Ten years ago today, we published our first edition of Shelf Awareness to a group of about 500 readers, mostly family and friends. We had no idea at the time what an incredible journey we were embarking on. We hoped only that our book industry friends would read the newsletter and like it and that someday it might make enough to pay for some wine.

Shelf Awareness founders John Mutter and Jenn Risko.

As we prepared to launch Shelf Awareness at the 2005 BEA, we talked with many friends in the business about our plans. Everyone was kind and supportive, but, as we came to realize later, many thought we were crazy. A direct quote from one of those early meetings was, "So let me get this straight. You're going to start a daily e-newsletter, like PW, which has been in business for a hundred years? You're going to focus mainly on the indies? And this newsletter is going to be free?"

We barely heard these concerns because we believed in what we were doing and believed we were filling a need. While at Publishers Weekly, in the '90s, John had started one of the first business e-mails at a time when there were no graphics and ads consisted only of text set off by strings of asterisks. The newsletter had an enthusiastic audience and thrived--until the suits at Reed Elsevier, which owned PW at the time, decided to put it behind a pay wall and effectively killed it.

When John was forced into involuntary retirement, immediately booksellers and others called and wrote saying they missed the newsletter. John and Jenn were industry friends, and when Jenn heard the news of his firing, she called. John said he dreamed of setting up a newsletter focused on booksellers and librarians. In an uncharacteristically shy voice, she said, "If you're really serious, I'm really interested."

In retrospect, maybe we were a bit crazy. We had no capital, no loans, no investors and, at the time, the industry was in turmoil. Amazon continued to take greater shares of the printed book market and was about to introduce the Kindle. The economy was overheated and would soon crash. Borders was slowly sinking. And our beloved indies were trying to hang on, but more stores were closing than opening, and many inside and outside the business began seeing bricks-and-mortar bookstores merely as "showrooms."

A decade later, it's amazing how things have changed. The printed book is here to stay. Indies have rebounded. We like to think we contributed to these changes by fulfilling our unofficial motto: providing a virtual community with the news and info that helps booksellers and librarians do their jobs better.

And somehow a decade has passed. Now we have two editions, the daily Pro for the industry and the twice-weekly Readers for consumers, with 34,000 and 350,000 subscribers, respectively. Last year, we sent 28 million individual e-mails. We now have more than 100 partner bookstores, who send co-branded editions of Shelf Awareness for Readers to their customers. (See the list here.) By our conservative estimates, last year we helped those partners sell more than 100,000 books.

We reach all kinds of people who love books: avid book readers, book reviewers, book bloggers, media reporters on the book business and many more in the U.S. and around the world. We've become partners with and a place of connection for publishers and booksellers and librarians. We've created new products to help spread the word about books and to sell books.

And we're amazed at the company we've created. We have 12 full-time employees and 50 freelancers. They range from booksellers and others who review books regularly to staff who have worked their hearts out. In the early days, many of them took chances working for us. Marilyn Dahl, head of book reviews, began by agreeing to review one mystery a month in exchange for free galleys and wine. Our CFO Richard Jobes started giving us invaluable business advice "for fun" and said dryly in May 2005 that "by Labor Day, you should know if this thing has a chance." Melissa Solberg and Kristin McConnell are our brilliant and tenacious sales team, who keep the revenue engine humming and hand hold our approximately 400 publisher advertisers a year. Robin Lenz begins her days before dawn making sure that the reams of copy are readable and pictures presentable and manages our social media. Ever-cheerful Jennifer M. Brown has created a thriving children's department from scratch. Robert Gray started nine years ago writing a weekly column and now is John's main backup and writes much of the news. Alex Mutter reports in-depth on a range of subjects, keeping us informed about conferences, books, authors, booksellers and innovative programs. Christopher Priest heads up our bookstore platform and has begun getting us some terrific media attention. Dave Wheeler keeps the Shelf review world moving. Kristianne Huntsberger ushers review galleys and ads through Shelfland.

And very soon, Neil Strandberg is joining us as director of technology and operations. All we can say about his appointment is this: If you're impressed with how far we've come, watch to see where we're going.

We want to thank so many people. Our employees. Our spouses and families, who put up with our long, erratic hours and trips--and have provided invaluable support. Our first readers, who gave us a shot and then told everyone else they knew to sign up. The first brave souls who bought ads when barely anyone knew who we were, and those who have consistently advertised for years. (One of our favorite e-mails ever from an advertiser said: "Until we can wake up every morning in bed with every single bookseller out there, we have to be in the Shelf.") And all of you who pursued dreams to own or work in a bookstore or a library or a publishing house.

