February New and Notable
THREE CUPS OF TEA YOUNG READERS EDITION, by Greg Mortenson
A middle-grade adapted version of the New York Times bestseller about humanitarianism and providing Muslim children around the world with an education is enhanced with photos, maps, illustrations, and a special afterword by the author’s daughter who worked with him as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program. Simultaneous.
LISTEN TO THE WIND, by Greg Morenson
Tells the true story of a man who became lost and delirious after an unsuccessful trek to the top of K2, was saved by the locals of a remote Himalayan village, and kept his vow to return one day to build them a new school as a gesture of sincere appreciation and gratitude for what they did for him in his time of need.
And, as always…the original book, a continued bestseller at our store…
THREE CUPS OF TEA, by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Traces how the author, having been rescued and resuscitated by Himalayan villagers after a failed attempt to climb K2, worked to build schools that would particularly benefit the young girls who were forbidden an education by Taliban restrictions, an endeavor for which his life has been repeatedly threatened. Reader’s Guide available. Reprint. 100,000 first printing.
LITTLE BEE, by Chrsi Cleave
The Somerset Maugham Award-winning author of Incendiary presents a tale of a precarious friendship between an illegal Nigerian refugee and a recent widow from suburban London, a story told from the alternating and disparate perspectives of both women. 75,000 first printing.
WE DON’T WANT TO TELL YOU TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS BOOK.
It is a truly special story and we don’t want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we will just say
this:It is extremely funny, but the African beach scene is horrific. The story starts there, but the book doesn’t.
And it’s what happens afterward that is most important. Once you have read it, you’ll want to tell everyone about it. When
you do, please don’t tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.
VERY VALENTINE, by Adriana Trigiani
When a failing custom wedding shoe business in Greenwich Village falls unexpectedly into her lap, apprentice Valentine Roncalli is challenged to bring her family’s old-world craftsmanship into the twenty-first century, an endeavor that is further complicated by personal responsibilities and her budding romance with a chef. 200,000 first printing.
DROOD, by Dan Simmons
On June 9, 1865, while traveling by train to London with his secret mistress, 53-year-old Charles Dickens–at the height of his powers and popularity, the most famous and successful novelist in the world and perhaps in the history of the world–hurtled into a disaster that changed his life forever.
Did Dickens begin living a dark double life after the accident? Were his nightly forays into the worst slums of London and his deepening obsession with corpses, crypts, murder, opium dens, the use of lime pits to dissolve bodies, and a hidden subterranean London mere research . . . or something more terrifying?
Just as he did in The Terror, Dan Simmons draws impeccably from history to create a gloriously engaging and terrifying narrative. Based on the historical details of Charles Dickens’s life and narrated by Wilkie Collins (Dickens’s friend, frequent collaborator, and Salieri-style secret rival), DROOD explores the still-unsolved mysteries of the famous author’s last years and may provide the key to Dickens’s final, unfinished work: The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Chilling, haunting, and utterly original, DROOD is Dan Simmons at his powerful best.
THE ASSOCIATE, by John Grisham
Promising law school graduate Kyle McAvoy harbors a secret that falls into the hands of some unscrupulous characters who blackmail him into taking a job with a prestigious law firm, where he participates in a scheme that can land him in prison or get him killed.
THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett
Limited and persecuted by racial divides in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, three women, including an African-American maid, her sassy and chronically unemployed friend, and a recently graduated white woman, team up for a clandestine project against a backdrop of the budding civil rights era. 100,000 first printing.
WHAT I DID FOR LOVE, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
The Romance Writers of America Favorite Book of the Year Award-winning writer of such works as Natural Born Charmer and Match Me If You Can presents a latest modern fairy tale that pits a hapless heroine against a series of whimsical challenges. 250,000 first printing. When actress Georgie York’s film career hits rock bottom along with her marriage, the paparazzi has a field day with her misfortune, which is only complicated by the reappearance of her sexy, unscrupulous former costar, Bramwell Shepard.
SNARK, by David Denby
A New Yorker film critic and author of American Sucker evaluates the cultural consequences of snide and sarcastic language that has become pervasive in today’s political, entertainment, and other public arenas, in an assessment that cites the importance of developing true wit instead of insult-based forms of communication. 150,000 first printing.
THE LAST STAND OF FOX COMPANY, by Bob Drury
Offers the story of the courageous mission of 234 Marines of Fox Company who found themselves surrounded and greatly outnumbered by 100,000 Chinese soldiers near Chosin Reservoir, the incredible steps they took to fend them off for five nights, and the major losses they suffered in their desperate struggle before finally being relieved.
THE YANKEE YEARS, by, Joe Torre
The former Yankees manager provides a thought-provoking and candid behind-the-scenes study of the Yankees organization, from top to bottom, detailing the challenges of working for a team in which executives and the media question every decision, managing a clubhouse of superstars, and the issues confronting modern baseball. 250,000 first printing.
