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1. Shadow
Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve
One of the Last Mysteries of World War II
By Robert Kurson
"Robert Kurson tells the story of a close-knit band of deep-sea wreck
divers trying to determine the identity of a Nazi sub sunk off the New
Jersey coast. Shadow Divers combines a moving story of personal
relationships with an inside look into a world most of us will never experience.
I couldn't put it down." -- Peter Guadagni, Bonanza Books, Clayton,
CA
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2. The
Queen of the South
By Arturo Pérez-Reverte
"This novel had me from the first sentence: 'The telephone rang, and she
knew she was going to die.' The story of Teresa Mendoza and her indomitable
will to survive in a man's world is nothing short of amazing. Even if
you think you don't like novels about Mexican drug dealers, give this
one a try. You'll be happily surprised." -- Susan M. Taylor, Wellesley
Booksmith, Wellesley, MA
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3. The
Summer Guest
By Justin Cronin
"I just loved this sprawling yet intimate book about a dying man's final
wish. The strong, sympathetic characters, compelling story line, and magnificent
setting are rendered in language precise and poetic. This summer, I'll
want all my customers to savor this special treat." -- Kathi Kirby,
Powell's City of Books, Portland, OR
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4. The
Preservationist
By David Maine
"Listening to Sunday school stories as a child, all the people seemed
larger than life, almost as if they were superheroes. David Maine expertly
deconstructs this particular image of Noah (or Noe) by portraying a man
with immense faith in God but significant doubts about his ability to
follow that faith. An absolutely original and fascinating debut novel."
-- Mike James, Haversack Books & Gifts, Marietta, GA
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5. Sleeping
With Schubert
By Bonnie Marson
"Bonnie Marson's lighthearted story of creative possession is balanced
with deeper questions about personal identity and the true nature of relationships.
Sleeping With Schubert is what smart chicks will read at the beach
this summer!" -- Stesha Brandon, University Book Store, Seattle, WA
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6. Angels
Crest
By Leslie Schwartz
"When a young boy becomes lost in the woods, a town rallies around the
father whose impulsive action brings him unbearable grief. Set in a mountainous
area of California and full of unforgettable characters, Schwartz's emotionally
powerful novel is resonant with insight and grace, and the story remains
with its reader long after the last page." -- Katrina Denza, The Country
Bookshop, Southern Pines, NC
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7. Coal
Run
By Tawni O'Dell
"Coal Run sings with believable characters; the grim, gritty reality
of the life of a coal miner; and essential human truths. A stunning, "can't-put-it-down"
read from the author of Back Roads." -- Gee Gee Rosell, Buxton
Village Books, Buxton, NC
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8. Mr.
Darcy Takes a Wife: Pride and Prejudice Continues
By Linda Berdoll
"This sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is sometimes
hilarious, sometimes tragic, and is laced throughout with sensuality and
intrigue. Reader beware, though, this isn't your mother's Austen!" --
Elyse Landgraf, Little Professor BookCenter, Oshkosh, WI
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9. Multiple
Choice
By Claire Cook
"Claire Cook has created another fun read. This time we fall in love with
March Monroe, an everyday woman who is struggling with the questions many
middle-aged women ask: 'Is this where I thought I would be at this point
in my life?' and 'How did I get here?' She struggles to balance her life
as mother and new student, and we get to see the humorous side effects"
-- Lisa Fabiano, Hearts & Stars Bookshop, Canton, MA
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10. This
is Not Civilization
By Robert Rosenberg
"The lives of four people of different cultures converge in Turkey when
a devastating earthquake takes place. This deeply moving novel explores
the relationship between America and indigenous peoples." -- Barbara
MacDonald, Great Northern Bookstore, Oscoda, MI
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11. Four
Souls
By Louise Erdrich
"Erdrich's latest novel tracks the circular paths that interweave the
lives of her characters. Told in several voices, representing the communal
aspect of tribal storytelling and culture, Four Souls explains
how each character learns to balance independence with community. By far
her finest yet." -- Benay Blend, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM
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12. Hidden
By Paul Jaskunas
"This story of a traumatized woman's search for the truth about the man
who assaulted her is the sort of novel you enter like falling into a troubled
dream while laying in a partially curtained room on a hot summer afternoon.
