September 25, 2015

Last weekend, we pulled an old favorite cookbook, Bobby Flay’s BOY MEETS GRILL, off the shelf and made the flatbreads you can see above. Tom made pizza dough instead of flatbread dough (they are very similar, and we did not have enough time for all the steps in Flay’s recipe), and it still was terrific. Want to try it? I found this video online where Flay demonstrates how to make it, and here is the recipe for one of the flatbreads that we made. This cookbook came out in 1999, but I still love it! I made roasted tomato catsup from it a few weeks ago, and it was fabulous! And I made a regular burger into a delight on an onion roll.

There's been lots of excitement with the Pope in town yesterday and today. Greg figured that today when the Pope traveled from Central Park to Madison Square Garden, the route would be past our offices and he raced down to see that! I caught some of the coverage last night, and it was lovely to see people moved by someone who was walking the walk and talking the talk by spending time with his people --- the ordinary folks, the poor and the ill --- instead of the political drama and celebrity-driven drivel that dominates most of our culture. Truly inspiring.

On Tuesday evening, very spur of the moment, Greg, Nicole and I decided to go see Everest in IMAX 3D. The previews had us looking forward to this, especially that treacherous walk across the Khumbu Icefall that is at 17,999 feet, not far from Base Camp on Everest. This is the walk where you traverse the icefall, which is typically moving as it melts and freezes, via ladders with crampons on. There is no one part of this that I would like to experience! But watching from my movie seat, count me in. The film is very well done, and kudos to the crew for the shots done on location, though I thought the IMAX was good, not great. Also, the film took poetic license on some of the events to keep the story moving --- as in Beck was the second person choppered out, not the first. As I had read three books about this particular adventure, I was filling in Greg and Nicole on details as we walked back to the office.

On the drive home, Greg was reading me pieces off the Internet as he was looking for more of the story. The next day, Nicole added that she, too, had spent time online reading background material. I had done my pre-movie homework and read three books. While he has the smallest part in the film (on screen, just there for a few seconds), I think that Lou Kasischke’s book, AFTER THE WIND, is the one I would suggest as I like both his perspective and the beautiful illustrations (there are 52 of them) done by Jane Cardinal. You can see some here. He was one of the consultants on the film. The book is out in hardcover now and is coming in paperback on October 8th. You can read more about it later in the newsletter; I am selecting it as a Bookreporter.com Bets On title and will have my commentary in early October. Many of you read Jon Krakauer’s INTO THIN AIR when it published in 1997, but I think that Lou has a longer lens perspective.

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Jackie Collins following a secret six-and-a-half-year battle with Stage IV breast cancer. World famous for her glamorous and raunchy tales of Hollywood life, Collins was the author of nearly 30 New York Times bestselling novels, sold in more than 40 countries. She leaves behind a devoted readership of millions, three grown daughters, and sister Joan. I offered my thoughts to USA Today on the keys to her success and her overall legacy. Click here to read the article.

Early staffers at The Book Report Network have our own memories of Jackie Collins. She would call the office and chat at length with whoever answered the phone as she waited to talk to Jesse, our Editorial Director. Whoever she spoke with would be smiling later as she had an ability to make everyone feel on top of the world! She also was inquisitive and asked many questions, which we loved. She will be missed...and how perfect it is that she did it “her way,” keeping her story quiet until the end. However, I was saddened to read last night that she felt a lump for two years before she had it checked out; she truly thought it was benign. She does not want anyone else to do this. So, in tribute to her, may our female readers note to make appointments to get mammograms, do self-checks and ask tons of questions of their doctors, and may our male readers remind them to make these appointments. Celebrate when this is done! Jackie would have suggested champagne!

On to this week’s lineup….

EAT, PRAY, LOVE author Elizabeth Gilbert has long inspired her readers to live their lives to the fullest. In her new book, BIG MAGIC: Creative Living Beyond Fear, she deconstructs her own creative process to share her unique wisdoms about life, fear and inspiration. Drawing upon her profound empathy and cheerful disposition, Gilbert shows readers how to identify what they most love and face what they most fear. She then discusses the attitudes and habits we must adopt in order to live our most creative, enriched lives.

Stephen Febick has our review and says, “This is a book of invaluable advice and the ultimate literary pep talk. I imagine Gilbert as someone who, despite her success, has never strayed too far from that young writer who wrote ferociously to get to where she is and literally made vows to the universe that she would write forever, regardless of the result.”

