The July Indie Next List & Notables Preview

Here's a preview of the titles on the July 2010 Indie Next List flier, on its way to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement, and a reminder that the June Indie Next List Notables titles are featured on a flier and shelf-talkers, now on BookWeb.org.

A downloadable PDF version of the July Indie Next List will also be available beginning July 1 on BookWeb.org and IndieBound.org.

The July 2010 Indie Next List Great Reads

#1 July Pick: Faithful Place: A Novel by Tana French
(Viking Adult, $25.95, 9780670021871)
"Faithful Place by Tana French is just plain good storytelling. Frank, an undercover cop, is dragged back into his complicated and violent personal past by a shocking discovery, and as a result finds himself at the center of a riveting tale about family and how even loving relationships can turn destructive. The importance of Dublin as a setting - both in the present and recent past - can't be overlooked as French makes the city a living, breathing character lurking in the back ground of this compelling tale." -- Charlotte Tuinman, M is for Mystery, San Mateo, CA

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives: A Novel by Lola Shoneyin
(William Morrow, $23.99, 9780061946370)
"There is nothing quite so tantalizing as a glimpse into another culture. With disarming wit and grace, Shoneyin tells the story of a modern Nigerian man and his four wives, the latest of whom, Bolanle, is causing no end of disruption in the household. Deeply political without being corrosive, this is an intimate and compassionate view of social life in Nigeria. Lola Shoneyin has penned a splendid first novel!" -- Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

Father of the Rain: A Novel by Lily King
(Atlantic Monthly Press, $24, 9780802119490)
"Told loosely over four decades, Father of the Rain is the story of Daley and her complicated and sometimes painful relationship with her alcoholic father. We are taken up with each step of her path as she moves from recognition of the problem to anger and defiance, to wanting to be the savior and, finally, acceptance. All of this is masterfully woven in the beautiful prose of author Lily King." -- Kathleen Costello, Maria's Bookshop, Durango, CO

The Nobodies Album: A Novel by Carolyn Parkhurst
(Doubleday, $25.95, 9780385527699)
"Octavia Frost is a woman trying to rewrite her past by rewriting the last chapters of her very autobiographical works of fiction. When her estranged son Milo is accused of murder and she goes to be with him, Octavia finds that the wounds of the past can be revisited, and perhaps even be healed, but they cannot be made to never have existed at all. If you've never read Carolyn Parkhurst this is an excellent place to start." -- Jessie Martin, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

What Is Left the Daughter: A Novel by Howard Norman
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25, 9780618735433)
"In a letter to his daughter on her 21st birthday, Wyatt Hillyer tells his intense life story, along with that of his parents, in elegant prose belying astonishing events. After his parents' almost simultaneous suicides as the result of a love triangle, the teenaged Wyatt falls hard for his lovely cousin Tilda, while she only has eyes for the mysterious German student Hans. In a tiny Nova Scotia village during WWII, suspicion and violence play out along with the passions of this intimate circle of rich, distinct characters you will not forget." -- Carla Jimenez, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL

Mr. Peanut: A Novel by Adam Ross
(Knopf, $25.95, 9780307270702)
"At first it intrigued me, at times it repulsed me (as I'm sure it was meant to), and in the end it floored me. In his first novel, Ross has conducted this symphony of a story with the skill of a veteran writer. Ross reveals the deepest, darkest, guiltiest thoughts that men will never admit to and holds them up to the light. Women may think it misogynist, but sometimes we learn the most from cautionary tales. Read it to the end; all will be revealed, and redeemed, and you, too, will be in awe." -- Paul Hanson, Eagle Harbor Book Company, Bainbridge Island, WA

Still Missing: A Novel by Chevy Stevens
(St. Martin's Press, $24.99, 9780312595678)
"I read this debut novel in two sleepless nights and found it simply gripping from the very first page, and truly chilling in its verisimilitude. As the main character Annie revisits the tale of her abduction and captivity at the hands of a deeply disturbed (and disturbing) man, it eventually becomes clear that, despite having won her freedom, her ordeal is far from over. This is surely an author to look out for!" -- Whitney Spotts, Schuler Books & Music, Lansing, MI

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet: A Novel by David Mitchell
(Random House, $26, 9781400065455)
"Honest, forthright Jacob de Zoet, the nephew of a Dutch preacher, journeys to the Nagasaki of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, at the peak of Dutch trade with Japan. Through his eyes, we see this absorbing tale of the clash of cultures, replete with political machinations, plots within plots, graft and corruption, unrequited love, and the struggle of the 'good' to persevere throughout it all. A thoroughly satisfying read!" -- Lynne Almeida, Spellbinder Books & Coffee Bar, Bishop, CA

