Magers and Quinn Booksellers Newsletter #36

June 2009 - Vol 3, Issue 12

In This Issue
	The Minnesota Bike Festival Gig Poster Sale Author Appearances... The Future is Here June's New Books Big Bang Book Club June Events Gone, But Not Forgotten A New Children's Book from Neil Gaiman Citizen Reviews: Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single The World's Thickest Book Books & Bars (& Bonking)

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For Further Reading...
	James Patterson's "Co-Author" Strikes Out on His Own James Kelman Regrets Winning the Booker Prize Somebody's Watching Us The Big Bang Book Club on Facebook Antiques Roadshow: The Scottish Book Edition A Takeout History of Chinese Food in America



Summertime and the living is easy. Grab a good book and a cold drink and enjoy the good life in Minnesota. It doesn't get better. We've got a lot of suggestions in this month's newsletter. Come into Magers & Quinn Booksellers for even more staff suggestions.

The Minnesota Bike Festival


$11.95 Available Now

Join Magers & Quinn for a celebration of bicycling on Friday, June 12, before the Minnesota Bike Festival/Nature Valley Grand Prix Bike Race. Stop in Magers & Quinn for special deals on bicycling books. Meet Doug Shidell who compiled the Twin Cities Bike Map and Bicycle Vacation Guide--Minnesota and Wisconsin. We'll even have bicycle-made smoothies courtesy of The Hub Bicycle Co-op and coffee from Cars-R-Coffins. The celebration begins at 4p.m. and runs through the start of the races at 6:30pm. We are fortunate to be near the finish line at 31st and Hennepin! For more information on the race visit minnesotabikefestival.com

Event Schedule:

4:30 PM Expo opens
6:00 PM Kids' race
6:30 PM Women pro race
7:45 PM Men pro race
8:45 PM Racing ends
9:00 PM Expo closes

Ride your bike to the festival, and you can park it for free. Simply pedal up to the Brighter Ideas Bike Corral entrance (at the corner of Hennepin Ave. and 31st Street) and trade your bike for a claim check. When you return for your bike, be sure to have your claim check handy to show the bike corral attendants to get your bike back.


In the store: $17.95 Online: $17.95 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $19.95 Available Now


In the store: $15.25 Online: $12.71 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $16.95 Available Now


In the store: $13.45 Online: $11.25 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $14.95 Available Now


In the store: $16.99 Online: $14.21 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $18.95 Available Now


In the store: $12.55 Online: $10.50 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $14.00 Available Now


In the store: $17.95 Online: $14.96 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $19.95 Available Now

Gig Poster Sale

Sunday, June 14, 6:00pm--Magers & Quinn Booksellers and GigPosters.com present a release party and poster sale to celebrate the publication of Gig Posters Volume I


In the store: $35.99 Online: $30.00 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $40.00

Magers and Quinn Booksellers hosts a poster sale by 8 Minneapolis designers. Come browse the aisles as we display assorted screen-printed works from these talented concert poster artists throughout the store. The Minneapolis poster artists are:

These are the artists responsible for the yearly success of the "Poster Offensive," SXSW's "Flatstock." and One on One Bike Shop's "Artcrank." Come meet them in the comfortable confines of the Twin Cities' largest independent bookstore. As an added bonus, Magers & Quinn's entire selection of music books will be an additional 10% off all day Sunday, June 14.

An oversized 11-by-14-inch paperback, Gig Posters Volume I is a spectacular compilation of rock show art (and a great way to decorate a dorm room or apartment). The book, available in June, features eight designers and design collectives from the Twin Cities and showcases artwork created for First Avenue, 7th Street Entry, 400 Bar, Triple Rock Social Club and music venues all across North America.

Gig Posters Volume I includes 101 perforated and ready-to-hang posters along with hundreds of other poster images and designer biographies. GigPosters.com was created and is maintained by Clay Hayes who resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The website launched in January, 2001. Showcasing the world's largest historical gig poster archive, this massive online art gallery is home to thousands of designers from around the world.

Author Appearances... The Future is Here

Earlier this week, Jeff Kamin--host of the Books and Bars reading club--spoke to Seth Grahame-Smith--author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. He wasn't in Minneapolis, so we set up a voice and image link via Skype. We were a little nervous about the technological stuff, but it went off without a hitch, and we'll certainly be doing more of this in the future. So what does that sort of twenty-first century author event look like? See for yourself on YouTube. You can find part two of the discussion on Jeff Kamin's blog Mustache Robots. You can learn more about Books and Bars at booksandbars.com.

