Reading Log Series 3

The sun’s warmth as I emerge from a long uphill forested stretch of the Appalachian Trail? Yes, I can feel it on my face. The weary creak of a Nantucket wooden whaling ship’s ribs as it navigates a mountainous sea? I can hear it and feel the vibrations. Slightly burnt, freshly brewed coffee served with the gentle and witty advice of the newest business marketing guru? It’s like an energetic conversation with a smart friend I’ve known since college.

Books take me right inside the story. I’m actually there, not as a passive observer or a couch bound binge-watcher. I’m part of what’s going on; the written words create the voices, the music, sometimes even the tears. It doesn’t matter if I’m seeking advice on growing tomatoes or helping Mack figure out how to throw Doc a party in Cannery Row, an accomplished author grabs me by the shoulders and plunges me, willingly, right into the world they’ve created. I love film, podcasts and I’ve tried VR. But books are a banquet for my always peckish curiosity.

As a young child, my mind was in freestyle day-dreaming mode, rather than reading, most days; today, my husband and I find more excitement in discovering a small town bookshop than getting good concert tickets. We’ve been fortunate to combine business travel with some side trips to Hatchards in Piccadilly, Shakespeare and Co in Paris, Powells in Portland or Dom Knigi in St Petersburg. But do you know what? They’re only almost as good as Copperfields in Healdsburg, Northern California. An owner-operated independent book shop exudes love. The person that created it, maintains it and invites guests in to enjoy it is as proud of their store as a rose grower submitting a curated, competitive bouquet at the Masterton A&P show. I happen to know this.

Adam is my dearest book buddy. On date night, which is pretty much every night no matter where we are, our conversation often lifts into a verbal frenzy of excited exchange, courtesy of the latest chapters we are working on. Capsule summaries of new ideas discovered, explanations of known concepts from a different angle, perspectives elevated with the joy of fresh understanding. Reading is not only good for our minds, it enhances the health of our relationship.

And that is why I created Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop in Greytown, our home town. I genuinely care about this community we are a part of. My little bookshop is a place where your curiosity can discover worlds you haven’t explored, people you are yet to meet, creativity that lifts you up and even tomato growing tips that could win you a trophy at the next A&P show. Please, come in, open your mind and take all the time you need.

Use this Reading Log to track:

• Title
• Author
• Date Started / Date Completed
• Number of Pages
• Format: Hardcover, Paperback, E-Reader or Audiobook
• Owned / Purchased From
• Borrowed / Return Date
• Your notes from the book
• Keywords / Concepts
• Star Rating
• Now sized to fit your Traveler's Company notebook! Also available in passport size.