Book Review: Hop into bed with the Book Babes

Posted by admin on 06.26.2009 at 6:47 am

As an avid reader and frequent list maker, I adore books about books (mmmm, Book Lust).  If you are looking for a reference for yourself or a gift for a well read friend, I suggest Between the Covers, The Book Babes’ Guide to a Woman’s Reading Pleasures.

Between the Covers, The Book Babes’ Guide to a Woman’s Reading Pleasures, will satisfy your reading urges in a most pleasing manner, providing well researched and well written recommendations for your every mood and need. Whether you want to “Make Peace with Mom,” “Save the Planet,” or “Get Involved” you’ll find a book that feels as if it had been hand picked for you. Halfway through the book, and over half a deck of post its later, I stopped marking each must read and decided to always keep this book nearby.

– Jozi Hall, BWB Aquisitions & Guest Reviewer

5 Comments » | Tagged Book Reviews, Between the Covers, Book Babes, Book Lust, Books about books, Guide to a Woman's Reading Pleasures, Jozi Hall

Better World Books Podcast: John Perkins

Posted by Dana on 06.23.2009 at 6:23 am

John Perkins is the real deal.  A former economic hit man, he was actually part of the problem he describes in THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE.  But Perkins didn’t like what he saw happening and chose not to be a part of it anymore.  He literally risked his life to expose the game.

What’s great about Perkins’ books is they are written for real people like you and me who are not economists and who are not focused on this stuff on a daily basis.  Each region of the world is discussed not in mind-numbing detail but with just enough information to get you up to speed.  Read more…

Interview with John Perkins [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1410)

2 Comments » | Tagged Author Podcast, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, dana barrett, Empire Building, green festival, John Perkins, seattle, The Secret History of the American Empire

Better World Book Club: The Accidental Bestseller

Posted by Dana on 06.19.2009 at 8:12 am

Don’t forget to sign up for the Better World Book Club.  We pick a new book each month that you can discuss with us here on the blog or take back to your neighborhood book club.  We even set you up with everything you need for your meeting…. a synopsis of the book, discussion questions and even a great recipe.  You can sign up by going to manage subscriptions now.

You can also catch the selections AND discuss the book here on the blog.

Our Latest Pick

THE ACCIDENTAL BESTSELLER by Wendy Wax

Last month I promised you a great beach read for June…so here it is.  To me a beach read is not necessarily all lightness and fluff, but rather a page turner where you care about the characters and are left feeling upbeat or hopeful at the end.  Wendy Wax’s latest doesn’t disappoint.

The Accidental Bestseller does for (or to) publishing what The Devil Wears Prada did for fashion mags:  gives you an under the covers look into a world you wouldn’t otherwise get to see.

Wendy uses the backdrop of the publishing industry to explore friendship, marriage and career and introduces us to four unique women who struggle with all of it.

Here’s a couple of questions the book brought up for me:

Does you career define you?  What would you do if you woke up one morning and it was over?

Do your friends have to know everything about you in order for them to truly be your friends?

How much would you risk to help a friend?

And here’s some trivia for you…there’s a character named after me somewhere in the book.  The first person to comment here on the blog with the page number I appear on gets a $25 gift certificate!

For more discussion questions and a tasty summer recipe, check out the book club email and feel free to leave some comments and let me know what you thought of the book!

– Dana

2 Comments » | Tagged Better World Book Club, Beach Read 2009, Better World Book Club, Summer Read 2009, The Accidental Bestseller, The Devil Wears Prada, Wendy Wax

Did you catch us on Bloomberg TV?

Posted by admin on 06.17.2009 at 2:49 pm

Last week, our own Xavier Helgesen sat down with Cris Valerio at Bloomberg TV to talk about our company, our mission and how the whole thing got started.  Check it out!

2 Comments » | Tagged The Man Behind the Curtain, better world books, Bloomberg TV, Cris Valerio, Xavier Helgesen

We found a new way to support our Non-Profit Literacy Partners

Posted by admin on 06.16.2009 at 1:24 pm

Great news!  As you probably already know, promoting literacy has always been woven into the fabric of our business.  Now we’re delighted to announce we’ve given an ownership stake to our non-profit literacy partners.   Yup…we’ve granted Incentive Stock Options to these partners – as far as we know, a first for social enterprise.

