On the evening of August 15, the bookstore was packed to the brim as a crowd gathered during the Art Walk. The highlight of the evening? A special conversation with two beloved former owners who shared their favorite books with an eager audience.
“Look at everyone here at our small but mighty bookstore,” noted Michelle Bear, the current owner. “This event came about because I was selling books at a Nancy Pearl event on Camano Island. I was sitting there and I thought, ‘You need to get Nancy Pearl in the store.’ And then I thought, ‘Wait, we have our own Susan and Mary Kay.'”
Susan Hildebrandt worked for booksellers for several years. She and her husband, Barry, founded Peregrine Press, a Connecticut publishing house specializing in regional nonfiction. Together they purchased the Edmonds Bookshop in 1990 and ran the business until 2001, when they sold it to Mary Kay Sneeringer and David Brewster.
Sneeringer and her husband, David Brewster, owned and operated the bookstore until 2021, when they sold it to then-assistant manager Michelle Bear. Both Susan and Mary Kay continue to work at Edmonds Bookshop, and one or the other can be found making book recommendations almost every day of the week.
Hildebrandt joked: “I guess I’ll come with the store.”
Before the salespeople began sharing their favorite books, Hildebrandt said, “Talking about books is the most fun part (of working at the store). We have all kinds of other jobs, but that’s what keeps us coming back here.”
All of the books they recommend have a link to purchase or pre-order in the title.
Mocker – The Magician by Colm Toibin.
The Magician is an intimate portrait of Mann, his wife Katia and the times they lived in – World War I, the rise of Hitler, World War II, the Cold War and exile. This is a man and a family coming to terms with the world, deeply flawed and unforgettable.
“What I like about the way Colm Tóibín tells the stories of real writers in a novel is his understanding of what it means to be an artist. So he talks a lot about the art, the writing and how to craft it,” Sneeringer said of the book.
Hildebrandt – The Demon of Unrest: A saga of hubris, heartbreak and heroism at the beginning of the civil war by Erik Larson.
In “The Demon of Unrest,” author Erik Larson traces the five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the beginning of the Civil War and draws parallels to today’s political climate.
Hildebrandt said she learned from the book that the generals went to school together during the Civil War and were friends. “Their best friends are now on two different sides, which made the whole thing a psychological issue: What would you do if your best friend was suddenly on your side?”
Someone in the crowd chimed in: “That’s the same thing we’re doing now.”
Hildebrandt – Goodnight, Irene: A novel by Luis Alberto Urrea.
This fictional story is loosely based on the diary of the author’s mother, a Red Cross volunteer with the Donut Dollies on the battlefields of World War II.
“It’s a wonderful story about relationships between women and friendship. You read stories where men experience this great camaraderie in battle. Women experience the same thing.” Hildebrandt noted that the ending was “a little ‘Hollywood-ish,’ but it’s perfect.”
Mocker – Bear: A Novel by Julia Phillips.
Bear is a novel about two sisters on San Juan Island whose lives are turned upside down by an unexpected visitor – a story about family, obsession and a mysterious creature in the woods. There’s a twist at the end, so Sneeringer warns readers who like to fast-forward: “Don’t read the end of the book. Some people like to do that. Don’t!”
Hildebrandt – Clytemnestra: A Novel by Costanza Casati
Written by a Greek scholar, Clytemnestra is a gripping story of power, hate, love, and a queen who ruled ancient Greece. It is a look at a strong woman and how she survived. Hildebrandt noted that “it was a unique and fresh way of looking at an ancient story.”
Mocker – Margo has money problems: A novel by Rufi Thorpe
“Sometimes I choose a book by its cover. Sometimes I want a snack. Sometimes I want something really quick and easy to read. This is not something I will recommend to others. Margo has money problems looks like a really quick read: potato chips, eat, read, forget. But this book has stuck in my mind. I found it really fascinating. The author plays his point of view in a very deliberate way. Right at the beginning the narrator switches to the first person and then to the second person when she needs to shield herself a little, but you also get a little of the author’s voice.”
It’s a brave, hilarious, funny and heartwarming story about a young woman’s attempt to navigate adulthood, new motherhood and her meager bank account in our increasingly online world. Sneeringer shared that the story is about, “How does a young woman with very little means and now a toddler pay the rent and support herself and her baby? It’s a really dark novel.”
