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Weekly Words about BooksJUNE 2, 2013
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Indie Recommendations for Book Groups - Part Two
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As I reported last week, the Summer '13 Indie Next List for Reading Groups has just been released, and it provides a wealth of great reading choices for the summer (and beyond). The twice-yearly list includes booksellers' 10 favorite new books in paperback, as well as more than three dozen other recommended titles grouped into categories. I ran the first 5 of the Top Ten titles in my last column; here are numbers 6-10:
6. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
"The inspiring story of Strayed's solo journey on the Pacific Crest Trail s nags you from the beginning and keeps you engaged the whole way through. It was a bold move considering that she had no backpacking experience prior to her trip, but in the years following her mother's death and the subsequent dissolution of her family, Strayed was no stranger to bold moves. The challenges, both external and internal, that she endures while on the trail are balanced with stories about her life leading up to her brave decision to hike alone for months in the rugged Western wilderness. This is a story of survival in every sense of the word, and one that will stick with you long after you finish reading." - Deborah Castorina, Waucoma Bookstore, Hood River, OR
7. A Good American by Alex George
"In these crazy, sad times, when fear and greed seem to be defining our responses, it was wonderful to be reminded of the irreplaceable role
immigr ation has played in making our country great and of the various ways of being 'a good American.' Frederick and Jette flee Prussia in 1904 and make their new home in Missouri. Their story is told by their grandson, James, and like the best family stories, is filled with the coincidences, missed connections, and both the tragedy and magic of ordinary life. George breaks your heart with the quiet sacrifices and secrets of his characters but never forgets the wonder and humor of living. Carrying the reader across the generations with music and food, religion and prohibition, racism and patriotism, A Good American makes this unique family's story seem familiar in the best of ways." - Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL
8. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce 
"'He walked so surely, it was as if all his life he had been waiting to get up from his chair.' Recently retired Harold Fry receives an unsettling letter from a co-worker from years past. Queenie is dying in hospice and when Harold sets out to post a return letter, he is seized by the idea that if he keeps walking, Queenie will live. So begins a pilgrimage of personal transformation for Harold - and quite possibly for the reader as well. Insightful and touching, this journey will stay with readers for quite some time." - Julia MacDonald, The Yankee Bookshop, Woodstock, VT
9. Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron
"This b eautifully written work is set in Rwanda at the beginning of the Hutu-Tutsi tensions and is told through the eyes of Jean Patrick Nkuba, a talented runner who is hoping to be Rwanda's first Olympic medal winner in track. The complicated relationships set against this violent background take Jean Patrick through a decade in which his very way of life is undone. As stark as this story is, the redemption Jean Patrick finds in running and the love and sacrifice exhibited by his family make Running the Rift an incredible read." - Jan Sloan, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT
10. The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
"It is 10 years after the end of civilization. Few survived the illness th at wiped out most of the population of the U.S. Hig, a pilot, and his dog, Jasper, live in and defend an airport with Bangley, a gun-obsessed gruff man with no second thoughts about killing intruders. Somehow Hig has maintained his conscience, continues to yearn for more to life, and sets out to find it. Heller has written a masterpiece full of language so beautiful it will break your heart and then fill it back up." - Hannah Johnson-Breimeier, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI
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Two New Good Reads Also Indie Bestsellers
| | City of Women by David R. Gillham. This tense, page-turning first novel is set in Germany in 1943 where, thanks to the war, Berlin has become a city of women. The protagonist, Sigrid Schroder,  appears to be the model German soldier's wife. She goes to work every day and dutifully cares for her meddling mother-in-law, all the while ignoring the horrific immoralities of the regime.
But behind this facade is an entirely different Sigrid, a woman of passion who dreams of her former Jewish lover, now lost in the chaos of the war. But Sigrid is not the only one with secrets, and she soon finds herself caught between what is right and what is wrong.
Romance, intrigue, and history in war-torn Berlin, coupled with a slew of great reviews - not bad for a first-time author. Gillham is a writer to watch.
The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss. Say the name Alexandre Dumas and any book lover will recognize the famed French author who wrote The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers. What many people don't  know is that those stories were inspired by Dumas' father - also named Alexandre Dumas - who was born a mixed-race Haitian slave and with the help of his white father eventually joined the French Army and rose to the rank of general during the French Revolution.
Largely forgotten by history, Dumas was an extraordinary soldier and flamboyant swashbuckler, and author Reiss's superb account of his life earned the book the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography.
"I like to think of him as history's ultimate underdog," said Reiss in a recent NPR interview. "He's a black man, born into slavery, and then he rises higher than any black man rose in a white society before our own time. He became a four-star general and challenged Napoleon, and he did it all 200 years ago, at the height of slavery."
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WHERE TO FIND A BOOKSTORE
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Many of you already have a favorite local bookstore, but for those of you without such a relationship, this link will take you to a list of Northern California indie bookstores by region.
If you live or work elsewhere, you can click here to find the nearest indie bookstore by simply entering your postal code.
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A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME
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My name is Hut Landon. I'm a former bookstore owner who now runs the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association (NCIBA) in San Francisco.
My goal with this newsletter is to keep readers up to date about new books hitting the shelves, share what booksellers are recommending in their stores, and pass on occasional news about the book world.
I'm not into long, wordy reviews or literary criticism; I'd like HUT'S PLACE to be a quick, fun read for book buyers.If you have any friends who you think might like receiving this column each week, simply click on "Forward this email" below and enter their email address. There is also a box in which to add a short message.
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