Buyers Corner: Spring 2013

Recently booksellers from all over the country descended upon Kansas City, MO for Winter Institute 8, our annual trade show that focuses on education, community and industry best practices. Despite the travel challenges presented by the winter storms that hit the Midwest, attending booksellers were focused, energetic and optimistic. We spent 3 days in educational sessions that covered a wide-range of topics, were inspired by keynote speakers, Daniel Pink and Malcolm Gladwell and had the opportunity to meet 61 attending authors (and one adorable coonhound named Maddie) at the Saturday evening author reception.

These industry gatherings remind me of the fact that booksellers are resilient, passionate and generous in their sharing of ideas and business practices.

As we prepare to turn our clocks forward I’m also reminded that spring is just around the corner and with it comes a lovely bumper crop of new books. Here are some favorites from the season. Happy Reading!

GOOD READS…

Ghostman by Roger Hobbs (Available now)
A “ghostman” is an expert at disappearing and helping others disappear. Jack Delton is one of the best, but even the best make mistakes. When a former “employer” asks for a favor, it’s a request that he can’t refuse. His task is a to find a bundle of cash that disappeared during a botched casino heist. Unfortunately the bundle is a federal payload containing a packet of indelible ink set to explode in 48 hours…so the clock is ticking! Even Jack’s considerable skills are put to the test in this addictive, electrifying thriller. The sensation of the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2011, this debut marks the beginning of what I hope is a great new series!

The Andalucian Friend by Alexander Soderberg (Available 3/12/13)
When nurse and single mom, Sophie Brinkmann meets patient, Hector Guzman, she has no idea how this chance encounter will forever alter her peaceful life. Ruthless international crime rings and the cops who will do anything to bring them to justice makes it hard to distinguish the good guys from the bad! Compulsively readable…reminiscent of early Ludlum and Forsyth.

Criminal Enterprise by Owen Laukkanen (Availble 3/21/13)
Carter Tomlin appears to have the perfect life…great job, pretty wife, two kids and a big house. Unfortunately he’s never told his wife that he’s lost his job! As the unpaid bills begin piling up, out of desperation, he robs a bank. When no one comes to arrest him he robs another and quickly becomes addicted to the adrenaline rush as well as the easy cash. MN state investigator, Kirk Stevens and FBI Special Agent Carla Windermere (they first appeared in The Professionals) team up again and are soon hot on his trail. This suspenseful thriller will keep you reading right up to the action-packed end.

Life After Life by Jill McCorkle (Available 3/26/13)
It’s been 17 long years since Jill McCorkle’s last novel! Her new novel, set against the backdrop of the Pine Haven Retirement Center, is a beautiful exploration of life and death, that “charts the precarious line…the split moment when the reader is aware of both places at once…that brief spark of connection and recognition before the paths continue in different directions.” Her characters are endearing, authentic and entertaining. I loved, loved, loved this book!

LIFE STORIES, WELL TOLD…

The Still Point of the Turning World by Emily Rapp (Available 3/7/13)
Emily Rapp’s son, Ronan, is 9 months old when he is diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease, a fatal degenerative disorder with no cure and a life expectancy of 3-4 years. She shares her journey--through the devastating diagnosis and the ultimate loss of her son--in this brave, honest, and beautifully written memoir.

Her by Christa Parravani (Available now)
 “Studies of twins have shown that when an identical twin dies, regardless of the cause, the surviving twin’s life is immediately at risk.” When Christa loses her twin sister, Cara, she finds herself “wrestling with a powerful desire to become her sister. Beautifully written, mesmerizingly rich and true, Christa’s account of being left one half of a whole and of her desperate struggle for survival is informative and unforgettable.” This would be a great book group selection.

After Visiting Friends: a Son’s Story by Michael Hainey (Available now)
Michael Hainey is only 6 years old when his family receives the tragic news that his journalist father, Bob Hainey, has been found dead in the night, alone on a dark Chicago street. Cause of death is listed as a heart attack and the obituary states that Bob died, “after visiting friends” and Michael grows up without ever hearing any specific details. Years later he decides to employ his own investigative reporting skills to answer the questions that have haunting him throughout his childhood. This engaging, powerful memoir about family secrets and one man’s search to uncover the truth surrounding his father’s death will stay with you for a long time.

ANIMAL MAGNETISM…

Once Upon a Flock: Life With My Soulful Chickens by Lauren Scheuer (Available 3/19/13)
Based on her popular blog, Scratch and Peck, Lauren’s whimsical book about her feathered flock is pure fun! Her backyard chickens have BIG personalities (the term “pecking order” takes on a whole new significance!) and are endlessly entertaining as well as productive. Charming illustrations and lots of candid shots reinforce the cute factor. Chickens just may be the next great family pet!

Maddie On Things by Theron Humphrey (Available 5/1/13)
 When Theron set out on a roadtrip to cover all 50 states in 365 days he had no idea where that journey would take him or the significant impact it would have on his life and future. In the grand tradition of Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley, his rescued coonhound, Maddie, goes along for the ride and somewhere early on he decides to photograph her standing on things as a way to document the trip. Maddie is irresistibly photogenic, and loves posing for the camera. This delightful collection will make you smile! (We’re excited to be hosting Maddie and her human on Wednesday, 8/28 at 7:30pm! Information on the event will soon be posted on www.warwicks.com.)

IN THE KITCHEN… 

Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes by Nigella Lawson (Available now)
Culinary goddess, Nigella Lawson, indulges her personal passion for all things Italian in her newest cookbook. Filled with lush photographs and entertaining personal notes, Nigellissima is beautiful to look at, fun to read and should serve as the springboard for many delicious meals.

