 |
Summer
Paperback 2002 Book Sense 76 Picks
Unique and provocative selections from a great diversity of voices...all personally recommended by the independent booksellers of America.
|
|
| New Nonfiction in Paperback |
|
 Augusta
Gone: A True Story
by Dudman, Martha Tod
"This is the harrowing story of a mother's enduring love for her out-of-control
teenage daughter. Set in a small coastal Maine town, the author tells of her experiences
with insight and honesty." - Marcia Rider, Capitola Book Cafe, Capitola,
CA
 Balsamic
Dreams: A Short But Self-Important History of the Baby Boomer Generation
by Queenan, Joe
"Queenan, in one of his most vitriolic and funny books, examines what went
wrong with the baby-boomer generation. How did the generation that promised not
to sell out end up wearing ponytails, listening to Billy Joel, and worrying about
the quality of their balsamic vinegar? Hilarious." - Derek McGann, The
Toadstool Bookshop, Milford, NH
 Botany
of Desire, The: A Plant's-Eye View of the World
by Pollan, Michael
"Is it possible that apples, potatoes, marijuana, and tulips used us to further
their own survival? Paradigm shifting, impeccably researched, and entertaining;
a great read!" - Morley Horder, Eagle Harbor Books, Bainbridge Island,
WA
 Comfort
Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table
by Reichl, Ruth
"This is a warm but sometimes rocky tale, as Reichl's love of food and writing
takes her to Paris, L.A., China, and New York. Her story is irresistible, as we
are introduced to familiar foodies such as Waters, Puck and Fisher. If you are
a foodie or a wannabe, or just have a good appetite, you will savor and delight
in this book." - Marcus Rector, Builders Booksource, San Francisco CA
 Double
Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper
by Baker, Nicholson
"Due to the invention of microfilm and other data storage methods, libraries
are throwing away tons of old newspapers, pamphlets, maps, and books. Baker makes
a very strong argument in support of keeping all of our historical material intact
and preserved for future generations. This is an eye-opening reading experience."
- T. Cantrell, Hawley-Cooke Booksellers, Louisville, KY
 Dragon
Seekers: How an Extraordinary Circle of Fossilists Discovered the Dinosaurs and
Paved the Way for Darwin
by McGowan, Christopher
"This is an amazing account of the early Victorian naturalists, geologists
and eccentrics who were the first to search out the remains of dinosaurs. These
men and women made great strides in our understanding of fossils, but their discoveries
have been forgotten in the post-Darwin era. Their stories are told here with all
of the excitement of a first discovery." - Felice Farrel, Ariel Booksellers,
New Paltz, NY
 Milking
the Moon
by Walter, Eugene
"This memoir has all of Capote's piquant garrulousness and Welty's sweetness
and exquisite attention to detail. No one has captured this slice of the '60s
as well as the legendary bon vivant Eugene Walter, who always seemed to be in
the middle of things wherever he was." - Lisa Howorth, Square Books,
Oxford, MS
 Nickel
and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
by Ehrenreich, Barbara
"What began as an almost quirky journalistic experiment has come together
as a great economic and social study of America's modern working class and the
struggles that are faced by 90% of our population. This is a must read."
