March 27, 2020

Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com

We have two new "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews to share with you.
First up is Kate Elizabeth Russell, who talked to Carol about her debut novel, MY DARK VANESSA,
which is a #1 Indie Next pick and a LibraryReads Top Pick for this month.
Click on the photo above for the video and here for the podcast.

Our second interview is with Therese Anne Fowler, whose latest novel,
A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, is this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick
and a Bets On selection. Click on the photo above for the video and here for the podcast.

Carol is reading and enjoying ALL ADULTS HERE by Emma Straub, which releases on May 4th.

World-renowned chef Floyd Cardoz passed away this week from the coronavirus. His cookbook,
ONE SPICE, TWO SPICE: American Food, Indian Flavors, is a favorite of Carol and her family.

One last amaryllis bloomed at Carol's house. It brought so much joy this week!

Carol baked a batch of chocolate cupcakes this week. Since she didn't have any frosting on hand,
she's now calling them chocolate muffins. She had one for breakfast the other day, and it hit the spot.

Carol talks about this week's Bookreporter update in our latest promo video.

“Ain’t No Stopping Us Now!”

Crazy times call for us to get inventive. So on Wednesday, my son Greg shot our promo video of what we are going to share on the site this week in our family room. This means we now have two rooms in our house that are “sets” for shooting. The dining room is where I slide into for “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews. We have lights hung on a ladder in there and have draped blankets to cut down on the echo. Greg has loaned me a table he bought when the Plaza Hotel in New York was being renovated to use for displaying the featured book behind me. We are making it up as we go!

That said, I am incredibly proud of the two interviews that we are bringing you this week, with Kate Elizabeth Russell and Therese Anne Fowler. While it’s easy to grab chemistry with an author when you're in the same room, it’s a challenge to bridge a relationship across screens. I am so lucky that I had met both of these authors in the past, so we had shared some common ground in person. It really helped.

Kate Elizabeth Russell's debut novel, MY DARK VANESSA, is a #1 Indie Next pick and a LibraryReads Top Pick for this month. It explores the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher. We had an in-depth discussion about why Kate wrote this book over many years, how she found Vanessa’s voice, and the complicated realities that confuse love with abuse. Click here to watch the interview and here to listen to the podcast.

I also had a wonderful time chatting with Therese Anne Fowler, whose latest novel, A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, tells the story of two neighboring families struggling against each other as their community is ripped apart. It is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club selection and a recent Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Therese and I talked about writing during this pandemic, how communities have changed with our times, and the ways in which her characters react to each other’s identities, among many other topics. Click here to watch the interview and here to listen to the podcast.

An interesting note: I had read both books a while ago, so I refreshed myself on their storylines and topics that I wanted to address by listening to them on audio. Both are brilliant audio experiences (we share audio clips at the end of their respective podcasts to give you a listen). The audiobook of MY DARK VANESSA includes a discussion between Kate and her editor.

I thank Greg for his steady hands on shooting the promo video, for catching my errors that needed reshooting, and for doing a setup so our producer Austin was able to slide in the covers we needed so perfectly.

Tom Donadio walked 50+ blocks each way to the office twice in the past week to grab the mail and take inventory of deliveries. There is no way that I want any of us on the subway at this moment, so I appreciate his going an extra mile or two, or probably four, for us.

It takes a village, and I am beyond lucky to have the villagers I work with!

As you know, we have been running a fundraiser to help us continue to improve The Book Report Network. We are a small business, and these are challenging times, thus all donations coming our way are going towards ensuring that we can keep operating and delivering you the content that you have come to expect. Our redesign has moved a tad to the backburner for the moment. So, if you are so inclined, here’s our GoFundMe link, or we are happy to receive checks at the office. Things are in so much flux these days; I want to be sure that we can keep our small but intrepid team going, as well as cover the cost that goes into delivering these sites and this newsletter. The less time I have to spend worrying about the math, the more we can continue to bring you the content we so love providing for you.

