Titcomb's Recommends: Staff Reviews and New Releases
Adult Fiction
From Karen: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter This novel is a brilliant story of love which spans over 50 years from Italy to Hollywood. Most of the Italian portion takes place in a tiny village on the coast where young Pasquale dreams of turning his late father's small hotel "The Hotel Adequate View" into a tourist draw that will finally put their tiny village on the map. One day a beautiful American actress arrives. She has gotten ill during the filming of "Cleopatra" (Richard Burton plays a key role in this novel!) What happens to these diverse characters as they collide and converge over the course of their lives will keep you reading long into the night. A brilliantly written novel that is as entertaining as it is unexpectedly literary. June 12th release date. $25.95 (our price $20.76)
From Elizabeth M.: The Chaperone by Laura Moriarity
The reader is immediately drawn into this story of Louise Brooks, a feisty, beautiful and haughty silent movie star bound for New York City, and her chaperone, Cora Carlisle. In 1922 Louise is 15 and has been accepted at the prestigious Denishawn School of Dancing. Her parents are unable to accompany her, so they hire Cora to be her chaperone. Cora quickly becomes the main character in the book as we learn more of her life growing up on a farm in Kansas. Cora has her own reasons for wanting to go to New York, but she takes her role as Louise's chaperone very seriously. Needless to say this is not appreciated by Louise, who is very independent and sure of herself. The five weeks they spend together will transform their lives forever. $26.95 (our price $21.56)
From Rita: Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina McMorris
Bridge of Scarlet Leaves is a beautifully written World War II love story with plenty of history. Maddie Kern, an American, elopes with Lane Moritomo, a Japanese-American man and the son of Japanese immigrants. Days after they elope, Pearl Harbor is bombed and their lives will never the same. Lane, along with most Japanese people, are seen as the enemy. and are shunned and driven from their homes to relocation camps. Maddie also faces difficulties as she struggles to live between two cultures. She is disliked by her own people and not easily accepted by the Japanese, including her in-laws. This is a great read both for romantics and those who enjoy historical fiction, a book hard to put down, but easy to pick up again. $15.00
From Karen: Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook "Once you get past the rocky parts, midlife really can rock." Once again readers have the delicious opportunity to dive into a Claire Cook novel, with her signature laugh out loud perspective of women in midlife. Deirdre Griffin is the personal assistant to her guru star brother, Tag. His aphorisms are famous (see above for a 'Deidre' example). Her life has turned into a 24/7 job promoting her brother's speaking engagements, travel accommodations and facebook and twitter updates. She finally realizes she is not living her own life at all. Drowning her sorrows one night, she uses her brother's huge online following to vote herself onto the TV show "Dancing with the Stars". Hilarity ensues, as does a realistic view of a woman in mid-life who decides it's time to finally 'get a life'. Claire Cook manages as always to keep the reader laughing, even as she inspires us to reach higher and live the life we've only imagined! Available June 5th. List Price: $24.99 (Our Price: 19.99)
From Elizabeth S.: The Body in the Boudoir by Katherine Hall PageKatherine Hall Page is my favorite mystery author. If you enjoy a cookbook with a little mystery, this is the perfect book to begin Page's " Body in the ..." series. She has written over 15 mysteries in this series. The book takes you back to the 80's and to a fabulous wedding, great menus and of course...a body in the boudoir! List Price: $23.99 (Our Price: $19.19) From Elizabeth S.: Wife 22 by Melanie GideonAfter almost 20 years of marriage, Alice takes part in an anonymous online marriage study and gets more than she bargained for. In this Facebook and Google age, Wife 22 is a hit and will have you laughing out loud (LOL!). Gideon writes a love story and family drama that shows us how in our over connected world it is sometimes better to unplug and really connect! List Price: $26.00 (Our Price: $20.80)
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan For the Kellehers, Maine is a place where children run in packs, showers are taken outdoors, and old Irish songs are sung around a piano. As three generations of women arrive at the family's beach house, each brings her own hopes and fears. Maggie is thirty-two and pregnant, waiting for the perfect moment to tell her imperfect boyfriend the news; Ann Marie, a Kelleher by marriage, is channeling her domestic frustration into a dollhouse obsession and an ill-advised crush; Kathleen, the black sheep, never wanted to set foot in the cottage again; and Alice, the matriarch at the center of it all, would trade every floorboard for a chance to undo the events of one night, long ago. $15.95 Canada by Richard Ford (signed copies available) The distinguished modern American master and Pulitzer Prize-winning author returns with this haunting and elemental