MULTIPLE BLESSINGS, by Jon Gosselin
Three years after giving birth to twin daughters, Kate and Jon Gosselin became pregnant again–with sextuplets. Kate’s candid and emotionally-charged book chronicles the exhausting challenges she and Jon faced from the time the babies were conceived through the first two years of their lives, and the faith it took to get through each day.
UNCOMMON, FINDING YOUR OWN PATH TO SIGNIFICANCE, by Tony Dungy
Reflecting on what it takes to achieve significance, the Super Bowl-winning coach and best-selling author of Quiet Strength shares lessons he learned from his remarkable parents, his athletic and coaching career, his mentors, and his journey with God.
A LONG TIME COMING, by Evan Thomas
In this book, a compelling narrative by Evan Thomas, Newsweek shares the inside stories from one of the most exciting elections in recent history, illuminating the personalities and events that influenced the outcome, and taking stock of the key players and key issues for the new administration. This will be an absorbing read for anyone interested in American politics.
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS 2009, by Barack Obama
THE INAUGURATION OF BARACK OBAMA, edited by Mary Hagar
FOOD MATTERS, by Mark Bittman
The “Minimalist” columnist and author of How to Cook Everything outlines an eating plan that is comprised of environmentally responsible choices, in a guide that shares insight into the risks associated with livestock production. 125,000 first printing.
Levittown: Two Families, One Tycoon, and the Fight for Civil Rights in America’s Legendary Suburb, by David Kushner
Describes how the entrepreneurial Levitt family constructed affordable community homes that were only available to white buyers, recounting how the Wechslers, a white Jewish communist family, secretly arranged for a black family to purchase a house next door, an arrangement that resulted in an explosive response and influential integration practices. 40,000 first printing.
THE GAMBLE, by Thomas Ricks
Draws on extensive interviews with top officers in Iraq to document the war as it has unfolded in recent years, placing a focus on the unorthodox strategies of General David Petraeus, from his work with foreign advisors to the ways in which his officers disagreed with key decisions. 250,000 first printing.
WHILE MY SISTER SLEEPS, by Barbara Delinsky
When her sister Robin suffers a massive heart attack that leaves her in a coma from which she may never wake up, Molly Snow and her family struggle to cope with the tragedy as their relationships are put to the ultimate test and Molly is forced to make some tough decisions, as she makes some surprising discoveries about the sister she thought she knew. 200,000 first printing.
HEART AND SOUL, by Maeve Binchy
Given the difficult task of building an underfunded clinic in an Irish community caught between the past and present, Dr. Clara Casey finds her task complicated by two difficult adult daughters, the unwanted attentions of her ex-husband, her colorful and diverse staff, and the demanding, often difficult patients they serve. 350,000 first printing.
ANIMALS MAKE US HUMAN, by Temple Grandin
Drawing on the latest scientific research and her own work with animals, the author discusses the emotional needs of animals and how to fulfill them, challenging common myths about animal emotions, mental stimulation, and emotional well-being.
BORDEAUX, by Paul Torday
Taking an unexpected detour on the way home from work, Wilberforce, a wealthy, self-contained young man, is drawn into an unexpected new world thanks to an encounter with Francis Black, an eccentric and enigmatic wine merchant, who introduces Wilberforce to fine wines, new friends, and his new wife, but he soon discovers that his new life comes at a price.
SING THEM HOME, by Stephanie Kallos
When their mother vanishes in the midst of a tornado in 1978, her three children are forced to deal with the sudden loss in their own ways, but when their father dies decades later and they are reunited, the three must delve into their history in order to come to terms with the tragedy that has always haunted them.
THE SECOND OPINION, by Michael Palmer
Possessing a brilliant mind for medicine in spite of her inability to comprehend the interpersonal conflicts and money-driven dynamics of traditional medicine, Asperger’s patient and doctor Thea Sperelakis is baffled when her siblings refuse care to their hit-and-run victim father, whom Thea gradually realizes was deliberately targeted. 250,000 first printing.
NIGHT AND DAY, by Robert B. Parker
Investigating allegations of lewd conduct on the part of the local junior high principal, police chief Jesse Stone finds efforts to bring the woman to justice thwarted by a high-powered attorney, a case that is further complicated by the activities of a twisted voyeur. 300,000 first printing.
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, by James Patterson
Investigating a series of brutal killings by an assailant who calls himself the Teacher and targets wealthy and arrogant victims, detective Mike Bennett finds himself racing against time to save New York from a deadly plot, in a case that is further complicated when Mike’s ten children simultaneously contract the flu.
FOOL, by Christopher Moore
In 1288, as King Lear watches his kingdom descend into chaos, the king’s fool, Pocket, and Pocket’s apprentice, Drool, take it upon themselves to restore order amidst the mayhem, and in the process make a surprising discovery about their own heritage.
