To celebrate the last day of June… Here are 20 picks from Book Sense! This list embraces a nice variety of genres.
I haven’t read any of their picks yet, but Netherland and The Boat are getting a lot of press. I love the premise of Racing in the Rain… and I figure I really should read The Writing Teacher… especially since I’m jumping behind the desk again 
Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for our first book club meeting!!
 June 2008 |
 |
The Art of Racing in the Rain By Stein, Garth “Sometimes, if you are very lucky, fate gives you a special friend. Denny’s friend Enzo will stand by him through some of the best and worst times of his life, his faith in Denny bone deep. Enzo is a dog, a dog with a very old soul. Denny is a race driver with natural talent, but sometimes life gets in the way of natural talent, and the road can have sharp bends. Suffused with humor, love, pain, and valor, this should be one of the year’s best books!” – Deon Stonehouse, Sunriver Books & Music, Sunriver, OR |
 |
The Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Wine By Wallace, Benjamin “Benjamin Wallace has uncorked an absolutely fascinating account of the world’s most expensive bottle of wine. This is an intoxicating read with the complexity and nuances of a great vintage. As your book ‘sommelier’ I recommend that you drink deep of this heady narrative concerning world-class connoisseurs, deep-pocketed collectors, extremely costly crushed grapes and — quite possibly — a diabolically clever con man.” – Joe Drabyak, Chester County Book Co. Inc., West Chester, PA |
 |
Dear American Airlines By Miles, Jonathan “Jonathan Miles’ first novel presents an unknowing catharsis through angst, jealousy, and helplessness. While delayed at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, writer Bennie Ford begins his tirade thinking he deserves a refund for a canceled flight that would have taken him to his daughter’s wedding. However, this human rant develops into a backstory of his life. Witty, inspiring, and downright funny, Miles develops a novel with feeling and redemption.” – Carolyn Espe, Powell’s City of Books, Portland, OR |
 |
Summer Blowout By Cook, Claire “‘Summer Blowout’ is vintage Claire Cook – funny, clever and sure to be seen in many beach bags this summer. She has a knack for turning the mundane into the unique, and her characters are eclectic and original.” – Kathleen McGonagle, Buttonwood Books & Toys, Cohasset, MA |
 |
Another Man’s Moccasins By Johnson, Craig “Walt Longmire is back…back from Philadelphia, back home in Wyoming and as we learn in this adventure back forty years from Vietnam. When the body of a young Vietnamese woman is found along the road in Absaroka County, Wyoming, Sheriff Walt Longmire is reminded of his first homicide investigation as a Marine in Vietnam. The plot moves in and out of Vietnam in a seamless narrative of a search for truth.” – Barbara Theroux, Fact & Fiction, Missoula, MT |
 |
City of Thieves By Benioff, David “From the writer of 25th Hour, City Of Thieves is as delightful as it is horrifying-set against the war-torn backdrop of Leningrad, two teenage boys end up, through stranger and stranger twists of fate, traveling ‘cross country to find a dozen eggs in exchange for their very lives. In the process, they learn more about human nature, both in themselves and others, than can possibly be explained. Wickedly funny and incredibly sad, it’s far too short to be this lovely-and yet it is.” – Russ Marshalek, Wordsmiths Books, Inc., Decatur, GA |
 |
Finding Nouf By Ferraris, Zo’e “A masterfully crafted mystery novel set in Saudi Arabia. Ferraris truly gives us a feeling of life of the rich, and not so rich, Saudis as the Palestinian Nayir tries to discover who killed his friend’s beautiful sister.” – Mary K. Cowen, Anderson’s Bookshop, Naperville, IL |
 |
The Richest Season By McFadden, Maryann “Maryann McFadden’s debut novel tells the story of Joanna, a suburban corporate wife and mother who walks away from it all in a search for something. What she finds is Grace, a woman who is reaching the end of her life, and what unfolds is a novel of expressive characters facing the loss of love, uncertain of the future, and longing for renewal. Captivating.” – Rob Dougherty, Clinton Book Shop, Clinton, NJ |
 |
Mistress of the Sun By Gulland, Sandra “Through the eyes of the young girl Louise de la Valliere, Gulland shows us how the sophisticated, wealthy, and dissolute royalty and nobility of France looked from the perspective of a naive, poor, but talented rural girl. Not only do we get a portrait of everyday life during the times of Louis XIV, the Sun King — we also get a rippingly good plot.” – Sue Bradley, Tinman Artworks, Spokane, WA |
 |
Promise of the Wolves By Hearst, Dorothy “After the beauty of Promise of the Wolves, my theory about the inner life of animals is confirmed. With all of the grace and eloquence of humans, Kaala and the other wolves tell their fantastic tale. I can’t wait for the next book of the trilogy!” – Katie Glasgow, Mitchell Books, Fort Wayne, IN |
 |
