We were so close... so close to Spring and then, just like that, it's Winter all over again. I don't even mind winter, in fact, I'm one of those people who likes the snow. It's just that once I've committed to turning off the heat for the year I don't want to turn it back on again. But enough complaining, the snowfall was quite lovely and very unobtrusive. And it is all sparkly and beautiful in the sunlight outside my window this morning.
I hope some of you have had a chance to stop into a store and have a look at our Harper Collins Buy 2 Get 1 Free Sale. I know, I know, I talked about it last week. This is really just a lead up to a special treat this week in the Buyer's Corner. I'm going to lull you into a sense of complacency with a few short words on an author who happens to be published by the aforementioned Harper Collins and then I'm going to loose the words and stylings of one of Olsson's stable of book aficionados on you.

I wanted to talk about the charming and witty and occasionally vulgar Christopher Moore, author of Lamb, Island of the Sequined Love Nun, and most recently You Suck. Lamb is perhaps his most well known work, it retells the story of Jesus early years through the hilarious voice of Biff, his best friend. His most recent paperback offering is A Dirty Job wherein poor Charlie Asher, new parent and new widower, is given the unfortunate job of Merchant of Death, which is made more difficult and more hilarious by his shy, bumbling ways. We've been lucky enough to have him appear at our stores for events in the past and his fans are legion.

But now on to the treat... Andrew Getman who manages our National Airport store after stints at three other locations has long been a fan of Gregory Maguire and has graced us with some words on his books. So without further fuss:

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Gregory Maguire is one of my favorite authors whose books are featured by Harper. He's a perfect choice for "buy two get one free" with his collection of fabulous reimaginings of famous fairytales. Mirror, Mirror supposes that Lucrezia Borgia was Snow White's evil queen, and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister recounts Cinderella's story from her sister's point of view. Either will delight you with his creative spin on the classics.

However, his first book, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West still remains my favorite of all of Maguire's retellings. Now, of course, everyone knows that the book inspired the hit Broadway musical, but the book was a success first because Mr. Maguire did his research. He has reverently honored the fabulous world that L. Frank Baum created in his Oz series by representing it through a Marxist, feminist, environmentalist, agnostic lens.

And now, ten years later, he has returned to the world of Oz with his long-awaited sequel to Wicked entitled Son of a Witch. When Dorothy threw the bucket of water at the witch, she orphaned a boy named Liir. Maguire's richly layered narrative and sly wit follows the wicked witch's son as he explores the shadowy underbelly of the political machine that is the Emerald City under Glinda's rule. Gregory Maguire is back in his prime.

Choose any three for the price of two! - Andrew Getman, Store Manager, Airport