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March/April
2003 Book Sense 76 Picks
Here are the 76
most noteworthy new and recent books, as compiled from hundreds of recommendations
by independent booksellers across America. One bookseller's quote has been
chosen to represent each of these top vote-getters.
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 Mrs.
Kimble: A Novel
by Jennifer
Haigh
"This a beautifully written novel, telling the story of three very different
women, who, over a 25-year period, were consecutively married to the same man.
Each of the Mrs. Kimbles is worth a novel of her own, but by weaving their stories
together, Haigh has written a story of women everywhere -- their insecurities
and their commitments. This wonderful novel explores the reasons behind the
choices women make, and each woman's story is unique and fascinating."
- Maret Orliss, Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, CA
 The
Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
by Erik
Larson
"The first must-read nonfiction book of the year, a work which vividly portrays
the last grand gasp of the 19th century: the World's Fair of 1893. Henry Holmes
is the titular devil, a charismatic young doctor with blood-curdling obsessions.
The supporting cast includes such luminaries as Edison, Buffalo Bill, and Susan
B. Anthony. Larson fully engulfs the viewer in the period, and the enjoyment of
this stunning work is only heightened by the knowledge that the story is true."
- Scott Coffman, Hawley-Cooke Booksellers, Louisville, KY
 The
Master Butcher's Singing Club: A Novel
by Louise
Erdrich
"Erdrich's latest is fantastic. It's a great story about German immigrants
who settle in North Dakota in the early part of the 20th century; a big-hearted,
realistic tale about hardscrabble life, about small community, and about all the
small heroics that emerge in the ordinary living of life. I loved every sentence."
- Nancy Olsen, Quail Ridge Books and Music, Raleigh, NC
 The
Da Vinci Code: A Novel
by Dan
Brown
"Everyone here has read and loved the advance copy of this smart new thriller.
This is one of those rare books that comes along and make you question everything
you thought you knew about religion, art, and what you were taught in school.
It's fast-paced, enthralling, and simply impossible to put down." - Jeff
Azbill, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Jackson, TN
 Tropic
of Night: A Novel
by Michael
Gruber
"This is the most addictive first novel since The
Lovely Bones. While this is the story of a witches' war, an epic confrontation
between good and evil, the novel's most ambitious and original theme is that of
racial conflict. Sympathetic and unique characters, a great love story, and all
the thrills you'd expect from a horror novel are woven into an exotic tapestry.
It's destined to become a classic, so be the first on your block to read it."
- Dave Chachere, Cody's Books, Berkeley, CA
 Waiting
for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy
by Carlos
Eire
"This sparkles with the life of a wild 10-year-old boy. Eire and his friends
pull the tails off lizards, ride on the backs of pesticide trucks, play with firecrackers
as Castro comes to power, and wait to leave their island, their parents, and their
childhoods behind. A great account of being a young boy." - Arsen Kashkashian,
Boulder Book Store, Boulder, CO
 All
Over Creation: A Novel
by Ruth
Ozeki
"Ozeki's characters come together on an Idaho potato farm in the middle of
the turmoil around genetically engineered crops. She creates radical environmentalists,
farmers, agribusiness types, ailing elders and their caregivers, and intelligent,
interesting children. This book is funny, sad, thought-provoking, and rich with
characters who grow and mature." - Nancy Braus, Everyone's Books, Brattleboro,
VT
 Pattern
Recognition: A Novel
by William
Gibson
"Gibson trains his unique lens on the present, giving us a story in real
time that is a beautifully elegiac, thoughtful meditation on how shattering events
shape our lives. As usual, Gibson's portrayal of how people use technology is
spot on. This is a finely wrought and highly readable novel from one of science
fiction's most gifted writers." - Genevieve Williams, University Book
Store, Bellevue, WA
 The
Final Confession of Mabel Stark: A Novel
by Robert
Hough
"Mabel is a fiery, sharp outlaw who married five men in her lifetime, and
she could give a hoot about what society expected of her as a woman. In this fictional
biography, Hough brings to life an amazing woman who brought wonder to the vibrant
world of the circus in a magical time past. We get a glimpse of her many affairs,
her rise to stardom, and her true love for the tigers she works with as she travels
the country on the circus train." - Alissa Haslam, Broadway Books, Portland,
OR
 What
I Loved: A Novel
by Siri
Hustvedt
"I'm not sure I have the right words to express how intricately the characters
of this wondrous novel wove themselves into my mind. I marveled over and over
again how the author created such real and fleshy characters who inhabit such
finely detailed lives, complete with almost-visible art works. This had everything
I crave in a novel: stories of unconditional love, complex family dynamics,
psychological tension, and a window into a world I would never experience."
