October 28, 2016

No matter how many times I swear it’s not going to be like this, October is one very crazy month. There are tons of publisher previews that tug me out of the office, and I somehow have events on three Saturdays --- no matter that I promise myself each year that I will not commit to that schedule. Layer in that there’s always a ton going on around the house to say goodbye to summer and prep for winter, and I feel like there is no catching up. My lists have lists; I suppose I should consider this holiday prep when lists again make babies. Plus, there’s that hour that I miss…the one we lost back in March for Daylight Saving Time. I need to hold on one more week to get it back! I am writing this as darkness is just peeling away at 7am.

Last weekend’s event for Book Group Leaders in Toms River, New Jersey was a smashing success. When you have planned for 85 people and are told that 97 are now showing up for an invite-only presentation, you know something special is happening. I loved getting a chance to talk to readers and to share some of my favorite books of the year, ones I think will be great for book groups. The audience was very enthusiastic, and moments like this are the reason I do not have a good handle on the word “no” when it comes to my schedule. Above you can see me prepping with Kelly Coyle-Crivelli from Penguin Random House’s Library Marketing Team, who also presented.

Next up is the Miami Book Fair. The Fair takes place from November 13-20th on the campus of Miami Dade College in downtown Miami. I have not been there in five years --- and I have missed it. This year, 600(!) authors will be doing events. I am happy to share that I will be doing a program on Saturday morning, November 19th at 10am called “Book Clubs: What’s Trending.” I will be talking about great book club reads for fall and winter, and I will be interviewing Gayle Forman about her latest novel, LEAVE ME, and her experience with book groups.

As a sponsor of the Fair, I have two extra passes that I would like to share with our readers. If you are going and would like to be the recipient of a set of passes for you and a friend, send me an email at Carol@bookreporter.com with the subject line “Miami Book Fair Passes,” and I will select someone to join me. Please share this with your friends in the South Florida area who are readers and may have an interest in the Fair. Not living in Florida? Trust that the weekend of events on November 18-20th are worth flying in for!

Amusingly, while looking online for info on the event, I came across this photo of me there in 2007. I was thinking of wearing that outfit again this year...I wonder if anyone will remember! I bought that skirt in Scottsdale at the first ThrillerFest and then knitted a tank top to go with it when I could not find one in a store that worked.

We have a terrific blog written by seven of our readers who attended the Hachette Book Group Brunch last Saturday. Many thanks to Melanie, Marcia, Valerie, Denise, Linda, Anne and Kathleen. You can read their comments here. And special thanks to Linda for sharing photos!

John Grisham's new book, THE WHISTLER, is an electrifying thrill ride through the darkest corners of the Sunshine State. Lacy Stoltz is an investigator for the Florida Board on Judicial Conduct. With nearly a decade of experience under her belt, she knows that most problems are caused by incompetence, not corruption. Now, though, a previously disbarred lawyer is back in business with a new identity. Working under the name Greg Myers, he claims to know of a Florida judge who has stolen more money than all other crooked judges combined, and he wants to put a stop to it. The case is assigned to Stoltz, who immediately suspects that this one could be dangerous --- not to mention deadly.

Stuart Shiffman, our resident Grisham aficionado, calls the book "a fast-paced and well-plotted mystery that has a message for its readers. His themes and characters are always entertaining and thoughtful. THE WHISTLER is no exception." Here’s a terrific interview with Grisham on "CBS Sunday Morning," and here he is on "CBS This Morning" in another well-done piece. I am amused at how he twirls in his chair during the latter interview. It made me wonder why they have chairs that move on the set.

We are giving you an opportunity to win THE WHISTLER, along with THE TWENTY-THREE (the final book in Linwood Barclay’s Promise Falls trilogy that our early readers are crazy about) and THE WRONG SIDE OF GOODBYE by Michael Connelly, both of which we’re reviewing next week, in our Word of Mouth contest. All you have to do is let us know by Friday, November 4th at noon ET what books you’ve read for your chance to win all three novels.

The literary world was saddened by beloved author Pat Conroy's passing earlier this year. Now, his team brings us A LOWCOUNTRY HEART: Reflections on a Writing Life, a new collection of letters, interviews and magazine articles spanning Conroy’s long literary career. Ranging across diverse subjects such as favorite recent reads, the challenge of getting motivated to exercise, and processing the loss of dearly missed friends, these pieces offer a unique window into the life of a true titan of Southern writing. Last weekend was the Pat Conroy Literary Festival, which is planned to run every year around the time that would have been Pat’s birthday. It started last year at his 70th birthday celebration. This year’s theme was “Place as Character and Muse in Southern Literature.”

