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Living History, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's memoir, soared toward sales records in its first day on the retail market. Simon & Schuster, the book's publisher, announced from its New York City headquarters that on Monday "by our estimates we sold 20 percent [at least] of the 1 million-copy first printing [or 200,000 copies]." Victoria Meyer, executive director of publicity, said that the publishing firm ordered a print run of an additional 300,000 copies and that they "expect to order more later this week."

"Sights Unseen," but I think my favorite by the same author, Kaye Gibbons, is "Charms for the Easy Life." Gibbons is a gifted storyteller and the women in her novels are strong and memorable characters.A book goes with me whenever I fly. "Smilla's Sense of Snow," by Peter Hoeg was a recent choice. The author's descriptions of Greenland and Denmark fascinated me, while the who-done-it nature of the story was perfect for a plane trip.Melissa Behm is president of Health Professionals Press and vice president of Paul Brookes Publishing, Towson companies that produce books on aging and disability issues.

A weekly briefing on the economic calendar Monday Earnings reports: Lowe's, Tyson Foods, Bob Evans, ScanSoft Tuesday Producer price index for October Earnings reports: Home Depot, J.C. Penney, Krispy Kreme, Saks, Wal-Mart, Borders Group, Hewlett-Packard, Nordstrom Wednesday October reports on industrial production, housing starts and consumer price index Expected IPO: Iowa Telecommunications Services Inc. Earnings reports: Daktronics, Agile Software,...

Bibelot, the Baltimore region's largest independent book and music retailer, has closed its Bel Air store and said yesterday it will relocate inventory and some employees to Canton.The 3-year-old, locally owned bookseller, which has stores in Pikesville and Timonium, will open a 16,000-square-foot book and music emporium in late October in the restored American Can Co. near Canton's waterfront, said Brian D. Weese, who is co-owner with his wife, Elizabeth.The chain also is negotiating for space in the Mall in Columbia and plans further expansion in the Baltimore region, Weese said, adding:"We're committed to Baltimore, and we will remain committed to Baltimore."

Despite the recent failure of the planned merger of huge book retailer Barnes & Noble and top book wholesaler Ingram Book Group, these days are not a happy chapter in the story of independent bookstores.During the past several years, hundreds of independent sellers have closed. Many that remain must compete with a Borders or Barnes & Noble across the street. Online giants like Amazon are taking away business. Even the movies ("You've Got Mail") have found comedy and romance in the independents vs. chains battle.

Barnes & Noble and the Anti-Defamation League have joined to create the "Close the Book on Hate" initiative, an educational program designed to help eradicate prejudice by teaching children diversity through books. The Ellicott City Barnes & Noble participates by sponsoring a "Hate Hurts" story time. Today, readers at the bookstore will use two books as tools to illustrate how differences in people benefit us all: "The Sneetches" by Dr. Seuss and "The Crayon Box That Talked" by Shane DeRolf.

For most authors, it's a long road to the front of the bookstore. Getting prominent display often takes a history of best-selling books, an aggressive publisher and more than a little luck. But some Anne Arundel County high school students are already there. The literary magazines from four county high schools went on sale in an Annapolis bookstore this week, featured on the local interest table. It's a high-profile showcase for the county's budding writers and artists. But they're getting used to that kind of attention.

Tracy Hudson wanted no part in something she figured was yet another dressed-up scheme to exploit black women.Angelle Brooks balked at the idea of exposing her "chunky" hips and thighs for consumers around the country.But photographer Ken Townsend convinced all these women -- and 10 more -- that they were just what he and his partner, Brian Skyers, were looking for to grace the pages of their swimsuit calendar, "The Darker Image."And the result is a deft-enough balance of class and cheesecake to become the first black female swimsuit calendar to make it into national bookstore chains.

"The kids, they completely amaze me every single time," says Sherry Elswick, Barnes & Noble Booksellers community relations manager. Elswick, an experienced book club attendee, organizes and attends several clubs each month for the store, but those are for adults. She recently joined in a literary discussion with high school students. "They come up with such insightful opinions about the books that they read," she said. Last month marked the debut of the High School Literary Society, a teen book club sponsored by the Barnes & Nobles store in Ellicott City and by Howard County public schools.

Katie Mazanek, 3, trailed after her mother at the new Barnes & Noble superstore in Schaumburg, Ill., clutching a children's book and sounding like a talking doll whose string was being pulled at specific intervals."