July 24, 2020

Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com

Latest Update on Our GoFundMe Campaign

Thank you to those of you who have donated to our GoFundMe campaign. So far, with online and snail mail donations, we have raised $34,265 of our $50,000 goal.

You can read about our plans and donate here. If you would prefer donating via check, please send to:

The Book Report, Inc.
16 Mt. Bethel Road, Suite 365
Warren, NJ 07059

Thank you again for your consideration and your donation.

Last weekend, Carol read and enjoyed HIS & HERS by Alice Feeney
and HIEROGLYPHICS by Jill McCorkle, both of which are on sale July 28th.
She is excited to talk to Alice and Jill next week for "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews.

This weekend, Carol is looking forward to finishing THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE
by Fiona Davis, which is one of many highly anticipated books releasing on August 4th.

The passing of Congressman John Lewis last week made Carol think about three special
bookish moments with him as an author, which you can read about below. Lewis teamed up with Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell for the graphic novel trilogy March. In 2016, MARCH: Book Three became the first graphic novel ever to receive the National Book Award. It also won the 2017 Printz Award,
the Coretta Scott King Award, the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction,
and the Sibert Medal --- marking the first time that a single book won four ALA awards.

Carol and Tom's friend, Cathy, came over for dinner last Saturday
and made an amazing Peach and Mozzarella Caprese Salad, which you can see above.
Click on the picture for a similar recipe that Carol found.

This has been a very pink week in Carol's garden, as you can see above
with the large hibiscus, hydrangea and phlox.

A Golden Moment for Books and Reading

You might think I am crazy, but I believe we are in a real golden moment for books and reading. With limited sports on the air (hello, baseball...welcome back), and broadcast television, streaming and feature film production delayed or on hold, books are having a huge opportunistic moment. Unlike other entertainment projects that require in-person collaboration, most of publishing can be done brilliantly while we are all remote. Books can be acquired, edited and publicized pre-publication without requiring in-person live collaboration. They can be promoted in places like this newsletter and at virtual events, and then can be purchased to be shipped or picked up from a local bookseller.

The other day during a business event, I heard a colleague mention that he and his girlfriend were both reading and were forming a book club; they had not been big readers. One reason was that he had watched most everything he wanted to see on Netflix, and they were looking for something they could do together. I know our audience is made up of avid readers, but I would love to hear any anecdotal evidence that you may have to contribute to my theory of this being a “golden moment” to enjoy --- or discover the joy of --- reading, especially stories of people you know turning back to reading who may have been away from it for a while. Make the subject line "Golden Moment for Reading" and write me here.

Speaking of which, last weekend was a great reading weekend. A couple of years ago, I read SOMETIMES I LIE by Alice Feeney and loved it. She is back with HIS & HERS...and wow, this is one twisty novel. I had theories about who the killer was ---- and I really thought I was headed in the right direction --- when, BAM, I was twisted another way. The tension is ratcheted up even tighter than in SOMETIMES I LIE. Alice writes cliffhanger chapter endings that had me saying "just one more” about two dozen times. There are many folded-down pages (I know, blasphemy). I have never met her; she lives in the UK, but, oh, do I have questions for her! Fortunately, I will have the opportunity to ask her those questions next week when I interview her for a "Bookreporter Talks To" segment.

Then I read HIEROGLYPHICS by Jill McCorkle. Here, we meet a cast of characters who all have suffered loss and are filled with longing. How their stories intertwine is what makes Jill’s writing so well done. Her work is not a quick read, as you want to spend time dropping into the zone with her characters, and the action is not always linear. But she tells a story that will give you many "aha" moments as it unfolds. Her last book was LIFE AFTER LIFE, which was a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. When I wrote about that seven years ago, I remarked on how it had been 17 years between books and I hoped that would not happen again. Well, this time, she reduced the wait by a decade. I always enjoy talking to her and also am looking forward to interviewing her next week.

