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Latest Update on Our GoFundMe Campaign:
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts are Live
Next Up: Raising Money for Our Website Redesign
Thanks to Our Donors, We've Raised Over $31,000!
Thank you to those of you who already have donated to our GoFundMe campaign. We have not mentioned this campaign for a while now. We have two of our objectives in place with our "Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts, where we have interviewed more than a dozen authors. So far, with online donations and checks that have been sent to our office, we have raised $31,405 of our $50,000 goal. Now it's on to getting our website redesigned to be mobile-responsive and updated. And you can help us with this next big step!
In addition to your contributions, we are loving the comments that have been shared with donations about how you enjoy this newsletter and Bookreporter.com. Here are a few messages we received recently:
Lillian: "For years, I have been benefiting for free from your newsletters, and I am eternally grateful. Expansions cost, and I want to be part of it! Thank you, Carol, for thinking about doing things better for us readers."
Cindi: "I'm sorry I have not sent this donation earlier. I've been reading/receiving your newsletters for about two years. They help me know what books to order from the library. My current list has about 30 books on it! (Some are future releases.) Thank you for all of your efforts! P.S. I have been floating and reading in my pool for about eight years :)"
Nancy: "I donated because I've enjoyed the weekly newsletter for years."
You can read more about our plans and donate here. If you would rather donate via check, our address is:
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Thank you again for your consideration and your donation.
Carol's latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview and podcast is with Beatriz Williams.
They talk about THE GOLDEN HOUR, THE WICKED REDHEAD (in stores December 10th),
and her upcoming collaboration with Lauren Willig and Karen White, ALL THE WAYS WE SAID GOODBYE (in stores January 14th). Click on the photo above for the video and here for the podcast.
Carol talks about this week's Bookreporter update in her latest promo video.
Please note: Our review of GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER by Bernardine Evaristo
has been moved to next week's update.
Carol and Tom attended a Random House preview event this week,
and each table had the lovely centerpiece that you see above.
Carol bought the yarn above at her local yarn shop, The Yarn Attic, to make
the Brick Road Cowl --- but as a scarf, not a cowl.
I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We sure did, and I loaded everyone up with leftovers, so we did not have to come up with seven new ways to serve turkey. The four new dishes were a great success. And I got to enjoy one of my favorite days of the year --- the day after Thanksgiving. It’s not a real holiday, and it’s not a weekend day; it’s just a day to enjoy --- and I did that.
The wreath is up, and the big planters on our porch now sport a holiday vibe. The candles are not in the windows yet; setting up the timers is daunting to me! Zero shopping has been done, though my mailbox was filled with Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers. I did go to my local yarn shop, The Yarn Attic, on Saturday to support Small Business Saturday. I bought the yarn above to make the Brick Road Cowl, but as a scarf, not a cowl. Let’s see how this pattern evolution goes! Why do I always go my own way? it would be so much easier to just follow the pattern.
On Wednesday, Tom and I went to a wonderful preview at Random House. While we loved hearing about the upcoming titles, I also loved the centerpieces that were on all of the tables (you can see one above). Kelly, who is on the library team there, always does such terrific decorating.
Our latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Beatriz Williams, who has so much spunk and energy. We talked about THE GOLDEN HOUR, her upcoming release of THE WICKED REDHEAD (in stores Tuesday; we will have our review next week), and her upcoming collaboration with Lauren Willig and Karen White (known as Team W), ALL THE WAYS WE SAID GOODBYE (in stores January 14th). I loved our conversation, which you can see on video here --- and you can listen to the podcast here.
As always, I am THRILLED to announce the start of our End-of-the-Year Contest, which we’ve brought back for a ninth time! One very lucky Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 52 of my Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from this year, while 13 other winners will receive a selection of four of these titles (the latter required some math skills to figure out).