The Little Paris Kitchen by Rachel Khoo (Available now)
Khoo moved to Paris to study patisserie and fell in love with city and it’s fabled cuisine. Her belief that you don’t need a lot of space or fancy equipment to cook delicious food and entertain friends (as amply demonstrated on her TV show) is carried through in this beautifully produced cookbook. Reading these recipes will inspire you to create a taste of Paris in your home…without breaking the bank!

LOOKING FORWARD…

The Art of Simple Food II by Alice Waters (Available 4/2/13)
Visionary chef and owner of Chez Panisse creates recipes that showcase flavor, and inspiration from the new kitchen garden.

It’s All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow (Available 4/2/13)
Award-winning actress and author of the bestselling cookbook, My Father’s Daughter “returns with recipes for the foods she eats when she wants to lose weight, look good, and feel more energetic.”

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki (Available 3/12/13)
“Ruth is a writer living in a remote corner of the Pacific coast of British Columbia who is currently thwarted by writer's block as she attempts to compose a memoir. One day she finds a collection of materials contained in a lunchbox that has washed up on the beach. The life she has stumbled into is that of a Japanese teenager, who, believing suicide is the only relief for her teenage angst, nevertheless is determined, before she commits that final act, to write down the story of her great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun.” (This is our April Signed First Editions Club Pick!)

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (Available 4/2/13)
“If you could travel back in time and kill Hitler, would you?” This question is at the heart of Atkinson’s latest venture into alternate realities. She is a master storyteller!

The Famous and the Dead by T. Jefferson Parker (Available 4/18/13)
“Edgar-winner Parker's complex, sixth and final Charlie Hood novel (after 2012's The Jaguar) finds the affable, tireless deputy in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's office working undercover for the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Posing as an arms dealer named Charlie Hooper, Hood is trying to stop the flow of guns between Southern California and Mexico and locate the elusive Mike Finnegan, a mixture of Professor Moriarty and Doctor Faustus who featured prominently in The Jaguar.” (We’re pleased to be hosting an event with Jeff Parker on Thursday, 4/18 at 7:30pm! Click here for more details.)

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra (Available 5/7/13)
“Marra's sobering, complex debut intertwines the stories of a handful of characters at the end of the second war in bleak, apocalyptic Chechnya.” His beautiful prose helps to ease the toughness of the topic.

The Son by Philipp Meyer (Available 5/28/13)
From the author of American Rust comes a multi-generational saga of power, blood in the Lone Star State. For readers of Cormac McCarthy and Lonesome Dove.

Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman (Available 5/28/13)
Looking for Me brilliantly melds together themes of family, hope, loss, and a mature once-in-a-lifetime kind of love.” Much love in house for this new novel by the author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt.

Adrian is the Head Book Buyer at Warwick's

Me Before You: A Riveting Read

Have you ever picked up a novel expecting it to be a great read, but instead find yourself being pummeled with a “message”? You know the type, the ones where some highly publicized real life event is bastardized by a fiction writer in an attempt to capitalize on the sensation, or tell the other side of the story, or worse, push a personal agenda in the guise of thoughtful fiction. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve read, and enjoyed a few of those very books, but being smashed in the head with a hammer loses its appeal after a while. So, unless it’s done in a very tongue and cheek manner (thank you Max Barry) I try to avoid hot button novels.

Jojo Moyes, author of The Last Letter from Your Lover, a book I enjoyed, has produced with her newest novel Me Before You, a hot button novel, in that the story tackles the issue of assisted suicide. Usually, this has me running to me pile in search of something else to read, but in the case of Moyes’ work, what could have been a politically and socially fired look at suicide and Dignitas (a non-profit Swiss assisted dying group that helps those with terminal illness and severe physical and mental illnesses die through the aid of doctors), what readers get instead is a moving portrait of lost dreams, family, friendship, and unlikely love.

Me Before You is the story of Louisa Clark and Will Traynor. At the end of her financial rope, 26-year-old Louisa takes a job as companion to Will, a wealthy go-getter and thrill seeker, who is now a quadriplegic with little joy in his life, a large chip on his shoulder, and a far-reaching plan to end his suffering. As a reluctant friendship ensues, Lou must find a way to teach Will that he still has a life worth living.

This is a touching tearjerker that manages to display humor, love, and warmth. The characters are well-drawn, showing complexity that is rarely present in these types of books. Their chemistry is a blend of fire cracker and over-enthusiastic childlike behavior that creates a constant tug of war for the readers, drifting emotionally from embarrassed discomfort, gut-clenching laughter, snide snickers, misty eyes, and gulping tears; a mixture that works to enrapture and captivate through the novel’s beautifully written conclusion.

What easily could have been a story where an author shoves her opinion down the readers’ throats becomes a wonderfully touching narrative that presents the information and conclusion softly, allowing us to digest and process in our own ways. Author Moyes handles a rather controversial subject with a deft and a respectful hand; a thoughtful way to approach such a difficult topic, one which is too infrequently used by some authors (who will not be named here). So, if you are looking for a novel that approaches a real concept and handles it humanely, with three-dimensional characters you grow to love, scars and all, Me Before You is your book. A quietly riveting novel from beginning to end.

*You can meet Jojo Moyes and learn more about this book on Tuesday, February 12th at 7:30pm. Click here to learn more.

The 2012 Warwick's Bestseller List

Happy New Year! 2012 was a wonderful year for readers and Warwick's Events. Here is a list of the year's 50 bestsellers at Warwick's.