Our friend, Cathy, came over for dinner last Saturday and made an amazing Peach and Mozzarella Caprese Salad. It was fabulous; she even combined both white and yellow peaches. I am not sure where she found her recipe, but I came across this one that looks to be the same. I am thinking another variation on this could be a burrata with peaches and basil. I would love to taste the creaminess of the burrata with the subtle sweetness of the peaches.

Now to this week’s update…

Navy SEAL turned Secret Service agent Scot Harvath is back in Brad Thor’s newest thriller, NEAR DARK. The world’s largest bounty has just been placed on America’s top spy. His only hope for survival is to outwit, outrun and outlast his enemies long enough to get to the truth. Ray Palen has our review and says, "NEAR DARK is everything you would expect from a Brad Thor book. A staunch conservative who has shown his disillusion for the current political landscape through his recent work, Thor gets an opportunity to step away from these trappings --- and the result is an outstanding chase novel."

The audio version of NEAR DARK (read by Armand Schultz) is one of this month’s Sounding Off on Audio prizes; the other is Kristin Harmel's THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES, read by Madeleine Maby. Let us know by Monday, August 3rd at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win both these audio titles.

We gave away the hardcover edition of THE BOOK OF LOST NAMES in this week’s Summer Reading contest. Next week’s prizes will be the aforementioned HIS & HERS by Alice Feeney and THE WOMAN BEFORE WALLIS: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal by Bryn Turnbull. The first contest of the week will go live on Tuesday, July 28th at noon ET.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include HAMNET, Maggie O’Farrell’s latest novel, which takes place in 1850 England and revolves around the Black Death, a plague that is infecting the healthy, the sick, the old and the young alike; UTOPIA AVENUE, the long-awaited new novel from David Mitchell (the prize-winning author of CLOUD ATLAS and THE BONE CLOCKS), who offers a kaleidoscopic account of the life and times of Utopia Avenue, the strangest British band you’ve never heard of; MALORIE by Josh Malerman, the thrilling sequel to BIRD BOX, which was the inspiration for the record-breaking Netflix film starring Sandra Bullock; and THE COLOR OF AIR, Gail Tsukiyama’s first novel in eight years, which is about a Japanese-American family set against the backdrop of Hawaii's sugar plantations.

We also have a review of BEYOND THE MASK by Brian P. Walsh, which I talked about in the July 10th newsletter. As a 17-year-old volunteer firefighter, Brian suffered third-degree burns to his face. But he chose not to let that tragedy destroy him, and instead used it to create a magnificent life --- both personally and professionally. Our reviewer Barbara Bamberger Scott calls the book a “beyond-remarkable autobiography” and goes on to say, “BEYOND THE MASK reads like a prolonged, but always engaging, speech; in fact, it opens and closes with accounts of Walsh’s feelings about the presentations he has been invited to give. He knows all too well that his appearance could be a barrier for some people, and has concluded that we all wear masks, disguising our true feelings…. Walsh’s acceptance [of what happened] and the determination underlying it have yielded a truly rewarding life.” For much more on Brian’s moving and inspirational story, be sure to check out his website, BrianPatrickWalsh.com.

FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER by Rachel Beanland, which is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick, is my latest Bets On selection. Click here for my commentary. We featured our review in last week’s newsletter, along with my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Rachel. If you missed the interview, you can watch the video here and listen to the podcast here.

We’re awarding FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER in our current Word of Mouth contest, along with Alex Trebek’s autobiography, THE ANSWER IS…: Reflections on My Life, which we plan to review next week. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll have the chance to win these much-talked-about books. Please do so by Friday, July 31st at noon ET.

It was announced this week that Emma Donoghue’s newly released novel, THE PULL OF THE STARS, will be next month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. The book takes place in Dublin in 1918 at a maternity ward at the height of the Great Flu, which, according to the publisher, is “a small world of work, risk, death and unlooked-for love.” We look forward to featuring our review in the August 7th newsletter.

Our latest poll is a follow-up to a poll that we did back in March, where we asked if your reading habits have changed because of the pandemic. Four months have gone by, and we are curious to find out what your reading habits are like now. Click here to let us know. I love looking at your feedback to give me a sense of what is happening out there!