For the record, I never have a goal for my Bets On selections. Instead, I include books that interest me throughout the year --- ones that I think our readers will enjoy. There are many more books that I have read and enjoyed this year, but often I do not see every book that I read as being appealing to a wide swath of our readers. Among the titles that did meet those standards that you can win are ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane, THE DESERTER by Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille, ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay, THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN by Lisa See, and MRS. EVERYTHING by Jennifer Weiner. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, January 6th at noon ET. Please note: One entry per person. Before winners are selected, we will sort for dupes.
In the weeks ahead, we are going to shoot a video of me talking about the Bets On books for 2019. And as it’s the end of the decade, I am going to peruse my shelves and talk about my favorites from the ‘10s. Is it just me, or was this one really fast decade?
Among this week’s reviews are JUST WATCH ME, in which Jeff Lindsay (who many of you know as the author of the Dexter series) introduces readers to Riley Wolfe, a masterful thief who plots an impossible crime --- stealing the Iranian Crown Jewels; Garry O’Connor’s IAN McKELLEN: A Biography, which probes the heart of the award-winning actor, recreating his greatest stage roles and exploring his personal life; M. C. Beaton’s BEATING ABOUT THE BUSH, which marks the return of the cranky, crafty Agatha Raisin, who is employed to investigate a case of industrial espionage at a factory where nothing is quite as it seems; and ANYONE by Charles Soule, an IndieNext pick that is soon to be adapted for television by the creators of “Downton Abbey,” which revolves around a brilliant female scientist who creates a technology that allows for the transfer of human consciousness between bodies, and the transformations this process wreaks upon the world.
You can hear me talking about some of these books (and much more about the update) in this week’s promo video. Please note: We had to move our review of GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER by Bernardine Evaristo, the co-winner of this year’s Man Booker Prize, to next week’s update.
JUST WATCH ME is one of the books we’re giving away in our latest Word of Mouth contest; the other is CRISS CROSS by James Patterson, which we reviewed in the last newsletter. Let us know by Friday, December 20th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these thrillers.
We’re giving you a preview of Linda Lael Miller’s upcoming novel, COUNTRY STRONG --- the first entry in her contemporary western romance series, Painted Pony Creek --- which releases on January 21st. Scroll further down the newsletter for more about the book and to read an excerpt.
In this week’s Holiday Cheer contests, we gave away 25 DAYS 'TIL CHRISTMAS by Poppy Alexander, CHRISTMAS AT ROSIE HOPKINS' SWEETSHOP by Jenny Colgan, FINDING CHRISTMAS by Karen Schaler, and A MRS. MIRACLE CHRISTMAS by Debbie Macomber. This year’s contests wrap up next week with our final two giveaways: THE GLITTERING HOUR by Iona Grey (which we review next week) and THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali (one of the prizes in this year’s Bets On contest). The first contest of the week will go live on Tuesday, December 10th at noon ET.
Marjan Kamali will be one of the contributors to this year’s Holiday Author Blog series, which kicks off on Tuesday. Once again, authors will be sharing some of their favorite holiday memories of giving and/or receiving books. We’ll also hear from Alena Dillon, Jean Kwok, Sarah McCoy, Liz Moore, Kim Michele Richardson, Wendy Wax and Karen White. As always, we have some wonderful pieces lined up and look forward to bringing them to you!
Our New in Paperback roundups are now available for December. We're featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as J. D. Robb (VENDETTA IN DEATH), Steve Berry (THE MALTA EXCHANGE), and Greg Iles (CEMETERY ROAD); nonfiction titles, including KITCHEN YARNS: Notes on Life, Love, and Food by Ann Hood and WHITE HOT GRIEF PARADE: A Memoir by Alexandra Silber; and paperback originals like THE PEPPERMINT TEA CHRONICLES: A 44 Scotland Street Novel by Alexander McCall Smith, GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. Ellison, the aforementioned THE WICKED REDHEAD: A Wicked City Novel by Beatriz Williams, and REPUTATION by Sara Shepard.
We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. December’s roundup includes the feature films Richard Jewell, Little Women, Cats and The Song of Names; the series premieres of "Dare Me" on USA and "Truth Be Told" on Apple TV+, along with season two of "You" on Netflix, and the season one finales of "The Morning Show," "Mrs. Fletcher," "Dublin Murders," "His Dark Materials" and "Watchmen"; and the DVD releases of The Goldfinch and It: Chapter Two.