- Ivy Langtree, R. J. Julia's, Madison, CT
 Piano
Shop on the Left Bank, The: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier
by Carhart,
Thad
"Carhart becomes friends with the owner of an old Parisian piano store,
and his visits become an education about the history and art of pianos and their
sound. This is a wonderful look at a little piece of Paris and the world of
music." - Debbie Lane, Bookshelf, Truckee, CA
 Positively
4th Street: The Lives and Times of Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Mimi Baez Farina, and
Richard Farina
by Hajdu, David
"Hajdu takes the reader through the early days of folk music (Guthrie, Leadbelly,
Seeger) right up through the birth of rock. This is the stuff of modern music
myth made fresh for all of us today." - Corey Mesler, Burke's Book Store,
Memphis, TN
 Primate's
Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons
by Sapolsky, Robert
"The author's life with a baboon troop in Kenya is funny (sometimes very
funny) and fascinating (baboons really are a lot like us). I highly recommend
this book." - Judy Rodel, Downtown Books, Hudson, WI
 River
Town: Two Years on the Yangtze
by Hessler, Peter
"Peace Corps volunteer Hessler describes a striking, baffling city in sparkling
prose. This is the Paris To The Moon of China." - Esther James,
Politics & Prose, Washington, DC
Road Angels: Searching for Home on America's Coast of Dreams
by Nerburn, Kent
"Nerburn travels the West Coast from Canada to Big Sur in search of a release
from his past, evoking memories of Stegner, Pirsig, and so many others who have
gone west and on the road looking for a new beginning." - Leon Zimlich,
Chaucer's Books, Santa Barbara, CA
 Running
After Antelope
by Carrier, Scott
"I just love this book. It's an episodic memoir anchored by Carrier's ongoing
quixotic attempts to catch a pronghorn antelope on foot. Carrier's voice is like
a cross between Sedaris and Shepard. Sometimes he seems so damn serious and existential
that you almost don't realize that he is being funny." - Christopher
Hubbuch, Ruminator Books, St. Paul, MN
 Season
of the Body: Essays
by Miller, Brenda
"A remarkable collection of creative nonfiction. Miller connects her experiences
of the body, her body and the bodies of others, in a language so personal and
yet so moving I found myself teary. These essays are also infused with her sense
of spirituality. These sensual pieces are one woman's tribute to bodies, hers
and ours." - Jeanne Fondrie, Village Books, Bellingham, WA
 Somehow
Form a Family: Stories That Are Mostly True
by Earley, Tony
"Having read this book I now understand why Earley is so highly regarded.
These essays are brilliant! They are personal, but the themes are universal. Like
his short stories, Earley presents his characters in a way that you come to understand
and care for them as if they were your own family." - Jerry Bilek, St.
Olaf Bookstore, Northfield, MN
 Stretching
Lessons: The Daring that Starts from Within
by Bender,Sue
"I finished this with an immense feeling of gratitude to Bender, as she allows
readers to follow her earnest efforts to stretch her body and soul, to become
bigger, braver, and more honestly herself. I instantly wanted to share this book
with my mother, my sister, and, well, just about every woman I know."
- Linda Urban, Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, CA
 Too
Close to the Falls: A Memoir
by Gildiner, Catherine
"This is a richly funny memoir of a precocious child who at the age of four
begins to help out at the family pharmacy. She has lots of adventures, including
a brush with celebrity when she delivers a prescription to Marilyn Monroe on the
set of Niagara. One of our absolutely favorite books to recommend." -
Suzanne DeGaetano, Mac's Backs Paperbacks, Cleveland Heights, OH
Touching My Father's Soul: A Sherpa's Journey to the Top of Everest
by Norgay, Jamling Tenzing
"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. We are richer for his trip."
- Robby Bick, Bunch of Grapes, Vineyard Haven, MA
 Voyage
for Madmen, A
by Nichols, Peter
"This is the story of nine men who set out in 1968 to be the first to sail
solo around the world. Nichols does a masterful job of weaving their stories into
a gripping narrative. I found this book harder to put down than any in memory."
-Tom Allen, Stacey's Bookstore, San Francisco, CA
 Uphill
Walkers: Portrait of a Family
by Blais, Madeleine
"I thoroughly enjoyed being introduced to the Blais family. Loved the biting
wit, references to those 'feisty '50's' nuns, and reminiscing over the incredible
social innocence of the times." - Susan H. Waite, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops,
Brookfield, WI
 Walking
the Bible: A journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses
by Feiler,
Bruce
"A wonderful book that takes readers on an unforgettable journey. Walking
the Bible brings the Old Testament to life and makes it accessible to all."
- Brian Lapidus, Chapter 11 Books, Atlanta, GA
-- More
Bookseller Picks -- Readup
-- VIP
--
|
|
Top