Auntie's Bookstore and My "Little" Brother

I wish I had a new book recommendation for you.  I have been reading a lot of things lately, but none worthy of a full post.  I read The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton which was interesting but a little anticlimactic at the end.  I tried reading a couple of other highly recommended books but found there was just too much junk in them, which for me usually means sex on a too weird or too graphic level.  I find that I just don't feel like wasting my time on those books, no matter how good they are, because its the bad images that seem to stick in my mind.  Not worth it for me.

I will say that I did read an excellent book called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.  The reason I didn't do a full post on it was that it was rife with language that I did not appreciate and did not find necessary at all to the story, which really annoys me and makes it hard for me to recommend to just anyone, unless I know that language doesn't bother them.  However, the book was good enough to keep me turning pages despite the language.  Its fascinating because the narrator of the story is autistic so its a bit bizarre, but also fascinating and quite funny at times.  And I found that it gave me a small bit of insight into the thought patterns of a few autistic people I know, and I hope it might help me a little bit both understand and empathize with how they interact with the world and with me.

My "little" brother and me - 2004

Anyway, I digress.  My post is about Auntie's Bookstore.  Actually its really about my brother.  He's the youngest of the family, but now the tallest.  We've always had fun hanging out together.  He recently went to basic training and then to jump school for Airborn (where they jump out of military airplanes at very short distances with full gear on - crazy!)  and is now being stationed in Alaska.  He's pretty excited, and we are all happy he has found something that he loves to do.  So we were able to get a few hours together yesterday for a lunch date.  And then he said the magic words: "Could we run down to Auntie's and get me a couple of books for the flight?"  Is there really any other answer to a statement like that?!

Auntie's Bookstore is a mecca for book lovers in Spokane.  Its locally owned, right downtown in a beautiful old building with a big grand staircase right in the middle.  I especially love the little alcove for young readers.  Its got character, unlike the chain stores.

We wandered blissfully through the shelves and parked the kids in a big chair to look at picture books.  I gave my brother a couple recommendations, mostly focused on his current interest which is sci-fi and some fantasy.  We got him a copy of The Hunger Games, and then found a copy of a one of my latest favorite fantasies, The Name of the Wind.  He should be well-entertained on the long flight to Alaska.  The kids each got a "Max & Ruby" book.

And I left without a single book for me.  But it was worth it because I got to spend a couple hours with a great brother - love you Toady!