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June 4, 2010

Bookreporter.com Newsletter June 4, 2010
 
Hot Town, Summer in the City
Summer has crept into the city, and the humidity has made June feel like late July or August. My older son Greg is juggling his day between taking a class at college --- conveniently just blocks from the office --- and working with us. And of course, with him being around, adventures prevail. Last weekend, on a whim, he flew to Ottawa. Why Ottawa? Well, he had not seen it and Continental had a great special running, and he could not turn it down. Yes, he is his mother’s son. He can pack in a heartbeat and hit the road.

I spent the weekend reading books that I had on my pile. I raced to finish Nicholas Evans’s THE BRAVE, which I loved. Even though he grew up in England, Evans loved shows about the American West. There are times when we talk on the phone that I am still surprised he is British as he writes so well about American culture. The book moves from England to Hollywood and Montana as the story unfolds and readers move back and forth in time. It’s not out until October 12th, but we are excited about it. I then read Andrew Britton’s THE EXILE (releasing on June 29th), which we are featuring now in our Suspense/Thriller spotlight. As always, Britton wrote a tight thriller that is full of smart action. There is still one more week to win a copy of THE EXILE by entering here by Friday, June 11th at noon ET.

From there, I moved on to two fall titles that had been previewed at BookExpo America (BEA). The first was ROOM by Emma Donoghue, which will be out on September 13th. Written in a voice that is reminiscent of the boy in THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME by Mark Haddon, the story unfolds in the innocent and clever voice of Jack, a five-year-old boy who has lived his whole life in a room where, unbeknownst to him, his mother has been held captive. It’s bold and it’s heartwarming. We as adults interpreting what he saw through our own lens after reading his delivery makes the book so special. I love the cover too. Simplistic. Colored in the colors he knew. Very, very powerful.

From there I read THE DUFF, a YA title by Kody Keplinger that will be out September 7th. THE DUFF stands for "The Designated Ugly Fat Friend," and reading it I have decided that high school today is even trickier to navigate than it was in my day. The author wrote this when she was just 17, and her pitch is perfect. She now attends Ithaca College in upstate New York.

I ended the holiday weekend reading Sally Koslow’s WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE, which will be in stores on August 10th. It’s a great women’s fiction read that belongs on beach blankets this summer. It wonderfully tells the story of four friends who met when they share an apartment when they are just out of school and they move on into and out of each other’s lives. Told in chapters about each character, Koslow writes great cliffhangers. I confess that a few times I zipped ahead to see what one of the women was doing. I read these books and think it was an organizational feat to make this writing work so well.

Tuesday, when we got back to the office, one of our staffers, Erin Quinn, reminded me that Linda Greenlaw had an appearance scheduled that night at a bookstore downtown. Always up for a bookish adventure, especially one with an author who we find so interesting, Erin, Greg and I headed out after work to catch (no fishing pun intended) the event where Linda was talking about SEAWORTHY, her new memoir about her return to swordfishing after a decade of being away. That's a photo above of Linda taking questions. In our review this week, Roz Shea says, “SEAWORTHY finds Greenlaw at a philosophical point in her life. This introspective examination of her own reaction to the near disasters that beset her and her crew surprises her as she recalls how she would have acted in her younger, more fiery years as a sea captain. She realized, with each new snafu, that she had mellowed in her nearly 30 years at sea, yet her fierce drive to overcome the elements and the setbacks heightened the camaraderie and loyalty between her and her crew. Her awareness and appreciation of her prey has been heightened, too, by the years.”

The crowd that night had a ton of questions for Linda, which made for a very informative evening. Of course, since then I have been salivating for swordfish tacos! Greg, who is planning another Maine adventure, was quizzing Linda about the lighthouse on Isle au Haut. Nice way to start the short week.

Like I said, adventures prevail with Greg, thus on the drive into New York on Wednesday he suggested we go see the Swedish film that had been made of Stieg Larsson's bestseller THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, which was playing a few blocks from the office. Thus, Wednesday night we slipped into the theater after paying $12(!) a ticket that prompted a conversation from me about “I remember when movies were $3,” which amused him as he said “yeah, yeah, yeah” while taking a ticket from my hand. Once seated, I stopped smoldering and thoroughly enjoyed the film. I never even noticed I was reading the subtitles. On the drive home I spoke with John Hogan, our Editorial Director for GraphicNovelReporter.com, who also had seen it, and we both had noticed how the actors looked like real people, not the overdone Botox-ed stars we know here in the States.

