Welcome to the Bluestocking Salon!
Dearest Readers,
Welcome to the Bluestocking Salon, a blog for customers and friends of the Bas Bleu Catalog. Bas Bleu is French for "bluestocking," and refers to learned mid-eighteenth-century women (and men) who gathered in the great salons of London for intellectual conversation and witty banter. Since 1993, Bas Bleu Catalog has curated a collection of odd little books that make you smile, clever treasures that make you think, and literary gems that make you feel like you belong to a secret society of fellow readers. In that spirit, this space is designed to invite you to slow down, explore, and discover thoughtful literary fare, intriguing book suggestions, and inspiring gift guides.
Happy reading, fellow modern bluestockings!
Mother’s Day is a celebration of care, curiosity, and the quiet moments that shape our lives—much like a good book. At Bas Bleu, we believe the best gifts are those that invite reflection, spark joy, and linger long after the last page is turned.
This year, consider honoring the mothers, grandmothers, and cherished figures in your life with something as meaningful as their influence: a beautifully chosen read. Whether she delights in history, finds comfort in storytelling, or enjoys a touch of wit with her morning tea, a thoughtfully selected book says, “I see you, and I appreciate all that you are.”
Pair it with a cozy afternoon, a handwritten note or card, or simply time spent together. After all, the greatest stories are the ones we share.
From all of us at Bas Bleu, we wish you a Mother’s Day filled with warmth, gratitude, and inspiration.
The Marigold Cottage Murder Collective
Strawberry Bouquet Mother’s Day Card
Celebrating
Our
Mothers
Theo of Golden
Mother’s Day Cat in the Houseplants Pop-Up Card
Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day
The Last Secret Agent
Classic Rose Vase Mother’s Day Pop-Up Card
A Daughter’s Daughter
Cherry Blossoms Mother’s Day Pop-Up Card
Days of Light
Fun Literary Facts You (Probably) Didn’t Know
We all love those little nuggets of information that make you pause and say, “Wait… what?” Here are some fun and fascinating literary facts that might surprise you.
Agatha Christie Disappeared for 11 Days
In 1926, the famous mystery author vanished without explanation. Her car was found abandoned, sparking a nationwide search. She was eventually discovered staying at a hotel under a different name—she never fully explained what happened.
Dr. Seuss Wrote “Green Eggs and Ham” on a Bet
He was challenged to write a book using only 50 different words—and he did. The result became one of the most beloved children’s books ever.
Edgar Allan Poe Married His 13-Year-Old Cousin
Poe married Virginia Clemm when she was just 13 and he was 27. Their relationship has remained a subject of curiosity and debate among literary historians.
J.K. Rowling Was Rejected Multiple Times
Before Harry Potter became a global phenomenon, her manuscript was rejected by 12 publishers. One finally took a chance—and the rest is history.
William Shakespeare Invented Over 1,700 Words
Shakespeare introduced words like “bedroom,” “lonely,” and “swagger” into the English language. Talk about influence!
Literature isn’t just about the stories—it’s also full of strange lives, unexpected twists, and behind-the-scenes surprises. Sometimes, the authors’ lives are just as interesting as their books.
Welcoming the Spring Equinox:
A Season of Light, Renewal, and Reading
Twice each year, the Earth pauses in perfect balance. On the spring equinox, day and night share equal time, and the long arc toward brighter, warmer days truly begins. After months of winter’s hush, the equinox feels like the turning of a page—one chapter closing, another beginning.
For readers, this moment of balance invites reflection and renewal. Just as gardens prepare to bloom, our bookshelves can blossom with new discoveries. Spring has always been a season of curiosity: longer daylight hours, open windows, birds returning, and the quiet thrill of starting something fresh.
Why Dogs Belong on Every Bookshelf
A Love Letter for Bas Bleu Readers
There’s something quietly magical about the companionship between humans and dogs—a bond that feels as timeless as the stories lining the shelves of a beloved bookshop. For readers who find solace in pages and poetry, dogs offer a different, but equally profound, kind of narrative: one told through loyalty, intuition, and unconditional love.
Explore the
New Spring
Collection
We’re delighted to introduce our latest books, fresh from the shelves and ready to be explored. From compelling stories to insightful nonfiction, these new arrivals offer something special for every curious reader.
In this quietly enchanting tale, 86-year-old Theo arrives in the city of Golden, buys residents’ portraits at the local coffee shop, and learns the stories of all 92 subjects.
Woven through these observations are reflections on family, change, joy, grief, and resilience, revealing how close attention to nature’s cycles can offer solace in a stressful world. Illustrated with original artwork by the author’s brother, this is a literary devotional to treasure
A Few New Favorites From Our Spring Catalog
This prime example follows a widowed mother, her grown daughter, and the jealously sparked when the mother falls in love again.
