When thinking of Thanksgiving, images of turkey, pumpkin pie and family gatherings often come to mind. However, this holiday is steeped in traditions that extend beyond these symbols.

Literature plays a significant role in shaping our perceptions of Thanksgiving. David Silverman, a historian and professor at George Washington University, pointed out that adults often accept these symbols passively, without critical examination.

One of the earliest accounts of Thanksgiving, “Of Plymouth Plantation” by William Bradford, highlights the Pilgrims’ experiences, launching the holiday into the spotlight. Thanksgiving transformed from a regional New England tradition into a national holiday officially proclaimed by President Lincoln in 1863.

Silverman refers to the “myth” of Thanksgiving as the idea that the first holiday was a happy occasion. “The sanitizing of that story is a project of later generations who don’t want to confront where their society comes from,” Silverman said.

Colonialism plays a big role in how this holiday started, but it isn’t often recognized in literature. Though sometimes, that is for the better.

“There’s no reason at all we have to attach the myth, which is false and quite damaging in a lot of ways, with the holiday,” Silverman said. “You can get together with your family and friends and offer thanks for the good in your lives without layering on top of it a sanitized version of colonial history.”

That sanitizing happens later on in literary history, but “Of Plymouth Plantation” set up the portrayal of the holiday in other works of American literature.

“An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving” by Louisa May Alcott was published in 1872 and revolves around the Bassett family as they prepare for Thanksgiving. It reflects the warmth and nostalgia of family gatherings during the holiday, and the familial love jumps off the page.

Published after Thanksgiving was proclaimed a national holiday, the book captures the evolving tradition of visiting extended family, especially as urbanization made such gatherings rarer and more special.

The tableau in “An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving” is timeless and resembles the family gatherings we experience today.

Modern interpretations of Thanksgiving and how people celebrate continue to influence how we perceive the holiday. “Looking for Alaska” by John Green shows how the holiday has evolved past earlier depictions of Thanksgiving.

The Thanksgiving chapter in “Looking for Alaska” focuses on the three main characters: Alaska, Pudge and the Colonel, who spend their Thanksgiving together. Although the three come from diverse family backgrounds, they come together to celebrate the holiday, showing that families can take many forms.

The Thanksgiving scene in “Looking for Alaska” is a more realistic and modern depiction of how people celebrate today. Not everyone can go home to spend time with their families, and not all families look like the ones in “Of Plymouth Plantation” or even “An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving.”

Modern interpretations of the holiday reflect real life in how there are many ways to be grateful and celebrate a holiday built on a foundation of familial love. More modern books also reflect current societal values and place more emphasis on inclusivity and belonging without regard to who you find that with.

Literature has profoundly shaped how we perceive Thanksgiving. In the same way books we read today change how we see the holiday, it did so for people in the past. As we approach this holiday, consider how stories we read influence our understanding and take a moment to think about what you are thankful for this holiday season.

What is a “girly drink?” Why are piña coladas, appletinis and other sweet drinks stereotypically associated with women? Why not an old fashioned or a whiskey sour? In “Girly Drinks,” Mallory O’Meara argues that all drinks are girly drinks, owing to the fact that women have been involved in the creation, production and consumption of alcohol throughout history.

“Girly Drinks” is about the history of women and alcohol, starting at the discovery of alcohol via rotten fruit to the development of the term “wine mom” in the 2010s. The book explores the overlooked history of women’s contributions, with each chapter focusing on a different woman, in a different era, in a different part of the world. These diverse perspectives display the nuance that exists between women and alcohol.

Looking at history, the correlation between societies that allow women to drink and societies in which women have more freedom becomes increasingly evident.

Ancient Mesopotamia is where drinking culture began to emerge — women ruled the brewing industry and shaped how alcohol became part of our culture. With the establishment of the Code of Hammurabi in Mesopotamia, the patriarchy was established. As O’Meara put it, “this was the moment. The very beginning of the gendering of alcohol.”

O’Meara has a strong ability to weave humor into her writing, which makes what could otherwise be a less engaging topic quite interesting. With anecdotes from O’Meara among the stories of the notable women the book focuses on, “Girly Drinks” explains that the relationship between women and alcohol isn’t isolated, but instead affects a large part of our culture today.

One example of this is what we imagine when we think of a witch – a tall, pointy hat, riding a broomstick and stirring a cauldron. O’Meara explains that witches are based on alewives, who were women in medieval Europe who sold alcohol out of their homes. Alewives wore tall, pointy hats so customers could easily find them in a crowded marketplace. They brewed their ale in large cauldrons and had ale stakes, which were long sticks with a bundle of twigs at the end that served as a way to indicate a house had a fresh batch of ale..

