity in such an unfortunate situation to bring some light to it," said Samci. This led Indigo Bridge to leave the Haymarket and create a pop-up location at 1346 B St, which was open until late August this year.

The mission is to be an inclusive space for all, Samci said, adding that the titles they sell are written by women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community. "The books we sell here are all relatively new, especially because we do sell books from underrepresented communities. Anything predating a certain time honestly didn't have a lot of representation in literature.... We want people to feel represented and comfortable in who they are, and come to a place where they feel like they matter."

The Avid Reader in Sacramento, Calif., is up for sale. After 36 years, owner Stan Forbes has decided to sell the bookstore and retire. 

Forbes reported that the general-interest bookstore has particularly strong selections of new hardcovers, fiction and children's books, and it also offers a substantial selection of magazines, newspapers, toys and puzzles.

The Avid Reader is located in a freestanding, 3,600-square-foot building with good parking and light rail access. Forbes added that it serves the city's Land Park, Midtown and East Sacramento neighborhoods, and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic held author events almost weekly. It also hosted book clubs, sold books at off-site events and held seasonal events such as Christmas string quartets.

Forbes noted that he is open to flexible terms including interest-free financing, and he can be reached here.

The two major German book awards celebrated in connection with the Frankfurt Book Fair both stood out for their timeliness and resonance.

Just before the fair opened, in a gala ceremony in the Kaisersaal of Frankfurt's Römer city hall, the €25,000 (about $24,680) German Book Prize was awarded to BlutBuch (Blood Book) by Kim de l'Horizon.

The judges wrote, "With an enormous creative energy, the non-binary narrative character in Kim de l'Horizon's novel Blood Book searches for his own language. What narratives are there for a body that defies conventional notions of gender? The focal point of the narration is the character's grandmother, the Großmeer in Bernese German, in whose ocean the child Kim threatened to drown and from which he now swims free while writing. The novel form is in constant motion. Every attempt at language, from the plastic scene to the essay-like memoir, develops an urgency and literary innovative power that provoked and inspired the jury."

Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, chair of the Börsenverein, the German book industry association, which sponsors the prize, said, "With the German Book Prize, we want to draw readers' attention to the complexity of German-language literature. This year it's also an invitation to expand the boundaries of one's perception and engage with literature that's outside of one's own focus and which is all the more inspiring. At best, we can pull one another out of our filter bubbles, move ourselves and others to consider, rethink and think about the future."

Prize winner de l'Horizon accepted the award in a way that resulted in even more press and publicity for the prize than usual. He took the stage, thanked his mother and grandmother, quoted the song "Nightcall" ("There is something inside you, it's hard to explain/ They're talking about you, but you're still the same.") and said, "This prize is not only for me." Then he took out a small razor and cut most of his hair, explaining, "The jury awarded this prize against hate, for love, for all people who are suppressed because of their bodies. This prize is also for the women of Iran. How stupid was our opinion [of them]? Women are emancipated not only in the West."

Sadly, de l'Horizon was attacked on social media following the prize announcement, so much so that a security team protected him during the fair.

Serhij Zhadan

In another gala ceremony, on Sunday in the St. Paul's Church, Serhij Zhadan was awarded the German Peace Prize, also sponsored by the Börsenverein and also carrying an award of €25,000. The Ukrainian novelist, poet, translator and lyricist did not give a traditional kind of speech extolling literature and the book, for example. Instead, he discussed the brutality of war, telling stories of his experiences near the front lines. He criticized politicians and intellectuals who support an unconditional cease fire in Ukraine and derided "false pacifism." He said that people "must speak up in times of war, especially in times of war," and he talked about how difficult it is to find the right language for what he's experienced, for death, and for the catastrophe that surrounds him.

In May 2023, Yale University Press will publish Sky Above Kharkiv: Dispatches from the Ukrainian Front, translated by Reilly Costigan-Humes and Isaac Stackhouse Wheeler, Zhadan's record of the first four months of war following Russia's invasion. The book grew out of Zhadan's efforts early in the war on social media to coordinate a network of resistance workers and send messages of courage to fellow Ukrainians. Soon Zhadan became a key witness for documenting the many Russian atrocities committed since February.

