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The
Glory of Maps and Legends
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By Daniel Goldin
 Michael
Chabon has one of the wildest imaginations in American writing, and his
most recent novel, The
Yiddish Policeman's Union, proves it. Combining classic noir
writing with a wildly speculative premise (what if the Jewish survivors
of the Holocaust had been relocated to Alaska instead of the Middle East?),
this novel was nominated for both the Edgar and the Hugo, the most prominent
awards in the fields of mystery and science fiction, respectively.
The Hugo is still up for grabs, while the Edgar went to the very deserving
Down
River, by John Hart. As an aside, the best first novel prize
went to a Schwartz favorite, In
the Woods, by Tana French, who will be reading at Shorewood this summer!
The fact that Chabon was nominated in two distinct genres for the same
novel, and is an author that is considered to be a mainstream literary
author (he was, after all, awarded the Pulitzer Prize for The
Amazing Adventures of Kavelier and Clay is astonishing. But further
investigation will prove this feat less startling, if still unprecedented. You can learn it all
by reading Chabon's wonderful new collection of essays, Maps
and Legends.
The exuberance in Chabon's novels and stories shines through in his writing,
whether he is analyzing the intricacies of Philip Pullman's The
Golden Compass and its two sequels, or how Arthur Conan Doyle helped
shape the modern mystery with Sherlock
Holmes. He ponders the state of the short story, wondering how we
moved from a many-formed creature of various entertainments (horror, adventure,
ghosts, mysteries) to one that is predominantly cinema-verité style with
a epiphany ending, one which may or may not be published in the New Yorker,
the magazine that spearheaded this restriction of form.
Chabon delights in comic strips-try a volume of what he says is the last
great one, Julius
Knipl, Real Estate Photographer. He mourns the decline in popularity
of the comic book, noting the a dwindling market has paralleled a focus
on adult readers-but then he devotes high praise to Howard Chaykin's ground-breaking
American
Flagg, soon to be available in collected book form. And there's
even a meditation on the trickster in literature, leading to another must
read, D'Aulaire's Book
of Norse Myths.
From there, a series of pieces on what led to the inspiration for specific novels (including the big one that was never finished), gets you inside the writing process in a way that I dream of hearing when I hear that question at an author reading, "How do you write?"
And one more thing-the first edition of Maps
and Legends has one of the most beautiful and ingenious jackets I've
seen in some time. The image here doesn't do it justice. The folks at McSweeney's gave the book not one
but three overlapping jackets, each celebrating some the literary joys
celebrated within. I'm told this special jacket is for the first
printing only, and more than a feat of delicate craftsmanship, what I
love about the way the jackets peel off is that they perfectly reflect
the way Chabon's enthusiasms come together to create a perfect whole,
filled with awe and delight.
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Schwartz News Roundup
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Barbara Walters Live
 We only have a small amount of tickets remaining for our event with
Barbara Walters on Thursday, May 29. In order to ensure that tickets
are available for your order, we are now taking orders exclusively
by phone through the Alverno Presents box office. If you would like to purchase
tickets, please call 414-382-6044 between Noon and 6 p.m.
Barbara Walters will be appearing at the Pitman Theatre at Alverno
College as part of our Schwartz Live at Alverno Presents series on
Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. Your $38 ticket includes a signed hardcover
copy of her new book, Audition: A Memoir.
Please note there is a $5 handling fee for each order placed. (Per order, not per ticket.)
If you are unable to attend the event but are interested in purchasing
a signed copy of Audition, you may do so by calling any of our shops or through our website.
Second Hand Markdown Sale at Downer Ave.
Thousands of second hand books have been marked down to make room for new inventory at Downer Avenue. Get in fast while supplies last! $1 paperback, $2 hardcover; Oversized: $3 paperback, $5 hardcover. Many of these popular titles are in new condition. Stop in soon to browse our wide selection of fiction and nonfiction, contemporary and collectible.
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New Releases
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A
selection of this week's new releases from our friends at Shelf
Awareness:
 The
Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is the story of a dog and
his race car driver owner from the point of view of the dog. - Schwartz
Bestseller - 30% off
Up
Till Now: The Autobiography by William Shatner and David Fisher
explores the life and career of the actor.