Yes, it was not the same as the book, but it was an excellent adaptation, and I confess that as we watched I wondered how the American film that is planned could be any better. The story moved at a brisk clip, and while it was very raw and rough at times, it did not seem gratuitous. On the way out, Greg told me that there are tours in Sweden of the buildings and locations mentioned in the book, which you can see here. Of course, I now am wondering if Continental flies to Sweden with special offers as he has a passport and has proven that he is not afraid to use it!

This week we have three new author spotlight features to bring you. Our latest One to Watch: Debut Suspense/Thriller feature is for Dana Haynes’s CRASHERS. I read this book in a very early galley months ago and have been looking forward to sharing it with you. Our sharp readers may recall that this is the book I was reading on the flight where the pilot barked “Fasten your seatbelts” in a rather abrupt tone that had me wondering if life was imitating art. CRASHERS follows an investigative unit from the National Transportation Safety Board in the wake of an airliner crash. Time is of the essence for all the members of the team to construct when, why and how things went wrong for this plane, and of course there is a conspiracy unraveling as each new piece of evidence is uncovered. The pacing of the book is intense, and speaking with Dana about his interest in NTSB and its methods back in March when I was in Portland was really eye-opening. CRASHERS won’t be in stores until June 22nd, but we 20 copies for readers who would like to preview the book and comment on it. Enter here by noon ET on Friday, June 11th.

Our second Suspense/Thriller title is PRAY FOR SILENCE by Linda Castillo, a follow-up to her bestselling debut, SWORN TO SILENCE. Castillo once again follows Police Chief Kate Burkholder as she tries to solve the brutal murders of an Amish family in a small Ohio town. Linda earned some rave reviews in 2009 for SWORN TO SILENCE, landing on many “best of” lists for suspense/thriller titles. PRAY FOR SILENCE won’t be in stores until June 22nd, but we have 20 copies for readers who would like to preview the book and comment on it. Enter here by noon on Friday, June 11th.

In our Historical Fiction spotlight is Sharyn McCrumb’s THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS, which is the latest volume in her Ballad series. Sharyn blends fact and fiction here as she recounts the trial of a schoolteacher accused of murdering her father in a small Appalachian town in 1935. She chronicles not just the trial, litigation and investigation, but also the media frenzy that consumed this tiny mountain town. Even more interesting is that Sharyn lives not too far from the actual town. THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS won’t be in stores until June 22nd, but we have 20 copies for readers who would like to preview the book and comment on it. Enter here by noon on Friday, June 11th.

Our current Beach Bag of Books Contest is open for another week. You have the opportunity to win NEEDLES AND PEARLS by Gil McNeil, PERFECTION: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz, THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE by Katherine Howe and THE WILDWATER WALKING CLUB by Claire Cook. Last week, I failed to share that I met two authors of these beach bag titles --- Julie Metz and Katherine Howe --- at a party during BEA activities. As always, it was fun to connect like that.

This week we also have some reader comments from our winners of Max Allan Collins and Matthew Clemens’s thriller YOU CAN’T STOP ME, about a reality crime show that gets a little too real, and Ben Farmer’s debut, EVANGELINE, an imagining of Longfellow’s famous poem. You can read comments for YOU CAN’T STOP ME here and EVANGELINE here.

Our last poll question asking “How many books do you think is the ideal number to pack for a week-long vacation?” yielded results from about 500 of you. About 57% of you pack 1-3 books, while 23% of you tote 4-6 books. As for me, I would join the 5% that vote 10 or more. I think I could have my own category here! Please see our new poll asking "Has the release of the iPad changed your opinion about having an eReader?" You can respond here. You can also join our Facebook page here and keep up with our daily postings here.

There’s still more than a week remaining to enter our Father’s Day contest here, and we’ll be launching our Father’s Day blog series next week where authors and their fathers will be participating. We got so many notes from those of you who enjoyed our Mother’s Day blog series. We hope you enjoy this one just as much.