Barbara Bamberger Scott has this to say in her review: “Conroy can still, and will always, remind us that gentility is more than accent and birthright; it comes from within and is best when shared. He graciously acknowledges his readers, calling them a ‘magic audience.’ Surely the feeling is mutual; his writing brought magic moments to us all.” I read this book a few months ago, and it’s a way to feel like you are sitting and visiting with Pat.

In MISTER MONKEY, Francine Prose follows the exploits and intrigue of a group of characters affiliated with a way off-off Broadway children’s musical. “Mister Monkey,” which revolves around a playfully larcenous pet chimpanzee, is the kind of family favorite that overstays its welcome. Margot, who plays the chimp’s lawyer, knows the production is terrible and bemoans the failure of her acting career. She has settled into the drudgery of playing a humiliating part --- until the day she receives a mysterious letter from an anonymous admirer...and later, in the middle of a performance, has a shocking encounter with Adam, the 12-year-old boy who plays the title role.

Harvey Freedenberg has our review and says, “Prose shifts her point of view no fewer than 11 times, as the narrative proceeds almost in the manner of a relay race, at times giving the novel a feel of linked stories that blend together into a seamless whole…. For all the apparent slightness of its foundation, MISTER MONKEY is a solidly constructed and winning addition to her body of work.”

Other books we’re reviewing this week includes BRIDGET JONES’S BABY, the latest installment in Helen Fielding’s series that can also be seen on the big screen (the film is currently in theaters); new novels from Jonathan Lethem (A GAMBLER’S ANATOMY) and T.C. Boyle (THE TERRANAUTS); and THE NINE OF US, a memoir from Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, the last surviving child of Joe and Rose Kennedy, who talks about growing up with her siblings in such a large, close-knit family.

My latest Bookreporter.com Bets On pick is THE OTHER EINSTEIN by Marie Benedict, which we reviewed last week and is the fictionalized story of Albert Einstein's wife, who in reality was a brilliant physicist in her own right. Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book, especially if you’re a fan of such novels as LOVING FRANK, MRS. POE, THE PARIS WIFE and THE AVIATOR’S WIFE.

We’re nearing the homestretch of our audiobook contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com, where nine book groups will receive audio versions of three much-talked-about novels. Three groups will win Jodi Picoult’s SMALL GREAT THINGS, three will win Imbolo Mbue's BEHOLD THE DREAMERS, and three will win Colson Whitehead's THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, November 2nd at noon ET. In order to qualify as a winning group, your group must be able to commit to listening to and discussing your audiobook and sharing your feedback with us by Friday, January 27th.

Speaking of audiobooks, time is also running out to enter this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Let us know by Tuesday, November 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll have a chance to win the aforementioned SMALL GREAT THINGS, along with Brit Bennett's THE MOTHERS. I am listening to Taraji P. Henson’s AROUND THE WAY GIRL, which I am enjoying. I have never watched "Empire," but will give it a whirl after listening to this. She has great spunk, and I find myself smiling and fist bumping the air listening to her.

We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, books we've recently featured on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience. This month’s titles are THE RAINS by Gregg Hurwitz (his first YA novel), WRECKED by Maria Padian, and THE WEIGHT OF ZERO by Karen Fortunati. I am reading WRECKED, and it’s really terrific. I look forward to Gregg’s book, which is on my bedside pile.

Which bestseller lists, if any, do you typically look at? Take our poll and let us know! We love reading these as it gives us a chance to get to know you better, since we cannot all meet face to face.

Congratulations to Paul Beatty, whose novel THE SELLOUT has been awarded the 2016 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. Beatty is the first American author to win the prize in its 48-year history (US authors only became eligible two years ago).

News and Pop Culture:

Reader Mail: Many thanks to Agi, who noted that we had the wrong “About the Book” copy for Chaim Potok’s THE CHOSEN (which is being reissued on November 1st in honor of its 50th anniversary). We somehow had the copy for Kristina Ohlsson’s THE CHOSEN (coming December 6th).

Remember I mentioned there would be a pop quiz about VICTORIA by Daisy Goodwin and VICTORIA: THE QUEEN by Julia Baird, which are both coming out on November 22nd? Well, THE CHOSEN will be on the pop quiz, too!