We’re curious to know if you’re planning to give books as gifts this holiday season. Let us know by voting in our latest poll.
Our previous poll asked which of 25 titles releasing last month and this month you are planning to read. Here are your top picks: THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS by Lisa Jewell (47%), THE CONFESSION CLUB by Elizabeth Berg (38%), A MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT: An Atlee Pine Thriller by David Baldacci (27%), THE STARLESS SEA by Erin Morgenstern (27%), KISS THE GIRLS AND MAKE THEM CRY by Mary Higgins Clark (21%), and TWISTED TWENTY-SIX: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich (21%). Click here for all the results.
This month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest kicked off this week. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to by Thursday, January 2nd at noon ET, and you’ll have a chance to win the audio versions of Michael Crichton and Daniel H. Wilson’s THE ANDROMEDA EVOLUTION, read by Julia Whelan, and Bernard Cornwell’s SWORD OF KINGS, read by Matt Bates.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Loretta wrote, “As the winner of KOPP SISTERS ON THE MARCH, it was amazing! How wonderful to be transported to a time in history when our sisters took an active part in what was happening in the world, no matter what the barriers were. You go, girls! Happy Holidays, and thank you very much.” We are so glad that you enjoyed it!
Danielle Steel: The prolific author was on "Good Morning America" to talk about her latest novel, SPY, and much more. Click here to watch the interview.
Toni Morrison’s Memorial Service: There was a beautiful service for her that you can watch here.
Janet Evanovich: There is a great interview with Janet in the Los Angeles Times with some updates on the Stephanie Plum series, among other news.
The Irishman: I watched this on Netflix. Long…very long. I could have cut some of it, easily. The aging CGI was a tad strange. But it forced me to sit still for a large chunk of time last Sunday, and that alone is something to celebrate.
"The Windsors": For those who enjoyed "The Crown," there is a six-part series on Netflix called "The Windsors," which was terrific. It provides lots more background on the royals.
"Fire in Paradise": There is a really chilling (pun intended) documentary about the Paradise Fire in California. It is absolutely terrifying to see the wall of fire.
"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel": The third season is now available on Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
Bond: Yes, I love Daniel Craig, so I was happy to find this trailer for No Time to Die, which hits theaters on April 8th and also stars Rami Malek.
Tucson Festival of Books: The participating authors have been announced. I am moderating five panels...so I am reading up a storm already to prep for them! What I am moderating is still under wraps, but know I am very excited about the lineup of authors I will be interviewing.
Pantone Color of the Year for 2020: Classic Blue. It's billed as "timeless," "honest" and "easily relatable." I like that it goes with turquoise!
Tomorrow I turn 27…again! Those born in December make birthday rules lest the birthday slides right into the rest of the holidays. Therefore, I am looking forward to a weekend of celebrating!
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping --- including your holiday shopping --- if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Featured Review: JUST WATCH ME by Jeff Lindsay
JUST WATCH ME by Jeff Lindsay (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jeff Lindsay
Riley Wolfe is a master thief who targets the wealthiest 0.1 percent and is willing to kill them when they’re in his way. In JUST WATCH ME, Riley aims for an extraordinary target in a heist that will make history. He will try to steal the Crown Jewels of Iran. Yes, these jewels are worth billions, but the true attraction for grabbing them comes down to one simple fact: it can’t be done. No one could even think of getting past the airtight security and hope to get away alive, let alone with even a single diamond from the Imperial Collection. No one but Riley Wolfe. He’s always liked a challenge. But this challenge may be more than even he can handle. Aside from the impenetrable security, Riley is also pursued by a brilliant and relentless cop who is barely a step behind him. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: IAN McKELLEN by Garry O’Connor
IAN McKELLEN: A Biography by Garry O'Connor (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Andrew Wincott
In 2001, Ian McKellen put on the robe and pointed hat of a wizard named Gandalf and won a place in the hearts of Tolkien fans worldwide. Though his role in the film adaptation of Lord of the Rings introduced him to a new audience, McKellen had a thriving career a lifetime before his visit to Middle Earth. Add to all this his tireless political activism in the cause of gay equality, and you have a veritable phenomenon. Garry O’Connor’s biography probes the heart of the actor, recreating his greatest stage roles and exploring his personal life. IAN McKELLEN will show readers what makes a great actor tick. His life story has been a constantly developing drama, and this biography is the next chapter. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
New Special Contest:
Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration,
Featuring All 52 "Bets On" Titles from 2019
We are thrilled to announce a very special contest featuring Carol Fitzgerald’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2019. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 52 books, while 13 other winners will receive a selection of four of these titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, January 6th at noon ET.