I am off to make fish tacos….and to peruse my reading lineup for the weekend. The pool is still filtering and rain is in the forecast. Lovely. However, I bought yarn to finish a jacket that I started, and thus I have a weekend project. I do smile that the jacket project will be done just as it’s time for wearing tank tops and shawls! It’s all about the timing. Have a great week.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

 
Bookreporter.com Talks to Charles Martin, Author of THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US

Charles Martin --- author of such novels as WHEN CRICKETS CRY, WRAPPED IN RAIN and THE DEAD DON’T DANCE --- recently spoke with Bookreporter.com’s Terry Miller Shannon about his latest work of fiction, THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US. In this interview, Martin discusses the inspiration behind this “story of love and survival” and explains how the plot grew from a visual of one of the book’s minor characters. He also offers insight into his unconventional “back-to-front” writing process, briefly describes some of his own less harrowing experiences in the wilderness, and shares details about his next project currently in the works.

THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US by Charles Martin (Fiction)
Strangers Ben Payne and Ashley Knox find themselves miles from nowhere after their plane crashes in the snowy Utah wilderness. Both are injured, and resources are limited. In a vibrant and original tale combining adventure, redemption, sorrow, hope and love, we learn what it takes to attempt to survive such a dire situation. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.


-Click here to read a review of THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US.
-Click here to read a third excerpt from THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US.
-Click here to read Charles Martin's bio.
-Click here to see Charles Martin's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US.
-Visit Charles Martin's official website, www.CharlesMartinBooks.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

 

Click here to read our interview with Charles Martin.

 

Now in Stores: ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE BOURNE OBJECTIVE by Eric Van Lustbader

ROBERT LUDLUM’S ™ THE BOURNE OBJECTIVE by Eric Van Lustbader (Thriller)
Facing down mercenaries in Africa, Jason Bourne witnesses the death of an art dealer named Tracy Atherton. Her killing dredges up snatches of Bourne's impaired memory, in particular the murder of a young woman on Bali who entrusted him with a strangely engraved ring­­ --- an artifact of such powerful significance that people have killed to obtain it. Now he's determined to find the ring's owner and purpose. But Bourne never knows what terrible acts he'll discover he committed when he digs into the past. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

-Visit Eric Van Lustbader’s official website, www.EricVanLustbader.com.
 

Click here to read a review of ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE BOURNE OBJECTIVE.

 

Author Talk: Jeffery Deaver, Author of THE BURNING WIRE

Jeffery Deaver’s latest thriller, THE BURNING WIRE, finds quadriplegic forensics expert Lincoln Rhyme on the heels of a killer who commits his murders using the city’s electrical grid. In this interview, Deaver explains his criteria for “assigning” the cases in his novels to new or existing protagonists, and discusses the influence of the New York setting over his main character’s story arc. He also talks about what motivated him to create the series’ villain, The Watchmaker, and sheds light on Lincoln’s ongoing battle with his physical disability.

THE BURNING WIRE: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller)
The weapon is invisible and omnipresent. Without it, modern society grinds to a halt. It is electricity. The killer harnesses and steers huge arc flashes with voltage so high and heat so searing that steel melts and his victims are set afire. When the first explosion occurs in broad daylight, reducing a city bus to a pile of molten, shrapnel-riddled metal, officials fear terrorism. Lincoln Rhyme, a world-class forensic criminologist known for his successful apprehension of the most devious criminals, is immediately tapped for the investigation. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read a review of THE BURNING WIRE.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE BURNING WIRE.

 

Click here to read an interview with Jeffery Deaver.

 
Now in Stores: SEAWORTHY by Linda Greenlaw

SEAWORTHY: A Swordboat Captain Returns to the Sea by Linda Greenlaw (Memoir)
Linda Greenlaw hadn't been bluewater fishing for 10 years --- not since the events chronicled in the books THE PERFECT STORM and THE HUNGRY OCEAN --- but when her lobster traps aren't paying off, her truck is on its last gasp, and the bills are piling up, she decides to take a friend up on his offer and captain a boat for a season of swordfishing. Capturing the moment-by-moment details of her journey, Greenlaw tells a story about human nature and the nature around us, about learning what can be controlled and when to let fate step in. Reviewed by Roz Shea.


-Click here to read an excerpt from SEAWORTHY.
-Visit Linda Greenlaw’s official website, www.LindaGreenlawBooks.com.

 

Click here to read a review of SEAWORTHY.

 

New Featured Historical Fiction Author: Sharyn McCrumb, Author of THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS

Sharyn McCrumb returns with THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS, the latest in her award-winning Ballad series. Combining fact and fiction, McCrumb creates a gripping, atmospheric read about a murder trial in a small Appalachian town.

THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS is releasing on June 22nd, but we have 20 copies to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, June 11th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.
-Click here to read Sharyn McCrumb's bio.

