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Fall Preview 2011

Fall Preview 2011

Fall is almost upon us, which is known as the biggest season of the year for books! The titles that come out in fall often become holiday gifts and many are blockbusters. Here are some publisher picks that we know people will be talking about. We suggest you take a moment now to look at the complete list so you can start making notes on what you will want to be reading this fall.

Click here to see all our featured titles.

PLEASE NOTE: The contest part of this feature is over.

Winners

WISHES AND STITCHES by Rachel Herron
Barbara from Stoneham, MA
Daryl from Bellport, NY
Sandy from Greenfield, MA

THE MAID by Kimberly Cutter
Debra from Jefferson Hills, PA
Kathryn from Manhattan, KS
Lorna from Cumberland, RI

THE CAT'S TABLE by Michael Ondaatje
JanaLee from Fort Myers, FL
Joyce from San Carlos, CA
Shawnee from Vienna, WV

NASHVILLE CHROME by Rick Bass
Helen from Buffalo, NY
Jeri from Sandwich, IL
Myrena from Hyde Park, KY

PROOF OF HEAVEN by Mary Curran Hackett
Peggy from Tyler, TX
Sabrina from Butte, MT
Sylvia from Fairfax Station, VA

THE TASTE OF SALT by Martha Southgate
Beth from Greenville, SC
Bobbie from Boca Raton, FL
Jayne from Christiana, PA

HOT WATER by Erin Brockovich and CJ Lyons
Krys from Milton, MA
Lee from Creve Couer, MO
Susan from Breckenridge, MI

THE BUDDHA IN THE ATTIC by Julie Otsuka
Diane from Moorhead, MN
Jenelle from Winston-Salem, NC
Nancy from Mount Pleasant, SC

SALVAGE THE BONES by Jesmyn Ward
Dena from Bremerton, WA
Marilyn from Sunset, UT
Yvonne from Dry Fork, VA

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern
Amy from Unionville, CT
Evelyn from Loyd Harbor, NY
Joan from Franklin, TN

THE MOST DANGEROUS THING by Laura Lippman
Donna from Pickerington, OH
Linda from Nevis, MN
Teresa from Kansas City, MO

DOMESTIC VIOLETS by Matthew Norman
Cami from Gainesville, TX
Jean from Charlotte, NC
Jeanne from Portland, OR

MULE by Tony D'Souza
Barbara from Rochester, NY
Michael from Puyallup, WA
Rosealee from Apple Valley, CA

EXLEY by Brock Clarke
Jean from Indianapolis, IN
Linda from Sheridan, WY
Sonnia from Naples, FL

LITTLE BLACK DRESS by Susan McBride
DeAnn from Denver, CO
Inna from Staten Island, NY
Julie from Excelsior, MN

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka - Fiction

Julie Otsuka’s long awaited follow-up to WHEN THE EMPEROR WAS DIVING (“To watch EMPEROR catching on with teachers and students in vast numbers is to grasp what must have happened at the outset for novels like LORD OF THE FLIES and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD” --- The New York Times) is a tour de force of economy and precision, a novel that tells the story of a group of young women brought over from Japan to San Francisco as ‘picture brides’ nearly a century ago.

The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje - Fiction

Many stories have been written about journeys at sea, but it is less common to see such a journey combined with a coming-of-age tale. This is exactly what Michael Ondaatje has done in his latest book, THE CAT'S TABLE. This story, though fictional --- and very imaginative--- is drawn from Ondaatje’s own life; he took the very same voyage at the same age. Through a number of characters that our reviewer Harvey Freedenberg calls “colorful and enigmatic,” Mynah begins to learn about how the adult world works. Harvey says the book “is a tale Michael Ondaatje someday was destined to tell. It’s a pleasure for us, his readers, to share in that telling.”

Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman - Fiction

Tom Violet is crushing his soul, but he’s decided to do something about it. (Really.) DOMESTIC VIOLETS is the brilliant and beguiling story of a man finally taking control of his own happiness --- even if it means making a complete idiot of himself along the way.

Ed King by David Guterson - Fiction

In Seattle, 1962, Walter Cousins makes the biggest error of his life --- he sleeps with Diane, his children's au pair. Diane gets pregnant and leaves their baby on a doorstep, but not before turning the tables on Walter and setting in motion a tragedy of epic proportions.

