Near the elevators on the first floor of Northshire Book Store sits the “local section.” Here you will find a collection of local histories across the Saratoga and Adirondack region, as well as a shelf dedicated to showcasing the talented writers, both fiction and nonfiction, who still reside in the area. There lies a shelf in this cozy corner labeled “Travel Photo Essays,” which holds up an array of publications that, together, produce an all-encompassing portrait of our unique and beautiful region. My personal favorite of this collection is Adirondack Fire Towers: Their History and Lore, written by Catskills native Martin Podskoch. While reading through these pages, you can’t help but to feel as if you are right alongside Podskotch, exploring the old fire towers atop the Adirondack mountainsides and listening to the older generation locals recount harrowing tales of these cliffs and slopes from “back in the day,” ranging from fire rescue to bear encounters. Many of these local voices are from the former tower watchers and fire rangers themselves, with photographs of these brave men on-duty from 50, 60, 70 years ago. A rich and vibrant history of these mountainsides is portrayed within these pages, using the fire towers atop them as the focal point. It makes for a fun and productive read as well as providing the inspiration and destination list for an epic Adirondack adventure!

One cannot truly understand Saratoga for all that it is, without stepping back in time 250 years ago to the Revolutionary War’s turning point, the Battle of Saratoga.  Cubbison will help you do just that with this thorough rendition of the British defeat that took place in the peaceful, rolling hills a few miles East of Saratoga. See those hills through the eyes of General Burgoyne, as you read his letters to the British parliament outlining his plan of attack against the American rebels. Cubbison’s own narrative, woven between Burgoyne’s letters, paints a vivid image of the British soldiers trampling through the treacherous terrain of the Adirondack mountainsides on their way down to Albany, a stark contrast to the mild and cultivated lands of Europe that they were accustomed to. Take a peaceful stroll on a walking trail at the Saratoga National Historical Park, and see where Burgoyne’s army, many of whom still lie in those hills, were ambushed by the cunning and agile local rebel troops whose sole mission it was to stop those British soldiers from reaching Albany. This book will give the out-of-town reader a comprehensive insight into this singular, month-long event that led to the creation of our beautiful National Park, the erection of the 155 ft. tall Saratoga Monument in Schuylerville, and the story behind the naming of every Burgoyne Rd. you drive on, or every Burgoyne Burger you bite into while you are here in town.

Calling all food enthusiasts! This staff recommended pick will certainly help you fine-tune your culinary senses, thereby giving you the confidence to pair unlikely ingredients together to create something unique and jaw dropping. Do not expect page after page of recipe how-to’s, bookended by a table of contents and glossary. Rather, in the first half of this book, you will be immersed in the depth and intricacies of the culinary elements: salt, fat, heat, and acid. Nosrat manages to disguise the fact that you are learning a great deal of information, by dazzling your senses with his descriptive prose and making you smile to yourself with his light-hearted anecdotes. Though learning you are, and once you graduate from the first half of the book and step into the second half, you are in for a real treat. This is where you will get to use your newly acquired elemental knowledge and try your hand at creating dishes, both traditional and contemporary, while following Nosrat’s savvy advice. From duck confit to beer battered fish, Nosrat takes your hand and leads you gently on your way to building your culinary skillset, while pointing out the beauty and sensual delights of the ingredients you are using along the way. It’s a read that has its practical uses, propped up on the counter while you drop fresh basil leaves into the blender as you follow Nosrat’s basil pesto recipe, yet also providing a text to relax with next to the pool, giggling as you read about the chef who long ago forced young Nosrat to create his basil pesto equipped only with mortar and pestle. Nosrat’s words will echo through your mind as you prepare your own dazzling dish, or as you savor the creation in front of you prepared by one of our many talented, local chefs. A deeper appreciation for food is an inevitable outcome after reading through this one-of-a-kind cookbook.

If you make your way up the beautiful wrought iron staircase at Northshire, you will find yourself standing in the middle of the vast, yet charming, children’s section. Upon a quick glance to your right, you should see a brown leather chair, maybe empty or maybe stuffed to the gills with a pair of little ones flipping through a picture book together. In the cozy little nook where this comfy chair sits, you will find three shelves displaying children’s books, for varying reading levels, created by local authors and illustrators. My favorite of this collection is inspired by a true story, Lucky’s Adventure in Saratoga. This beautifully illustrated picture book would make for a great read aloud for children ages one to five. Toddlers will love following along on Lucky’s expedition through the city, on his quest to reunite with his beloved owner after he broke free from his collar and found himself lost and alone. He just so happens to stumble upon a few of the city’s greatest attractions, including SPAC and the track, meeting some sweet little friends along the way. Reading through this story would be a great way to help your little one get acquainted with Saratoga and could even lead to your own little scavenger hunt adventure, retracing Lucky’s route through the city from start to finish!  Have no fear, there will be no sad tears at the conclusion of this book, for the ending is a happy one! 

We all know the stories behind triple crown winners Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and Affirmed, but what about the fourth super horse to come out of the 1970s… Spectacular Bid? Simply because he didn’t take the title for all three races, his story was never repeated and mulled over incessantly, making it a legacy to withstand the test of time. Peter Lee takes us back five decades, shining the spotlight back on this forgotten Thoroughbred, to argue that Bid would have been a triple crown winner had he not stepped on a safety pin the morning of the Belmont Stakes. Lee, being a former journalist, does a fantastic job of laying out all the evidence to prove his point, while also using his gift of story telling to engage the reader in not only Bid’s journey, but also his trainer and jockey’s equally dramatic experiences as well. This harrowing tale is equal parts riveting and tragic but concludes optimistically by recounting Bid’s recovery and subsequent rise to dominance in the racing world again. It is a read that creates that fiery, nervous feeling in the pit of your stomach and a craving to overcome a difficult task. Inspiration to take with you to the races!