Love
the One You're With by Emily Giffen follows a woman who questions
her current marriage after meeting and old boyfriend.
The
Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II by Jeff Shaara follows Allied
and Nazi leaders during the D-Day invasion.
Now out in paperback:
Einstein:
His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
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Six Word Slam Wrap Up
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 Last month we asked you to submit your six word memoirs to us for a contest inspired by the book Not Quite What I Was Planning. Your response was amazing and we had a great time listening to everyone who came to read their memoirs at our Schwartz On Downer Six Word Slam on April 25. We'd like to once again extend our thanks to everyone who participated in the contest and the Slam. Missed it? No problem. WUWM was on hand to record the evening. Listen to the segment they aired about the Slam.
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Vote for "The Best of the Booker"
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 To celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Booker Prize, six authors are in the running to win a special award called The Best of the Booker. Help pick the from works by Pat Barker, Peter Carey, JM Coetzee, JG Farrell, Nadine Gordimer and Salman Rushdie by voting online.
The nominees
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee
The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell
The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer
The Ghost Road by Pat Barker
Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey
Vote Now!
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Event Spotlight: David Benioff
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 David Benioff, author of The 25th Hour, which was made into a movie by Spike Lee, visits our Downer Ave. bookshop on Wednesday, May 21 in support of his latest novel, City of Thieves. It's an impossible to put down story partly based on David's grandfather's real experiences during World War II, but bleak as the story can be it's also funny at times, moving, and honest. Our booksellers have really enjoyed reading City of Thieves, and this is what some of them are saying:
 "A riveting rush of a journey of finding compassion, humanity and intimacy in the bleak, cold winter days of a dark time in history."-Stacie Williams, Downer Ave.
"Be careful. Once you read the preface to this novel plan on spending the rest of the evening with this book. A Russian immigrant, Lev Beniov, finally tells his American grandson, a writer, his incredible story of a week in January 1942 just prior to the siege of Leningrad (Piter). Only Seventeen-years-old, Lev and a new friend avoid immediate execution when they agree to perform a preposterous task, which leads to traveling behind German lines. City of Thieves delivers a difficult and chilling look at the hardships of war, yet friendship, love and even humor are intertwined. The suspense is unrelenting."-Shawn Quinn, Accounting
"During the siege of Leningrad, 17-year-old Lev Beniov is arrested for looting the corpse of a German soldier. Rather than being executed, he and an Army deserter are spared by a colonel who sends them on a ridiculous mission: to find and bring back a dozen eggs for his daughter's wedding cake. A terrific coming of age story, a harrowing tale of war and survival, a funny and endearing story of an unlikely friendship; City of Thieves is all of this and more. What a wonderful book!"-Dave Mallmann, Brookfield
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| Live at Schwartz: Calendar of Events
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Here
is a list of the authors coming soon to the Schwartz Bookshops. For a complete list of upcoming author appearances visit
our events page.
Aleksandar Hemon
The Lazarus Project
Thursday, May 15 ·
7:00 p.m. reading ·
Shorewood
Acclaimed author Aleksander Hemon intertwines a haunting historical atmosphere with sharp contemporary storytelling in The Lazarus Project. In 1908, Lazarus, a young Jewish immigrant, attempts to deliver an important letter to Chicago's Chief of Police and is killed-shot by the Chief. In the twenty-first century, Birk, a writer and also a young immigrant, becomes obsessed with Lazarus's story. He and his friend, a Sarajevo war photographer, set out to retrace Lazarus's journey from Europe to Chicago where he met his fate.
Tom Farley, Jr.
The Chris Farley Show
Thursday, May 15 ·
7:00 p.m. talk ·
Downer Ave.
Fans knew Chris Farley as Saturday Night Live's swaggering, motivational speaker, and Tommy Callahan, the underdog hero of Tommy Boy. His family knew him as sensitive and passionate, deeply religious and devoted to bringing laughter to others. But Chris didn't know moderation, either in his boundless generosity or the reckless abandon of his substance abuse. Join Chris's older brother and managing director of The Chris Farley Foundation, Tom Farley Jr. as he remembers a man who lived to make us laugh and who died too soon.
