Wrap-up:Banned Books/Freedom to Read Week

To clarify, Banned Books Week is a celebration of our Freedom to Read. You may have realized that the majority of books you find on "Banned Books" lists are readily available just about everywhere you shop for books. So what's with this BANNED business? Simply put, some people, sometimes, don't like what some other people have to say in their books, and so, a charge of inappropriateness might be leveled against those books. It's rare that such a "challenge" succeeds in an actual ban, but it may lead to regional restrictions about who should read what. For sensitive issues we often fall back on generic rules of thumb, such as a person's age. In any event, there are currently no books officially "banned" by the United States. See the American Library Association for more information.

Here's a list of books currently available at Bonnett's (in no particular order) which have been Challenged by attempts to Ban them, or which may be Banned in other countries, or may have been Banned in other times. We hope you'll have time to enjoy them all, and many more!:

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Scarlet Letter
The Red Badge of Courage
Native Son
The Jungle
Leaves of Grass
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
In Cold Blood
Howl
The Grapes of Wrath
The Great Gatsby
Gone With the Wind
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Fahrenheit 451
The Call of the Wild
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Color Purple
Beloved
Brave New World
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Captain Underpants (series)        #s 3 & 5
The Bluest Eye
Fifty Shade of Grey (series)        #s 1 & 2
The Hunger Games (series)        #s 1 & 2
BONE by Jeff Smith (graphic novels)    #3
Harry Potter (series)            all
Of Mice and Men
His Dark Materials (series)        all
Forever
Gossip Girl (series)            #s 5,6,8, & 9
Killing Mr. Griffen
Goosebumps (series)            a whole bunch
The Lord of the Flies
The Lord of the Rings (series)        all
The Satanic Verses
Sons and Lovers
Sophie's Choice
Cat's Cradle
A Seperate Peace
Brideshead Revisited
Women in Love
The Naked and the Dead
Tropic of Cancer
Nickel and Dimed
Twilight (series)            all
My Sister's Keeper
Beloved
Bridge to Terabithia
Kaffir Boy
The Outsiders
James and the Giant Peach
American Psycho
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by Anne Rice    all
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Song of Solomon
Pillars of the Earth
Cujo
That Was Then, This is Now
The Things They Carried
The Lovely Bones
Grendel
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
The Pentagon Papers
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
All Quiet on the Western Front

Never Forget?

"Never Forget" has always seemed a bit flaccid to me. Never forget what? 

Never forget that all of us, everywhere, people around the world, lost a cultural touchstone, a dream, an icon. The massive number of victims make it likely that every American is within the proverbial six-degrees of separation from someone directly associated with the Pentagon, World Trade Center, or the passengers aboard the 4 planes abused by evil men on this day 13 years ago. 

As a society, it was very much like watching our own home sent to ruin; such was the cultural impression made by the Twin Towers. It's clear that these buildings gave a similar impression to others around the globe, which is part of the reason they were chosen as targets. 

New York might be the most storied city in human history. It's a place of dreams, failures, history, fable, and romance and those twin towers were as representative of all those things to the United States as the Eiffel Tower is for France, or the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Never forget? Never forget what? Never forget anything; because even those of us who've never been to NYC felt as if we lost everything on 9/11. I'm here to tell you that the feeling of loss still exists, even with the new building, One WTC, standing there now. Never forget the day that changed everything.

This Spider-Man movie teaser was released prior to 9/11 for the Summer 2002 film

http://youtu.be/9-r7qymfa0Q

Jodorowsky's "Dune"

JODOROWSKY'S DUNE

• Science-fiction fans know DUNE as one of the greatest and most popular works in the history of the genre.
• Book lovers know DUNE as a book they might want to read some day, even if they aren't into science-fiction.
• Film addicts know DUNE as that fascinatingly wierd "mainstream" movie by David Lynch, starring Kyle MacLachlan, with Sting, and a pre-'Star Trek: The Next Generation' appearance by Patrick Stewart.
• Cable TV & streaming aficianados might know DUNE from it's SyFy channel miniseries (when it was still the Sci-Fi Channel).
• Media nerds know all of the above, and perhaps thousands of associated connections, including- loosely -the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon rule (via 'X-Men: First Class')
• But the true Alpha Geek knows about Alejandro Jodorowsky's attempt to make DUNE, before the seeds of modern popular culture had been sown, and now you can, too! It's alleged to be one of the greatest films never made.