When not prepping for interviews, I am reading. Yes, I am very happy to escape with a book. Right now it’s Emma Straub’s ALL ADULTS HERE, which is terrific and releases on May 4th. In it, a mother and her three adult children are all coming to terms with who they are in life today. Let’s just say they are not the versions of themselves that they once imagined, but they are still family --- and it’s challenging to share their lives now, but onward they stride. Knowing how many families are thrust into lots of crazy scenarios of living together and apart during the current health crisis, my head is whirring as I read this one. These people would really have a tough time quarantining together.

Sad news this week as I read of the passing of Floyd Cardoz from the virus. While he was touted as the winner of "Top Chef Masters," I remembered him as the chef at Tabla, which was one of my favorite New York restaurants, and the author of the cookbook ONE SPICE, TWO SPICE: American Food, Indian Flavors, which has long been a favorite in our house. I think that many sad moments like this are going to weave into our lives in the weeks to come. I am going to cook from this book this weekend to honor him.

And now to this week’s update…

Emily St. John Mandel follows up her award-winning 2014 bestseller, STATION ELEVEN, with THE GLASS HOTEL. This highly anticipated new novel revolves around two seemingly disparate events: a massive Ponzi scheme collapse and the mysterious disappearance of a woman from a ship at sea. Norah Piehl has our review and says, “Mandel shows, in countless ways, just how tenuous our lives can be, how easily illusions evaporate and relationships dissolve. Her writing is perceptive and expressive, constructing a novel that is simultaneously complex and compelling, worthy of either a slow read or a breathless one.”

I interviewed Emily years ago when STATION ELEVEN was a BookExpo Buzz book. I am sharing this link to a Zoom interview that she did the night of the book’s release with Greenlight Bookstore.

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN is National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich’s latest New York Times bestseller. It is based on the extraordinary life of her grandfather, who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C. Our reviewer Leah DeCesare calls the book “honest, mystical and immersive” and goes on to say, “This clever, artful and compelling novel tells an important story, one to open our hearts and minds. If you’re looking for a book that is smart and discussable, tender and painful, riveting and elegant, you’ll find it in THE NIGHT WATCHMAN.” We also are featuring the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.

We’re awarding the audio edition of THE NIGHT WATCHMAN (read by Erdrich herself), along with Kate Elizabeth Russell's aforementioned MY DARK VANESSA (read by Grace Gummer), in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll have an opportunity to win both these audio titles. The contest ends on Wednesday, April 1st at noon ET, so please be sure to enter before then.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE LAST ODYSSEY, the 15th installment in James Rollins’ Sigma Force series --- to save the world and our future, Sigma Force must embark on a dangerous odyssey into an ancient past whose horrors are all too present; DEACON KING KONG, a new novel from National Book Award winner James McBride about what happens to the witnesses of a shooting; A REASONABLE DOUBT, Phillip Margolin’s latest thriller featuring Robin Lockwood, in which a magician linked to three murders and suspicious deaths years ago disappears in the middle of his new act; and THE DEEP by Alma Katsu (the acclaimed and award-winning author of THE HUNGER), which puts an eerie, psychological twist on one of the world's most renowned tragedies --- the sinking of the Titanic and the ill-fated sail of its sister ship, the Britannic.

THE LAST ODYSSEY is one of our Word of Mouth contest books; the other is DEVOTED by Dean Koontz, which we will review next week. Let us know by Friday, April 3rd at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these thrillers.

In this week’s Spring Preview contest, we gave away THE FRIENDSHIP LIST by Susan Mallery, which releases on May 26th. At the moment, there will be no giveaways next week (but things can always be added, so keep your eye on the site). We will return the week of April 6th with our next two prize books: THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by Lisa Wingate (I am looking forward to interviewing her soon!) and THE ENGINEER’S WIFE by Tracey Enerson Wood, both of which will be on sale April 7th.

