The September 2007 Book Sense Picks & Notables Preview

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Here is the full listing of September Book Sense Picks, with booksellers' comments, as well as a preview of the month's Notables. Independent booksellers in the Book Sense program will be receiving their September Picks fliers in the August Red Box.

The September 2007 Book Sense Picks

1. AN ARSONIST'S GUIDE TO WRITERS' HOMES IN NEW ENGLAND: A Novel, by Brock Clarke (Algonquin, $23.95, 9781565125513 / 1565125517) "My copy of An Arsonist's Guide is full of dog-eared pages, there are so many sentences and paragraphs I can't wait to read aloud to friends. The hapless arsonist has a great off-kilter voice and deadpan way of looking at life that sticks with you. It's funny yet poignant -- an amazing debut." --Karen Corvello, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, CT

AWAY: A Novel, by Amy Bloom (Random House, $23.95, 9781400063567 / 1400063566) "This novel is aptly titled because it transports the reader into the soul of a woman who has every reason to despair, but who forges forward through rocky terrain to reclaim her own heart. The details of time and place and the eccentric characters make for fascinating reading. An elegant and passionate novel. Bloom has blossomed into one of our best storytellers." --Randy Kraft, Laguna Beach Books, Laguna, CA

SOUL CATCHER: A Novel, by Michael C. White (Morrow, $24.95, 9780061340727 / 0061340723) "Soul Catcher strips bare the myths of the antebellum South and exposes the corrupt society it truly was. In a brilliant homage to Paradise Lost, White examines the moral dilemmas of human existence through protagonist Augustus Cain: The slave-catcher must decide whether he will have a heaven or hell on earth. This novel is destined to join the ranks of great Civil War literature." --Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

GARDEN SPELLS: A Novel, by Sarah Addison Allen (Bantam, $20, 9780553805482 / 0553805487) "This is a magical novel about small-town legends, the intricacies of sisterhood, and the mysterious, deep layers of love. Allen's full, complex characters bloom and reveal their hidden depths as the story develops. I hope Allen might revisit this remarkable town and its unforgettable characters in a future novel." --Heather Christman, Warwick's, La Jolla, CA

THE STREET OF A THOUSAND BLOSSOMS: A Novel, by Gail Tsukiyama (St. Martin's, $24.95, 9780312274825 / 0312274823) "This complex intergenerational saga is a fascinating depiction of the passing of old Japan and the birth of a new country. The characters are heartbreakingly believable, and the inside view of the sumo and kabuki worlds adds a whole other level of cultural insight. A great read from a terrific storyteller!" --Lilla G. Weinberger, Readers' Books, Sonoma, CA

THE REINCARNATIONIST: A Novel of Suspense, by M.J. Rose (Mira, $24.95, 9780778324201 / 0778324206) "We already know what it's like not to have enough time. In her deftly composed novel, Rose shows us what it would be like to have too much time, to be inextricably caught in a fourth-dimension web of love, greed, and murder that spans centuries. This epic novel marks a new level of accomplishment for the author, melding her well-honed talent for suspense and irresistible characters with a compelling historical context. Rose makes time travel believable, romantic, and terrifying. Forget CSI -- in The Reincarnationist, time is the only evidence that matters." --Robert Gray, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT

LIFE ON THE REFRIGERATOR DOOR: Notes Between a Mother and Daughter: A Novel, by Alice Kuipers (HarperCollins, $15.95, 9780061370496 / 0061370495) "These short notes between mother and daughter, which leave just enough to the imagination, keep you turning the pages of the story of 15-year-old Claire and her mother to the very end. It made me realize how easy it is to get too busy, even for family. I loved this book and couldn't put it down." --Emily Litke, Summer's Stories, Kendallville, IN

HEARTSICK, by Chelsea Cain (St. Martin's Minotaur, $23.95, 9780312368463 / 0312368461) "This is a sweetheart of a mystery set in Portland, Oregon. Cain grounds her extremely fluid story in the hip and the historical, with an engaging protagonist and a malevolent bad person creating friction that propels the narrative. Cain can write and crack wise with the best mystery world." --Jim Harris, Prairie Lights Books, Iowa City, IA

