Bob Eckstein

I had a problem with the first part of this book.In the first part of this book the author kept stressing just how prevalent snowmen are in our modern day culture and personally, I just didn't buy it. He made it seem as if the snowman icon is everywhere throughout the year and I just couldn't accept that. But as the book progressed he began to discuss the history of the snowman and I must say I really admired the amount of research he put into his project. I was fascinated by the accounts of how the people of the Middle Ages used snowmen to brighten up the cold bleak winters. And also absorbed by the descriptions of the little ice age,a time when we as a society now dealing with global warming, has often been overlooked. A short book and definitely worth a read.… (meer)

The author and illustrator, inspired by an assignment for The New Yorker, chose 75 independent bookstores from around the world and painted a watercolour of each storefront. Superimposed on these illustrations are quotes or stories about each shop, told by the owner, an employee, or a customer. Some have a definite 'wow' factor, some are sweet, some are funny. At the back of the book are a collection of stories that didn't fit into the book but couldn't be left out.

All of them reaffirm my desire to own a bookshop someday.… (meer)