How's this for a convolution? A never-made movie, based on a science-fiction novel, introduces young creatives who's contributions are included a production-book which changes cultural history and, later, becomes a documentary about the crucial cultural impact of the attempt and it's participants.

On the face, JODOROWSKY'S DUNE is a documentary about one man's failed attempt to make an epic motion picture in the mid-1970s; based on an epic novel. It sounds like something that might be mistaken as a tragic tale of heartache and loss, but it is not. It's the tale of a passionate journey.

It's the story of a Jodorowsky's romance with the idea of filming the book DUNE; the 'love-making' of assembling his team, the 'copulation' of creative talents, and the 'birth' of another book; the pre-production template for Jodorowsky's vision. This pre-production template was a rather hefty tome, and seems to have become the aforementioned seeds of modern popular culture, for film at least.

I can't share much more without spoiling the unfolding of a fascinating story. Let me just say that if you enjoy wallowing through movie "bonus features", as I do, you'll love this documentary. It's the greatest "making of" feature you'll ever see, for a film that never existed. It's all true, and pleasantly devoid of promotional puffery found so often in bonus features, because, this time, there's no film to promote. It's all reflection on a failure; perhaps the most culturally relevant failure in cinema history.

Catch it this week at The Neon Movies in Dayton, Ohio:

JODOROWSKY'S DUNE

Friday (June 27, '14) -- 5:15p, 9:45p

Saturday (June 28, '14) -- 5:15p

Sunday (June 29, '14) -- 5:15p, 9:45p

Monday - Thursday (June 30-July 3, '14) -- 5:15p

 

 

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Bonnett's Mention on a Personal Blog

Books, books, books... We love books in general. It's a broad spectrum. There are books we favor above others and books we disdain. Books are not "like our children", so we DO find ourselves playing favorites. And every once in a while we encounter books or book-centric endeavors that require further investigation.

Quite a few years ago (2006 or so) I stumbled upon a blog called Babes With Books. I've mentioned it here before. It no longer exists, having disappeared unceremoniously a few years later. It was simply a collection of "beautiful women reading books" - not porn, not nude, but perhaps not quite safe for work. The collection was gathered from all over the web, and - I suspect, used without permission. I strongly suspect that it was the lack of permission factor behind it's disappearance. The blog was even written about in WIRED magazine at one point. Something reminded me of that blog tonight, and it's pseudonymous proprietor "Hardley Surton", so I plugged it into the search bar and found... very little.

Thanks to the WIRED article, the widespread interest in books, and the overall fascination with "pretty girls" it's clear I wasn't the only one who had some appreciation for the collection. I was curious to see if anyone else had taken up the banner of Babes with Books, but found only articles lamenting it's loss, or just mentioning it as a notable curiosity of the interwebs, like the World's Biggest Ball of String. One man's blog actually found and quoted a comment I'd left on WorldsBestEver.com regarding the Hardley Surton phenomenon.

So, really, this wordy post is just a nod to Doug Bolden as a fellow book lover and internet oddity aficionado. Thank you, Doug, for mentioning our blog and best wishes along your path.

Bonnett's Spring '14 Urban Nights

We don't have an exact date for the opening of Bonnett's, but we'll celebrate when we can. Spring '14 Urban Nights (May 9, 5-10p) is one such opportunity.

You may already know that we carry nearly all kinds of popular Books, Comics, Magazines, and Movies at many different pricing levels, from dog-eared reading copies to like-new collector's items. Many nice books require no special pricing or research. These "regularly unmarked" books will be 75% off our normal discounted price during Spring '14 Urban Nights!

Hope to see you then!

Baseball Scouting Reports & More

Misc. years from 1956 to '99. First 2 stacks arrived today, 3rd stack has been here a while. They need a new home! Last chance, 1 wk only - 4/7 to 4/12.