Marshall I. Goldman
Petrostate
Friday, May 16 ·
7:00 p.m. talk ·
Shorewood
In the aftermath of the financial collapse of a decade ago it looked as if Russia's day as a superpower had come and gone. That it should recover and reassert itself so quickly is an economic and political miracle. Marshall Goldman traces the story of oil and gas in Russia-a tale of intrigue, corruption, wealth and power, and explains how the country is using its energy wealth as a lever in world politics.
Cory Doctorow
Little Brother
Friday, May 16 ·
7:00 p.m. reading ·
Mequon
Cory Doctorow, acclaimed editor of Boingboing.net, pits one bright, tech-savvy teenager against the Department of Homeland Security in his latest novel. Marcus, a.k.a. "w1n5t0n" is only seventeen but he already knows how the system works-and how to work the system. But his whole world changes when he and his friends skip school and wind up in the wrong place at the wrong time-in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. After being questioned and released-and finding his city a police state-Marcus knows his only option is to take down DHS himself. For young adults and science fiction fans
Augusten Burroughs
A Wolf at the Table
Saturday, May 17 ·
7:00 p.m. reading ·
Downer Ave.
Augusten Burroughs returns to Schwartz with his most personal and unexpected memoir yet. In A Wolf at the Table, he explores the radical pendulum swing between love and hate, the unspeakably terrifying relationship between father and son, and a child's longing for unconditional love. Here is the story of Burroughs's relationship with his father told with honesty and insight; a story of the redemptive power of hope.
John Hagedorn
A World of Gangs
Monday, May 19 ·
7:00 p.m. talk ·
Downer Ave.
Looking at gangs in three world cities-Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Capetown-John Hagedorn explores the international proliferation of the urban gang as a consequence of the ravages of globalization. He provides vital insights into the ideology and persistence of gangs around the world. It is a bleak picture but, Hagedorn explains, not without hope.
Maggi McCormick Gordon
American Folk Art Quilts
Tuesday, May 20 ·
7:00 p.m. talk ·
Mequon
Maggi Gordon shares her enthusiasm and devotion to the art of quilting with American Folk Art Quilts. The twenty-five quilts featured in the book are from the Wisconsin State Historical Society collection, each with a unique history and story. Quilters inspired to create their own versions of the historical quilts can do it with the aid of patterns and block layouts provided in the book.
Lisa Holewa and Joan Rice
What Kindergarten Teachers Know
Tuesday, May 20 ·
7:00 p.m. talk ·
Brookfield
Countless parents have imagined how much easier life would be if they could get their children to listen and cooperate at home just as they do with their favorite teachers. Lisa Holewa and Joan Rice, winner of the Betty Brinn Children's Museum Teacher of the Year in 2006, offer fun, simple tips you can use at home that will help you support your child's development and foster self-reliance.
David Benioff
City of Thieves
Wednesday, May 21 ·
7:00 p.m. reading ·
Downer Ave.
Lev Beniov is small, smart, insecure and too young for the army. When, during the siege of Leningrad, he is caught looting the body of a dead German paratrooper, he is hauled off to jail. Instead of the standard bullet to the head, he and his cellmate, Kolya, are given a shot at saving their lives by complying with an outrageous directive: secure a dozen eggs for a powerful colonel to use in his daughter's wedding cake. In a city cut off from all supplies and suffering unbearable deprivation, Lev and Koyla embark on a hunt to find the impossible.
Sheldon Rusch
Separated at Death
Wednesday, May 21 ·
7:00 p.m. reading ·
Mequon
Mequon author Sheldon Rusch returns to plunge his brave protagonist, Illinois State Special Agent Elizabeth Hewitt, into a new series of crimes, each more shocking than the last in his latest suspenseful novel, Separated at Death. Estranged couples are being beheaded by someone with a twisted agenda-a violent secret ceremony to which Hewitt has been invited.
Simon Winchester
The Man Who Loved China
Thursday, May 22 ·
7:00 p.m. talk ·
Shorewood
The bestselling author of A Crack at the Edge of the World now brings to light an obsessed genius whose work revolutionized the West's understanding of China. Joseph Needham, a young scientist known for his brilliance and eccentricity, arrived in war-ravaged China in 1943 on a mission for the British government. But his journey really began six years earlier when the married biochemist fell in love with a visiting Chinese student and with her mysterious country. Winchester shows how this romance would mark Needham's life and career, transforming him into the world's greatest China scholar.
