Upshur Street Books, founded and owned by Paul Ruppert, opened last Saturday in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The GW Hatchet reported that "everything about the store felt like it belonged not just in the neighborhood but also to the neighborhood.... Upshur Street Books is carving a niche in the independent bookstore realm. This is a bookstore for the locals: It has the feel of a highly-organized home bookshelf in the best possible way."

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from the heirs of Arthur Conan Doyle, "who say anyone portraying characters from the popular detective series must seek permission or pay a licensing fee," the Associated Press reported.

A U.S. district court ruled earlier this year that copyrights had expired on all Sherlock Holmes novels and stories published before 1923, but not the final 10 stories published thereafter; and that Leslie Klinger could use characters from pre-1923 works for a new anthology, In the Company of Sherlock Holmes (co-edited with Laurie King). A federal appeals court agreed. The AP noted the Doyle estate had "argued that the characters continued to develop in later works so they should remain off-limits until remaining copyrights run out in 2022."

Before opening GreenRow Books in Ellicott City, Md., on October 1, owner Beth Panageotou had no bookselling experience. She had, however, founded an online company called Page's Corner, an educational resource for children that combines crafts, reading and learning.

"Through Page's Corner I learned a lot about the buying side of the book industry and connected with authors and illustrators and advocates of literacy," said Panageotou, who has also worked as a high school teacher and has a background in public policy. "I took that experience, along with my experience in marketing and magazine writing and web design, rolled it all up, and jumped in."

GreenRow Books is a 600-square-foot bookstore, located on Ellicott City's "amazingly vibrant" main street. The inventory, Panageotou said, contains "a little of everything," including an extensive cookbook selection, children's books, young adult books, and fiction and nonfiction. Sidelines include candles, scarves, coffee mugs and an assortment of other items that "pair well with reading." At the moment, GreenRow Books doesn't serve any food or drinks, but expanding into that realm is one of many things on the docket for 2015.

Given the store's small size, Panageotou has had to carefully select the shop's inventory, and so far that's been her biggest challenge, particularly selecting adult fiction and nonfiction.

"The sea is so big--there are hundreds of thousands of choices," she said. To help with this, she's asked for recommendations from authors and librarians whom she knows from her time with Page's Corner, as well as asking her customers and community members what they like to read. Panageotou is also looking to strike a balance between big, new bestsellers and older gems that may have gone overlooked. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan's 2012 novel, is one such example. "I can't keep it on the shelves," remarked Panageotou.

Although building fiction and nonfiction sections has been a challenge, Panageotou has had fun building others. She and her husband collect cookbooks, she said, and choosing which cookbooks to put in the store was fun. Children's books, she added, were also much more "in my wheelhouse."

On the weekend of October 17 and 18, GreenRow Books held its grand opening celebration, which coincided with Maryland's annual teachers' convention. A "whole bunch" of teachers came through, she commented. Festivities include appearances by three authors, a champagne toast, appetizers and chocolates and a book signing with Polly Holyoke (The Neptune Project).

So far, Panageotou has also organized three book clubs: #TeamGRB, a book club for middle grade readers; BookPlates, which is held at a local restaurant and features food and drinks paired with that month's book; and the Brown Bag Book Club, in which Panageotou chooses a different paperback book each month and wraps it in brown paper, so customers don't know what they're buying.

The Brown Bag Book Club has "two rules: one is that you can't open it until you leave the store, and two is you have to read it and tell me what you think," Panageotou said. So far, 30 people have signed up for that club. "It's fun to surprise people. It's a chance to maybe take them outside of what they would normally pick up. One month it might be a mystery, the next a romance or a thriller."

Late in the summer, Panageotou started an Indiegogo campaign to help finance the store's opening. Although she did not end up reaching her goal, she said she doesn't regret doing it. "It was a huge learning experience," Panageotou elaborated. "And very difficult. But it was also completely worth it. It gave the store exposure, and it helped me brand my store. It made me stop and think about that in the very beginning." --Alex Mutter

Drusilla Campbell, who published 17 novels, died on October 24. Grand Central Publishing, which published Campbell's In Doubt (August 2014), When She Came Home (2013), Little Girl Gone (2012) and The Good Sister (2010), called her "a recognized voice in the world of woman's fiction and she'll be keenly missed." A memorial service will be held in San Diego, Calif., and will be announced on Campbell's blog.

 BookPeople in Austin, Tex., hosted a reading and slide show by Edward Carey, author of Heap House (Overlook), the first book in the Iremonger trilogy. Here's Carey with Pascal Simon of Bake Austin, who made the cake, a likeness of the cover of the book (Carey also illustrated his book); you can see how she did it here.

