The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris

The Unnamed

By Joshua Ferris
(Reagan Arthur Books, Hardcover, 9780316034012, 320pp.)

Publication Date: December 22, 2009

I read the advanced reader copy of this book several months ago and found myself strangely moved by the story of this family. It is not a warm story and certainly not a feel good book and I admit I found it somewhat disturbing. The reviews have been mixed but it is a book that I find myself thinking about, even now, several months after having read it.

Shortly after reading "The Unnamed" I was glancing through a publisher catalog and came across another title "The Dancing Plague - The Strange, True Story of an Extraordinary Illness" by John Waller. In this non-fiction book, Waller presents several ideas as to what could cause someone to dance, without stopping, in some cases so severe that the afflicted could actually be said to dance themselves to death.

While the time period and circumstances studied in the two books are very different and one is fiction and the other non-fiction, there are some definite similarities in the way the authors look at human nature and the effect of societal norms.

Here is a trailer for "The Unnamed":



Selected by Indie Booksellers for the January 2010 Indie Next List

“Tim Farnsworth, a respected litigation attorney for a high-powered Manhattan law firm, is seized by a bizarre illness: He cannot stop walking. Whether taken as a form of mental or physical illness or read as an allegorical tale, The Unnamed is an absolutely heartbreaking story of love, marriage, family, and what it means to be successful in today's society.”
-- Joni Montover, Paragraphs on Padre Boulevard, South Padre Island, TX

Publisher Description:

He was going to lose the house and everything in it.

The rare pleasure of a bath, the copper pots hanging above the kitchen island, his family-again he would lose his family. He stood inside the house and took stock. Everything in it had been taken for granted. How had that happened again? He had promised himself not to take anything for granted and now he couldn't recall the moment that promise had given way to the everyday.

Tim Farnsworth is a handsome, healthy man, aging with the grace of a matinee idol. His wife Jane still loves him, and for all its quiet trials, their marriage is still stronger than most. Despite long hours at the office, he remains passionate about his work, and his partnership at a prestigious Manhattan law firm means that the work he does is important. And, even as his daughter Becka retreats behind her guitar, her dreadlocks and her puppy fat, he offers her every one of a father's honest lies about her being the most beautiful girl in the world.

He loves his wife, his family, his work, his home. He loves his kitchen. And then one day he stands up and walks out. And keeps walking.

THE UNNAMED is a dazzling novel about a marriage and a family and the unseen forces of nature and desire that seem to threaten them both. It is the heartbreaking story of a life taken for granted and what happens when that life is abruptly and irrevocably taken away.

Local or Chain?

I was catching up on some Facebook posts today and found an interesting article which a bookseller friend of mine from Lititz, PA linked to. It discusses how major corporations are increasingly using the "local" label in their marketing efforts.

Thinking about this I was reminded of the frequent discussions over the future of South Padre Island and what we need to do in order to attract repeat visitors. There are plans for a retail and marina complex along the bay and I hope the developers keep in mind the attraction of independent businesses instead of just opting for the familiar purveyors of bling which are prevalent in so many tourist locations. Just because a shop is located on the Island does not mean shopping there is the same as supporting a locally-owned business yet the trend toward independence is driving marketing decisions.

Across the country, scores of shopping malls, chambers of commerce and economic development agencies are also appropriating the phrase "buy local" to urge consumers to patronize nearby malls and big-box stores. Flanked by storefronts bearing brand names like Anthropologie and The Cheesecake Factory, officials from the Economic Development Corporation of Fresno County explained that choosing to "buy local" helps the region's economy. For anyone confused by this display, the campaign and its media partners, including Comcast and the McClatchy-owned Fresno Bee, followed the press conference with more than $250,000 worth of radio, TV and print ads that spelled it out: "Just so you know, buying local means any store in your community: mom-and-pop stores, national chains, big-box stores—you name it."

The movement in consumer preference is toward a more personal shopping experience. The plethora of books promoting the use of locally grown foods as part of a healthy lifestyle is just one example.

"Think of the millions of dollars these big companies spend on research and focus groups. They wouldn't be doing this on a hunch," observed Dan Cullen of the American Booksellers Association (ABA), a trade group which represents some 1,700 independent bookstores and last year launched IndieBound, an initiative that helps locally owned businesses communicate their independence and community roots.