THE END OF THE ALPHABET: A Novel, by C.S. Richardson (Doubleday, $16.95, 9780385522557 / 038552255X) "What would you do if you only had 30 days to live? Ambrose Zephyr takes his wife, Zipper, on a beautifully written alphabetical journey, at the same time taking us on a loving adventure that is both humorous and intense. This is one of the best books I have ever read. I can't get it out of my head." --Mary McHale, Fox Tale Books, New Durham, NH

WASH THIS BLOOD CLEAN FROM MY HAND: A Commissaire Adamsberg Mystery, by Fred Vargas (Penguin, $14 paper, 9780143112167 / 0143112163) "Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg, the chief of police in Paris' 7th Arrondissement, is sent on a training mission to rural Quebec, where he discovers who his true friends are when he finds himself framed for a murder. Prepare to be beguiled by the wit and ingenuity of the idiosyncratic characters and the ingenious plot." --Pat Burns Balmer, Annie Bloom's Books, Portland, OR

A CONCISE CHINESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY FOR LOVERS: A Novel, by Xialou Guo (Nan A. Talese / Doubleday, $23.95, 9780385520294 / 0385520298) "Twenty-three-year-old Zhuang leaves rural China to study English in London, and has adventures, mishaps, and discoveries of the linguistic and romantic sort. This book is as delightful as it is moving, and is certainly worthy of a place on your bookshelf." --Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck, NY

SONGS WITHOUT WORDS: A Novel, by Ann Packer (Knopf, $24.95, 9780375412813 / 0375412816) "Sarabeth and Liz, friends since high school, become estranged after Liz's daughter attempts suicide. But this is not only a story of how families are affected by horrific circumstances -- it's also a story of two remarkable women who connect, disconnect, and reconnect." --Vicki McNeil, Watermark Book Co., Anacortes, WA

THE USED WORLD: A Novel, by Haven Kimmel (Free Press, $25, 9780743247788 / 0743247787) "Kimmel has given us another gem -- love, regret, hate, and memories all flood our senses as we follow the intertwined stories of Hazel, the eccentric yet endearing owner of an antiques store, and her employees Claudia and Rebekah." --Valerie Koehler, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX

WALK ON, BRIGHT BOY: A Novel, by Charles Davis (Permanent Press, $26, 9781579621537 / 1579621538) "Walking is the sign of free will, of exploration and learning in Walk On, Bright Boy. It was the one remaining Moor who taught this to the narrator, one boy among the Christians who had been sent to repopulate southern Spain after the rest of the Moors were pushed out. Now a man, and now accused by the Inquisition, he holds up engagement with the world as the antidote to a religion of death." --Julie Leonard, Troubadour Books, Boulder, CO

THE SPANISH BOW, by Andromeda Romano-Lax (Harcourt, $25, 9780151015429 / 0151015422) "A beautifully written debut novel about a boy's love of music, and a mother who will do anything to fulfill the dreams of her child because she wasn't able to fulfill her own." --Carley Cianciolo, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

STRAWBERRY FIELDS: A Novel, by Marina Lewycka (Penguin Press, $24.95, 9781594201370 / 1594201374) "Lewycka is emerging as the voice of Eastern European immigrants. Strawberry Fields is wonderfully written -- a smart and funny book detailing life in the U.K. as experienced by Eastern Europeans. You need to read Lewycka." --Lisa Sharp, Nightbird Books, Fayetteville, AR

UNDER ENEMY COLORS: A Novel, by S. Thomas Russell (Putnam, $25.95, 9780399154430 / 0399154434) "This 18th-century British naval drama is a powerful, surprising debut. Set during the conflict between England and France at the beginning of the French Revolution, Russell's stirring sea yarn matches an astute use of nautical terminology with a fast-paced plot. He has created a magnetic character and placed him in a compelling, entertaining world." --Andrew Owen, Posman Books @ Grand Central, New York, NY

