MERRRRY CHRRRISTMAAAS! (Holiday Hours)

Closing early on Christmas Eve, at 5pm ET (Thursday)
Closed Christmas Day (Friday)
Back to regular hours on Saturday, Dec. 26 (Noon - 8pm, Mon-Sat)

Also, closing early New Year's Eve, at 5pm ET (Thursday)
Closed New Year's Day (Friday)
Back to normal on Saturday, Jan 2, 2010!

3-D Ocean Life (Really cool!)*

I grew up with ViewMasters and with them enjoyed discovering the wonders of 3-D imagery. I haven't seen "Avatar" yet, but the 3-D used in last year's "Monsters vs. Aliens" worked so well that it's not longer necessary to worry whether or not movie 3-D works.

This book presents 3-D using a mirror. I hadn't encountered this style before now, and it works GREAT!

It doesn't hurt that the photos inside are awesome in 3-D.

Available now at Bonnett's

*This post was pulled from my "draft" folder. I began the post with the images on 12/18/09, but just found it and added the text today (01/19/10), which is why this seemingly "old" post mentions the movie Avatar as past tense.

Calling all Santa Clauses, Elves, Reindeer, etc...

SANTA PUB CRAWL
and COSTUME CONTEST
Saturday 12/12/09, 6:00p-2:00a
WEAR A COSTUME for NO COVER CHARGE at the bars!

Benefiting the United States Marine Corp "Toys for Tots" program
and Montgomery County Children's Services

Bring a $10.00+ new toy (no wrapped gifts please) OR make a $10.00+ donation at Dublin Pub (6:00p-7:30p) or the The Trolley Stop (7:30p-8:30p) to join in. If you've dressed in the Holiday Spirit you can take part in the Costume Contest at Blind Bob's (8:30p-10:00p)

BTW, I'll have my camera handy if anyone wants to stop in at Bonnett's and have a picture taken on their way to the costume contest.

More info below this 2009 Santa Pub Crawl Preview courtesy of Dayton Access Television (DATV)

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If you're up to it, after the costume contest, your next stop is The Tumbleweed Connection [aka Tumbleweed or The 'Weed] (10:0p-11:00p). After that it's The Oregon Express (11:00p-Midnight) and for the die-hard it's on to George Newcom's Tavern [aka Newcom's] or Ned Pepper's Bar & Grill [aka Ned's] (Midnight-2:00a)

It doesn't matter if you're a Grinch, a Who from Whoville, Ebenezer Scrooge, a Christmas Spirit, Jack Skellington, Santa Claus, Oogie Boogie, Frosty the Snowman, Snow Miser, Heat Miser, Rudolf the Red-Nosed or any of dozens of Reindeer and Elves, this is gonna be a good time for all!

For more information on this and other Dayton events visit these official sites:
The Oregon Arts District website
The Downtown Dayton Partnership

Happy Thanksgiving!

We'll be closed for the holiday, but back to normal on Friday, that is; Monday-Saturday, Noon-8pm, closed Sundays.

If you have time on Friday, be sure to partake of the Dayton Holiday Festival from 4-9pm on Courthouse Square. The tree is set to light up at 7:45pm. It's a great opportunity for holiday fun photos! Stop and say hello on your way down.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend! :-)

A collection of Hauntfest 2009 photos now online

From 2009 Hauntfest

http://picasaweb.google.com/khbonnett/2009Hauntfest?feat=directlink

Hauntfest on 5th 2009 (formerly Boo-N-Brew) in the historic Oregon District of Dayton, OH

Is this Bettie Page?

Found this image, uncredited and uncaptioned, in a magazine from 1955. I'm pretty sure it's Bettie Page. The dimple at the corner of her mouth, the arching eyebrows, and the haircut - of course.

Perhaps there's a foot fan out there who can ID her ankles or toes or something? Comment or email if you have any info. Comments are moderated so I'll get email either way, and if you don't want me to post your comment just say so.

I think this is a Bettie Page photo... I'll be looking into it a bit more on my own, but I'm glad for any help. Thanks in advance.

The Wright Brothers | Military Use of the Airplane

From the website of the National Air & Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institute
Found via Twitter.com/airandspace

The Wright Brothers | Military Use of the Airplane:
"First fatality On September 17, 1908, with Army observer Lt. Thomas O. Selfridge on board, the airplane experienced a mechanical malfunction involving one of the propellers and crashed. Orville was severely injured and Selfridge died, the first fatality in a powered airplane. Orville would resume the flight trials after his recovery."

Dayton Broadcasters Hall of Fame

On September 12th, 2009 a fresh batch of local on-air talent from Dayton, Ohio's radio and TV history were inducted into the Dayton Area Broadcaster's Hall of Fame. Among them was the late Gene "By Golly" Barry. I'd had the opportunity to meet him on a couple of occasions because he and our grandfather, Harold Bonnett had been friends for years. They shared a love of good music and I've been told they would occasionally get together to enjoy some jazz cuts. When you're done taking a look at these, take a look at the Dayton Broadcast Hall of Fame for a trip through a little bit of Dayton's broadcast past.


This is Gene on the air during a remote from... ? Clearly it's not in the station, unless the station serves Schlitz. That's Grandpa Harold over Gene's right shoulder. Naturally, Gene's the one with the mic and cans.










Here's Grandpa Harold and Gene in Gene's record shop, right off N. Main St., across the street from Forest Park Plaza, a stone's throw from where Peaches Records used to be. I can't remember the name of Gene's shop, but it was a nice place to pick good stuff.

And, as Gene would close his shows, "Bye bye. Buy bonds."

First Friday Full Moon - keep your pants on

This is a link to my personal blog.