June's New Books

We've got plenty of suggestions for your summer reading list. Here's a small sampling.


In the store: $23.99 Online: $20.21 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $26.95 Available June 16

Fans of Carlos Ruiz Zafon's thrilling novel The Shadow of the Wind have been eagerly awaiting the release of his new novel The Angel's Game. Like his earlier bestseller, Zafon's latest is a heady mix of the bookish and the bloodcurdling. Set in an abandoned mansion in 1920s Barcelona, The Angel's Game will take you into into a labyrinth of secrets to dark, gothic universe of intrigue, romance, and tragedy.

Zafon has said, "Years ago, when I began working on my fifth novel, The Shadow of the Wind, I started toying around with the idea of creating a fictional universe that would be articulated through four interconnected stories in which we would meet some of the same characters at different times in their lives, and see them from different perspectives where many plots and subplots would tie around in knots for the reader to untie. It sounds somewhat pretentious, but my idea was to add a twist to the story and provide the reader with what I hoped would be a stimulating and playful reading experience. Since these books were, in part, about the world of literature, books, reading and language, I thought it would be interesting to use the different novels to explore those themes through different angles and to add new layers to the meaning of the stories."

The Angel's Game will be available June 16.


In the store: $22.45 Online: $18.75 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $25.00 Available Now

Lisa See's Shanghai Girls is another book that transports readers to distant lands. The novel follows May and Pearl from their charmed youth in 1930s Shanghai to their new lives in Los Angeles. Tradition meets modernity in this compelling family drama.

See drew on her own experience in writing the novel. "I've always wanted to write about sisters and I finally got my chance with Shanghai Girls. You could say that either I'm an only child or that I'm one of four sisters, because I have a former step-sister I've known for over 50 years and two half-sisters from different halves who I've known since they were born. Is Shanghai Girls autobiographical? Not really, but my sister Katharine and I once had a fight that was like the flour fight that May and Pearl got into when they were girls. And there was an ice cream incident that I used in the novel that sent my sister Clara right down memory lane when she read the manuscript," she said.

You can hear author Lisa See talking to NPR and read an excerpt on its website.

Shanghai Girls is available now.


In the store: $22.45 Online: $18.71 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $24.95 Available June 16

The Thing Around Your Neck--the latest collection of short stories from Nigeria's Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie--is already a hit in the UK, where it was released last month. The Telegraph gushed, "A fortunate few writers possess the rare but unmistakable quality of inspiring a reader's confidence within a few sentences. It is a curious, almost unliterary trait: like meeting a person whom one knows is going to become a friend." The Guardian said, "[T]he writing through-out the book has a verve that propels you forward through its pages."

Adichie's earlier novels Half of a Yellow Sun and Purple Hibiscus won her a devoted following--and a MacArthur "genius" grant. Her latest book continues her success.

The Thing Around Your Neck will be available in the US on June 16, but you can read one of the collection's stories here right now.


In the store: $20.65 Online: $17.24 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $22.99 Available Now

William Zinsser is the author of the classic On Writing Well--the book has sold more than a million copies. Now Zinsser has written a memoir, Writing Places: The Life Journey of a Writer and Teacher. Our citizen reviewer Barb Schneider summed it up, "Highlights of Writing Places include Zinsser's reflections from 1967 Haight-Ashbury; his years at Yale as teacher, editor, and Master of Branford College; the Book of the Month Club; his more recent teaching gigs with new immigrants; and the most unusual people and places. An interesting and humorous tour guide, the author at 86 is equally compelling as an advocate for clear writing that reveals an author's humanity."

Barb Schneider's full review is here. Writing Places is available now.


In the store: $13.45 Online: $11.21 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $14.95 Available Now

News that President Obama put this book on his summer reading list prompted the publisher to release the paperback early. Even without the Oval Office stamp of approval, Joseph O'Neill's Netherland was poised to be the summer's brainy must-read. The novel charmed critics (Maureen Corrigan said it "flirted with the greatness of Gatsby") and won the PEN/Faulkner Award. Now you can take O'Neill's story of post-9/11 New York City to the beach with you in easy, softcover form.

Netherland is available now .


In the store: $13.45 Online: $11.24 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $14.99 Available June 9

The narrator of Garth Stein's book The Art of Racing in the Rain is unusual--not because of his perspicacity and wit, but because he's a dog. Yet the Seattle Times says, "Stein's Enzo is the perfect narrator, wickedly observant of the world around him, even if limited in his ability to interact with humans. Oh, how he yearns for a proper tongue and vocal chords so he can string a sentence together. And opposable thumbs! But Enzo has gestures, plenty of them, and he finds a way to get his feelings across--anxiety, humiliation, jealousy, rage, concern, loyalty. Stein fleshes out the character Enzo so incredibly well, it's impossible not to regard this dog as anything but marvelous companion."