But how did they become associated with something evil? Well, the church had to compete with alehouses for attendance on Sundays, so the church began to depict alewives in cahoots with the devil who lured godly men to sin.

O’Meara’s message is necessary for any young adult of or on the cusp of drinking age to hear.

Understanding the role alcohol plays in our culture and how it got to be that way is incredibly important; it is arguably the responsibility of drinking age adults to do so. With a drinking culture that so often stereotypes women and dictates what women should drink, knowledge of this long history can help challenge that.

What’s more is that understanding the history of women and alcohol can empower people to challenge the idea that drinking alcohol is a necessary rite of passage/the only way to socialize.

“Girly Drinks” by O’Meara is one of the few books that tell the history of alcohol through the perspective of women. O’Meara tells a compelling story and highlights the achievements of these women, all while reclaiming “girly drinks” and encouraging a nuanced conversation about gender and alcohol. This story is one that is necessary for any young adult who is of or is about to be of drinking age to understand the culture they participate in and where it really started.

The post “Girly Drinks” by Mallory O’Meara: A necessary read for young adults appeared first on Daily Emerald.

Faint jazz music plays over the speakers in J. Michaels Books as customers converse with Jeremy Nissel, owner and founder of the store, at the front desk. Books line the walls of this cozy store and occasional conversation breaks the silence between the shelves.

Nissel started J. Michaels Books in 1975 with his wife when they moved from the Bay Area to Eugene.

“This is a real husband and wife project. They started this together,” Seth Murray, a staff member at J. Michaels Books, said. Nissel agreed that he would not have been able to operate the store for this long — 50 years in June — without his wife. Their daughter also helps in the shop sometimes. “It’s a whole family affair, and the store is really intertwined with the city. A lot of people from the community come here,” said Murray.

When Nissel first bought the store in 1975, it was an existing business called Secondhand Book Man. “My wife told me I needed to change the name. People were calling looking for ‘the secondhand book man,’ so I guess she was right,” Nissel said. Soon after, they changed the name to J. Michaels — “J” for Jeremy and “Michaels” after Nissel’s middle name.

“I kind of always wanted to have a bookstore, short of being a famous movie star or basketball player, but those two weren’t an option anyways,” Nissel said. “You could say it was my third best choice.”

J. Michaels Books boasts a wide collection of literature, everything from brand new books to antiques. “I have more used books than new books, although the new books present themselves as ever present,” Nissel said. “Some people ask, ‘where are your used books?’ because most of my used books are like new.”

J Michaels Books is located at 160 E Broadway in Eugene, Ore. The Emerald takes a look at five of the most prevalent bookstores in Eugene. (Emerald/Ian Enger)

Antiquarian books encompass some of the most memorable additions to the store’s collection. With older books, you never know what history lurks behind the pages. Once, a customer brought in an early photography book called “Gardner’s Photographic Sketchbook of the Civil War,” and Nissel discovered that there were only about 200 copies ever printed. In the book, there is a photograph of Abraham Lincoln on the battlefield that is considered to be the last photograph of Lincoln, taken five days before his death.

When asked if he had a favorite book or author, Nissel looked as if he’d just been asked the hardest question in the world. “I like so many books,” Nissel said, smiling.

Murray stepped in to help Nissel out. “You liked Willy’s most recent book, didn’t you?” Murray said, referencing Portland novelist Willy Vlautin. “Willy comes up pretty regularly. A lot of writers come here because they like the atmosphere and charm,” Murray said.

Nissel’s love of books is contagious, and is what makes J. Michaels Books such a special place. “I do feel really fortunate looking back at the last 50 years that the community has given back to me and supported me in doing something that I love,” Nissel said. “I feel really lucky to have taken the plunge.”

On a typical day, you’ll be able to find Nissel behind the counter, ready to help find a book or just make conversation. “The whole thing is just pretty fascinating to me. Otherwise I don’t think I’d be here for 50 years,” Nissel said. He reflects positively on the whole experience, “If you have a dream that you’d like to do, go for it.”

J. Michaels Books is an important part of the Eugene community, and with a welcoming vibe, a curated selection of books and a friendly staff, this store is one of the best spots for book shopping.

The post Discover the charm and history behind J. Michaels Books appeared first on Daily Emerald.

If you’ve ever seen videos on TikTok where someone rips the cover off of a book, only to turn it into a beautiful rebound and recovered book, congratulations — that’s bookbinding! Although bookbinding has become better known from TikTok, the craft is much older than the app.