GRUB: A Novel, by Elise Blackwell (Toby, $24.95, 9781592641994 / 1592641997) "This hilarious, biting update of George Gissing's classic New Grub Street tells the story of a group of young novelists struggling to make it in New York City. Blackwell is a funny writer, and a compassionate one as well." --Marie Gauthier, The Jeffery Amherst Bookshop, Amherst, MA

MY LADY JUDGE: A Mystery of Medieval Ireland, by Cora Harrison (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95, 9780312368364 / 0312368364) "In the barren windswept lands of Western Ireland, 1509 Irish law was overseen by the Brehon, a wise, compassionate woman who is judge and legal scholar for the King. This is a terrific read." --Becky Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA

POWER PLAY: A Novel, by Joseph Finder (St. Martin's, $24.95, 9780312347482 / 0312347480) "Corporate bigwigs -- and underling Jake -- come to a lodge in the Canadian wilderness for their annual retreat. When they are held for ransom, the way the various executives react to violence is fascinating -- and Jake, with skills learned from his own violent past, is the only one who knows what must be done to survive. An exciting thriller!" --Susan Wasson, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM

The September 2007 Book Sense Notables Preview

Fiction

AURALIA'S COLORS, by Jeffrey Overstreet (Waterbrook, $13.99 paper, 9781400072521 / 1400072522)

BLOODLETTING AND MIRACULOUS CURES, by Vincent Lam (Weinstein Books, $29.95, 978-1602860001 / 1602860009)

CASPIAN RAIN, by Gina Nahai (MacAdam Cage, $25.00, 9781596922518 / 1596922516)

DE NIRO'S GAME, by Rawi Hage (Steerforth, $23.95, 978-1581952230 / 1581952236)

THE EMPRESS OF WEEHAWKEN, by Irene Dische (FSG, $24, 9780374299125 / 0374299129)

THE FOLDED WORLD, by Amity Gaige (Other Press, $23.95, 978-1590512487 / 1590512480)

GIRLS OF RIYADH, by Rajaa Alsanea (Penguin Press, $24.95, 9781594201219 / 1594201218)

HEAVEN'S NET IS WIDE, by Lian Hearn (Riverhead, $26.95, 978-1594489532 / 159448953X)

KEEPING THE HOUSE, by Ellen Baker (Random House, $24.95, 9781400066353 / 1400066352)

MAD DASH, by Patricia Gaffney (Shaye Areheart, $23, 9780307382115 / 0307382117)

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY PROPOSAL, by Sarah Strohmeyer (Dutton, $24.95,
978-0525950189 / 0525950184)

THE SONG BEFORE IT IS SUNG, by Justin Cartwright (Bloomsbury, $24.95,
9781596912687 / 1596912685)

TOMORROW, by Graham Swift (Knopf, $23.95, 9780307266903 / 0307266907)

UNFORGETTABLE, by Julie Ortolon (Signet, $6.99 paper, 9780451222046 / 0451222040)

Nonfiction

HOUSE TO HOUSE: An Epic Memoir of War, by David Bellavia (Free Press, $26.00,
978-1416574712 / 1416574719)

IKE: An American Hero, by Michael Korda (HarperCollins, $34.95, 9780060756659 / 0060756659)

QUIRKOLOGY: How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things, by Richard Wiseman (Basic Books, $26.00, 9780465090792 / 0465090796)

Mystery/Suspense

AND MURDER FOR DESSERT, by Kathleen Delaney (Poisoned Pen, $24.95,
9781590584231 / 1590584236)

THE FIRST WAVE, by James R. Benn (Soho, $24.00, 978-1569474716 / 1569474710)

THUNDER BAY: A Cork O'Connor Mystery, by William Kent Krueger (Atria, $24,
9780743278416 / 0743278410)

The Toby Press offers co-op advertising to any bookstore that orders 10 or more copies of Elise Blackwell's novel, GRUB!

E-mail [email protected] for details or call (203) 830-8508.
http://www.tobypress.com

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