Yale has published three other books by Zhadan, all part of the Margellos World Republic of Letters series:
The Orphanage, a novel translated by Reilly Costigan-Humes and Isaac Stackhouse Wheeler
Mesopotamia, another novel, translated by Reilly Costigan-Humes, Wanda Phipps, Virlana Tkacz, and Isaac Stackhouse Wheeler
What We Live For, What We Die For: Selected Poems, translated by Virlana Tkacz and Wanda Phipps, with a foreword by Bob Holman
 
Among Zhadan's other works published in the U.S.:
Voroshilovgrad, translated by Reilly Costigan-Humes and Isaac Stackhouse Wheeler (Deep Vellum)
A New Orthography, translated by John Hennessy and Ostap Kin (Lost Horse Press Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series)

Harold Clarke

Harold Clarke, former chairman of Irish bookstore chain Eason, author and noted conservationist, died October 23. He was 89. The Irish Times reported that Clarke "was a well-known figure in Dublin from the 1960s until his death and was prominent in the arenas of conservation, art, bridge and, more recently, gardening."

He retired as executive chairman of Eason in 1995, a position he once described as the "nicest job in Ireland," but remained on the company's board as a director until 2010.

Clarke joined Eason as a trainee manager following his graduation with a degree in economics from Trinity College Dublin and remained with the company for more than 50 years.

A pioneer in the restoration of Dublin, Clarke was working with the Eason senior management team in the late 1960s when "he bought and completely restored a house on North Great George's Street after which he was inspired to produce a successful series of pamphlets focusing on Irish heritage, the first of which looked in detail at Georgian Dublin," the Irish Times noted. He was also prominent within the Friends of the National Collections, a voluntary body established to help preserve Ireland's artistic heritage at a time when there was little or no state support for developing art collections in Ireland.

On Twitter, An Post CEO David McRedmond called Clarke "one of bookselling's greats," while author and editor Patricia Scanlan noted: "I was TOTALLY in awe of him when I first got published, but meeting at various functions we discovered each other's sense of humor & would have a good laugh when we met--he gave great hugs. RIP." 

Books Inc., Campbell, Calif., shared a photo yesterday of bookseller Anjini, who "made this beautiful rangoli display in front of our store! Happy Diwali!"

Ingram's Consortium Book Sales & Distribution is adding five new publishers for the Spring 2023 season:

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), founded in 1911, is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. NCTE publishes books that offer resources for teachers' professional development from elementary through college. Key new titles this fall include Walking in Shakespeare's Shoes: Connecting His World and Ours Using Primary Sources by Sheridan Lynn Steelman and Can We Talk?: Encouraging Conversation in High School Classrooms by Susanne Rubenstein. (Effective now.)

The Association of Talent Development is dedicated to publishing information for talent development professionals, focusing on general business and skills development topics such as project management, leadership, strategic planning, career development, organization development, and consulting. Key titles for spring include Learning Experience Design Essentials by Cara North and The Accidental Instructional Designer, 2nd edition by Cammy Bean. (Effective January 3, 2023.)

Skinner House Books, an imprint of the Unitarian Universalist Association, publishes titles aimed at those who share the values of liberal religion and include titles on theology and religious history, books for children and families and current issues and social justice concerns. Key titles for spring include Authentic Selves: Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families by Peggy Gillespie and Incantations for Rest: Poems, Meditations, and Other Magic by Atena O. Danner. (Effective January 3, 2023.)

The Do Book Company, founded in 2013 in London, publishes inspirational pocket guides by creative entrepreneurs and experts, and its titles span business, design, wellbeing, and sustainable living topics. Each book inspires action and focuses on the 'doing' rather than the background theory, and key spring titles include Do Drama: How to Stop Watching TV. And Start Writing It. by Lucy Gannon and Do Deal: Negotiate Better. Find Hidden Value. Enrich Relationships. by Richard Hoare. (Effective now.)

Pinter & Martin, London, supports authors who challenge the status quo and specializes in books about pregnancy, birth and parenting, yoga, and psychology, including the classic Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read. A key title for spring is a new edition of Milli Hill's The Positive Birth Book. (Effective November 1.)

Read Between the Lynes, Woodstock, Ill., shared a #SpookyReads staff picks video on Instagram, noting: "Halloween is fast approaching, so we asked our team: what spooky book would you recommend? How about you, fellow reader? Do you have any books you saved especially to read during this time of year, or are there any books you’d recommend that give all the Halloween vibes?"

The Journey of Marcel Grob by Philippe Collin and Sébastien Goethals (Dead Reckoning/Naval Institute Press).

Today:
Fresh Air: Jemele Hill, author of Uphill: A Memoir (Holt, $27.99, 9781250624376).