-Click here to see Sharyn McCrumb's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.


More about THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS:
In 1935, when Erma Morton, a beautiful young woman with a teaching degree, is charged with the murder of her father in a remote Virginia mountain community, the case becomes a cause célèbre for the national press. A stunning return to the lands, ballads and characters upon which she made her name, THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS is a testament to Sharyn McCrumb’s lyrical and evocative writing.
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Click here to read more about Sharyn McCrumb and THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.

 

New Featured Debut Suspense/Thriller Author: Dana Haynes, Author of CRASHERS

Dana Haynes's debut, CRASHERS, follows an investigative unit from the National Transportation Safety Board in the wake of a plane crash. A taut, suspenseful thriller, CRASHERS announces a new, exciting voice in the genre.

CRASHERS is releasing on June 22nd, but we have 20 copies to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, June 11th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt from CRASHERS.
-Click here to read Dana Haynes's bio.

-Click here to read critical praise for CRASHERS.

More about CRASHERS:
Whenever a plane goes down in the USA, a "Go Team" made up of experts is assembled by the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate. Those people --- each of them a leading expert in a specific area --- are known informally as "Crashers." CRASHERS is a fresh and utterly compelling thriller, an original mix of action, investigation and a brilliant cast of characters that grabs the reader in a way few novels can and fewer do.
 

Click here to read more about Dana Haynes and CRASHERS.

 
New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Linda Castillo, Author of PRAY FOR SILENCE
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Linda Castillo's SWORN TO SILENCE was a breakout hit in 2009, and the much-anticipated follow-up, PRAY FOR SILENCE, brings police chief Kate Burkholder back to solve the brutal murders of an Amish family in a small Ohio town.

PRAY FOR SILENCE is releasing on June 22nd, but we have 20 copies to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, June 11th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt from PRAY FOR SILENCE.
-Click here to read Linda Castillo's bio.

-Click here to see Linda Castillo's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for PRAY FOR SILENCE.


More about PRAY FOR SILENCE:
New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo delivers an electrifying thriller in which Chief of Police Kate Burkholder must confront a dark evil to solve the mysterious murders of an entire Amish family. Topping her own bestselling debut, Castillo once again immerses us in the world of the Amish with a chilling story that is both a fast-paced thriller and an intriguing psychological puzzle.
 

Click here to read more about Linda Castillo and PRAY FOR SILENCE.

 

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Andrew Britton, Author of THE EXILE

Andrew Britton's fourth politically-charged spy thriller, THE EXILE, takes ex-CIA agent Ryan Kealey to West Darfur to investigate the death of a relief worker. Britton's combination of action and intrigue propels readers deep into the heart of a terrifying conspiracy rooted in one of the world’s most unstable regions.

THE EXILE is releasing on June 29th, but we have 20 finished copies to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, June 11th at noon ET.

-Click here to read Andrew Britton's bio.
-Click here to see Andrew Britton's backlist.
-Visit Andrew Britton's official website, www.AndrewBrittonBooks.com.


More about THE EXILE:
For the President of the United States, the horror of life in West Darfur just hit too close to home. His niece Lily, a nurse caring for Sudanese refugees, has been murdered by a corps of fearsome government-backed militia. Any response will destabilize the region and threaten the security of the world. America is out of options. Except one: Ryan Kealey.
 

Click here to read more about Andrew Britton and THE EXILE.

 
Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Kevin O'Brien, Author of VICIOUS
Kevin O'Brien is back with VICIOUS, his latest thriller starring the "Mama's Boy" killer. The Seattle-area serial killer who held the city in his grip and eluded police at every turn has not been heard from in years --- until he makes his unexpected, chilling return.

VICIOUS by Kevin O’Brien (Thriller)
Susan Blanchette is looking forward to a relaxing weekend getaway with her fiancé, Allen, and young son Matthew. But something about the remote lake house doesn’t feel right. A woman vanished from the area a year ago, and now Susan thinks she’s spotted someone lurking around the property. And when Allen disappears, her fear grows… Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read a review of VICIOUS.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from VICIOUS.
-Click here to read our interview with Kevin O’Brien.
-Click here to read Kevin O'Brien's bio.
-Click here to see Kevin O'Brien's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for VICIOUS.
-Visit Kevin O'Brien's official website, www.KevinOBrienBooks.com.
-Click here to read Kevin O'Brien's Bookreporter.com blog post about his mother, Adele.
-Click here to see our finished copy winners.

