Archives - Weekly Update

As you may know, our staff is rather farflung. This week Wiley Saichek, who works in Texas, came to see us in New York for the week. He and Tom Donadio spent time in the evening exploring bookstores all over the city. Over the years, Wiley has told me stories about visiting bookstores in every town and city that he visits around the country --- and his finds there. Years ago a number of Bookreporter.com readers gathered in St. Louis and Chicago --- their itinerary always included treks to bookstores.

On Monday morning many of you, like me, woke to the sad news that Christopher Reeve had passed away. I remembered reading his book, STILL ME, when it came out in 1998. Until then, I had little, if any, knowledge of what it means to be a quadriplegic. Flash forward to 2002 when a book called MIRACLES HAPPEN by Brooke and Jean Ellison came out. Brooke had been paralyzed in a car accident when she was 11. She went on to graduate from Harvard with both undergrad and masters degrees, with her mom at her side each step of the way. I interviewed Brooke and Jean when their book came out, and I remember their sharing that Reeve had planned to direct a movie about Brooke's life. Recently I read that it is to air on A&E on October 25th at 8PM ET (Check local listings). This week I had planned to share this reminder with you. Now this movie takes on more significance in the wake of Reeve's death as it is one of the last films that he directed. He spent the last 9 years of his life empowering those who were confined to chairs and beds by telling his story. I urge you to click on the links above to honor his memory and learn more about his story --- and Brooke's.