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October 15, 2014    

In addition to the lovely pumpkins and foliage, and SO many books arriving each day, we love this time of year because the Best American Collections arrive. Whether you love short stories, mysteries, sports or science, we have you covered. Take a look below at Sally's review of the Best American Short Stories 2014 edited by Jennifer Egan.

National Book Award Fiction Finalists 2014
Big news in the book world today. As announced yesterday, the winner of the Booker Prize Winner for Fiction is The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan. Many congratulations!  And today, the National Book Award short lists for all categories were announced. You can find the complete list here.

Clay Rice Famed silhouette artist Clay Rice returns this afternoon, Wednesday, October 15, for storytime and silhouette cutting. In his new book, The Stick, a young boy finds a stick on the ground, and after reading the inspiring words carved into it, his life begins to change as he fulfills lifelong dreams and discovers the truth about giving. Clay Rice's silhouettes are one-of-a-kind pieces of art that would make perfect holiday gifts (it's not too early to plan!).

Ellen Stimson Join Ellen Stimson Thursday, October 16 at 7:00 as she continues to relate stories of her family's misadventures in rural Vermont in Good Grief!, the irrepressibly funny sequel to Mud Season. Stimson's optimism and good humor prevail as she, two different husbands, their three kids, and much-loved pets face down real life, death and grieving, with their good humor intact.


Ann Hood We have a very special evening planned on Tuesday, October 21st at 7:00pm with a panel of five talented authors for a discussion of memoir writing. Our moderator for the evening is bestselling author Ann Hood (Comfort), who will join Helen Peppe (Pigs Can't Swim), Richard Hoffman (Love and Fury), Suzanne Strempek Shea (Songs From a Lead-Lined Room), and Sukey Forbes (The Angel in My Pocket). If you have ever considered penning your own memoir, this is an event you won't want to miss.




Perfectly Miserable Join us for an intimate lunch on Thursday, October 23 at noon with Sarah Payne Stuart, author of the new book Perfectly Miserable. A wryly comic memoir that examines the pillars of New England WASP culture -- class, history, family, money, envy, perfection, and, of course, real estate -- through the relationships between mothers and daughters. "Perfectly Miserable is an acidic, hilarious, and monumentally self-deprecating account of its author's doomed love affair with the world's quaintest town."--Boston Magazine
This luncheon is a ticketed event. Tickets are $35 and include lunch and a personalized copy of Perfectly Miserable.

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Wellesley Books

82 Central Street

 Wellesley, MA 02482

 781.431.1160

www.wellesleybooks.com

In This Newsletter...
New in Hardcover
New in Paperback
In the Kids Section
In the Gift Aisle
Downstairs at Wellesley Books
Dog of the Week
What We Are Reading...

Upcoming Events

Clay Rice - Wednesday, 10/15
Ellen Stimson - Thursday, 10/16
 Colm T�ib�n - Friday, 10/17
Ann Hood Memoir Panel - Tuesday, 10/21
Coventry Edwards-Pitt - Wednesday, 10/22
Sarah Payne Stuart - Thursday, 10/23
Ifeoma Onyefulu - Thursday, 10/23
Cammie McGovern & Amy Zhang - Friday, 10/24
Paul Czajak - Wednesday, 10/29
Bill's Book Group for Guys - Thursday, 10/30
Bob Ryan - Thursday, 11/6
Dorie Greenspan - Tuesday, 11/18

Teacher Appreciation Week
Raffle Winners


Thank you to all those who took the time to nominate their favorite teachers last week during our Teacher Appreciation Week. Congratulations to the winners and thank you -- to ALL of our teachers -- for all that you do!

