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New and loved at WORD
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|     Agorafabulous!: Dispatches From My Bedroom by Sara Benincasa. It takes a special lady to write about panic attacks in a way that is funny, instead of panic-attack-inducing, and Sara Benincasa is that lady. Starting with the onset of her anxiety attacks in high school, Benincasa writes about her descent into agoraphobia (and related phobias) and recovery without skipping any of the gory stuff, but also without resorting to melodrama or self-pity. Just loved it. And you can listen to her be funny in person right here on the 29th! (Stephanie) Ragnarok by A.S. Byatt. Byatt is one of those authors of whom I read everything they publish, as soon as they publish it. I just can't help myself. And Ragnarok, part of the same series that gave us Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad and Dubravka Ugresic's Baba Yaga Laid an Egg, is a new favorite. Retelling the Norse apocalypse myth from the perspective of a lonely and precocious girl evacuated to the countryside during the Blitz, Byatt's vision encompasses nuclear disaster, pollution, political upheaval, and the fears and fantasies of children. (Jenn) Eminent Outlaws: The Gay Writers Who Changed America by Christopher Bram. In this new and important addition to the written history of gay life in America, Bram lead us through the changing experience of gay authors over the last 50 years. The friendships and professional alliances, as well as infighting between contemporaries, brings context to the colorful lives of these varied authors. (Simone) Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral. A totally unique "reading" experience, a story told through drawings and letters and photos. Being able to see the characters' innermost thoughts through their doodles and instant messages is almost voyeuristic while having an old fashioned epistolary quality. The app is great, too. (Christine)
This book will make your brain hurt in the best possible way. (I did some research and it turns out there aren't any pain receptors in the brain. Please change.) (Obviously "make your brain hurt" is a metaphor, not a literal statement. Stet.) For starters, it's not even really a book. (According to the publisher this is a book, so we're in dangerous territory with this sentence.) (I doubt the publisher is actually reading our newsletter. Stet.) (Actually, the publisher always reads the newsletter, and even if they didn't, you'd still be wrong.) It's the article D'Agata wrote on the suicide of a Vegas teen, and then seven years' worth of back and forth between him and his factchecker Jim Finlay (For starters, his last name is Fingal, and also, Fingal was actually a factchecker for The Believer, not D'Agata's personal factchecker) (Yeah, okay. But then you're back to the hair-splitting.) on what he changed, why he changed it, and whether or not it should stand. It is one of the most crazymaking books I've read in ages--is anything we read in nonfiction or memoir or journalism true?!--I can't wait for y'all to read it so we can freak out about it together. (This sentence implies that an event to discuss the book might be coming up. Is there? If so, please provide further details.) (Finally, a legitimate note! We'll be reading Lifespan of a Fact for book group in March and discussing it on April 7, 12 p.m.) (Reviewed by Jenn and fact-checked by Stephanie.)
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Staff picks
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Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carre. If you're like me and have kind of skipped the noir genre as a whole, you should definitely pick this one up. The movie is getting rave reviews, and the book is incredible--le Carre paints a chilling picture of the Cold War spy world, in which double agents abound and no one is safe, nothing is sacred. (Jenn)
The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown. A perfect picture book reminding children why they are unique and special. It maybe be over fifty years old but it's still relevant and a perfect gift for a new baby. Adrian got this from friends when he was born and we still read it regularly. (Christine)
Bombardiers by Po Bronson. This book holds a special place in my heart. I first read it in high school and understood about half of its references, since the book is set on Wall Street and is full of financial jabber. I loved it anyway! I've since re-read it a number of times and have loved it more each time. It's so dark and surreal and just swells with insanity. The characters, all bond traders, are fascinating and endearing despite themselves. I can never understand why it isn't more popular. Maybe the Wall Street stuff turns people off? I'm not sure. But if you love Catch-22 or Office Space, you'll love this too. (Stephanie)
Townie by Andre Dubus III. A memoir of a poor and violent childhood in a New England town spent alongside siblings and parents who all come fully to life in Dubos' clear and pained prose. The daily tribulations of being unable to protect yourself or the ones you love while under attack from all corners has never been so palpable to me as when reading this personal history. The relationships between family members over the years seared my heart. (Simone)
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Google ebooks
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Learn more about how to buy ebooks from WORD on our website. Remember, Google ebooks can be read on any smartphone and reader except the Kindle (with the exception of the Kindle Fire; our friends at Changing Hands can help you set that up with these easy instructions!). Let us know if you have any questions about how to set up your account or access your books. This month, our most intrepid ebook reader, Jenn, recommends some of her favorites:
World War Z by Max Brooks. A classic of zombie literature. If you bypassed it a while back, or need a refresher course on the undead apocalypse, this is the book for you. Nota bene: we have actually had people ask why we don't keep this in the non-fiction section.
Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson. When Reamde came out earlier this year, I asked fans of Stephenson's where one should start if one hadn't already become a convert. Unanimously, the answer was The Baroque Cycle, of which this is the first. And they were so right -- a madcap, surreal, weirdly educational historical fiction epic (and I do mean epic, these are Very Long Books).
Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce. I discovered the Alanna books as an adolescent nerd, and have never stopped reading Pierce. She's the Grand Dame of kick-ass female characters, and the Beka Cooper series is highly addictive. A police procedural, set in a world that looks a lot like medieval England, with a bit of magic and a lot of moxie. Edie Investigates by Nick Harkaway. As you know if you've been in the store lately, we are very excited about the March release of Harkaway's novel Angelmaker (more about that in the next Staff Picks newsletter), and now we can introduce you to one of our favorite characters in the novel in this teaser of a short story (which is only available as an ebook). Edie Banister is an aging superspy, trying to mind her own business -- and failing dramatically and with ultimate bad-ass style. Bonus: You get the first chapter of Angelmaker, too! |
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This has been another production of the book-lovin' fools at: WORD 126 Franklin St Brooklyn NY 11222 Open for your reading needs from: 11am to 9pm, seven days a week Available during those hours at: 718.383.0096 And always open at: www.wordbrooklyn.com |
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