Ina Garten’s New Book, COOKING FOR JEFFREY, is Out: Check out this funny piece on how one writer wishes she was married to Ina Garten.

"This Is Us" and "Pitch": Two new shows this season, the first on Tuesdays at 9pm ET on NBC and the other on Thursdays at 9pm ET on FOX. The first is stronger than the second, but they both have twists in them that will keep you watching. Not sure that either will be as strong in its second year as they are loaded so well this year, but I am enjoying season one.

"The Circus": As a rule, I stay away from politics. However, this non-partisan program that airs on Sunday nights at 8pm ET on Showtime is my favorite show about the election. Besides the discussion of the candidates and the campaigns, I am amused by what they eat and drink. Every episode has at least one scene in a restaurant.

The Skimm: Have told you about this one before. Newsletter with topline news that drops into my mailbox at 6:30 each morning. It’s the news written in a plucky voice. Its target audience is millennials, but trust me, it’s good reading for all ages. Every Friday they note a Skimm Read, sometimes two. This week it was Amor Towles' A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW, which we reviewed here the week of its release. Love seeing the news that they choose to share with their audience. I like seeing their take on it. You can sign up for it here.

Liane Moriarty’s BIG LITTLE LIES: It’s coming to HBO in 2017. We have a trailer here. Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley are starring. Or should that be co-starring?

Cubs or Indians?: Pulling for Chicago here for no reason other than I have visited there more. Either team winning will be historical. Just hoping it’s a good series. Loved this video of the Blackhawks traveling in Cubs gear. Wonder what LeBron does in response?

Top Ten Yarn Shops in the Country: Great piece in USA Today. I have been to two of them and have my sights on two more. Got to meet the legendary Steven Be from StevenBe in Minneapolis this week. Cooking up an idea to do something with him. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, I picked up the gorgeous yarn above when he did a meet n' greet at a terrific yarn store called Annie & Company in New York.

Lee Child: He knows the movie is not like the book, and he is okay with that. Good interview with him in Vanity Fair.

George R.R. Martin: Love this. A fan letter Martin wrote as a kid to correct a continuity error in a comic book.

That Time My Daughter Talked to a Stranger: Such a lovely piece about where kindness can lead. We need more of this.

I just folded up the beach towels one last time --- ready to store them in the linen closet for winter. This weekend may be a good time for a fire in the fire pit! We still need to get the cover on the pool.

Once again I will overbuy candy for Halloween. The houses in our neighborhood are spaced far apart, so not many kids trek here. Greg and Nicole went candy shopping for the office yesterday, and I think they brought back eight bags of candy. And we were super indulging all day. At one point Nicole said, “We did not get Snickers.” Very funny moment. I think we will get peanut M&Ms here at the house. I need to think about the leftovers!

I miss making Halloween costumes for the boys. While those days were really hectic --- proving that October madness is not a new thing in my life --- it always was this way. Their preschool was very politically correct, though we did not know that was what it was in those days and we did not choose the school because of this. Somewhere along the way, there were some families who did not celebrate Halloween due to their religious beliefs. So the school would have a theme for a costume parade every year. Trust that this never overlapped with what the boys wanted to be for the holiday, so there were two costumes being made every year. Luckily, the boys were five years apart, and the school repeated themes every four years, so Cory often wore hand-me-downs from Greg --- unless there was some new inspiration!

I'm thinking about some fall meals since there is a nip in the air. I have vowed with my friend Kim not to wear stockings until November 1st! I have no big plans for the weekend. Amen to that! Wait, maybe I should find my stockings!

Read on, and have a great week.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!

MISTER MONKEY by Francine Prose (Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by Kirby Heyborne and Nan McNamara
“Mister Monkey” --- a screwball children’s musical about a playfully larcenous pet chimpanzee --- is the kind of family favorite that survives far past its prime. Margot, who plays the chimp’s lawyer, knows the production is dreadful and bemoans the failure of her acting career. She’s settled into the drudgery of playing a humiliating part --- until the day she receives a mysterious letter from an anonymous admirer…and later, in the middle of a performance, has a shocking encounter with Adam, the 12-year-old who plays the title role. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

-Click here to read more about the book.