Here are this year's Bookreporter.com Bets On titles:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature
At Bookreporter.com, we kick off the holiday season in style with our Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature. As our gift to you, on select days in November and December, we are spotlighting a book and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it. You have to visit the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter the 24-hour contest. As always, we are sending our special Holiday Cheer newsletter on the days when there are contests. Click here to sign up for these email alerts.
Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, December 10th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Coming January 21st:
COUNTRY STRONG by Linda Lael Miller
COUNTRY STRONG by Linda Lael Miller (Western Romance)
Ever since she was a teenager living in difficult circumstances, Shallie wanted Cord --- but then she abruptly left the small Montana town of Painted Pony Creek, without telling anyone why or where she went. Now she's back, and the old feelings are stronger than ever...and so are her impressions of the woman who betrayed him years ago. But Shallie is not the only one who returns from the past.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Linda Lael Miller's bio.
- Connect with Linda Lael Miller on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to read more about the book.
December’s New in Paperback Roundups
December's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes VENDETTA IN DEATH by J. D. Robb, in which Lieutenant Eve Dallas must keep the predator from becoming the prey; THE MALTA EXCHANGE, Steve Berry's latest Cotton Malone thriller, which is fueled by a deadly race for the Vatican’s oldest secret; Greg Iles' CEMETERY ROAD, an electrifying tale of friendship, betrayal and shattering secrets that threaten to destroy a small Mississippi town; and HOUSE ON FIRE by Bonnie Kistler, a tightly wound and suspenseful novel about a blended family in crisis after a drunk driving accident leaves the daughter of one parent dead --- and the son of the other parent charged with manslaughter.
Among our nonfiction highlights are KITCHEN YARNS, a warm collection of personal essays and recipes from Ann Hood, who spins tales of loss and starting from scratch, family love and feasts with friends, and how the perfect meal is one that tastes like home; WHITE HOT GRIEF PARADE by Alexandra Silber, a powerful and luminous story of grief and coming-of-age, and a beautiful tribute to the relationship between a father and daughter; and TRAVELERS IN THE THIRD REICH, Julia Boyd's fascinating and shocking history of the rise of the Nazis, which draws together a multitude of expatriate voices --- even Charles Lindbergh and Samuel Beckett --- into an intriguing narrative charting this extraordinary phenomenon.
See what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
December 2nd, December 9th, December 16th and December 30th.
December’s Books on Screen Feature
Here is a preview of this month's movies, TV shows and DVDs that are based on books. For a complete list of December's offerings, please click here.