 
Click here to read more about Kevin O'Brien and VICIOUS.

 
Featured One to Watch Author: Julie Metz, Author of PERFECTION
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Julie Metz's powerful, emotional memoir, PERFECTION, chronicles the sudden death of her husband and the subsequent secret life he had away from her and their six-year-old daughter. Metz combats feelings of rage, helplessness and confusion as she tries to make sense of her family's past while building a new future. PERFECTION is now available in paperback.

-Click here to read a review of PERFECTION.
-Click
here to read an excerpt from PERFECTION.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for PERFECTION.
-Click here to read an interview with Julie Metz.
-Click
here to read Julie Metz's bio.

-Click here to read critical praise for PERFECTION.
-Click here to see our finished copy winners.


More about PERFECTION:
Julie Metz’s life changed forever on one ordinary January afternoon when her husband, Henry, collapsed on the kitchen floor and died in her arms. Suddenly, this mother of a six-year-old became the young widow in her bucolic small town. But that was only the beginning. Seven months after Henry’s death, just when Julie thought she was emerging from the worst of it, came the rest of it: Henry had hidden another life from her. PERFECTION is the story of rebuilding both a life and an identity after betrayal and widowhood, of rebirth and happiness --- if not perfection.
 
Click here to read more about Julie Metz and PERFECTION.

 

Bookreporter.com's Sixth Annual Summer Beach Bag Contest: Currently Featuring NEEDLES AND PEARLS, PERFECTION, THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE and THE WILDWATER WALKING CLUB

Whether your "beach" is on sand, your backyard deck, or a grassy meadow in the country, the summer months mean it's time for "beach reading." Bookreporter.com is celebrating the lazy days of summer reading with our Sixth Annual Bookreporter.com Beach Bag of Books feature and contests.

During select weeks from May 28th through September 3rd, we will highlight a different book or collection of books from these featured titles with a contest prize --- a beach bag stocked with the featured book(s) and summertime essentials. Five FABULOUS beach bags will be given away each week, as well as five copies of the featured book(s) to additional winners.

Our current featured Beach Bag titles are:

-NEEDLES AND PEARLS by Gil McNeil
-PERFECTION: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal by Julie Metz
-THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE by Katherine Howe
-THE WILDWATER WALKING CLUB by Claire Cook

 
Click here to read all the contest details.

 
Bookreporter.com's Fifth Annual Father's Day Contest: Best Books for Dad

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and inspired us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? From May 28th through June 14th, readers will have the chance to win one of our five Bookreporter.com Father’s Day Cooler Tote Bags. Each gray cooler tote bag is filled with a copy of our 12 featured titles, giving dad a book to read each month and making Father’s Day truly a yearlong celebration. Also included are a variety of handy and fun items that we know he’ll love.

Our featured Father’s Day titles are:

-COOP: A Family, a Farm, and the Pursuit of One Good Egg by Michael Perry
-CRAZY FOR THE STORM: A Memoir of Survival by Norman Ollestad
-DON’T LET ME GO: What My Daughter Taught Me About the Journey Every Parent Must Make by David W. Pierce
-THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST by Stieg Larsson
-LOSING MY COOL: How a Father’s Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip-Hop Culture by Thomas Chatterton Williams
-MANHOOD FOR AMATEURS: The Pleasures and Regrets of a Father, Husband and Son by Michael Chabon
-NORTH BY NORTHWESTERN: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters by Captain Sig Hansen and Mark Sundeen
-THE PACIFIC by Hugh Ambrose
-RAIDERS FROM THE NORTH: Empire of the Moghul by Alex Rutherford
-THE SELECTED WORKS OF T.S. SPIVET by Reif Larsen
-SHOP CLASS AS SOULCRAFT: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
-UNFINISHED BUSINESS: One Man’s Extraordinary Year of Trying to Do the Right Things by Lee Kravitz

 

Click here to read all the contest details.

 
This Week's Reviews

HITCH-22: A Memoir by Christopher Hitchens (Memoir)
More the account of an intellectual odyssey than a conventional autobiography, HITCH-22 chronicles the controversial critic-journalist-activist’s often storm-tossed journey across the ideological spectrum. What makes it a most rewarding trip is that Christopher Hitchens is a traveling companion with a vigorous mind and a gift for sparkling prose. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.