Tomorrow:
Good Morning America: Kevin Nealon, author of I Exaggerate: My Brushes with Fame (Abrams, $35, 9781419761980).

Mike Caron, director of Nickelodeon's Danger Force and Paramount+'s Fairly Odd Parents: Fairly Odder, has launched Mike Caron Productions and set a TV adaptation of mystery series Monster Kid Detective Squad as one of his first projects, Deadline reported. 

The book series is written by Jason Henderson and In Churl Yo. Caron has brought on Grant Levy and Dominik Rothbard (Bunheads) duo to adapt the project with him. 

"Once I read the books, I was so inspired by the visual potential of a world where monsters and humans live together," said Caron. "Then, after I connected with Grant and Dominik, I knew five minutes into our first meeting that this dynamic duo was exactly the right voice to tell this magical and inclusionary story of friendship."

Khadija Abdalla Bajaber's The House of Rust (Graywolf Press) won the inaugural $25,000 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction, which is "intended to recognize those writers Ursula spoke of in her 2014 National Book Awards speech--realists of a larger reality, who can imagine real grounds for hope and see alternatives to how we live now."

The jury praised Bajaber's transcendent writing and innovative, transporting story, saying: "Scene after scene is gleaming, textured, utterly devoid of cliché and arresting in its wisdom. The novel's structure is audacious and its use of language is to die for."

Two finalists were also named: How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu (Morrow) and The Past Is Red by Catherynne M. Valente (Tordotcom Publishing).

LibraryReads, the nationwide library staff-picks list, offers the top 10 November titles public library staff across the country love:

Top Pick
Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake (‎Berkley, $17, 9780593336427). "In this follow-up to Delilah Green Doesn't Care, Astrid is determined to bounce back from a breakup by going on a TV building reno show. When sparks fly with the show's carpenter, Astrid is thrown, having never before considered herself queer. With a little guidance from Delilah, she follows her instincts. This is a sweet/spicy romance for fans of Casey McQuiston and Alexis Hall." --Amanda Chapman, Davisville Free Library, North Kingstown, R.I.

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson (Sourcebooks Landmark, $16.99, 9781728246444). "Maggie takes a temp position at a friend's bookstore and gets more than she bargained for when she discovers the entire town seems to revolve around the legacy of author Edward Bell. Before she knows it, she's selling books from a secret stash, planning author events, and finding love. A fun read for fans of Abbi Waxman and Emily Henry." --Jaime Bink, Harford County Public Library, Whiteford, Md.

The Cloisters: A Novel by Katy Hays (Atria, $28, 9781668004401). "Ann lands an internship at the Met's Cloisters museum, where she works on an exhibit about tarot cards during the Renaissance. After Ann makes a surprising discovery, she sets in motion a series of sinister twists and turns. This great debut set in the atmospheric world of dark academia is perfect for those who loved The Ninth House and Discovery of Witches." --Shari Suarez, Genesee District Library, Genesee, Mich.

Kiss Her Once for Me: A Novel by Alison Cochrun (Atria, $17.99, 9781982191139). "Financially struggling Ellie agrees to get fake-engaged for cash to help get back on her feet. But when she visits her fiancé's family for the holidays, she finds that his sister is the person Ellie fell for a year before. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll find the queer holiday rom-com you've always wanted. For fans of You Had Me at Hola, Take a Hint, Dani Brown and Written in the Stars." --Andrea Tucci, Glencoe Public Library, Glencoe, Ill.

Legends & Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes by Travis Baldree (‎Tor, $17.99, 9781250886088). "Weary of her boisterous warrior lifestyle, an orc hangs up her sword and pairs with a succubus to open up a coffee shop in a quirky medieval town. This light, slice-of-life speculative tale is sure to appeal to fans of cozy fantasies like A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking and The House in the Cerulean Sea." --Heidi Schaub, Multnomah County Public Library, Portland, Ore.

Now Is Not the Time to Panic: A Novel by Kevin Wilson (Ecco, $27.99, 9780062913500). "It's the summer of 1996 in the small town of Coalfield, Tennessee. Awkward teenagers Frankie and Zeke just want to make art, but lose control over their creation. This coming-of-age novel is uniquely compelling about how art can be appropriated by others and morph into legend." --Jill Minor, Washington County Public Library, Abingdon, Va.

