MERRY CHRISTMAS

That's all, really. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Rest in peace Miss Bettie Page

From modeling to missionary work, Bettie Page changed the world in many ways.
Her unique and unmatched ability to convey a wide range of personalities for the camera lens have inspired countless other models and photographers to try and follow suit. Many come close but, so far, none have gotten the Bettie Page mystique just right. She was truly one of those rarities, a one-of-a-kind.

Thanks, Bettie. We'll always remember you well.

Bettie Page: April 22, 1923 - December 11, 2008

The Legend of the Christmas Frog

An article from the Xenia Gazette/Greene County Dailies told me about "The Legend of the Christmas Frog" by Nancy Mellon, an artist from Yellow Springs. It seems quite a charming tale (which is saying a lot after my Pixar infused Thanksgiving) and I'll be keeping my eyes open for it. In fact, Nancy's story would likely make an excellent big-screen cousin to "Ratatouille". Nancy, get a lawyer, an agent, and give Pixar a call!

Happy Thanksgiving

We'll be closed on Thanksgiving Day but will be back to our normal schedule on Friday. [Mon-Sat, Noon-8:00 pm]

We've got a great selection of used books for gift giving and holiday planning (dinners, decorating, entertaining). Our cooking section has older books that probably can't be found elsewhere around town, holding the secrets to fondly remembered holiday treats that no one seems to make anymore. Come take a look this weekend.

I recently found some Spanish language funny comics including this unusual item. Fortunately, the only turkey monster we'll be dealing with is the urge to take a nap after dinner.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

This weekend there's a lot of Holiday and Seasonal goings-on in Downtown Dayton:

FRIDAY COURTHOUSE SQUARE 4:00 pm-10:00 pm?

• 4:00 pm - The Dayton Holiday Festival kicks off on Courthouse Square with choirs, crafts, and games leading up to...
• 8:00 pm - The Grande Illumination! The lighting of Dayton's 60' tree and other decorations at Courthouse Square, when...
• 8:0? pm - The Dayton Children's Parade will make the rounds right after the lighting of the tree! That's right, a night-time parade with lighted floats and the arrival of Santa Claus himself!

SATURDAY RIVERSCAPE 11am-10pm

• 11:00 am-6:30 pm - Skate the 'Scape! Ice skating returns to RiverScape. $5.00 rink admission includes skate rental. Hot cocoa and other food and refreshments available at the "Flying Dog" food pavillion. And if you don't skate it costs nothing to sit, watch, and enjoy the atmosphere.
• 6:55 pm & 8:30 pm - Music & Laser shows!
  
• 7:00 pm-10:00 pm - Starlight Skate for romantics and night owls.

Gobble Gobble!

BonK!

BonK!: "Name the Holiday Characters Quiz"

There's a little fun to be had over on my personal blog. Test your wits (or your Google & Wikipedia skills).

LIFE Magazine Photo Archive Now Hosted by Google

We've always enjoyed LIFE magazines. Unfortunately, the issues people always seem to want (WWII era, Kennedy, Monroe, NASA) are not readily available. With that said, I'm pleased to announce that LIFE's vast and amazing photo archive is now just a few clicks away and easily searchable, thanks to Google. LIFE stopped publishing monthly issues in April, 2007.

Search for Dayton, OH to find plenty of images from Wright Patterson AFB and more. My favorites, from 1969 featuring "Blood Strip", are of an intersection that was once home to a traffic light, said to be the only one in a 180-mile stretch of highway between Louisville and Detroit. I don't know exactly where "Blood Strip" was located, but I remember a traffic light at I-75 and Little York Road when I was little. I also remember that our mother strongly disliked that intersection. These photos do not appear, to me, to be that intersection.

This site is going to be my favorite time-waster for some time to come. I'd love to hear about the images you find interesting. Please comment and send links! :-)



The color shot is my photo from Courthouse Square (7/8/07) of artist J. Seward Johnson's depiction of Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous kiss on VJ Day (8/14/45) in Times Square.

The Buddha Den: WWSU Puts Out Call for Locals

WWSU 106.9 FM, Wright State University's radio station is looking for submissions from local musicians.

We're big fans of 2WSU from way back in the early 80's. They played great stuff that couldn't be heard on the air anywhere else in Dayton at that time. Ahh, the good old days.*

Back to the point...

If you're a local musician who would like a little airtime and exposure (aside from MySpace, or whatever), check out the link below, or just drop your stuff off at Gem City Records.

The Buddha Den: WWSU Puts Out Call for Locals:
"Would you like more people to know how awesome your band is? Here's a start..."