The writing is lyrical and believable, yet the overall effect is shimmering
and mysterious." -- Laura Hansen, Bookin' It, Little Falls, MN
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13. When
Red is Black
By Qiu Xiaolong
"Qui Xiaolong writes a gem of a mystery series, giving us an intriguing
look at police work in modern Shanghai. This time, Inspector Chen Cao
takes a vacation to translate a proposal for one of China's nouveau riche
businessmen, leaving assistant Detective Yu to lead the investigation
into the murder of a dissident writer." -- George Rishel, The Sly Fox,
Virden, IL
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14. The
Ghost Writer
By John Harwood
"A mystery within a mystery, with a story that was written years ago by
the relative of a young child. After discovering a hidden manuscript in
his mother's room, Gerard Freeman has to find out about her past. He finds
his answers, but your hair will stand on end as he does so!" -- Rita
Ryan, Armchair Books, Pendleton, OR
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15. Misdemeanor
Man
By Dylan Schaffer
"Gordon Seegerman is the most unambitious public defender you've ever
met (his only real passion is Barry Manilow). As Seegerman's latest case
gets bigger and more mysterious, he is forced to do something he swore
he'd never resort to: actual casework. Misdemeanor Man is amusing,
cynical, and thoroughly entertaining." -- Megan Scott O'Bryan, Scott's
Bookstore, Mount Vernon, WA
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16. Mongo:
Adventures in Trash
By Ted Botha
"For those of us who are secret scavengers, here is a fascinating account
of our modern-day urban hunter-gatherer tribes. Their motivations, life
choices, habits, and -- for some --various psychoses determine their levels
of success in adapting to invisible existence on the streets." -- Megan
Wolfer, Table Mesa Gifts & Books, Boulder, CO
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17. Mortal
Love
By Elizabeth Hand
"Told in two time periods -- Victorian London and contemporary New York
-- the story hinges on a mysterious woman who influences artists in both
London and New York. The suspense builds as Hand explores the connection
between art, madness, and the supernatural -- and what happens when they
intersect." -- Deb Wehmeier, Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans,
LA
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18. Sabbath
Creek
By Judson Mitcham
"A book that dazzles in its simplicity and economy of language, Sabbath
Creek is an emotional tour de force. Mitcham compresses several lives
into an almost poetic narrative, giving us glimpses of brilliance in these
short vignettes, the total of which is one stunning novel." -- Susan
Townley, Viva Bookstore, San Antonio, TX
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19. Skinny
Dip
By Carl Hiaasen
"On a cruise to celebrate their second wedding anniversary, Chaz Perrone
threw his wife overboard. She managed to survive the fall, and, thanks
to a bale of marijuana floating by, was saved. When rescued, Joey Perrone
doesn't think of police, but of revenge. In the end, justice prevails
-- that is, Hiaasen's brand of justice, which means something fiendishly
clever." -- Barbara Hoagland, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT
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20. Let
Me Go
By Helga Schneider
"Helga Schneider's Let Me Go is an incredibly brave account of
her meeting with her estranged mother, who had abandoned her family to
join the SS and, ultimately, become a guard at Auschwitz-Birkenau. No
fiction comes close to showing evil like this short book does. All the
women in the Schneider's story are permanently bound into the reader's
memory." -- Mary Ann Steele, Mary Ann's Mostly Books, Benson, AZ
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Between
Two Rivers
By Nicholas Rinaldi
"A high-rise condominium in Manhattan is the vehicle for this beautifully
written and compelling novel about the residents and their Romanian concierge.
Each character is richly drawn, and there are surprises unfolding page
by page. The World Trade Center, ever present in the landscape of the
condo, foreshadows the events to come. I loved this book." -- Cathy
Langer, Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, CO
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The
Canal House
By Mark Lee
"This story of war and romance, stretched across many exotic hotspots
(Uganda, Kosovo, East Timor), does the Hemingway/ Greene tradition proud.
Lee, once a roving war reporter himself, has created a wonderful cast
of restless globetrotters in a story that offers great tension and a powerful
sense of place." -- Jamie Kornegay, Square Books, Oxford, MS
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The
Circus in Winter
By Cathy Day
"Based on family stories and old photographs, the author imagines the
lives of circus people when they are not in the ring. Spanning the late
1800s through the present day, life in the circus comes alive through
the stories of the performers, the circus owners, and their modern descendents."
-- Ann Carlson, Harborwalk Books, Georgetown, SC
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In
Summer
By Jeremy Jackson
"Jackson is amazing: Four published titles, completely different writing
styles in each...and, for the fourth time, I'm blown away. In Summer
is a second coming-of-age, of sorts: A young man, already charming and
mature after his father's death, has to grow up again during the summer
after high school, and this time the catalyst is his mother's battle with
cancer." -- Beth Golay, Watermark Book Co., Anacortes,WA
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Ladies
Coupé
By Anita Nair
"The eldest child in a Brahmin family has abandoned plans for college
and mar-riage to shoulder family responsibilities after the death of her
father...until now. Ready to take back her life, even if it means living
alone, 42-year-old Akhila decides to take a trip to help determine her
next step. The train journey in the ladies coupé, during which
her fellow travelers tell their stories, offers insight into the lives
of modern-day Indian women." -- Carolyn Chin, Books on First, Dixon,
IL
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Oblivion:
Stories
By David Foster Wallace
"These disturbingly intimate narratives are punctuated with dizzying corkscrews
and stomach-churning plunges into fantasy. Wallace's weapons of choice
are the inner monologue and the rage and horror that lie just below the
surface. Death and mayhem abound, though Wallace's trade-mark ironic sense
of humor is a constant ghostly presence. I was floored by this book."