The Art of Racing in the Rain will be available June 9.

This summer's crop of books is fantastic. Stop in M&Q soon for your share.

Big Bang Book Club

The Big Bang Book Club is a science book club for non-scientists. It's co-sponsored by Magers & Quinn Booksellers, Secrets of the City, and Grumpy's Bar & Grill. We meet at Grumpy's Downtown 1111 Washington Avenue South, in Minneapolis, on the fourth Tuesday of every month.


In the store: $13.45 Online: $11.21 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $15.00 Available Now

>June's selection is The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson. This gripping historical chronicle of Victorian London's worst cholera outbreak traces the day-by-day efforts of Dr. John Snow, who put his own life on the line in his efforts to prove his previously dismissed contagion theory about how the epidemic was spreading. His efforts not only improved public health in the city, but also demonstrated the benefits of the scientific method to the general public.

Grab a copy of The Ghost Map and head downtown for an evening of scientific inquiry and beer. We'll save you a seat.

June Events

May is bursting with great events. We hope you can attend one of these readings. You won't be disappointed.

Saturday, June 6, 7:30pm--Larry Sutin reads from his novel When to Go into the Water


In the store: $14.35 Online: $11.96 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $15.95

At times a Dickensian tale of a poor boy made good, at other times an exploration of the intricate relations between writers and their readers, the inventive When to Go into the Water spans nearly two centuries, following the life of the little-known author Hector de Saint-Aureole and the impact of his self-published autobiography on those to whom the book finds its way. Readers familiar with Lawrence Sutin's innovative illustrated autobiography, A Postcard Memoir, or his biographies of the enigmatic authors Philip K. Dick and Aleister Crowley, will be delighted to find past themes newly explored in a richly evocative novel. Those new to Sutin will find When to Go into the Water a fascinating introduction to an author who delights in the strange and the whimsical.

Read a Citizen Review of Larry Sutin's new book here.

Monday, June 8, 7:00pm--Andre Dubus III reads from his novel The Garden of Last Days at the Loft Literary Center, Open Book Building, 1011 Washington Avenue S, Minneapolis


In the store: $13.4 Online: $11.21 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $14.95

The event is co-sponsored by Magers & Quinn Booksellers and The Loft Literary Center. Mr. Dubus will be introduced by Shawn Otto. Mr. Otto, a Twin Cities resident, co-produced and wrote the screenplay for the movie of Dubus' novel House of Sand and Fog.

In The Garden of Last Days, his stunning follow-up to the #1 best-selling House of Sand and Fog, Andre Dubus draws us into the lives of three deeply flawed, driven people whose paths intersect on a September night in Florida. April, a stripper, has brought her daughter to work at the Puma Club for Men.

"So good, so damn compulsively readable, that I can hardly believe it." --Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly

"Muscular and disquieting and turn-the-pages-so-fast-you-tear-them good." --Esquire

Saturday, June 27, 6:00pm--Bill Santiago reads from Pardon My Spanglish


In the store: $14.95 Online: $11.21 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $14.95

Comedian Bill Santiago delivers laughs for Latinos and the Latino curious in his comiqu�simo new book, Pardon My Spanglish: One Man's Guide to Speaking the Habla.

The only book about Spanglish ever written entirely in Spanglish, this hilarious guide to the habla is chockfull of entertaining Spanglish sound bite-citos and original observations of everyday life: from the home to the office; to the worlds of sports, media, fashion, and romance; and of course, desde el mundo del show business.

Sunday, June 28, 6:00pm--Bloggers Kate Harding and Marianne Kirby discuss their book Lessons from the Fat-o-sphere


In the store: $13.95 Online: $10.46 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $13.95

When it comes to body image, women can be their own worst enemies, aided and abetted by society and the media. But Harding and Kirby, the leading bloggers in the "fat-o-sphere," the online community of the fat acceptance movement, have written a book to help readers achieve admiration for--or at least a truce with--their bodies. The authors believe in "health at every size"--the idea that weight does not necessarily determine well-being and that exercise and eating healthfully are beneficial, regardless of whether they cause weight loss. They point to errors in the media, misunderstood and ignored research, as well as stories from real women around the world to underscore their message. In the up-front and honest style that has become the trademark of their blogs, they share with readers twenty-seven ways to reframe notions of dieting and weight, including: accepting that diets don't work, practicing intuitive eating, finding body-positive doctors, not judging other women, and finding a hobby that has nothing to do with one's weight.