Stats & charts for your fave players!
One million and one uses!

Don Schiffer 1956 Baseball Almanac
Tom Seaver's 1989 Scouting Notebook
Bill James Player Ratings Book 1995
Sporting News Official Baseball Register 1996 Edition
The Whole Baseball Catalogue
Bill James STATS Major League Handbook 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
The STATS Baseball Scoreboard
The Scouting Report 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
The Scouting Notebook 1995, 1986, 1997, 1998, 1999
The 1992 Elias Baseball Analyst
The 1989 Baseball Encyclopedia Update
The Sporting News Baseball Guide - 1990
USA Today Baseball Weekly 1997 Almanac
1992 Baseball Almanac

Spring Break at Bonnett's Books

Whether you're buying a Mark Twain classic as a surprise gift, researching sensitive information (like a medical condition, or controversial subjects) or picking up a bit of sexy entertainment, no one has to know what you buy from Bonnett's! Your secrets are safe with us. We've held the trust of our customers for 75 years, dealing in used books, comics, magazines, photo sets, movies, and more.

Mardi Gras, Saint Patrick's Day, and Spring Break have recently reminded me of Girls Gone Wild (don't visit their old websites, they now redirect your browser to other sites). It was just a few short years ago when it seemed like GGW was everywhere, even here in Dayton, Ohio!

Girls Gone Wild bus parked at VEX on 4th & St. Clair - Jan. 9, 2010 © Kevin H. Bonnett

This Spring Break, if you can't hit the beach, hit Bonnett's! We've just discovered a stash of Girls Gone Wild DVDs to add to our sexy selections.

         "GIRLS GONE WILD! - Real! Raw! Uncut!"

• GGW: America Uncovered - with Doug Stanhope
• GGW: Beach Babes & Forbidden Spring Break, 2 Vol. Set - on 1 disc
• GGW: Doggy Style - Hosted by Snoop Dogg
• GGW: Endless Spring Break - 15 vols., sold separately
• GGW: Girl Power - 5 vols., sold separately
• GGW: Road Trip - 2 vols., sold separately
• GGW: Sex Starved College Girls, Vol. 2
• GGW: Ultimate Spring Break - 2 vols., sold separately

Of course, there's a LOT more here than Girls Gone Wild - which only came to mind due to recent events.

Local and World History (and Dayton's role in it all) - Arts and Crafts (from Renaissance Art to Puppetry) - DIY Home & Auto Repair - Landscaping & Gardening - Food Prep (from growing or catching to cooking, nutrition & entertaining) - Sports (local, college, & pro) - Outdoor Activities (Cycling, Sailing, Climbing, etc.) - Fitness, Exercise, Nutrition, Health & Wellness - Humor, Jokes, & Satire - Mysteries, Thrillers, Westerns, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Pulp fiction - Straight, Fetish, & LGBT topics & erotica - Archaeology, Photography, Poetry, Essays, Travel, Plays, Drama, Thrillers, Suspense, Religion, UFOs, Occult Studies, Psychology, Biographies, True Crime, Civil War, World War II, Aviation, Railroads, Children's & Young Adult books, plus all manner of comics, magazines, & DVDs.

There are literally thousands of reasons to "Like" Bonnett's Book Store. Please do! Bonnett's Facebook

We're also on Google+, Twitter (@BonnettsBooks), Pinterest, Goodreads, Tumblr, Instagram, Flickr, & Foursquare.

      Shopping in BONNETT'S you'll have: 

NO browser history, cookies, or temp files to worry about.

NO social media sites serving ads based on your searches & telling everyone what you 'Like'.

NO product recommendations related to things you've bought online.

NO 'Big Brother' looking at your data.

      And:

YES! Have the freedom to buy what you want without judgement.

YES! Pay with your credit or debit cards without an item description on your bill.

YES! Surprise someone with a perfect book or movie gift, even if they find the receipt.

YES! Save the planet and your money! Buying used is recycling and inexpensive.

YES! Trade in your quality Used Books, Comics, Magazines, & Movies for extra savings

YES! Support a Local, Small Business that's been serving the Dayton, Ohio area for 75 years.