- Amanda Tobier, Third Place Books, Lake Forest, WA
 Atonement
by Ian
McEwan
"McEwan weaves an absorbing tale that starts with the activities of one afternoon
in 1935 and unfolds for years to come. As the afternoon progresses, readers are
entrapped in a tale that commands attention from start to finish. A masterfully
crafted tale of growing up, finding love, and the dangers of a runaway imagination."
- Kyle Beachy, Verbatim Booksellers, Vail, CO
 Enemy
Women
by Paulette
Jiles
"A fascinating account of a young Missouri woman's experiences during the
Civil War. Beautifully written, even poetic, this book had me entranced from start
to finish." - Liz Morgan, Village Bookstore, Menomonee Falls, WI
 The
Secret Life of Bees
by Sue
Monk Kidd
"Kidd creates a narrator who the reader will grow to love. White, fourteen,
and a runaway, she finds the true meaning of family in a very unusual place:
the home of three black sisters who raise bees." - Kathy Westover,
The Bookworm, Edwards, CO
 Crow
Lake
by Mary
Lawson
"Four children are left without their parents after a car crash and find
the strength to survive and even flourish in unity. This small town story, where
dreams change and refocus, gives you faith in the human spirit." - Cheryl
Townsend, Impetuous Books, Stow, OH
 Servants
of the Map: Stories
by Andrea
Barrett
"Barrett's newest collection of stories is, happily, more of her unique melding
of issues concerning scientific curiosity and featuring complex characters you
won't soon forget." - Ann Prewitt, Midsummer Books, Galveston, TX
 Don't
Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood
by Alexandra
Fuller
"Here's a fascinating story of growing up in Rhodesia with eccentric parents
passionately committed to a white presence in Africa. Things go badly, but Fuller
tells of the beginning of Zimbabwe and her family's moves to Malawi and Zambia
with both humor and poignancy." - Marcia Rider, Capitola Book Caf‰, Capitola,
CA
 The
Buffalo Soldier
by Chris
Bohjalian
"Bohjalian takes his style of literary realism to new heights and succeeds
beautifully in crafting a tense tug-of-war novel between husband and wife. He
provides a deep and revealing look into the wounded souls of this struggling couple
and the life of the boy they invite into their world." - Mike DeSanto,
The Book Rack, Essex Junction, VT
 Lost
Nation
by Jeffrey
Lent
"From the opening words, I was riveted by the heart-piercing dialogue, the
sparseness of the setting, and the assault of the characters. I loved every second
of this book!" -Annie Kyrkostas, Book Mark Café, Oyster Bay, NY
 The
Impressionist
by Hari
Kunzru
"A pampered son of a wealthy Indian family is cast out onto the street, and
his ensuing travails first lead to a sheltered existence with Christian missionaries.