Signs that consumer preferences are trending local abound. Locally grown food has soared in popularity. The U.S. is now home to 4,385 active farmers markets, one out of every three of which was started since 2000. Food co-ops and neighborhood greengrocers are on the rise. Driving is down, while data from several metropolitan regions show that houses located within walking distance of small neighborhood stores have held value better than those isolated in the suburbs where the nearest gallon of milk is a five-mile drive to Target.

One way corporations can be "local" is to stock a token amount of locally grown produce, as Walmart has done in some of its supercenters. The chain's local food offerings are usually limited to a few of the main commodity crops of that particular state—peaches in Georgia or potatoes in Maine—and sit amid a sea of industrial food and other goods shipped from the far side of the planet. Yet, this modest gesture has won Walmart glowing coverage in numerous daily newspapers, few of which have asked the salient question: Does Walmart, which now captures more than one of every five dollars Americans spend on groceries, create more and better opportunities for local farmers than the grocers it replaces?

Walmart, like other chains, has learned that, with consumers increasingly motivated to support companies they perceive to be acting responsibly, tossing around the word "local" is a far less expensive way to convey civic virtue than the alternatives. "Local is one of the lower-hanging fruits in terms of sustainability," explains Barry. "It's easier for companies to do than to improve how their employees are treated or adopt a specific sustainability practice around their carbon footprint, for example."

Rather than making direct claims using the word "local," some companies are pushing marketing messages that work by association. One example that caught Dan Cullen's eye was a CVS television commercial that begins in a Main Street bookshop, following the owner around as she tends to her customers. The bookshop then transforms into a CVS. The bookshop owner is now the customer. The feel is still very much Main Street. "Suddenly, the kind of unique, enjoyable, grassroots bookstore experience morphs into a CVS experience," said Cullen. "There's a Potemkin facade that a lot of chains are trying to put up because consumers now want something other than a cookie-cutter experience." (emphasis mine)

As the town continues to grow, I hope we look as this trend and stay ahead of the curve instead of thinking we need to emulate many of the resort communities which, in my opinion begin to look quite similar -- each having a Barnes & Noble, Starbuck's Coffee, Bubba Gump's Shrimp or Pappadeaux next to a Coach or Louis Vuitton leather store, across from the Saks Fifth Avenue which is within walking distance of the jewelry store of the moment. Any frequent cruise traveler knows what these shopping extravaganza areas look like. Without the daily guide telling you what port you have arrived in it can be difficult to distinguish one from another. While this is popular with many travelers, I would suggest that the type of visitor who comes to South Padre Island will prefer a more eclectic and diverse selection of activities and shopping venues.

We have the unique opportunity to become a model independent, locally-owned, business community simply because we are physically unable to expand beyond an area that is accessible by bicycle, walking, electric vehicle or easily used public transportation. No matter what happens South Padre Island is by its very nature a "local community".

Can corporations succeed in co-opting "local"—or at least so muddling the term that it no longer has meaning? The Hartman Group's Barry thinks that's possible. "For many consumers, these things are not being called into question much. They say, 'Hey, it's my local Walmart or my local Frito-Lay truck.' It depends where you are on the continuum and how you define "local,' which is a term that is really up for grabs."

Milchen is less concerned about what he calls faux-local campaigns in cities where there is already a strong local business organization. "It's more of an educational opportunity than a problem, so long as they respond to it," he said. But in places where local enterprises are not organized, he fears these corporate campaigns may succeed in permanently defining "local" for their own benefit. Michelle Long shares that concern: "That's my fear. People are going to do diluted versions and hold the space so that real campaigns don't get started." (emphasis mine)

I am not very knowledgeable about the music promotion business so I hesitate to get involved in the current discussion of the SPI Music Fest but I believe this has a certain relevance to what we are trying to promote within the local movement. The small venue, indie artist, type of festival is extremely popular among many people with discretionary income. Perhaps this is not the type of festival which is appropriate for the actual SPI Music Fest, but it is certainly an event type that should not be disparaged and would need to be promoted differently than the mega-concert but could still attract a sizable audience and to use the dreaded phrase, "put heads in beds".

Local-washing has prompted local business advocates to reconsider their language. Many are now using the word "independent" more than "local." Controlling language is critical, said Ronnie Cummins, director of the Organic Consumers Association, who is pushing for tighter regulation of the word "organic," as well as rules governing terms like "natural," "sustainable" and "local." "We've been fighting so long without the help of federal regulators that some people have forgotten that tool."