We began as an upstart, as troublemakers of a kind, and we still aim to see things differently, so we especially want to honor the rebels who know that words and knowledge lead to deeds and who believed in books and the book business as we did, despite all the doom and gloom. All of us at the Shelf can't imagine a better group of crazies to be with and always to believe in. We gratefully offer you a million thank yous. Here's to many more years! --John Mutter and Jenn Risko

[Editor's note: You can send us birthday wishes by clicking on the comment button below. Or on social media: Please use our hashtag #Shelf10.]

Avin Mark Domnitz

We also have sad news to report today. Avin Mark Domnitz, CEO of the American Booksellers Association from 1997 to 2009, died on Saturday of cancer. He was 71.

Before becoming head the ABA, initially with the title executive director, Domnitz was president of the ABA and had been on the board for several terms. He was also co-owner of the Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops in Milwaukee, Wis., and a principal of Dickens Books, which became part of Schwartz. Before becoming a bookseller, he was a trial lawyer.

As president and then CEO, Domnitz led the ABA during a tumultuous, difficult period for independent booksellers, roughly coinciding with the spread of big box chains across the country, to the opening of Amazon as an online book retailer and then Amazon's launch of the Kindle, which lead to a huge jump for a time in sales of digital books. And as if that wasn't enough, the financial crisis and Great Recession that began in 2007 wreaked havoc on bookstores of all stripes.

Perhaps drawing on his career as trial lawyer, Domnitz was a vigorous and vigilant defender of indies and indie bookselling. His emphasis on the fundamentals of bookselling was evidenced by his training of many booksellers in the basics of business financials. (He was also one of the most financially knowledgeable booksellers we've ever known.) He was a mentor to many booksellers and always available for advice and help.

During his tenure, the association initiated a range of programs and actions that have helped indies survive--and thrive. It founded Book Sense and BookSense.com, which morphed into IndieBound and IndieCommerce; supported and developed shop local campaigns; sold the ABA's office campus in Tarrytown, N.Y.; filed several lawsuits intended to create a level playing field for all book retailers; began battling for sales tax fairness; renewed an emphasis on education for members; created the Winter Institute and the Booksellers' Relief Fund (which eventually became part of what's now the Book Industry Charitable Foundation or Binc); and more.

ABA CEO Oren Teicher, who was chief operating officer during the period Domnitz was CEO, reiterated comments he made only a month ago, at the ABA's Celebration of Bookselling at BEA, when the association honored Domnitz. "Avin's life in bookselling was characterized by his unstinting belief in the transformative power of books and by his passionate belief that the best educational tools possible would help ensure that indie bookstores would be empowered to continue to reinvent and reinvigorate their businesses. He was a very special bookseller, a superb teacher; and, an extraordinarily talented and committed man. He inspired a whole generation of booksellers as well as all of us who worked with him on the ABA staff.

"More than anyone else, Avin was responsible for the renaissance in indie bookselling that we are seeing today. He planted the seeds for today's resurgence; and, never ever lost faith. He will be dearly missed."

At the same event, Mitchell Kaplan of Books & Books, an ABA president during Domnitz's time as CEO, relayed a powerful message to booksellers from Domnitz (which was in effect a kind of eulogy) based on notes he took on his cell phone during a visit just before BEA. Kaplan read, quoting Domnitz: "You won the war. The reason you won the war is because you were right. You were gracious, you were tough and you were adamant. You were right and they were wrong. What's right wins out sometimes, and this time it certainly did. Through lawsuits, through market disruption, through the cry of the experts presaging the end of the book, right prevailed, and bookselling is the stronger for it. Everyone denigrated the book, but you didn't and ultimately that's why you won. It's about the book, about the book. And, I, in everything I tried to do, was motivated by the belief that you and the book would prevail."

Avin Mark Domnitz's funeral will be on Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Goodman-Bensman Funeral Home, 4750 N. Santa Monica Blvd., in Whitefish Bay, Wis. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the ABA or a charity of your choice.

Independent Bookshop Week in the U.K. and Ireland wrapped up its ninth year Saturday with the second annual #bookshopcrawl, which challenged booklovers to "pop out to your local bookshop(s)... and pick up a book. This year we're asking you to #giveabook--whether it's for your best friend, mum, colleague, fellow blogger, cousin, a stranger--anyone you like!"

#IBW2015 photo highlights were showcased on social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as at the Bookseller, which noted: "The annual extravaganza of indie booksellers returned last week with a barrage of book-centric events, readings, publicity and costumes."

Newly appointed Children's Laureate Chris Riddell stopped by the Muswell Hill Children's Bookshop in London Saturday, where he met fans, signed books and even created an original drawing to mark the occasion.