Josh Kilmer-Purcell
Candy Everybody Wants
Friday, May 30 ·
7:00 p.m. reading ·
Downer Ave.
Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Milwaukee-area native and author of I Am Not Myself These Days. makes his fiction debut with Candy Everybody Wants, a story that follows a young man from the Midwest as he seeks his fame, fortune and freedom in the flamboyant and wacked-out worlds of New York and Los Angeles-and everywhere in between. From a kidnapping mystery to a Hollywood sitcom set, his bumpy journey from worshipping pop culture to becoming a part of it is shared with a revolving door of quirky characters.
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| Schwartz
Select: Fiction |
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 Staff Pick
The
White Tiger
Aravind Adiga
"I guess I am a sucker for unreliable narrators. Balram 'The White Tiger' may be smarter than his employers think, but that doesn't mean he has a clear grasp on reality. His paranoia could stem from the very real knowledge that his extended family, particularly his grandmother, sees his worth only in the income he can send back from the village and the money they can extract from a bride's family if they can get him to marry. The story does hinge a bit on a clever twist at the end, but as a whole The White Tiger is a fun read about the new India, albeit a fractured version."
-Daniel Goldin, General Manager
$24.00
 Staff Pick
Northline
Will Vlautin
"Allison Johnson has nothing going for her. Her boyfriend locks her up whenever she does something he does not approve of, and the rest of her life is listless. She up and runs away from Las Vegas determined to make a fresh start and a clean break from the past. With only an imaginary Paul Newman counseling her, she finds a whole new meaning to her life. Vlautin is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers!"
-Jason Kennedy, Buyer
Paperback
$25.00 |
| Schwartz
Select: Nonfiction |
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 Staff
Pick
Nudge
Improving Decisions Through the Science of Choice
at Night
Richard H. Thaler and Cass Sunstein
"There is an explosion of behavioral science books out today, many of them looking at how and why we make bad decisions. I found Nudge on this front is as entertaining as they come, offering amusing insights into human blunders, such as our tendency towards inertia and our anchoring bias. But Thaler and Sunstein go a step further-using 'libertarian paternalism,' they show how, by accounting for these human errors, we can make better choices when borrowing for a student loan, investing in a 401K, or choosing a Medicare drug plan. It can be a bit wonkish, but unlike a lot of these other books around, you certainly won't say there aren't practical applications!"
-Daniel Goldin, General Manager
$26.00
 Staff
Pick
Wrestling with the Angel of Democracy
On Being an American Citizen
Susan Griffin
"As our young nation struggles still with ideology, identity, purpose, and morality, a question arises: what does it mean to be an American citizen? What are the duties of citizenship, beyond the basics? This inquisitive exploration of the psychology of democracy tries to answer those, and more. Especially intriguing for the times we live in."
-Myra Poe, Downer Ave.
$24.95
Planetwalker
How One Man Changed the World One Step at a Time
Years
John Francis
After Witnessing the devastating effects of a 1971 oil spill in the San Francisco Bay, John Francis began a remarkable, solitary pilgrimage that would dramatically change his life and become an inspirational clarion call of one man's decision to make a difference in the world. Planetwalker is a personal coming-of-age odyssey-the positive experiences, the challenging times, and the knowledge gained along the way.
$26.00
The
Zoo on the Road to Nablus
A Story of Survival from the West Bank
Amelia Thomas
The last Palestinian zoo stands on a dusty, dead-end street in the once prosperous farming town of Qalqilya, on the very edge of the West Bank. The zoo's bars are rusting; peacocks wander quiet avenues shaded by broad plane trees; a teenage baboon broods in solitary confinement; walls bear the pockmarks of gunfire. And yet the zoo is an extraordinary place, with a bizarre, troubling and inspiring story to tell. In The Zoo on the Road to Nablus, Amelia Thomas brings you into a world rarely glimpsed from the outside, weaving the stories of the zoo's animals, its staff, and its visitors into a rich, colorful chronicle of the indomitability of the human-and animal-spirit.
