The January 2012 Coffee with a Book Seller Reading List

For those of you who missed out on today's stellar Coffee with a Bookseller led by our Head Book Buyer Adrian, here's a rundown of the books discussed.

On the Shelves…

Vulture Peak by John Burdett
Exotic locales, diabolical twin sisters involved in the trafficking of human organs, a marriage plagued by doubt, corrupt government officials, and, of course, Buddhism… a rollicking ride thru Bangkok.

The Jaguar by T. Jefferson Parker
The 5th installment in the Charlie Hood/Border series. When musician, Erin Mckenna, is kidnapped by Benjamin Armenta, a powerful Gulf drug cartel kingpin, Charlie is called upon by Erin’s husband and crooked cop, Bradley Jones, to help pull off the daring, seemingly impossible rescue.

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
The 2011 winner of the Man Booker Prize and rightly so. I read this elegant, compelling tale in one sitting and wondered why it had taken me so long to pick it up! Pitch-perfect pacing, fully drawn characters, and a twist at the end that makes you doubt what you’ve read so you start the book over again just to be sure you understood the ending correctly. I underlined several passages for easy rereading. Not to be missed!

The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson
An epic tale about North Korea, a country that has long been shrouded in secrecy. Based upon extensive research as well as first-hand knowledge, this debut explores the dark, treacherous reality of a country ruled by fear, deprivation and complete ignorance of the outside world. A compelling, revelatory novel! The January selection for our signed 1st eds club.

Looking Ahead…

The Odds: A Love Story by Stewart O’Nan (January 19, 2012)
A tender often bittersweet tale of a couple on the brink of bankruptcy and divorce who go to Niagara Falls--the place where they honeymooned years ago--in a desperate attempt to reclaim their marriage and their fortune...despite the odds. Love is always a gamble!

Taken by Robert Crais (Putnam/January 24, 2012)
Take an army of predatory bajadores, a few heartless human traffickers, some vicious Asian and Mexican gang members, loads of cash, the intense heat of the desert, a pair of naïve lovers, a desperate mother…add a big handful of Elvis Cole, Joe Pike and his ex-mercenary buddy, Jon Stone…and shake together thoroughly for a potent cocktail of suspenseful reading entertainment!

A Good American by Alex George (Amy Einhorn Bks/February 2012)
Heartwarming characters coupled with good, old-fashioned storytelling make this beautifully rendered debut novel, that follows the lives and (mis)fortunes of a family who immigrate from Europe and settle down in Beatrice, Missouri, hard to put down.

Birds of a Lesser Paradise by Megan Mayhew Berman (Scribner/March 2012)
This remarkable collection of short stories is a stunning accomplishment! I read it in one sitting and wanted more. These intelligent, moving and darkly humorous stories about authentic, complex people are written with a maturity and clarity of prose that is reminiscent of other favorite writers...Lorrie Moore, Melissa Banks, Richard Ford and, dare I say it,...Flannery O'Connor. One of the best books I've read in a long time!

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (March 2012)
The antithesis of Eat, Pray, Love! After her beloved mother dies, Cheryl finds herself unable to cope with the intensity of her grief and decides to hike the PCT, part homage to the memory of her mother, part pilgrimage to find herself. The sheer physical difficulty of the journey brings her out of the mental, emotional and spiritual fog she’s been mired in and forces her to dig down deep just to survive. A searingly honest, powerful memoir.

Adrian Newell is the Head Book Buyer for Warwick's