Judy Shepard Speaks at the Salt Lake City Library on Saturday

We are honored to be hosting Judy Shepard at the Salt Lake City Public Library Auditorium this Saturday, September 26th, at 7:00 PM with co-sponsorship from the Utah Pride Center and the Salt Lake City Public Library.

Mrs. Shepard will be talking about her new book The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed. The issues brought up in her story and Matthew's story are issues we feel strongly about. Their story is a poignant reminder of the aftermath of hatred and intolerance, showing us clearly that hate and intolerance are not American values, nor are they family values. The Meaning of Matthew lays bare the heart of a bereaved mother -- in situation that no mother should ever have to face. She is an amazing catalyst for change, for progress, and for the common good.

Terry Brooks Reading and Signing!

Terry Brooks new book A Princess of Landover is out, and he'll be reading and signing at Sam Weller's Bookstore tomorrow, Friday, September 11th, at 6:30 PM!

Like many avid fantasy readers, I have been a Terry Brooks fan for many, many years (17 in my case). His novels have always been enjoyable reads. Vivid characters, exciting action, and awesome magic have driven me to read almost everything he has written. This one is great, too.

Tomorrow you'll have the opportunity to meet Terry Brooks in person, get a copy of A Princess of Landover, and get it signed!

We'll see you there!

Bill Cotter and Annie La Ganga!

Bill Cotter and Annie La Ganga will read and sign in the store Thursday, September 3rd, at 6:30 PM.

In Bill Cotter's Fever Chart, Jerome Coe, having spent most of his life medicated, electroshocked, and institutionalized, finds himself homeless on the coldest night of the century—and so, with nowhere else to go, he accepts a ride out of New England from an old love's ex-girlfriend. It doesn't quite work out, but he make it to New Orleans, and a new life—complete with a bandaged hand, world-champion grilled-cheese sandwiches, and only the occasional psychotic break. Things get better, and then, of course, they get worse.

Annie La Ganga's Stoners and Self-Appointed Saints is a collection of prose-poetry. It is a kind of memoir, a life story told by accretion. It is a collection of voices, some funny, some dark, some wise and some foolish. It is a collection of vivid portraits of the strange, silly, and troubled people and places in an artist's life and mind.

Join us for literature, buttons, and treats.

And a Good Time Was Had by All

We in WellerWorld set out to have a lower-key but still enjoyable time commemorating our 80th anniversary last Saturday. I'm happy to report that we succeeded.


We wanted a celebratory atmosphere: fun to be in and fun to look at without being the same old anniversary stuff. So while we did engage in crepe paper and balloons, we refrained from grilling weenies or giving away popcorn. We also highlighted our store history and the numerous books recommended by our wonderful staff. To enhance the festive feel, Tony created a play list of his most socially acceptable music for the day.


Our greatest atmospheric feat (pun not intended, but enjoyed nevertheless) was to float books from ballons, using a minimum of balloons. Anyone can float a book with a bunch of balloons. We wanted a focus on the books rather than the balloons. So we used books from the old Ten Cent Pocket Series published by Haldeman-Julius Company back in the 1920's. The diminutive gems were works published to provide the working class access to great writers and great thoughts. They're also small enough and light enough that they'll float with only a few balloons attached.


While the promised 29 Questions game was played by our customers, it was enjoyed by customers and staff alike. I mentioned in a previous entry that I'd had a truly enjoyable time parsing the questions our staff submitted for the game. It was a walk through memory lane and an education to boot. I was reminded of the lingerie store called Betty's Bra Bar that was located in the southern part of our main floor. We shared our favorite bookstore ghost stories with one another. And who knew that Edgar Rice Burroughs was once a member of the Salt Lake City Police Department?! Tony did and now others do, too. We'll be posting all 50 questions that went into the three versions of 29 Questions and the answers in this blog space shortly. In the meantime, I'm happy to convey our congratulations to the winners: Clotilde Cannon, $80 gift certificate; J.M. Stuart, $48 gift certificate; and Bill Barnhard, $29 gift certificate.

