September 27, 2019
 September 27, 2019Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com Reviews | Features | Bookreporter.com Bets On | Upcoming Bets On  Latest Update on Our GoFundMe Campaign: Thank you to those of you who already have donated to our GoFundMe campaign. So far we have raised $30,535 of our $50,000 goal, with online donations and checks. We have two goals in place with our videos and podcasts. Now it's on to getting our website redesigned to be mobile-responsive and updated! 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 couple of messages we received recently:  The official tie-in book for the Downton Abbey film adaptation    Carol's garden still has lots of color as you can see from the lovely flowers above. Happy Fall!Fall means that we have arrived at the time of the year when I want to start gluing leaves back on the trees. They are flying off the branches way too quickly. It’s time to close the pool as it is starting to be a big leaf catcher. Besides the leaves floating to the ground, the garden still has lots of color, which I am sharing with you in the photos above. This week could have used a few less distractions. First, they continued to install sprinklers in the office, which, while the work takes place after hours, meant that we did a lot of packing and unpacking. There is still a lot of patching and painting to be done; it’s better when I stare at my computer monitor instead of glancing at the ceiling. Our office is painted shades of gray/green that are in the same palette that the living room and dining room at our home are painted in, as I love an unconventional look in an office. But I am hoping that they match it all when they do touch-ups. Second, the United Nations had its annual meetings in the city this week, which meant that the traffic and noise was quite crazy. Motorcades were everywhere, large SUVs with diplomatic license plates, which was pretty interesting since the talk of many of the sessions was about climate change and carbon footprints. There were motorcades seemingly in constant movement, and the sirens and horn-honking had me flee the city. I only worked there two days as I loathe distractions like this. We interviewed two authors this week, which we will be airing in the weeks to come. There were stops for sirens more than once! While we are not posting a new video or podcast this week, you can catch up on “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews that you may have missed here on video and here on podcast. Our Nonfiction Author Spotlight of MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE wraps up this week with our review of the book and our interview with its author, Nefertiti Austin. The path to creating a family is almost never easy or straightforward. As a single African American woman, Nefertiti knew her journey would be more challenging than most. Eager to finally join the motherhood ranks, she felt discouraged by the roadblocks that seemed nearly insurmountable as she fought to adopt her son from the foster care system. Along the way, Nefertiti realized that American society saw motherhood through a primarily white lens, and that there would be no easy understanding or acceptance of the kind of family she hoped to build. Barbara Bamberger Scott has our review and says, “Austin shares valuable lessons, not only about race and culture, but also about adoption in general, single-parent adoption, family cohesion, and the exhausting demands of mothering.... Most importantly, [MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE] can serve as an inspiration as well as a sagely considered advisory for anyone embarking on the path to adoption." I had the opportunity to ask Nefertiti some questions about the book and her parenting journey; click here for her informative, thoughtful answers. Her story really resonated with me. Ta-Nehisi Coates, the National Book Award-winning author of BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME, has written his first novel, THE WATER DANCER, and it’s Oprah’s latest Book Club selection. The book revolves around Hiram Walker, who was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life. This brush with death causes Hiram to escape from the only home he’s ever known, leading to an unexpected journey. Even as he is enlisted in the underground war between slavers and the enslaved, Hiram’s resolve to rescue the family he left behind endures. Our reviewer Eileen Zimmerman Nicol calls THE WATER DANCER “a gripping read and an invaluable tale for anyone wanting to confront our shameful past --- and that should be everyone.” Click here to watch a video where Oprah raves about the book, and check out the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com here. THE WATER DANCER will be the first book club pick for Oprah’s new Apple TV+ show, “Oprah’s Book Club,” which will debut on November 1st and will feature a conversation between Oprah and Coates. Read more about this exciting new chapter of Oprah’s Book Club here. Ann Patchett’s latest novel, THE DUTCH HOUSE, is her first since COMMONWEALTH, which released three years ago. Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. Here’s what our reviewer Bronwyn Miller has to say about the book: “Tinged with fairy-tale touches, such as orphaned children, an old house and an evil stepmother, THE DUTCH HOUSE makes us care deeply for Danny and Maeve, and root for them to regain what’s rightfully theirs.” We also have a discussion guide, which you can take a look at here. THE DUTCH HOUSE is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes; the other is BLOODY GENIUS: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford, which we will review next week. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, October 4th at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win both these novels. Alice Hoffman returns with a new stand-alone novel, THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW, which opens in Berlin at a time when the world has changed. Hanni Kohn knows she must send her 12-year-old daughter away to save her from the Nazi regime. Ettie, the daughter of a renowned rabbi, offers hope of salvation when she creates a golem, a mystical Jewish creature, who is sworn to protect Lea. Once Ava is brought to life, she, Lea and Ettie become eternally entwined. Lea and Ava travel from Paris, where Lea meets her soulmate, to a convent in western France known for its silver roses. Meanwhile, Ettie is in hiding, waiting to become the fighter she’s destined to be. According to our reviewer Katherine B. Weissman, “[Hoffman’s] characteristic mix of realism and fantasy is strangely apt for a horror that is almost beyond description, enabling her to tell a story of pure evil, unfathomable loss and miraculous survival. Often I read it through tears, struck by the radiance of her writing and the sincerity of her purpose.” We also have a Q&A with Hoffman, where she gives us a sneak peek at the third book in her Practical Magic series, and a discussion guide. We’re awarding the audio version of THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW, read by Judith Light, along with Stephen King's THE INSTITUTE, read by Santino Fontana, in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, which is ending soon. Let us know by Tuesday, October 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to for your chance to win both these audio titles. Other books we’re reviewing this week include TALKING TO STRANGERS by Malcolm Gladwell, host of the podcast “Revisionist History” and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller OUTLIERS, which offers a powerful examination of our interactions with strangers --- and why they often go wrong; Caitlin Doughty’s humorously titled WILL MY CAT EAT MY EYEBALLS?, in which the bestselling author and mortician answers real questions from kids about death, dead bodies and decomposition; and DOMINICANA by Angie Cruz, a vital portrait of the immigrant experience and the timeless coming-of-age story of a young woman finding her voice in the world. ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay, which we reviewed last week, is my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Click here to find out why I’m betting you’ll love this heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Linwood was a recent guest in our “Bookreporter Talks To” series; you can watch the video interview here or listen to the podcast here. In this week’s Fall Preview contests, we gave away the paperback editions of THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah (a Bets On selection), THE LIGHT OVER LONDON by Julia Kelly, and A SPARK OF LIGHT by Jodi Picoult. Next week’s prizes will be ONE NIGHT GONE by Tara Laskowski; RIBBONS OF SCARLET: A Novel of the French Revolution's Women by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Sophie Perinot, Heather Webb and E. Knight; THE SHAPE OF NIGHT by Tess Gerritsen (which we will review next week); and WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU PEARS: The Healing Power of Family, Faith, and Funny People by Jeannie Gaffigan. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, September 30th at noon ET. Our poll continues to ask which of 20 paperbacks releasing this month you have read or are planning to read. Let us know by clicking here. I am peeking at your selections throughout the week, so do weigh in. News & Pop Culture Reader Mail: A few readers weighed in about Downton Abbey. Nancy said, “Saw Downton Abbey today, and it was wonderful. It was great to see all of the original cast (at least from when the TV show ended) back together (with a few additions), there were interesting storylines, lots of happy endings (and all kinds of kissing), and it seemed they laid the groundwork to possibly have another movie in the future. I would definitely support that, and hopefully the box office returns will as well. My only complaint is that it wasn’t as comfortable seeing in the theater as watching from my sofa!” Sherrie said, “Saw the movie over the weekend. And just hearing the intro music made me happy. I have missed this show. The movie was great, seeing the characters again. They all got their share of screen time. And, of course, Maggie Smith had the best lines. I highly recommend it. What’s funny, as I was leaving the show, two ladies in front of me said, 'I thought it would never end, it was longer than the Titanic movie.' If I was pressed, I would also say it went on long. But it was wonderful seeing