$24.95
Arthur
Schwartz's Jewish Home Cooking
Yiddish Recipes Revisited
Arthur Schwartz
Whether it's talking about it, shopping for it, cooking it, or above all eating it-Arthur Schwartz knows how Jewish food warms the heart and delights the soul. Jewish Home Cooking presents authentic yet contemporary versions of traditional Ashkenazi foods-rugulach, matzoh brei, challah, brisket, and even challenging classics like kreplach (dumplings) and gefilte fish-that are approachable to make and revelatory to eat.
$35.00
 The
House of Mondavi
The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty
Julia Flynn Siler
Set in California's lush Napa Valley and spanning four generations of a talented and visionary family, the New York Times bestseller The House of Mondavi is a tale of genius, sibling rivalry, and betrayal. From 1906, when Italian immigrant Cesare Mondavi passed through Ellis Island, to the Robert Mondavi Corp.'s twenty-first-century battle over a billion-dollar fortune, award-winning journalist Julia Flynn Siler brings to life both the place and the people in this riveting family drama.
Paperback.
$15.00 |
| Schwartz
Select for Kids |
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 Staff
Pick
Little
Boy
Alison McGhee
Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
"Little Boy is a sweet, gleeful picture book for young children. Encouraging them to use their imaginations, they will find meaning in simple things, a rock, a big box, even a bug. This book is perfect for Father's Day. It is sensitive and heartwarming like the team's previous book, Someday."
-Elly Gore, Children's Book Buyer
For kids
$15.99
 Staff
Pick
Savvy
Ingrid Law
"Ingrid Law's debut novel is pure delight. Wonderfully unique characters pop off the page in a story filled with the amazing possibilities that fill our lives. Mibs is about to turn thirteen and discover her 'savvy'-a special power unique to each member of her family. When her father is injured, her determination to reach him sends her on a road trip you'll never forget. Savvy is a joyful mix of adventure, humor, hope and wonder that is meant to be shared."
-Joyce Tiber, Mequon
For middle readers
$16.99
 Staff
Pick
The Joys of Love
Madeleine L'Engle
"Curl up on a porch swing or stretch out under the shade of a tree with this summer romance that will carry you back to the 1940's seaside. Elizabeth, a twenty-year-old college graduate, apprenticing (against her controlling aunt's wishes) with a summer theatre company and falls in love for the first time. As L'Engle's granddaughter reminisces in the introduction, 'Elizabeth was as close to an autobiographical portrait as you could get.' Peak into the past with one of our most revered children's authors."
-Kathy Carrigan, Brookfield
For teens
$16.95
Anthem
of a Reluctant Prophet
Joanne Proulx
When seventeen-year-old Luke Hunter foretells the death of his friend with freakish accuracy, his life gets complicated. Everyone in Stokum, Michigan, his rank little pinprick of a hometown, knows about the premonition and wants to know more. But Luke doesn't tell anyone that the premonitions keep coming. Terrified, he lurches through a personal minefield studded with previously unconsidered existential ponderings, Christian fundamentalists, and a dream girl who his dead friend left behind.
Paperback. For teens
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Great Books at Bargain Prices
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This is a sampling of the terrific deals we have on good books. Stop in to
any of our shops to pick up any of these titles or browse our bargain section.
 
I
Love Trains!
Philemon Sturges
Illustrated by Shari Halpern
Publisher $14.99
SCHWARTZ: $5.99
Dictionary
of Dreams
Gustavus Hindman Miller
Publisher $15.00
SCHWARTZ: $6.99
The
Mammoth Book of Kakuro, Wordoku, and Super Sudok
Nathan Haselbauer
Publisher $12.95
SCHWARTZ: $4.99
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Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops
Milwaukee's Very Own Independent Bookshop Since 1927
Downer Ave., 2559 N. Downer Ave., 414-332-1181, ondowner@schwartzbooks.com
Brookfield, 17145 W. Bluemound Rd., 262-797-6140, brookfield@schwartzbooks.com
Mequon, 10976 N. Port Washington Rd., 262-241-6220, mequon@schwartzbooks.com
Shorewood, 4093 N. Oakland Ave., 414-963-3111, shorewood@schwartzbooks.com
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