First Friday (9-4-09) is a Full Moon. I'm fond of Lunar photography and I thought it might be fun to try and photograph busy urban scenes including the full moon. Come on down and give it a try. Feel free to stop in here at Bonnett's and say Hi. I'll probably be trapped inside all night, but I'd love to see what you come up with.

I've created a flickr group for anyone who wants to share their work afterwards.

Keep Your Pants On! First Friday Full Moon, Dayton, OH
http://www.flickr.com/groups/kypo/

Have fun!

John Wranovics - "Chaplin and Agee"

John Wranovics recently visited Bonnett's Books with some friends of the store. "Thank You" to the folks who brought him in for the short but pleasant visit which provided the opportunity for me to learn about his book, "Chaplin and Agee", of which I would otherwise remain ignorant.

John told me a little bit about his book with the lengthy title, "Chaplin and Agee: The Untold Story of the Tramp, The Writer, and the Lost Screenplay"*, and it sounds fascinating. I thought I'd pass word of it along to anyone who might also be interested in such things.

Now, I'm no Robert Osborne, but I do have the blood of a writer(1), actor(2), and culture/movie buffs(1,2) running in my veins, so this sparked my interest. Who doesn't like Charlie Chaplin's "Little Tramp" character, if they've had the fortune to cross his path? I've included a YouTube clip at the bottom of this post, so more recent generations might become acquaited with Chaplin. And James Agee's work is well respected and he's a familiar name to many of us, even if we've** avoided reading any of it, as of this writing. Mr. Wranovics' book is a slice of cultural-history pie, with a dollop of movie-buff topping... but, you won't get that info from Amazon unless you click the "Look Inside" prompt for a closer inspection, and frankly, there's little there likely to cause anyone to do so.

The gist is that Chaplin and Agee became friends at some point and Agee wrote a piece starring "The Little Tramp" as the sole survivor of an atomic bomb drop on New York City. Keep in mind, Agee's writing of this story occurred circa 1947, a mere two years after the release of our A-bombs over Japan. As you might expect, the show would have been the darkest sort of dark comedies dealing with what little was known about the aftermath of nuclear explosions at that time. The post-war world was still in a strange state and such explorations may have proven therapeutic to some, much in the same way many creatives have explored terrorism since 9/11. Alas, the movie never came to pass, for many reasons (gossip mongers, the Red Scare, etc.), all described in Mr. Wranovics' book. BONUS! Agee's screenplay is included in the tale of "Chaplin and Agee", allowing us the focus of 20/20 hindsight. The question I have now is, "Why haven't I heard any of this before?" I doubt the answer to that is within "Chaplin and Agee", but it certainly seems worth a look.

I'm sorry to report that we don't have "Chaplin and Agee" available at Bonnett's, but, last time I checked, it was available at Amazon.com. I expect I'll be ordering myself a copy.



*©2005, published by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN.
**By we, I mean "me".
(1) Hal Murray Bonnett - Pulp detective fiction writer of Crusher O'Shea stories, and more.
(2) Walter Bonnett - locally acclaimed stage actor and the man who taught us to love movies.
(1,2) Grandpa & Dad, in that order. See also: "Satan in High Heels" on IMDb.

Choose Your Own Adventure – Most Likely You’ll Die | FlowingData

We love the Choose Your Own Adventure books, but I typically found them a bit frustrating. There is a flow-chart at the link which tracks the odds of making it through CYOA #2 to one of two fortuitous endings.

I remember reading similar things from decades earlier that tended to be a bit more forgiving, as they were written for small children, so, when I was in my teens, becoming interested in role-playing games and related adventures, I picked up Choose Your Own Adventure books quickly.

As you might expect, we have a selection of such things. There were other series, besides specifically "Choose Your Own Adventure". Some required the use of dice and pencils to track your health and progress through the book. The latter versions are hard to find un-marked, but well worth tracking down for fans of such adventures and not nearly as complicated as full-blown Dungeons & Dragons. We recommend using a separate sheet of paper to track your progress, rather than writing in the book itself.

Choose Your Own Adventure – Most Likely You’ll Die | FlowingData

8 Ways to Use Books to Flirt

Now this is the kind of stuff we like to see...

There is an innate sexiness to books and reading that is often overlooked. Reading is partially a tactile, sensual experience, and, like all the stages of romance, reading takes place primarily in the mind and can engage the senses and emotions.

We offer a wide variety of sexy book selections, from love-making classics like "The Kama Sutra" and "The Joy of Sex" to erotic fiction, like "The Story of O" and Anne Rice's (writing as A.N. Roquelaire) "Sleeping Beauty" trilogy.

The blog at the link is from May, but the topic is timeless. Enjoy!

From the Marie Claire website / Sex & Relationships section / "A Year of Living Flirtatiously" blog - Post by Maura Kelly - 8 Ways to Use Books to Flirt (Even if You Don't Read Much)

FIRST FRIDAY Tomorrow Night 5p-10p

With all the Scrabble excitement I nearly forgot about First Friday. Come downtown and enjoy what promises to be a beautiful evening in the Oregon District. :-)

Bonnett's Directory of Dayton's "Oregon District"

The other day I posted a list of places to go and things to do on East Fifth Street. I mistakenly left out a few of our friends on Wayne Ave. (coming from the Convention Center, turn right at Fifth & Wayne):

• Easterling Portrait Studios - (you need a Team portrait to commemorate the Championship)
  
• Kendall Printing - (Wayne & Van Buren - need to make copies of your awards for friends and family?)
  
• Coco's Bistro - (a great place to eat and relax)

Also, one BIG update! Our friends at Derailed Hair Salon are mentioned in the August 2009 issue of ELLE for their participation in the magazine's "Best Hair in America" poll, in which ELLE sought out the most requested celebrity hair styles across the U.S. of A. Stop by and say "Hi".