Information on all our readings is always on our events page. Check it out any time.

Gone, But Not Forgotten

Last month, the Gothamist visited the New York Public Library for a special behind the scenes tour. Among the treasures is a letter opener whose handle is the preserved paw of Charles Dickens' cat. Take the full tour here. Thanks to Largehearted Boy for the tip.

A New Children's Book from Neil Gaiman


In the store: $16.99 Online: $14.24 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $18.99 Available Now

Neil Gaiman's poem conjures up entire worlds in one man's swirling mane. Dave McKean's illustrations are just as wild and inventive as Gaiman's words. Together the pair have made a wonderful book for children young and old alike.

In my hair
Gorillas leap,
Tigers stalk,
And ground sloths sleep.
Prides of lions
Make their lair
Somewhere in my crazy hair.

You can see and hear Gaiman reading his poem here, but you'll have to pick up the book to see the pictures. Carousels, pirate ships, octopi, and bears all make appearances. You have to see it to believe it.

Crazy Hair is available now.

Citizen Reviews: Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single

Heather McElhatton's second novel Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single is in the store right now. Her first book Pretty Little Mistakes was a hit at Books & Bars, and her sophomore effort is just as good. Citizen reviewer Amanda Aronowski has the details.

Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single


In the store: $12.55 Online: $10.49 (plus S/H) Publisher's price: $13.99 Available Now

The year 2009 has seen a return to tradition and to simpler times (think: award-winning Mad Men). It seems fitting then that Heather McElhatton's new novel, Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single, is at once a return to traditionalism, offering a feminine perspective on and a tribute to one modern woman's journey to find a partner.

Like Bridget Jones, Jennifer Johnson is a single, chubby, thirty-something young professional just trying to figure it all out. Whereas Jones' quirky, light-hearted self-deprecation invoked laughter, at times I pitied the brutally self-loathing and lonely Johnson who misguidedly quits her job, forgoing her dream of writing, in order to get married (to a man she doesn't get along with, who limits her calorie intake, and who slowly rubs out any and all signs of her personality.) Her language is at times funny and vividly descriptive. And then there is the fact that she attacks a cinnabon in a locked bathroom stall--a friendly reminder that sometimes it is OK to self-medicate with pastries.

I wanted to like this book and McElhatton--a Minneapolis-dwelling, pug-owning [hers is Walter, mine is Parker], independent woman like myself. Trying to balance a proto-feminist character with a return to traditionalist ideals is a challenging task for any writer and, while the author occasionally struggles with blending these two things, the novel shows promise, offering a glimpse into single life and the desperation that can occur when we get wrapped up in longing for the past.

In the end, this sums it up: Jennifer, like many women, longs for simpler times and a man like her father. "Where are men like my Dad now? All you had to do was make them a Manhattan and serve a hot casserole every night, maybe have a kid every two and half years and that was that. Your bills were paid."

Amanda Aranowski lives in Minneapolis with her girlfriend and two pugs, working full time as an editor and writer.

Read all our Citizen Reviews here.

The World's Thickest Book

From agathachristie.com comes news of the world's thickest book: "Measuring over a foot long, with 4,032 pages, the volume contains the complete Miss Marple stories--all 12 novels and 20 short stories." Only 500 copies were printed, so they're retailing for a pricey �1000. Details are here. Thanks to the New Yorker's Book Bench for the lead. There's plenty more news from the world of book on the Magers & Quinn blog.

Books & Bars (& Bonking)

The next meeting of the Twin Cities' most unusual and interesting book club is Tuesday, June 6. Books & Bars meets at Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810 W Lake Street, in Minneapolis. Doors open at 6:00pm; the discussion begins at 7:00pm.


In the store: $13.45 Online: $11.21(plus S/H) Publisher's price: $14.95

June's book is Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. Our most intimate moments are under the microscope in this review as Mary Roach looks at sex and sex research around the world.

Books & Bars is not your typical book club. We provide a unique atmosphere for a lively discussion of interesting authors, fun people, good food and drinks. You're welcome even if you haven't read the book.

Visit booksandbars.com for details and to talk to fellow members!

Magers & Quinn is the largest independent bookstore in the Twin Cities. Stop in today or check our inventory on our website any time.

We'll be back soon with all the latest books for July.

Until then,

David Enyeart

Magers and Quinn Booksellers

Write us: info@magersandquinn.com

Call us: 612/822-4611

Or visit our website: http://www.magersandquinn.com