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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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 Bee
Season
by Goldberg,
Myla
(Vintage, 0385498802) "A terrific book. What an unusual theme: the attraction,
danger, and folly of transcendence. At the beginning, I would never have guessed
that's where it would end up. A powerful ending. And I LOVED the father."
- Linda Marotta, Shakespeare & Co., New York, NY
Getting Over It
by Maxted, Anna
(Regan Books, 006098824X) "This is one of the funniest books I've ever read.
Helen is a single woman in her 20s struggling with noncommittal boyfriends, a
manipulative mother, irritating roommates, and a mindless job. After her father's
death, she stumbles through the changes to her life with an enormous amount of
wit and resilience. Loss is a sad, sad thing, but Helen makes 'getting over it'
much funnier than she, or we, thought possible." - Polly Reiheld, A Clean
Well-Lighted Place for Books, San Francisco, CA
Gravity of Sunlight, The
by Shand, Rosa
(Soho Press, 1569472408) "Set in Uganda just before Idi Amin comes to power,
this award-winning novel concerns two Americans with a shaky marriage that slowly
unravels. Shand's prose is atmospheric and lush, and she weaves local customs
and characters into the story." - Duff Bruce, Open Book, Greenville SC
In the Fall
by Lent, Jeffrey
(Vintage, 037570745X) "This amazing first novel carries the reader from the
Civil War to modern times, from Southern battlefield to Vermont farm to New Hampshire
mountain resort and back to the South, through three generations of an American
family. This is one of the best books I've read in years." - Donna Urey,
White Birch Books, North Conway, NH
 Living
to Tell
by Nelson, Antonya
(Scribner, 0743200608) "This is a generous and often very funny novel about
a contemporary family coping with loss. Three generations of the Mabie family
live together in a big, rambling house in Wichita, but this is not a 'dysfunctional
family' book. I came to care deeply for all of them, and by the end of the book
I was ready to move into the house with them." - Mary Benham, Book Passage,
Corte Madera, CA
Lost Legends of New Jersey, The
by Reiken, Frederick
(Harvest, 0156010941) "This tale of a young kid whose parents have divorced
-- and who is in love with the daughter of a crime boss -- was a pleasure, from
the pitch-perfect dialogue to the totally endearing characters." - Jeanne
Meyer, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, Milwaukee, WI
 Moonlight
Bowl Manifesto: A Cure for California
by Jones, Barbara
(Russell Dean & Co., 1891954164) "When a renegade bowling team from the East
takes the fate of California in its three-fingered grip, laughter ensues. But
it will bring a tear as well, as the author takes some serious satirical jabs
at treatment of the elderly, racism, and religious bigotry. Underneath the political
irreverence, there's depth to the book that shines through." - Sally
McFarlane, Ye Olde Book Shoppe, Atascadero, CA
Rachel's Holiday
by Keyes, Marianne
(Avon, 0380817683) "A poignant but hilarious look at a 20-something New Yorker
who finds herself in rehab in Ireland, despite her objections that she's not an
addict. A beautifully written story with great insight into the world of addiction
and rehabilitation." - Christy Womble, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Jackson,
TN
This Is Not a Novel
by Markson, David
(Counterpoint, 1582431337) "Remarkable! This book has taught me (strangely)
what it means for a read to be compelling. With patience, you arrive at the end
and, heartbroken, want to begin again." - Will Wilkinson, Bristol Books,
Wilmington, NC
 Unburied,
The
by Palliser, Charles
(Washington Square, 0743410513) "Mysteries within mysteries in the 9th, 11th,
17th, and 19th centuries intertwine, leading finally to the redemption of a historian
who tries to untangle murders from King Alfred's time to the murder in the next
room. A fascinating historical/psychological page-turner." - Gerry Camp,
Bear Mountain Books, Cameron Park, CA
White Teeth
by Smith, Zadie
(Vintage, 0375703861) "An astonishing debut; a most engaging picture of
the immigrant experience in England. Through the story of two families -- one
a Brit married to a Jamaican, the other Bangladeshi -- Smith revels in language
and gently pokes fun at both them and garden variety Brits. It is hilariously
funny, I mean laugh-out-loud funny." - Carla Cohen, Politics & Prose,
Washington, DC
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