Shelf Awareness for Readers for Friday, October 12, 2018
From My Shelf
The Writer's Life
Kate Morton: The Hidden Lives of Houses
photo: Davin Patterson |
Book Candy
Book vs. Movie
"Let's settle the ultimate debate: book or movie?" Buzzfeed challenged.
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SweetTARTS Valley High, for example. Quirk Books imagined "YA books as Halloween candy."
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"Do you know which word is older?" Merriam-Webster featured a pop quiz: "Which came first?"
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CrimeReads investigated "12 cover artists every vintage crime lover should know."
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"Pizza Hut's 'Little Free Libraries' look exactly like mini Pizza Huts," Gastro Obscura noted.
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Author Paul French shared his "top 10 books about Old Shanghai" with the Guardian.
Great Reads
Rediscover: Little Women
Last month marked the 150th anniversary of the publication of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Alcott introduced the four March sisters of Concord, Mass., in two volumes: part one, published in 1868, and part two, published in 1869 (copies sold in the United States usually put both parts in one book; in the U.K., part two is available separately as Good Wives). Widespread critical and commercial success led to two more sequels: Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). Alcott (1832–1888) died at age 55 of a stroke. Much of her life was marked by her family's financial hardships prior to the publication of Little Women. The use of her own autobiographical details--each March sister matches one of the Alcotts--resonated with many women in all stations of society. Her work was a landmark in children's fiction, both ahead of its time and a guide for all that came after.
Much of the drama in Little Women stems from tension over expected social roles for girls entering adolescence and adulthood. Marriage and domestic work clash with wishes for freer living. Fifteen-year-old Josephine, Louisa's stand-in, harbors literary ambitions and, at least initially, has sworn off romance and marriage. Her story has since been adapted into two silent films, four talkies, six television series, an opera and a musical. On September 25, Little, Brown released a 150th-anniversary edition of Little Women with a new introduction by J. Courtney Sullivan ($24.99, 9780316489270). --Tobias Mutter
Book Review
Fiction
Boomer1
by Daniel Torday
Discover: Daniel Torday tackles the issue of generational conflict in 21st-century America in a sharp satire.
The Clockmaker’s Daughter
by Kate Morton
Discover: Kate Morton’s moody, atmospheric sixth novel follows the history of a country house and its connection to a Victorian painter.
The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish
by Katya Apekina
Discover: Two sisters are forced to deal with dark family history when their mother's suicide attempt results in their reunion with the father they barely know.
Mystery & Thriller
The Witch Elm
by Tana French
Discover: In French's first standalone mystery, a skull found in a manor house garden causes a young art dealer to question how well he knows his family and himself.
Pulse
by Michael Harvey
Discover: Michael Harvey's second crime novel set in 1970s Boston is rich in the ambience of a city facing problems of race, crime, technology and neighborhood loyalty.
Graphic Books
Passing for Human: A Graphic Memoir
by Liana Finck
Discover: A cartoonist ponders the various paths of her life as a creative outsider.
Business & Economics
Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day
by Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky
Discover: A set of principles and tactics designed to help readers make the most of each day by focusing on what really matters.
Religion
God Is Young
by Pope Francis, trans. by Anne Milano Appel
Discover: Pope Francis discusses God, politics and the nature of hope in this extensive book-length interview.
Humor
Sister BFFs
by Philippa Rice
Discover: Philippa Rice reveals the highs and lows of sisterhood with laugh-out-loud candor and wit.
Poetry
So Far So Good
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Discover: This is the final book of poetry by the acclaimed author Ursula K. Le Guin, on themes of the natural world, memories, mortality and William Bligh.
Children's & Young Adult
Hey, Kiddo
by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Discover: Jarrett Krosoczka's graphic novel is a reflection on his unconventional upbringing, which included being raised by grandparents due to his mom's devastating addiction.
Thank You, Omu!
by Oge Mora
Discover: The tantalizing scent of Omu's stew brings hungry strangers to her door until her intended dinner disappears, but then an impromptu neighborhood feast appears.
The Echo Room
by Parker Peevyhouse
Discover: In this time-looping sci-fi thriller, two orphaned teens with foggy memories escape a prison only to realize they may have been safer inside.
--- SPECIAL ADVERTORIAL OFFERINGS ---
Book of the Monthby Jennifer Probst
Dear Reader, Does heartbreak equal a bestselling novel? As a writer, I've always been fascinated by the elements that make a great book. Readers love an emotional story, but what does it take to write one? Aspen Lourde is desperate not to become a one-hit wonder, so when she decides she needs emotional drama to write another bestseller, she heads to the Outer Banks for inspiration. Brick Babel is a dream come true--a moody, gorgeous man with a bad reputation for breaking women's hearts. Aspen's positive he's the key to her next success, so she offers a deal he can't refuse. But this story gets complicated when real feelings enter the deal and suddenly, there may be a new ending. It just may not be the happy ever after either of them wanted. I hope you enjoy the book! Jennifer Probst |
Pub Date: ISBN: List Price: |