Finally, here's a (renamed) link back to the original post with the majority of East Fifth Street attractions:

• =[BONNETT'S]= Quickie Tour of Dayton, Ohio's Oregon Historic & Arts District

Enjoy your stay in Dayton!

Oh, one more thing... The Oregon District is Dayton's oldest neighborhood and features a lot of excellent photo ops.

Not your average dictionary

If you're a word junkie you've already got the standard reference books, and we do, too. Here are a few titles you might not have stumbled upon - available now at Bonnett's, just a few blocks walk East of the Dayton Convention Center (we're across the street from a Goodwill store):

10 Minute Guide to Building Your Vocabulary
Dictionary of Geological Terms (3rd Ed.) prepared by the American Geological Institute
Dictionary of Word Origins
Getting Your Words' Worth - Discovering and Enjoying Phantonyms, Gramograms, Anagrams and Other Fascinating Word Phenomena
The Joy of Vocabulary - An Advanced Guide to Mastering New Words
Names & Nicknames of Places & Things - An A-t0-Z compendium of culture
Phonetics [because sometimes it helps to sound out a word]
Super Word Power - More entertaining ways to enrich your laguage skills.
Tuttle Dictionary of New Words Since 1960 (1991 edition)
Webster's New Explorer Medical Dictionary
and, of course, much, much more...

Bonnett's Books & The Oregon Historic & Arts District

SCRABBLE® is a word game.
Bonnett's is a book store.
We'd make a great team!

We'll be open extra hours during the National Championship, including special Sunday hours, but it will depend somewhat on the flow of business. Call us before you make a special trip down, just in case.

Bonnett's is just a short walk from the Dayton Convention Center. When you leave the Convention Center main entrance just turn right and head down Fifth Street. On the way you'll find some Dayton legends:

[We hope you'll enjoy your time in Dayton for the National SCRABBLE Championship. To help you find your way around we've got a list here with links of places to go and things to do during your down time. As always, call ahead to help avoid any disappointments.]

• The Neon Movies (would you like a cold beer with your popcorn?)
• Smokin' Bar-B-Que (gooood stuff - I go for the pulled pork sandwich)
• Gem City Records (music, DVDs - check out the USED bins)

If you cut through Gem City Records' parking lot you'll find

• Jay's Seafood on Sixth Street (fine seafood and more at great prices) and
• Thai 9 on Brown Street (excellent Thai food, sushi, and 9 levels of spicy, I stick to a 4 or 5)

or stay on Fifth to visit

• The Oregon Express at 5th & Brown (free pizza Friday happy hour, live music)

turn right on Brown Street to find

• Thai 9's front entrance
• Color of Energy Art Gallery (white walls, great energy, unique art)
  
• (turn right again for the front of Jay's Seafood and Powers Photography & Framing)
  

• Pacchia Cafe & Restaurant (nice meals or a cuppa and a danish, good stuff)
• CHASE ATM
  

across Fifth Street

• Cafe Boulevard & Le Monde (fine dining & cocktail bar, respectively)

meanwhile, back on this side...

• 5th St. Wine& Deli (sandwiches, snacks, beer, wine, cigarettes, etc.)
• Newcom's Tavern (a night club named for Dayton's first tavern)
• Blind Bob's Tavern (burgers & beers? stop in here! oh yeah, LIVE BAND Karaoke!!!)
• Jazzy Java (for coffee and a jam session, even poetry)
• Oregon Smoke Shop (simple and extravagant smoking implements and accessories)
  
• Feathers Vintage (for all the things you don't yet know you want)
• Exotic Fantasies (how many points for FREAKY? get yours on! Adults Only)

look across the street to find

• Ned Pepper's & The Hole in the Wall (party bar, billiards, darts, simple & sweet)

and back over here

• Glenn Scott's Tattoo Team (did you win your match, wanna remember it always?)
• Tumbleweed Connection (New Bar Smell, reborn like a phoenix from a February fire!)

again, look to the other side of Fifth

• The Annex (more for Adults Only)

and back over here...

• 464 on Fifth (Adults Only, catering to same-sex couples)

and over there...

• Goodwill (forgot to bring a belt, tie, shoes, or little black dress for the awards ceremony?)

and back again...

• BONNETT'S BOOK STORE (502 E 5th - You've finally made it! Stop and look around)
• Practice Yoga on Fifth (504 E 5th - in case the tournament is totally stressing you out)
• Derailed Hair (506-½ E 5th - spruce up for the awards ceremony)
• Gallery 510 on Fifth (508 & 510 E 5th - (ever changing art gallery and classes too!)
• Sterling Studio - (511 E 5th - specialty, handcrafted jewelry, knick-knacks, stones)

across the street you'll find

• Link Gallery (from blown glass to sketches, items for all tastes)
• Goloka Gallery (always something new and interesting)
• Ohio Budokan Karate, Sensei Jim Rodriguez (to balance mind, body, and spirit)
  

and back again (are you getting dizzy yet?)

• The Trolley Stop (a great place to chill-out with a brew, friends, food, plus live music)

which way to turn, where to go? venture down the side of the Trolley Stop on Clay Street to find

• Urban Krag Indoor Climbing Center (125 Clay St - just what it says, inside an old church, cool!)
  

back to the Trolley Stop and across Fifth Street again

• Sloopy's (dancing, party bar/night club, if you can squeeze in the door)
  

and the adventure continues across Wayne Avenue

• The Dublin Pub (Perfect Pints of Guinness and great food too)
• China Buffet (it's a buffet, full of Chinese food, plus soft-serve ice cream cones)
• Franco's Ristorante Italiano (wine, great food, an excellent wind-down meal)

Now turn around and do it all again on the way back! ;-)

The possibilities are nearly endless! Have a great time and good luck in the Championship!

Need Pulps, Pin-Ups, & Dictionaries? Give us a call!