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske (Tor, $27.99, 9781250788917). "This second installment of The Last Binding trilogy focuses on a magical locked-room mystery aboard an early 1900s ocean liner. Full of thrills, steamy romance, and clever humor, this delightful queer historical fantasy will appeal to fans of Naomi Novik and C.L. Polk." --Jessica Trotter, Capital District Libraries, Lansing, Mich.

The Rewind by Allison Winn Scotch (Berkley, $17, 9780593546536). "Frankie and Ezra run into each other at a friend's wedding, revisiting the highs and lows of their college romance, and discover a lot about themselves and each other along the way. With the 1999 college campus setting, this is a nostalgic and heartfelt journey to a bygone era. For fans of Just Another Love Song or The Half of It." --Alicia Ahlvers, Henrico County Public Library, Henrico, Va.

Someday, Maybe: A Novel by Onyi Nwabineli (Graydon House, $27.99, 9781525899805). "The story of a woman widowed by the suicide of her husband, who was a photographer. The story walks through her grief process and what others outside of her grief must see. A poignant story, while peppered with occasional humor, is still a tough read. For readers of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty." --Theresa Coleman, Indianapolis Public Library, Indianapolis, Ind.

Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese (Berkley, $17, 9780593441503). "Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing gets an update as Jamie and Bea, who have nothing in common, discover they have been tricked into going on a date. They decide to put on the performance... but will it end in true love? This is a dual perspective, slow burn rom-com full of wit and chemistry. Recommended for fans of Sarah Adams and Alina Jacobs." --Kaite Stover, Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, Mo.

With Factory Girls, Michelle Gallen (Big Girl, Small Town) delivers a heartrending, funny, blistering and beautiful novel of foreboding and hope. In the summer of 1994, Maeve Murray and her two best friends are on the cusp of escaping their small Northern Irish town for bigger, better and safer things. Maeve is a child of the Troubles: "neighbours shooting neighbours was just the way things had always been for her." She comes from a poor Catholic family and has been taught to expect little, but she has hopes that her exam results will move her beyond the background that, in her world, defines her. "Nobody as poor as Maeve could afford to have notions about herself. Which was why she treasured them." Maeve and her friends Caroline and Aoife find summer jobs at a shirt factory in town, hoping to save a bit before going away to college. Exam results loom all summer, in this novel organized by a countdown beginning "74 days until results."

Caroline has a loving family, and Aoife is downright privileged compared to Maeve's rather stark upbringing, not only in poverty but with the death of her sister (unexplained for much of the novel) shadowing all her family's interactions. "Maeve sometimes wondered if [her sister]'d still be alive if she'd failed and stayed in the town." Factory work is a bit of a miracle in this depressed town, but it comes with unforeseen challenges, like working alongside Protestants, while outside the gates a never-ending war of retaliation is played out by paramilitary groups on both sides. Maeve worries about losing her kneecaps or her life before she ever makes it to London. "The news reports had said the children were 'lucky,' for despite being packed together in the parish hall, they'd received only minor injuries.... She didn't feel lucky when she felt the slap of the explosion." Alongside wrestling with grueling work making shirts that nobody she knows can afford and fending off her slimy English boss, Maeve will find still greater challenges spring from the factory floor. "It was the factory workers--both Prods and Taigs--who were at the bottom of a very long and merciless food chain."

Factory Girls takes on class, corruption and the Catholic/Protestant and English/Irish divides; gender and labor rights; female friendships; family disappointments; the specter of opportunity and the puzzle of how to transcend one's roots without leaving part of oneself behind. This may sound like a heavy, ambitious group of subject, but Gallen draws delightful, richly rendered characters and imbues her narrative with a vernacular voice that will charm readers and keep them firmly rooted in time and place. This novel is as hilarious as it is heartbreaking: not to be missed. --Julia Kastner, librarian and blogger at pagesofjulia

Shelf Talker: Amid the Troubles in Northern Ireland, a scrappy young woman comes of age in this inspiring, humorous and moving novel.

The bestselling self-published books last week as compiled by IndieReader.com:

1. Finding Carly by Susan Stoker
2. Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
3. Bake Off (Maddie Baker Book 2) by Denise Grover Swank
4. The Akseli by Dianne Duvall
5. The Kraken's Sacrifice by Katee Robert
6. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter
7. Two a Day by Lauren Blakely
8. It's Impossible to Commit to Maybe by David R. Lumley
9. The Wrong Bride by Catharina Maura
10. Quarterback Sneak by Kandi Steiner

[Many thanks to IndieReader.com!]