Skip to main content

Editorial Content for Nesting

Book

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Norah Piehl

In an afterword to NESTING, debut novelist Roisín O'Donnell (who has a prior well-regarded collection of short fiction) explains that the book’s origins reside in an assignment she received to write a 3,000-word piece on the topic of "Independence." Her research led to the discovery of the extent of Ireland's housing crisis and its impact on women and children. O'Donnell probably could have expanded that research and done a deep investigative dive. Read More

Teaser

Grabbing an armful of clothes off the clothesline, Ciara Fay straps her two young daughters into her car and drives away. All she knows for certain is that home is no longer safe. On the surface, she has a perfect life. Her husband, Ryan, is a good provider, and they have another baby on the way. But he also monitors Ciara's every move, flies into unpredictable rages where he convinces her she can do nothing right, and has isolated her from work, friends and her beloved family. With no job and no support, Ciara struggles to provide a sense of normalcy for her little girls. Facing a broken housing system, they move into a hotel room on a floor reserved for women like her. Ryan, meanwhile, wages a relentless campaign to win her back, and Ciara wavers. He never hit her, after all. And don't the girls need a stable home?

Promo

Grabbing an armful of clothes off the clothesline, Ciara Fay straps her two young daughters into her car and drives away. All she knows for certain is that home is no longer safe. On the surface, she has a perfect life. Her husband, Ryan, is a good provider, and they have another baby on the way. But he also monitors Ciara's every move, flies into unpredictable rages where he convinces her she can do nothing right, and has isolated her from work, friends and her beloved family. With no job and no support, Ciara struggles to provide a sense of normalcy for her little girls. Facing a broken housing system, they move into a hotel room on a floor reserved for women like her. Ryan, meanwhile, wages a relentless campaign to win her back, and Ciara wavers. He never hit her, after all. And don't the girls need a stable home?

About the Book

In this beautiful, urgent and ultimately uplifting novel by a rising Irish literary star comes a heart-pounding, life-affirming story about one woman trying to leave her marriage and start over.

On a bright spring afternoon, Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision that will change everything. Grabbing an armful of clothes off the clothesline, she straps her two young daughters into her car and drives away. Head spinning, all she knows for certain is that home is no longer safe --- and that this time, when she leaves, she must stay away.

On the surface, she has a perfect life. Her husband, Ryan, is a good provider, sometimes even kind and attentive, from a nice Irish family and they have another baby on the way. But he also monitors Ciara's every move, flies into unpredictable rages where he convinces her she can do nothing right, and has isolated her from work, friends and her beloved family.

Was fleeing the right thing to do? With no job and no support, Ciara struggles to provide a sense of normalcy for her little girls. Facing a broken housing system, they move into a hotel room on a floor reserved for women like her --- eating takeout, washing their clothes in the bathroom sink, and building a community with the other residents. Ryan, meanwhile, wages a relentless campaign to win her back, and Ciara wavers. He never hit her, after all, and don't the girls need a stable home? 

For fans of Claire Keegan and Louise Kennedy, Roisín O'Donnell’s extraordinary debut creates a devastating and suspenseful portrait of gaslighting and emotional abuse --- and, even better, a triumphant story about family, love and finding a new place to nest.

Audiobook available, read by Louisa Harland

Editorial Content for Paris Undercover: A Wartime Story of Courage, Friendship, and Betrayal

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Philip Zozzaro

In June 1942, Etta Shiber was headed back to New York and away from Paris, where she had been a visitor, a citizen and an eventual inmate. Her liberation from Nazi captivity took over a year, but a compassionate release due to her failing health combined with diplomatic maneuverings paved the way. While free from the spartan conditions and harsh treatment of the Nazis, Etta ruminated on the well-being of her best friend and roommate, Kate Bonnefous. Kate was the initiator of the bold decision to aid in the escape of captive Allied soldiers in the early days of World War II. Read More

Teaser

During the Nazi occupation, Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous --- an American widow and an English divorcée --- find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history. With the help of a French country priest and others, they set out to rescue British and French soldiers trapped behind enemy lines --- some of whom they daringly smuggle through Nazi checkpoints hidden inside the trunk of their car. Ultimately the Gestapo captures them both. After 18 months in prison, Etta is returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange. Back home, hoping to bring attention to her friend’s bravery, she publishes a memoir about their work, which becomes a publishing sensation. Meanwhile, Kate spends the rest of the war in a Nazi prison, entirely unaware of the book that has been written about her --- and the deeds that have been claimed in her name.

Promo

During the Nazi occupation, Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous --- an American widow and an English divorcée --- find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history. With the help of a French country priest and others, they set out to rescue British and French soldiers trapped behind enemy lines --- some of whom they daringly smuggle through Nazi checkpoints hidden inside the trunk of their car. Ultimately the Gestapo captures them both. After 18 months in prison, Etta is returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange. Back home, hoping to bring attention to her friend’s bravery, she publishes a memoir about their work, which becomes a publishing sensation. Meanwhile, Kate spends the rest of the war in a Nazi prison, entirely unaware of the book that has been written about her --- and the deeds that have been claimed in her name.