But perhaps local-washing will ultimately make corporations even more suspect and further the case for shifting our economy more in the direction of small-scale, local and independent. "I think the fact that the chains are trying to play the local card, in a way, makes it easier for us," said the ABA's Cullen. "I think people are going to recognize that these aren't authentic and that's going to make the real thing all the more powerful." (emphasis mine)

South Padre Island, are we ready to be Indiebound?

article is from INDYWeek.com. Hat tip Aarons Books

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane: On sale today!

I have been waiting to put this book on the shelves - it is one I really enjoyed. What makes it an even better read is knowing that Katherine Howe is actually a descendant of Elizabeth Howe, one of the Salem residents accused of witchcraft in the 1600's.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane is the number one IndieNext pick for June.

“Connie Goodwin should be writing her Ph.D. dissertation. Instead, her mother has asked her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, Massachusetts. While cleaning up the years of dust and cobwebs, Connie makes discoveries that lead her back to the world of the Salem witch trials. Howe does a superb job at combining modern day language with the 17th century voices, pulling you even deeper into a story of mystery and witches. Marvelous and terrifying at the same time. I loved it!”
—Annie Philbrick, Bank Square Books, Mystic, CT

We all know a lot about the revolutionary era in American history but I for one tend to ignore everything that came before or at least fail to think of the early and pre-colonial period as a separate time.


For anyone who has ever had an interest in the Salem witchcraft trials this book is for you. Anyone who likes historical fiction will find this a hard book to put down. Mystery lovers, this book will also satisfy your need for a crime-solving plot line.

The author takes an original look at the witch trials, and in the day of vampire and zombies, her approach is not as far-fetched as what it would have been several years ago.

What if there actually are witches? Is anyone with psychic powers a witch? This novel will have you asking new questions about our whole notion of witchcraft.

But most of all it is just a great story.


Shop Indie Bookstores

Shop the Island on South Padre Island

I am excited about having the opportunity to participate in the first Shop the Island being held on South Padre Island, TX. The Saturday event will showcase our local businesses and artists as they collaborate to give residents and visitors a unique chance to find that one of a kind Christmas gift for someone special.

Paragraphs is especially honored to have the internationally recognized master sand sculptor, Lucinda Wierenga, sharing our parking lot on Saturday where she will be doing some small sculptures and have copies of her book "Sandcastles Made Easy" available along with sand sculpting tools and gift certificates for lessons. Combine some or all of these to make a perfect gift for that hard to buy for beach lover on your list.

Also spending the day with us is Wade Dunkin, of WD Dunkin Photography. He is an outstanding artist and his photos of South Padre Island, the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre area are absolutely beautiful. He features sunsets, landscapes, and some awesome surfing shots. You can view his online gallery here.

Paragraphs, Lucinda and Wade are all members of Indiebound.org.

Please, stop by, say hello and spend some time with us tomorrow. I look forward to meeting my new neighbors and I think you will find something of interest to make it worth your while. Paragraphs will have a small selection of titles and for that book lover on your list consider a gift certificate which can be redeemed when we formally open early next year. But most of all I just want to have the opportunity to take part in what I think is a great activity.

See you tomorrow. And remember when you shop locally you benefit your community in many ways. So do something good, support your friends and neighbors, and have fun.


1. You keep dollars in our economy

For every $100 you spend at one of our local businesses, $68 will stay in the community. What happens when you spend that same $100 at a national chain? Only $43 stays in the community.

2. You embrace what makes us unique

You wouldn’t want your house to look like everyone else’s in the U.S. So why would you want your community to look that way?

3. You nurture community

We know you, and you know us. Studies have shown that local businesses donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains.

4. You create more choice

We pick the books and gifts we sell based on what we know you like and want. Local businesses carry a wider array of unique products because we buy for our own individual market.

5. You invest in entrepreneurship

Creativity and entrepreneurship are what the American economy is founded upon. Nurturing local business ensures a strong community.

6.You make us a destination

The more interesting and unique we are as a community, the more we will attract new neighbors, visitors and guests. This benefits everyone!

Indie Businesses Unite!

I have been posting on the SPI Forum about the advantages of independent businesses for the community. Actually, I think most everyone is tired of hearing about Indiebound, the Indiebound Community, or anything else that begins with "Indie".

In an effort to help the business climate of South Padre Island, the Town has initiated the formation of a "Coalition for Business Development". The coalition is being asked to identify ways (1) to increase consumer use of our existing businesses (2) to attract new businesses which will be used by consumers and (3) to attract more consumers by increasing the number of permanent residents and visitors. To meet these objectives several subcommittees have been formed, with each one being asked to provide recommendations that will help to meet the broader objectives of the coalition.

