Archipelago Books

If you are thinking of joining the Read-a-Book Challenge but are wondering what to tackle, here's an idea. I wandered over to campus this morning--during the one-hour-a-day window when the post office is currently open--in order to pick up my mail, which I hadn't done in a week.

And what should I find but the latest shipment from Archipelago Books, a wonderful independent press that I discovered by accident about a year ago. They print lovely editions of foreign works in English translation. For $15/month you can become a member, which not only supports the work of this independent publisher but also means that they will send you a copy of each new title as it appears, about 10-12 times per year.

This time I actually received two new titles, the ones pictured above:

Jean Giono, Occupation Journal, from the French by Jody Gladding
José Eduardo Agualusa, The Society of Reluctant Dreamers (what a great title), from the Portuguese by Daniel Hahn

These both look wonderful. I unfortunately have a rather long list of things to read, so we'll see when I actually get to them. But they look great here on the desk in front of me!

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New History Professor!

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Plague Time

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