Poet Ross Gay tasked himself with what sounds like a job for a Hallmark greeting card writer: he spent a year looking for things that gave him joy, be they people, places, or events big or small. Unlike the sentiments usually found on schmaltzy greeting cards, though, the brief prose essays that Gay has written are rich and real, expressed with humor, charm, and immense verbal dexterity. Whether he’s savoring a cup of strong coffee, enjoying the labors of his garden, or celebrating the pleasures of high-fiving a stranger, he cuts right to the heart of the matter with the tenderest scalpel. Benign biopsies of perfect moments? That may sound strange, but I think the author would appreciate the description. (Note for audiobook listeners: don’t pass up the chance to hear Ross Gay read aloud. Hop over to our audiobook site and download post haste.)
—James Crossley, Madison Books, Seattle, WA
Savor delights from Madison Books and other independent bookstores. (You can also treat yourself to a sampling of favorites read by Seattle booksellers from the 2020 celebration of Independent Bookstore Day; video links on the Seattle Independent Bookstore Day twitter.)
Here’s James from @madisonbks with an absolute classic this morning, from Ross Gay’s THE BOOK OF DELIGHTS. #SEAbookstoreday #SEAbookstoredelights pic.twitter.com/amXkGKfaA5
— Seattle Independent Bookstore Day (@SEABookstoreDay) April 23, 2020