Although its roots go back nearly 140 years, Anderson's Bookshops is celebrating 50 years as an independent bookstore in Naperville, Ill.

The celebration begins on Thursday, November 6, and lasts through weekend, culminating in a public party on Sunday, November 9, 5-7 p.m. During the weekend, Anderson's members receive 25% off everything in the store and non-members receive 10% off. Purchases over $100 qualify for a free commemorative tote bag with a special logo design. Raffle prizes have been donated by some of the store's biggest book and toy vendors and will be drawn daily. There will also be treats and balloons each day. The grand prize drawing of 10 $50 gift cards will be held on Sunday night. (Winners need not be present to win.) Food, cake and music will accompany the Sunday night celebration.

Anderson's is a sixth-generation family bookstore that traces its roots back to the founding of W.W. Wickel Pharmacy (now Oswald's Pharmacy), which sold books and other items before launching a separate bookstore in 1964. Anderson's Books now includes Anderson's Bookshops in Naperville and Downers Grove, ABC Fairs in Aurora and Two Doors East in Naperville.

The owners are siblings Tres Anderson, Becky Anderson Wilkins and Pete Anderson. Becky Anderson commented: "It is always a pleasure to think about the community that Anderson's has been a part of for so many years. We are truly privileged and honored to have worked with so many brilliant authors and partners in the book industry. We're looking forward to all the great things the future may bring!"

photo: Dave Williams/Wichita Eagle

The fourth in a series of outdoor, weatherproof murals commissioned for the Douglas Design District was unveiled last Saturday at Watermark Books & Cafe, Wichita, Kan. The Eagle reported that artist Thomas Murillo's Earth is now "installed on the exterior of a popular business." The murals were commissioned after the district was awarded a $7,764 grant from the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission through the Kansas Department of Commerce. The district's board "matched the grant and then some with money contributed by merchants in the area." Murillo and Josh Tripoli have each created two works for the project.

Watermark Books expressed delight with the addition on the store's Facebook page: "We're SO GLAD to have one of these lovely murals. Thanks to Douglas Design District and the artist!"

The Garden Island profiled Talk Story Bookstore, Hanapepe, Hawaii, on Kauai, which bills itself as "the Western-most Bookstore in the United States" and celebrates its 10th birthday on Thursday.

Ed Justus, who owns the new and used store with his wife, Cynthia Justus, commented: "Honestly, we are pretty amazed that 10 years have passed. We're equally as honored that the people of Kauai and the many visitors over the years have helped to make our store the success it has become."

Cynthia Justus added: "We moved here from California on our honeymoon and have never left. We only had a few bookcases, 3,000 books (mostly picked up from garage sales), literally only a few hundred dollars."

The store now has an inventory of 100,000 books, gifts, music and more. It also contributes to many civic and nonprofit organizations and has hosted and helped develop a variety of community events.

Morgan Doremus has joined Sourcebooks as publicity & marketing manager for Sourcebooks Casablanca. She was formerly marketing manager at Hachette's Forever imprint, and before that was web director at RT Book Reviews.

Science... for Her! by Megan Amram (Scribner), a hilarious trailer that features friends Nick Offerman, Rich Fulcher and Steve Agee performing in "Let's Get Physics, Y'All."

Tomorrow on Fresh Air: Eric Lichtblau, author of The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler's Men (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $28, 9780547669199).

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Tomorrow on the Diane Rehm Show: Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey, co-authors of Peter, Paul and Mary: 50 Years in Music and Life (Imagine Publishing, $29.95, 9781936140329).

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Tomorrow on the Talk: Grace Helbig, author of Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to Be a Grown-up (Touchstone, $17.99, 9781476788005).

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Tomorrow Tavis Smiley: Andrew Dice Clay, co-author of The Filthy Truth (Touchstone, $26.99, 9781476734712).

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Tomorrow night on the Late Show with David Letterman: Jennifer Lopez, author of True Love (Celebra, $29.95, 9780451468680).

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Tomorrow night on the Tonight Show: Jim Gaffigan, author of Food: A Love Story (Crown Archetype, $26, 9780804140416).

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Tomorrow night on Conan: Deepak Chopra, author of The Future of God: A Practical Approach to Spirituality for Our Times (Harmony, $25, 9780307884978).

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Tomorrow night on the Daily Show: John Cleese, author of So, Anyway... (Crown Archetype, $28, 9780385348249).

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Tomorrow night on the Colbert Report: Kirsten Gillibrand, author of Off the Sidelines: Raise Your Voice, Change the World (Ballantine, $26, 9780804179072).

Lifetime has cast Kelli Garner (Pan Am) in the title role of Marilyn, a four-hour miniseries based on J. Randy Taraborrelli's book The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe, Deadline,com reported. The project, which also stars Susan Sarandon, was written by Stephen Kronish (The Kennedys), with Laurie Collyer set to direct.