*My Geezer alarm just told me I've reached my 'fogey' quotient for the day.

File 770 » Blog Archive » Now How Will We Know It’s the Future?

Some writers are going to have to work just a little bit harder now.

» Now How Will We Know It’s the Future?

A look at 1988 from November 1938

I was going through some of my old-magazine scans and this caught my eye... It's the back cover of the Nov. 1938 issue of Amazing Stories. After a bit, I realized that it is now November, 2008. "Amazing Stories" was looking ahead 50 years, and here we are 20 years beyond their prediction. Seventy years ago the future of flight looked like this:

It just so happens that 2009 will be the 70th Anniversary of Bonnett's Book Store. A lot has changed since 1939, a lot has stayed the same, while some things have gone around and come back again. All that history is too much to cover here and now but I'm sure bits and pieces will find their way into the blog eventually. Stay tuned! :-)

Big Changes for Halloween Party!

The official name for the Oregon District's annual Halloween party, formerly known as "Boo-N-Brew", is now "Hauntfest on 5th" and has been so for a little while. Here's the scoop...

DATE/TIME: 2008 October 25, 7pm-1am
This year's event takes place, as always, on the last Saturday of the month of October with two live stages, Costume contests with CA$H prizes, street performances, all free with your paid admission!

The big changes this year are all about saving money $!

• TWO-for-ONE Admission Coupons available FREE at Bonnett's Book Store and other locations in and around the Oregon District . Get 'em while they're hot! That's right, this year you get TWO Admissions for just $10.00! Bring your dates, bring your friends, bring dates for your friends, etc.
  

• Most of the bars and restaurants will have NO COVER CHARGE this year. Check with your favorite establisment to see what they've got going on.

• Safe and easy $3.00 parking at the Convention Center parking garage, also known as the Transportation Center, above Greyhound & the Neon Movies, and right across from Smokin' BBQ.

• Roam the streets, or shamble your zombie feet to meet friends at your favorite watering hole and don't forget to see what's new on Fifth Street in the Oregon District.
  

Visit "Spooky Oregon" on OregonArtsDistrict.com for all the details!

The scariest thing this Halloween season might be the economy, so save some dough with a $10.00 2-for-1 Admission coupon, NO COVER CHARGE at most of the O.D.'s bars and restaurants, and car-pool with your friends to the Transportation Center!

Pick up your coupons at Bonnett's Book Store and other Oregon District businesses.

Natural. Candid. Real. Beautiful. { The Blog. }: { She's got it all }

Found on Christi Traster's Snickerdoodles Photography blog...

Natural. Candid. Real. Beautiful. { The Blog. }: { She's got it all }: "We went to a used bookstore called Bonnett's Bookstore - where I took the below shot:" [click to see the shots]

Thank you Christi and Lauren.

Downtown Dayton on a hot, sunny Sunday afternoon

Books don't need batteries

Hurricane Ike... actually, Tropical Depression Ike made it all the way to Ohio. The last hurricane I saw this far inland was Hurricane Andrew. Andrew was something special because weather was clear here and you could plainly make out the curved leading edge as it approached. Andrew was nothing but a regular old thunderstorm by the time it reached SW Ohio. I don't like Ike. My wife and I

I've got no power at home but the juice is flowing downtown. With judicious use of flashlights and candles, a battery operated radio, and a few books, comics, and magazines, I've made each dark night a new adventure!

Collectively speaking, it's going to be a while before we get our Internet, TVs, and video games back so pass some time with great story, a great big story, or a bunch of small stories. Whichever way you go, you'll be glad you did. Tell your family, friends, and neighbors who may not be able to read this to visit their local book stores!

Also, the waning full moon is still quite bright and the weather is remarkably comfortable... I strongly recommend taking an evening walk if you're not prone to doing so. It can be quite romantic... I wonder if there will be an Ike inspired mini baby boom come June 2009.

Speaking of romance, we attended the wedding of some long-time friends during the windstorm on Sunday. Here are some photos of the site during our brush with Ike.

Babes with Books

Check out Babes with Books -- cute, smart, classy.

I've been considering a "girl of the month" feature here for some time. When Christi of SnickerDoodles Photography was in with a client it dawned on me to ask if I could take a couple of quick photos just before they left. I mistakenly neglected to get the name of Christi's client, who was kind enough to pose for the photos found here. My skills were waaay off the mark because I was trying to hurry. Thank you, whoever you are.

I'm usually a better photographer. See my Picasa Gallery for samples.