Bookbinding is the process of assembling loose pages within a cover to form a book. According to Britannica, this began when the codex (earliest form of a book) began to replace the scroll.

“Eventually, people folded paper so it resembled an accordion. Then it evolved to binding the pages on one edge so that you could flip back and forth through the book,” Victoria Wong, a University of Oregon librarian specializing in book conservation, said.

The rise to supremacy of the bound book was related to cultural changes — namely the rise of Christianity and consequent demand for larger books (like the Bible). Books developed around the world, with the earliest printed book found in China.

Local bookbinders Susan Stogsdill and Jason Patrician are keeping this ancient tradition alive by founding bookbinding stores; Stogsdill founded Cyrano’s Bookbinding in Corvallis, and Patrician owns the bookbinding store The Fish Bindery in Portland.

Stores who practice this craft, known as binderies, start by taking the book apart, taking the cover off and then separating each section of pages. From there, they make necessary repairs and then put the book back together.

“It’s easier to work on the older books, believe it or not, than the new. It’s mass production — the quality isn’t there anymore, unfortunately,” Patrician said.

For Stogsdill, this is most evident in working with children’s books. “The lithograph prints in them are just beautiful. Computers cannot touch what they used to do by hand,” Stogsdill said.

Bookbinders frequently work on historical books. Stogsdill said the most notable book she has worked on was Daniel Boone’s family bible. Boone was an American pioneer born in 1734 and was one of the first folk heroes of the United States.

Depending on the customer’s preferences, bookbinding allows for creativity on the part of the bookbinder. Patrician regularly gets requests to redesign the covers of books.

“Rebinding for aesthetic purposes is one of my preferred things to do. Right now, I’m working on a family genealogy book. They want their family crest put onto the cover, so I’ll be doing that with all leather onlays,” Patrician said.

Despite the passion that bookbinders have for their craft and the resurgence on social media, bookbinding has been on the decline. Bookbinders want to change that.

“Eventually, I’d like to mentor somebody and teach them everything I’ve learned so the craft is carried on. There aren’t a lot of us doing this anymore,” Patrician said.

Wong held similar sentiments. “If anyone’s interested in bookbinding or learning about inks or colorants, I would love to work more with professors and students on research projects.”

As artisans like Stogsdill and Patrician continue to preserve this craft, it is crucial to support the artistry of bookbinding to ensure these tangible connections to our literary past endure for generations.

Would you voluntarily go back to your high school English class, being told what to read and when? Laynie Southern, a second year biology major and founder of the club Bookstagram: Behind the Scenes wouldn’t. Most book clubs have an agreed-upon book the members must read before meetings. Southern said, “like your English teacher gave you ‘Of Mice and Men’ to read, and you have to read chapter five by Monday or you’re done.” BBTS is different.

BBTS typically chooses a couple of themes for each month to guide, but not dictate, what members read. There is some structure to keep members on a similar track, but if you don’t know what to read, there are book recommendations included with each theme.

“I think about themes that fit [how the month feels] so then maybe it’s a little more central to what people are feeling and can connect with at the time,” Southern said.

For the BBTS April reading list, one of the themes was “Twisted Whimsy,” described as a “retelling or a darker twist on a fairytale/classic story that you know and love,” according to the BBTS Instagram. The club offered books for this theme like “The Lunar Chronicles” by Marissa Meyer or “Hooked” by Emily McIntire. During meetings, members catch up with each other about what they are reading and what their goals for the week are. BBTS has fostered a community for book lovers – from aspiring readers to pro bookworms.

Southern looked for opportunities to join a book club when she first came to UO, but a reading community on campus proved difficult to find. Coming from Eastern Washington and not knowing anyone, she wanted a way to connect with others who had similar interests. Southern “packed a whole entire bookshelf with [her] into the dorm.” When she couldn’t find a book club to join on campus, Southern took matters into her own hands and has enjoyed the journey since. Everyone is welcome at BBTS, according to Southern.

“We like to read books, talk about them, make friends, hang out [and] find people with similar interests,” Southern said.

For this fall, Southern recommends “something Halloween-y, maybe a horror genre, or maybe a couple fall cozy comfort reads.”

The club meets every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m in the Diamond Lake Room in the EMU. For more information, check their Instagram, @bbts_oregon.

Bookstagram: Behind the Scenes is a cozy corner of the UO community. With pages turning and friendships deepening, it’s a great place to go for anyone interested in reading something new. From experienced readers to those who haven’t picked up a book since that high school English class, there is a spot for you in this club.