The Book Loft

Chalk it up to the Valley Journal's expanding readership and also to the importance of cowboy artist Edward Borein (1872-1945) as a Santa Barbara County icon. The Book Loft column in the last issue elicited wide response, including some mild complaints. Some the result of our breaking an important rule of journalism: Write so that the ending may be chopped off to fit available space. In other words, take care to get the "who, when, what, why, where" into the story early.

Copy submitted for the last issue mentioned the Borein exhibit at Elverhoj Museum. For a possible accompanying illustration, The Journal did run the illustration, but the article was too long; the Borein details came at the end and had to be cut.

Almost as soon as the Journal landed in his mailbox, Tom Petersen phoned The Book Loft. Tom is a retired civil engineer, railroad buff, lifelong Valley resident (and also spouse of Carolyn Petersen, recently named 2007 SYV Woman of the Year in honor her volunteer service to the community). The picture of Borein caught Tom's eye, but he found no reference to it in the article.

Days later, Fran from the Santa Barbara Historical Society called. She had read the Valley Journal and, as resourceful as she is diplomatic, expressed delight in seeing the Borein book pictured, but finding no further details, she sought out The Book Loft's web page where the entire article was posted. She liked what she read, EXCEPT... The Santa Barbara Historical Society published the two fine little books on the life and art of Ed Borein, but nowhere did our article note that fact. Amid her praise and understanding, Fran very gently lamented that omission.

Santa Barbara Historical Society's "John Edward Borein: The Formative Years" and "John Edward Borein: The Santa Barbara Years," each $11.95, are currently among The Book Loft's best selling titles. Elverh©ªj's excellent exhibit, "The World of Edward Borein," continues through May 27. Mother's Day gift buyers the majority being either kids or grown men are notoriously last-minute shoppers. Books might be just the solutions to their dilemmas.Here are just a few suggestions.

For moms who love novels consider "Whitethorn Woods", just out from popular author Maeve Binchy (Knopf, $25.95). If she reads thrillers, try "Simple Genius" by David Baldacci (Warner, $26.99) (Note to Dads: Try to let her finish it before "borrowing" it for yourself.) We also recommend Sara Gruen's "Water for Elephants", a nationwide favorite in hard cover now in paperback (Algonquin, $13.95).

There are plenty of choices for moms who savor non-fiction. Not only are the author's media appearances impressive, book clubs and individual readers are giving us good feedback on "Infidel", a memoir by Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Free Press, $26).

Fans of Barbara Kingsolver and they are legion should be aware that her new book "Animal." "Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life" (Harper, $26.95) is something of a departure. Barbara's passionate, often humorous, account traces her family's journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life where they either buy locally grown food, grow it themselves or do without. Good writing and inspiring reading are also the hallmarks of "Eat, Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert, newly released in paperback (Penguin $15).

Several childrens books pay homage to mothers. They don't have mothers on Mars, you know, and that fact inspired prize-winning cartoonist Berkeley Breathed to create a heart-warming kids book, (for kids of all ages, of course), "Mars Needs Moms!" (Philomel, $16.99). Two other charmers are the lift-the-flap book "I Love You Mom" (DK, $8.99) and "Before I Was Your Mother" (Harcourt, $6), a tribute to the mother-daughter relationship.