Wally Wood Online Checklist

For interested parties (found via the Wally Wood Online Checklist)

Magazine - Year/Month - Volume/Number - Publisher
"Worlds of If" -- 196001 -- V09N06 -- Galaxy Publishing
contained the following stories illustrated by Wood:
"The Good Seed", "The Divers", "The Last Leap"

'Little Book' Tells A Wonderfully Big Story : NPR

'Little Book' Tells A Wonderfully Big Story : NPR

There are a good many books dealing with time travel and some of the best have little or nothing to do with science fiction.

Dad (Walter) just finished this one and thought it threw in a bit too much contact with prominent history to be believable, but he was smiling and laughing when he told us about it. While not precisely to his taste, it sounded like a fun tale, and Maureen Corrigan's review on NPR's Fresh Air was all good.

Check it out!

Fire near downtown :-(

Update: This fire is the old Frigidaire building on the site to become TechTown.

DON REESE @ WILEY'S - FREE TIX @ BONNETT'S

It came from Iowa! Frighteningly funny.
The monstrous comedy of DON REESE
"Friendly Ghoulishness..." - Cleveland Plain Dealer

July 31 - Aug 3, 2008

Limited number of
FREE TICKETS available for a limited time
at BONNETT'S BOOK STORE (Thu - Sat, Noon-8pm)
937-228-1222
and other area locations.

... otherwise, prices are as follows ...
Thursday - 8:30pm - $5
Friday - 9:00pm - $10
Saturday - 8:00pm and 10:30pm - $12
Sunday - 8:30pm - $5

WILEY'S COMEDY NITECLUB
Dayton's First and Ohio's Oldest Comedy Club
In the Oregon District, near Downtown Dayton
see Wiley's web site or call
937-224-JOKE for more info.

wileyscomedyclub.com
donreese.com
jibjab.com/view/110735
bonnetts.com
bonnettsbookstore.blogspot.com
myspace.com/bonnetts_books
Bonnett's facebook in progress

PulpCon 37, July 31 - August 3, 2008

The Dayton Convention Center will once again host PulpCon from 7/31 - 8/3 of 2008.

Pulp magazines primarily span the decades from the 1920's through the 1940's and include classic tales from renowned writers like H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Isaac Asimov, and many more, including our favorite, Hal Murray Bonnett.

Well known heroic characters like, The Shadow and The Spider were the precursors of Batman and The Spirit. Today's Hellboy and The X-Files owe their existence to the horror tales of Lovecraft and others, as well as the realms of science fiction. The movie "The Day The Earth Stood Still" has just been remade starring Keanu Reeves (I'll take the classic 1950's version any time) but it was originally a story called "Farewell to the Master" in a 1940's science fiction pulp.

"LOST" owes it's existence to some science fiction and fantasy titles but also to pulps like "Adventure"... and speaking of adventure, Indiana Jones, George Lucas says, was inspired by the old movie serials, but those serials were inspired by pulp stories and comics.

And last, but not least, is "Doc Savage", aka "The Man of Bronze", the hero's hero! Just yesterday at the San Diego Comic Con, a man connected with all the Batman movies since the Tim Burton days through today's "Dark Knight" announced on G4TV that a Doc Savage movie has been greenlighted for production. They'd better not screw this up. For those who don't know Doc Savage, I've always thought that our nearest modern day comparison is probably John MacLain (sp?) from the "Die Hard" movies. Doc is rough and tumble like our Die Hard hero, but Doc's adventures have a much more grandiose and fantastical element to them, and Doc has a team, but the do-or-die attitude is the same.

Anyway, everyone should check out PulpCon, if only to understand where today's heroes come from, but you'll also see a lot of great art and stories by great authors you already know who began their careers writing pulp stories. It's just... cool! Check it out! :-)

FROM: Darrin R. Ballman Photography: Huge wedding blog and the "Thunderstorm Street Session"!

===[Begin Snippet]===

"So we went on our merry way down the street...I had to hit the good ol' Bonnett's Books and their cool little doorway...."

===[End Snippet]===

I must say I'm very impressed with Darrin's photography and I hope he won't mind me sharing his talent with you by re-posting the above photo here along with links to his blog and Web site.

Also, thanks to Misty and Jeremy for hiring and inspiring their photographer. Best wishes to you both.

See: DarrinBallman.com for more information on his photographic services.

AbeBooks: Found in Books

There is far more to be found in books than the words printed on the page and the ideas formed by those words. ;-)

AbeBooks: Found in Books: "Found in Books"

BOOKSAGA: Adventures in the Book Trade: Unusual Book Find

Beware: The following link contains an image of graphic nude Polaroids found inside hollowed out books.