Later, he takes on the identity of a young Englishman. From the slums of Bombay
to Victorian India to Edwardian London, Kunzru's majestic novel examines race
and class with glittering artistry." - Barbara Hoagland, The King's English
Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT
 Lamb:
The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
by Christopher
Moore
"This is, by far, the funniest book I've read in quite awhile. This was
a hit in our store in hardcover, and now in paperback, we'll put this into the
hands of many more readers." - Ginnie Traver, Bishop Bookstore, Bishop,
CA
 The
Eyre Affair
by Jasper
Fforde
"This is one of the funniest and most action-packed -- yet extraordinarily
literate --books I've read in quite some time. Thursday Next has to stop a time
warp, save Jane Eyre, and save the world as we've never known it. I can't wait
for the sequel!" - Susan Hickman, Distant Lands, Pasadena, CA
 Lost
in a Good Book: A Thursday Next Novel
by Jasper
Fforde
"I thought Fforde's first book, The Eyre Affair, was charming and
fun, but this new one is pure genius. The literary allusions jump off the page
and ambush you, causing loud outbursts of laughter, as my fellow patrons of
a certain coffee shop will attest to. It is a book lover's and bookseller's
dream." - Deb Wehmeier, Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans, LA
 Almost
There: The Onward Journey of a Dublin Woman
by Nuala
O'Faolain
"Following up her no-holds-barred memoir Are
You Somebody?, O'Faolain pinpoints those weird things about life that
we all grapple with: how to better understand the past, settle personal history,
move onward, and embrace the future. This insightful memoir of middle life is
intelligent and full of resonance for all us boomers, offering hope for our imperfect
lot." - Kathryn Clark, Square Books, Oxford, MS
 Fireweed:
A Political Autobiography
by Gerda
Lerner
"Lerner practically invented women's history with a series of brilliant books.
Her own personal history, it turns out, has been as fascinating and dramatic as
any novel, from her childhood in Nazi-occupied Austria through her American years
of motherhood, leftist organizing, and becoming a writer and scholar. This is
a passionate, compelling, and intelligent account of a life deeply engaged with
the living AND the creation of history." - Nina Barrett, Women & Children
First, Chicago, IL
 Madame
Sadayakko: The Geisha Who Bewitched the West
by Lesely
Downer
"What a fascinating woman! Why has she never been named when the roll of
great actresses is called? Thank you, Ms. Downer, for rescuing this bright light
from her obviously undeserved obscurity here in the West." - Ginny Coulter,
Humpus Bumpus Books, Cumming, GA
 Outlaw
Woman: A Memoir of the War Years, 1960 - 1975
by Roxanne
Dunbar-Ortiz
"This is my current staff pick. It's the perfect antidote to the narrow politics
of today, as the author recounts her participation in radical causes throughout
the 60s and 70s." - Steve Foley, Joseph-Beth, Cleveland, OH
 Rescuing
Patty Hearst: Memories from a Decade Gone Mad
by Virginia
Holman
"Holman will take you into the dark recesses of her mother's troubled mind
as she struggles between reality and illusion. I can't believe the author even
survived her childhood. This is a must read." - Linda Johnson, Books
at Stonehenge, Raleigh, NC
 At
Swim, Two Boys
by Jamie
O'Neill
"A tender and tragic love story that resonated with the political and historical
events of Ireland's Easter Rising. It is also exceptional in its depiction of
first love." - Ron Atkins, Outwrite Books, Atlanta, GA
 Claire
Marvel
by John
Burnham Schwartz
"A lush, poetic novel that takes the reader from scholarly Cambridge, Massachusetts
to the romantic French countryside. The love affair between Julian and Claire
is destined for a tragic ending, but the story of their lives in between is a
wonderful glimpse of true love." - Sarah Parker, Scott's Bookstore, Mt.
Vernon, WA
 Deep
in the Shade of Paradise
by John
Dufresne
"We're getting ready for a wedding in Shiver-de-Freeze, Louisiana, but what
has happened to the bride and groom? This bayou Midsummer
Night's Dream tackles the big issues of life, death, marriage, birth,
and love, as well as a whole mess of little ones as well. Filled with quirky and
fun characters, this fast-paced and tragicomic novel is unforgettable."
- Jefferson Turner, Beaucoup Books, New Orleans, LA
 The
Haunting of L.
