April 13, 2012

When we left off last week, I was on the Outer Banks headed to the opening of Duck’s Cottage Downtown in Manteo, which is located where the Manteo Booksellers used to be. Jamie Layton, one of the co-owners, is known to many of you for contributing Bookreporter.com reviews and interviews through the years. Jamie --- who has been one of the managers of the original Duck’s Cottage, which is still going strong in Duck --- first got the idea to open this new store in early October and called to chat with me about her plans for it.

I stopped by to see the empty space on New Year’s Eve, and thus it was really exciting to be at the ribbon cutting and see the store opened and busy on Friday night. You can see a photo of me with Jamie, Allen Lehew (owner of Duck’s Cottage in Duck) and her business partner, Paige Griffin. I bought four books while we were there to be sure to keep my sons Greg and Cory and son 2A, Josh, reading.

My personal vacation reading continued with the books shown above --- HEADING OUT TO WONDERFUL by Robert Goolrick (on sale June 12th), TO THE LAST BREATH: A Memoir of Going to Extremes by Francis Slakey (this will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick when it releases on May 8th), WILD: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed and CRIMINAL by Karin Slaughter (July 3rd). You can see what I had to say about them in my Vacation Blog: Part Two here. In between rounds of golf, my husband read --- and enjoyed --- THE ART OF FIELDING and THE STARBOARD SEA. Next up for him is IN THE SHADOW OF THE BANYAN by Vaddey Ratner (July 31st).

I got back to New York just in time to get to meet Vaddey at a fabulous pre-publication lunch that was thrown in her honor by her editor and publisher. As you may recall, I was so impressed by this debut novel about a young girl who is torn from her home and the life she and her family know --- and sent to the “killing fields” during the brutal Khmer Rouge uprising. Vaddey was just a delight, and we had the opportunity to talk about her research for the book, which included a trip back to Cambodia. And as the newsletter where I talked about my early read of her work had been shared with her, she also was very excited to talk to me about Greg’s enjoyment of it as well as mine. More on this book in the months to come.

As always, in addition to sharing a look at what’s ahead, we also are sharing books that already are in stores.

We are happy to be featuring Marc Cameron, author of ACT OF TERROR, which will be on sale May 1st as the latest author in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight this week. The U.S. is witnessing a new wave of mass terror that’s rapidly spreading across the country. Special Agent Jericho Quinn has seen the warning signs. As a classified "instrument" of the CIA reporting directly to the President, Quinn knows that these random acts of violence pose a clear and present danger. The search for terrorists has escalated into an all-out witch hunt. And somehow, Quinn's name is on the list. We hope you will get your name on our list of possible winners of one of 25 copies of ACT OF TERROR. Enter by signing up here by Thursday, April 26th at noon ET.

Speaking of contests, we have two more going on right now that you have less than a week to enter (the contests end on Thursday, April 19th at noon ET) --- our Historical Fiction Author Spotlight for TRUE SISTERS by Sandra Dallas (enter here to win) and our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight for DEVIOUS by Lisa Jackson (enter here to win). And read more about both of these books later in this newsletter.

This week, we’re commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster with our first-ever Bookreporter.com bookshelf --- a feature that we developed on our newest site, 20SomethingReads.com. This bookshelf features 20 recently released books about the tragedy, including UNSINKABLE: The Full Story of the RMS Titanic by Daniel Allen Butler, THE DRESSMAKER by Kate Alcott, SHADOW OF THE TITANIC by Andrew Wilson, and 17 more. Check it out, and let us know what you think of the new Bookshelf feature!

Four years ago, we celebrated Greg’s high school graduation with a cruise on the QE2, and on the 96th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy, we sailed right over the site and held a memorial service complete with tossing a wreath overboard. It’s one of those memories that still gives me goosebumps as I still recall looking out over the starboard side of the ship and not seeing anything for miles. The wind was whipping around, and I could picture the utter isolation of being in a lifeboat on the water.

And as always, we have reviews…..

As I wrote on my vacation reading blog last week, I enjoyed John Grisham’s CALICO JOE. Set in the summer of 1973, Joe Castle quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever.

We have TWO reviews for this book. Ron Kaplan, our resident baseball fan, says, “What gives the novel a leg-up is the attention to detail in (re)creating the game some 40 years ago... The author has certainly done his homework, seamlessly incorporating real events and players such as Willie Mays...Tom Seaver, Rick Monday, and Don Kessinger, a real friend of Grisham.” And Stuart Shiffman, who has read all of Grisham’s legal thrillers, has this to say: “CALICO JOE is more than a baseball story. Grisham often turns to family, using redemption and reconciliation as a theme of his writing, whether on death row or, as in this book, on the baseball diamond.”

In COME HOME by Lisa Scottoline, Jill Farrow is a typical suburban mom who has finally gotten her and her daughter's lives back on track after a divorce. But Jill’s life is turned upside down when her ex-stepdaughter, Abby, shows up on her doorstep late one night and delivers shocking news: Jill’s ex-husband is dead. Reviewer Joe Hartlaub says, “COME HOME...neatly brings together classic elements of mystery in a contemporary setting while addressing the social issues inherent in what are delicately referred to as blended families.... This is a book that you will read as quickly as you can and share with friends, who will want to pass it on as well.”