Preschool/Kindergarten Bag - Mrs. Garcia - Veritas Christian Academy, Wayland, MA

Elementary School Bag - Ms. Heckman - Sprague Elementary School, Wellesley, MA

Middle School Bag - Mrs. Fisher - Wellesley Middle School, Wellesley, MA

High School Bag - Mrs. Culliton - Walpole High School, Walpole, MA

"For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die."
~Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird

Bill's Book Group for Guys  Bill's Book Group for Guys    Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy  
Thursday, October 30 at 7:00pm
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy  by John le Carr�
Bill's Book Group for Guys is a relaxed evening in the store discussing a great book while enjoying a beer, glass of wine, or a select single malt whisky. $25 buys the book and a ticket to the event, including libations. 

Betty Sudarsky    Betty's Lunchtime Book Group     The Museum of Extraordinary Things  
Tuesday, November 4 at noon 
The Museum of Extraordinary Things

by Alice Hoffman
Come to Wellesley Books' lunchtime book group. Betty Sudarsky, unparalleled bookseller and experienced book club leader chooses each book carefully and leads the discussion. Bring your own lunch if you like, Betty supplies snacks, drinks, and insight.
No need to sign up as drop-ins are welcome.   

Bookseller Recommendations 

The Goddess of Small Victories The Goddess of Small Victories 
by
Yannick Grannec
The Goddess of Small Victories tells two fascinating stories simultaneously. First we meet Anna, a complicated researcher, who befriends the widow of brilliant mathematician, Kurt Godel, in an attempt to secure Godel's papers for the Institute for Advance Studies at Princeton University. The difficult, yet budding relationship between Anna and Adele Godel introduces us to the second story within the novel. As Adele tells of life with Kurt, we are transported to pre-war Austria, the history of modern mathematics and physics at Princeton during the race for atomic supremacy complete with colorful vignettes about Einstein and finally, the difficulty in living with a paranoid depressive genius. An interesting read complete with a few lessons in mathematics and philosophy as an added bonus!
The Short and tragic Life of Robert Peace The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace   
by Jeff Hobbs

The author tells the story of his college roommate, Robert Peace.  Rob grows up in 1980s Newark with a devoted mother and charismatic, incarcerated father, and becomes a master at code-switching: he's the reserved, studious Rob at school, but at home he's Shawn, who likes a smoke and a drink, and can talk to anybody.  His uncommon intelligence and self-discipline earn him a spot at Yale, where he begins selling marijuana to pay for his school supplies. Rob's post-graduate drifting could be anyone's, except for the crucial facts of his family's poverty and his own lack of a safety net, which lead to violence. The author tells Rob's story with a minimum of flourishes and a sharp self-awareness.  The depth of his research into his friend's life elevates this book beyond mere parable.
Nora Webster Nora Webster by Colm T�ib�n
Since his earlier book, The Master, T�ib�n has been my favorite Irish novelist. Nora Webster, his new novel, secures his place. The story of a too early widowed mother of four is both elegant and reserved. Nora is forced to return to work, cope with her young sons and reestablish herself all under the watchful, small-town eyes of her neighbors. Nora's spirit emerges in unusual ways, keeping her tale both surprising and rewarding.
The Best American Short Stories 2014 The Best American Short Stories 2014   
edited by Jennifer Egan

I wait for this to come out every fall. Some years are definitely better than others. So far this seems like a knockout! Lauren Groff's story of a boy growing up among reptiles in a home without much love is heart-stopping and simply stellar. Laura Van den Berg's Antarctica tells of a woman retrieving her brother's bones, but much more than that in her tale of grief. I look forward to savoring the rest
 

New in Hardcover

Leaving TimeA Sudden Light Some Luck Lila      The Glass Cage Being Mortal   Mayor for a New America    

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult  
A Sudden Light by Garth Stein 

Some Luck by Jane Smiley
Lila by Marilynne Robinson 

The Glass Cage by Nicholas Carr
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
Mayor for a New America by Thomas Menino 

 

New in Paperback 

   Someone Dept. of Speculation Citadel   Belle Cora  Tip and the Gipper This is the Story of a Happy Marriage Little Failure  

