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Week of August 18, 2025

Paperback releases for the week of August 18th include BY ANY OTHER NAME by Jodi Picoult, a remarkable novel about two women, centuries apart --- one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays --- who are both forced to hide behind another name; BUTCHER, an arresting novel from Joyce Carol Oates about a women’s asylum in the 19th century and a terrifying doctor who wants to change the world; PARADISE BRONX, Ian Frazier’s love song to New York City’s most heterogeneous and alive borough; Olesya Salnikova Gilmore's THE HAUNTING OF MOSCOW HOUSE, an elegant gothic horror tale set in post-revolutionary Russia, in which two formerly aristocratic sisters race to uncover their family’s long-buried secrets in a house haunted by a past that is dangerous --- and deadly --- to remember; and the paperback original FIVE FOUND DEAD by Sulari Gentill, a heart-pounding ride filled with intrigue, suspense and literary charm.

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When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén

August 2025

I am always skeptical when books arrive with tissues and a note that I am going to need them. I wonder when I will have to use them --- the beginning, the middle or the end. Or not at all.

I grabbed WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH by Lisa Ridzén last Sunday and took my usual spot to stand at the side of the pool and read. I know, it’s not your typical way to read a book, but it’s how I’ve been reading these past couple of summers.

Bo is a man who has seen a lot of good years. He’s now living at home with caregivers stopping in around the clock to see to his needs. They write notes about what he has been eating, his mood, and what else they observe as they visit. Bo’s world has become pretty small. His wife is suffering from dementia and is living in a care home. His best friend (being realistic here, the last friend his age who’s alive) lives too far to visit often, though they commiserate on the phone. Bo conjures up memories of their very different worlds, but also the closeness of their lives. When you read it, you will see what I mean.

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