novel about a 15 year old boy, Dell, who is taken to Canada following the calamity of his parents' robbery and arrest. Dell struggles under the vast prairie sky to remake himself and define the adults he thought he knew. But his search for grace and peace only moves him nearer to a harrowing collision with an enigmatic and charismatic American whose cool reserve masks a dark and violent nature. List Price: $27.99 (Our Price: $22.39) Nightwoods by Charles Frazier This is a poignant, gripping story with beautifully drawn characters by Charles Frazier, the acclaimed author of Cold Mountain and Thirteen Moons! Set in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina in the early 1960s, it is the portrait of Luce, a young woman who finds herself taking custody of her murdered sister's troubled young twins. The coming of the children changes everything, cracking open Luce's her solitary life in difficult, hopeful and dangerous ways. Available June 12th. $16.00 Heat Wave by Nancy Thayer After her husband's sudden death, Carley Winsted is determined to keep her two daughters in their beloved home on Nantucket. To ease the family's financial strain, she decides to transform their grand, historic house into a bed-and-breakfast. Not everyone, however, thinks this plan prudent or quite respectable--especially not Carley's mother-in-law. Further complicating a myriad of challenges, a friend forces Carley to keep a secret that, if revealed, will undo families and friendships. And her late husband's former law partner is making Carley confront an array of mixed feelings. Then, during a late-summer heat wave, the lives of Carley and her friends and family will be forever changed in entirely unexpected ways. $15.00
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes This intense novel follows Tony Webster, a middle-aged man, as he contends with a past he never thought much about--until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance: one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present. Tony thought he left this all behind as he built a life for himself, and his career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, who now has a family of her own. But when he is presented with a mysterious legacy, he is forced to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world. $14.95
Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel Hilary Mantel's brilliant sequel to the award-winning Wolf Hall tells the story of Anne Boleyn and her trial. Cromwell, older, tired, with more titles and power, has to get Henry out of another heirless marriage. Henry is disenchanted with Anne Boleyn. She has failed to give him a son and her sharp intelligence and audacious will alienate his old friends and the noble families of England. When the discarded Katherine dies in exile from the court, Anne stands starkly exposed, the focus of gossip and malice.At a word from Henry, Thomas Cromwell is ready to bring her down. Over three terrifying weeks, Anne is ensnared in a web of conspiracy, while the demure Jane Seymour stands waiting her turn for the poisoned wedding ring. But Anne and her powerful family will not yield without a ferocious struggle. To defeat the Boleyns, Cromwell must ally with his natural enemies, the papist aristocracy. What price will he pay for Anne's head? List Price: $28.00 (Our Price: $22.40)
Non-Fiction
From Molly: Wild by by Cheryl Strayed Cheryl Strayed, as she appropriately renames herself, shares her three month long solo trek along the Pacific Crest Trail in this powerful memoir illustrating her self-recovery in the aftermath of her mother's death. Cheryl could have easily told her story focusing on the challenges of living practically broke as she divorces her husband and becomes involved with a drug addict. Instead, Wild is a story of a young women's growth as she struggles to regain normalcy in her turbulent life. An amateur hiker at best, Cheryl's pursuits are humorous, yet poignant, as she navigates the trail feeling immensely alone and unprepared, but oddly comfortable in her isolation. Cheryl's hike is a testimony to what we can accomplish when we have the strength of mind. She shows us that not all aspects of our lives need to be (or should be) planned. $25.95
From Vicky: Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie Robert Massie, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his biography of Peter the Great, has written another masterpiece in this biography of Catherine the Great. I spent a wonderful week totally immersed in her fascinating life story. This is an extraordinary book - beautifully written, compelling and rich in history and drama. Honestly, I knew almost nothing about Catherine and 18th century Russian history. The book was so very readable, however, it drew me in immediately. An obscure German princess born in 1729, she moved to Russia at the age of 14 to become the future wife of the very troubled 15 year old Grand Duke Peter and went on to become an extraordinary and intelligent leader. Every character in this book comes vividly to life - the Empress Elizabeth, Voltaire, Potemkin and so many more. I saw much of the history of the 18th century through Catherine's eyes, including the Enlightenment, the American Revolution, the French Revolution and so much more. A fascinating read! $35.00 (our price $28.00)
Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation by Elizabeth Letts Harry de Leyer first saw the horse he would name Snowman on a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. The recent Dutch immigrant recognized the spark in the eye of the beaten-up nag and bought him for eighty dollars. On Harry's modest farm on Long Island, he ultimately taught Snowman how to fly. Here is the dramatic and inspiring rise to stardom of an unlikely duo. One show at a time, against extraordinary odds and some of the most expensive thoroughbreds alive, the pair climbed to the very top of the sport of show jumping. Their story captured the heart of Cold War-era America--a story of unstoppable hope, inconceivable dreams, and the chance to have it all. They were the longest of all longshots--and their win was the stuff of legend. $16.00 End This Depression Now by Paul Krugman The Great Recession is more than four years old and counting. Yet, as Paul Krugman points out in this powerful volley, "Nations rich in resources, talent, and knowledge all the ingredients for prosperity and a decent standard of living for all remain in a state of intense pain." How bad have things gotten? How did we get stuck in what now can only be called a depression? And above all, how do we free ourselves? Krugman pursues these questions with his characteristic lucidity and insight. He has a powerful message for anyone who has suffered over these past four years a quick, strong recovery is just one step away, if our leaders can find the "intellectual clarity and political will" to end this depression now. $24.95
Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948 by Madeleine Albright Before Madeleine Albright turned twelve, her life was shaken by the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia--the country where she was born--the Battle of Britain, the near total destruction of European Jewry, the Allied victory in World War II, the rise of communism, and the onset of the Cold War. Albright's experiences, and those of her family, provide a lens through which to view the most tumultuous dozen years in modern history. Drawing on her memory, her parents' written reflections, interviews with contemporaries, and newly available documents, Albright recounts a tale that is by turns harrowing and inspiring. Prague Winter is an exploration of the past with timeless dilemmas in mind and, simultaneously, a journey with universal lessons that is intensely personal. More will be available Tuesday, June 5th. $29.99
Midnight in Peking by Paul French In the last days of old Peking, where anything goes, can a murderer escape justice? Peking in 1937 is a heady mix of privilege and scandal, opulence and opium dens, rumors and superstition. The Japanese are encircling the city, and the discovery of Pamela Werner's body sends a shiver through already nervous Peking. Is it the work of a madman? One of the ruthless Japanese soldiers now surrounding the city? Or perhaps the dreaded fox spirits? With the suspect list growing and clues sparse, two detectives--one British and one Chinese--race against the clock to solve the crime before the Japanese invade and Peking as they know it is gone forever. Can they find the killer in time, before the Japanese invade? Historian and China expert Paul French at last uncovers the truth behind this notorious murder, and offers a rare glimpse of the last days of colonial Peking. $26.00 The Ocean of Life by Callum Roberts In this vibrant hymn to the sea, Callum Roberts--one of the world's foremost conservation biologists--leads readers on a fascinating tour of mankind's relationship to the sea, from the earliest traces of water on earth to the oceans as we know them today. In the process, Roberts looks at how the taming of the oceans has shaped human civilization and affected marine life. We have always been fish eaters, from the dawn of civilization, but in the last twenty years we have transformed the oceans beyond recognition. Putting our exploitation of the seas into historical context, Roberts offers a devastating account of the impact of modern fishing techniques, pollution, and climate change, and reveals what it would take to steer the right course while there is still time. $30.00 One Shot at Forever by Chris Ballard In 1971, a small-town high school baseball team from rural Illinois playing with hand-me-down uniforms and peace signs on their hats defied convention and the odds. Led by an English teacher with no coaching experience, the Macon Ironmen emerged from a field of 370 teams to represent the smallest school in Illinois history to make the state final, a distinction that still stands. There, sporting long hair and warming up to Jesus Christ Superstar, the Ironmen would play a dramatic game against a Chicago powerhouse that would change their lives forever. In this gripping, cinematic narrative, Sports Illustrated writer Chris Ballard tells the story of the team and its coach, Lynn Sweet, a hippie, dreamer, and intellectual who arrived in Macon in 1966, bringing progressive ideas to a town stuck in the Eisenhower era. $24.95 Young Adult Beauty Queens by Libba Bray The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream Pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner. What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program - or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan - or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up? $9.99 Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun. When "Verity" is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn't stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she's living a spy's worst nightmare. $16.99 (Ages 14-17) Children's Fiction
Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord An exquisite second novel from the Newbery Honor author of RULES! TOUCH BLUE, sure as certain, will touch your heart. The state of Maine plans to shut down her island's schoolhouse, which would force Tess's family to move to the mainland--and Tess to leave the only home she has ever known. Fortunately, the islanders have a plan too: increase the numbers of students by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. And Tess needs a plan of her own--and all the luck she can muster. Will Tess's wish come true or will her luck run out? $6.99 (Ages 9-12) Libby of High Hopes by Elise Primavera Ten-year-old Libby Thump loves two things: her dog Margaret and horses. She dreams about them, draws them all the time, and more than anything she wants to take lessons and learn to ride like a real horsewoman. But when her mother decides to give the lessons to her older sister instead, Libby is beside herself. Libby's mom says Brittany needs the lessons more, to cure her "boy crazy phase"--and she also wants Libby to be "more girly," like Brittany. But Libby just wants to be herself. With charismatic optimism and determination, Libby hopes she can talk her parents into seeing her perspective. And in the meantime, at least she can visit the stables and see her favorite horse, Princess.... Available June 12th. $14.99 (Ages 9-12) Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess by Rachel Renee Russell Nikki Maxwell isn't at all surprised to find out that her crush Brandon volunteers at a local animal shelter. He's such a sweet guy--of course he wants to help those adorable puppies! Then Brandon tells her that the shelter is in danger of closing, and Nikki knows she can't let that happen. Especially when she discovers a shocking secret about Brandon that makes keeping that shelter open more important than ever. So Nikki and her friends Chloe and Zoey enter an ice skating competition to help raise money for the shelter, but (big surprise) Mackenzie has to stick her nose in and cause trouble so that she can be the one to swoop in and save the day. No way will Nikki let that happen: She'll just have to come up with some extra creative ideas this time! Available June 5th. $13.99 (Ages 9-12) Children's Non-Fiction National Geographic Kids Almanac 2012 In true National Geographic style, this book excites young people about their world and everything in it. The "2013 Almanac" is packed with fun information, browsable features, and helpful reference on subjects including animals, technology, countries, presidents, animals, and weather, just for starters. Full color. $13.99 (Ages 8-13; available June 5) Children's Picture Books Homer This month, we are featuring two really, really wonderful picture books about dogs published at the same time with the same title: Homer! And we absolutely love them both! Have you ever loved a good, old dog? Then Homer by Elisha Cooper might be the one for you. ($16.99) It is a perfect, sweet story of a day in the life of a much loved and loving old dog, content with his life and his family. Honestly, this book is as good for adults and as it is for children. If you love to laugh out loud - and especially if you are a baseball fan - you'll Homer by Diane DeGroat and Shelly Rotner might be the one for you ($15.99). One night, Homer dreams he is playing baseball with his team, The Doggers. The book feature a very clever mix of real photographs of dogs, background illustrations and very funny cartoon bubbles for dialogue. Ages 4 and up. Fo'c'sle: Henry Beston's "Outermost House" by Nan Parson Rossiter Nan Rossiter has created a beautifully illustrated tribute to Henry Beston in this lovely picture book. In 1928, Beston wrote his Cape Cod nature classic, The Outermost House, after spending a year in his little cottage, the Fo'c'sle, on the dunes of Eastham's Coast Guard Beach. The book became an inspiration for the establishment of the Cape Cod National Seashore by John F. Kennedy. Rossiter tells the story of Beston's year on the beach and his beloved house, the Fo'c'sle. Excerpts from Beston's writing are included in the book. This book is perfect for anyone who loves nature and Cape Cod, both children and adults. (Nan will be visiting our bookshop on August 8 from 4-5pm!) $17.95 Squid and Octopus Friends for Always by Tao Nyeu
A loyal friend makes every day a happy one. The four tales in this charming picture book show funny moments in the life of best friends Squid and Octopus. Yes, they argue sometimes (about things as silly as whether they should wear mittens or socks to keep their tentacles warm!), but they are always able to cheer each other up in glum times (such as when Squid wakes from the dream of being a superhero and feels disappointed to be plain old Squid again). They are a very lucky duo. As the fortune cookie in the final story says, they will always have a true friend to count on. $16.99 (Available June 5) |