Since there's no PulpCon in Dayton this year we'll miss seeing the familiar faces and enjoying the eccentric discussions we've had in the past. It's always been an exciting and interesting experience. We hope some of you will stop by on your way to or from PulpFest.

Pulp, Comic, & Pin-Up fans, if you've never been to Bonnett's you should plan to visit while you're nearby.

• We're considering extending our hours this weekend for the National SCRABBLE Championship here and for any PulpFest folks who might pass by, but we haven't finalized details yet.

• If you have any questions about what you can find at Bonnett's or you would like to plan a visit, call us at 937-228-1222

• Regular hours: Mon - Sat, Noon - 8:00 PM (please call during these hours for more info)
  

Julia Child finds & more

We've always got a great selection of cookbooks featuring styles and recipes from all over the world. Since the new movie "Julie & Julia" is coming out soon I thought I'd mention a few of the related items you can find on our shelves right now.


"In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs" by Julia Child

[from the cover] "She invites 26 great cooks from across the country into her own kitchen, cooks with them, and unearths their secrets. And for the home cook she details 150 superb recipes, full of the exciting new flavors of American cooking today."






"Julia's Kitchen Wisdom" by Julia Child

[from the cover] "Essential techniques and recipes from a lifetime of cooking."








"La Cuisine de France" by Mapie, the Countess de Toulouse-Lautrec

(translated by Charlotte Turgeon) [from the cover] "The MODERN French Cookbook"









And, for those just getting started, or those who would like a refresher course, we have "The Beginner's Cookbook" with chapters on Nutrition, Preparation, Methods, Utensils, Pantry supplies, Herbs & Spices, and a wide range of recipes on which to try out your skills.

We've got a great selection of books about grilling, tailgating, picnics, and other outdoor eating fun. And don't forget parties! There are cocktails, appetizers, salads, soups, international foods, vegetarian dishes, and desserts to consider.



This list covers a lot of ground, but if you come take a look you'll find a lot of great cooking ideas for which I haven't room to mention in one blog post. Come on down and look around.

Mon - Sat, Noon - 8 PM

Green Lama 6 - old Bonnett's store stamp

Elf boots - 1
Nazis - 0

And the winner is... Green Lama

New Bar Smell? The Tumbleweed is OPEN

The Tumbleweed Connection bar re-opened it's doors today after a terrible fire in mid-February.
Stop in and welcome them back!

I stopped in for a PBR with my son. Crappy phonecam pic available here.

We the People...

The remastered version of the original Star Trek series episode, "The Omega Glory," airs locally tonight on NBC around 1:00 am, following a rerun of Saturday Night Live.

In this (mostly ridiculous) episode "E Pleb Neesta" is a bastardization of "We the People" and the name by which the pictured character, Cloud William, and his people, the Yangs, refer to their inexplicably obtained copy of the Constitution of the United States of America (and US Flag, and...).

Again, I must stress that this is one of the worst episodes of Star Trek ever, but... William Shatner's stilted performance* (which has become iconic by the reckoning of today's comedians), for a few moments has an authenticity that will give you goose bumps of national pride.

Surely you're wondering why I'm writing about Star Trek on Independence Day. If you wash away all the bad elements of this teleplay there's still something of worth underneath. I am completely baffled as to how so much contrivance and confusion could have made it into one tale, past editors, and to the screen.** But again, there's the tiniest of gems hidden inside, completely appropriate to Independence Day in the United States of America.

As bad as this episode is, it is probably more timely now than it ever was. It features a people, the Yangs, who worship documents they don't understand at all. They do have a small sense of what these things mean, but the Yangs have lost the language skills to actually read and comprehend the words, making the original purpose of those words meaningless.

Please visit and comprehend the founding of our country by reading "The Constitution of the United States of America" and related information found here:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html

Have a SAFE and Happy Independence Day weekend! :-)

*This is the episode that best illustrates the over-dramatic and pause-y style so often attributed to William Shatner.
**A subject I may explore another time on my personal blog, BonK!

Fearsome First Friday

It was a big night for Horror, Thrillers, Hard-boiled fiction, and similar DVDs. But now, it's time to wrap up and head for home. We'll be open again tomorrow (July 4th, 2009) from Noon until 5pm... maybe later if there are enough people around.

Have a happy and SAFE Independence Day.

"Play" by BJSR (Another Bonnett's sighting!)

The YouTube title of this video is "Music Video Shot on iPhone". It looks great. I'm impressed with the tech.

Better still, it's well done. Good concept and editing to go along with a very nice tune. I like it! :-)

Beyond that, it's local! Scenes shot on Fifth Street include many of the fine shops in the Oregon District, including our favorite used book store, BONNETT'S.

But wait... there's more!

The word game Scrabble is featured throughout the video.

Did you know the North American Scrabble Players Association (NASPA) will be holding their tournament and championship at the Dayton Convention Center. August 1 - 5
http://www.scrabbleplayers.org/

Kudos to BJSR for a job well done!

My only question is... could the iPhone actually make and receive calls from all the locations seen in the video? ;-)

Grantbridge Street & other misadventures: Jack Kirby Masterworks.

Kirby's unique style and extreme lines look like so much camp to the uninitiated, but this is exactly what super-hero comics were meant to be. There's little wonder he's now known as Jack "King" Kirby. Click below for more.

Grantbridge Street & other misadventures: Jack Kirby Masterworks.: "Selected pages from the Privateer Press celebration."

Smell of Books

Is today world hilarity day, or is this some ripple left over from April Fools Day? Whatever it is, there's some very funny stuff on the interwebs today. Not quite pants-wettingly funny, but almost.

One of the most frequent statements heard here at Bonnett's is, "I love the smell of book stores." Check this out and click through to the originating website. Make a point of clicking the AROMAS pull-down.

Smell of Books: "Does your Kindle leave you feeling like there’s something missing from your reading experience?

