Lucille Clifton, writ large

From time to time, we highlight the work of Kingston, Washington, based Expedition Press, which creates beautiful letterpress renditions of poetry. While most of Myrna Keliher’s work is on the scale of cards, books, and broadsides, she sometimes ventures into larger prints.

In fact, Publishers Weekly last week featured some of Expedition’s really-big work in “Expedition Press Delivers Poetry on a Grand Scale.” Expedition’s 40-foot-long plywood mural shares Lucille Clifton’s words, “i continue to continue.”

The huge piece was exhibited at the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute in February and will be on display this week at the AWP Conference. Attendees can also find Expedition Press at booth 1341 at the AWP Bookfair.

a different list

We like lists that suggest essential books and authors, and 12 Essential Spanish-Language Female Authors by Cristina Rivera Garza is no exception. The list includes stories, novels, and poetry, all sounding very tempting and most available in translation.

poetry in the pipeline

While it hardly seems fair to use the F word (Fall) so early in the summer, Publishers Weekly has just issued its Fall 2017 Announcements: Poetry list and we thought you might be interested. Following PW’s projected Top 10 list is a list of fall titles from many poetry publishers. That leaves you just a few months to clear some space on your poetry shelves — or, better yet, add a new one.

niche numbers

Read what Publishers Weekly says about Rupi Kaur’s book of poems, Milk and Honey (Andrews McMeel), which has sold “450,000 copies to date and continues to move around 30,000 copies per week.” Gasp.

Can you say social media?

P.S. See this late-breaking article on Rupi Kaur in The Guardian.

Village Books a finalist!

That Village Books should find itself on a Bookstore of the Year list will be no surprise to anyone who has browsed the aisles, purchased books (etc.) or attended one of the 300-plus events that the Bellingham, Washington, independent bookstore presents each year. But when Publishers Weekly lists Village Books on its shortlist of five for the 2016 PW Bookstore of the Year, it’s enough to make all of Cascadia proud. The winning bookstore will be announced in March and the award presented at Book Expo America in May. Congratulations to Chuck & Dee Robinson and the entire VB crew!

woo-hoo for local bookstores!

Publishers Weekly has announced its shortlist for the title of Bookstore of the Year and it probably won’t surprise local readers to learn that Bellingham’s VILLAGE BOOKS and Portland’s POWELL’S BOOKS hold two of the five slots. The winner will be announced in early April. Stop by and say congratulations and while you’re there, buy a book!

for your wish list…

Publishers Weekly on Sunday offered a taste of poetry titles to come in the article “Fall 2014 Book Announcements: Poetry: Big Names and a Little Art.”

We can look forward to new publications from Louise Glück, Matthea Harvey, Ted Kooser, Paul Muldoon, Mary Oliver and others.