The subcommittees include:

(1) Establish a Merchants Association to focus on ways to improve sales for existing business.

(2) Establish New Programs will focus on new Special Events.

(3) Recruit Permanent and Part-Time Residents and Increase Tourism will focus on Specialty Groups to which our Island offers areas of interest.

(4) Recruit New Business will focus on developing an On-Line Website for the EDC that can be used by new business seeking information about the Island. In addition recommend better use of technology for data based marketing, and identify a liaison between new business and the Town.

My interest in these discussions is directed toward the Merchant's Association with a focus on some type of a Shop Local campaign, with an emphasis on our Independent Businesses.

The IndieBound program offers some great materials which can be used to promote, not just bookstores, but all indies within a community. This message, which appears on a flyer that can be customized for individual stores or for a merchants association, reminds the customer that when they shop local they have done something good for the community.

Here’s what you just did!

1. You kept dollars in our economy

For every $100 you spend at one of our local businesses, $68 will stay in the community. What happens when you spend that same $100 at a national chain? Only $43 stays in the community.

2. You embraced what makes us unique

You wouldn’t want your house to look like everyone else’s in the U.S. So why would you want your community to look that way?

3. You created local jobs

Local businesses are better at creating higher-paying jobs for our neighbors.


4. You helped the environment

Buying from a local business conserves energy and resources in the form of less fuel for transportation, less packaging, and products that you know are safe and well made, because we stand behind them.

5. You nurtured community

We know you, and you know us. Studies have shown that local businesses donate to community causes at more than twice the rate of chains.


6. You conserved your tax dollars

Shopping in a local business district means less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money available to beautify our community. Also, spending locally instead of online ensures that your sales taxes are reinvested where they belong—right here in your community!


7. You created more choice

We pick the books and gifts we sell based on what we know you like and want. Local businesses carry a wider array of unique products because we buy for our own individual market.


8. You took advantage of our expertise

You are our friends and neighbors, and we have a vested interest in knowing how to serve you. We’re passionate about what we do. Why not take advantage of it?

9. You invested in entrepreneurship

Creativity and entrepreneurship are what the American economy is founded upon. Nurturing local business ensures a strong community.


10.You made us a destination

The more interesting and unique we are as a community, the more we will attract new neighbors, visitors and guests. This benefits everyone!

So, remember the advantages to our communities when we Shop Local!

Correction Made

Thank you Ann, for pointing out the error in my post about the Indiebound Community.

The store which opened on South Padre Island and which is mentioned in the post should have been Tuesday Morning not Linens and Things.

Sorry about that, I am beginning to feel the effects of some sleep deprivation as life becomes increasingly interesting.

Indiebound Community Launched Today

The online community is a vibrant gathering place for supporters of indie retail businesses. Those who register for the community can share information about indie retailers (including locations and specialties), comment on community issues, offer book recommendations, and exchange personal communication. Visitors are encouraged to add stores to the national indie retailer map, to become fans of stores, and to connect with like-minded indie enthusiasts.

"The mission of the IndieBound.org Community is to help people across the U.S. share and find great independently owned businesses," said ABA Chief Marketing Officer Meg Smith. "By connecting indie-conscious people with local businesses, we're working to strengthen the health of Main Streets. Thriving local economies make for sustainable communities and happy residents." Smith stressed that the community site is "a work in progress. We're planning on rolling out new features and new content on a regular basis over the next six to 12 months."

I blogged about this earlier and threw the idea out on the SPI Forum to mixed reviews, although I was pleased to see there does exist a modicum of interest in starting some kind of an Independent Business movement.

I was pleasantly surprised. Some time ago, I suggested my preference upon the arrival of a Tuesday Morning, while welcome, for an independent specialty shop that would offer a variety of housewares and gift items selected specifically for our community and which would add to the overall image and character of the Island. Most of the response on the SPI Forum was in favor of franchise, brand-name, retail establishments. The general consensus seemed to be a desire for recognized businesses where the merchandise or service provided is standardized and the consumer knows what to expect because the corporate ownership allows for less variety between stores. I must admit to a sense of discouragment at this attitude since I had felt the residents of South Padre Island would be more eclectic in their attitudes.

In all fairness, part of what may have influenced the attitude which I observed in response to my plea for the indie retailer, is the general lack of availability of many goods and services on the Island, and so even if the provider is a franchise, the ability to find what one needs without leaving the Island is certainly attractive.