Have you been avoiding e-books because they just don’t smell right?"

New Terminator Movie Brings J.D. Salinger Out Of Hiding | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

The Onion, again, brings tears to my eyes... Tears of laughter, natch.

New Terminator Movie Brings J.D. Salinger Out Of Hiding | The Onion - America's Finest News Source: "Salinger's decision to come out of seclusion has allowed scholars access to his massive archive of unpublished work for the first time. So far, critics have examined three never-before-seen novels, eight novellas, and more than two dozen short stories—all of which appear to be Terminator fan fiction."

The dead walk the streets of Dayton

As I promised earlier, here are a few photos of the zombie walk that took place on 5th Street. I don't know if anyone did a head count but there were certainly hundreds of the 'undead' shuffling, lurching, and staggering through the Oregon District late Friday night.
I'm not the biggest fan of horror films. I've seen my share of zombie flicks, including a showing of "Night of the Living Dead" for high school English credit in a Film Criticism class. My favorites are the lighter fare, "Return of the Living Dead", the "Evil Dead" films, and "Shaun of the Dead".

Sometime in 2008 Forbes magazine declared Dayton, Ohio to be among the nations fastest dying cities. I'm not sure if there was an underlying purpose to this parade of corpses, but if Forbes was correct there certainly couldn't have been a better place for it to happen. Dayton's history is rife with innovation and invention. No one here believes Dayton to be 'terminal', so, perhaps this corpse-capade is one way to express the down-but-not-out situation at this point in time. It's worth noting that event planners called for and included fighters of the undead, heroes of the living.
The zombies stopped traffic, tormented drivers, followed buses, drooled the blood of recent victims, dropped body parts, and even spat green zombie venom... whatever that is, leaving telltale signs of their passing all along the way. It was a fun sight to see but if such an event takes place again it would be worth a few minutes of the organizers time to ask participants to recall a bit of the decorum one hopes they had while among the living. The wedding guests of the "Corpse Bride" or the ghostly couple from "Beetle Juice" would make a fair example of the polite undead.

As I said before, this was fun to watch, and, as a haunted house veteran*, I'm even inclined to participate, but as an Oregon District businessman I must say, let's not 'bloody up' the ATMs, sidewalks, doors, windows, and walls. Out-of-town visitors (of which we have more than you might expect), who don't know what's up, might not know fake blood from the real thing when it's left to dry in public spaces overnight. That kind of image isn't at all helpful to a 'dying city'.

*Northmont Jaycees for a large part of the 1980s.

Wow! Another Bonnett's sighting, so soon...

When zombies attack it's good to have something to defend yourself with, a good heavy book will do, in a pinch.

ActiveDayton | Photo Galleries

I thought I'd be on my way home by the time the zombies arrived so I wasn't really ready for them. I've posted a couple of pictures on Facebook, but I'll dress them up a bit and parade them here for good measure... coming soon (probably late-late-later tonight).

Oops... I was fooled by poor web layout (retraction)

My previous post was NOT an image of the Bellagio. The website placed that image RIGHT NEXT TO the #1 Ceiling description. In my excitement and haste I mistakenly believed the image was the Bellagio when it's actually a department store in Paris, France. My apologies to our readers.

World’s top 10 greatest ceilings - Destinations- msnbc.com:
"Paris' elegant Galeries Lafayette department store, with its elaborate glass-domed ceiling feature, attracts as many tourists as shoppers."

World’s top 10 greatest ceilings - Destinations- msnbc.com

I don't get to travel much and I'm not a gambler. After years of half-jokingly suggesting that our own Dayton Arcade would make a great casino (if such things were to come to Ohio), imagine my shock at seeing this photo of the Bellagio interior.

World’s top 10 greatest ceilings - Destinations- msnbc.com

A Bonnett's Sighting

Lori Pritchard's "Heart & Light Photography" blog has recently featured some images from an Engagement photo session and our storefront is trying to remain unobtrusive in the background of this very nice photo. It's a nice coincidence that I should find such a photo the day after my own wedding anniversary.

Thank you to Lori (for not cropping too much). ;-)

And Congratulations to Laura & Erik. May all your years ahead be happy.

Dayton and Xenia Ohio Child Photographer Lori Pritchard» Blog Archive » E-Session with Erik and Laura:

Urban Nights Photos (May 15, 2009)

The latest of the Urban Nights featured another good time in the Oregon District. This short slideshow features some of the photos I was able to take. Naturally, I had to stick pretty close to the shop. These images feature the Nick Kizirnis Band and various views around the Ware Block. Check the list of links below the slideshow and be sure to look for their blogs and popular social networks. Links to our Picasa photo gallery, Facebook, and MySpace are located in the sidebar.



Downtown Dayton Partnership - URBAN NIGHTS

Loretta Puncer's GALLERY 510 on Fifth

DERAILED HAIR SALON on MySpace

PRACTICE YOGA on Fifth

DOLCESSA GELATO, PANINI, ESPRESSO on Facebook

NICK KIZIRNIS BAND / NICKY KAY

URBAN NIGHTS - Come on out, there's no rain in sight!

The weather's great, the time is right, come downtown for Urban Nights!

OK, it's a little cloudy out, but that would've ruined my rhyme, and it's not raining yet. I think it'll hold off.

Bonus! The Dolcessa Gelato cart has returned for the event. You have to try this stuff! It's outside the Ware Block Building near Bonnett's Books, Practice Yoga, Derailed Salon, and Gallery 510 Fine Art.

Art Galleries, Great Food, Live Performances, City Life Statues, Light Up Dayton Photo-contest Winners, and yes... there's even a Dayton Dragons game tonight! And of course, don't forget to stop in Bonnett's to see the latest arrivals!

Welcome HAMVENTION; Check this out!