About the Book

Two women in Nazi-occupied Paris created a daring escape line that rescued dozens of Allied servicemen. With one still in a German prison camp, the other wrote a book about it --- a memoir built on fabrications. Now the bestselling author of EIGHTY DAYS shares their incredible, never-before-told full story.

Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous are the unlikeliest of heroines: two seemingly ordinary women, an American widow and an English divorcée, living quietly together in Paris. Yet during the Nazi occupation, these two friends find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history. With the help of a French country priest and others, they set out to rescue British and French soldiers trapped behind enemy lines --- some of whom they daringly smuggle through Nazi checkpoints hidden inside the trunk of their car.

Ultimately the Gestapo captures them both. After 18 months in prison, Etta is returned to the United States in a prisoner exchange. Back home, hoping to bring attention to her friend Kitty’s bravery, she publishes a memoir about their work. PARIS-UNDERGROUND becomes a publishing sensation and Etta a celebrity. Meanwhile, Kate spends the rest of the war in a Nazi prison, entirely unaware of the book that has been written about her --- and the deeds that have been claimed in her name.

In researching this story, Matthew Goodman uncovered military records and personal testimonies that reveal, for the first time, the shocking truth behind Etta’s memoir and the unexpected, far-reaching consequences of its publication. More than just a story of two women’s remarkable courage, PARIS UNDERCOVER is a vivid, gripping account of deceit, betrayal and personal redemption.

Audiobook available, read by Kristi Burns

Editorial Content for Don Drysdale: Up and In: The Life of a Dodgers Legend

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com)

It’s hard to believe that a Hall of Famer actually was a second fiddle during a good chunk of his career. But Don Drysdale, an imposing 6’5” hard-throwing righty, had the “misfortune” of pitching on the same staff as Sandy Koufax. Veteran journalist Mark Whicker looks to give “Big D” his due in DON DRYSDALE: UP AND IN. Read More

Teaser

Larger than life. In the history of American sports, rare is the athlete who fits that description better than Don Drysdale. On the mound, the towering 6-foot-5 righthander intimidated National League hitters for more than a decade, amassing career totals of 209 wins, 2,486 strikeouts…and hitting 154 batters, a stat he led the major leagues in four times. Off the field, Drysdale’s personality dominated every room he walked into. With a smile as immense as the sun, his contemporaries included Frank Sinatra and Howard Cosell. In UP AND IN, longtime Orange County Register sportswriter Mark Whicker takes readers on a remarkable journey through Drysdale’s life and career.

Promo

Larger than life. In the history of American sports, rare is the athlete who fits that description better than Don Drysdale. On the mound, the towering 6-foot-5 righthander intimidated National League hitters for more than a decade, amassing career totals of 209 wins, 2,486 strikeouts…and hitting 154 batters, a stat he led the major leagues in four times. Off the field, Drysdale’s personality dominated every room he walked into. With a smile as immense as the sun, his contemporaries included Frank Sinatra and Howard Cosell. In UP AND IN, longtime Orange County Register sportswriter Mark Whicker takes readers on a remarkable journey through Drysdale’s life and career.

About the Book

The definitive biography of Dodgers legend Don Drysdale.

Larger than life. In the history of American sports, rare is the athlete who fits that description better than Don Drysdale. On the mound, the towering 6-foot-5 righthander intimidated National League hitters for more than a decade, amassing career totals of 209 wins, 2,486 strikeouts…and hitting 154 batters, a stat he led the major leagues in four times. Off the field, Drysdale’s personality dominated every room he walked into. With a smile as immense as the sun, his contemporaries included Frank Sinatra and Howard Cosell.

In UP AND IN, longtime Orange County Register sportswriter Mark Whicker takes readers on a remarkable journey through Drysdale’s life and career. Featuring exclusive interviews with Drysdale’s teammates and colleagues, this new biography paints a complete portrait of an unparalleled baseball life --- from Drysdale’s early years in Van Nuys to his sudden passing in 1993 at age 56.

Editorial Content for Sweet Nothings: Confessions of a Candy Lover

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Norah Piehl

Sarah Perry's first book, AFTER THE ECLIPSE, was a harrowing memoir about her mother's murder when Perry was 12. Although it might seem like she has chosen a topic (candy) in complete opposition to her debut for her sophomore effort, there's still more than a little sour and salt mixed into the sweet. And this wonderful essay collection is all the better for it. Read More

Teaser

A taxonomy of sweetness, a rhapsody of artificial flavors, and a multi-faceted theory of pleasure, SWEET NOTHINGS is made up of 100 illustrated micro essays organized by candy color, from the red of Pop Rocks to the purple Jelly Bonbon in the Whitman’s Sampler. Each entry is a meditation on taste and texture, a memory unlocked. Everyone’s favorites --- and least favorites --- are carefully considered, including Snickers and Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Cups, as well as the beloved Good n’ Plenty and Werther’s Originals. An expert guide and exquisite writer, Sarah Perry asks such pressing questions as: Twizzlers or Red Vines? Why are Mentos eaters so maniacally happy? And in THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, how could Edmund sell out his siblings for, of all things, Turkish delight?