If you've been here before, we look forward to seeing you again. If you've never been here before, bring a friend and come explore! Bonnett's Book Store is part of a complete date night - wait for showtime at The Neon, or for your table to open, or browse while your dinner settles, or come down just to visit Bonnett's!

We hope to see you soon! :-)

Romeo & Juliet - Many Editions

With Saint Valentine's Day around the corner I can't help but think of Romance, and the holiday's namesake massacre brings Tragedy to mind. There's no greater romantic tragedy than "Romeo and Juliet". Here are some of the many versions available now at Bonnett's Books!

● Dell Lit Romeo and Juliet & West Side Story [In one book! How cool is that? "Very!", if you ask me.]
● Cambridge Oxford Updated Edition
● Oxford Press
● Penguin Pelican Shakespeare
● Signet Classics
● Storti Story of Romeo & Juliet (English Edition) [just the tale, not the play]
● Washington Square Press (WSP) Folger Shakespeare Library (Includes Detailed Explanatory Notes)

▶ MORE of The Bard:
Marchette Chute's Stories from Shakespeare, Richard Armour's Twisted Tales from Shakespeare - illustrated by Cambell Grant, and Michael Maerone's Timeless Wisdom of Shakespeare

▶ AND STILL MORE:
Hamlet, Othello, the gang's all here... Honestly, far too many plays and playwright's to list now.

★ Alternative:
Romance not your thing? Try our Adult, True Crime, Role Playing Games, History, Biography, Arts, DIY, Westerns, War, Humor, Crafts, Hobbies, Sports, and more, including Comics and DVDs.

To take a peek at the possibilities look us up and check out our feed in your favorite website or app. If you can't find us orvwant to know more just let us know!

OCTOBER? Already?

Tonight I had time to notice that I haven't updated the blog since April. That April post included a (then) up-to-date visitors guide to Dayton, Ohio's Historic Oregon District. In these few short months that guide has changed quite a bit. With HAUNTFEST on FIFTH drawing near, and Holiday shopping around the corner, I figure I'd better set things right.

Oregon Shop Guide Update:
16 Brown Street remains home to Color of Energy Gallery, but is now shared with 2 brand new businesses: Hicks' The Bearded Barber & Spice Paradise. But what of The Record Gallery and Sew Dayton?

Never Fear! Sew Dayton moved a couple of blocks and around a corner to 261 Wayne Avenue, near PRESS Coffee Bar; and The Record Gallery joined forces with ReCreate Music Shop next to Feathers Vintage.

New to the scene are Lily's Bistro, Salar, and Wheat Penny restaurants, and Toxic Brew Company brewery.

Also, I've just noticed that our friends at Clash Consignment were neglected in the April guide, as well as Found Treasures 4 You. Corrected.

AND, as the April guide was aimed at a younger crowd, I intentionally left off Exotic Fantasies, Gem City Tattoo Club, and Glenn Scott's Oregon Tattoo Team, as well as the local bars known more for party-fun than dining: Pulse Nite Club, Club Vex, Newcom's Tavern, and Ned Pepper's!

Winter Guard International World Championships in Dayton

Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships return April 11-20, 2013!

Info for Daytonians:
What is Winter Guard? Winter Guard Championships are really two separate competitions. Flag Corps and Drum Corps. I lived near a hotel as a kid and used to enjoy watching teams practice in the parking lot. If you really want to know about Winter Guard they'll explain it best themselves. Just visit http://www.wgi.org!

Info for Visitors:
There are plenty of great things to see and do in the Dayton, OH area. Too many to list them all! Here are some highlights in the immediate vicinity of our shop, Bonnett's Book Store (our Facebook profile -we're also active on Twitter and Foursquare (check-in here for a discount)!

Our neighborhood is known as the Oregon District, the O.D. for short, the Oregon Historic District, and/or the Oregon Arts District. We're Historic for being Dayton's First neighborhood, and we're Arts for being home to a concentration of Galleries, Craft, Vintage, and Thrift shopping. Add to that numerous one-of-a-kind Taverns and Restaurants only found in Dayton, and it all adds up to one great way to exercise free time and grab a bite to eat!