THE OTHER EINSTEIN by Marie Benedict (Historical Fiction)
Albert Einstein brings to mind the words “brilliant” and “eccentric,” along with a vivid visual of his shock of white hair. THE OTHER EINSTEIN by Marie Benedict looks at the man behind the science through the eyes of Mileva “Mitza” Marić, the woman who was his partner in his life --- and, it seems, in his work. Mileva was the physicist who stood at his side to unlock some of the biggest scientific theories of the 20th century. She also was the woman who championed him and held their family together against formidable odds.

The emotional disconnect portrayed between him and his wife and children encourages the idea that Einstein was somewhere on the autism spectrum, explaining his cavalier attitude and jaded purview of both Mileva and their kids. I always knew Einstein was a complicated man, but I was bowled over by the story of his personal life that is uncovered here. Reading about Benedict’s research is interesting and gives insight into the complexities of the scientific and academic worlds during these years. While this is a work of fiction, there surely is truth in this multilayered story. Even if one quibbles with what is true about the science, the realities of Einstein as a family man seem without dispute.

THE OTHER EINSTEIN is perfect reading for fans of LOVING FRANK, THE PARIS WIFE and THE AVIATOR’S WIFE, as this is another look at a woman who was a partner in a famous man’s life, at a time when such partnerships were avant-garde. Book groups, bring on your discussions!

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to see advance readers’ comments.

• Enter to Win Audiobooks for You and Your Book Group --- Listen, Discuss and Give Feedback
  ReadingGroupGuides.com is proud to be hosting a very special contest. We are giving away audiobooks to nine book groups in total: three groups will win Imbolo Mbue's BEHOLD THE DREAMERS, read by Prentice Onayemi; three will win Jodi Picoult's SMALL GREAT THINGS, read by Audra McDonald (with Cassandra Campbell and Ari Fliakos); and three will win Colson Whitehead's THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, read by Bahni Turpin. Enter here by Wednesday, November 2nd at noon ET. In order to qualify as a winning group, your group must be able to commit to listening to and discussing your audiobook and sharing your feedback with us by Friday, January 27th.
   
• MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON by Elizabeth Strout
  Each month, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. October's prize book is MY NAME IS A LUCY BARTON by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Elizabeth Strout, an extraordinary novel about a simple hospital visit that illuminates the tender relationship between a daughter and her mother, which is now available in paperback. Enter here by Wednesday, November 2nd at noon ET.

• BY GASLIGHT by Steven Price
• FATES AND TRAITORS: A Novel of John Wilkes Booth by Jennifer Chiaverini
• FORTY AUTUMNS: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner
• THE GIRL IN THE CASTLE by Santa Montefiore
• HOUSE OF THIEVES by Charles Belfoure
• JUST FINE WITH CAROLINE: A Cold River Novel by Annie England Noblin
• THE LIFE SHE WANTS by Robyn Carr
• MENDING FENCES by Sherryl Woods
• MY BEST FRIEND'S EXORCISM by Grady Hendrix
• MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON by Elizabeth Strout
• NEWS OF THE WORLD by Paulette Jiles
• THE RAMBLERS by Aidan Donnelley Rowley
• UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Women Men Work Family by Anne-Marie Slaughter
• YESTERNIGHT by Cat Winters

• THE GUEST ROOM by Chris Bohjalian
• HEART OF GLASS: A Memoir by Wendy Lawless
• A LINE OF BLOOD by Ben McPherson
• THE MAGIC STRINGS OF FRANKIE PRESTO by Mitch Albom
• THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE by Joshilyn Jackson
• THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE by Melanie Benjamin

Below are some notable titles releasing on November 1st that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of October 31st, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

AND EVERY MORNING THE WAY HOME GETS LONGER AND LONGER by Fredrik Backman (Fiction)
Grandpa and Noah are sitting on a bench in a square that keeps getting smaller every day. As they wait together there, they tell jokes and discuss their shared love of mathematics. As Grandpa teaches Noah about life, Grandpa, Grandma, Noah and Noah's father, Ted, all meet in this peculiar space that is growing dimmer and more confusing all the time.

THE AWARD by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
By 1944, Gaëlle de Barbethad lost her best friend, brother and father to the war. Fueled by her loss, she risks her own life to bring Jewish children to safety. While Gaëlle goes on to have a fulfilling life in the years following, she speaks little of her wartime experience. Until her granddaughter succeeds in getting her named as a recipient of the Legion of Honor Medal.

