• Wallingford's poetry-only bookstore Open Books is reopening for business under new management on Saturday at 11 am! There will be treats and a new art wall featuring visual work by poet Gabrielle Bates. You can like the event on Facebook and also follow Open Books on their brand new Twitter account.

• Yesterday, the shortlist for the Washington State Book Awards was announced. Nominees include Shann Ray, Sharma Shields, Laura Da', Ann Pancake, Sonya Lea, Erik Larsen, and Martha Brockenbrough. Find the whole list at the Seattle Public Library's website.

• Get ready for an insufferable press tour! The most criminally negligent president of our lifetimes is putting out an art book in February of next year:

The Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, announced today that it will publish a new book by George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States. Titled PORTRAITS OF COURAGE: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors, the book features 66 full-color portraits and a four-panel mural personally painted by President Bush of service members and veterans who have served our nation with honor, and whom the President has come to know personally since leaving office.

• Lena Dunham will represent independent bookstores on Small Business Saturday this fall.

• A University of New Hampshire library employee passed away, leaving four million dollars to the school. Of that four million, more than half is going to a new career center for students. One million dollars is going toward a fancy new scoreboard for the fancy new stadium UNH is building. And the library...is getting a measly $100,000.

• Today in foolhardy-but-admirable actions:

Man runs into burning home in Broadmoor for laptop with 2 completed novels @theadvocateno https://t.co/CQaRYrzwot pic.twitter.com/khIqc8Cr6F

— Matthew Hinton (@MattHintonPhoto) September 15, 2016