Shelf Awareness for Readers, our weekly consumer-facing publication featuring adult and children's book reviews, author interviews, backlist recommendations, and fun news items, is being published today. Starred review highlights include Heavyweight, "the vulnerably illuminating debut memoir" by Solomon J. Brager, which ambitiously excavates personal, familial, and global histories; and Putty Pygmalion by Lonnie Garcia, a "surprisingly tender" depiction of quirky characters learning that true affection cannot be coerced. Plus, for young readers, Wings of an Eagle: The Gold Medal Dreams of Billy Mills documents the Olympic gold medalist's "impassioned tale of determination and grit" in achieving greatness despite adversity, paired with "striking artwork" by S.D. Nelson. And in a special feature, we take a deeper look at Comics Bear Witness to History, with recommendations for manga (Japan), manhwa (Korea), and manhua (China), including Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas's JAJ, Susumu Higa's Okinawa, and more. Plus, rediscover the late journalist and author Evan Wright, whose experiences embedded with American soldiers during the Iraq invasion in 2003 became the book and HBO miniseries Generation Kill.
Today's issue of Shelf Awareness for Readers is going to more than 690,000 customers of 251 independent bookstores. Stores interested in learning more can contact our partnership program team via e-mail. To see today's issue, click here.