Exley by Brock Clarke - Historical Fiction

Part literary satire, part mystery, EXLEY unleashes the enormous talent of a writer whom critics have compared to Richard Ford and John Irving and whose work has been called “absurdly hilarious” (Entertainment Weekly) and “wildly entertaining” (Daily Candy).

Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos - Fiction

Brimming with the author’s trademark wit, vivid prose and captivating characterizations, FALLING TOGETHER brilliantly explores our deepest human connections and confirms Marisa de los Santos as one of America’s most exciting contemporary novelists.

Hot Water by Erin Brockovich and CJ Lyons - Thriller

No stranger to balancing an intensely demanding work schedule with the stresses of keeping her family together, AJ Palladino now faces another challenge: she is leaving her young son home with her ailing parents so that she can travel to the site of a new case involving a nuclear power plant in peril.

Little Black Dress by Susan McBride - Mystery

Can there be magic in a Little Black Dress? Susan McBride, author of THE COUGAR CLUB and the Debutante Dropout mystery series, answers with a resounding, unequivocal, “Yes!”

The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Kimberly Cutter - Historical Fiction

This is the story of Jehanne (Saint Joan of Arc), a peasant girl who is terrified and confused after a voice calls out, “Jehanne, my virgin, Maid of France.” Later, when the voices of saints follow, Jehanne believes she has been chosen by God to defeat the English who have invaded France.

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman - Psychological Thriller

 

Years ago, they were all the best of friends. As time passed and circumstances changed, they grew apart, became adults with families of their own, and began to forget about the past --- and the terrible lie they all shared. But now Gordon has died, and the others are thrown together for the first time in years. And then the revelations start.

Mule: A Novel of Moving Weight by Tony D'Souza - Fiction

Absorbing and timely, MULE perfectly captures the anxieties of plunging into the criminal world and of being a young person making do in a moment when the American Dream you never had to believe in --- because it was handed to you, fully wrapped and ready to go at the takeout window --- suddenly vanishes from the menu.

Nashville Chrome by Rick Bass - Fiction

Lyrical and nuanced, NASHVILLE CHROME hits all the right grace notes with its vivid evocation of an era in American music, while at its heart it is a wrenching meditation on the complexities of fame and of one family --- forgotten yet utterly unforgettable when reclaimed by Bass --- who experienced them firsthand.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - Fiction

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it, no paper notices plastered on lampposts and billboards. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Both playful and seductive, THE NIGHT CIRCUS, Erin Morgenstern’s spell-casting debut, is a mesmerizing love story for the ages.

Proof of Heaven by Mary Curran Hackett - Fiction

A mother's faith, a child's bravery, and a doctor's search for healing come together in this moving and thought-provoking fiction debut that explores the meaning of family, faith and love.

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward - African American Interest, Fiction

 

A hurricane is building over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the coastal town of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, and Esch's father is growing concerned. A hard drinker, largely absent, he doesn't show concern for much else. But Esch has her own problems.

The Taste of Salt by Martha Southgate - Fiction

Award-winning novelist Martha Southgate (who, in the words of Julia Glass, “can write fat and hot, then lush and tender, then just plain truthful and burning with heart”) now tells the story of a family pushed to its limits by addiction over the course of two generations.

Velva Jean Learns to Fly by Jennifer Niven - Adventure, Historical Fiction

Velva Jean hits the road to pursue her dream of singing at the Grand Ole Opry. But after a string of auditions, she begins to lose hope --- until her brother pays her a surprise visit and treats Velva Jean to a flying lesson that ignites a brand-new dream: to become a female pilot.

The Year Everything Changed by Georgia Bockoven - Fiction

The bestselling, award-winning writer who enthralled readers with THE BEACH HOUSE and ANOTHER SUMMER returns with a masterful work of contemporary women’s fiction that fans of Jodi Picoult and Marian Keyes will read, share, and remember for years to come.

Wishes and Stitches: A Cypress Hollow Yarn by Rachael Herron - Romance

Come back to Cypress Hollow and enjoy Rachael Herron's third installment in her heartwarming knitting romance series.