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April 29, 2015     

Is it just us, or did April fly by? With May only a couple of days away, events season is at its busiest. The hustle and bustle of spring is known to bring with it some pleasant surprises, such as Elizabeth Berg offering to fit us into her busy tour schedule. And the first-ever Independent Bookstore Day means an all-day celebration here on Saturday. Everyone at the store is excited about this, so please join us for trivia, parties and some goofy costumes!

Bill C. We are also delighted to welcome our new Assistant Manager, Bill Carl.  Bill C. is a voracious reader with many years of bookstore experience throughout the Midwest -- you may have read some of his reviews in the Indie Next List. He loves to match books to readers, so come on in and ask him for a suggestion!

 
Rita Williams-GarciaThursday, April 30 at 7:00pm, join us as we host Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestselling author Rita Williams-Garcia! Gone Crazy in Alabama is the continuing story of the Gaither sisters  as they travel from the streets of Brooklyn to the rural South for the summer of a lifetime. Powerful and humorous, this companion to the award-winning One Crazy Summer and P.S. Be Eleven will be enjoyed by fans of the first two books as well as by readers meeting these memorable sisters for the first time.

 
Matt TavaresTuesday, May 5 at 6:30pm, Wondermore and Tenacre Country Day School School present award-winning children's author/illustrator Matt Tavares, who will talk about and sign his latest book. Growing Up Pedro is the remarkable story of soon-to-be Hall of Famer and Red Sox star pitcher Pedro Martinez. This event will be held at Tenacre Country Day and is open to the public, but you must register to attend. Please click here to register.




Elizabeth BergWednesday, May 6 at 7:00pm, meet New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg for a signing and discussion of The Dream Lover. Author and 19th-century Parisian iconoclast George Sand narrates Berg's rich new historical novel. Sand's life and loves make for a provocative story, which Elizabeth Berg tells expertly. Join us for some French cheese and discuss art, the creative process, and some difficult choices -- issues that are as relevant today as they were in George Sand's time.
  


Kiera Cass
Friday, May 8 at 7:00pm, New York Times bestselling author Kiera Cass joins us to celebrate The Heir, the fourth romantic novel in her phenomenally popular Selection series. Follow Ill�a's royal family into a whole new Selection -- and find out what happens after happily ever after. A new generation of swoon-worthy characters and captivating romance awaits!





StorytimeFriday, May 9 at 10:00am, bring your little readers down to storytime with Piccadilly and the Fairy Polka author Lisa Anne Novelline and Seaver the Weaver illustrators The Brothers Hilts. Piccadilly and the Fairy Polka is a life-affirming and fanciful tale about a spunky little girl enchanted with the coming of summer. Seaver the Weaver, written by the ever-popular Paul Czajak, is the inspirational story of an orb-weaver spider who weaves many different shapes into his non-traditional webs!







Lili Anolik Tuesday, May 12 at 7:00pm, Wellesley native Lili Anolik introduces her debut novel, Dark Rooms.   The case is closed soon after the murder of beautiful Nica Baker -- too soon for Nica's older sister, Grace, who goes in search of the real killer. Anolik's tale of murder at an exclusive New England prep school contains a dash of Donna Tartt and a bit of Twin Peaks' dark allure. 

Contact Us

Wellesley Books

82 Central Street

 Wellesley, MA 02482

 781.431.1160

www.wellesleybooks.com

In This Newsletter...
Bookseller recommendations
New in Hardcover
New in Paperback
In the Kids Section
In the Gift Aisle
Used Book Cellar
Dog of the Week
What We Are Reading...

Upcoming Events

Rita Williams-Garcia - Thursday, 4/30
Independent Bookstore Day - Saturday, 5/2
Matt Tavares - Tuesday, 5/5
Elizabeth Berg - Wednesday, 5/6
Kiera Cass - Friday, 5/8
Storytime with Lisa Anne Novelline & the Brothers Hilts - Saturday, 5/9
Lili Anolik - Tuesday, 5/12
Sarah Dessen - Friday, 5/15
Jodi Picoult & Samantha van Leer - Wednesday, 5/20
Kid Lit Author Panel - Thursday, 5/21
Mary Kay Andrews - Monday, 6/1

Independent Bookstore Day
On Saturday, May 2nd, independent bookstores across the country, including Wellesley Books, will be celebrating with an all-day party! Independent bookstores are more than just stores -- we're community centers and local gathering places run by passionate readers.  Click on the image above for a full schedule of events.