For a good time after Hamvention hours check out Fifth Street in Dayton's Oregon Arts/Historic District (aka the Oregon District) for food and fun that is uniquely Dayton.

Friday is Urban Nights in downtown Dayton. We'll be open until 10 PM for this event. Urban Nights is a celebration of downtown offerings. Some of our favorite destinations are on Fifth Street, park once and it's walking distance to all these Dayton originals (in no particular order):

(Search for these businesses on Google, Facebook, MySpace, etc., for up-to-date information & hours.)

• Oregon Express; FREE PIZZA (with purchase) for Friday Happy hour, live music later.
• The Trolley Stop Bar; good food, live music, and a rotating selection of quality drafts.
• Blind Bob's Tavern; the new place on 5th, for a juicy burger selection and more.
• Smokin' BBQ; try the pulled pork sandwich, or perhaps fried bologna is your mood.
  
• The Dublin Pub; excellent Irish stew, 'Perfect Pints' of Guinness, and Irish pub charm.
• Thai 9; Nine levels of 'hot' for your meal, excellent menu
  
• 5th Street Wine & Deli; great sandwiches, snacks, candy, plus carry-out beer & wine.
• Pacchia; fine dining with drinks, jazz, and a coffee shop.
  
• Café Boulevard/Le Monde; fine dining/bar.
• Jay's Seafood & Steaks; not on Fifth, but right next door. Excellent fare.
• Franco's Italian Ristorante; Italian fine-dining.
  
• Shaneak's; a quality food cart for burgers and more.
• China Buffet; a Chinese buffet.
  
• Newcom's Tavern; bar/night club.
  
• Ned Pepper's/The Hole in the Wall; bar/night club.
• Sloopy's; dance club/bar.
• VEX; dance club/bar.
• Feathers Vintage; clothing, knick-knacks, electronics, a great place for unusual gifts.
• Gem City Records; batteries, accessories, plus new & used CDs, DVDs, and LPs.
  
• The Neon Movies; independent/art house theater (2 screens).
• Jimmy Modern; vintage modern furniture, art, and more.
• Exotic Fantasies; batteries, adult novelties, and much more.
  
• and, of course, Bonnett's Used Book Store, vintage comic & magazines, recent novels, collectible & rare books, classic erotica, & more.

Also check out "A World A'Fair" at the Dayton Convention Center all weekend long. It's a celebration of cultural diversity featuring live performances, food, and arts & crafts from around the world.

We hope to see you this weekend.

Bonnett's Hours:
Friday: Noon - 10 PM for Urban Nights (normally Noon-8 PM)
Saturday: Noon - 8 PM
Sunday: Closed

Obligatory Star Trek post

Q: Are the Bonnett boys fans of "Star Trek"?
A: Yes. We grew up with it and have enjoyed the original series over and over again, in a wide range of situations, and with groups of friends in varying states of sobriety.

Q: Have you seen the new "Star Trek" movie from J.J. Abrams?
A: Yes. The new movie is a joyride of non-stop action and adventure, with a good dose of classic Trek references for we old-school types.

Q: How much Trek stuff do you have available in your store?
A: We've got a fair selection of paperbacks and a small batch of the (suprisingly interesting) Gold Key comic books. Then there are the ever popular (and official) Compendium, Concordance, Chronology, and Technical Manual. We've also got some older fan-published technical books with information about little-known starships and equipment that are great references for gamers.

Q: So, what's this photo about?
A: We enjoyed the movie, a lot, but there are some things about it that are hard for classic fans to swallow. Don't get me wrong... The new movie is still a filet mignon of a movie, but it's got a bit too much seasoning. The photo is an oblique editorial. It has mulitple interpretations in my own mind, but I'll keep them to myself. Enjoy the film. Enjoy the classics that brought us here. And, most of all, keep on Trekkin'!

MONSTERS of BURLESQUE at GILLY'S in DAYTON

Dear friends and neighbors,

It is our distinct pleasure to announce the MONSTERS of BURLESQUE Tour!

Wednesday, April 29th: Dayton, Ohio!
Gilly's - MySpace
132 S. Jefferson Street
show at 8:00 pm, just 10 bucks!

New York City has enjoyed the talents of The Monsters of Burlesque for some time via the many productions of Pinchbottom Burlesque. I recommend the handy links that follow for a little bit of background information and a peek (wink) of what's in store for us at Gilly's this Wednesday night! I'll see you there!
- BonK!*

The

Monsters of Burlesque - MySpace

are

Clams Casino - MySpace - YouTube
Creamy Stevens - MySpace
Jonny Porkpie - MySpace - YouTube
Nasty Canasta - MySpace
Neil O'Fortune - MySpace

When in the Big Apple
be sure to see our friends above
and many more of their associates at

PinchBottom Burlesque - MySpace

*aka BonKH (depending on the forum) - Blogger, MySpace, YouTube

Off-season TV, before the Internet

The digital age is here, but there was a time when you couldn't see your favorite shows on demand. What was a loyal fan to do between seasons? The answer was ages old... the answer was PAPER!

Here are a few recent finds in our collection:

• Dark Shadows "Barnabas, Quentin & the Magic Potion"
• "Land of the Giants" & "Unknown Danger" by Murray Leinster
• "Man from Atlantis 1" starred everyone's favorite resurrected prime-time soapster (Bobby Ewing in "Dallas"), Patrick Duffy.
• "The Night Gallery 2" from Twilight Zone's Rod Serling was a darker tinted version of his unique visions. The paintings at the beginning of each show scared me silly as a little kid.
  