Jan Karon invites readers to return to scenic Mitford for a beautiful wedding in COME RAIN OR COME SHINE. First introduced in AT HOME IN MITFORD, Father Tim Kavanagh’s adopted son, Dooley, has long captured the hearts of readers. Now Dooley has graduated from veterinary school and opened his own animal clinic. Although money is tight, he and Lace Harper decide to continue with plans for their wedding, eliminating the cost of catering by hosting a potluck. With the barn cleaned out and a friend bringing his popular country band, it seems like nothing could go wrong --- but it’s the surprises that will make the day memorable.

Reviewer Melanie Reynolds has the following suggestion: “Choose a cup of your favorite tea and your most comfortable chair, and settle in with the Mitford characters, new and old, whom we’ve all come to love as you open COME RAIN OR COME SHINE. Jan Karon has done it again.”

Legendary author Lawrence Block returns with a new stand-alone mystery, THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES. After spending 24 years with the NYPD, Doak Miller needed a change of pace. Now he works as a private investigator in small-town Florida, doing jobs for the local police. His latest case requires him to pose as a hitman and approach a local wife looking to get rid of her husband. The job seems easy enough until he looks into her beautiful blue eyes. Before Doak knows it, he’s working with her, plotting to free her from her husband and put millions in her bank account --- all at the risk of landing in jail himself.

Tom Callahan raves in his review, “In case you needed more proof, THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES establishes once and for all that Lawrence Block is among the greatest mystery writers America has ever produced. His work ranks up there in noir with names like Hammett, Chandler, James M. Cain and Jim Thompson.” Tom was lucky enough to ask Lawrence some questions about the book, his prolific career and his future plans. Click here to read the interview.

Swedish police detective Patrik Hedström and his writer wife, Erica, return in Camilla Läckberg’s THE DROWNING. Here, readers are introduced to Christian Thydell, a young man who has just published his debut novel, The Mermaid, to rave reviews. Despite this grand accomplishment, Christian is as unhappy as ever --- and receiving anonymous threats. When Erica learns of these threats, she sets out to investigate the source, as well as Christian’s mysterious past. When one of Christian’s closest friends goes missing, Patrik gets involved. As he and Erica investigate Christian’s tangled web of friends, it becomes clear that a dark secret is hidden beneath the complicated love triangles and family secrets.

According to reviewer Ray Palen, “THE DROWNING may be [Läckberg's] finest work to date; it’s a cold-as-steel chiller that will get deep under your skin and threaten to stay there…. Her plotting is first-rate, and I defy any of you not to push yourself past the point of breathlessness as you turn the pages of this top-notch thriller that will stay with you for a long time to come.” I am reading it --- and loving it. If you have not explored Läckberg yet, try this or my Bookreporter.com Bets On selection from last year, THE HIDDEN CHILD. I never declare a Bets On until I finish a book, but THE DROWNING is heading that way. Also, for those of you who liked "Broadchurch," THE DROWNING has a feel like that.

I have two Bets On picks to share with you this week, both of which we reviewed in last week’s newsletter. First up is Charles Belfoure’s riveting Gilded Age drama, HOUSE OF THIEVES. Rich with history, architectural imagery and crime, it’s not only a terrific story but also a fascinating snapshot of 19th-century New York City. Click here for my thoughts on the book.

My second Bets On selection is THE LAST SEPTEMBER by Nina de Gramont. Here, readers meet Brett and Charlie, a married couple living in Cape Cod with their young child. When Charlie’s troubled brother moves in with them, old and new tensions alike are brought to the surface, leading to an unpredictable tragedy. As Charlie navigates her changed life, she must grapple with her love, loyalty and grief. Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book.

In this week’s Fall Preview contests, we gave away KILLERS by Howie Carr, along with the aforementioned HOUSE OF THIEVES, THE DROWNING, THE HIDDEN CHILD and AFTER THE WIND (Everest opens wide today). Next week’s prize books will be THE LAST MIDWIFE by Sandra Dallas (I read this one, and once again Dallas has nailed her storytelling) and PRETTY GIRLS by Karin Slaughter. The first contest of the week will go up on Tuesday, September 29th at noon ET.

We’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, books we’ve reviewed on Teenreads.com that we think our adult readers will enjoy. This month we have new titles from Brian Selznick (THE MARVELS; I love the beautiful art in this book and the gilded edges, both of which make it a rich-looking holiday gift), Neil Gaiman (THE SLEEPER AND THE SPINDLE) and M. T. Anderson (SYMPHONY FOR THE CITY OF THE DEAD), along with CHILD SOLDIER: When Boys and Girls Are Used in War by Michel Chikwanine and Jessica Dee Humphreys and OUT OF DARKNESS by Ashley Hope Pérez.