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"Ah sure it is a lovely day
As ever summer's glory yields
And I will put my books away
And wander in the fields"
-John Clare, from "A Morning Walk"

Bill's Book Group for GuysLucky Jim
by Kingsley Amis
If you've never read Lucky Jim, you're in for a treat.  If you have, it's time again to read what is regarded by many as the finest, and funniest, comic novel of the twentieth century. Lucky Jim remains as trenchant, withering, and eloquently misanthropic as when it first scandalized readers in 1954.

Join Bill's Book Group for Guys for 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. 


Lunchtime BookgroupBetty's Lunchtime Book GroupEuphoria
by Lily King
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; drop-ins are welcome.   

Bookseller Recommendations 

The Way Home Looks Now The Way Home Looks Now  
by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
This book would appeal to all kids who love baseball. But, it also deals with some very serious issues and deals well. There is no gooey happily-ever-after ending but something far more sustaining. The voice of the twelve year-old is perfect. There's a big surprise as the story unfolds. I didn't suspect this!
The Wonder Garden The Wonder Garden 
by Lauren Acampora

This is a great collection of connected short stories. Though they take place in the wealthy suburbs of Connecticut, there is always a twist, and always more than just meets the eye. There is a hint of the bizarre running through this Cheever country. The characters bump into each other in unlikely ways from story to story, making each one more enjoyable than the next.
Barefoot Dogs Barefoot Dogs
by Antonio Ruiz-Camacho

Barefoot Dogs is a powerful collection of stories about the Artega family's experiences in Mexico City and abroad. Tragedy strikes when the powerful patriarch is kidnapped and the majority of the family disperses rapidly to begin again in new locales.  Each story highlights a different aspect of displacement and loss from various family member perspectives. Ruiz-Camacho's treatment of grief and disorientation is compelling and real!
The Strangler Vine The Strangler Vine   
by M.J. Carter

A rousing historical adventure novel, which can also be read as an allegory for British occupation, The Strangler Vine is a fascinating work of fiction. A naive officer in the East India Company must face his own Heart of Darkness when he is sent to recover a scandalous poet who has gone missing while infiltrating the Thuggee Cults.  Could he have discovered something amiss among Britain's politics in India, 1837?  Full of actual historical figures, this fast-paced novel will sweep you away to another time and place with vivid writing and a terrific mystery.

 

New in Hardcover

God Help the Child The Bone Tree The Last Bookaneer The Daylight Marriage Early Warning The Memory Painter   Pleasantville    

On the Move Missoula Empire of Deception The China Mirage Natural Born Heroes Operation Nemesis   Spinster  

God Help the Child by Toni Morrison

The Bone Tree by Greg Iles
The Last Bookaneer by Matthew Pearl 

The Daylight Marriage by Heidi Pitlor
Early Warning by Jane Smiley
The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack
Pleasantville by Attica Locke 

On the Move by Oliver Sacks 

Missoula by Jon Krakauer 

Empire of Deception by Dean Jobb 

The China Mirage by James Bradley 

Natural Born Heroes by Christopher McDougall   

Operation Nemesis by Eric Bogosian  

Spinster by Kate Bolick 

 

New in Paperback 

   Hard Choices Summer House With Swimming Pool The Lobster Kings The Children Act   Leaving Time The Temporary Gentleman   My Struggle   

 Hard Choices by Hillary Rodham Clinton
Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch
The Lobster Kings by Alexi Zentner
The Children Act by Ian McEwan   

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
The Temporary Gentleman by Sebastian Barry
My Struggle, Book 3 by Karl Ove Knausgaard  

In the Kids Section

  • Kid Tested & Approved
Members of our ARC program have been busy reading and reviewing newly released titles.  Here are a few of their favorites.