In Theaters
Jumanji: The Next Level
Release Date: December 13th (wide)
Based on: JUMANJI by Chris Van Allsburg
Richard Jewell
Release Date: December 13th (wide)
Based on: A Vanity Fair article, "American Nightmare: The Ballad of Richard Jewell," by Marie Brenner, and the book THE SUSPECT: An Olympic Bombing, the FBI, the Media, and Richard Jewell, the Man Caught in the Middle, by Kent Alexander and Kevin Salwen
Little Women
Release Date: December 25th (wide)
Based on: LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott
The Song of Names
Release Date: December 25th (limited)
Based on: THE SONG OF NAMES by Norman Lebrecht
On TV
"Truth Be Told"
Release Dates: The first three episodes premiere December 6th on Apple TV+, with subsequent episodes releasing every Friday
Based on: ARE YOU SLEEPING by Kathleen Barber
FX's A Christmas Carol
Air Date: Thursday, December 19th at 7:30pm ET/PT on FX
Based on: A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens
"Dare Me"
Air Dates: Sundays at 10pm ET/PT on USA; Series Premiere on December 29th
Based on: DARE ME by Megan Abbott
On DVD
The Goldfinch
DVD Release Date: December 3rd
Based on: THE GOLDFINCH by Donna Tartt
It: Chapter Two
DVD Release Date: December 10th
Based on: IT by Stephen King
Our Interview with Matt Coyle
and Our Review of LOST TOMORROWS
Matt Coyle revived the Raymond Chandler hard-boiled PI model, set in today’s fancy (and seedy) side of San Diego. LOST TOMORROWS finds protagonist Rick Cahill returning to Santa Barbara --- the city of lost tomorrows --- where, 14 years ago, he was charged with but not convicted of his wife Colleen’s murder. He attends the funeral of Police Sergeant Krista Landingham, his only alibi, who remained silent. Rick’s investigation into the deaths of Krista and Colleen is as intertwined as Napa Valley grapevines. In this interview, Coyle chats with Bookreporter.com’s Dean Murphy about his appointment as the 2020 Left Coast Crime Convention Toastmaster, the deaths of Rick’s friend and wife, and the next Cahill adventure.
LOST TOMORROWS: A Rick Cahill Novel by Matt Coyle (Hard-boiled Mystery/Thriller)
Krista Landingham, Rick Cahill's former partner on the Santa Barbara Police Department, is dead. When Rick goes to the funeral in the city where his wife was murdered and where he is seen as guilty for her death in the eyes of the police, he discovers that Krista’s death may not have been a tragic accident, but murder. Hired by Krista’s sister, Leah, to investigate, Rick follows clues that lead him to the truth --- not only about Krista’s death, but about the tragedy that ruined his life. Along the way, Leah shows him that his life can be salvaged and he can feel love again if he can just move beyond his past. The past is Rick’s present and will always be until he rights his one great wrong. In the end, Rick is left with a decision that forces him to confront the horrific actions he’ll need to take to exact revenge and achieve redemption. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Read our review and interview.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
In late August, we launched “Bookreporter Talks To,” a video and podcast series where we deliver a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, I have moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal --- to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
By the way, this follows a long history of The Book Report Network delivering compelling programming to readers. Back in 1997, the company hosted the first online interview with John Grisham, which started a tradition of ongoing interviews with authors.
Authors interviewed to date include:
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Linwood Barclay (ELEVATOR PITCH) Video | Podcast
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Patti Callahan (BECOMING MRS. LEWIS) Video | Podcast
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Fiona Davis (THE CHELSEA GIRLS) Video | Podcast
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Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille (THE DESERTER) Video | Podcast
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Sally Hepworth (THE MOTHER-IN-LAW) Video | Podcast
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Marjan Kamali (THE STATIONERY SHOP) Video | Podcast
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Mary Beth Keane (ASK AGAIN, YES) Video | Podcast
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Raymond Khoury (EMPIRE OF LIES) Video | Podcast
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Jean Kwok (SEARCHING FOR SYLVIE LEE) Video | Podcast
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Shari Lapena (SOMEONE WE KNOW) Video | Podcast
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Gilly Macmillan (THE NANNY) Video | Podcast
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Heather Morris (THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ; CILKA'S JOURNEY) Video | Podcast
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Sheila Weller (CARRIE FISHER: A Life on the Edge) Video | Podcast
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Karen White (THE CHRISTMAS SPIRITS ON TRADD STREET; ALL THE WAYS WE SAID GOODBYE) Video | Podcast
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Beatriz Williams (THE GOLDEN HOUR; THE WICKED REDHEAD; ALL THE WAYS WE SAID GOODBYE) Video | Podcast NEW!
Upcoming interviews include:
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William Kent Krueger (THIS TENDER LAND)
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Whitney Scharer (THE AGE OF LIGHT)
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Cara Wall (THE DEARLY BELOVED)
Watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews and listen to our podcasts.