Special Request for Book Groups: While we’re on the subject, we also are wondering how book groups have been meeting since we all began social distancing. So we put together this survey; it will be up for the next three weeks, but please answer as soon as you can. I am contemplating a new idea for book groups, but I can use some information from you about what your group has been doing these last few months before we finalize the next steps on this.

A reminder that on Wednesday, August 12th at 2pm ET, we will be holding our second "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books” virtual event via Zoom. I am planning to present titles releasing in late August and September, along with a few from October, that I am especially excited about. Our room will allow us to have up to 500 attendees, so feel free to invite your friends who enjoy books and reading. Click here to sign up to attend.

We got some emails asking if we will tape upcoming "Bookaccino Live" events. We still are discussing whether or not we will do this. Going forward, we will provide the list of books that I talk about. And once September comes, we will think about doing an evening event, either in addition to the afternoon one or replacing it. There is always lots to think about when we come up with something new.

The Strand Magazine has announced the nominations for this year’s Strand Critics Awards, which recognize excellence in the field of mystery fiction and publishing. The nominees include THE BORDER by Don Winslow (who I had the pleasure of interviewing earlier this year about his latest novel, BROKEN) for Best Mystery Novel and THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides (a Bets On pick from last year) for Best Debut Novel. The winners will be announced on September 4th during a virtual ceremony, where Walter Mosley and Tess Gerritsen will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards, and Bronwen Hruska of Soho Press will receive the Publisher of the Year Award.

The passing of John Lewis last week had me thinking about three book moments. The first was when Chris Staros, the publisher from Top Shelf, told me about the graphic novel MARCH: Book One when I stopped by his booth at a publishing conference a year before it came out. His description of it was so wonderful that I wanted to read it right away.

The second was Lewis’ brilliant acceptance speech at the National Book Awards in 2016 when MARCH: Book Three won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, becoming the first graphic novel to receive a National Book Award. When he hit the stage with his co-creators, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, to accept the National Book Award, he told a story about heading to the library with his brothers, sisters and cousins in 1956, when he was 16 and living in rural Alabama. They wanted to get library cards but were refused; they were told that the library was for whites only. Pausing with emotion, he said, "And to come here and receive this award, this honor --- it's too much." He also remembered "a wonderful teacher in elementary school who told me, 'Read, my child, read.' And I tried to read everything. I love books." See his moving acceptance remarks here after Katherine Paterson handed him the award. MARCH: Book Three also won the 2017 Printz Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, and the Sibert Medal, which amazingly is the first time a single book won four ALA awards.

And the third moment was at San Diego Comic Con, where he led a group of children through the convention center on “a march,” dressed in the same kind of raincoat and backpack that he wore back in Selma. It was living history. I loved this piece in the New York Times where they featured "the march."

Three wonderful bookish memories! Three terrific graphic novels about a seminal time in history.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

Lucy wrote this about our first "Bookaccino Live" event last week: “Thank you, Carol, Austin and Tom! Your Bookaccino event was so much fun and informative. I was able to take a long walk and listen in (vs. video in), which was fine since I knew you were sending the sheets following the recording. Your recommendations all sound wonderful, although I'm finishing up THE GIFTED SCHOOL before starting on the new list. Can't wait for the August edition, and the many more after that! Thank you and happy summer.”

Clair wrote this about being a winner in a recent Summer Reading contest: “I wanted to let you know that THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP was just delivered this afternoon. That was speedy, right? I can’t wait to start it. I’m reading SNOW right now, but may put it down for a while in favor of this one. I so appreciate winning this book. I live by myself, we have been told to work from home since March 16th, and books are helping me escape the bad news of the times. Plus, it is way too hot to go outside, unless you have a pool, which I do not.”

Arlene wrote, “Yeah, I received one of the selections for Summer Reading! It is THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP. Thank you so very much. I really enjoy books by Susan Wiggs and know this will be a delight! I also appreciate my newsletters from Bookreporter.”