-- Dave Chachere, Cody's Books, Berkeley, CA
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Olivia
Joules and the Overactive Imagination
By Helen Fielding
"Move over James Bond- Olivia Joules is here to stay. Fielding has created
yet another hilariously fun character in British super-spy Olivia Joules.
Armed with a hatpin as her weapon of choice, Olivia tracks a top Al Qaeda
operative around the globe. A must read for anyone who wishes they were
a secret agent." -- Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck,
NY
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Perfect
Circle
By Sean Stewart
"This quirky, engaging novel tells the story of William 'Dead' Kennedy,
a thirtysomething former punk rocker and down-on-his-luck divorced dad-who
sees ghosts. After a visit to his haunted cousin goes horribly wrong,
Kennedy finds himself getting lots of attention -- mostly the wrong kind
-- from both the living and the dead. Funny and thought-provoking." --
Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI
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The
Persistence of Memory
By Tony Eprile
"From the first sentence ('It was Miss Tompkins who helped put a name
to the toxin lurking in my being.') to the last, this compelling novel
of South Africa lures the reader into a world where extremes are the norm
and 'normality' is an elastic concept. At times sardonic, at times achingly
sad, The Persistence of Memory is beautifully written and unforgettable."
-- Bob Gray, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center,VT
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The
Reckoning
By Jeff Long
"During a U.S. Army-led expedition to find the remains of American soldiers
who went missing during the Vietnam War, photojournalist Molly Drake and
archaeologist Duncan O'Brian unearth the even bigger story of an entire
patrol that was lost in the waning days of the conflict. Dark, medita-tive,
and eerie, this thriller will ensnare you like a jungle vine." -- Joe
Drabyak, Chester County Book & Music Company,West Chester, PA
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Shoot
the Moon
By Billie Letts
"I devoured Shoot the Moon in one long, satisfying gulp. The characters
each hold pieces of a puzzle about an old, but not forgotten, murder.
Letts reveals the truths, and entertains, with a memorable cast of both
nice and not-so-nice townsfolk, each of whom receive their just desserts."
-- Linda Rolczynski, Lindon Bookstore, Enumclaw,WA
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Turn
Signal
By Howard Owen
"Jack Stone is a father who tries so hard-his desperation oozes on each
page as he deals with his estranged son, his high school buddies, and
his novel, which mysteriously fits into his underlying childhood dreams.
His own psychological needs ultimately lead to a shocking ending-definitely
a powerful read." -- Carolyn Valtos, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM
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Waking
Raphael
By Leslie Forbes
"A middle-aged English art historian and her Italian assistant are involved
in the restoration of a Raphael masterpiece, as is a young American who
anchors a documentary on the restoration. Forbes, known for her beautifully
written mysteries, has exceeded every limit of the genre and has crafted
a compelling, complex, magnificent novel." -- Betsy Burton, The King's
English, Salt Lake City, UT
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Cat
vs. Cat: Keeping Peace When You Have More Than One Cat
By Pam Johnson-Bennett
"If you have more than one cat, you need this book. Period. Johnson-Bennett
is a skilled interpreter of feline behavior, and after reading Cat
vs. Cat, you will be, too. Fun to read for any cat lover, and it works.What
more could you ask?" -- Frazer Dobson, Park Road Books, Charlotte,
NC
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Caught
in the Current: Searching for Simplicity in the Technological Age
By Jay Bookman
"This book 'caught' me completely by surprise. Alternating between a memoir
of a raft trip on an Oregon river and a musing on the pace of technology
and its place in our lives, it is thought-provoking and insightful throughout."
-- Donna Urey, White Birch Books, North Conway, NH
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How
Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization
By Franklin Foer
"Foer was a terrible childhood soccer player, a 'trauma' that he tried
to assuage by becoming as knowledgeable about the game as he could. Along
the way, he realized that the game and its context could be a great aid
in understanding our shrinking, yet increasingly strange, world. Foer
is an accessible and open writer, making the book both enlightening and
highly entertaining." -- Curt Witteveen,Annie Bloom's Books, Portland,
OR
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One
Wheel, Many Spokes: USA by Unicycle
By Lars Clausen
"Want to avoid your own midlife crisis? Have it vicariously. Join Clausen
as he shares the adventures and soufulness of pedaling the roads of America
in search of his country and himself, setting two Guinness World Records
in the process. His inspiring, sprightly account can be enjoyed by a variety
of readers." -- Kathy Mullins,The Book Loft, Solvang, CA
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Two
Souls Indivisible: The Friendship That Saved Two POWs in Vietnam
By James S. Hirsch
"This is the deeply affecting story of two flyers who were shot down during
the Vietnam War and imprisoned for seven years. Air Force Major Fred Cherry
was the first black officer captured, and he outranked Navy pilot Lieutenant
(J.G.) Porter Halyburton. Both had been raised in the segregated South,
a factor that loomed large at the start of the seven months during which
they shared a cell. Hirsch sets the story of this remarkable pair in the
context of the political climate of the '60s." -- Betsey Detwiler,
Buttonwood Books & Toys, Cohasset, MA
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