a theater full of seniors. For once we outnumbered the kids. The manager was a little overwhelmed with the crowds. And the lady in front of me asked, 'How did you get to be the manager at 12?' We all laughed. He, however, was not amused.” Jean said, “I saw the movie yesterday, the first showing, at our local theater. It was FABULOUS!! If anyone is a fan of the TV show, the movie is an absolute MUST to see. What added to the movie for me was reading DOWNTON ABBEY: The Official Film Companion on Tuesday (before the movie). Not only does it have lots of pictures/photos of the cast/crew/settings, there is an abundant amount of info that I did not previously know. Such as: Tiaras were not worn in the evening unless the lady was married. Three tiaras in the ballroom scene are real diamond tiaras borrowed from a jeweler. The horse/canon unit is an actual English unit, and the major(?) who speaks to the King had to get special dispensation from the English Actors Guild to speak in the movie, etc. For no particular reason, we do not go to many movies. I have been impatiently waiting for months for this one and was absolutely not going to miss it. I am planning on seeing this movie again next week. Even after three years, Sunday evenings don't seem right without Downton Abbey. Pat wrote this about Laura Lippman’s LADY IN THE LAKE: “I won this book in a recent Sounding Off on Audio contest, and I was delighted to receive this book that I had on my 'to read' list. The setting is Baltimore in the 1960s, and Maddie has decided that she wants more out of her 20-year marriage and leaves her husband and son. But what’s next? She and a friend volunteer to assist in the search for a missing teenager. They discover her dead body in the woods, and the surrounding events lead her to pursue a job at the Baltimore Sun newspaper. Maddie then becomes obsessed when another discovery of a body of the lady in the lake leads her as a reporter to uncover details of the victim’s life by interviewing family and friends. I admit I never saw the surprise ending coming. A great read that I will share with many more listeners.” Mary Ann wrote this about winning KOPP SISTERS ON THE MARCH by Amy Stewart in a recent Fall Preview contest: “What a surprise! I love the Kopp Sisters series and have read the first two books. Thank you so much for the win!” Deb wrote about my desire to start weaving: “I am an avid knitter and started weaving about three years ago, and I love it. It is a different way to play with yarn (and, yes, you can use yarn from your knitting stash). I take 'classes' at the Chicago Weaving School, and after about two months in, I bought a loom to use at home. I feel like I have more flexibility to design my own fabric vs. knitting and enjoy that part almost as much as the actual weaving. Take a class and see if you like it. Happy Reading and Weaving.” I think I found a place where I can take a private lesson to learn to weave; I see this as a way to work my way through my yarn stash. Maureen wrote, “I always look forward to your weekly newsletter. This week I have to tell you that I love your turquoise and green shawl. It is magnificent.” Thanks, Maureen! I knitted it about 15 years ago, and it’s still a favorite! "This Is Us" Season Opener: One of the things I have liked about this show is the way it unfolds much like a book. However, if this season’s first episode was a book in a series, I am betting that readers would have tossed it aside as they would be lost in trying to figure out what was going on. The number of characters who came into the storyline was too many for me. I found myself thinking about how this was going to be cleverly nailed at some point, but then I felt more lost than moored and cared less and less about what was going on. Unlike the first episode of the first season, which had a great aha moment, here I felt like they were trying too hard to make things work and were trying tooooo hard to be clever. Not sure if you agree. Here is an article from Variety and another from Forbes. They already have said they are going in a more “expected” direction next week. This is Fun: "All the people in the world are of the same age this year! It’s amazing: this year all the people in the world are all in the same age group, all equal to 2019. This year is special. It happens only once every 1,000 years. This year your age + your year of birth, each individual is = 2019." Have fun with it…and if anyone can tell me the reason why, I am all ears. Last weekend, we had a blast celebrating my dad’s 90th birthday. It started with dinner in a private room on Saturday night, and then Sunday we headed to the beach. We had always joked that we would all bodysurf on Dad’s 90th birthday. Luckily there were huge riptides, and we were warned not to hit the water, so we did not have to play this one through. I was volunteering to photograph the event! That night, we hit some of our favorite places for dinner and ice cream; it was nice for Dad to get to celebrate in what is his most happy place. Luckily the weather cooperated as well. Tonight I am looking forward to dinner with my friend, Mindy, who is in town from LA; she is an author and a screenwriter, and one of the funniest people I know. The last time she had dinner here, we fried some tacos and there was a grease fire that required a fire extinguisher. Tonight we are playing it safer with homemade pizza; we do not want to cue the fire department! Greg is flying to Charlotte to do some off-roading with a friend for an article that he is working on. Cory is heading into the city with friends for a concert. I have a stack of reading that is intimidating me, so I want to get cracking on that. I am sure Tom will play golf. To all of our Jewish readers, we wish you a Happy New Year. Enjoy celebrating!    