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January/February
2003 Book Sense 76 Picks
Unique and provocative selections from a great diversity of voices...all personally recommended by the independent booksellers of America.
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 Michelangelo
and the Pope's Ceiling
by Ross
King
"I thoroughly enjoyed this 16th-century soap opera, starring those larger-than-life
personalities Michelangelo, Pope Julius II, and Raphael, and featuring all the
intrigue, passion, violence, and pettiness of a " "Sopranos" "
episode! King's gift is his ability to bring readers back through this maze of
time and lead us to an understanding of all that coalesced -- politically, socially,
and artistically -- to create great art, great history and, for us, great reading."
- Jeanne Morris, Bethany Beach Books, Bethany Beach, DE
 The
Passion of Artemisia
by Susan
Vreeland
"The incredibly touching and dramatic story of the life of real-life Artemisia
Gentileschi. Set in Renaissance Italy, this novel plunges you into her constant
struggle to succeed in personal and public life. In spite of many obstacles, she
was the first woman elected to the Academia in Florence. And Artemisia was not
only a painter, she was a remarkable woman and mother." - Amy Loewy,
Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans, LA
 Coal:
A Human History
by Barbara
Freese
"This thought-provoking new book gives the reader a history of this life-altering
mineral. Its use has been basic to shipping and canal building, warmth and light
in cold climates, and the Industrial Revolution. Society currently faces a conundrum
as its use and misuse affects the worldwide environment. A fascinating book."
- Becky Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA
 Samaritan
by Richard
Price
"Price is a very visual writer, and the book unfolds cinematically, revealing
the shaky equilibrium between the eternal struggle to be a good person vs. the
demands of personal relationships and a very troubled society. Ray Mitchell returns
to his hometown with all best intentions, but his life is soon in danger."
- Elayne Hopkins, Ruminator Books, St. Paul, MN
 That
Old Ace in the Hole
by Annie
Proulx
"A town in the Texas panhandle is home to some of the goofiest, most fiercely
iconoclastic characters ever written. The dialogue crackles, making this a joy
to read, yet the humor is tempered by an underlying theme of corporate landgrabbing
in order to sneak hog farms into unsuspecting communities. This is every bit as
good as The
Shipping News." - Kay Marcotte, Page One Bookstore, Albuquerque,
NM
 Old
Flames
by John
Lawton
"It's post-WWII London and Chief Inspector Troy of Scotland Yard is embroiled
in a Russian/British diplomatic incident. The gripping plot wends its way across
Cold War Europe, twisting through a spy ring and the murder of a Royal Navy officer.
All this makes us wait eagerly for Lawton's next book." - Betsy Burton,
The King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT
 Hail
to the Chiefs: Presidential Mischief, Morals & Malarkey from George W. to George
W.
by Barbara
Holland
"Not even the most revered of our presidents and their families are spared
by Holland as she skips through American history, revealing the foibles and failures
of the people who ran the show. Remarkably even-handed and funny." - Margaret
Maupin, The Tattered Cover, Denver, CO
 Forever:
A Novel
by Pete
Hamill
"Hamill's long-awaited new novel begins in 1740 when Cormac O'Connor arrives
in New York from Ireland. Beholden to his sense of justice, he rescues an African
who has been brought to the city in chains. In return, he is granted the gift
of immortality...so long as he never leaves Manhattan. Hamill is a gifted storyteller
whose years as a journalist give authenticity and immediacy to this magical tale."
- Bobby Teichnor, Annie Bloom's Books, Portland, OR
 Sweet
Dream Baby
by Sterling
Watson
"This is a coming-of-age novel set in the calm of the late-50s South, but
with tension growling beneath the surface. Travis becomes a youthful vigilante
who wages his version of justice with deadly results. The motif of rock-and-roll
music threads the story like the warp and woof of a turbulent tapestry. A page-turner."
- Mary Kay Watson, Sister Wolf Books, Dorset, MN
 One
Step Behind
by Henning
Mankell
"In the same vein as the complex police procedurals of Ian
Rankin comes these books featuring Detective Wallander. Set in Mankell's
native Sweden, these dark and brooding mysteries have a European sensibility.
Black Lizard will reissue more of these gems in the coming months."
- Georgie Lewis, Powell's, Portland, OR
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