The original version of this newsletter was sent out on Tuesday, September 9.
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Hello, fellow bookworms!
Summer, my favorite season, might be on its way out, but starting September 11, one of my favorite yearly Santa Barbara events is about to begin — the Mary Jane McCord Planned Parenthood Book Sale! I’m sure I don’t need to inform anyone that the federal government is threatening to defund Planned Parenthood as much as possible, meaning that countless people will lose access to the health care it provides. (For more information, click here.) But the good news is that so many people are willing to fight and donate to make sure everyone has access to the resources and care that Planned Parenthood provides!
Abortion is healthcare, but Planned Parenthood clinics do much more than that. From sexual health education to STD screenings and treatment, cancer screenings, and gender-affirming care, Planned Parenthood clinics provide an invaluable service to our community.
I encourage everyone to support Planned Parenthood, buy as many books as you can carry, and make some new friends and connections in the process! I’ll see you there.
—Tessa, allbooked@independent.com
Now I’ll hand things over to our wonderful Copy Editor Nathan Vived to bring us an exciting upcoming book by area author Simon Tolkien as well as some Superman awesomeness. (Did anyone else cry at the new Superman film? I did….)
The Room of Lost Steps by Simon Tolkien
The sequel to The Palace at the End of the Sea, Lost Steps continues the tale of Theo Sterling as he contends with the powder keg of the Spanish Civil War. In a time and place when nuance is bled from the hearts of men and violence is worth more than lives, Theo is forced to reconcile his beliefs with his wants and discover his place in a conflict where individuality is reserved solely for the ideologue leaders in the blood-washed streets of Barcelona.
It’s a fascinating insight into an often-overlooked conflict, supplanted by the oppressive shadow of WWII a few scant years later; both the anarchists and fascists fueled by fear, rage, and hate, proving themselves to be far more difficult to fit into the binary roles of heroes and villains that so dominates the narrative of the mid-20th century. It’s a daunting undertaking, and the enormous weight of the world bearing down on Theo’s shoulders as his every decision is drowned out by the wider violence is palpable. Yet it’s in the focused viewpoint of Theo that the reader is shown that, for all that he is unable to influence the larger theaters, Theo still has an immeasurable impact on the people and around him, small as it may seem.
I highly recommend.
Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang and Illustrated by Gurihiru
After the incredibly complicated and labyrinthian Spanish Civil War, I wanted to read some simpler fare, so I turned to an old standby of mine. This graphic novel (2019) is based around the 1940s radio production where Superman faces off against the Clan of the Fiery Cross, a not-so-subtle stand-in for everyone’s least-favorite bedsheet enthusiasts. Set in 1946, the story follows the titular hero as he struggles against his own alien identity in a Metropolis (and America, more widely) that seems to fervently champion the exclusionary hate they fought against in WWII. There’s a reason the first villain Supes takes out is a literal Nazi. Alongside him are Tommy and Roberta Lee, Chinese-American siblings who have recently moved to a Metropolis suburb from Chinatown.
It’s a basic tale, really, but in its simplicity, Superman Smashes the Klan is able to highlight the absurdity and sickness that those in the Klan espouse. They may dress it all up in vaunted philosophy and grand words and titles, but all that really drives them is hate. Unfounded, ignorant, impotent hate. It’s a spotlight that, I think, needs to see a lot more usage these days.
—Nathan Vived
FROM OUR PAGES
We’ve had some great author visits and interviews recently, so don’t miss out. Here is some of our book-related coverage from the last two weeks! Read all this and more at Independent.com.
“A Man Among Megafires” by Tyler Hayden
“Balancing the Books” by Jim Buckley
“A Musical Comedy Road Trip | ‘The Fairley Brothers in Japan’” by Leslie Dinaberg
UPCOMING BOOK EVENTS
Below, you will find a few bookish events coming up in Santa Barbara. If you are hosting a bookish event in Santa Barbara, be sure to submit the event to our online events calendar.