1. Fifty Shades of Grey - E L James
2. My Personal Panther - Jerry Cesak*
3. Wonder - R.J. Palacio*
4. Joseph Anton - Salman Rushdie* 
5. Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
6. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins
7. Rules of Civility - Amor Towles*
8. Service - Marcus Luttrell*
9. Fifty Shades Darker - E L James
10. The Sense of an Ending (paperback) - Julian Barnes
11. Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
12. In the Garden of Beasts -Erik Larson*
13. Fifty Shades Freed - E L James
14. The Language of Flowers - Vanessa Diffenbaugh
15. Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
16. The Tiger’s Wife - Téa Obreht*
17. Wild - Cheryl Strayed*
18. State of Wonder - Ann Patchett*
19. Sky of Red Poppies - Zohrah Ghahremani
20. Shadow of Night - Deborah Harkness*
21. The Secret Keeper - Kate Morton*
22. Lone Wolf - Jodi Picoult*
23. Fabulicious!: Fast and Fit - Teresa Giudice*
24. Mrs. Kennedy and Me - Clint Hill*
25. Dreams of Joy - Lisa See*
26. The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program - Gary Small*
27. The House at Tyneford - Natasha Solomons

28. The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes
29. Barefoot Contessa Foolproof - Ina Garten
30. Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts
31. Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand
32. The Age of Miracles - Karen Thompson Walker*
33. Sister - Rosamund Lupton
34. Admission Possible - Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz*
35. Life Is Not a Reality Show - Kyle Richards*
36. Nowhere Yet - Edward Cozza*
37. Food Lover’s Guide to San Diego - Maria Desiderata Montana*
38. Tiny Beautiful Things - Cheryl Strayed*
39. Where’d You Go Bernadette - Maria Semple
40. The Red Circle - Brandon Webb*
41. Killing Lincoln - Bill O’Reilly
42. Killing Kennedy - Bill O’Reilly
43. The Likeness - Tana French
44. Unlikely Friendships -Jennifer Holland
45. The Tuscan Sun Cookbook -Frances Mayes*
46. No Easy Day - Mark Owen
47. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel - Jeff Kinney
48. The Amateur - Edward Klein
49. Control the Crazy - Vinny Guadagnino*
50. Bring Up the Bodies - Hilary Mantel

*indicates sales from an author event

Looking Ahead to 2013

Booksellers at Warwick’s have the privilege of reading many books long before they are released to the public, this is a great perk and an opportunity for our booksellers to get ahead of the game so that when you, the customer come in asking about the latest and greatest books out we can answer quickly and thoroughly, providing you with the best titles available whether they are from well-known established authors or debuts. 2013 brings with it many fantastic new books, some of which you won’t hear about in the national news, but you will want to read. So, in preparation for the New Year our booksellers have each picked a book that they can’t wait to share with you in 2013.


Samantha S., Bookseller:
Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler (February 12 Release): Being compared to To Kill a Mockingbird and The Help, this debut novel is sure to deliver.

Heather, Marketing Coordinator:
Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman (May 28 Release): Hoffman’s (author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt) sophomore novel is an absolute delight. So well-written, with fully realized characters, and just the right amount of heartbreak and charm, Looking for Me is most definitely the book I am most looking forward to putting in people’s hands.

Alexa, Bookseller:
The Death of Bees by Lisa O’Donnell (January 2 Release): Dark, cynical humor is right up my alley! Looking forward to her being in Warwick’s also (1-30-13 appearance)

Janet, Bookseller:
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout (March 26 Release): The Burgess Boys is first and foremost a book about family. Two brothers and one sister are forever bound by the tragic circumstances of their father's death and their hardscrabble upbringing in Maine. Each suffers through trials and tribulations both public and private that will eventually bind them together stronger than ever. In true Elizabeth Strout style, this is not a sugar-coated fantasy family, but flesh and blood people whose characters are so finely drawn you'll feel like you know them. This Pulitzer Prize-winning author has surpassed herself in this timely and eloquent novel.

Julie, Director of Events and Community Relations:
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra (May 7 Release): This will probably be my favorite book for 2013. So well written!

Mary Lee, Bookseller:
The Fever Tree by Jennifer McVeigh (April 4 Release): Gone with the Wind meets Out of Africa. Amy Einhorn Books—love her imprint.

Camilla, Bookseller:
Searching for Zion by Emily Raboteau (January 1 Release): Good thing this book will be released the first day of the New Year! I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of Searching for Zion, the second novel by Raboteau. As a biracial woman, Raboteau says she never really felt at ease in the still racially divided United States, but had heard of “Zion” in several contexts: used by Bob Marley as well as by Jewish friends. To a young Raboteau, Zion simply meant a place of peace, or to be at home. While visiting a friend in Israel, Raboteau sees black Jews for the first time and is surprised at their existence and is inspired to seek out other black communities who had traveled during the Diaspora to find their own “Zion” or home. The author states that her goal was to ask all these groups, “have you found the home you are looking for?”

Special Guest Blogger Reviews "Falling Kingdoms"

Let me say that Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Roads is one of the most fascinating books that I have ever read. Falling Kingdoms has so many perspectives; there is Jonas, who is enraged at any injustice such as his brother’s murder and or Princess Cleo, who lives in royalty and likes peace. In this book, there is rich and food living Auranos, poor Palesia, and mean and bloody Lumeros. The plot of this book is that Lumeros and Palesia are jealous of Auranos, so they engage in war and overtake Auranos. I think the author was trying to tell people who read this book that jealousy can lead to bad things. I bet that if you read this book, you will not want to put it down.

I think overall this book was really good and I give it 4 ¾ stars out of 5!

Matthew is 11 years old

The Warwick's Staff's Favorite Handsells

It’s the Holiday Season and the question most heard around the store start with “I’m looking for a gift for…”. We all buy gifts for people during this time; whether it’s for a child, spouse, significant other, father, friend, or co-worker we tend to spend the majority of December rushing about trying to find that perfect gift. The Warwick’s Staff is no stranger to this gift giving frenzy, on top of purchasing our own gifts; we spend most of our days recommending gift purchases for others. So, in an effort to assist our blog readers, and to just get a generally great list of books out, we have configured a list of our top books to handsell l this holiday season.

