Archive for August, 2009
Books for Men
As I lay here at 6 am, listening to the garbagemen (note to self: is there a more PC term? Trash removal operatives?) hurl the recycling into the truck (some good citizen went through lots of glass last week), the first thing I groggily think to myself, aside from, “Coffee, please,” is, “Do we have enough fiction for men?”
Aside from Mitch, Jake, and Jason, we have a surfeit of estrogen working at the store, and it can be an issue when helping guys find a good novel that’s not written by James Patterson. Thankfully, this fall the cavalry has arrived in the form of tons of great fiction that should appeal to everyone, regardless of gender. I’ve already talked about the amazing Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon. What follows are just a couple of the fall titles that feature gripping yet thoughtful writing about guys: fathers, sons, and brothers.
Spooner by Pete Dexter: A very funny story of a former baseball protegee turned newspaper columnist and his stepfather, who sticks by his son when his bad luck and very bad judgment end him up in hot water time and again. I want to read it for these two scenes: a navel burial at sea that goes real bad, and a literary luncheon featuring Spooner and Margaret Truman that ends with a stampede of little old ladies. Out September 24.
Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow: The Collyer brothers lived in a mansion on Fifth Avenue, two hermits surrounded by mountains of newspapers and discarded science projects. Based on a true story, the advance word is that this is another Doctorow masterpiece; both Julie and Suzanne are reading it now and loving it. Out September 1.
What do you think: Men, who are some of your favorite fiction writers or novels? Do you shy away from certain types of stories? Please comment!
Karen
3 comments August 28, 2009
College 101
And they’re off! Don’t send your darlings off to college without a few words of wisdom to help them navigate life.
Debbie spent an evening reliving her misspent youth with her (of age) son, his friends, and some competition beer. If she’d had a copy of The Book of Beer Pong she may have won a few rounds. Tips include how to trash talk your opponents, grip the ball, name your team, and pick uniforms.
Your child is sure to be a hit with his or her suitemates with a copy of The CollegeHumor Guide to College tucked in their duffel bag. This book covers the, er, non-academic side of college: Food, Health, and Laundry; Greek Life; Spring Break. On second thought, they’ll probably figure all of this out with no help from you.
If you want send your child off with some actual, practical, real advice, How to Survive Your Freshman Year is Debbie’s favorite book to recommend. Written by students themselves, this book offers advice on all kinds of situations, including some they might not feel comfortable discussing with Mom or Dad. You’ll feel better sneaking this into their first CARE package.
There, parents, now that you don’t have to set a good example, you can do all those things you’ve been dreaming about for 18 years. Or maybe you should take a page from Debbie’s book. Wouldn’t it be great if you could outfox your offspring in a game of beer pong during Thanksgiving break?
Karen
Click on the titles to order.
Add comment August 25, 2009
Great Fall Fiction
I hope this isn’t too annoying, but I’m going to talk about some books before they’re in bookstores. This is going to be a great season for fiction, and you’ll need to schedule accordingly if you hope to keep up. Okay, take a deep breath – here we go…
I’m very much looking forward to plunking Await Your Reply into lots of people’s hands. Five pages in, I couldn’t stop reading: a man is racing his college-age son to the hospital, the son’s severed hand sitting in a cooler on the car seat. Dan Chaon tells the story of three people – Ryan, the disaffected college student; Lucy, small-town high school girl who runs off with her teacher; Miles, who is searching for his long-lost and mentally disturbed twin brother. How he ties these threads together makes for one of the best novels I’ve read in a very long time. Out next Tuesday the 25th.
Way back in May, at Book Expo in New York, this was the novel I heard the most buzz about. A Gate at the Stairs is Lorrie Moore’s first novel in over a decade (her previous book, Birds of America, was a staff favorite). A young college girl becomes part-time nanny in upstate New York; this is a post-9/11 coming-of-age story that Kathryn says is “exquisite and haunting.” Look for this one September 1st.
I can do no better than to reprint Nancy’s rave for The Children’s Book by A.S. Byatt in full:
“There is nothing better than a dysfunctional British family (see Evelyn Waugh). This engrossing, brilliant book woke me up at 4am, saying, ‘I could read for just half an hour and still get some sleep.’ While I wouldn’t want to go drinking with the Wellwoods, I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the home of this wonderfully crazed family.” This will be released on October 6th.
And there are so many more that we have stacked on our coffee tables and nightstands: new novels and short stories by E.L. Doctorow, William Trevor, John Irving, Audrey Niffenegger, and Alice Munro. For those of you who follow forthcoming fiction, what are you most excited about? We’d love to hear from you; please leave a comment below.
Karen
ps Click on any title for more information, or to preorder.