by Howard
Norman
"Norman is a masterful writer who weaves a complex trio of characters: a
woman who studies spirit photography, her husband who photographs disasters, and
a caption writer. Their own lives are haunted by a secret that keeps the reader
riveted." - Rona Brinlee, The Book Mark, Atlantic Beach, FL
 Insect
Dreams: The Half-Life of Gregor Samsa
by Marc
Estrin
"As brilliant as Pynchon
and as funny as the best of Robbins
and Vonnegut,
this is a generous gift to the idea-starved fiction reader. Heart, head, hilarity,
and history all rolled passionately into one. Don't miss this!" - John
Evans, DIESEL: A Bookstore, Oakland, CA
 Number9Dream
by David
Mitchell
"Mitchell effortlessly weaves thoughts and ideas on the nature and meaning
of life into his bright, crisp narrative. Do yourself a favor and lose yourself
in the world of David Mitchell; you won't regret it for a second." -
Candler Hunt, Olsson's Dupont Circle, Washington, DC
 Tepper
Isn't Going Out
by Calvin
Trillin
"Trillin has written a charmingly offbeat novel of New York. Tepper just
wants to find a parking spot and read the paper in his car, but is drawn into
a strange kind of celebrity instead." - Soren Schoff, Canterbury Booksellers,
Madison, WI
 The
Translator
by John
Crowley
"The story of a young college student's remarkable relationship with an exiled
Russian poet in 60s Cold War America. It's about poetry, translation, life, love,
and the threat of war. This book is so delicious, so evocative, so exquisite,
I read it slowly twice, to savor each word and phrase." - Lois Powers,
The Toadstool Bookshop, Milford, NH
 Zeno's
Conscience
by Italo
Svevo, Translated by William Weaver
"Perhaps the greatest work of Italian literary modernism gets its due with
this new translation by the great Weaver. Zeno, writing his memoirs as therapy
to help him stop smoking, provides a hilariously detailed roadmap of his foibles,
including his complete lack of business sense, his less-than-perfect fidelity
to his wife, and, of course, his inability to make any cigarette his last."
- Joe Murphy, Olsson's Books and Records, Washington, DC
 Blue
Poppies
by Jonathan
Falla
"A gripping tale about the cruelty of Tibetan life under Chinese occupation
in the 1950s. Falla depicts the harshness of this regime in the ill-fated love
affair between a Scottish radio operator and a crippled Tibetan widow. A debut
novel which both captivates and repels with its unforgiving glimpses at the injustices
and tyranny of war." - Maureen Devine Gogos, Bennett Books, Wyckoff,
NJ
 God's
Mountain
by Erri
de Luca
"The enchanting story of a boy in Naples on his way to becoming a man. De
Luca's simple tale is about lives in transition: for the boy; for the man who
owns the carpentry workshop where he works; for the Jewish refugee who teaches
him to dream; and for the girl who enlightens his maturing soul. Sincere lives
at a magical time in a magical place." - Alaine Borgias, Village Books,
Bellingham, WA
 Gossip
Hound
by Wendy
Holden
"Another rollicking romp by this very humorous British author. A publicist
for a literary British publisher is stuck with interesting a jaded media in
authors whose inferior writing skills are matched in scope only by the immensity
of their egos. Her treatment of sex as a career tool and recreation is hilarious."
- Bob Spear, Book Barn, Leavenworth, KS
 Alison's
Automotive Repair Manual
by Brad
Barkley
"The integration of car repair into the plot is similar to Zen
and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and Barkley's writing is wonderfully
balanced between dry humor, romance, and reflection." - C. Penelope Regan,
Harry W. Schwartz Bookstores, Milwaukee, WI
 Angels
in the Morning
by Sasha
Troyan
"Seen through a child's eyes, a summer with her sister and family is at once
a comforting and tantalizing tale. We're enticed into a world she's always known,
until she provides the first clue that it isn't just right. A mesmerizing novel."
- Mary Burns, The BookWorks, Marysville, WA
 The
Clarinet Polka
by Keith
Maillard
"If you think polka music is just for the Lawrence Welk show, prepare to
expand your horizons with this heartwarming (and at times, hearttwrenching) tale
of how one all-girl polka band shows a man the right way to live and love."
- Tara O'Donnell, Paperbacks Plus, Bronx, NY
 Cosmopolis
by Don
DeLillo
"Eric Packer, an incredibly wealthy New Yorker, sets off in his limo from
his penthouse triplex to a barbershop near Tenth Avenue. As he inches forward
in the dense city traffic, stalled by motorcades, funerals, and globalization
protests, Eric steps out for meals, conducts meetings, makes love, and ultimately
gambles both his fortune and his life with the intensity and foolhardiness of
Icarus. An amazing ride, an amazing read." - Bob Gray, The Northshire
Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT
 The
Dante Club
by Matthew
Pearl
"I reveled in watching the staid members of the club -- publisher J.T. Fields,
essayist Oliver
Wendell Holmes, and poets James
Russell Lowell and Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow -- as they morphed into Sherlock Holmes-like private
detectives in order to solve some gruesome murders patterned after those detailed
in Dante's Inferno.