BEATING ABOUT THE BUSH: An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M. C. Beaton (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Penelope Keith
When private detective Agatha Raisin comes across a severed leg in a roadside hedge, it looks like she is about to become involved in a particularly gruesome murder. Looks, however, can be deceiving, as Agatha discovers when she is employed to investigate a case of industrial espionage at a factory where nothing is quite what it seems. The factory mystery soon turns to murder, and a bad-tempered donkey turns Agatha into a national celebrity, before bringing her ridicule and shame. To add to her woes, Agatha finds herself grappling with growing feelings for her friend and occasional lover, Sir Charles Fraith. Then, as a possible solution to the factory murder unfolds, her own life is thrown into deadly peril. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
ANYONE by Charles Soule (Science Fiction/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Woo Zeller
Inside a barn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a scientist searching for an Alzheimer’s cure throws a switch --- and finds herself mysteriously transported into her husband’s body. What begins as a botched experiment will change her life --- and the world --- forever. Over two decades later, all across the planet, “flash” technology allows individuals the ability to transfer their consciousness into other bodies for specified periods, paid, registered and legal. Society has been utterly transformed by the process, from travel to warfare to entertainment. But beyond the reach of the law and government regulators is a sordid black market called the darkshare, where desperate “vessels” anonymously rent out their bodies, no questions asked, for any purpose --- sex, drugs, crime...or worse. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
A BOOKSHOP IN BERLIN: The Rediscovered Memoir of One Woman's Harrowing Escape from the Nazis by Françoise Frenkel (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Jilly Bond
In 1921, Françoise Frenkel --- a Jewish woman from Poland --- opens La Maison du Livre, Berlin’s first French bookshop. It becomes a haven for intellectual exchange as Nazi ideology begins to poison the culturally rich city. In 1935, the scene continues to darken. First come the new bureaucratic hurdles, followed by frequent police visits and book confiscations. Françoise’s dream finally shatters on Kristallnacht in November 1938, as hundreds of Jewish shops and businesses are destroyed. La Maison du Livre is miraculously spared, but fear of persecution eventually forces Françoise on a desperate, lonely flight to Paris. Secreted away from one safe house to the next, Françoise survives at the heroic hands of strangers risking their lives to protect her. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
THIS IS HAPPINESS by Niall Williams (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Dermot Crowley
The rain is stopping. Nobody in the small, forgotten village of Faha remembers when it started. Now --- just as Father Coffey proclaims the coming of electricity --- it is stopping. Seventeen-year-old Noel Crowe is standing outside his grandparents' house shortly after the rain has stopped when he encounters Christy for the first time. Though he can't explain it, Noel knows right then: something has changed. This is the story of all that was to follow: Christy's long-lost love and why he had come to Faha, Noel's own experiences falling in and out of love, and the endlessly postponed arrival of electricity --- a development that, once complete, would leave behind a world that had not changed for centuries. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
HYMNS OF THE REPUBLIC: The Story of the Final Year of the American Civil War by S. C. Gwynne (History)
Audiobook available, read by Robert Petkoff
The fourth and final year of the Civil War offers one of that era’s most compelling narratives, defining the nation and one of history’s great turning points. Now, HYMNS OF THE REPUBLIC addresses the time Ulysses S. Grant arrives to take command of all Union armies in March 1864 to the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox a year later. S. C. Gwynne breathes new life into the epic battle between Lee and Grant; the advent of 180,000 black soldiers in the Union army; William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea; the rise of Clara Barton; the election of 1864 (which Lincoln nearly lost); the wild and violent guerrilla war in Missouri; and the dramatic final events of the war, including the surrender at Appomattox and the murder of Abraham Lincoln. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
GENIUS & ANXIETY: How Jews Changed the World, 1847-1947 by Norman Lebrecht (History)
Audiobook available, read by Jonathan Davis
