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May 8, 2009

Remember back in September when my son went off to college and I wrote how much “stuff” we moved to school? Well, it's now all back at the house --- and I feel like it arrived back here in a heartbeat! Yes, last night in an act that I think should solidify Mother's Day as a bonafide weeklong holiday, I drove over to the campus from the office, opened the back of my car, and in went boxes and boxes of dishes, pots, pans, clothes and computer/stereo equipment. And the paper shredder he inherited from his roommate who is not returning next fall, which was taking things full circle since his roommate’s mom picked that up the first day of school when we did some last-minute shopping together.

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Editorial content for Rooftops of Tehran

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Amy Gwiazdowski

Pasha and his best friend, Ahmed, spend a lot of time on the roof during the Iranian summer of 1973. It's the last summer of their youth, and for them, life is simple --- there are games to be played, girls to be admired, and the final year of school to muse over. Each night before falling asleep they name stars after friends and family, a ritual they've shared since childhood. This is also the summer when their lives will take a dramatic turn. Read More

About the Book

In a middle-class neighborhood of Iran’s sprawling capital city, 17-year old Pasha Shahed spends the summer of 1973 on his rooftop with his best friend Ahmed, joking around one minute and asking burning questions about life the next. He also hides a secret love for his beautiful neighbor Zari, who has been betrothed since birth to another man. But the bliss of Pasha and Zari’s stolen time together is shattered when Pasha unwittingly acts as a beacon for the Shah’s secret police. The violent consequences awaken him to the reality of living under a powerful despot, and lead Zari to make a shocking choice…

In this poignant, funny, eye-opening and emotionally vivid novel, Mahbod Seraji lays bare the beauty and brutality of the centuries-old Persian culture, while reaffirming the human experiences we all share.

Please click here to find out how you can schedule a chat between Mahbod and your reading group.

**Rooftops of Tehran was selected as an Indie Next List Notable Book for June 2009.**

Kevin Wignall, author of People Die

Fast, efficient, and deadly… JJ is the best hit man money can buy. His clients are international. His targets never see it coming. His only rule: never get emotionally involved. But in the assassination game, everything can change with a single bullet.

Editorial content for The Wildwater Walking Club

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Kate Ayers

Life works in funny ways sometimes. One day, you’re on top of the world, with everything going for you. The next day, you’re sliding into a sinkhole so deep it feels as though you’ll never be able to dig yourself out. It’s like that for Noreen Kelly. One day, she has an incredible boyfriend and a promising career. The next day, the guy is making himself scarce and she has taken a pretty much mandatory buyout on her job. Read More

Teaser

Just put one foot in front of the other. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But when Noreen Kelly takes a buyout from her job of 18 years and gets dumped by her boyfriend in one fell swoop, she finds it hard to know what that next step is-never mind take it.

About the Book

Just put one foot in front of the other. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But when Noreen Kelly takes a buyout from her job of 18 years and gets dumped by her boyfriend in one fell swoop, she finds it hard to know what that next step is-never mind take it. At first Noreen thinks maybe her redundancy package could be an opportunity, a chance to figure out what to do with the rest of her life while her company foots the bill. Sure, she may have gotten high to "Witchy Woman" and grooved to "Sweet Baby James" back when James Taylor had hair, but she isn't ready for her AARP card. Not yet.

Editorial content for Jennifer Johnson Is Sick of Being Single

Teaser

Everyone around Jennifer Johnson is getting married, while she's still single and stuck writing ad copy about men's dress socks. Launched on a humiliating and hilarious quest to find Prince Charming at any cost --- including agonizing online dates, diet-clinic cults, drag-queen fights, and a debilitating addiction to Cinnabon icing, JENNIFER JOHNSON is a cautionary tale about getting what you want - and how that may be the worst thing to happen to you.

About the Book

From the author of PRETTY LITTLE MISTAKES --- Everyone around Jennifer Johnson is getting married, while she's still single and stuck writing ad copy about men's dress socks. Launched on a humiliating and hilarious quest to find Prince Charming at any cost --- including agonizing online dates, diet-clinic cults, drag-queen fights, and a debilitating addiction to Cinnabon icing, JENNIFER JOHNSON is a cautionary tale about getting what you want - and how that may be the worst thing to happen to you.

The Macavity Awards 2009

The Macavity Award is named for the "mystery cat" of T.S. Eliot's OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS. Each year the members of Mystery Readers International nominate and vote for their favorite mysteries in four categories.

Which female writer or character does/did your mom most remind you of?

May 1, 2009, 278 voters

May 1, 2009 - May 14, 2009

Send us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. To make sure other readers will be able to find the book, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). The Word of Mouth archives can be searched using the "Search" feature at the top right of the page.

If you are a mom, which character or author are you most like?

May 1, 2009

PEN/Faulkner Awards 2009

Established by National Book Award winner Mary Lee Settle, the PEN/Faulkner Foundation has been recognizing titles that embody literary excellence since 1981.  Previous winners include the likes of Philip Roth, John Updike, Ann Patchett, Sherman Alexie and Joseph O'Neill. For more information about the PEN/Faulkner Foundation and the PEN/Faulkner Award, please visit http://www.penfaulkner.org/.