Books That Need to Be Books
Chris Gruener is the publisher of Cameron + Company, a boutique book publishing company based in Petaluma that publishes photography, art, food, wine and children’s books. His wife, Nina, oversees the company’s children’s publishing program, and it was her grandfather, Robert Cameron, who founded the company in 1964 in San Francisco.
Gruener says, “Nina and I moved up here to Petaluma from Marin in 2008 as we just fell in love with the bustling downtown and the charming community. There’s really an interesting thing happening here in Petaluma that nobody can quite put their finger on but it’s suddenly become a destination that’s attracting some cool people.
Petaluma seems to be at the forefront of the artisan creative world, and we’d like to think our books fit that mold as well. As Petaluma continues to draw a more creative crowd, we often find ourselves collaborating with locals on our book projects, rather than having to farm things out to San Francisco or beyond.”
Cameron + Company’s tagline is “books that need to be books.” Gruener explains, “To us, that means either it’s a book that just doesn’t work as a digital book, or it’s a story that needs to capture a moment in time in a way that no other format can. With our books, the printed book is always better than a digital book. And the subject matter of the story really has to resonate with our small team here at Cameron. If you put all of our books together on a shelf, you’ll notice great diversity in topics but incredible consistency in quality.”
Pretty Green
Consumers are becoming more and more aware of the benefits of natural foods and pure ingredients. It was only a matter of time before these same ideals transferred to other parts of our lifestyles. For many women, that means pursuing skin care and beauty products that meet the same high standards—which can actually be fairly difficult to find.
Enter The Green Beauty Rules by professional make-up artist Paige Padgett, a comprehensive rundown of the good, the bad and the ugly in the modern cosmetics industry. Subtitled The Essential Guide to Toxic-Free Beauty, Green Glamour, and Glowing Skin (What to Toss, What to Try, and What to Buy), it details the chemicals found in many common cosmetic and skin care products (including their often-nasty effects on the human body) as well as commercially available healthier alternatives—and she names names to make greener choices easier to find. She also offers a section of tips, tricks and techniques for some classic beauty looks.
Travel Well
Robert Girling, professor at the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University, recently released The Good Company: Sustainability in Hospitality, Tourism and Wine, which focuses on sustainable innovations and environmental studies that can serve as learning tools for both businesses and educators. The wide-reaching examination includes chapters on both Grgich Hills Estate in Napa and Sonoma Valley’s Benziger Winery.
“This book is a collection of 30 stories and case studies from sustainable wineries, agritourism, hotels, cruise lines and tour operators around the world that built profitable businesses while serving local communities and healing the planet,” Girling explained in a prepared release.
Beyond specific case studies, Girling also details the tenets of business sustainability, from triple bottom line bookkeeping to ethical employment. Niche travel categories such as agritourism, voluntourism and adventure tourism are also discussed.
According to Dr. Karen Thompson, chair of SSU’s business administration department, “This is an important book, not only for its insight regarding the relationship between global business and social justice, but also because it advances the dialog in business research and practice.”
