Tantalizing Books...What to Choose?

As I drove into work today, on this dreary, heavily misting early morning, I was glad to be going to a bookstore. Is there anything better on a rainy day than being in a bookstore with some warm coffee? I don't think so either. (even though later in the day it got pretty busy and crazy and didn't feel so warm and cozy and relaxing...but that's another blog entry).

There are a lot of interesting new books that have been released or will be released soon...I'm looking forward to choosing what to read! Some that have caught my eye...

Ellen DeGeneres has a new book out...SERIOUSLY, I'M KIDDING. I love Ellen. She is one of the (relatively few, I think) comedians who can write funny as well as be funny doing stand-up. Or her talk show.

             


THE VERY PICTURE OF YOU by Isabel Wolff, author of VINTAGE AFFAIR is just out. I haven't read VINTAGE AFFAIR (yet!), but everyone I know who has read it has liked it, and this new one looks interesting as well.

            

Long anticipated, THE MARRIAGE PLOT by Jeffrey Eugenides comes out Tuesday, October 11. I'm hoping it's as good as his other books.

                          

I've always enjoyed reading Roger Ebert's movie reviews. I know he's been struggling with cancer for quite a few years, and he has a new book out as well, LIFE ITSELF. I'd like to check it out.

       

I haven't read Michael Lewis yet (MONEYBALL, THE BIG SHORT, THE BLIND SIDE, LIAR'S POKER), but his new book, BOOMERANG: TRAVELS IN THE NEW THIRD WORLD, looks intriguing. His other books do too!

                     


And of course the biography about Steve Jobs is coming out at the end of the month. A loyal Mac (and ipod and iphone) user, I'm interested to read more about his vision that has done more to make computers user friendly than anyone else.

                                          


Chris Bohjalian has a new one out, THE NIGHT STRANGERS. For me I either really like his books or not so much. We'll see how this one is.

         

I've loved everything I've read by Diana Abu Jaber, and she has a new one, BIRDS OF PARADISE, set in Miami. Could be interesting!

                                    

Julie Otsuka, author of THE EMPEROR WAS DIVINE, has a new one out, THE BUDDHA IN THE ATTIC, about Japanese picture brides arriving in San Francisco around the turn of the last century.

                  

SKIPPY DIES by Paul Murray is new. Not a high profile author, it is getting good buzz. I might have to read this one. One of my co-workers said it is some of the most beautiful writing he's ever read. High praise indeed!

            

What will YOU be reading?

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Secrets of Eden

     
Am reading Chris Bohjalian's Secrets of Eden and it is delicious. I'm about halfway through, and have met two narrators...

The first is Stephen Drew, pastor of a small church in a small town in Vermont. One of his parishioners has just been murdered in an apparent murder suicide the day after he baptized her. From the first page, the reader knows that he is not your stereotypical nice pastor, which drew me into the book right away, (seeing as I myself have a history with pastors and yes I daresay I do have 'issues' with organized religion but that's not what we're talking about here so back to the book...)

The second narrator is Catherine Benincasa, state attorney investigating the case. She believes there is a lot more to the story than Wife Beater Kills Wife Then Self.

Another character, who I suspect will become a narrator later in the book, is Heather Laurent, well-known author of books on angels, whose own parents died when her father killed her mother and then killed himself. Heather inserts herself into this small town drama, feeling drawn to Katie, daughter of the dead couple.

I probably made the mistake of reading the back cover and a few online reviews, as they alluded to some plot points I would rather not know ahead of time. My astute partner never reads them before reading a book...she looks at the title and cover and then starts reading. If it grabs her - especially the first sentence - then she'll read it. I've read back covers to get at least a sense of what the book is about, AND I have been frustrated when I've been told too much.

So far I'm really enjoying this...find myself eager to get back to the book whenever I can. The characters are interesting, the story is engrossing, I want to know what happens next. That's always a good sign...

Chris Bohjalian came into the store a week or so ago...he was in town for a book signing, and came in to sign stock. I heard him before I saw him...he was quite loud. I didn't know he was coming, so didn't know who it was being so loud in the store. I heard a man talking loudly about how he'd been to 9 of our bookstores in 3 days and it was exhausting and he'd been to nine stores. It seemed as though he was trying to let us (booksellers? because we'd be impressed???) how hard he was working? What a hardship it was? I don't know. I didn't have a chance to meet him as I was on a lengthy call with a customer the whole time he was in the store. In spite of the slightly less than positive impression I got of the author, I am really enjoying the book.