The ThriftBooks Blog
On the Page and On the Streets
London’s literary tradition
By Chris Viola • May 11, 2016
I recently came across a travel website that proclaimed, “London has a rich literary tradition that permeates its streets.”
It’s true, of course. I know the first time I saw London’s cobblestone back streets, I immediately pictured Oliver Twist and the Artful Dodger tearing through the crowds, possibly having just picked someone’s pocket. For my money, Dickens’ vivid descriptions of 1830s London are just as compelling as his characters.
The Itsy Bitsy Urban Garden
By KA Scott • April 26, 2016
From apartment terrace to table—and every tiny space in between—gardening small has become a big deal in cities everywhere. Whether it's pots on the rooftop or tiered baskets hanging out the window, urbanites are finding inventive ways to grow incredible edibles in even the most vertical landscapes.
It's all easier than you might think—but there's definitely a science to it. What to plant, irrigation, container choice, fertilizer—with so many options, it's easy to get confused. That's why we recommend a little research before you get started (says the girl who grew loads of misshapen, garnish-sized container veggies before picking up some books on the subject).
Here's some of my favorite reads with expert tips for cultivating a thriving small-batch garden of your own. With lots of sunshine and a little luck, you'll be crunching your way through a healthy harvest in no time. And nothing tastes quite as great as something you've grown yourself!
Sleuths of the Canine and Feline Persuasion
By Richard Wells • April 11, 2016
The curse of the binary is in dividing the world into two kinds of people: people who eat the pizza’s crust and those who don’t, pie people vs. cake people, mustard people and catsup people, and speaking of cats, there seem to be cat people and dog people. Groan if you like, but this is a serious division, at least to dog people and cat people.
Spring Cleaning for the Cleaning Challenged
By Violet • April 04, 2016
I grew up in a meticulously clean home, where everything had a place, the décor was always updated in the latest fashion, and we ate a home-cooked dinner as a family every night. I had a Super Mom.
Me? I’m the girl who can’t figure out how to get the grime off the kitchen floor. I sweep up the dog hair only to find giant balls of it five minutes after I finish. I open a cabinet door and things tumble out.
Your Oscars Reading List: the Books behind the 2016 Nominees
By Richard Wells • February 22, 2016
This year the Academy Awards have plundered the library for extraordinary source material. The film makers have found writers who have been practicing their craft for years, plucked real gems out of their bodies of work, and are debuting one first time novelist.
Black History – Not Just a Month
A fresh look at Black History Month
By Richard Wells • February 08, 2016
Black History Month rolls around every February to bring very few new surprises about a black history that seems to encompass the Civil Rights Movement and little else. There’s so much more to the story – let’s have a look.
Scottish Authors that are"Pure Dead Brilliant"
By Hugo Munday • January 25, 2016
Any idea why we're throwing a spotlight on some Scottish authors this week? The first person to add the correct answer to the comment section below will win a $20 certificate to shop on Thrift Books. The person to leave the comment that makes us laugh the most will also win one. One person cannot win both and we'll announce the winners on this blog next week.
ThriftBooks: A Peek Behind the Scenes
By Hugo Munday • January 22, 2016
Discover how we serve our readers.
We Are What We Eat: The Keys to a Healthy Diet
By Serge Cruise • January 18, 2016
Welcome 2016!, and how are those New Year resolutions going? We're still in the "honeymoon phase" and I'm sure many of you are still crushing most of the goals you set. But the fact that we set similar goals most, if not every year, means that our resolutions can lack staying power. We’ve all had more "new leaves" turn back than we’d like to admit, and the usual suspects have something to do with diet and exercise. These failures are understandable because physiological and nutritional health get sold to us as a shrink-wrapped, easy solution you can gulp down in one easy shake a day.
Kicking Butts: 10 Rules to Quit Smoking
By Hugo Munday • January 11, 2016
Over 50 years ago the Surgeon General, a man named Luther Terry, broke new ground when he introduced a landmark report called Smoking and Health: Report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the United States. This wasn't the first time a government official had declared smoking to be bad, but the report had far-reaching implications for the tobacco industry leading directly to controls on advertising and package messaging.
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