Books Are My Bag collected dozens of pics from the IBW Bookshop Crawl.

In conjunction with #bookshopcrawl, publisher Verso Books sponsored a Verso Bag Crawl, teaming up "with five of our favorite independent, radical bookshops from around the country...  If you visit any one of the shops we're profiling this week (News From Nowhere, Housmans, Five Leaves, Bookmarks, Word Power) you could pick up a FREE new Verso tote bag filled with three of our bestselling titles!"

"In Praise of Mr. B's" was the headline for an IBW blog post by Coombe Cottages and Co., which praised Mr. B's Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath, and indies in general, for their "level of service, the intimate feeling of being with books, the personal recommendations, that feeling you get that you're in on a wonderful secret."

Bookshop apprentice Jasmine Denholm of Wenlock Books in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, won the Booksellers Association's national competition for the best shop window display of the books long-listed for the Desmond Elliott debut novel award. Denholm, who started her apprenticeship last year, said, "Working in the shop gave me a purpose when I felt the most useless that I've ever felt. Being given responsibility for real things (like social media, young adult fiction and communicating with William Brookes School) made me feel important, which in turn made me feel confident and proud of my achievements."

London Review Bookshop "asked some brilliant indie booksellers from around the country to tell us what makes them special--and what their customers are loving."

To honor IBW, the Men Who Stare at Books blog offered "7 great quotes about bookshops," including this one from Doris Lessing: "There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops."

Moby Dickens Bookshop, Taos, N.Mex., will close July 3. On Friday, the new, rare and out-of-print bookseller made the announcement "with great sadness," adding that the "decision has not come lightly." In a letter to customers and friends, co-owners Jay and Carolyn Moore noted that the "combination of a challenged economic climate along with the overriding pressure and influence of Amazon in the market has created a situation that will not enable us to continue to operate. The cost of running a brick-and-mortar bookshop far exceeds the revenue generated by razor-thin book margins."

The Moores purchased Moby Dickens in 2013. The store was founded by the late Susan and Art Bachrach, "who relocated to Taos from the Washington, D.C., area in the early '80s and promptly opened the doors of Moby Dickens. The name was Art's idea," Taos News reported.

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The Quest Bookshop, Charlottesville, Va., which "assisted the spiritual searches of Christians, pagans, heathens, Taoists, Buddhists, shamans, rebirthers and extra-terrestrial observers,"  closed June 20, the Daily Progress reported. Owner Kay Allison opened the store in 1978, after closing the Well, a Christian bookstore.

Allison had sought to sell the bookstore for several years, but said "no one wanted to take it over when it was available for sale and that's sad because I think Charlottesville will miss it.... I can't really tell you what I'm going to do because I don't know. I'm open to possibilities. You always have to be open to possibilities. But I've done this long enough. I want to see some friends and do some traveling and I think 84's a pretty good age to stop.... I'm going to miss it. It's been great, but I'm ready to move on."

photo: Tobin Anderson

A contingent from the American Library Association, which is currently holding its annual conference in San Francisco, marched in the Gay Pride parade yesterday, bearing posters of book covers that celebrated Gay Pride themes, including This Day in June by Gayle E. Pitman, Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin and Better Nate than Ever by Tim Federle.

Joyce Meskis

As Joyce Meskis begins the two-year process of transferring ownership of Denver's Tattered Cover Book Store to Len Vlahos and Kristen Gilligan, 5280: The Denver Magazine featured a q&a with her, including her thoughts on the transition. Some highlights:

How did you end up buying the then three-year-old Tattered Cover in Cherry Creek?
By 1974, I was a single mom of two young daughters. I was reading the book pages of the Sunday Denver Post and saw that the Tattered Cover had come up for sale. I did a back-of-the-envelope calculation, thought I could make it work, and made an offer. There was a better offer on the table, and I didn't hear back. My friend pushed me to inquire, and I found out the deal had fallen through. I borrowed the last few thousand dollars from my uncle, made another offer, and it was accepted.

Starting this month, you're beginning the two-year process of passing ownership of Tattered Cover to Len Vlahos and Kristen Gilligan, two book-industry professionals from New York. Why them?
I wanted it to be left to the right people. They are perfect for the Tattered Cover. These people are committed to the industry: Both have spent their careers in the book business and understand community. They know the blessings and curses. Often people have a dreamy feeling about owning a bookstore, and they don't realize how hard it is. You can practically do anything else instead of buying a bookstore and make more money with a lot less worry.