Work Song: A Novel by Ivan Doig
(Riverhead, $25.95, 9781594487620)
"The year is 1919, a decade after The Whistling Season, and we're once again graced with the presence of Morrie Morris, that irascible fellow who charmed us in Doig's earlier novel. He's now in Butte, Montana, and has gotten himself embroiled in the workings of the Anaconda Copper Mine, the unions, the Wobblies, the public library, and the goings-on in the boarding house where he ends up. Ivan Doig is a master of grand, old-fashioned storytelling, and Work Song is storytelling at its best!" -- Vicki McNeil, Watermark Book Co., Anacortes, WA

Savages: A Novel by Don Winslow
(Simon & Schuster, $25, 9781439183366)
"Ben and Chon sell the best marijuana in southern California, and have been peacefully rolling in the cash for years. But when the Mexican Baja Cartel wants in, and 'no thanks' is not an option, it sparks a frantic race to meet the cartel's demands and save their turf. Winslow's thriller reads like staccato bursts of gunfire, so keep your head down as you keep turning the pages!" -- Brian Woodbury, The Toadstool Bookshop, Peterborough, NH

The Blind Contessa's New Machine: A Novel by Carey Wallace
(Viking, $23.95, 9780670021895)
"This slim and enchanting debut novel tells of a love triangle between a young 19th-century Italian contessa, her strapping fiance, and the curiously inventive admirer who creates the world's first typewriter for her as she loses her sight. The fairy-tale-like story is charmingly told and strewn with beautiful images that will brighten your eyes even as the contessa's world dims around her." -- Mark David Bradshaw, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS

Crashers: A Thriller by Dana Haynes
(Minotaur, $24.99, 9780312599881)
"Cascade Air 818 left Portland on a routine flight to Los Angeles, but it never arrived. Now pieces of the plane litter the Oregon countryside, and it would appear that this was just a dress rehearsal. Back in Portland the National Transportation Safety Board team swings into action, unaware that there's only 72 hours left until a ruthless opportunist crashes another plane. Fast, topical and downright scary, this is also a fascinating glimpse into how the NTSB operates." -- Paula Longhurst, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

The Sisters From Hardscrabble Bay: Fiction by Beverly Jensen
(Viking, $25.95, 9780670021666)
"This is an amazing novel composed of interconnected short stories about the lives of two sisters, from their harsh childhood in New Brunswick to their adulthood in Maine. The stories are expertly woven together to make a beautiful quilt of the sisters' struggles, mishaps, romances and triumphs. The author's intelligent humor and descriptive dexterity keep you thoroughly invested in the fate of these remarkable hardscrabble women." -- Jennie Torres, Bank Street Book Nook, New Milford, CT

The Quickening: A Novel by Michelle Hoover
(Other Press, $14.95, 9781590513460)
"This exceptional debut novel reminded me of the writing of Willa Cather. It is the story of two women, struggling to survive in the hard country of 1900s Midwest farmland. Their tentative and unlikely friendship is forged by their need for companionship and survival. The Quickening is not just a good historical novel, it is a lyrical exploration into the human condition under great hardship." -- Lanora Hurley, Next Chapter Bookshop, Mequon, WI

The Ice Princess: A Novel by Camilla Lackberg
(Pegasus, $25.95, 9781605980928)
"This book is not just a truly gripping crime novel, but also an exploration of the hidden depths and forgotten secrets of a small community. Like the very best crime fiction, The Ice Princess is as much about discovering the truth of the characters as it is about discovering the truth of 'whodunnit'." -- Billie Bloebaum, Powell's Books At PDX, Portland, OR

The Cookbook Collector: A Novel by Allegra Goodman
(The Dial Press, $26, 9780385340854)
"This novel seeped into me slowly, but ultimately I was as utterly absorbed in it as it was in me. Goodman skillfully mingles high-tech IPOs, motherless daughters, tree-sitting environmentalists, mystical Judaism, foodie sensuousness, and three distinct love stories - and all with none of the usual head-spinning associated with that list. I was rapt, and truly delighted." -- Becky Dayton, The Vermont Book Shop, Middlebury, VT