The purpose of the plan, put together with the help of our primary investor, Good Capital, is to ensure that our literacy partners can have a stake in and share in our financial success.

We’ve put aside roughly 5% of the company for use in stock option grants to an initial group of five literacy partners (with potential to add others in the future):  Books for Africa, Invisible Children, Room To Read, WorldFund and the National Center for Family Literacy.

One of our fearless leaders Xavier Helgesen puts it best:  “We created Better World Books to show that it is possible to do good while at the same time run a successful company.  Our literacy partners are essential to our mission, and we want them to flourish.  Today’s announcement ensures that as our company grows, our partners will too.”

Check out the press release to get all the details. Or read more about it at Change.org.

3 Comments » | Tagged Impact, Our Partners, better world books, books for africa, Good Capital, Incentive Stock Options, invisible children, National Center for Family Literacy, room to read, Social Enterprise, social entrepreneurship, worldfund, Xavier Helgesen

Better World Books Podcast: Matthew Pearl

Posted by Dana on 06.12.2009 at 7:16 am

Matthew Pearl barely looks old enough to have written one book, let alone three incredibly well researched national and international bestsellers.   But he has…and he got some impressive degrees while doing it.  A graduate of Harvard University and Yale Law School, Matthew actually started writing his first novel, THE DANTE CLUB while he was still in school.  While most of us were rolling over and happily skipping our 8 o’clock classes, Matthew Pearl was writing.

And it has paid off.  His books are a unique combination of page turning mystery and well researched historical fiction.

As a book lover, I was especially excited to meet Matthew and chat about his latest book, THE LAST DICKENS when he was in Atlanta on tour recently.  I dug in to the book and got the details on what is fact and what is fiction, along with the acceptable nicknames for Matthew and a clue about what he is working on next. Read more…

Dana Barrett interviews Matthew Pearl Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1535)

Have your say » | Tagged Author Podcast, Charles Dickens, dana barrett, Interview with Matthew Pearl, The Dante Club, The Last Dickens, The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Our Partners: Ellen Cherry & Invisible Children

Posted by Chip on 06.08.2009 at 9:48 am

One of my favorite things about working for Better World Books is the amazing people I get to meet from across the country who share Better World Books’ vision to keep books out of landfills and support global literacy.

Last month, I had the privilege of meeting Kristin Putchinski of the Baltimore based band ellen cherry.  I met Kristin while she was traveling through Atlanta following a performance at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA.

The singer-songwriter is one of many musicians using their talent to support and spread awareness of the noble efforts of Invisible Children to end the war in Northern Uganda.  I was happy to discover Kristin was already a fan of Better World Books and was eager to spread the word of  how students can support Invisible Children through the Book Drives for Better Lives program at her upcoming benefit concert.  Better World Books’ partnership with Invisible Children has brought in over 1.7 million books to generate unrestricted funding for Invisible Children in what is being called the largest book drive in history.

Read more…

1 Comment » | Tagged Our Partners, Baltimore Bands, better world books, Book Drives for Better Lives, chip boyes, Eddie's Attic, ellen cherry, indie bands baltimore, Kristin Putchinski

Better World Books Podcast: Laura Lippman

Posted by Dana on 06.05.2009 at 7:23 am

Atlanta traffic almost got in the way of my interview with Laura Lippman about her new book LIFE SENTENCES.  She was scheduled to be at my office at 5PM, but had to be across town for a signing event at 7Pm that same day.  When she saw the traffic, she didn’t think it would work and was on the brink of cancelling or rescheduling at least.

But I was determined to meet her.  I had been reading Laura’s books since long before I ever had a bookstore or began working for Better World Books.  I just had to meet her – and share her work with you.

So, I jumped in my car with all of my equipment and drove across town to meet her.  Laura was gracious enough to wait for me and also allow me to interview her in her hotel room, since we couldn’t find another spot. Read more…

Interview with Laura Lippman [ 22:18 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (723)

1 Comment » | Tagged Author Podcast, Baltimore Blues, Host Dana Barrett, Laura Lippman interview, Life Sentences, mystery author, mystery podcast, Tess Monaghan