Madeline Gobbo of the Booksmith, San Francisco, Calif., illustrated the shop's sidewalk chalk board Friday to celebrate and thank the five Supreme Court justices who voted in favor of marriage equality. From Twitter: "oh, that? that's just RBG in a fighter jet. #lovewins @Madeline_Gobbo."

Lennertz

Carl Lennertz writes:

"I'll soon have the full attention of 100 bright college grads looking to get into publishing--and I love to have on display outside the classroom all week galleys and any fun promo items you have. And yes, if you can spare them: T-shirts or totes. The latter become fun prizes on the last day. Some of you did this last year, and it was a BIG hit! If you have time this busy season, a tote bag of goodies sent to this address would be wonderful: Jennifer Conder, Publishing Institute, University of Denver Publishing, 2000 E. Asbury Ave, Denver, Colo. 80208 Attn: Carl Lennertz. 303-871-7690. Items need to arrive by Friday, July 24, so no need to FedEx them now. Hoping for a showing from every kind and size of publisher in the land."

The Book of Speculation: A Novel by Erika Swyler (St. Martin's Press).

This morning on the Today Show: Mamrie Hart, author of You Deserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery (Plume, $16, 9780142181676).

Also on the Today Show: Daniel Silva, author of The English Spy (Harper, $27.99, 9780062320131).

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Today on Fresh Air: Mat Johnson, author of Loving Day: A Novel (Spiegel & Grau, $26, 9780812993455).

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Today on the View: Fareed Zakaria, author of In Defense of a Liberal Education (Norton, $23.95, 9780393247688).

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Today on Tavis Smiley: Charlie Wilson, author of I Am Charlie Wilson (Atria, $25.99, 9781476790077).

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Tonight on a repeat of the Tonight Show: Melissa Rivers, author of The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation (Crown Archetype, $26, 9781101903827).

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Tonight on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers: Hanya Yanagihara, author of A Little Life: A Novel (Doubleday, $30, 9780385539258).

WGN America has landed a drama series adaptation of To Live and Die in L.A., the 1985 MGM movie written and directed by William Friedkin, and based on the book by former U.S. Secret Service agent Gerald Petievich, Deadline.com reported. Friedkin, who is directing and executive producing, created the TV adaptation with Bobby Moresco (Crash), who is writing the script and will executive produce.

The 2015 winners of the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction are:

Fiction: Anthony Doerr, for All the Light We Cannot See (Scribner)
Nonfiction: Bryan Stevenson, for Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption (Spiegel & Grau)

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The Society of Authors distributed £85,500 (about $134,630) to writers at the organization's annual Authors' Awards ceremony. Among the honorees, Ben Fergusson took the £10,000 (about $15,680) Betty Trask Prize for his debut novel The Spring of Kasper Meier; and Ben Macintyre won the £5,000 (about $7,840) Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography for A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal. You can see a complete list of SoA winners here. 

Author of five novels, eight prose collections and 18 books of poetry, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Up Country, Maxine Kumin (1925-2014) explains how she became a feminist and poet in her short but succinct memoir, The Pawnbroker's Daughter. Her father, a Russian Jew, owned the largest pawnshop in Philadelphia in the 1930s and advertised his business on the free matchbooks given out with the sale of cigarette packs. Her mother was a proud German Jew, embarrassed by her husband's profession, and Kumin learned to tell people her father was a "broker" or "merchant," knowing the word would probably be interpreted as "stockbroker." Kumin was raised Jewish, but attended a Catholic kindergarten and had numerous pleasant interactions with the nuns who lived in a convent next door. She admits that she "was deeply touched by my early experience at convent school, but the final effect of my bifurcated religious education was quite simply to feed my skepticism."

While at Radcliffe College during World War II, she met her future husband, Victor, on a blind date; a soldier/scientist, he was sent to Los Alamos to work on the top-secret development of the atomic bomb. Kumin includes snippets from several of the 575 letters the couple exchanged during this time, which are full of passionate longings and desires.

Once the war was over, the couple bought a small farm in New Hampshire, and Kumin's poetry career took off. She tells of life on the farm, raising horses and taking in stray dogs, riding horseback through the countryside, winter snows unlike any she had experienced before, and shows how these details worked their way into the many volumes that she produced.

It is through her poetry that her brilliance shines and makes this memoir so worthy. She shows how her childhood and loves influenced her, but her thoughts on being an adult who lived and worked the land and witnessed the good and evil in the world as it unfolded around her are most memorable. Often readers wonder what inspires a poet to write the way she does; readers of The Pawnbroker's Daughter will see firsthand what made Maxine Kumin tick. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer

Shelf Talker: Fans of Maxine Kumin's poetry will enjoy learning about her personal life and its influence on her writing.