The ThriftBooks Blog

By Beth Clark • November 07, 2018

Between Movember, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and a cornucopia of other observances and celebrations, November is busy. Which makes causes like Family Literacy Month tempting to skim or even skip. Enter Thanksreading, invented as a way to connect the random dots and promote our favorite thing ever (ahem, besides our stellar customers), BOOKS! Big, small, square, and tall…we have them all. Below are 30 titles handpicked with love for newborns to centenarians, and everyone in between, because families that read together succeed together, and holidays are all about hanging with the ones you love. (And about food—so much food—but that's a separate blog.)

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By Beth Clark • November 02, 2018

Since Oprah's original Book Club launched in 1996, it's evolved and taken on different forms, but it's still going strong because, well, she's Oprah. She's recommended 79+ books, plus written a few of her own (no pun intended), all of which invariably enhance the world of readers, even if it's just by making them think for a few pages. Below are nine recent titles, plus the one it all began with, so peruse and choose what speaks to you. Oh, and you can shop right from our blog!

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By Beth Clark • November 01, 2018

Modern titan, family man, and philanthropist Bill Gates is busy (!), but he STILL makes time to read 50+ books a year, so here are a few that he recommended recently. (We know you're busy too, so you can shop right from our blog!)

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By Beth Clark • October 22, 2018

We chose "Blood and Muffins" as October's theme on account of #Halloween (and because it's #fun), but we had no idea you can use blood IN muffins. As an egg swap. (Gross, we know, but stay with us.) The joke is on us, because it turns out that their protein compositions are so similar they behave almost identically. We're not advocating a return to the old ways when it comes to cooking with blood, but the science nerds in us were curious about this new development, so if yours is too, read on to learn what we discovered about blood (and other strange substitutes).

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By Beth Clark • October 18, 2018

In choosing which National Days and holidays to promote here at ThriftBooks, the goals are usually reading, humor, learning, awareness, and/or having fun, with an undertone of acceptance and diversity, because books are for everyone. But as much as we wish we could include anything and everything, it's simply not possible, at least until quantum physics advances and we can post in alternate universes. Below are 31 (out of 114 possible) October monthly observances worthy of giving more love to, plus eight weekly ones (bonus!).

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By Beth Clark • October 16, 2018

The Man Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious awards for literary fiction written in English, and the list of winners over the last 50 years includes Ian McEwan, Margaret Atwood, Yann Martel, and Salman Rushdie, so the 2018 prize announcement is big! (Also, the shortlist has six brilliant and diverse novels you’ll want to read regardless of who wins.)

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By Beth Clark • October 15, 2018

If you've ever wondered what gives Stephen King nightmares (we have, and yes, it's possible), then take a peek at the latest book recommendations by the guy who's made most of us at least temporarily afraid of the dark (and clowns, OMG…clowns) at some point.

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By Beth Clark • October 11, 2018

Coming out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual is an emotional process no matter how much someone prepares, and one that continues long after the words are spoken and the secret is out. Whether you've already come out, you're on the verge, or you're still figuring things out, there's lots of support out there and you're not alone.

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By Beth Clark • October 09, 2018

Feisty Sharon Osbourne, affectionately known to her followers as Mrs. O, has led more lives in her one than most people could in a hundred lifetimes, all with love and humor, even in the face of adversity. For the unfamiliar (welcome back from that deserted island, she's an author, mom of three, television host, media personality, talent judge, modern impresario, businesswoman, music manager, and the wife of heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne.

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By Beth Clark • October 04, 2018

Vodka is so much more than 007's famously shaken, not stirred martini of choice...it's a beverage that's spanned twelve centuries, shaped entire cultures, and helped more than a few of us endure life's inevitable ups and downs. But what IS vodka, anyway? Like, what is it made from? How is it different from other spirits? Did Russia really run out of vodka at the end of World War II??

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By Beth Clark • October 01, 2018

LGBT History Month began with Missouri high school teacher Rodney Wilson in 1994, and its overarching goal is to provide role models, help build connections, and highlight the contributions of the LGBT community worldwide.

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