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
The year is 1900, and Victor Narraway is giving his wife, Vespasia, an unforgettable Christmas present --- a trip to Jerusalem. Pursued by a shadowy figure with evil intent, they embark on a dangerous yet ultimately enlightening pilgrimage to the holy city, where a mysterious message on an ancient parchment may finally be revealed.

FAITHFUL by Alice Hoffman (Fiction)
Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend’s future is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt. She has to fight her way back to her own future and finds a circle of lost and found souls --- including an angel who’s been watching over her ever since that fateful icy night.

FRANTUMAGLIA: A Writer's Journey written by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein (Essays)
FRANTUMAGLIA invites readers into Elena Ferrante’s workshop. Consisting of over 20 years of letters, essays, reflections and interviews, it is a unique depiction of an author who embodies a consummate passion for writing.

THE LYRICS: 1961-2012 by Bob Dylan (Music History/Criticism)
Nobel Prize laureate Bob Dylan is one of the most important songwriters of our time. THE LYRICS is a comprehensive and definitive collection of Dylan’s most recent writing, as well as the early works that are such an essential part of the canon. Dylan has edited dozens of songs for this volume, an annotated and updated version that first released in 2014.

SAY NO MORE: A Jane Ryland Novel by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Mystery/Thriller)
When Boston reporter Jane Ryland reports a hit and run, she soon learns she also witnessed the collapse of an alibi, and now she must tell all to the police. She's also digging up the inside scoop for an exposé of sexual assaults on Boston's college campuses. But a disturbing anonymous message, SAY NO MORE, has Jane truly scared.

THE TWENTY-THREE: A Promise Falls Novel by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
Hundreds of people are going to the hospital with similar flu-like symptoms, and dozens have died. Investigators quickly zero in on the water supply of Promise Falls. But the question for many, including private investigator Cal Weaver, remains: Who would benefit from a mass poisoning of this town?

THE WRONG SIDE OF GOODBYE: A Bosch Novel by Michael Connelly (Thriller)
One of Southern California's biggest moguls is nearing the end of his life and is haunted by one regret. When he was young, he had a relationship with a Mexican girl, his great love. But soon after becoming pregnant, she disappeared. Desperate to know if he has an heir, the dying magnate hires Harry Bosch, California's newest private investigator.

Here are this month's books we featured on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience:

THE RAINS by Gregg Hurwitz (Science Fiction/Horror)
In one terrifying night, the peaceful community of Creek's Cause turns into a war zone. Chance Rain and his older brother, Patrick, have already fended off multiple attacks from infected adults by the time they arrive at the school where other young survivors are hiding. Most of the kids they know have been dragged away by once-trusted adults who are now ferocious, inhuman beings. The parasite that transformed them takes hold after people turn 18 --- and Patrick's birthday is only a few days away. Determined to save Patrick's life and the lives of the remaining kids, the brothers embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites --- and what they find is horrifying.

WRECKED by Maria Padian (Fiction)
Everyone on campus has a different version of what happened that night. Haley saw Jenny return from the party, shell-shocked. Richard heard Jordan brag about the cute freshman he hooked up with. When Jenny accuses Jordan of rape, Haley and Richard are pushed to opposite sides of the school’s investigation. Now conflicting versions of the story may make bringing the truth to light nearly impossible --- especially when reputations, relationships and whole futures are riding on the verdict.

THE WEIGHT OF ZERO by Karen Fortunati (Fiction)
Seventeen-year-old Catherine Pulaski knows Zero is coming for her. Zero, the devastating depression born of Catherine’s bipolar disorder, almost triumphed once; that was her first suicide attempt. In an old ballet-shoe box, Catherine stockpiles medications, preparing to take her own life before Zero can inflict its living death on her again. Before she goes, though, she starts a short bucket list. The bucket list, the support of her family, new friends, and a new course of treatment all begin to lessen Catherine’s sense of isolation. The problem is, her plan is already in place, and has been for so long that she might not be able to see a future beyond it.

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Indie bookstores
• Los Angeles Times
• New York Times
• Publishers Weekly
• USA Today
• Wall Street Journal
• Washington Post
• Other (Please specify)
• I do not look at bestseller lists.

Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from October 3rd to November 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Brit Bennett's THE MOTHERS, read by Adenrele Ojo, and Jodi Picoult's SMALL GREAT THINGS, read by Audra McDonald with Cassandra Campbell and Ari Fliakos.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.

-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.