I couldn't resist sharing this story.

BOOKSAGA: Adventures in the Book Trade: Unusual Book Find:
"Saturday, June 7, 2008 Unusual Book Find"

Dayton "Street View" added to Google Maps!

I noticed yesterday afternoon, completely by accident, that Google Maps had added it's 'Street View' feature for some of downtown Dayton. I considered making a post about it, but as I haven't been to Google Maps for downtown views lately (I already know my way around, fairly well...) I ass-u-me'd that it had been so for a while and that I simply hadn't noticed.

Lo and behold! This evening I found this thread on Dayton Most Metro.

http://www.dayton.mostmetro.com/forum/index.php?topic=464.0

I was happy to learn that I'm not so out of touch after all.

I spent a good hour clicking around downtown. The 'Street View' images are at least a year old, and some have suggested that some images are even older, and even traverse the space time continuum... read the thread at Dayton Most Metro (DMM). It's interesting and funny.

One DMM participant suggested that all of downtown be modeled using Google Sketch-Up. Downtown's central business district has already been somewhat modeled, though it doesn't seem to fit quite right. I'd love to see the Oregon district modeled. I'm not skilled at the 3-D modeling process, but I've done the bare-bones of our location, The Ware Block Building (502-510 E. 5th St.), to scale. I tried to plug it into Google Earth, as a placeholder until I could detail and texture map the thing, but I couldn't figure out how to get it to sit right where it's supposed to be. I'll play around more later.

Again, I recommend this thread at Dayton Most Metro:
http://www.dayton.mostmetro.com/forum/index.php?topic=464.0

Flexible Neighbors / Open House / FREE Yoga Lessons!

We're happy to announce the arrival of our newest neighbors in the Ware Block Building, Practice Yoga, at 504 East Fifth Street, between Derailed Hair Salon and Bonnett's Book Store.

Kim and Kathi were present during Urban Nights, handing out information about their studio when an acquaintance of mine walked up as we chatted, me with my camera, and requested a photo with them.

Practice Yoga's OPEN HOUSE hours are Noon to 6pm on Saturday, May 31st. FREE Yoga Lessons will be given at 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm. There will be door prizes as well. See their site for more information about their wide variety of regularly scheduled classes, at PracticeYogaDayton.com

While you're in the area, stop in at Bonnett's Book Store to look over our selection of Yoga books. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Best Urban Nights Yet!

Though Urban Nights officially ends at 10pm there's always plenty to do in the Oregon District on Friday nights... bands, dancing, people watching, etc. We stayed open until midnight this just to let people know we were here and take a look around.

Our new neighbors, "Practice Yoga on Fifth," at 504 E. 5th St., were greeting folks and enjoying the beautiful evening alongside Derailed Hair Salon's temporary display of art and gift cards.

Derailed also has been featuring a selection of art from some of the folks at Catalyst Creative Design Studio (aka C2 or C-squared). Very cool stuff.

Dolcessa made a re-appearance with their gelato cart, and I must say the gelato actually tasted better than I remembered it. The next time you're on Brown near UD & MVH, do yourself a favor and try some of their gelato. They're right across the street from the Burger King over there.

510 Gallery featured some great tunes to accompany the works on display from Loretta Puncer. I didn't get to stick around but there's always something enchanting about the flute that makes you want to stay.

My camera and I couldn't get around much because we had to stick near the shop, but here's a small sampling of what I've described above. Enjoy! :-)

It's "Urban Nights" Time Again!

Bonnett's Book Store will keep extra hours the evening of Friday, May 16, 2008 as part of downtown Dayton's "Urban Nights" event. The following links are recommended:

• URBAN NIGHTS Preview - DATV-Dayton Digital Digest-Dan Suffoletto
• URBAN NIGHTS Organizers - Downtown Dayton Partnership
• URBAN NIGHTS Official MySpace
• URBAN NIGHTS post on For The Love Of Dayton
• URBAN NIGHTS post on DaytonOS
• Also, be sure to visit: Dayton MostMetro.com

Don't forget about "A World A'Fair" at the Dayton Convention Center AND be sure to bring your camera and look for the "City Life '08" sculptures to enter the Downtown Dayton Partnership City Life '08 PhotoContest (.pdf)

Finally, this video, created to promote last year's Urban Nights, still tickles my funny bone:

City Life in Dayton

Life in the City of Dayton, Ohio -- The City of Neighbors, The All-American City, The Birthplace of Aviation -- takes many forms. Here are some of the things I noticed in just 15 minutes on Monday afternoon while on my way to work.

