Poor Richard’s Books suggests titles encompassing bears, sticks, flowers

Each week as part of SunLit — The Sun’s literature section — we feature staff recommendations from book stores across Colorado. This week, the staff from Poor Richard’s Books in Colorado Springs recommends the story of a bear come down from the wilderness, an examination of … sticks, and a flower bible.

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From the publisher: The story of a grizzly bear named Millie: her life, death, and cubs, and what they reveal about the changing character of the American West.

An “ode to wildness and wilderness,” this book tells the story of one grizzly in the changing Montana landscape. Millie was cunning, a fiercely protective mother to her cubs. But raising those cubs in the mountains was hard, as the climate warmed and people crowded the valleys.

There were obvious dangers, like poachers, and subtle ones, like the corn field that drew her into sure trouble. That trouble is where award-winning writer, farmer, and conservationist Bryce Andrews’s story intersects with Millie’s.

From Jeffery Payne, assistant retail manager: I remember the first time I experienced a bear in my yard. I smelled it first. Very, very “earthy.” I changed my mind about going any further and went back inside. I thought to myself, well, they were here first…That’s where the disconnect is for a lot of people. We have encroached into their space, their homes, not the other way around. Bryce Andrews brings his eloquent prose to a very complicated and challenging issue where there are no easy solutions.

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From the publisher: What makes a particularly good stick? Is it the stick’s length and sturdiness — a trusty walking staff, perhaps, that conjures up fantasies of wizards and battle? Or is it the stick’s usefulness — say, as a drumstick on a log in the woods, or as a slingshot for propelling pebbles at your friend’s face? Maybe what makes a stick great is its unique shape, like Poseidon’s trident or a Stormtrooper’s blaster gun?

Or maybe what makes a stick great is simply how it makes you feel.

In Sticks, enjoy an incredible collection of Stick Nation’s most magnificent sticks—some from as far as Cameroon! — and meet the people (and dogs!) who love them. Stick Nation founders Logan Jugler and Boone Hogg also share their top tips for finding and classifying sticks, encouraging readers to let loose, have fun, and embrace their imaginations. 

From Jeffery Payne, assistant retail manager: Growing up on the farm in Missouri there was always a stash of walking sticks leaning next to the back door. It was just habit to grab one on the way out to the land – my grandparents that lived up the lane had an even bigger (better) hoard next to both doors.

When I spied “Sticks” by Jugler and Hogg, I just beamed. What a clever, quirky and whimsical little book that delves into all things sticks. I am ready to start my new collection!

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From the publisher: Telling the stories of flowers from around the world, this enchanting collection also provides mindful and practical ideas for reconnecting with nature and the blooms around us. From making natural oils and perfumes, to recipes for floral vinegars and pickles, tips for floral arrangements, and lessons in floral anatomy and drawing, this book is an invitation to find beauty in the everyday.

From Jeffery Payne, assistant retail manager: Ask my partner about my plant and flower buying habits…it almost rivals my Colorado whiskey fixation. I’ve over 50 pots and planters in my garden. I know, know, that’s way too many, but…but….they’re so pretty…and relaxing, despite all the work.

Adriana Picker’s “Blossom,” with her breathtaking graphics and myriad notations, is a perfect distraction for those of us who have been aching to get outside to muck around the garden but the constant rain this past week (thank you Mother Nature!) has prevented us from doing so.

Type of Story: Review

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