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May/June
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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| Top Ten Vote-Getters |
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 The
Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse
by Erdrich,
Louise
(HarperCollins, $26.00, 0060187271) "This is the best book I've read this
year. Erdrich is one of my favorites, but she has gone beyond beautiful writing
and social consciousness. The story is compelling and wondrous. I portioned
out the pages, as I never wanted it to end." - Kathy Westover,
The Bookworm of Edwards, Edwards, CO
In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer
by Opdyke, Irene Gut
(Anchor, $12.00, 0385720327)
"What an incredible story! This memoir proves that acts of love and courage can indeed stand out among even the worst acts of war and hatred, and that one person -- even someone who is 'only a girl' -- can make an incredible difference in the world." - Beth Dean, The Open Book, Cincinnati, OH
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less
by Ryan, Terry
(Simon & Schuster, $24.00, 0743211227)
"I read this in one weekend and LOVED it! It's funny, moving and compulsively readable. This book is a wonderful reminder that life really is what you make of it and that you can surmount what looks like overpowering circumstances. Terry Ryan deftly captures the feel of the 50s and 60s, and her mother, Evelyn, is an inspiration to us all!" - Cathy Keibler, Hawley-Cooke Booksellers, Louisville, KY
The Gardens of Kyoto
by Walbert, Kate
(Scribner, $24.00, 0684869489)
"As Ellen recounts the real and imagined details of her first love as a young girl, we are reminded of the power of first love and how it can affect our lives for years to come. Walbert has written a haunting, beautiful book. I finished it wishing that the characters were real." - Rebecca Jestice, Dicken's Book Shop, Lebanon, OH
Empire
Falls
by Russo,
Richard
 (Knopf,
$25.95, 0679432477) "Russo draws us into the life of a man for whom everything
seem settled but now is suddenly quite unsettled. As events unfold, Russo's
depiction of this small town and those who are shaped by it is so lifelike you
will find yourself revisiting them long after you finish the book. Ribald, melancholy,
and nearly perfect; Russo is a master of the intricacies of everyday lives."
- Jean Westcott, Olsson's Books & Records, Arlington, VA
Five
Quarters of the Orange
by Harris, Joanne
 (William
Morrow, $25.00, 0060198133) "Harris has hit her stride fully with this one.
Better than Chocolat, exquisitely written, filled with tension and dreams,
fear and sensuality. No one else writes about food and people in quite the same
way as Harris. You can taste the oranges and smell the fear. Sheer greatness!"
- Maryann Eastman, White Birch Books, N. Conway, NH
Chalktown
by Haynes, Melinda
(Theia/Hyperion, $23.95, 078686656X) " The author follows her debut novel
with a brilliant work that brings forth a wonderful collection of characters.
My favorites were the backwoods teenager Hezekiah, caretaker of his mentally disabled
brother; and Marion, the black farmer who tries to bring a sense of stability
to the most bizarre town in Southern literature. Take home a copy of this lyrical
prize today and make your selection from the cast. An unforgettable read!"
- Jake Reiss, The Alabama Booksmith, Birmingham, AL
A Perfect Arrangement
by Berne, Suzanne
(Algonquin, $23.95, 1565122615)
"It is very easy to slip into the separate worlds of these two modern parents. It is even easier to see how each step they took to cope with the demands of modern parenting and two incomes, though logical on the surface, led them deeper and deeper into trouble. This was an engaging, believable, and captivating read." - Tom Heywood, The Babbling Book, Haines, AK
Touching My Father's Soul: A Sherpa's Journey to the Top of Everest
by Norgay, Jamling Tenzing
(HarperSanFrancisco, $26.00, 0062516876) "The son of the first Sherpa to
reach the Everest's summit has written a deeply affecting book which expands the
boundaries of the mountain adventure genre. It's as much a journey into self and
family as it is an account of a successful ascent of Everest during the disastrous
1996 season. With humility and honesty, Jamling takes us on a journey of self-discovery
which is both a family saga and a story of a life lived in two cultures. We are
richer for his trip." - Robby Bick, Bunch of Grapes, Vineyard Haven,
MA
The
Danger Tree: Memory, War, and the Search for a Family's Past
by MacFarlane,
David
 (Walker,
$13.95, 080277167) "This is truly cause for celebration. Of the many Newfoundland
books, this memoir, never published in paperback in the U.S., is simply the
best. I am delighted and excited to be able to offer this to my customers in
paperback, finally." - Henry Berliner, The Foundry Bookstore, New Haven,
CT
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