This is a deliciously divine literary thriller." - Jeanne Morris, Bethany
Beach Books, Bethany Beach, DE
 Drop
City
by T.C.
Boyle
"Boyle creates a wonderful commune full of hippies who move from California
to Alaska, and relates their lives and the lives of the native Alaskans as they
come in contact with each other. This is a great novel, very evocative of a portion
of U.S. culture during the Sixties." - Mitch Gaslin, Food for Thought
Books, Amherst, MA
 A
Few Short Notes on Tropical Butterflies
by John
Murray
"These short stories are so compact, so complex, so complete that each one
reads like a tiny novel. Scientific and medical details are interspersed with
the culture and people of India and Indian people in the U.S. in a way that evokes
connection and compassion." - Linda Bryant, Charis Books and More, Atlanta,
GA
 Finding
Caruso
by Kim
Barnes
"This book is now one of my all-time favorites, and other booksellers here
are lined up to read the advance copy. Set out West in the 50s, after two brothers
start life anew after the death of their parents, this is a heartbreakingly wonderful
novel." - Claudia Wohlfeil, U. of Idaho Bookstore, Moscow, ID
 Gilgamesh
by Joan
London
"An exquisite book. The writing was so smooth and descriptions of Australia
and Armenia were beautiful. This book will appeal to the same readers who enjoyed
Ann Patchett's Bel
Canto, and reading groups will be enchanted, too." - Lionel Carbonneau,
Tatnuck Bookstore, Worcester, MA
 The
Guru of Love
by Samrat
Upadhyay
"A wonderful novel set in Nepal. While its setting enhances the story, and
is interesting on a cultural and political level, the novel's characters and story
are universal. Upadhyay manages to create a very compelling cast of characters
who take the reader through an exploration of love, fidelity, family, sacrifice,
and more. This is a complex novel which seeps into your bones." - Chris
Morrow, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT
 I'm
Not Scared
by Niccolo
Ammaniti, Translated by Jonanthan Hunt
"I was scared when I read this book, taken in by the character of the young
Italian boy Michele and his impossible situation. Creepy, heartfelt, sad, and
suspenseful, no wonder this book was a best seller in Italy." - Steve
Cole, Soundpeace, Ashland, OR
 Jennifer
Government
by Max
Barry
"What happens when the commercial sector becomes more powerful than the government?
This zippy little adventure takes some great shots at the over-commercialism of
everything, and provides us with a fabulously sociopathic villain named John Nike.
Can Jennifer Government stop him his evil plan for media and world domination?
Fun!" - Tom Holbrook, River Run Bookstore, Portsmouth, NH
 The
Long Silence of Mario Salviati
by Etienne
Van Heerden
"A lyrical and intriguing book set in South Africa, where a young woman encounters
a small town filled with secrets, magic, and lost gold. A novel about the past,
art, and adversity, with a wonderful use of magical realism, in which people walk
with ghosts and an angel without realizing it." - Julie J. Smith, Madison
Park Books, Seattle, WA
 The
Miracles of Santo Fico
by D.L.
Smith
"A beautifully written book of hope and rebirth to put into the hands of
many customers who are looking for an inspirational book with a great story line,
and all set in a lovely Italian town, too." - Virginia Hobson Hicks,
Books on the Bluff, Townsend, GA
 The
Perpetual Ending
by Kristen
Den Hartog
"Jane's own tale of loss is interspersed with fairy tales she and her lover
created together. Like Pirouette, one of the imagined characters, I drank eagerly
from the pages of this book, anxiously turning the pages to get my fill."