Our poll continues to ask about your reading habits during these very difficult times. Are you reading more, less or about the same? Have you been exploring e-books as they are more readily accessible these days than hardcovers or paperbacks? Please let us know by casting your votes here. As always, I love to follow your comments.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail: There was lots of reader mail this week. Here's a selection of it.

Martha wrote a note about our interview with Harlan Coben that really made me smile: "When I began watching this interview, I thought I would watch five minutes, tops! However, your interview was so well done, I couldn't stop, telling myself that during our period of social distancing this was a great distraction. Thank you for this...your interview approach and questions were excellent. And in return, Coben's participation appeared to be so genuine and unrehearsed. I think he enjoyed doing the interview with you. So hats off to you. I will begin paying attention to this segment of Bookreporter's services and watch more."

Mac wrote, "What an outstanding newsletter you give us. Thank you! I contributed to your expansion and used your info on the book festivals to help us bring the first Sisters Festival of Books last year. Thank you, it was a huge success. I have attended the Edinburgh International Book Festival for the last five years. Have you thought about going? If not, I can give you my take on the Festival for your newsletter; it’s the highlight of my year! Please keep up your incredible newsletter. I don’t know how you do it! With great admiration and thanks." Mac, I would love you to cover Edinburgh for us! I will be in touch.

Alex, one of our former staffers, wrote, "Loved reading the newsletter...especially in a time like this! There will be more books in my future, I think. I thought you may find it humorous that a few weeks before this all started, I began reading Stephen King’s THE STAND (in anticipation of the CBS miniseries). It is such a long book, and I am still not finished. Talk about poor timing on my part! I am reading it on my Kindle, which is perfect for a 1,500-page book. I wonder what old favorites you could recommend that I could try borrowing digitally from the library. (I STILL have not read THE HELP.) Perhaps that could be an interesting newsletter feature as this drags on." That's definitely an idea for something we can do. I am thinking of perusing my older Bets On titles for ones to recommend.

Selma wrote, "I am rereading books that I had read in high school and loving them: A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR. I plan to save them for my teenage granddaughter. I am now reading THE DUTCH HOUSE. I just finished THE OTHER EINSTEIN. I look forward to your newsletter on Friday. Stay well."

I got this note from a reader who won copies of THE BOY FROM THE WOODS and A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD in our Word of Mouth contest: "What a wonderful surprise. I am looking forward to receiving these books and understand why it may take longer to receive them. Many thanks!!!!!"

Another reader wrote this about winning BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN: “Red-letter day! Our hardworking mail person delivered a copy of Diane Chamberlain's BIG LIES IN A SMALL TOWN, which I won in Bookreporter's Spring Preview contest. Our local library is closed until June 30th, so a glorious new book could not have come at a better time! Thank you so much, Carol and crew."

Ingrid wrote, "Hope you are fit and safe as well as your dear ones! Challenging times...let’s hang in there and read good books. Like you, I started working from home last week and have taught my first online classes ever since. Lots to learn, but rewarding! Hope your parents are healthy too; my mum (99) is vulnerable, but sticking to her daily routine!"

Cynthia wrote, "What a treat! Perfect timing. While we're shut in, I have caught up on your delightful interviews with authors and made a long 'want to read' list. Thanks for fabulous newsletters."

"Little Fires Everywhere": WHOA…I am through four episodes, and this show is crackling good. Check it out on Hulu. Next, I am going to delve into the second season of "The Handmaid’s Tale."

"Homeland": Season 8 continues to be well done. I cannot wait to see how this final season wraps.

"This Is Us": Hmmmm on the season finale. We learned a lot, and the show shot into some new directions, but I have found prior finales to be stronger.

"The Undoing" on HBO: The premiere of this six-part limited series adaptation of Jean Hanff Korelitz's novel, YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, which was originally supposed to premiere in May, will be delayed until this fall due to the pandemic. This will give you time to read the book!

Paul Simon Sings "Slip Slidin' Away": He’s at his home in Hawaii, but he shared this video of him singing.

