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March/April
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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Mystic River
by Lehane, Dennis
(Morrow, $25.00, 0688163165)
"We love Lehane's new book; the best work yet from this gifted writer. Rich characters, evocative settings, complex plot lines, and an entirely satisfying conclusion." - Dana Anderson, Bickerton & Ripley Books, Edgartown, MA
 Seabiscuit:
An American Legend
by Hillenbrand, Laura
(Random House, $24.95, 0375502912)
"This is the story of America's obsession with one of the greatest racehorses of the 20th century. The descriptions of the races and spills are magnificently vivid, and I felt like I was emerging from 'black and white' time and space when I put the book down. It's suspenseful and engrossing; a wonderful read." - Karen Robertson, Twenty-Third Avenue Books, Portland, OR
Hearse of a Different Color
by Cockey, Tim
(Hyperion, $23.95, 0786865717)
"Baltimore's undertaker/sleuth Hitchcock Sewell is an endearing eccentric -- clever, tender-hearted, and sophisticated. The writing is intelligent and witty, and I practically inhaled this book, it was so much fun." - Tripp Ryder, Carleton College Bookstore, Northfield, MN
My Dream of You
by O'Faolain, Nuala
(Riverhead, $25.95, 1573221775)
"What a pleasure, pure pleasure! To see the main character come to terms with herself gives us all hope. And the twists and turns of the story within the story make for a great subplot." - Linda Matthews, Back Country Navigator, Lake City, CO
 My
Father's Dragon
by Gannett, Ruth Stiles, illus. By Ruth Chrisman Gannett
(Random House, $4.99, 0394890485)
"This has been a bestseller here for 17 years! This book's gentle fantasy, complemented by charming illustrations, is equally engaging as a first chapter book read-aloud or as a self-read by newly independent readers. These words and pictures still enchant new generations." - Darlene Daniel, Pages: Books for Children and Young Adults, Tarzana, CA
Cool for You
by Myles, Eileen
(Soft Skull Press, $14.00, 188712859X)
"Poet Eileen Myles transforms a slew of autobiographical material into a narrative that is as bleak as it is redemptive. Each page is imbued with the kind of tone that you want to hear when you pick up the phone late at night and it's a friend calling to catch up. Dark, hip, astonishingly bright. I cannot recommend it enough." - Tom Padilla, Posman Books @ NYU, New York, NY
A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana
by Kimmel, Haven
(Doubleday, $21.95, 0385499825) "This is the most touching, best-written
memoir that I have read in a long, long time. Kimmel captures life in small town
mid-America better than anyone. I'll be recommending this book to everyone I know,
and it will be a bestseller." - Dottie Danner, Danner's Books, Muncie,
IN
These Granite Islands
by Stonich, Sarah
(Little, Brown, $24.95, 0316815837)
"Set in a 1930's resort community, this is the story of two women and the state of their marriages. Stonich has captured in a unique way the essence of ambiguity relationships can have before they mature or break apart. The suspense as the summer unfolds holds the reader's attention in quite a satisfying way. It will be a great book group selection." - Anita Zager, Northern Lights Books & Gifts, Duluth, MN
If There Would Be No Light: Poems from My Heart
by Spain, Sahara Sunday
(HarperSanFrancisco, $17.00, 0062517406) "Sahara's poems and illustrations
are remarkable. This 9-year-old will touch both adults and children with her inspirational
poetry about the true power of love." - Elaine Petrocelli, Book Passage,
Corte Madera, CA
 The
Tiger Rising
by DiCamillo,
Kate, illus. by Chris Sheban
(Candlewick Press, $12.99, 0763609110) "Kate's done it again, turning seemingly
small characters into larger-than-life personalities. When confronted by a caged
tiger, the two main characters' perceptions of freedom and happiness are transformed.
After a dizzying sequence of events, their individual passions are granted wings
-- and stripes -- and their lives are forever altered. Unforgettable."
- Collette Morgan, Wild Rumpus, Minneapolis, MN
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