Jan, Children’s Book Buyer:
If All the Animals Came Inside by Eric Pinder (a fun, laugh out loud picture book for the 2-4 year old group.)
The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck by Emily Fairlie (two kids team up to use their wits to discover a treasure hidden in their school. Ages 9+)
Secret Letters by Leah Sheier (a young girl believes she’s the daughter of Sherlock Holmes and finds she is suddenly a detective herself. Ages 12+)

MaryLee, Bookseller:
The Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten (I wasn’t a fan before, but made 10 dishes from this book for a dinner party and they were all a huge success.)
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter (appeals to all ages—charming, with a bit of edge, feel good ending sire to please!)

Janet, Bookseller:
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (a beautifully written and heart-warming story of a girl searching for more than what life has dealt her.)
Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan (read Sweet Tooth and savor the sweet twist! Brilliant)
Hello Goodbye Hello by Craig Brown (clever, entertaining, and very interesting tidbits about the famous and infamous of past and present. The perfect gift idea!)
Edge of Nowhere by Elizabeth George (this edge of your seat mystery will keep you reading late into the night. Not just for teens.)
Artists in Love by Veronica Kavass (this is tops on my personal Christmas list. A fabulous collection of artists and their muses.)

Samantha S., Bookseller:
The John Lennon Letters (a collection of almost 300 letters and postcards, this book is perfect for the Beatles fan in your life.)
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (set in suburban San Diego, this debut novel follows the life of a young girl and her family as the rotation of the earth slows down. Very well-written, this is a great cross-over novel.)
A Partial History of Lost Causes by Jennifer Dubois (this historical fiction novel, set both in New York in 2006 and Russia during the 1980’s, is unique and artfully written.)

Barbara, Bookseller:
Defending Jacob by William Landry (the best mystery I've read this year.)
The Round House by Louise Erdrich (winner of the National Book Award for Fiction)
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (this author is amazing, any of her books would serve well as a gift for fiction lovers)
The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

Alexa, Bookseller:
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (a sweet read)

Julie, Director of Events and Community Relations:
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (hands down my favorite book of 2012)
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (story of friendship & redemption)

Heather, Marketing Coordinator:
The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (great cross-generation fiction)
Wonder by R.J. Palacio (for kids or adults)
Movie Box by Paolo Mereghetti (a great pictorial look at film, perfect for the movie fan in your life)
Sister by Rosamund Lupton (perfect fit for fans of Gillian Flynn and Tana French)

Margie, Office Supplies:
Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith (fascinating and well-written biography)
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Positive: 101 Inspirational Stories about Changing Your Life Through Positive Thinking by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hanse, Amy Newmark (inspiring and heartfelt)


Samantha G, Bookseller:
The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling ( great for book clubs and Rowling fans)
Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple (great for someone who wants a funny story with an element of mystery)
Mrs Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn (a feel-good book perfect for Anglophiles or anyone looking for an adventure)
Broken Harbor by Tana French (great for mystery lovers looking for something more than the typical mass market spy thriller)
The Innocents by Lili Peloquin (perfect for the teen who loves Pretty Little Liars, probably going to be a very popular series)
The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer (great for middle readers who like adventure stories and a great way to introduce children to classic fairy tales)

The Perfect Gift (According to Jim)

It’s tough finding the right book for the right person. But here are some suggestions for that person who has everything, or you are in a quandary about what to buy. There are dozens of new books being released in as many particular topics, so this is by no means a complete list. These are some of my “the-gift for someone who has everything” shopping list. They’re all now at the store or can be ordered. Staff may be able to match a book with an interest.

For families and art lovers: Life in Color, a beautiful tour of the world of color, by the National Geographic Society.

History: The American Bible by renowned author Stephen Prothero, brings together many of the documents, books, speeches and music that to have defined us as a nation. Commentary from different time periods enhances this rich collection.

Design: Design of the 20th Century by Charlotte and Peter Fiell, is a robust collection of this diverse and fascinating subject, complete with short bios of the designers.

Wine: The New York Times Book of Wine: More Than 30 Years of Vintage Writing.

Medicine: The Medical Book: From Witch Doctors to Robot Surgeons, 250 Milestones in the History of Medicine by Clifford Pickover is a fascinating survey of medical practices around the world and during different times.

Photography: A History of Photography-From 1839 to the Present, by Therese Mulligan and David Wooters is a Taschen Publishing masterpiece.

Humor: You can’t miss with The Onion Book of Known Knowledge: A Definitive Encyclopaedia Of Existing Information, a hilarious spoof of just about everything, set in an encyclopedic format emphasizing fictitious and occasionally ribald entries.

Film: Movie Box by Paolo Mereghetti is a treasure trove of photos and descriptions about making of many famous and popular movies. Candid pics of actors and back-lot shots from famous movies provides an entirely new way to experience film.

Autos: The Car: The Evolution of the Beautiful Machine is packed with pictures, descriptions, and bios of every stage in the auto’s history. Folders throughout are packed with dozens of facsimiles, from the first patent to Ferrari posters.

Food: The Cookbook Library: Four Centuries of the Cooks, Writers, and Recipes that Made the Modern Cookbook would be an excellent addition to chefs amateur and professional.

Kids of all ages: Guinness Book of Records 2013 is a hardcover photo compendium of the incredible and creative world records.

The Warwick's Staff Presents: The Most Memorable Books We've Ever Been Gifted With

Books are fantastic gifts and at one point or another we have all either given or been the recipient of a book as a gift. Sometimes those books are perfect: that fantastic coffee table book you’ve been coveting, but just can’t justify to buying for yourself, or the next book in that series you love, or maybe it’s just a thoughtful little book with just the right message, any way you put it those books mean something. Yet, occasionally those gifts can be the opposite; perhaps a bit silly, or one you have already read, or maybe a book that is just not your cup of tea (to put it politely). With these thoughts in mind, the Warwick’s staff was put to the task or delving through their own book giving/receiving memories to answer the question

“What is the best, oddest, funniest, or most memorable book you have ever received (or given) as a gift?”