And, as promised, there was cake. We ordered two sheet cakes from the fabulous bakery, Pastry Arts Barrani. The first had your standard slogan on the front; the second said, "Get on your ass and read." The slogan is derived from something Sam used to say when talking about our logo, "Man does his best reading on his ass."


Mostly there were plenty of customers enjoying good books—both in the stacks and the discounted titles on our Staff Recommendation shelves—good music, good cake, and decent enough wine. Tony and I were touched by the well wishers who visited the store that day. We thank you. And we thank all of you who've graced us with your custom over the years. I've often said that bookselling is a labor of love and a vow of poverty. But the poverty is only financial; the riches Tony and I have gained from our customers, our coworkers, and the books are inestimable.

Gentlemen Broncos Trailer

Check out the official trailer for Jared Hess's Gentlemen Broncos. Recognize the bookstore (starting at 1 minute 52 seconds)?

29 Questions

I had the most fun at work I've had in a good long while last Tuesday when Stephanie and I selected the questions for the 29 Questions game to be played this Saturday the 15th. Last week the marketing team brainstormed questions about store history, literary history, the quirky personalities and authors who've been connected with the store. Then we threw the idea out to the staff and they came up with more great history. Stephanie and I parsed through the lists to collect the best of the best to entertain, enlighten and maybe even momentarily stump players.

"What are the questions?" you ask. Well I can't tell you that, sillies. But I'll share a few questions that didn't make the cut to whet your appetite:

1. What publications used to call Sam Wellers Book Store on a weekly basis to get our rankings of bestsellers (we use computers now)?
2. Which of the following three factors is most likely to cause a first edition to become valuable? Age. Influence. Rarity.
3. What five other businesses share the David Keith Building with Wellers?
4. What is the name of the revolutionary national program for restoring local economies that was created by booksellers?
5. What is kept in the vault at Wellers?

"Why should I come play 29 Questions at your store this Saturday the 15th?" you ask. Because there will be cake. But also because when you answer our 29 Questions, you are entered into a drawing to win a store gift certificate for $80, $48, or $29. And what can be better than that? Especially if there's cake.

Planning our anniversary celebration this year has been a strange and delicate process indeed. Between the state of the economy, our intention to move from this location, and Sam's death, putting on an outrageous party, as we have in previous years, seemed a bit - well, unseemly. However, 80 years of bookselling is a notable feat and worthy of commemoration.

So there will be no grand party this year. But there will be festivities. On Saturday, August 15th, we will be celebrating all day long. There will be treats in store throughout the day. There will be balloons. There will be a fun contest, and there will be a sale.

Play 29 Questions with us - we added nine questions since the store was founded in 1929 - and you'll be entered into a drawing with a chance to win one of three gift certificates worth $80, $48, or $29. Our game of 29 Questions doesn't involve standing around and asking the staff whether Ernest Hemmingway was animal, vegetable or mineral. Instead, you'll be answering printed questions on a sheet of paper utilizing your knowledge of books, the store, and our cast of characters. Additionally, you'll probably be exploring the store to find those answers. Think of it as an intellectual treasure hunt, perhaps an archeological one too.

And of course it wouldn't be an anniversary celebration without that sale. We'll be selling all used books for 29% off on August 15th. Most Rare books will also be discounted 29 percent. Selected new books will also be discounted 29%, most notably, picks from our Staff Recommendation shelves. On those shelves lie the books that our knowledgeable and quirky booksellers treasure. They're the titles that have entertained us, enriched us, even changed our lives. Perhaps one of them will change your life, too.

Finally, the videos from our Moving History Project (http://www.samwellers.com/pdf/the_moving_history.pdf) will launch on Youtube on August 15. There are some fine memories from excellent customers and friends. Be sure to check it out.

So come in and say hello. Explore the store and eat some cake. Talk to the staffers you know and love; meet the ones you don't. An 80-year anniversary only comes around once.