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March/April
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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Top Ten Hardcovers |
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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
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