• The Partridge Family toured in print in "The Haunted Hall", "Terror by Night", and "Marked for Terror" and more. Who knew they're lives could be worse than having to put up with Danny and Ruben Kincaid?
• When an atomic explosion sends Earth's moon out of orbit on a rogue trajectory through the galaxy the inhabitants of Moon Base Alpha survive as best they can, finding help and horrors as they encounter alien beings along the way, in "Space: 1999". "Breakaway", "Moon Odyssey", "The Space Guardians", "Collision Course", "Lunar Attack", and "Alien Seed" chronicle a few of their adventures.
  
• The original "Battlestar Galactica" always had it's pros and cons but there never would have been a new BSG without it. Read how it all began in "Battlestar Galactica", "The Cylon Death Machine", "The Young Warriors", and a recent flashback book "Saga of a Star World".
• "Knight Rider", like BSG, was created by Glen A. Larson. The Knight 2000 was the first true super car of the computer age, spawning a remake as well as one-offs like "Viper".
• "Cyborg" was the in-print title of Martin Caidin's adventures of "The Six-Million Dollar Man". Colonel Steve Austin is a name that still holds some measure of respect in the world of past TV heroes. Other shows have become targets of ridicule but there remains something intriguing about TVs first real cyborg.
• And let's not forget Jaime Summers, "The Bionic Woman"!
• David Carradine's portrayal of Kwai Chang Caine in "Kung Fu" remains a zenith of American television. "The Way of the Tiger, The Sign of the Dragon" brought young Grasshopper into the paperback world.
• Known as "Danger Man" in the U.K. and "Secret Agent" in the U.S., Patrick McGoohan brought world-class spying to our living rooms. In "Storm Over Rockall" John Drake must infiltrate a group trying to sabotage a scientific project of National importance. You might also remember Patrick McGoohan as Number Six from the British mini-series "The Prisoner", an astounding programme that has achieved cult status and been re-run many times since, most notably on PBS, A&E, and BBC America. Look for a an updated take on "The Prisoner" starring Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellan on AMC, in production now.
• Finally, my favorite, "Star Trek". A show that has inspired and originated far too much to address in this post. The original still holds up despite it's flaws and the voyage continues today. Look for the new movie, re-inventing the universe with the earliest adventure of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, Sulu, Scotty, and... Chekov(?) coming out May 8th!
  

Today, most of us turn to a wide array of internet sites to check out old TV and recent episodes of shows we may have missed. Just four years ago the big thing was 'TV on DVD' because broadband access was not so widespread. But still, there is TV in Print.

Coming soon, selections of TV in Print from the dial-up era of computing.

Monsters of Burlesque

A bit of Burly-Q is on the way to Gilly's. Click the link to visit the "Monsters of Burlesque" web site where you'll find a link to their MySpace page.

Monsters of Burlesque
Home: "Wednesday, April 29th: Dayton
Gilly's, 132. S Jefferson Street, show at 8:00"

The World Needs more Snoopy

Be careful what you wish for.
These are great, but not exactly what I had in mind. Click away!

http://nosmokingintheskullcave.blogspot.com/2009/03/geek-carnival-12.html

http://ninjaink.deviantart.com/art/Watterson-and-Peanuts-116263437
http://ninjaink.deviantart.com/art/Peanuts-Z-63679492

Must Read: The Twenty Science Fiction Novels that Will Change Your Life

I've been going through our sci-fi section lately and realized that, being a sci-fi fan, I've yet to read a LOT of history's best science fiction. I've only read one of the books on the list at the following link. I should have read no less than five of them by now. The others... well, maybe, maybe not. But it's a decent list. Check it out at io9.com:

Must Read: The Twenty Science Fiction Novels that Will Change Your Life

Appalachian History: In a small community like this you helped other people

The following link (and the quotation after the link) is from a blog post associated with "The Appalachian History Podcast". It struck a chord. More from me after the clip...

Appalachian History: In a small community like this you helped other people:

". . . we worked around here and worked for other people and, you know, in a small community like this, you . . . you helped other people and they helped you. And there was no money exchanged. You was a helping somebody, and then when you got ready to house tobacco they would help you, and . . . and that's the way you worked it. It's not like it is now. You know, you got a transaction of money anytime that somebody helps you, where back then you didn't have."


The reminiscence you've just read is of the 1940's. Bonnett's Book Store opened in 1939 standing on a very similar foundation of community spirit*. Our history, strongly influenced by 'The Great Depression' and the idea of 'waste not, want not', was based on a philosophy of helping others and the concept of trading for goods and services during a time when everyone was short on cash, similar to what's described above.

We don't sell food, but the stuff found in books, fiction or non-, might be considered the dressing that adds a little something to the supper of life. Information and entertainment add some extra 'zip' to your day. If you've got some spare 'zip' in the spice rack that is your book shelf or nightstand, trade it in at Bonnett's Book Store. You'll save yourself some money and we'll keep the books safe until someone else needs to add something special to their plate.

Bonnett's Book Store - 70 years of making life more interesting.
Used books, comics, magazines, and DVDs for sale and trade.
Ask about a free mini-poster taken right here in 1941!


*We extend special thoughts and sincere thanks to our family and friends throughout the Dayton, Ohio area and in the historic Oregon District, aka, the Oregon Arts District, who have been supportive and helpful in recent weeks. It's good to be here and to have all of you around. This is one fine community and we wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Extra special thanks to The Trolley Stop, Feathers Vintage, and Gem City Records.

Bookride: Carnival Strippers by Susan Meiselas.

[Mild NSFW] Bookride: Carnival Strippers by Susan Meiselas [Mild NSFW]

Bookride isn't a regular stop for me, but this entry reminded me of the beginning of a movie we Bonnett's know rather well... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138075/

I didn't know there were ever actual real live strippers at carnivals. I thought the sideshow was just for bearded ladies, human pretzels, and the like.

"Guess what Charlton was publishing in 1967?"