How long does it typically take for you to read a book that’s between 350 and 400 pages? Vote in our latest poll and let us know! This question is coming out of my research into reader habits and behavior, so please take a moment to weigh in!

In our previous poll, we wanted to know if you listen to podcasts or digital narrative radio, and, if so, what topics are covered in the shows that you listen to. Click here for all the results.

We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about this week. Let us know by Friday, October 9th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll be in the running to win the aforementioned THE LAST MIDWIFE, along with THE HEART GOES LAST by Margaret Atwood and THE SECRET CHORD by Geraldine Brooks.

There are just a few days left in our current Sounding Off on Audio contest. Let us know by Thursday, October 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll have the chance to win the audio versions of both Lee Child’s MAKE ME: A Jack Reacher Novel, read by Dick Hill, and Philippa Gregory’s THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN, read by Bianca Amato. Please note that going forward these contests will be monthly and kick off on the first day of each month, which will be next Thursday!

News and Pop Culture:

Reader Mail: Nice note from a reader named Cam, who said, “This has been my ‘go to’ site for a long time, and while I subscribe to others, this is my favorite.” Shared it with the staff and it made our day. Then Gretchen weighed in with word about a waterproof fitness device that she uses for water aerobics called Misfit Shine, which I am going to look into. Let no step go uncounted!

Banned Books Week: Since 1982, the American Library Association (ALA) has designated a seven-day period to raise awareness for book censorship and the freedom to read. It kicks off on Saturday, and the theme this year is Young Adult books. In 2014, 311 challenges were reported to the ALA, meaning that people raised complaints about the content of books. However, as Kristin Pekoll, the Assistant Director of the Office of Intellectual Freedom, reminded people who attended the recent Young to Publishing Group panel on Children’s Censorship, 85% of challenged books aren’t reported to the ALA. That means there were probably more than 2,000 challenges in 2014 --- whoa!

Shara Zaval, our Teenreads.com Editorial Manager, has put together two terrific features to spotlight this. First, she has a feature with 17 of the most frequently banned YA books, ranging from THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie to TTYL by Lauren Myracle. She asked one YA author and one or two Teen Board members to answer questions about the books that spoke most to them. We’ve been featuring one book every weekday since September 17th and will continue until Friday, October 9th.

Also, every year on Teenreads, we update our Ultimate Reading List --- a list of more than 400 titles that we think make perfect pleasure reading for teens. Books that are compelling, beautifully written, pure fun, thought-provoking or edge-of-your-seat gripping. Books that we would hand to someone and say, “Read this!” This year, to celebrate Banned Books Week, we made a special version of the Ultimate Reading List that only features books that have been banned in at least one school or library in the United States. On this list are 85 books --- that's more than a fifth of the whole list! Please go to the Ultimate Reading list page here to download the banned books version.

Damon Tweedy, author of BLACK MAN IN A WHITE COAT: Found this terrific interview with Dr. Tweedy. This is an excellent book, worth both reading and discussing.

Room: So looking forward to this film, based on the bestselling book by Emma Donoghue. Early buzz on it has been great as it won the Grolsch People’s Choice Award at the 40th Annual Toronto International Film Festival; it already got accolades at the Telluride Film Festival. Read more here. I would love to attend a film festival at some point!

"Serial" Season Two: We learned this week that season two of "Serial" will focus on Bowe Bergdahl, “the American army sergeant accused of desertion in Afghanistan. Bergdahl was subsequently captured and imprisoned by the Taliban, and finally released in a prisoner exchange.” I sure hope this is better than the second season of "True Detective."

Season Finales: "Ray Donovan" and "Masters of Sex." Both air this week. To me, "Ray Donovan" is one of the fastest-paced shows; I always feel like there is so much jammed into each hour. If you watch, see how quickly each scene moves. They literally jump in and out of each scene, but it still has enough detail.

J.K. Rowling: Her detective books, the Cormoran Strike mysteries --- the ones she writes under the pen name "Robert Galbraith" --- are to become a BBC series.

"Scandal": Season five kicked off last night. Much better opener than last year, though I needed more of a refresher on where we left off last season, even with the flashbacks at the beginning.

"The Affair": Season two kicks off on October 4th, and I have been lucky enough to preview the first two episodes. Last year, it was told from the perspectives of Noah and Alison. This year, the story will be told from four perspectives: Noah and Alison, and Helen and Cole. Looking at the action from every perspective is so interesting. It makes me think how we each see the world through our own lens.

Music Video: Talking about this, I am remembering the early days of MTV! Katia Lief, a mystery/thriller author, shared a link with me to a video that Lady Gaga has released that speaks to sexual abuse of women on college campuses today. It’s graphic, but very, very thought-provoking.