In a hundred-year period, a handful of men and women changed the way we see the world. Many of them are well known, such as Marx, Freud, Proust, Einstein and Kafka. Others have vanished from collective memory despite their enduring importance in our daily lives. Without Karl Landsteiner, for instance, there would be no blood transfusions or major surgery. Without Rosalind Franklin, genetic science would look very different. Without Fritz Haber, there would not be enough food to sustain life on earth. What do these visionaries have in common? They all had Jewish origins. Norman Lebrecht has devoted half of his life to pondering and researching the mindset of the Jewish intellectuals, writers, scientists and thinkers who turned the tides of history and shaped the world today as we know it. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
FROM SEA TO STORMY SEA: 17 Paintings by Great American Artists and the Stories They Inspired edited by Lawrence Block (Mystery/Short Stories)
Seventeen stories by 17 brilliant writers, inspired by 17 paintings. That was the formula for Lawrence Block’s two groundbreaking anthologies, IN SUNLIGHT OR IN SHADOW and ALIVE IN SHAPE AND COLOR, and it’s on glorious display here once again in FROM SEA TO STORMY SEA. This time the paintings are exclusively the work of American artists, and the roster includes Harvey Dunn, John Steuart Curry, Reginald Marsh, Thomas Hart Benton, Helen Frankenthaler, Winslow Homer, Rockwell Kent, Grant Wood and Andy Warhol. Among the star-studded lineup of writers, you’ll find Warren Moore, Jerome Charyn, Jane Hamilton, Christa Faust, John Sandford, Sara Paretsky, Charles Ardai, Barry Malzberg and Janice Eidus. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on December 10th
Below are some notable titles releasing on December 10th 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 available the week of December 9th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
AFRICAVILLE by Jeffrey Colvin (Historical Fiction)
A ferociously talented writer makes his stunning debut with this richly woven tapestry, set in a small Nova Scotia town settled by former slaves, that depicts several generations of one family bound together and torn apart by blood, faith, time and fate.
THE BOOK OF SCIENCE AND ANTIQUITIES by Thomas Keneally (Fiction)
Thomas Keneally, the bestselling author of THE DAUGHTERS OF MARS and SCHINDLER'S LIST, returns with an exquisite exploration of community and country, love and morality, taking place in both prehistoric and modern Australia.
THE GLITTERING HOUR by Iona Grey (Historical Fiction)
Award-winning author Iona Grey's next unforgettable historical novel is about true love found and lost and the secrets we keep from one another.
REGRETTING YOU by Colleen Hoover (Romance)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of IT ENDS WITH US comes a poignant novel about family, first love, grief and betrayal that will touch the hearts of both mothers and daughters.
THE STORY OF A GOAT written by Perumal Murugan, translated by N. Kalyan Raman (Fiction)
As he did in the award-winning ONE PART WOMAN, in his newest novel, THE STORY OF A GOAT, Perumal Murugan explores a side of India that is rarely considered in the West: the rural lives of the country’s farming community.
THE WICKED REDHEAD: A Wicked City Novel by Beatriz Williams (Fiction)
The dazzling narrator of THE WICKED CITY brings her mesmerizing voice and indomitable spirit to another Jazz Age tale of rumrunners, double crosses and true love, spanning the Eastern seaboard from Florida to Long Island to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Giving Books for the Holidays
Are you planning to give books as gifts this holiday season? Please check all that apply.
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Yes, I am planning to give print books (hardcovers and/or paperbacks).
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Yes, I am planning to give e-books.
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Yes, I am planning to give audiobooks.
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Yes, I am planning to give a gift card that will allow the recipient to buy a print book, e-book or audiobook.
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No, I am not planning to give any books or book gift cards this year.
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I am not sure what I am doing.
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Other (Please specify)
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, December 20th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from December 6th to December 20th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CRISS CROSS by James Patterson and JUST WATCH ME by Jeff Lindsay.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
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 December 2nd to January 2nd at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Michael Crichton and Daniel H. Wilson’s THE ANDROMEDA EVOLUTION, read by Julia Whelan, and Bernard Cornwell’s SWORD OF KINGS, read by Matt Bates.
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.
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