The Bas Bleu catalog, Holiday issue, arrived and I've dog-earred so many page corners, I thought to share a few of them here. Remember, these books can also be Chanukah, birthday, Mother's or Father's day pressies, any holiday, or a it's for me day because books are great all year round!
Here we go:
Balthazar Jones--protagonist of this charming novel--has a most interesting address: He lives in the Tower of London. A Beefeater assigned to guard the former royal palace and prison, Balthazar spends his days leading tours, directing visitors to the lavatory, and chasing down pickpockets. But when the Queen decides to relocate her royal menagerie from the London Zoo to the Tower, Balthazar, by way of owning the world's oldest living tortoise, is tapped as the animals' caretaker. His wife, Hebe, is none too thrilled at the prospect of bringing yet more peculiar creatures into their little "neighborhood."
The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
Imagine yourself a traveler in fourteenth-century England. All the sights, sounds, tastes, pungent smells, pleasures, and perils of journeying through the countryside, villages, towns, and cities of England are revealed as you resolve the basic issues of all travelers: Where to stay? What will it cost? What can you expect for your money? Where and what to eat? What to see and do for entertainment? And perhaps most important, how to avoid illnesses and highwaymen?
As Pulitzer Prize-winning author Virginius Dabney wrote, "If you mean to be a historical figure--a Longfellow, a Homer, or a Vergil." As Dabney points out, Paul Revere, Odysseus, and Aeneas "all took this precaution."
But what about the bona fide VIPs whom no one wrote about? What about the blunders and tragedies downplayed or covered up by the press or the government? What about "the most famous person you've never heard of "? Not to worry, gentle reader, those stories are gathered here at last!
And if you thought it was just books they offer, you'd be wrong!
Not a creature was stirring, huh? Our adorably droll Stirring Mouse Cards beg to differ! A wonderful illustration of a diligent little mouse hunched over a hand-mixer--below the phrase "Maybe there was a creature stirring after all"--makes a witty retort to Clement C. Moore's classic line from "The Night before Christmas." The lime green vintage stovetop and bright red can of flour add subtly festive color to these original, recycled-paper holiday cards, which open to read "Enjoy every morsel of the Season!"
Nacy Drew 80th Anniversary T-shirt
No matter how many decades you've been a fan of Nancy Drew, you'll want to celebrate the amateur sleuth's enduring popularity via this snappy T-shirt marking her eightieth anniversary. A portrait of the fictional detective--deep in the contemplation of clues, of course--and "Nancy Drew: 80 years and still has the answers" appear in blue on the front of the loose-fit, ladies-cut, heather gray T-shirt. Printed, also in blue, on the back of the shirt is a little magnifying-glass icon and a short excerpt from Nancy's Mysterious Letter: "Do act mysterious, it always keeps them coming back for more!"
We just love these designer reusable bags for carrying around books, bringing home groceries, consolidating all your carry-on gear when flying… schlepping just about anything from point A to point B (and doing so with substantial style)! The 100% polyester bags are super-strong (each holds forty-four pounds) and ultra-light (1.4 ounces apiece). Washable and waterproof, each 19½"x16½" La Boheme Envirosax Bag--dazzlingly decorated with abstract patterns--rolls up to a compact 4"x1½", and snaps shut. Our set of five (one each of the designs shown) fits in a compact 6"x8" pouch, so the whole toting system is supremely portable!
I told you there was all sorts of goodness in the catalog! I could go on, trust me, but I won't. I suggest you visit Bas Bleu, maybe request a catalog, and even think about joining their Bas Bleu Society - offers fab discounts and free shipping!
By the way, the descriptions are all Bas Bleu's!
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