- Elizabeth Reynolds, Norwich Bookstore, Norwich, VT
 Property
by Valerie
Martin
"Set in Louisiana in 1828 during a slave rebellion, a woman slave owner is
telling the story. It is so fast-paced and descriptive, in just 200 pages, that
it's amazing. This book will make a wonderful reading group book; the complex
characters will generate a lot of discussion." - Molly Olson, Merritt
Bookstore, Millbrook, NY
 The
Songs of the Kings
by Barry
Unsworth
"This is vintage Unsworth, both in storytelling, and in moral and contextual
observation. More like Morality
Play than Sacred
Hunger, this retelling of the Iphigenia/Agamemnon episode of The
Iliad is beautifully written, as it brilliantly contemporizes this often-told
conflict." - A. David Schwartz, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, Milwaukee,
WI
 Sweet
Hush
by Deborah
Smith
"A slice of true American family strength, love, and truth. The main character
has her apple empire and everything she holds dear rocked and laid open for the
world to see when her son comes home from Harvard with his bride -- the daughter
of the President! Smith fills the story with earthy analogies that ring true,
and the conflicts that rise out of this fertile story are honest and very touching."
- Bonnie Olesh, Fifth Avenue Books, El Centro, CA
 The
Usual Rules
by Joyce
Maynard
"The main character is fierce, charming, contrary, and full of everything
a 13-year-old girl thinks and feels in reaction to losing her mother. I'd put
this book in the same category as the books the main character is reading,
Diary of a Young Girl, A
Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Member
of the Wedding." - Renee Barker, The Bookstore, Glen Ellyn, IL
 The
Watermelon King
by Daniel
Wallace
"Ashland used to be the watermelon capitol of the world, complete with an
annual Watermelon Festival. The King, the oldest male virgin in the town, is 'sacrificed'
for the fertility of the watermelons, until an interloper interferes with the
crowning of the new King. Wallace's books are the most fun I have in reading,
and this is his best yet." - Michael Davis, Alabama Booksmith, Birmingham,
AL
 The
Young Wan: The Agnes Browne Novel
by Brendan
O'Carroll
"Agnes Browne is one of my favorite characters in modern literature, and
I loved this new novel about her girlhood and the beginnings of her lifelong
friendship with the feisty Marion. This is a nearly perfect, circular little
story, full of Irish spirit and chuckles." - Cheryl Maze, OSU Bookstore,
Corvallis, OR
 The
Apprentice: A Cook's Memoir
by Jacques
Pepin
"Pepin has concocted a literary repast that is as delicious and satisfying
as one of his culinary creations. This intriguing memoir, embellished with Pepin's
own drawings and recipes, is a celebration of life and its essential ingredients:
family, friends, and food." - Susan Wood Taylor, The Traveler, Bainbridge
Island, WA
 The
Boy and the Dog Are Sleeping
by Nasdijj
"Never have I felt so emotionally drained after reading a book. Nasdijj tells
the story of his son, a young Navajo with AIDS who he adopted at age eleven. Their
time together as father and son is remarkably told. The reader understands love,
joy, sorrow, despair and, by the end, peace." - Barbara Theroux, Fact
& Fiction, Missoula, MT
 The
Eco-Foods Guide: What's Good for the Earth Is Good for You!
by Cynthia
Barstow
"A wonderful introductory guide to the world of sustainable agriculture,
written in a style that is welcoming for fans and critics alike about what's really
going on with the foods in our supermarkets. It presents consumers with a positive
outlook on how they can improve their own eating habits as well as helping to
sustain the earth. This is a book you will want to pass along to everyone you
know." - Kyla Hilton, Taylor Books, Charleston, WV
 Fire
in a Canebrake: The Last Mass Lynching in America
by Laura
Wexler
"I found myself appalled and compelled by this brilliantly written, extensively
researched account of the lynching of two black men and two black women in rural
Georgia, in 1946, a crime for which no one was arrested despite a national spotlight
and F.B.I. investigation. Illuminating the complexities of relationships between
involved parties and other citizens, black and white, leading up to the murders
and in their aftermath, Wexler reaffirms this reader's belief that race is still
the most important issue in America." - John Wilson, Eagle Harbor Book
Co., Bainbridge Island, WA
 Hamlet's
Dresser: A Memoir
by Bob
Smith
"A young man uses Shakespeare
to heal himself, and then others, in this touching, wonderful book."
- Lesley Kleiser, Montgomery Book Company, Cincinnati, OH
 The
Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo
by Paula
Huntley
"What could be a depressing account of the misery and deprivations of life
in Kosovo is instead an illuminating story of connections, trust, and giving.