What's here?
In order by geography, West to East - entirely walkable in good weather.
All parking is FREE in lots and streetside, but be careful not to park in a private lot. 
Bold listings may be of special interest to WGI visitors.
Italic listings represent places to eat.


130 E Fifth St - The Neon Movies - An independent cinema; the place to see quality films you won't find at the multiplex. I like to enjoy a beer with my popcorn!

120 S Patterson Blvd - Hauer Music - New and Used Drums, sheet music, and just about any musical instrument you might want. Brass, strings, keys, you name it!

200 E Fifth St - Smokin' BBQ - If you like barbecue you've gotta give this a try. Homemade sides and sauces! My favorite is the pulled pork sandwich.

225 E Sixth St - Jay's Seafood - Fine dining, steaks, and Always Fresh Fish!

318 E Fifth St - Omega Music - A huge selection of New & Used music on vinyl and more!

336 E Fifth St - The Oregon Express - By Day, a great place to take the family for the O.D.'s best pizza. By Night, a fine music destination. In warm weather, visit the deck for a nice view of downtown Dayton.

11 Brown St - Thai 9 - Excellent Sushi and Thai food. 9 levels of spicy hotness. Pad Thai is my favorite, and level 4 is hot enough for me.

16 Brown St (shared space) - The Color of Energy Gallery -  A Mike Elsass Art Gallery

16 Brown St (shared space) - The Record Gallery - Collectible Vinyl, CDs, Posters, Memorabilia, and more!

16 Brown St (shared space) - Sew Dayton - Fabrics, Classes, Accessories, Alterations, Repairs, and vintage flair! 

416 E Fifth St - 5th Street Wine and Deli - Fabulous sandwiches, a great selection of soft drinks, carry-out craft beer and wine, candy, gum, chips and more!

101 Pine St - Wiley's Comedy Niteclub - Dayton's First and Ohio's Oldest Comedy Club!

430 E Fifth St - Blind Bob's - Excellent specialty hamburgers, waffle fries, and more. Great place to have lunch or dinner during the day, and a fun place for drinks with friends at night! 

438 E Fifth St - ReCreate Music Shop - Used Musical Equipment, Service and Repair of Instruments, Amps, and Electronics.

440 E Fifth St - Feathers Vintage - Clothing, knick-knacks, memorabilia, toys, records, and more!

464 E Fifth St - Brim - Awesome hat shop! No ball caps found here.

501 E Fifth St - Goodwill - Need something cheap in a hurry? Belts, blouses, ties, shirts, and much more! I mean, everyone knows about Goodwill, right?

502 E Fifth St - Bonnett's Books (our Facebook page) - Discount used books, YA, manga, box sets, music books, DVDs, classics, comics, vintage magazines, and more!

504 E Fifth St - Practice Yoga - See their site for schedule and pricing. Drop-in beginner classes available!

506 E Fifth St - Derailed Salon - Need a haircut while you're in Dayton? Mindy and Austin can help you out.

508 E Fifth St - Gallery 510 & Peace on Fifth - Art, hand-made gifts, cards, accessories.

510 E Fifth St - Eclectic Essentials - Decor and more!

511 E Fifth St - Sterling Studio - Jewelry, gifts, originals, custom work!

520 E Fifth St - Lucky's Taproom and Eatery - Great food, beer battered fish - you choose the brew!

524 E Fifth St - Roost Modern Italian Restaurant - The most recent addition to the Oregon District's culinary extravaganza!

530 E Fifth St - The Trolley Stop - Pitas, burgers, quesadillas, tacos, soups, and vegan menu, and a great patio dining area!

601 E Fifth St - Ohio Budokan - Martial Arts and Japanese Culture Center - one free class for visitors!

605 E Fifth St - Jimmy Modern / Vintage - Great selection of mid-century modern decor, furniture and more!

300 Wayne Ave - The Dublin Pub - Last on the list, but definitely not least, outstanding food and great atmosphere!


Three blocks of awesome! And this is only a partial list! We hope you enjoy your visit to Dayton. Good luck to all WGI competitors from Bonnett's Book Store!