I Know I Am, But What Are You? by Samantha Bee
(Gallery, $25, 9781439142738)
"This memoir from The Daily Show correspondent is witty, raw, honest, and hilarious. From her oddly large and ever-changing family with its secret affairs and obscurities to her childhood obsession and crush on Jesus, Samantha tells us how her uncomfortable it was to grow up fast. Recalling awkward stages of her life, complete with revealing, novel views on an array of subjects, Samantha leaves us shocked and completely infatuated. I desperately want to read more!" -- Jennifer Chinn, The Book Works, Del Mar, CA

The Hundred-Foot Journey: A Novel by Richard C. Morais
(Scribner, $23, 9781439165645)
"From India to London to Lumiere - and then, ah, to Paree! - oh, what a great travel tale! And the people - I just loved them all. For foodies, it will be a delicious topping to a cake, and for travel buffs, great fun to follow the adventures of a large Indian family. It's a delectable read - one to savor and enjoy." -- Roberta Rubin, The Book Stall At Chestnut, Winnetka, IL

A Fierce Radiance: A Novel by Lauren Belfer
(Harper, $25.99, 9780061252518)
"The reader will quickly be immersed in this novel built around the development of penicillin during World War II. Lauren Belfer not only creates great plot and characters but has the skill to inform in the best tradition of historical fiction. Her ability to replicate the anxiety and tension of the home front resonates, as does her portrayal of a world where disease and death were far more capricious than today." -- Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

The News Where You Are: A Novel by Catherine O'Flynn
(Holt, $15, 9780805091809)
"Old people, old buildings, old friends- Frank Allcroft seems to be losing all of them. He is a pun-cracking television news anchor on the brink of a mid-life crisis but lucky enough to have a young daughter, Mo, who puts his life in perspective. An honest, funny look at family, friends, career and the memories we choose to cherish or leave behind." -- Karen Briggs, Great Northern Books and Hobbies, Oscoda, MI

The July 2010 "Now in Paperback"

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (Scribner, 9781439169012, $15)

In the Sanctuary of Outcasts: A Memoir by Neil White (Harper Perennial, 9780061351631, $14.99)

The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine (Spiegel & Grau, 9780385528726, $14)

Shimmer by Eric Barnes (Unbridled Books, 9781936071593, $14.95)

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper (Plume, 9780452296367, $15)

Lit: A Memoir by Mary Karr (Harper Perennial, 9780060596996, $14.99)

Of Bees and Mist by Erick Setiawan (Simon & Schuster, 9781416596259, $15)

Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead (Anchor, 9780307455161, $15.95)

So Happy Together by Maryann McFadden (Hyperion, 9781401310202, $14.99)

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale (Bloomsbury, 9781608192557, $14)

Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea (Back Bay Books, 9780316025263, $14.99)

Invisible by Paul Auster (Picador, 9780312429829, $15)

The July 2010 Indie Next List Notables

(Featured in a downloadable flier and shelf-talkers on BookWeb.org, beginning July 1)

FICTION

The Debba by Avner Mandelman (Other Press, $14.95, paper, 9781590513705)

Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch (Random House, $26, 9781400069019)

The Lovers by Vendela Vida (Ecco, $23.99, 9780060828394)

The Rebellion of Jane Clarke by Sally Gunning (Morrow, $24.99, 9780061782145)

Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman (Doubleday, $25.95, 9780385517867)

Sea Escape by Lynne Griffin (Simon & Schuster, $25, 9781439180600)

The Transformation of Batholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson (Holt, $26, 9780805091922)

Trust by Kate Veitch (Plume, $15, paper, 9780452296350)

The Writing Circle by Corinne Demas (Voice, $23.99, 9781401341145)

NONFICTION

Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Place on Earth by James M. Tabor (Random House, $26, 9781400067671)

Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light by Jane Brox (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25, 9780547055275)

The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir by Josh Kilmer-Purcell (Harper, $24.99, 9780061336980)

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman by Sam Wasson (Harper Studio, $19.99, 9780061774157)

Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America by Eric Jay Dolin (W.W. Norton, $29.95, 9780393067101)

The Spice Necklace: My Adventures in Caribbean Cooking, Eating, and Island Life by Ann Venderhoof (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25, 9780618685370)

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man’s Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut by Rob Sheffield (Dutton, $25.95, 9780525951568)

MYSTERY/THRILLER

The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator by Tarquin Hall (Simon & Schuster, $24, 9781416583691)

The Devil Amongst the Lawyers: A Ballad Novel by Sharyn McCrumb (Thomas Dunne Books, $24.99, 9780312558161)

The Left Hand of God by Paul Hoffman (Dutton, $25.95, 9780525951315)

Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo (Minotaur, $24.99, 9780312374983)

 

The July 2010 Indie Next List Great Reads