Here’s what they had to say:

Adriana, Bookseller: I don't tend to receive books as presents as everyone knows I work in a book store and rightly assumes if I see a book I want, I usually just get it for myself. I do however keep a wishlist of books I want but either can't afford or aren't practical. My husband knows this and for our 10th wedding anniversary snuck a look at my list and bought me Richard Avedon's Woman in the Mirror. Not only are Avedon's photographs beautiful, but he hand-selected each one shortly before his death, which when you look at them now, give them a somewhat otherworldly quality. This book is memorable not just because my husband took the time to pick something I probably wouldn't treat myself to, but the fact that he knew how much I love fashion and photography. The best presents are the ones that are a truly a surprise to get (especially when the present happens to be a book).

Lynn, Office Supplies: My favorite gift book was a copy of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett I received as a child. I read that book so many times, I wore it out.

Janet, Bookseller: Once, I gave a friend the Fix It and Forget It Cookbook, two years later she completely obliviously gave it back to me as a Christmas gift.

Jim, Bookseller: My most memorable book for me AA Milne's Now We Are Six, a birthday present for my sixth birthday. I don't recall getting a book as a present before that time. I'm sure I did, but I vividly recall opening the brown paper, addressed to me, and then the tightly wrapped gift. I received this from my Aunt Phoebe, for whom my sister is named. I have been a fan of Milne ever since and remember reading everything about Christopher and Pooh. My aunt's gift was, literally, a life changer. I became an avid reader, soon having read all of the Travers' Mary Poppins books and Garis' Uncle Wiggily series, classics still available.

Margie, Office Supplies: My most treasured book is my grandmother’s Bible. It had been passed down to my mom, and then to me, after my mom was taken away from us a bit too soon. My grandma made little notations on the sides of its’ pages and when I open it and see her writing emotions overwhelm me followed by a sense of calm, an feeling of closeness to both her and my mother. This book surrounds me with love and kind thoughts towards loved ones who no longer are around—a true treasure.

Barbara, Bookseller: On our first wedding anniversary, I gave my husband a copy of The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, and over a glass of wine I read to him: "What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real."

Sam, Bookseller: When I was in 7th grade, my mom bought me Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar. I had no idea at the time what a huge role the books and subsequent television series would play in my life. Gossip Girl helped turn a mild interest in pop culture into a major passion, leading me to study media in college and becoming one of the inspirations behind, and subjects of, my senior thesis. While I have definitely read books that are better written and have lasted with me long after I've finished them, Gossip Girl is possibly the only one I can credit for pushing me down my current path in life.

Kim, Office Supplies: Weirdest book ever received as a gift, Postsecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God. I received this book as a Christmas gift from my ex-husband the year my daughter was just learning to read. Not only were the confessions and secrets of strangers eerily disturbing to me, but the graphic images would have been shocking to a toddler. This was definitely one of those “hello??” moments in gift receiving!

Phoebe, Office Supplies: Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. My daughter Rachel gave me this book. I enjoyed most of the “roadtrip”, but I think Mr. Kerouac started getting burned out.

Alexa, Bookseller: I remember getting Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald from my mom, which she read when she was little. I read it with my mom pretty much every night. Our 1954 first edition is pretty old and tattered now :) kind of cool to get old hand me down books!

Heather, Marketing and Co-op Coordinator: Being the granddaughter of Warwick’s former Book Buyer, meant that I received more books as gifts than I could possibly recount, from beloved copies of Grimm’s Fairy Tales to the complete Anne of Green Gables series, I could always count on my grandma to pick the perfect book for me. Yet it was a book given to me in 1996 that I remember most (it must have stuck in my impressionable teenage mind) was the book Life for Real Dummies: Life for the Totally Clueless. She “claimed” it was for monologue ideas (I was heading toward a degree in theater), but I have my own suspicions about that one.

Now readers, we put the question to you…tell us about books you have received as gifts over the years. We can’t wait to hear your stories.

Jim Talks about a Book’s True Value

I am overwhelmed with all the books I want to read, but that’s a bookseller’s dream, I suppose. I have enough books at home to last me, say, three years. But during that time I would miss the beauty of new releases and the pleasure of a new paperback.

Looking at what is on our store shelves, every book needs to be treated as a work of art. If you consider the time and effort it took an author to come up with the idea, do the research, and write the pages. They have put their lives into every tome. Then there’s the editor, printer, cover jacket artist, the shipping, publisher reps, the staff store displays, the booksellers.

We see it’s not just the writer, but an amazing confluence of lives and talents.

I look for the book that transports me into a different world, living vicariously with those characters. However, I look at every book as a work of an artisan, whether or not I liked it. My appreciation is for all the effort of having it published.

Jim is a bookseller at Warwick's

Kate Morton Fandom

People are creatures of habit and to some extent, at least in terms of entertainment, fandom. This is seen in how movies, television shows, actors, music, bands, etc… are inhaled and spit out by a clamoring public. How else could there be four Pirates of the Caribbean movies (please don’t tell me you actually thought they were good)? The same concept holds for books and their authors. Even if they are not “great” or “avid” readers, everyone seems to have their favorite authors. These are the writers whose books we immediately purchase no matter the subject or genre. Some people are hooked on George R.R. Martin, some on Michael Chabon, others veer towards James Patterson, Danielle Steel (don’t worry, I’m not judging you…at least in this blog), while other still are hooked on writers from our past, like Steinbeck, Austen, Nabokov, Hemingway, or one of the Bronte’s—who may not be writing anymore, but as soon as a new annotated version of Lolita, or illustrated Wuthering Heights is released, watch out, those fans are there. I have both witnessed and participated in this phenomenon. My grandmother was a big Jane Austen fan, and upon her death I found multiple copies of each Austen book (we are talking 4 or 5 copies of just Pride and Prejudice alone), as well as just about any book about Austen, her style, her home life—even a décor book—that could be imagined. That’s dedication! Now, I have my authors too, working in the book world, how can I not. My book shelves pay homage to writers like Mary Stewart, Max Barry (all but Machine Man, which I read, but couldn’t bring myself to keep), Tana French, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Carol O’Connell. Another author whose titles grace my shelves—and is really the topic of this blog—is Australian novelist Kate Morton.