The author of A Dirty Job, Bloodsucking Fiends, and numerous additional best-sellers applies his satirical wit and offbeat storytelling style to a wacky new adventure set in an inventive universe. 250,000 first printing.
A SLOBBERING LOVE AFFAIR, by Bernard Goldberg
Describes how the media went beyond reporting on the 2008 presidential campaign to actively supporting Barack Obama, discussing how they suppressed the Jeremiah Wright incident, attacked Joe the Plumber, and insulted Sarah Palin.
THE NEXT 100 YEARS, by George Friedman
The founder of one of the world’s leading private intelligence companies offers a thought-provoking analysis of current trends and events, as well as historical and geopolitical patterns, to speculate about the changes that will unfold over the course of the next century. 50,000 first printing.
THE SURVIVORS CLUB, by Ben Sherwood
Draws on stories about survivors of accidents, crime, and serious illness to investigate why some people succumb to life-threatening hardships while others rally, discussing such topics as the science of luck and emergency room probability rates.
GETTING NAKED AGAIN, by Judith Sills
A guide for newly single women from the baby-boomer generation shares practical advice for reentering the dating scene and pursuing intimate relationships, in a resource that is complemented by personal anecdotes. By the author of Excess Baggage.
SOFTCOVER
THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG, by Muriel Barbery
The second novel (but first to be published in the United States) from France-based author Barbery teaches philosophical lessons by shrewdly exposing rich secret lives hidden beneath conventional exteriors. Rnée Michel has been the concierge at an apartment building in Paris for 27 years. Uneducated, widowed, ugly, short and plump, she looks like any other French apartment-house janitor, but Mme Michel is by no means what she seems. A “proletarian autodidact,” she has broad cultural appetites—for the writings of Marx and Kant, the novels of Tolstoy, the films of Ozu and Wenders. She ponders philosophical questions and holds scathing opinions about some of the wealthy tenants of the apartments she maintains, but she
is careful to keep her intelligence concealed, having learned from her sister’s experience the dangers of using her mind in defiance of her class. Similarly, 12-year-old Paloma Josse, daughter of one of the well-connected tenant families, shields her erudition, philosophical inclinations, criticism—and also her dreams of suicide. But when a new Japanese tenant, Kakuro Ozu, moves in, everything changes for both females. He detects their intelligence and invites them into his cultured life. Curious and deeply
fulfilling friendships blossom among the three, offering Paloma and Renée freedom from the mental prisons confining them.With its refined taste and political perspective, this is an elegant, light-spirited and very European adult fable. Kirkus Review
THE FLORIST’S DAUGHTER, by Patricia Hampl
During the long farewell of her mother’s dying, Patricia Hampl revisits her midwestern girlhood.Daughter of a debonair Czech father, whose floral work gave him entrée to St. Paul society, and a distrustful Irishwoman with an uncanny ability to tell a tale,Hampl remained, primarily and passionately, a daughter well into adulthood. She traces the arc of faithfulness and struggle that comes with that role—from the postwar years past the turbulent sixties. At the heart of The Florist’s Daughter is the humble passion of people who struggled out of the Depression into a better chance, not only for themselves but for the common good.Widely recognized as one of our most masterly memoirists, Patricia Hampl has written an extraordinary memoir that is her most intimate, yet most universal, work to date.This transporting work will resonate with readers of Francine du Plessix Gray’s Them: A Memoir of Parents and JeannetteWall’s The Glass Castle.
OLIVE KITTERIDGE, by Elizabeth Strout
At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK, by Geraldine Brooks
Offered a coveted job to analyze and conserve a priceless Sarajevo Haggadah, Australian rare-book expert Hanna Heath discovers a series of tiny artifacts in the volume’s ancient binding that reveal its historically significant origins. By the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March. Reprint.
STILL ALICE, by Lisa Genova
Still Alice is a compelling debut novel about a 50-year-old woman’s sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer’s disease, written by first-time author Lisa Genova, who holds a Ph. D in neuroscience from Harvard University.
Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children and a house on the Cape, is a celebrated Harvard professor at the height of her career when she notices a forgetfulness creeping into her life. As confusion starts to cloud her thinking and her memory begins to fail her, she receives a devastating diagnosis: early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Fiercely independent, Alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle and live in the moment, even as her sense of self is being stripped away. In turns heartbreaking, inspiring and terrifying, Still Alice captures in remarkable detail what’s it’s like to literally lose your mind…
Reminiscent of A Beautiful Mind, Ordinary People and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Still Alice packs a powerful emotional punch and marks the arrival of a strong new voice in fiction.
THE NATION GUIDE TO THE NATION, by Richard Llingeman
An eclectic reference furnishes a coast-to-coast lifestyle guide aimed at left-of-center shops, cultural institutions, gathering places, and more, including activist groups, eco-friendly products, press watchdogs, liberal media, blogs, restaurants, writers’ colonies, bookstores, art advocacy groups, public policy institutes, think tanks, and more. Original. 40,000 first printing.