Tom and I are headed to the beach this weekend to stay with our friends Beverley and Don. Tom has been at the BMW Club’s Annual Oktoberfest event since Thursday morning as he is instructing race car instructors and drivers as part of their club driving school. Greg is going to be curling in Bucks County again on Sunday; he told me this week that his club’s ending event will have a Harry Potter theme. I am sure we have a costume for that!

The pool is still open…and I am determined to get a few more swims in in the next few weeks! And it’s time to get some mums!

Read on, and have a great week!

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

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

Lawrence Block has won more awards than almost any other living mystery writer and has been named Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America. His latest book, THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES, follows private investigator Doak Miller, a retired NYPD officer now residing in small-town Florida. Miller does small jobs for the local police force, until an encounter with a femme fatale leads to his fall from grace. In this interview conducted by Bookreporter.com's Tom Callahan, Block discusses the philosophy behind the creation of his characters; his writing process, which is very organic and largely inspiration-based; and his upcoming projects and plans --- or lack thereof.

THE GIRL WITH THE DEEP BLUE EYES by Lawrence Block (Hard-boiled Mystery)
Cashed out from the NYPD after 24 years, Doak Miller operates as a private eye in steamy small-town Florida, doing jobs for the local police. Like posing as a hit man and wearing a wire to incriminate a local wife who’s looking to get rid of her husband. But when he sees the wife, when he looks into her deep blue eyes, he falls --- and falls hard. Soon he’s working with her, against his employer, plotting a devious plan that could get her free from her husband and put millions in her bank account. But can they do it without landing in jail? Reviewed by Tom Callahan.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

• AFTER THE WIND: Tragedy on Everest --- One Survivor's Story by Lou Kasischke
• ALONG THE INFINITE SEA by Beatriz Williams
• DEPRAVED HEART: A Scarpetta Novel by Patricia Cornwell
• THE DROWNING by Camilla Läckberg
• THE HIDDEN CHILD by Camilla Läckberg
• HOUSE OF THIEVES by Charles Belfoure
• KEEPER'S REACH: A Sharpe & Donovan Novel by Carla Neggers
• KILLERS by Howie Carr
• THE LAST MIDWIFE by Sandra Dallas
• THE LAST SEPTEMBER by Nina de Gramont
• LOST OCEAN: An Inky Adventure & Coloring Book by Johanna Basford
• PLAYING WITH FIRE by Tess Gerritsen
• PRETTY GIRLS by Karin Slaughter
• THE SAME SKY by Amanda Eyre Ward
• TWAIN'S END by Lynn Cullen
• VANESSA AND HER SISTER by Priya Parmar
• YOU'RE THE BEST: A Celebration of Friendship by The Satellite Sisters
  

• MARRIED SEX: A Love Story by Jesse Kornbluth
  Deadline for entries: September 28th at noon ET
• MY BRILLIANT FRIEND by Elena Ferrante
  Deadline for entries: October 7th at noon ET
• THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN by Philippa Gregory
  Deadline for entries: October 7th at noon ET

• THE ART OF MEMOIR by Mary Karr
• BETRAYED: A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel by Lisa Scottoline
• CIRCLING THE SUN by Paula McLain
• THE HUMMINGBIRD by Stephen P. Kiernan
• MY BRILLIANT FRIEND by Elena Ferrante
• ONLY THE ANIMALS: Stories by Ceridwen Dovey
• PURITY by Jonathan Franzen
• THE REPUBLIC OF IMAGINATION: America in Three Books by Azar Nafisi
• THE SECRET PLACE by Tana French
• SIT! STAY! SPEAK! by Annie England Noblin
• THE SPARROW SISTERS by Ellen Herrick
• THE TAMING OF THE QUEEN by Philippa Gregory
• WELCOME TO BRAGGSVILLE by T. Geronimo Johnson
• WHITE DRESSES: A Memoir of Love and Secrets, Mothers and Daughters by Mary Pflum Peterson
• WILBERFORCE by H. S. Cross

• DEEP DOWN DARK: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free by Héctor Tobar
• DR. MUTTER'S MARVELS: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz
• GUTENBERG'S APPRENTICE by Alix Christie
• NOT FADE AWAY: A Memoir of Senses Lost and Found by Rebecca Alexander with Sascha Alper
• A SUDDEN LIGHT by Garth Stein
• 'TIL THE WELL RUNS DRY by Lauren Francis-Sharma

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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 September 25th to October 9th, five lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE HEART GOES LAST by Margaret Atwood, THE LAST MIDWIFE by Sandra Dallas, and THE SECRET CHORD by Geraldine Brooks.

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.