Promo

A taxonomy of sweetness, a rhapsody of artificial flavors, and a multi-faceted theory of pleasure, SWEET NOTHINGS is made up of 100 illustrated micro essays organized by candy color, from the red of Pop Rocks to the purple Jelly Bonbon in the Whitman’s Sampler. Each entry is a meditation on taste and texture, a memory unlocked. Everyone’s favorites --- and least favorites --- are carefully considered, including Snickers and Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Cups, as well as the beloved Good n’ Plenty and Werther’s Originals. An expert guide and exquisite writer, Sarah Perry asks such pressing questions as: Twizzlers or Red Vines? Why are Mentos eaters so maniacally happy? And in THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, how could Edmund sell out his siblings for, of all things, Turkish delight?

About the Book

A fun and sophisticated illustrated collection of essays that catalogs the simple and not-so-simple pleasures of the eclectic world of candy from the award-winning author of AFTER THE ECLIPSE. With illustrations by Forsyth Harmon.

A taxonomy of sweetness, a rhapsody of artificial flavors, and a multi-faceted theory of pleasure, SWEET NOTHINGS is made up of 100 illustrated micro essays organized by candy color, from the red of Pop Rocks to the purple Jelly Bonbon in the Whitman’s Sampler. Each entry is a meditation on taste and texture, a memory unlocked. Everyone’s favorites --- and least favorites --- are carefully considered, including Snickers and Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Cups, as well as the beloved Good n’ Plenty and Werther’s Originals.

An expert guide and exquisite writer, Sarah Perry asks such pressing questions as: Twizzlers or Red Vines? Why are Mentos eaters so maniacally happy? And in THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, how could Edmund sell out his siblings for, of all things, Turkish delight? She rejects the dreaded “What is your favorite candy?” question and counters: Under what circumstances? The question itself is flawed --- favorite under what circumstances? In what weather? On the road, or at home? In what mood? For candy is inextricably tied to the seasons of our lives.

SWEET NOTHINGS moves associatively, touching on pop culture, art, culinary history, philosophy, body image and class-based food moralism. It challenges the very idea of “junk” food and posits taking pleasure seriously as a means of survival.

Sarah Perry’s pure love of candy weaves together elegiac glimpses of her '90s childhood --- and the loss at its center --- with stories of love and desire. Surprisingly smart and frequently funny, SWEET NOTHINGS is a tart and sweet ode to finding small joys where you can. Yes, even in black licorice. 

Audiobook available, read by Sarah Perry

February 21, 2025

The other morning, I went to drop off some books for contest winners at our local post office. As I pulled up, I saw a flock of geese squawking their way around the place. They were making a lot of noise. This is right up there with the morning that someone had to get the sheep out of the road so I could go to work. I love these moments of small-town Americana. I wonder if I could get the geese to bring the books to the post office for me. Now that would be perfect!

Interview: Steve Stern, author of A Fool's Kabbalah

Feb 20, 2025

In the ruins of postwar Europe, the world's leading expert on the Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism goes on a hair-raising journey to recover sacred books stolen by the Nazis. That is the intriguing premise of Steve Stern’s latest novel, A FOOL’S KABBALAH, which features numerous real-life historic figures. In this interview conducted by Michael Barson, Senior Publicity Executive at Melville House, Stern talks about his decision to write the book, his research process, the state of the publishing industry, and what he’s working on now.

Ali Smith, author of Gliff

An uncertain near-future. A story of new boundaries drawn between people daily. A not-very brave new world. Add two children. And a horse. From a Scottish word meaning a transient moment, a shock, a faint glimpse, GLIFF explores how and why we endeavor to make a mark on the world. In a time when western industry wants to reduce us to algorithms and data --- something easily categorizable and predictable --- Ali Smith shows us why our humanity, our individual complexities, matter more than ever.

February 18, 2025

In this newsletter, you will find books releasing the weeks of February 17th and February 24th that we think will be of interest to Bookreporter.com readers, along with Bonus News, where we call out a contest, feature or review that we want to let you know about so you have it on your radar.

This week, we are calling attention to our current Word of Mouth contest. Let us know by Friday, February 28th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10 by Lisa Unger and MEMORIAL DAYS: A Memoir by Geraldine Brooks.

February 18, 2025

This Bookreporter.com Special Newsletter spotlights a book that we know people will be talking about this winter. Read more about it, and enter our Winter Reading Contest by Wednesday, February 19th at noon ET for a chance to win one of five copies of FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston, a Reese's Book Club pick and a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection that is now available in paperback. Please note that each contest is only open for 24 hours, so you will need to act quickly!

February 15, 2025

How many of us have books that we remember with fondness? Just thinking about them brings up thoughts of characters loved, places that evoke special feelings, and situations that can be unwrapped in different ways, depending on where we are in our lives. They may be books that we recalled reading with our book groups, or books that we enjoyed on our own.

Here's something special about a book that I know many of you have loved.