All Four Stars by Tara Dairman (author will be part of our Kid Lit Author Panel event on May 21 All Four Stars )
Reviewed by Scarlet, age 10
All Four Stars is a four star book indeed. The book is about a young girl named Gladys Gatsby who learns that nothing is impossible throughout life, and to never give up. Overall All Four Stars is a book that I would recommend to young chefs.Anywhere but Paradise
 
  Anywhere but Paradise by Anne Bustard
Reviewed by Phoebe, age 10
I loved the book Anywhere but Paradise because it had so many exciting plot twists. I also loved the main character's adventures. The main character in this book is Peggy Sue. The supporting characters are Malina, Kiki, Mama, Daddy, and Mrs.Halani. This book has short chapters which I think is a good style of writing for this book. Overall I really loved this book.

Evil Spy School Evil Spy School by Stuart Gibbs
Reviewed by Meg, age 11
This book was really, really good! I would definitely recommend it to people who like action packed books. It was also a major page turner. It is the 3rd book in the Spy School series. This book is about a boy named Ben who got expelled from his old spy school and ends up going to evil spy school because he thinks he is going under cover to plot against evil. Read it to find out what actually happens.
Deft
  Defy by Sara B. Larson
Reviewed by Ella, age 12
Defy was really good! It is one of my favorite books now and, I imagine, moving forward. The book was pretty short around 300/350 pages but was full of suspense, fantasy, action, mystery etc. I'm a tad biased considering I love fantasy reads but even people who don't would love this book. The main character Alexa had a Mulan feel to her considering she had to pretend to be a boy to serve in the king's guard.

Even in Paradise Even in Paradise by Chelsey Philpot
Reviewed by Aleen, age 12
Charlotte Ryder leads a small life attending St. Anne's boarding high-school. She is from a small town in New Hampshire and her family doesn't have much money. That is until Charlotte is pulled into the dazzling, complicated, and fun world of Julia Buchanan. As they become closer Charlotte discovers the real truth hidden within the tight bonds of the Buchanan family. Charlotte soon becomes as close to the Buchanans as she does to her own family. This book is the perfect example of how to deal with grief, romance, and friendships all at the same time.

In the Gift Aisle

  • Pamper mom on Mother's Day
Don't stress about getting the perfect gift for your mom!  We have a ton of tasteful gift ideas to suit everyone -- there are so many appealing (and practical) things on display that it's impossible to photograph them all. You could put a favorite picture in one of our many styles of frame and wrap it in a mini canvas tote with a soft, patterned cotton scarf. Printed flower sack cloth towels are super-absorbent and only get softer with each wash, and there are so many varieties, you could start a collection.  Spoil her with something she might not buy for herself, like some fashion-forward jewelry, fresh and naturally scented candles, and a wide variety of lovely soaps. We have a huge assortment of greeting cards from the sentimental to the irreverent. Whether you're shopping for your mother or another important woman in your life, we're happy to help steer you in the right direction. The mother of a certain bookseller (cough, cough) always looks forward to getting something nice from Wellesley Books...

Downstairs at Wellesley Books 

  • The return of the Used Book cart
It's that time of year again! It doesn't really feel like spring around here until the Used Book cart reappears on our sidewalk. Just to warn you, though, if you stop to browse, you may end up going home with several books you hadn't planned on buying -- something about the juxtaposition of fact and fiction, old and more recent makes everything more appealing.  Here is a personally-biased assortment of interesting finds from today:

Used Book cart Old Filth by Jane Gardam
My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
Money by Martin Amis
The Vagabond by Colette
The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
The Receptionist by Janet Groth
and a lovely hardcover edition of The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

    

Trade Your Used Books:

Saturdays from 11am - 3pm
Please note: we will not be accepting used books on Saturday, May 2nd. Trade-ins will resume on May 9th.
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 

  • Ollie
Ollie
Ollie is a one-year-old mix adopted from Save A Dog in Sudbury. He came all the way to Massachusetts from St. Croix. As you can see, he has the adorable head tilt down to a science -- he posed a different way each time the camera clicked. He was also able to stand on his back legs for a very long time while doing a little dance, which immediately brought to mind the talented dog in Officer Buckle and Gloria.  Fortunately he loves a good book! 

What We're Reading Now...

Elephant Company
Alice
The Children's Crusade
Betty
Soil
Gillian
The Mathematician's Shiva
Jane
The Sympathizer
Bill
Trigger Warning
Rachael
 

Thank you for supporting your community

independent bookstore!


 

Best wishes,


Rebecca Stimpson
Wellesley Books
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