Although aware of the futility of any real change happening, Huntley espouses
the viewpoint that even the briefest human connections can heal. Extraordinary
and beautiful." - Babette Hiestand, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison,
CT
 Tea
at the Blue Lantern Inn: A Social History of the Tea Room Craze in America
by Jan
Whitaker
"Filled with wonderful illustrations depicting signs, menus, and art from
the 1920s, the book describes the rise and fall of the American tea room culture,
from the bohemia of Greenwich Village to the country rooms featuring fried chicken
dinners." - Deb Tomaselli, The Space-Crime Continuum, Northampton, MA
 Tschiffely's
Ride
by A.
F. Tschiffely
"Horseback from Argentina to New York seemed impossible in 1925, but Tschiffely
made the trip in three years. Vampire bats, outlaws, burning sand, mountain trails,
crossing the Panama Canal, and small official fiefdoms were all part of his ride.
No adventure tale could be as good as this true account." - Becky Milner,
Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA
 War
Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning
by Chris
Hedges
"Please pick this book up! Despite its chilling title, it will be worth
your time. For 15 years, Hedges traveled the hot spots of the globe for the
New York Times, from El Salvador to Palestine, Bosnia to Iraq. War creates an
intensity and a sense of purpose, Hedges tells us, that makes ordinary life
seem trivial by comparison, but it is still awful, and whether you are a pacifist
or a general, you must look it in the face. Hedges has done so, and in offering
this timely and important meditation on his experiences, he does our society
a great service." - Amy Robinson, Kepler's, Menlo Park, CA
 City
of Masks
by Daniel
Hecht
"Hecht brings his characters and New Orleans alive in the most unexpected
supernatural ways. He cleverly insures that this tale -- part mystery, part ghost
thriller, part human drama -- merges together in an engaging 'don't turn the lights
out' read!" - Emery Pinter, Chapter 11 Bookstore, Gainesville, GA
 The
Coffee Trader
by David
Liss
"Liss sets a dark intrigue in 1659 Amsterdam, a bustling trading center for
the world. We follow a web of financial, religious, and amorous threads as Miguel,
the main character, attempts to restore his lost fortune by cornering the coffee
market. The atmosphere is excellent, the characters are fully developed, and the
plot is engrossing." - Donna Urey, White Birch Books, N. Conway, NH
 Land
of the Blind
by Jess
Walter
"This thriller with a twist starts off with the mysterious, nameless man
who wants to give his confession of a murder he has committed. Overworked and
ambivalent police detective Caroline Mabry gives him a pad of paper to write on,
and then starts to wonder about why he looks so familiar. Alternating between
the confession and the detective's chase for clues and a body, this smartly written
tale will keep you on the edge of your seat." - Corey L. Hiseler, Between
The Covers Bookstore, Telluride, CO
 The
Last Detective
by Robert
Crais
"Elvis Cole finally returns! Elvis seeks out his girlfriend's kidnapped
son, and, in the process, finds himself. A terrific thriller." - Britton
Trice, Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans, LA
 Disturbance
of the Inner Ear
by Joyce
Hackett
"I found this strangely alluring, seductive, hallucinatory, mysterious, sensual,
and satisfying. Young and alone for the first time in her life, virtuoso cellist
Isabel emerges from the chrysalis of her strange upbringing, runs from her father's
past, her lover's obsessions, and a young music student's devotion. The most original
work I have read in some time." - Laura Hansen, Bookin' It, Little Falls,
MN
 The
Life Before Her Eyes
by Laura
Kasischke
"Without giving too much away (besides that fact that there IS something
to give away), let me say that I was in awe of an author who could conceive of
this point of view and then carry it off with such finesse. Fantastically well-written,
this is my hand-selling pick of the season for those who like literary fiction."
- Jill Miner, Saturn Bookshop, Gaylord, MI
 The
Royal Physician's Visit
by Per
Olov Enquist
"An amazing look into the intrigues of the court of the mad King Christian.
I was transported into a world that I never knew existed." - Phoebe
McCullough, Birchbark Books & Native Arts, Minneapolis, MN
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