As I crossed into downtown on the Riverside bridge I noticed some of the new batch of City Life statues waiting at Riverscape for their downtown diaspora. I quickly parked and grabbed my camera to get the first shot.



J. Seward Johnson's "City Life" sculptures arrived in Dayton this afternoon for "City Life '08." The statues will be placed in various locations all over downtown. I've already spotted one in the Oregon District - a first for the O.D.!



Workers continue construction of the new CareSource building on the southeast corner of Main and Monument. It was just chance that I spotted them on the way back to my car. Then, it was off to work again.



I arrived at the store to find these hungry avians feasting on whatever falls out of the tree above the parking lot. I don't know what kind of birds these are, but I've never noticed the little red-headed variety before.

As I've been making this post, the children's books of Richard Scarry came into my mind. I love Dayton. :-)

The "City Life" statues were big fun for me last year. I look forward to tracking them down again this year.
Here's a mini-slideshow, or click to visit the gallery of my "City Life '07" photos.

Remembering...

Harold Bonnett would have been 95 today. (May 12)

Architectural Digests

13 issues of Architectural Digests have just arrived. Their condition isn't worthy of display but they would be excellent sources for collage work or for use in a private design reference library. $2.00 each, the list is as follows:

Architectural Digest April 1983
Architectural Digest June 1983
Architectural Digest July 1983
Architectural Digest October 1983
Architectural Digest December 1983
Architectural Digest March 1984
Architectural Digest May 1984
Architectural Digest July 1984
Architectural Digest August 1984
Architectural Digest November 1984
Architectural Digest May 1985
Architectural Digest March 1988
Architectural Digest May 1988

Every Day is Earth Day

We've been letting landfills go hungry since 1939. Recycling is what we do every day.

Save money by trading in your used books, comics, magazines, and movies at Bonnett's Book Store. Here's a sample of the great books we've got in stock right now for less than half their cover price:
Anne Perry's "The Shifting Tide" - Dean Koontz's "The Good Guy" book and "Odd Thomas" CD audiobook - Lisa Jackson's "Absolute Fear" - R.A. Salvatore's "The Orc King" - "Clublife" by 'Rob the Bouncer' - Robin Cook's "Critical" - Noah Adams' "The Flyers" - Robert Ellis' "City of Fire" - Stephen White's "Dry Ice" - Michael White's "Soul Catcher" - Harlan Coben's "The Woods" and "Promise Me" - John Sandford's "Dark of the Moon" - John Grisham's "Playing for Pizza" - James Patterson's "You've Been Warned" - Janet Evanovich's "Motor Mouth" - and many more recent hardcover books. We've also got thousands of great paperbacks, classics for summer reading lists, kids books, and comics for 10 cents and up!

Don't forget that FREE COMIC BOOK DAY is Saturday, May 3rd. Stop by your regular comic outlet but don't forget to stop in Bonnett's for a selection of quality comics you won't find for FREE anywhere else (one per person, please). We also have gift certificates and books make great birthday, Mother's Day and Father's Day presents.

Save a tree and a few dollars! See you soon!

Restaurant Week Benefit in Dayton, OH

Starting Sunday January 27, 2008 for only $20.08 you can enjoy a fine three course meal at many area restaurants to benefit Dayton's own "Culture Works" or the "A Special Wish" foundation. The event only lasts through Friday, February 1st so enjoy some of Dayton's finest restaurants now! One dollar from each meal will be donated to "A Special Wish" or "Culture Works". Beverages, tax, and tips are not included in the $20.08 price.

Visit www.DineOutDayton.com/rw08.html for menus, restaurant hours, and other information regarding this event:

One stop almost each day in Dayton, Ohio's Historic Oregon District!

Cafe Boulevard (937) 824-2722
Coco's Bistro (937) 228-2626
Franco's Italian (937) 222-0204
Jay's Seafood & Steaks (937) 222-2892
John Henry's (937) 223-5655
Pacchia (937) 341-5050

Now Playing @ THE NEON MOVIES

130 East Fifth Street, Dayton, OH 45402
Office Phone: (937) 222-8452
For Showtimes: (937) 222-7469(SHOW)
http://www.neonmovies.com
TheNeon on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/neonmovies)


"ATONEMENT" Showtimes:
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 11:40, 2:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9:40
Monday - Thursday: 2:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9:40

"THE KITE RUNNER" Showtimes:
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 11:50, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:45
Monday - Thursday: 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:45

Above times good through Thursday, January 17th, 2008