STEINBRENNER: The Last Lion of Baseball by Bill Madden (Biography)
Throughout his three decades of covering the Yankees, award-winning sportswriter Bill Madden has cultivated hundreds of sources at every level in the organization, from the many managers and front-office personnel George Steinbrenner has fired to the bat boys who are ever present in the locker room. All of them have colorful stories about the man with whom they have enjoyed a love-hate relationship, but it is the Boss himself whose voice rises above the rest. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.


POINT DUME by Katie Arnoldi (Fiction)
In her third novel (following CHEMICAL PINK and THE WENTWORTHS), Katie Arnoldi brings to life subjects she knows well --- the death of surf culture, human trafficking, the Mexican drug cartel, illegal pot farms on public lands, environmental devastation, and obsessive love. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.


IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME: 32 Women on Life After 50 edited by Emily W. Upham and Linda Gravenson (Nonfiction Anthology)
Between the covers of IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME, concert pianist-interviewer Emily W. Upham and freelance writer-editor Linda Gravenson have collected and presented the diverse voices of leading women who accepted the risk and opportunity of reflecting on life after 50. In this unique and spirited anthology, they not only tell of life “like it is,” but candidly recount how it was and how they intend to live the rest of it well. Very well. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.

-Visit contributor Katherine B. Weissman’s official website, www.KatherineWeissman.com.


THE BUCOLIC PLAGUE: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir by Josh Kilmer-Purcell (Memoir)
A happy series of accidents and a doughnut-laden escape upstate take Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner, Brent, to the doorstep of the magnificent (and fabulously for sale) Beekman Mansion. One hour and one tour later, they have begun their transformation from uptight urbanites into the 200-year-old-mansion-owning Beekman Boys. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

I’LL MATURE WHEN I’M DEAD: Dave Barry's Amazing Tales of Adulthood by Dave Barry (Humor)
In hilarious, brand-new pieces, Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry tackles such varied topics as fatherhood, new fatherhood, self-image, the battle of the sexes, celebrityhood, technology, parenting styles, certain unmentionable medical procedures, and much more. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.


THE FROZEN RABBI by Steve Stern (Fiction)
The Yiddish literary tradition is full of bizarre characters, offhand curses and incantations, self-deprecatory humor, and a deep sense of humanity. It’s a tradition spun by hearty survivalists who have been to hell and back and know how to laugh about it. Steve Stern’s THE FROZEN RABBI fits the mold quite well. Reviewed by Max Falkowitz.

SILENT AUCTION: A Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery by Jane K. Cleland
(Mystery)
Josie Prescott arrives at Rocky Point, New Hampshire’s renovated lighthouse to conduct an antiques appraisal and is horrified to discover the bludgeoned body of her neighbor Zoë’s beloved nephew, Frankie. The owners of the lighthouse are avid antiques collectors, and Josie soon begins to suspect that a scrimshaw tooth from their collection may be the key to solving the crime that has shaken Rocky Point and broken her dear friend’s heart. Reviewed by Amy Alessio.
 

Click here to read this week’s reviews.

 
Poll, Question and Word of Mouth

Poll:

Has the release of the iPad changed your opinion about having an eReader?


Yes, I bought one.
I am planning to buy one.
I am considering buying one.
I already have an eReader.
No, my opinion has not changed.
I have no interest in this.
I am not sure.

-Click here to answer our poll.


Question:

If you could pick one upcoming book that you would want to get instantly, what would it be?

-Click here to answer our question.


Word of Mouth:


Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.

This week we have three great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of CUM LAUDE by Cecily von Ziegesar, THE LION by Nelson DeMille and THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin. Tell us what you are reading and rate the titles 1-5 by noon ET on Friday, June 18th to ensure that you are in the running to win these books.

-Click here to enter our Word of Mouth contest.

 


As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.

Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the Write to Us page. If you would like to reach me, please write Carol@bookreporter.com. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.

Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by June 30, 2010 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month, one winner will be selected to win the following five books: BROKEN by Karin Slaughter, ICE COLD: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen, THE LION by Nelson DeMille, ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE OBJECTIVE by Eric Van Lustbader and SIZZLING SIXTEEN: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich. Jackie from Atlanta, TX was last month's winner. She won 61 HOURS by Lee Child, FEVER DREAM by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST by Stieg Larsson, INNOCENT by Scott Turow and PRIVATE LIFE by Jane Smiley.

Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, GraphicNovelReporter.com, FaithfulReader.com, Teenreads.com, Kidsreads.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com and AuthorYellowPages.com.

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