Kate Morton is one of those novelists who create stories that sweep across time, weaving in and out of eras, switching between narrative voices and views with profound skill. Her four books The House at Riverton, The Forgotten Garden, The Distant Hours, and the newly released The Secret Keeper, all use the devise of flitting between a modern story and one from the past, by creating an intriguing mystery that leads its modern day heroine to delve into the past in order to unearth the truth. Morton’s pasts are tragic. The characters suffer—for love, for war, for sisterhood, motherhood—for life itself, creating an interesting bond between not only the “mystery-solver”, but also the reader, as both protagonist and reader have the past slowly unfurled for them. It is easy within this type of storytelling to run to the melodramatic, but Morton is adept at running on that knife edge, providing an emotional core to her plot without falling into the stereotype. Kate Morton is a magician with a pen (or, more accurately in this day and age, Word Processor). Her characters are flawed, three-dimensional beings and her settings are richly defined without dragging the reader into a dull description of the landscape that more often leads to skimming, than appreciation. While her mystery plotlines, or rather twists are a touch on the predictable side, it is easy to overlook when confronted with such a rich tapestry of character and place.

In her newest novel, The Secret Keeper, Morton excels at connecting the story of Laurel, a well-respected older actress, with that of a trio of young people living in London during the Blitz. The novel interlaces the lives of Vivian, Dolly and Jimmy, switching between their narratives with that of Laurel as she struggles to unravel the mystery surrounding her mother and the long ago death of a visiting stranger at her home. In a time where I have been struggling to find a book I really love, The Secret Keeper has been a welcome breath of fresh air. Along with another of Morton’s books, The Forgotten Garden, The Secret Keeper has created characters and storylines that have enthralled me. I really can’t do them justice in explaining how Morton’s characters ignite a spark of compassion, an emotional link really, that is difficult to find in other novels. Her books are much more than good stories, they are in a sense, epics; not so much in the sense of something like the Ken Follett books or Gone with the Wind, but in the sense that her creations, these beings developed in her imagination, are really brought to life in a way that leaves vestiges of them in your mind long after you’ve put the book back on the shelf.

So, you readers with supreme author allegiance and a yen for good fiction, here’s my challenge—pick-up a Kate Morton book, read it, enjoy it and then move on to the next. Before you know it you will have a Kate Morton section of your book shelf too.

*Want to meet Kate Morton? Stop in at Warwick’s on Thursday, October 25th at 7:30pm. She will be discussing The Secret Keeper, followed by a book signing. Click here to learn more.

Week of Book Giveaways: Day 5

In promotion of Hachette Book Group's latest and greatest books, we will be giving away a book a day this week. All you have to do is come to the Warwick's Blog, look for our giveaway announcement, comment on it (you don't have to write a ton, an x or a :) will do), and you will be entered to win the book of the day. *Please note that we cannot ship prizes, they must be picked up in-store. 

Announcement of the winner will be made the following morning.

Today's book is Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? by Rhoda Janzen. So comment on this post and you could win a copy! The Winner will be announced on Monday 10/8/12.

The Winner of Thursday's prize, Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe, is Ashleigh.

Please don't forget to include your name, we cannot contact you without it.

Week of Book Giveaways: Day 4

In promotion of Hachette Book Group's latest and greatest books, we will be giving away a book a day this week. All you have to do is come to the Warwick's Blog, look for our giveaway announcement, comment on it (you don't have to write a ton, an x or a :) will do), and you will be entered to win the book of the day. *Please note that we cannot ship prizes, they must be picked up in-store.

Announcement of the winner will be made the following morning.

Today's book is Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe. So comment on this post and you could win a copy!

The Winner of Wednesday's prize, The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers, is Wendy B.

Please don't forget to include your name, we cannot contact you without it.

Week of Book Giveaways: Day 3

In promotion of Hachette Book Group's latest and greatest books, we will be giving away a book a day this week. All you have to do is come to the Warwick's Blog, look for our giveaway announcement, comment on it (you don't have to write a ton, an x or a :) will do), and you will be entered to win the book of the day. *Please note that we cannot ship prizes, they must be picked up in-store.

Announcement of the winner will be made the following morning.

Today's book is The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers. So comment on this post and you could win a copy!

The Winner of Tuesday's prize, Schroder by Amity Gaige, is Susan Oertel.

Jim Looks at Known Authors Writing Children’s Books

Many readers would be surprised at the wealth of fantastic authors writing juvenile fiction. In fact, I hadn’t read the renowned author Isabel Allende until I found a new kid’s trilogy starting with City of Beasts. The trilogy features twins who go on adventures with their archaeologist grandmother. After those I then read many of her books for adult audiences such as House of Spirits, Zorro, and my favorite, Ines of My Soul. To be able to successfully transfer her talents to a younger audience was so impressive that I have made a point of reading any young adult books written by similarly popular authors. The best part of this is that young readers will have an early introduction to some of today’s most prominent authors.

Here are a few other prominent authors delving into the children's book world:

Salman Rushdie at the Mandeville Auditorium on September 22 reminded my colleague Acacia of his two young adult titles, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, and its sequel, Luka and the Fire of Life. These are in regular fiction but are also exciting novels for younger readers.