Meanwhile, DROP DEAD HEALTHY: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection is the product of “experiential journalist” A.J. Jacobs’ latest experiment: he spent two full years on a quest to become the healthiest man alive. From veganism to “Strollercize” classes to bouldering with cavemen, he took on every health and diet regimen under the sun. The story of his transformation is not only extremely entertaining, but it just may be the healthiest book ever written. Ron Kaplan calls it “a smart and funny book.... Jacobs is curious, thoughtful and respectful of other ideas, no matter how nuts they may be.” I asked A.J. in email if he had found typing to be a sport. He assured me, “There is indeed a chapter on the importance of finger fitness. So fear not!”

As we shared last week, THE RED BOOK by Deborah Copaken Kogan is about Clover, Addison, Mia and Jane, who were roommates at Harvard until their graduation in 1989. Twenty years later, their lives are in freefall. Like all Harvard grads, they’ve kept abreast of one another via the red book, which contains brief autobiographical essays by fellow alumni. But there’s the story we tell the world, and then there’s the real story, as these former classmates will learn during their 20th reunion weekend. I have a theory that women get more honest as the years go on. In our 20s and 30s, we extol the perfect moments of our lives, whereas by the time we hit 40, I think we are all a bit more comfortable noting that things are not so perfect. And this book looks beyond that veneer!

Reviewer Kathy Weissman says, “In a reunion novel, the closer the reader is to the generation under the microscope, the more important it is to get the details right. Kogan does. She has a great eye and ear, nailing the ironic cadences, earnest preoccupations and buzzwords of the fortysomethings who people her book.” We also have an interview with Deborah, which you can see here.

Next up is HEROES FOR MY DAUGHTER. In this companion to HEROES FOR MY SON, Brad Meltzer brings together the stories of 55 remarkable individuals, from intellectual explorers such as Marie Curie, Sally Ride and Jane Goodall to cultural champions like Billie Jean King; from implacable public figures such as Rosa Parks and Winston Churchill to artistic icons like Leonardo da Vinci and Stevie Wonder; and beyond. Joe Hartlaub says, “Perhaps the book’s greatest strength is that, title notwithstanding, you could easily give it to your sons as well. There is much to learn, digest and remember here.... HEROES FOR MY DAUGHTER and its companion volume are keepers to be read again and again to successive generations.” Click here to read an interview with Brad about the book.

We also have a review of Libby Fischer Hellmann's new novel, A BITTER VEIL. I had the pleasure of meeting Libby last September in St. Louis where we talked about the book. I happily read an early manuscript and was impressed with both the well-told story as well as a chance to learn more about the Middle East through the lens of a novel. Anna and Nouri, both studying in Chicago, fall in love despite their very different backgrounds. Anna, who has never been close to her parents, is more than happy to return with Nouri to his native Iran, to be embraced by his wealthy family. Beginning their married life together in 1978, their world is abruptly turned upside down by the overthrow of the Shah, and the rise of the Islamic Republic. What follows is a harrowing story of what happens to Anna as she finds herself alone in a city filled with hate and accusing eyes.

Reviewer Amy Alessio says, "Readers will be drawn in through the well-researched inside look at Iran in the late 1970s and gain perspective on what the people in that time and place endured. A BITTER VEIL is so thought-provoking that it especially would be a great title for book clubs to discuss." We agree with Amy, which is why we're running a contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com where 20 readers will have the opportunity to win a copy of the book for their group. Click here for all the details. The deadline for entries is Friday, May 4th at noon ET.

Last week we shared, Eloisa James’ PARIS IN LOVE with you, along with an interview. I noted that I am picking this as my latest Bets On selection. You can read about why I selected this lovely literary escape here. Bring on the baguettes, the cheese and some rich dark chocolate!

Our poll this week asks, “What is the format of the book you are reading right now?” Weigh in here. By the way, in our poll last week, where we asked what genres people would like to see more of on Bookreporter.com, a number of you noted Christian books. I wanted to be sure you are aware of our website, FaithfulReader.com, which we update monthly with Christian content.

Many thanks to our reader, Betsy, who schooled me last week that it’s Dr Pepper with no period. Ah, the things I learn from our readers.

This Wednesday night I am scheduled to pick up my Book Givers’ box for World Book Night at the Clinton Book Shop in Clinton. I’m very excited that I’m giving away A RELIABLE WIFE by the aforementioned Robert Goolrick. Next week, I will explain why I am really excited about sharing this title --- there’s a real Bookreporter.com tie-in to it, besides the fact that it was one of my Bets On selections. If any of you are going to be Book Givers, be sure to let me know what you have been selected to give away and where you will be giving your books out.

For those of you who lead --- or facilitate --- book groups, I want to be sure that BookExpo America, the big book trade show, which will be held in New York from June 5th-7th, is on your agenda. Book Club Leaders/Facilitators (You must lead an official book group of at least 10 members and meet at least 10 times a year at a minimum.) are eligible to attend this industry-only event. You can see details on how to register here. Of special note to book groups, I will be moderating an event the morning of Wednesday, June 6th beginning at 9AM, which will give a look at the upcoming fall/winter books. We are still working out details for this program, which we are expanding from the format we have been using the last two years. More on this to come, but note you must be registered to attend the show in order to attend this session.

On the weekend agenda --- gorgeous weather, which may call for planting pansies. Cory is taking the ACT test tomorrow, and Greg is banging out some papers for school, including the start of a 40-page murder mystery novel that he has been having fun plotting. We were discussing it last night --- and I think we honed in on the perfect murder setup. Tom’s birthday is Monday, and his plans for celebrating include…you guessed it….golf and car racing! For me, more reading and a visit to the yarn store to “discuss” the neckline of a sweater that I made. WHY do I see ripping out in my future?

Happy Reading!!!

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)