 Someone by Alice McDermott
Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill
Citadel by Kate Mosse
Belle Cora by Phillip Margulies
Tip and the Gipper by Chris Mathews
This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett 

Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart

In the Kids Section

  • Reader tested
Great book recommendations from our ARC Readers.
Unicorn magic
  Unicorn Magic 1 Bella's Birthday Unicorn by Jessica Burkhart
Recommended by Kiley, age 8
This story is about a princess named Bella who lives in a kingdom where princesses get matched up with unicorns on their birthday. On Bella's eighth birthday, it is her turn to get a unicorn. Bella's mom says that Bella's two best friends can't come to the royal birthday parade and that makes the friends sad. But then Bella's mom changes her mind and invites the two friends to the parade. I would recommend this book to girls who like reading adventure books.

Magic in the Mix Magic in the Mix by Annie Barrows
Recommended by Phoebe, age 10
I really, really enjoyed the book Magic in the Mix. I loved how Annie Barrows made it so that Molly and Miri's past adventures were included in the exciting story. I also love how she incorporated a different time period into the plot. The main characters are Miri, Molly, Ray, Robbie, and Carter. I would recommend this book to 9-11 year olds.

Recommended by Caitlin, age 10
I really liked the book Magic in the Mix because it is funny and it is very magical. It is the sequel to Magic Half. If you like Wendy Mass' Willow Falls Birthday series, you will probably like this book. My favorite part was when Miri and Molly got the rings from Maudie. This book is full of adventure!
Dash
Dash by Kirby Larson
Recommended by Adham, age 12
Dash is a great book and I would recommend it to people ages 8-12.It is about a girl named Misti who is being transferred to a Japanese camp because of Pearl Harbor. Misti has to leave her dog behind. She loves her dog more than anything. She has to make friends and adapt to the conditions she has to deal with.

The SwapThe Swap by Meghan Shull 
Recommended by Scarlet, age 10
Ellie and Jack have completely different lives. Ellie has a soft mom who lets her down easy when she makes a mistake. On the other hand, Jack has a hard dad that if he makes a mistake his dad will barley talk to him. I loved The Swap because Jack and Ellie do not know each others routines so some things can get out of hand which makes a book interesting. The book left some cliff hangers at the end of chapters so when I had to go to bed, I was  eager to read more. I also like how the book mentions Boston because I could feel some connection to the location. Overall The Swap is a great book that I would recommend to pre-teens and teens.

In the Gift Aisle

  • Halloween
Halloween Monsters, witches and bats - oh, my!  Once again, Wellesley Books is your go-to place for everything you need for Halloween. Rechargeable flashlights, funky witch tights, spooky doorbells, Halloween gel gems, GingerDEAD Men cookie cutters, kitchen towels, plates and napkins. You won't be able to resist the little wind-up skeletons and monsters - they are too funny!

If you are game, have us turn on the spooky guy at the back register! He is creepy-cool!

Downstairs at Wellesley Books 

  • Kids remainders
Downstairs at Wellesley Books, we have a spook-tacular selection of children's books that are perfect for the season. And you can't shake a stick at the prices! If your little one is not ready for picture books, we have adorable Curious George baby gift sets that include a board book with either a baby t-shirt, hat, or blankie.    



Trade Your Used Books:

Saturdays from 11am - 3pm


Downstairs at Wellesley Books is always open for browsing
during regular store hours except during author events.
We will be happy to look for a title after the event and
place it on hold for you. 

Dog of the Week 

  • Rennie
Rennie Rennie is a sweet 2 year-old black Schnoodle. He gets very excited when he knows he is coming to town, he loves visiting Wellesley Books and loves to hang out and people watch.
   

 

 

What We're Reading Now...

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Gillian
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
Bill
All That Is Solid Melts Into Air
Sally
The Farm
Kym
Offal
Barry
Egg & Spoon
Lisa

 

Thank you for supporting your community

independent bookstore!

 


 
Sincerely,

Kym Havens 
Wellesley Books
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