1 comment August 20, 2009
Mad Libs for Grown Ups
When my buddy Laura & I go out for our weekly guacamole and margaritas, we like to test our respective wits over a friendly game of trivia (okay, make that not so friendly – we once got into a heated debate over who sang Dream Weaver - Leo Sayer vs. Gary Wright). The prize: the fifth shrimp in the appetizer plate.
Next Thursday I’m bringing Who’s the Blonde Who Married What’s-His-Name. Basically, this is a combo of Mad Libs for adults and a trivia game; hard to explain but a lot of fun. For example:
What’s the CLASSIC GIRLS’ BOOK ABOUT LIFE OUT WEST that sort of sounds like that weekly NPR SHOW THAT WAS MADE INTO A MOVIE with that TALL GUY FROM MINNESOTA who always talks about the news from SOMEPLACE SAD?
Check out their website, or come into the store or click here to grab a copy.
Karen
ps If you bet Leo Sayer, you & I both lost the shrimp.
Add comment August 18, 2009
Children’s Story Hour
Another installment from the hilarious Book vs. Kindle series created by Green Apple Books in San Francisco. (Click here to see the whole series.)
This video sponsored by J & B.
Add comment August 14, 2009
Urban Fantasy
Suzanne is our most senior bookseller (not in age, but in longevity). If you’re looking for fast-paced women’s fiction (think Tan Lines or The Women’s Room) or a great mystery, she’s your girl. Look for the bookseller with the blonde – no wait, red – no, wait brown – hair.
I recently discovered a genre of books that I might have passed by, except my bookclub (Treacherous Tomes – we read mystery, true crime, & horror – please come by!) decided to read: Urban Fantasy. What, you might ask, is this? Urban Fantasy books are set in the real world but have supernatural content, are dark, and are sometimes even racy. There are lots of great new authors out there, but here are three of my favorites (check out the links to their websites for more info).
Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files are about Harry Dresden, a professional wizard and private eye. If you start with the first book, Storm Front, you won’t want to stop. I must confess to having a slight crush on Harry (even if he is a fictional character!).
I also really love the Sookie Stackhouse southern vampire series 
by Charlaine Harris. Sookie is a telepathic waitress and part-time sleuth. I was totally captivated as she solved mysteries populated with vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural beings. And along the way, she finds love with Bill the Vampire. Start with the first one, Dead Until Dark.
Next on my list to try is Laurell Hamiliton and her Anita Blake series. Blake is a female necromancer and encounters all sorts of creepy creatures, and these books tend toward the dark and erotic.
With the increased popularity of Urban Fantasy, there are lots of new titles and authors to choose from – click on any of these titles for more info, or come by the store & check out our display – ask for me – I’ll be the one with the teeth marks on my neck.
Suzanne
Who are your favorite Urban Fantasy authors? Write a couple of lines, and we’ll add it to our Customer Reviews page.
6 comments August 12, 2009
It’s here somewhere…
I really REALLY enjoyed Something Missing: OCD thief Martin, who only steals what won’t be missed (ie., one roll of toilet paper, an opened box of crackers, one earring) suddenly starts anonymously helping his “clients” after overhearing one bemoan her lonely marriage. And his very tidily organized life starts to unravel in very funny ways. As a bonus, the book is set in the Hartford area.
I was at a friend’s wedding in Hartford, and woke up the next morning to NO keys – no car, house, or store keys. Stranded. It took a month for my friend to find them in her car (it’s a long story). In the interim, I fantasized that if Martin had taken my keys I would have woken up to find my gas tank full, my car clean, and a winning lottery ticket sitting on my dashboard.
Matthew Dicks, author of SOMETHING MISSING, will be at the store August 13th – come, he’s really funny – just watch your purse.
Karen
Sign up here
ps – Just read this fascinating story in the Courant, which tells how Dicks was inspired to write Something Missing. Check it out.
Add comment August 6, 2009
Waiter Rant *%^$*
No, not ranting about waiters, but waiters ranting about us. Gee, imagine that – sometimes people can be a pain in the neck. It may not be fun to deal with, but it’s a lot of fun to read about! Waiter Rant by The Waiter (check out his website – pretty cool) is a very funny reminder to behave around the people who handle our food.
As an added bonus, the book has a nifty section entitled: “What Your Drink Says About You.” Herein, a few selections:
Vodka Martini: Sophisticated. You’re classy, old-school, or a James Bond wannabe.
Chardonnay: You know what you like. Boring. Predictable. The missio
nary position of white wines.
Tequila: You’re not afraid to spend a little time in jail.
Gimlet: You’re old-fashioned and like to drink. Usually the province of classy cerebral babes. (This is my drink. Really.)
Alabama Slammer: You’ve read the “Have a Cocktail” placemat at the diner once too often.
We just received it in paperback – stop in or click here to get a copy.
Karen
Photos courtesy of Flickr
1 comment August 3, 2009