Hildebrandt – The Oceans and the Stars: A Sea Story, a War Story, a Love Story by Mark Helprin
Stephen Rensselaer is a Navy captain at the end of a successful career. He is disciplined, intelligent and determined to always do the right thing. By championing the development of a new type of warship, he makes an enemy of the President of the United States, who puts him in command of the only prototype of the doomed line – Athena, Patrol Coastal 15 – with the intention of humiliating a man who should have been an admiral.
“It’s a wonderful story about integrity and doing the right thing. And I love his writing style,” Hildebrandt added.
Mocker – From seed to dust: life, nature and a country garden by Marc Hamer
“Since I retired, I’ve been doing a lot of gardening and I love reading gardening books,” said Sneeringer. In Seed to Dust, Marc Hamer paints a beautiful portrait of the garden. He describes a year as a country gardener, with each chapter named after the month he is in. It is not his garden. It belongs to his wealthy and elegant employer, Miss Cashmere.
“That’s not her name. He does all the dirty work around the house, but he’s almost a Buddhist philosopher. As he goes about his life, he’s found a way to calm down, enjoy the moment and observe what he’s doing with his hands,” Sneeringer explained.
Hildebrandt – The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel
Stéphane Bréitwieser is the most prolific art thief of all time. He committed more than 200 robberies, often in crowded museums in broad daylight. His girlfriend was his accomplice. His collection was worth an estimated $2 billion. He never sold a work and displayed his stolen artworks in his attic bedroom. He felt like a king. Until it all came to a shocking end. In this riveting portrait of obsession and flawed genius, Michael Finkel presents us with one of the most remarkable true crime stories of our time: a gripping tale of art, theft, love and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.
“It’s incredible. It’s a thriller and a lot of fun,” said Hildebrandt.
Mocker – Dinner with Ruth: Memories of the power of friendship by Nina Totenberg
The “Ruth” of the title is Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Celebrated NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg delivers an extraordinary memoir about her triumphs, struggles and life-affirming relationships, including her wonderful friendship of nearly fifty years with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Sneeringer sums up the book as follows: “They were women who entered professions where they were not welcome. They were not treated well. They were often not taken seriously, but they supported each other. It is a very good story about the power of friendship, especially in those years when women were breaking glass ceilings and getting ahead in life. She is a wonderful writer.”
Höhner – TThe Parisian Novel by Ruth Reichl
“Ruth Reichl was a writer for Gourmet, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine and restaurant critic for the New York Times. She wrote several nonfiction books and another novel, but this one was in the back of her mind for many years and she always thought it was ‘The Paris Novel.’ I should write ‘The Paris Novel.’ I can recommend it to practically anyone,” said Sneeringer.
When her estranged mother dies, Stella receives an unusual inheritance: a one-way plane ticket and a note that reads “Go to Paris.” Stella isn’t exactly cut out for adventure; a traumatic childhood has left her shackled to the strict routines of her comfort zone. But when her boss encourages her to take some time off, Stella is content to fulfill her mother’s final wishes.
Hildebrandt – The Impossible Life: A Novel by Matt Haig
Written by the author of The Midnight Library, This book has similar science fiction and fantasy elements. When a long-lost friend leaves retired math teacher Grace Winters a run-down house on a Mediterranean island, curiosity gets the better of her. She arrives in Ibiza with a one-way ticket, no guidebook, and no plan.
Among the island’s rugged hills and golden beaches, Grace searches for answers about her friend’s life and how it ended. What she discovers is stranger than she could have imagined. But to discover this impossible truth, Grace must first confront her past.
Full of wonder and wild adventure, this story is about hope and the life-changing power of new beginnings.
“The book has not been published yet. It will be available on September 3,” said Hildebrandt.
The evening ended with a good feeling and inspired everyone to dive into the next great read. “Thank you and enjoy reading!”
— By Elizabeth Murray
Elizabeth Murray is a freelance writer who is grateful to call Edmonds home. When she’s not busy with her two children (and husband), she plays the ukulele. She can be reached at [email protected].