Diversions of the Groovy Kind: Watchmen Weekend Begins with The Question and Peacemaker

Diversion of the Groovy Kind is a blog I like to watch. I've suspected for a long time that there was an uncanny resemblance, and not just visually, between The Question & Rorschach. Check this blog out for the full scoop, a little comics history lesson...

Tumbleweed Connection final update

During the fire, smoke filled the building. Water is everywhere. The roof at the rear of the building is gone.

I didn't learn if the front roof is damaged. Some smoke damage is visible above the balcony in the top and middle photos. A fire truck extension can be seen in the middle photo, behind the building.

The bottom photo was taken from a nearby roof behind the Tumbleweed and shows a couple of DFD vehicles including the extension.

In case you didn't know, the Tumbleweed had been serving really good breakfasts and lunches for some time. Our father, Walter, had been breakfast/lunch regular there for a long time.

Our friends and family celebrated my son, Ian's, 21st birthday at the Tumbleweed.

I don't get out much, but I've had a decent list of memorable times at the Weed with my friends and family.

We don't know the full extent of the damages or how things will go from here but, we all hope for the best and look forward to the possibility of many more good times at The Tumbleweed Connection in the future.

Tumbleweed Fire update

The smoke is beginning to die down and I managed to get this shot a few minutes ago. I hope all of this is confined to the upper floor. If so, it could allow the business to re-open quickly.

Fire at the Tumbleweed Connection

Friends of the Oregon District and, specifically, The Tumbleweed Connection (a.k.a. The 'Weed) should be aware of a fire currently in progress at that location. I'm with customers and can't get complete details.

Word from the street says the fire began in the office of the Tumbleweed. There is an awful lot of smoke and the smell has just gone from wood to rubber, which is not a good sign. I know many of the buildings here have rubber roofing.

As yet, there's no telling how this will turn out but, we wish the Weed our best and will be there to help out if we can. More details as they become available.

Did you know ... ?

A lot of people don't know that we've got a great selection of recent used books. Avid readers who haven't stopped in lately (or ever!) are cordially invited visit.

Bonnett's Book Store
502 East Fifth Street
Dayton, Ohio 45402
(937) 228-1222
Noon - 8pm, Mon-Sat

Here's a short list of popular books we have available right now (and a lot more!):

Jeffrey Archer - A Prisoner of Birth
David Baldacci - The Whole Truth
Steve Berry - The Venetian Betrayal
Suzanne Brockman - Into the Fire
Alafair Burke - Angel's Tip
Lee Child - Nothing to Lose
Mary Higgins Clark - Where Are You Now?
Andrew Davidson - The Gargoyle
Robert Ellis - City of Fire
David Ebershoff - The 19th Wife
Barry Eisler - Requiem for an Assassin
Janet Evanovich - Fearless Fourteen
Janet Evanovich - Lean Mean Thirteen
Linda Fairstein - Killer Heat
Vince Flynn - Protect and Defend
James Frey - Bright Shiny Morning
W. E. B. Griffin - Black Ops
John Grisham - Playing for Pizza
Jack Higgins - A Darker Place
Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner
Linda Howard - Death Angel
Don & Hal Iggulden - The Dangerous Book for Boys
J. A. Jance - Cruel Intent
Jerry Jenkins - Riven
Faye Kellerman - The Mercedes Coffin
Stephen King - Blaze (Richard Bachman)
Eric Van Lustbader - Robert Ludlum's "The Bourne Betrayal"
George R. R. Martin - Inside Straight (Wild Cards)
David Michaelis - Schulz and Peanuts (Charles Schulz, Snoopy)
James Patterson - Cross Country
James Patterson - Double Cross
James Patterson - Sail
James Patterson - The Quickie
James Patterson - You've Been Warned
Ridley Pearson - Killer View
Lisa A. Phillips - Public Radio: Behind the Voices
J. D. Robb - Salvation in Death
Joel C. Rosenberg - Dead Heat
Charles M. Schulz - It's a Dog's Life, Snoopy
Lisa Scottoline - Lady Killer
Daniel Silva - Moscow Rules
O. J. Simpson - If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer (Goldman Family)
Karin Slaughter - Fractured
Stephen White - Dry Ice

Banana peel on ice

After a week or so of stumbling around on slippery and uneven ground, I found the idea of taking this photo a-peel-ing. Feel free to add your thoughts, perhaps a silly or insightful caption. Have fun, be smart, and be alert for banana peels on ice.

Writers, poets: Enter the DDN's contest

Sharpen your quills! The deadline is March 20, 2009. Click the link for details...

Writers, poets: Enter the DDN's contest

R.I.P. Donald E. Westlake

Official Website: http://www.donaldwestlake.com/wks_bkex5.html
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_E._Westlake

Donald Westlake has died of an apparent heart attack while en route to a New Year's Eve party while vacationing in Mexico.

He had many pseudonyms. It is said he used pseudonyms because publishers didn't believe he could write so much so quickly. Also, it was uncommon for houses to publish more than one book a year from any given author. Not to mention some racy titles published by Monarch books.
See his Wikipedia page for a list of pseudonyms.

See the bibliography section of his website for a list of his works, also available on the Wiki.

Many of his stories were made into movies (IMDb).

The Hardcase Crime series has published a Richard Stark novel, "Lemons Never Lie" and two Donald Westlake novels "Somebody Owes Me Money" and "361".

Awards:
Earned the Mystery Writers of America "Grand Master" title in 1993, has won three Edgar Awards, and received an Academy Award nomination for "The Grifters" in 1991.

Random House published Westlake's first novel, "The Mercenaries", in 1960.

Trivia:
Wrote more than 90 books, most of them on a typewriter.
Photos of typewriter keys are used to spell out his name in his web page banner.

This is a link to some Science Fiction short stories, at least the first of which was published in Playboy magazine:
http://www.donaldwestlake.com/wks_ss6_intro.html

Donald E. Westlake on Amazon.com