Elizabeth George’s The Edge of Nowhere, released in early September, features clairvoyant Becca King in the first of this cycle. George is best known for her crime novels featuring Inspector Linley.

Kathy Reichs is author of Deadly Decisions and a dozen other titles feature forensics expert Temperance Brennan. Reichs’ books are the basis for the TV show, “Bones.” Her new young adult series (starting with Virals) introduces Brennan’s niece, Tori, a teen detective. A virus gives Tori and companions several canine senses, including sight and hearing, which they are learning to control.

Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have co-written a creative and humorous series of books. Peter & the Starcatchers (describing Peter Pan’s first encounters with magic) The story has been produced as a musical (which debuted a few years ago at La Jolla Playhouse.) There is also Science Fair, a hilarious look at sixth graders’ efforts to close down the eastern seaboard, and the foreigners who get hooked on the Shopping Network while checking in on the students’ progress.

Prolific James Patterson has the Maximum Ride series (six books and growing) about Max and her flock of siblings who have been cloned with birds, a spin-off of the more horrific adult novel, When the Wind Blows describing the creation of these unusual teens. He also has a Witch & Wizard series, among others.

Neil Gaiman’s Coraline (also made into a movie) introduced young readers to his imaginative fantasy, with The Graveyard Book being selected for top honors as a Newbery Award.

Harlan Coben’s character Myron Bolitar is the uncle of the protagonist in this riveting first teen mystery, Shelter. Philippa Gregory’s The Changeling series is popular among young readers.

 There are certainly many others, but the authors listed are some of my favorites. If you are fans of adult titles, the ones for younger audience may appeal to you as well.

 

Jim is a bookseller at Warwick's

 

 

 

An Obsession with Ballet: Adriana's List of Must Read Ballet-Themed Books

Ever since I was a child, I’ve gone through very specific reading phases. When I was ten, all I wanted to read about was gymnastics, although this might have had more to do with the ’84 Olympics and the success of one Mary Lou Retton. Two years later I went through every book I could get my hands on about the holocaust and World War II. In my teen years, I had a Vietnam phase, and Michael Herr’s Dispatches still has a special place on my shelf. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to steer myself away from reading in such a themed way, preferring a slightly more regimented selecting of titles so as to have a little more variety. I’d say I’ve been pretty successful at pulling it off, at least until very recently. The reading phase I’m in now has come as a complete surprise, especially to myself. All I want to read right now are books about Ballet. You heard that right: Ballet. Now what could have sparked an obsession so specific, especially to a non-dancer like myself? A book I’ve had on my shelf for a long time and read sporadically here and there. The name of the book: The Lives of the Muses by Francine Prose. Towards the end is a chapter about George Balanchine and his last muse Suzanne Farrell. The way she describes the ephemeral nature of ballet and its otherworldliness, I began to think of it in a way I never had before. I needed to absorb as much as I could and fast. So began my new love affair. Below are a few of my recent favorites.

1. Ballerina Swan by Allegra Kent. One of Balanchine’s ballerinas, Kent had many important ballets created for her. She is also the author of her own exceptionally written memoir from a few years back entitled Once a Dancer. Now she has written an enchanting book for children ages 5-8, wonderfully illustrated by Caldecott-winning artist Emily McCully. Lovely and sweet, Ballerina Swan is about a swan named Sophie who lives in a pond in Central Park and loves to watch the ballerinas in Madam Myrtle’s Dance Studio. She wants to dance though, not just watch. She tries to join the ballerinas in their class but keeps getting shooed out by Madam Myrtle. One day, Madam Myrtle is replaced by a nicer teacher named Miss Willow, who lets Sophie join her class. Sophie does so well that she is asked to perform in the class’ end-of-year performance of Swan Lake, as the swan no less. Give this to the budding ballerina in your life.

2. Bunheads by Sophie Flack. No relation to the television show on the ABC Family, but definitely in the same age bracket. Slightly superficially, I was immediately drawn to the striking cover, ballerinas in giant tutus dancing in a circle on a stark black background. Now I’m not normally drawn to books in the teen section, but this book gave me pause to take a look, & Flack definitely knows of what she speaks. At seventeen she was accepted into the New York City Ballet and danced with the company for nine years. Her protagonist Hannah is nineteen and dancing with the Manhattan Ballet Company. She thinks she wants to dedicate her life to ballet until she meets a musician named Jacob who makes her question whether she really has what it takes to make it. Beautifully written, it’s definitely a great crossover book for teens as well as adults looking for a good love story, with all the hope & angst that goes along with that age, and definitely appreciated by those of us a lot older.

3. The Cranes Dance by Meg Howrey. I was not expecting such a tour de force from this one, especially from an author I’ve never heard of. The story centers around two talented sisters, Kate & Gwen Crane, both belonging to a prestigious New York City Ballet company. When Gwen suffers a breakdown and returns home to their parents’ house to recuperate, Kate, alone for the first time, must deal with the guilt and pain of what has happened to her sister. Similar in theme as the movie Black Swan, The Cranes Dance is unflinching in its portrayal of the harsh and painful life dancers lead. It’s written in such a way as to make you feel a part of the company, a witness to backstage happenings you wouldn’t normally see. Long, detailed exposition on certain ballets almost proves too much, and yet doesn’t when all is said and done. Surprisingly dark, Howrey leads us by the hand into a dark tunnel only to see the light at the very, very end. I could not stop thinking about this one, long after I’d finished.