Epic Impact Society Conversation & Book Launch: Dennis Baker: Building Your Board of Directors for Life
Wednesday, September 10, 5 p.m. | The Well Montecito
Romance Book Club
Wednesday, September 10, 5:30 p.m. | S.B. Central Library
The 51st Mary Jane McCord Planned Parenthood Annual Book Sale Opening Night
Thursday, September 11, 4 p.m. | Earl Warren Showgrounds
On the Stage: Raegan Revord: Rules for Fake Girlfriends
Thursday, September 11, 6 p.m. | Godmothers
The 51st Mary Jane McCord Planned Parenthood Annual Book Sale
Friday-Sunday, September 12-21, times vary | Earl Warren Showgrounds
Storytime: The Mixed-Up Owl
Saturday, September 13, 11 a.m. | Godmothers
Chaucer’s Book Talk & Signing: Hendrika De Vries: Open Turns: From Dutch Girl to New Australian
Sunday, September 14, 3 p.m. | Chaucer’s Books
In Conversation: Isabelle Boemeke & Orlando Bloom: Rad Future: The Untold Story of Nuclear Electricity and How It Will Save the World
Sunday, September 14, 6 p.m. | Godmothers
Storytime: G.O.A.T.
Monday, September 15, 11 a.m. | Godmothers
Online Seminar Series: Monday Night Poetry Group
Monday, September 15, 5 p.m. | Online – The Agora Foundation
Fall Book Sale Friends of the Library Santa Ynez Valley
Tuesday-Saturday, September 16-20, 10 a.m. | Solvang Library Lobby
Women’s Literary Voices Salon and Happy Hour: Claudia Hoag McGarry
Wednesday, September 17, 5:30 p.m. | Pico Adobe
On the Stage: Michael Thomas: The Broken King
Thursday, September 18, 6 p.m. | Godmothers
Trail Talks: Conservation Stories Behind Some of Our Favorite Trails with the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County
Thursday, September 18, 6:30 p.m. | S.B. Central Library
Book Talk and Signing: Mountain Drive: Santa Barbara’s Pioneer Bohemian Community by Elias Chiacos
Saturday, September 20, 3 p.m. | Tecolote Book Shop
Poetry Reading with Keith Ekiss & Nicholas Tino Reiner
Saturday, September 20, 4 p.m. | S.B. Museum of Natural History
Storytime: The Leaf Thief
Saturday, September 20, 11 a.m. | Godmothers
Book Talk and Signing: Paul Levine: Midnight Burning
Sunday, September 21, 3 p.m. | Chaucer’s Books
Storytime: Everything’s Wrong
Monday, September 22, 11 a.m. | Godmothers
S.B. SPOTLIGHT
We at the Independent get many books sent to us by area authors, sometimes too many! It’s practically impossible for us to read and review them all, but just because we are busy bees does not mean that they aren’t worth the attention. In an attempt to not completely drop the ball, we have compiled a list of books here that are either written by a Santa Barbara author, feature someone in our community, or have another tie to Santa Barbara. I urge you to look through this list. Perhaps you will find your new favorite read!
The following are the most recent titles that have been sent to us.
Mountain Drive: Santa Barbara’s Pioneer Bohemian Community by Elias Chiacos
The Fairley Brothers in Japan by David Starkey
Midnight Burning: An Einstein–Chaplin Thriller by Paul Levine
If you are a local author and would like us to feature your book in this section, please email allbooked@independent.com with the subject line “S.B. Spotlight.”
Book Reviews Courtesy of CALIFORNIA REVIEW OF BOOKS*
Thanks to the generous contributions of David Starkey, Brian Tanguay and their team of reviewers at California Review of Books, we are able to provide a steady stream of book reviews via our content partnership. Recent reviews at Independent.com include:
*At the present time, all of the Independent’s book reviews are provided in collaboration with California Review of Books (calirb.com).