Featured Review:  THE WATER DANCER by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Historical Fantasy/Magical Realism) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett  THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett (Fiction) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review.  Our Interview with Nefertiti Austin   In MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE, an unflinching account of her parenting journey, Nefertiti Austin examines the history of adoption in the African American community, faces off against stereotypes of single, Black motherhood, and confronts the reality of raising children of color in racially charged, modern-day America. Austin talks to Carol Fitzgerald, the president and co-founder of The Book Report Network, about her decision to write a book that focuses on her path to becoming a mother, her shock and disappointment over the lack of parenting books for Black women who choose to adopt like her, the advice she would give to a single mother looking to adopt, and her outlook regarding the prospects for her two children and other Black youth growing up in America at this time. MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America by Nefertiti Austin (Memoir) An Interview with Alice Hoffman   In 1941, during humanity’s darkest hour, three young women must act with courage and love to survive. This is the premise of Alice Hoffman’s spellbinding new novel, THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW, which is set mainly in France during the Nazi occupation. In this interview, Hoffman discusses her inspiration for the book; how she used magic to reach the emotional heart of such a cruel time in history; the research she conducted, which included traveling to France and visiting the chateaus where Jewish children were sent when they were separated from their parents; the character in the novel who moved her the most; and her next project, which is sure to excite readers of her Practical Magic series. THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction/Magical Realism) Featured Review: TALKING TO STRANGERS  TALKING TO STRANGERS: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell (Psychology/Social Science) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review. Featured Review: WILL MY CAT EAT MY EYEBALLS?  WILL MY CAT EAT MY EYEBALLS?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death by Caitlin Doughty (Sociology) - Click here to read more about the book. Click here to read our review.  Bookreporter.com Bets On:  ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay (Psychological Thriller) It opens briskly with an elevator plunging, killing everyone on it, including a man disguised as a FedEx delivery guy who was there trying to slip his script to an entertainment executive. Yes, this scene quickly becomes the ultimate “elevator pitch.” And the double entendre is perfect Linwood style! This elevator dashing down is just the beginning. Soon there are others, and it’s clear that there is some kind of a conspiracy awry. It is terrorism? There’s no one making claim to what’s going on, which makes events even more disconcerting. Then a man is found dead on the High Line, and he’s missing his fingertips. Was he involved? Who killed him? Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.  Bookreporter.com's Fall Preview Contests and Feature Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. To celebrate the arrival of fall, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about in the days and months to come. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days in September and October, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here. Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, September 30th at noon ET. This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details    What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com We currently have two contests running on ReadingGroupGuides.com: Special Contest: Win a Copy of IF ONLY I COULD TELL YOU by Hannah Beckerman "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Win 12 Copies of HEARTLAND by Sarah Smarsh for Your Group Here are our latest featured guides:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com    More Reviews This WeekDOMINICANA by Angie Cruz (Historical Fiction) NO JUDGMENTS by Meg Cabot (Romance) A COSMOLOGY OF MONSTERS by Shaun Hamill (Horror) THE MONSTER OF ELENDHAVEN by Jennifer Giesbrecht (Dark Fantasy) THE LIAR by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen (Fiction) LIVE A LITTLE by Howard Jacobson (Fiction) STONE MOTHERS by Erin Kelly (Psychological Thriller)   
Next Week’s Notables:
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