4. The Master’s Muse by Varley O’Connor. This is very much in the vain of The Paris Wife, and one of the best books I’ve read this year, ballet not withstanding. Its center is Tanaquil LeClercq, Balanchine’s fifth and final wife, who tragically contracted polio at the young age of 27 on a European tour in 1956. Smartly told in the first person, you feel every ounce in your body ache for her as she lies in the iron lung that enables her to breathe, only days after dancing on stage for the very last time. O’Connor has definitely done her research. Her novel feels more like a lost journal than something crafted at someone’s desk. LeClercq’s essence is there, even down to LeClercq’s own words, thanks to the few interviews she gave for various newspapers and dance magazines. Despite such a tragedy at such a young age, and in spite of Balanchine’s betrayal of her years later, Le Clercq was able to lead a fulfilling life, later on even teaching ballet. Don’t be discouraged by the apparent darkness of this book. It is supremely inspiring.

Further reading:

Apollo’s Angels by Jennifer Homans

Holding onto the Air by Suzanne Farrell (currently out-of-print)

Maria Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief

Chasing Degas by Eva Montanari

I Was a Dancer by Jacques D’Amboise

 

Adriana is a bookseller at Warwick's

Classic Hollywood Revisited

Iconic Hollywood stars have frequently been the subjects of books. There is always a new bio or photo book featuring the likes of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, or a new biographical look at Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, or Joan Crawford; even Hedy Lamarr got her intellectual due in Richard Roades’ Hedy’s Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World. In Fiction, there too have been glimpses into the possible lives of these larger than life figures; from Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ look at Errol Flynn in Glitter Baby, Marilyn Monroe in multiple books, including Joyce Carol Oates’ Blonde and the current The Empty Glass by J.I. Baker, Louise Brooks in Laura Moriarty’s The Chaperone, to Frank Sinatra and Jackie Gleason in Don DeLillo’s Underworld. The point is, celebrities, particularly those from the halcyon days of yesteryear are frequent subjects of the written word. Many of these works are interesting and informative, some preposterous and maddening, but mainly they are a type of book that draws readers looking for sensationalism or a glimpse at an era that never ceases to fascinate. So, I was not too surprised to come across several books this summer that dealt with the classic Hollywood scene, but I was surprised by their quality, particularly that of two novels, Emma Straub’s Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures and Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins. The books are incredibly different in context and presentation, deal with two different eras of Hollywood, but both are well-written snap shots of a time and people that continue to fascinate us.

While Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures does not feature a real-life celebrity, it does perfectly recreate the feeling of the studio-machine driven age of cinema. From the height of the studio system in the 30’s and 40’s to the revamped look of the late 70’s, this is a novel that brilliantly evokes the life and times of a studio-made star. Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures follows young Elsa Emerson, a girl raised within her parent’s Wisconsin theater company who plots her way to Hollywood and is remade for eventual stardom as the glamorous Laura Lamont. This is more than a novel, it plays out like a 1950’s film, or even one of those epic studio stories (some true, some fabricated) of how someone became a star. In fact, I had a hard time not picturing someone like Lana Turner in my mind while reading this novel. It unfolds like a brilliant melodrama—a suicide, teen marriage, divorce, marriage to a studio head, stardom, age—and yet, this novel is wonderfully written, not a dramatic soap opera, but a sort of love letter to the Golden Age of Hollywood and its products, the movie stars. A deceptively simple story, Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures is surprisingly gripping in its honest humanity, and cleverly written characters. Straub’s obvious love of this time period within the movie-making world helps to round it out presenting a well-thought out, interesting novel with remarkable understanding of the era, Hollywood studio system, and what it meant to be an aging female film star during this time period. In all it’s a fresh and charming new novel, perfect for classic movie fans.

Beautiful Ruins is an entirely different beast. Unlike the linear third-person limited narrative of Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures, Beautiful Ruins is told via a multiple third-person narrative that bounces not only between characters, but also through time, place, and at points leaves the primary story to show excerpts from fictionalized books and screenplays. From 1962 Italy and the filming of Cleopatra (the most expensive US movie), to current Hollywood, with sections in Scotland, London, Seattle, and Idaho thrown in; Walter’s unique style creates not only a touching story of a love that could have been, but also a deftly drawn portrait of the demise of the movie star as an untouchable god (pre extreme-paparazzi), and the transition from epic films to reality garbage, lacking any sense of prestige and glamour. It adroitly shows the inner workings of film publicists and producers looking to exploit everything and anything to sell their products, the turmoil created by the desire to be famous, post-traumatic stress, and the general narcissism and technological dependence of the current generation. On the Hollywood front, actor Richard Burton is takes a co-starring role—his actions literally spur the plot of the entire story—his drunken escapades, remarkable talent, and on-set affair with co-star Elizabeth Taylor (prior to their 2 marriages) are imaginatively recreated, using much of the lore and fact that fans have come to associate with the couple’s tumultuous relationship. The addition of an ill actress (a fictional character who is part of the Cleopatra cast), an alcoholic former solider/writer, a canny and amoral publicity grunt, and a young Italian trying to save his dying hotel, help to create a setting that is almost film-like itself in its capture of drama and occasional bouts of comedic flair. The sections taking place in current times are less thrilling, far more irritating in view of the younger characters’ self-absorption—one is looking to sell a ridiculous screenplay based on the Donner Party, the other is a production mogul’s development assistant/lackey with a dependence on data fixes and a porn addicted boyfriend—but Walters uses them effectively in bringing together the threads of the story as it bounces between decades and characters. In all, Beautiful Ruins is intriguing, very stylized in its presentation, and a wonderful look at Hollywood’s transition from its Golden Age.

There are so many books published dealing with this theme that it can be daunting to take on the task, particularly for a fan of classic films, not looking to see their favorite star/era/movie diminished in stature, but taking up either of these novels, whether it be the stylized Beautiful Ruins, or the homage to the studio system of yesteryear within Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures, readers are sure to find pleasure within their pages. Great reads for readers of varying styles and a love of interesting characters.