After losing her husband and son, Helen Cartwright returns to her childhood village in England, hoping for a quiet, swift death as she withdraws into a life of rigid routine. But a winter encounter with a mouse sparks an unexpected journey in which she discovers a new reason to live.
This dazzling book reveals hidden senses across species, from fire-seeking beetles to magnet-reading turtles, sonar-using humans, and plants humming with insect songs, uncovering surprising sensitivities and scientific discoveries while highlighting enduring mysteries of perception.
Trapped together, they are forced to reveal long-buried secrets or die. A fast-paced, twist-filled psychological thriller that keeps the tension high until the final page
His fellow tourists are a lively, quarrelsome bunch—but the trip turns deadly when one of them is murdered back at the hotel. With suspicion falling on Cockrill himself, he must unravel the case to clear his name
On a remote island, Dominic Salt and his three children guard the world’s largest seed bank. As rising seas close in, a mysterious woman washes ashore—and nothing is as it seems. As she heals, she senses the Salts are hiding something—and she is too. Sabotage, a buried secret, and an approaching storm force them to decide who they can trust before everything they’re protecting is lost forever.
Customer Favorites
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Customer Favorites *
Judith Viorst has long been beloved by our Bas Bleu community for her funny, insightful books about aging. In her 90s now, she’s taking a humorous look at what she calls the “final fifth” of life. A beautiful balance of grief and levity, this touching book makes a lovely gift for a milestone birthday.
In the Irish seaside town of Ballycove, an unexpected inheritance uncovers hidden desires, unspoken love, and the painful secrets of the past. When Joy Blackwood arrives in search of answers, she finds herself entangled in the fortunes of a failing bookshop and the lives of its eccentric patrons. Moving and atmospheric, this tale explores how one woman’s search for truth reshapes an entire community.
Experience anew the wonder of Jesus from the point of view of the women whose lives he changed. This beautiful Lenten devotional presents forty enriching passages written from the perspective of Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and more, bookended by scripture and thought-provoking questions.
In 1938, as Jewish families fled Vienna, some placed ads in the Manchester Guardian, seeking safe homes for their children. Decades later, journalist Julian Borger discovered the ad that saved his father. In this powerful memoir, Borger traces his father’s story, along with those of other advertised children and their families. It’s a moving and fascinating true account of long-hidden family secrets and unimaginable choices.
London, 1895: Bound by stifling marriages and societal expectations, three women are summoned to tea with the enigmatic Lady Duxbury. There, a clandestine book club offers them freedom, sisterhood, and courage—even as whispers of scandal and murder shadow their group. An ideal pick for book clubs!
This is the powerful true story of Pippa Latour, the last surviving British female spy of WWII. Parachuted into Nazi-occupied France, Latour gathered critical intel from German soldiers while selling them soap. A long-kept secret—even from her family—her heroic story is now revealed in this riveting posthumous memoir.
Quick! What’s the square root of 5,489? Learn how to quickly solve this and other brain teasers with this clever book. Its fun explanations and fascinating diagrams will help you become a walking calculator.”.
How did a single radio antenna save the Eiffel Tower from being demolished? How did an accident-prone housewife inspire the invention of the Band-Aid? And how did Napoleon’s hemorrhoids affect the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo? Sure to amuse and amaze, this historical potpourri outlines all sorts of remarkably serendipitous—and disastrously unlucky—occurrences that had big ramifications.
Dogs appeared frequently in Mark Twain’s correspondence and fiction, excerpts from which have been collected into this lighthearted anthology of “true and imaginary adventures.” Mark Twain for Dog Lovers honors man’s best friend with forty-six short pieces: “Why Dogs Aren’t Welcome at Funerals,” “A Dog With Genius in Him,” and more.
Tasha and her sister Alice share a striking resemblance but lead very different lives—Tasha is a married mother of two near Bristol, while Alice is a globe-trotting scientist. When Alice offers to watch Tasha’s kids, tragedy strikes: Alice is attacked, her husband killed, and a chilling note arrives: “It was supposed to be you.” An exciting thriller about family, secrets, and deadly consequences.
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Why Bas Bleu?
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We handpick our features, so when you scroll through our website or flip through our catalog, you’re seeing items that have been selected with careful thought, not by an algorithm. We genuinely care about your interests and your experience.
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We support small publishers and big publisher backlists, not just the bestsellers, so by supporting us, you’re supporting the publishing industry.
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We know we can’t compete with the discount prices offered by companies like Amazon. It’s important to note that Amazon’s profits are so vast because of their investor base. They lose money on their discounts, just like we would. The difference? They can afford the loss. But we understand that filling your shelves can be costly. That’s why our Bas Bleu Society membership— for just $30 a year— gets you 10% off our regular-priced books, free standard shipping, and exclusive promotions. Sign up here!