The Marriage of True Minds By Evans, Stephen “As husband and wife, Nick Ward and Lena Grant have been running a successful environmental law practice for many years. When the story opens, we find the marriage unraveling and Nick, always passionate, now certifiably insane. But we end up wondering: Like all the best madmen of fiction, is he crazy or is he just right? This is my summer book pick — I love it!”– Kelly Justice, The Fountain Bookstore, Inc., Richmond, VA |
 |
Gossip of the Starlings By de Gramont, Nina “This is a wonderful novel describing the intense friendship of two girls attending a private girls school in the 1980′s. By the end of the book I felt as if I was personal friends with the main characters. Not a predictable story that took an unexpected turn on the end, keeping me on my toes.” – Autumn Lynn, River Reader LLC, Lexington, MO |
 |
The House on Fortune Street By Livesey, Margot “Abigail shares the house on Fortune Street with Sean, her childhood friend Dara, and Dara’s father Cameron, the most chilling of the quartet in another of Margot Livesey’s complex and compelling novels. Friendships teeter on the axis of old loyalties, children are betrayed, relationships blossom, founder, and in the process Livesey illuminates not just character but also the mysterious cross-currents of fate and purpose that make us who we are.” – Betsy Burton, The King’s English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT |
 |
All the Way Home: Building a Family in a Falling-Down House By Giffels, David “Great memoirs tend to be stranger than fiction, and David Giffels’ riotous recollection of human willpower vs. decaying architecture, contemptible rodents and one stubborn octogenarian is no exception. Writing as a new father, optimistic homeowner and evolving handyman, Giffels’ story is a perfect menagerie of these distinct takes on an utterly unforgettable chapter in one young man’s life.” – Katie Capaldi, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, MI |
 |
The Writing Class By Willett, Jincy “I dare you to try and put this book down once you become a part of the writing class at the center of the story. The anti-social narrator-teacher at once repels, attracts, and entertains. You’ll wish you had her playful command of the English language. By the way it’s also a murder mystery!” – Shiela Wood-Navarro, Carpe Librum Booksellers, Knoxville, TN |
 |
The Garden of Last Days By Dubus III, Andre “A masterful psychological portrait of three compellingly flawed, very human characters affiliated with a seedy strip club in Florida, where a little girl goes missing. You might cringe at their decisions once you embark on this steamroller of a book, but you’ll devour every explosive page!” – Caitlin Doggart, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Chatham, MA |
 |
The Boat By Le, Nam “One of the most impressive collections of short stories that I have ever read. Nam Le begins by capturing his own culture of Vietnam (with an ironic twist) and then reveals that he can master the language and feel of other cultures in the stories that follow. Using the specificity of time and place in order to speak universal truths, he has written an impressive debut.” – Kester Smith, BookPeople, Austin, TX |
 |
Netherland By O’Neill, Joseph “In a wonderful understated tone, Netherland tells the story of how Hans, a Dutch banker in New York, tries to cope in the city after his wife and son flee to the UK in the wake of 9 / 11. Unmoored, but still generous at heart, he is brought back to a sense of his life and choices thanks to the colorful characters of the New York City and its surprisingly vibrant cricket community.” – Marie du Vaure, Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, CA |
 |
Final Theory By Alpert, Mark “When a dangerous stranger tries to murder one of the 20th century’s great physicists, Columbia professor David Swift is caught in the middle of a deadly story of murders, dangerous chases, and the FBI turned bad. I couldn’t put down this well-written, edge-of-your-seat thriller.” – Diane Bader, Mysterious Galaxy Books, San Diego, CA |
 |
Dead Silver By McMahon, Neil “Hugh Davoren and his compatriot, Madbird, return in what is quickly becoming one of the most intelligent series in crime fiction — one that perfectly reflects the rugged Montana terrain and changing society. Doing a favor for an old friend soon envelops Hugh in murder, both past and present, while he also must confront his own conflicted emotions.” – Bill Cusumano, Nicola’s Books, Ann Arbor, MI |
I just noticed my debut novel, THE RICHEST SEASON, on your book club page and wanted to thank you. Also, if your club decides to choose my novel, I would be happy to meet with you via phone, webcam, or e-chat!
This novel was originally self-published and I met with 40 book clubs in just a few months time, who helped propel it to a regional bestseller, and getting the novel taken by Hyperion Books. It’s also being published in several foreign countries, and has been called “a book club winner,” by more than one bookseller. Thanks for listening
Thank you, Maryann!! I hope my readers will take you up on your generous offer! I look forward to reading your debut, too!
I loved reading “The Richest Season”! Thanks Maryann
Are you allowed to give us a little info on what you’re working on now? Or have you kind of slowed down since your latest book?