|
|
Weekly Words about BooksJuly 13, 2014
|
 |
|
Two Women Make Return Trips to Bestseller List, Joined By Unconventional Upstart
The Care and Management of Lies by Jacqueline Winspear. The bestselling author of the hugely popular Maisie Dobbs mystery series has written a stand
-alone novel set during World War I. By July 1914, the ties between Kezia
M archant and Thea Brissenden, friends since girlhood, have become strained. Thea has embraced women's suffrage, and Kezia is about to marry Thea's brother Tom, who runs the family farm. When Tom enlists to fight for his country, Kezia is faced with daunting task of keeping the farm afloat. She deals with her hardships and the pain of missing Tom by writing him letters that describe imaginary meals she is planning for him, and the missives become popular with fellow soldiers in the trenches who find solace in the dream world she creates. Thea, meanwhile, joins the war effort, which imposes further tension on the two women's friendship.
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes. A successful and popular British novelist, Moyes has been discovered in this country as well, as bestsellers like Me Before You and The Girl You Left Behind have proven. Her newest is another "opposites attract" love story, and it should further solidify  her popularity in the States.
Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied, and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can't afford to pay for. That's Jess's life in a nutshell - until an unexpected knight in shining armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess's knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages . . . maybe ever.
#Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso. The founder, CEO, and creative director of online fashion retailer Nasty Girl has written a very different business book, one that's frank, hip, and written with a decidedly youthful tone. Amoruso certainly qualifies as a business success - she turned her hobby of selling  vintage clothing on eBay into a $100 million company with 350 employees. In addition to some behind-the-scenes peeks at Nasty Girl, Amoruso doles out her uninhibited views on winning in business and life. For her, success is not about who you know or where you went to college, it's about trusting your instincts and following your gut, knowing which rules to follow and which to break. As she writes in the book, "I have three pieces of advice I want you to remember: Don't ever grow up. Don't become a bore. Don't let The Man get to you."
| | |
|
|
|
New Children's Picture Book Perfect for Kids Facing Changes
| | Peggy: A Brave Chicken on a Big Adventure by Anna Walker. Originally published in Australia in 2012, this favorite from the Spring 2014 Kids' Indie Next List has also been showing up in independent bookstore newsletters. Booksellers have praised the author/illustrator's plucky heroine and her ink and photo collage artwork.
 Peggy the hen is content with her quiet existence and daily routine. When a powerful gust of wind sweeps her up and deposits her in the midst of a busy city, she explores her new surroundings, makes new friends, and cleverly figures out how to get home - with a newly kindled appetite for adventure. This reassuring tale, and its unruffled heroine, invites discussions of exploration, safety, and resourcefulness and can be an introduction to youngsters about new experiences. (Ages 3-8)
|
|
WHERE TO FIND
AN INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE
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.
|
|
Join the
Get Hut's Place
Every Week -
No Charge!
If You're Already a Subscriber, How About Forwarding to a Friend?
Your e-mail will
never be shared!
|
|
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME
| |
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