Fran wrote this about my comments on dahlias: “I always read your posts for the book info, but today your dahlia comments caught my eye too. I have grown dahlias from bulbs (bought in the spring at Home Depot) for the past few years. I have a few in the ground, which happily have come up every year without me digging them up (here in Ocean County, NJ), but most of them I put in big pots. Thank goodness I do as we seem to have more and more bunnies each year, and it seems that this year the bunnies like dahlias (and parsley, and oregano, and pineapple sage, and lemon balm, and even marigolds). Having them in pots means I can move them up --- onto benches, etc. I love them for the cut flowers. Also, it’s fun to buy the bag of multi-colored bulbs and see what you get. This year I have red, purple, yellow, pale yellow, almost white and dark pink. So keep up the comments, books and other.” Mine seem to be pink and purple.

Coming this Fall --- BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME on the Small Screen: Ta-Nehisi Coates’ New York Times bestseller, which was adapted and staged by the Apollo Theater in 2018, will be coming to HBO as an event special this fall. The special “will combine elements of [the stage] production, including readings from Coates’ book and will also incorporate documentary footage from the actors’ home life, archival footage, and animation.”

Stockton on My Mind on HBO: I am looking forward to this HBO documentary, which will premiere this Tuesday the 28th at 9pm ET/PT. According to the release, it is “the multi-layered story of millennial mayor Michael Tubbs, whose own experience growing up amid poverty and violence inspired him to create innovative change in his beleaguered hometown of Stockton, California. Born to a teenage mother and an incarcerated father, Tubbs felt society destined him for either prison or death. Defying expectations, at the age of 26 in 2016, he became one of the youngest mayors of a major American city and Stockton’s first African American mayor. The film follows Tubbs’ efforts to reverse the fortunes of a city known as one of the poorest, most violent and least literate in the nation.”

"Sweet Magnolias" on Netflix: For those who enjoyed the first season, you can note that a second season has been ordered!

Greg is off to Alaska today on a long-planned trip, most of it spent camping and off the beaten trail. With no cruise ships traveling to Alaska this year, and limited travel otherwise, he has been told by some that it will be like it was there 20 years ago. I have always wanted to go there, but time has never allowed. As he is a brilliant photographer, I am looking forward to seeing the photos that he takes. I would be a lot less enthusiastic about this trip if he did not have COVID-19 antibodies. Yes, we do not know how long they will last, but at least he has them for the moment!

Cory and Sam have been doing a lot of social distancing by kayaking. He bought her an inflatable two-person kayak for her birthday, and they have hit the water to do that, or go tubing, most weekends this summer.

I have been trying to knit from my stash instead of buying new yarn, but this Modern Wrap pattern caught my eye last night and had me saying hmmmm. As with every purchase these days, I think at least three, usually five, times before buying.

The garden is blooming in waves, and this is a very pink week, as you can see above with the large hibiscus, hydrangea and phlox.

We have friends coming for dinner tomorrow night, which we are looking forward to. I keep playing around with the menu.

Beyond this, I have a stack of August books to read; there are so many eagerly anticipated books coming out on August 4th alone! I have a number of them lined up on my shelf. I have started THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE by Fiona Davis, which is set at the New York Public Library. I already am swept up in Fiona’s signature storytelling, and I look forward to finishing it from the comfort of my patio/pool.

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: NEAR DARK by Brad Thor

NEAR DARK by Brad Thor (Political Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Armand Schultz
The world’s largest bounty has just been placed upon America’s top spy. His only hope for survival is to outwit, outrun and outlast his enemies long enough to get to the truth. But for Scot Harvath to accomplish his most dangerous mission ever --- one that has already claimed the lives of the people closest to him, including his new wife --- he’s going to need a lot of help. Not knowing whom he can trust, Harvath finds an unlikely ally in Norwegian intelligence operative Sølvi Kolstad. Just as smart, just as deadly and just as determined, she not only has the skills, but also the broken, troubled past to match Harvath’s own. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

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