The part of the Indiebound community which makes it different than most programs rolled out by the ABA, is its focus on all community independent businesses, not just bookstores. And this is consistent with the idea of booksellers as an integral part of a community. What it provides to South Padre Island businesses is access to another national demographic, which may not have been reached by the town's more conventional advertising without any additional expense. Furthermore, the concept is driven by personal recommendations from consumers - so if a business does not provide quality goods or services, they will probably not have many fans or positive comments.

Users who have created accounts can do a number of things:

• Post comments on retail stores, whether it be a review of each store, a personal experience there, some recommendations -- anything that can help other people learn more about that store;
• Edit existing stores to add more information -- store hours, pictures of the store, etc.;
• Add interest tags both to their own accounts and to stores ... tags like "Southern literature" or "vegan" help connect users and stores, and help everyone discover new things;
• Become fans of stores they know and love -- so that other people can find stores through their user profile;
• Add new stores -- great indie retailers they're familiar with; and
• Add other users as friends, and leave notes for other users.

Shop Online at Indie Bookstores/Paragraphs

I have been searching for a way that my readers, on the island and off, can shop online at an independent bookstore until Paragraphs opens. Originally, I looked for a way for Paragraphs to sell books online even though the brick and mortar store would not yet be open. I couldn't really put that together but at an IndieBound workshop I found a temporary solution.

Paragraphs is now an affiliated store recognized by other independent IndieBound member bookstores. By clicking on the IndieBound.org logo in the sidebar you will be supporting Paragraphs as well as an independent bookstore located within an area covered by the zip code you designate. Any of these stores will ship your chosen title to you and would welcome the opportunity to compete with Amazon.

Give it a try and let me know how it works. Be the first to patronize Paragraphs, even if it is in a roundabout way!

SPI - IndieBound?

I attended a workshop,this morning, sponsored by the American Bookseller's Association, telling us about all the exciting things that are happening with the new IndieBound program.

For several years, the ABA sponsored a marketing program for independent booksellers called BookSense. The idea behind BookSense was to harness the collective wisdom of member bookstores in making recommendations to readers and to have a greater influence in the publishing world.

Well, the time had come to spruce up the program and apparently as the Madison Avenue types reviewed what was happening in the marketplace, they discovered that the concept of supporting local businesses and independent retailers was a growing trend and movement. There has been a distinct shift away from and a general disenchantment with the big box and chain retailers.

So the new brand IndieBound was born. Initially this is still primarily focused on bookstores but the aim of the program is to allow other types of independent businesses to become linked-in to the program so the consumer can more easily locate and support his or her local shop or at least buy from an independent retailer.

The exciting part is the materials the ABA is making available. They are easily reproduced - they suggest we practice what we preach - at any local print shop, such as Toucan Graphics to name one. But the best part about these professionally designed marketing pieces is they can be easily modified and used as part of a town wide Buy Local - Support Your Independent Business program and did I mention they are free - at least with a membership to the ABA (and Paragraphs is an ABA member bookstore so we will have access to any and all of the materials).

Wouldn't it be great to see the Indie businesses of SPI come together and cross promote one another as part of a Buy Local campaign. It could also be expanded to include Port Isabel, and the nice part is the advertising and marketing materials are top of the line, with modern graphics, professional artwork and totally customizable and remember they are free to use.

I think this would be a wonderful way to invite tourists into our small businesses and maybe divert some attention away from the T-shirt shops. Buying from Indies is a national movement and I believe it meets the South Padre Island vision, if we can work together to take advantage of our uniqueness.

Of course, the other piece is to encourage independent businesses instead of focusing on bringing chain stores to the Island. Hopefully, as the development in the entertainment district at Amberjack's is brought online, this will be a consideration. I would really hate to see us trying to become another shopping mecca with Saks, Starbuck's, Bubba Gump's Shrimp, and Barnes and Noble, when we can have the same quality but provide a more unique experience by promoting and encouraging our own brand of specialty shops that better represent our own distinct community.

I have said it before, on the forum and on my blog, I believe that the first step in attracting repeat tourists is continuing to develop a community that we find it a joy to live and work in, and then to welcome our tourist friends by treating them as an important part of our local community. The trend for many travelers, is to find places where they feel part of the crowd and where there is a sense of local individuality - as opposed to the mega-resorts where everything is standard fare and it becomes difficult to determine whether one is in Maui or Hilton Head. I only hope we are wise enough to recognize this market instead of seeking those who prefer the "it's Monday this must be Maui" visitor who is seeking the nearest chain retailer for the perfect Coach handbag or Gucci watch.