Important Book Buying Note: For your online shopping, we would love for you to continue to support the many small booksellers around the country by searching for one here and buying from them. Also, there is a new US bookseller that is supporting indies called Bookshop.org. We will be signing an affiliate agreement with them in the next week. This will be replacing the IndieBound link shortly. For those in the UK, you can support UK booksellers by shopping on Hive.

Amazon.com, BN.com and Books-A-Million are also still getting books out from their warehouses. You can shop through them as well.

We still are recommending Libro.fm for audiobooks; you can designate an indie store to receive credit for your purchase.

And libraries that are closed continue to loan e-books, digital audio and other digital materials.

This week, my husband made an 11-pound ham, so on Wednesday night we made a quiche with leftovers. I adapted the recipe found here, leaving out the onions, garlic and paprika and using fresh broccoli instead of frozen.

I also baked a batch of chocolate cupcakes. We did not have any frosting, so I now am calling them chocolate muffins. I am happy to report that I ate a chocolate muffin for breakfast yesterday, and it was exactly what I needed. Well, we could not have eggs for breakfast, as they all went into the quiche and the cupcakes/muffins.

From what I see on Facebook, many of our neighbors are baking bread. All this tending the home fires is turning life into a modern episode of "Little House on the Prairie." At our local store, there was no flour or yeast. What pioneers we have become.

I am still knitting the same scarf because, as usual, I am using ridiculously small needles. WHY do I think that knitting 600 stitches per row is going to bring any kind of instant satisfaction? I also fear this project is going to bring back memories of being housebound! To perk it up, I think I am going to introduce a new color of yarn. Or I may abandon it and try something new. It's been that kind of a week.

The beautiful amaryllis bloomed and brought the last bloom of the year into the house just when we needed it most. You can see it above!

I have been fighting a cold the last two weekends that has had me plunked on the couch completely tuckered out when I was not at my desk working. I am starting to feel like myself again, so I am hoping to get some things done around the house. I feel like we have settled into this new normal of our lives. We even took a short walk through the neighborhood yesterday.

Tom and I will celebrate 35 years of being married on Monday. If I had my choice to celebrate, we would be wandering down a beautiful Caribbean beach or skiing down a slope in Crested Butte, Colorado, where we first met. But alas, I am instead going to consider myself enormously lucky that we are hanging together --- and happy about it --- after all these years. These past weeks we have seen that it's the little things, folks, not the big ones, that matter.

Stay well! Read on, and have a great week.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

P.S. For those of you who are doing online 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: THE GLASS HOTEL
by Emily St. John Mandel

THE GLASS HOTEL by Emily St. John Mandel (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Dylan Moore
Vincent is a bartender at the Hotel Caiette, a five-star lodging on the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island. On the night she meets Jonathan Alkaitis, a hooded figure scrawls a message on the lobby's glass wall: "Why don't you swallow broken glass." High above Manhattan, a greater crime is committed: Alkaitis is running an international Ponzi scheme, moving imaginary sums of money through clients' accounts. When the financial empire collapses, it obliterates countless fortunes and devastates lives. Vincent, who had been posing as Jonathan's wife, walks away into the night. Years later, a victim of the fraud is hired to investigate a strange occurrence: a woman has seemingly vanished from the deck of a container ship between ports of call. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: THE NIGHT WATCHMAN
by Louise Erdrich

THE NIGHT WATCHMAN by Louise Erdrich (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Louise Erdrich
Thomas Wazhashk is the night watchman at the jewel-bearing plant, the first factory located near the Turtle Mountain Reservation in rural North Dakota. He is also a Chippewa Council member who is trying to understand the consequences of a new “emancipation” bill on its way to the floor of the United States Congress. It is 1953, and he and the other council members know the bill isn’t about freedom; Congress is fed up with Indians. The bill is a “termination” that threatens the rights of Native Americans to their land and their very identity. How can the government abandon treaties made in good faith with Native Americans “for as long as the grasses shall grow, and the rivers run”? Reviewed by Leah DeCesare (www.leahdecesare.com)

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.