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Internet and publishing feline sensation Grumpy Cat's viral reign continues with Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever, which premieres on Lifetime November 29, Indiewire reported. The first trailer has been released, with Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) voicing Grumpy Cat

Seven finalists, rather than the usual six, were announced for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, which awards a £26,000 (US$41,600) cash prize, along with a free £2,500 ($4,000) William Hill bet, a hand-bound copy of their book and a day at the races. The winner will be named November 27. This year's shortlisted titles are:

Bobby Moore: The Man in Full by Matt Dickinson
Played in London: Charting the Heritage of a City at Play by Simon Inglis
Alone: The Triumph and Tragedy of John Curry by Bill Jones
Run or Die by Kilian Jornet
Night Games: Sex, Power and Sport by Anna Krien
Floodlights and Touchlines: A History of Spectator Sport by Rob Steen
Proud: My Autobiography by Gareth Thomas & Michael Calvin

Hudson Booksellers has selected its best books published in 2014. Copies of the books will be displayed prominently and discounted in all Hudson Booksellers and large Hudson News stores, starting November 18. "Best Books" brochures featuring the titles are available through the holiday season. The titles are also featured online at HudsonBooksellers/Best-of-2014.

Titles were selected through a nominated shortlist and voting process by a panel of Hudson's booksellers across the country. Books were selected for "achievements ranging from literary style and innovation, entertainment value and readability, to timeliness and treatment of subjects and themes."

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr was chosen as Book of the Year. Sara Hinckley, v-p of book buying, called the book "a gorgeously written novel about beauty, love, courage and history."


Best Fiction:
Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan
Wolf in White Van by John Darnielle
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
The Crane Wife by Patrick Ness
Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
The Martian by Andy Weir

Best Nonfiction:
The Human Age by Diane Ackerman
New Life, No Instructions by Gail Caldwell
Empires Crossroads by Carrie Gibson
The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs
Internal Medicine by Terrence Holt
The Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison
What We See When We Read by Peter Mendelsund
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart
Deep Down Dark by Héctor Tobar

Best Young Readers:
Half Bad by Sally Green
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Heir of Fire by Sarah Maas
Ordinary People Change the World series by Brad Meltzer
The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Best Business Interest:
How Not to Be Wrong by Jordan Ellenberg
The Innovators by Walter Isaacson
Flash Boys by Michael Lewis
Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Piketty
Dataclysm by Christian Rudder

Richard Ford captured the hopes and sorrows of everyman Frank Bascombe in The Sportswriter, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Independence Day and The Lay of the Land. These novels secured Ford's reputation as a master of American fiction; by making Frank's hopes, disappointments and resentments urgent and familiar, Ford articulated the preoccupations of a generation of men.

In the four trenchant and very funny novellas that comprise Let Me Be Frank with You, Frank Bascombe has retired from his career as a real-estate agent, has sold his oceanfront house and now lives in an inland New Jersey town. He eats All-Bran for breakfast, brushes his teeth regularly to avoid "monkey's closet" breath and is facing his twilight years in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, victims of which his wife, Sally, now counsels.

These intersecting stories evoke the past and the passing of time in different ways. In I'm Here, Frank meets up with Arnie--who bought Frank's beach house for a very handsome sum--to advise him on the value it retains after Sandy's destruction. Over the years, Arnie's surgical interventions have given him a smoothed, lacquered appearance, which adds to Frank's unease. Everything Could Be Worse describes Frank's meeting with the woman who grew up in the home he now owns, during which he learns its terrible history. In The New Normal, he visits his first wife, Ann, who lives in an assisted-living complex due to her Parkinson's disease. And, reluctantly, Frank visits a dying former friend in Deaths of Others.

The triggering event for each story thrusts the past into Frank's present. (Arnie had "put me on speaker and seemed to be talking out of the past," he comments.) Throughout these novellas, Ford emphasizes the passage of time and the devastation it wreaks, altering even the most familiar people and places. Hurricane Sandy, central in every story, serves as a metaphor for the unavoidable ravages of age. Frank is preoccupied by senescence: Arnie's efforts to stay it, his own guilt and unease that his life has been left untouched while others' lives have suffered, his awareness of his own mortality.

Despite the sober subject matter, Frank is as bitingly funny as ever. His choice observations and the stories he tells reveal a man whose limitations and failings coexist with soaring attempts to make sense of a world undone by fate. --Jeanette Zwart, freelance writer and reviewer

Shelf Talker: Frank Bascombe, Richard Ford everyman hero, is back in these four satisfying and darkly funny stories full of late-life observations about the arbitrary victims of time.