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July/August
2001 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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| The Top Ten Vote-Getters |
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 Julie
and Romeo
by Ray, Jeanne
(Onyx, 0451409973) "A love story for all ages about a romance between two
rival florists in their 60s. They vow that a generation-long family feud between
their families will not affect their feelings for each other. This is a laugh-out-loud
novel and one of our favorites." - Linda Burg, Little Read Book, Wauwatosa,
WI
Tell
No One
by Coben,
Harlan
 (Delacorte,
0385335555) "When were you last on a rollercoaster ride? Think of the tension
as you rise to the top, then the heart-pounding free-fall, twists and turns,
and the relief at the end. Add to that the emotion of a once-in-a-lifetime love,
and you might come close to the experience of reading Tell No One."
- Dana Gilligan, Bookends, Ridgewood, NJ
Bel
Canto
by Patchett, Ann
 (HarperCollins,
0060188731) "I could not put this marvelous book down.
Patchett has based her new novel on a true event - the hostage situation in Peru
a few years back - but boy, does she put a new twist on the story. I won't reveal
what happens; please read this book for yourself!" - Roberta Rubin, The
Book Stall at Chestnut Court, Winnetka, IL
Music of the Spheres
by Redfern, Elizabeth
(Putnam, 0399147632) "Great reviews will be plentiful and will all say the
same thing: " lyrical, atmospheric, a wonderful historic setting...""
but at its core, this is simply a great read." - Kathleen Mahinske, Books Connection,
Livonia, MI
Road Angels: Searching for Home on America's Coast of Dreams
by Nerburn, Kent
(HarperSanFrancisco, 0060698683) "Nerburn travels the west coast from the
Canadian border to Big Sur in search of, if not El Dorado, for a release from
his past. This book evokes memories of Wallace Stegner, Robert Pirsig, and so
many others who have gone West and on the road looking for a new beginning."
- Leon Zimlich, Chaucer's Books, Santa Barbara, CA
Little America
by Bromwell, Henry
(Knopf, 0375406840) "I loved this book - the writing, the setting, and the
themes of CIA secrecy and family loss. In this way, comparisons to LeCarre will
be inevitable, but Bromwell can and does hold his own in a masterful way."
- Louise Jones, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT
 Nickel
and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
by Ehrenreich, Barbara
(Metropolitan, 0805063889) "Whatever financial woes the middle class may
have, they pale in comparison to the daily breadwinning struggle of America's
low-wage workers. We expect the dirty work to be done, and Ehrenreich gives us
a glimpse into the lives of the people who do it. An important work."
- Dan Schreffler, The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY
Fearless Jones
by Mosley, Walter
(Little, Brown, 0316592382) "Noir. The 1950s. L.A. Paris Minton is in so
much trouble he has no choice but to bail his friend, Fearless Jones, out of jail.
With a fast pace and many plot twists and turns, Mosley creates some great characters
while sharing insights and morals. I highly recommend this book." - Joan
Witlock, Stacey's, Cupertino, CA
 Goose
Music
by Horan, Richard
(Steerforth Press, 1586420178) "The parameters: Tom Robbins on the funny
edge, Carlos Castaneda on the spiritual edge, O. Henry on the surprise ending.
A captivating story that deconstructs the Trickster Myth, told on multiple levels
with quite a cast of characters. This is pure pleasure." - Paul Ingram,
Prairie Lights, Iowa City, IA
All
We Know of Heaven
by Rougeau,
Remy
 (Houghton
Mifflin, 0618094997) "This novel is set in the framework of a factual and
unpretentious account of monastic life in the late 20th century. It is quite heartfelt
and enduring." - Christopher Sullivan, Copperfield's Books, Calistoga,
CA
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