September 16, 2008
This week we're debuting the The Weekly Top 2 Questions for parents. The redoubtable Sheila Steinhouser, despite having a headache, stands ready to break fresh ground. KB: If you wrote a book for your children what would it be about? Sheila: I'm really interested in "living books," fiction books that convey real facts about various things, hermit crabs, history, life on the prairie type of things. KB: What topic would you choose for your book? Sheila: It's hard to pick one, but I'm really into Native American themes, and I would probably pick from that. KB: If your kids were children's book characters which ones would they be? Sheila:They would probably be those Earth Fire and Water Fairies. They're super into fairies and nature spirits. KB: Awesome! Thanks! Here they are! Our weekly picks for the two best: two hardcover, two paperback, and two children's books. The very best new arrivals to leap out of the box and onto our shelves this week. Call or email us if you want more information on any of these titles, or to have us hold you a copy. Or stop in and check them out in person. We'd love to see you. Thanks as always for sharing your reading with us! |
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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
By Larsson, Stieg Murray, Steven T. Keeland, Reg 2008/09 - Knopf Publishing Group 9780307269751 - Hardcover List Price $24.95 - Your Price: $19.96
Many "European publishing sensations" are brought to the U.S. with little success, but Swedish author Stig Larsson is the real thing. He has a stong, devoted following, in fact I gave my galley away this summer to a traveling couple from Germany who were positively desperate for some Larsson. Their need was greater than mine but a copy of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is going straight home tonight. Anyone who likes a good thriller should give this book a look see....More
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Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life
By Norris, Kathleen 2008/10 - Riverhead Hardcover 9781594489969 - Hardcover List Price $25.95 - Your Price: $20.76
This is a big release by the author of The Cloister Walk and Dakota. Acedia is a spiritual state of ennui, which Norris examines here through her husband's struggle with it. It's pretty generally known that I have the spiritual depth of a goldfish, and am not the best judge of these things, but Norris is a fine writer and Acedia and Me has been long in the crafting....More
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The Day of Battle: The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944
By Atkinson, Rick 2008/09 - Holt Rinehart and Winston 9780805088618 - Trade Paper List Price $17.00 - Your Price: $13.60
Atkinson's long awaited second volume in his Liberation Trilogy, The Day of Battle, is out in paperback. Here is my full review of this account of The War in Sicily and Italy, 1943-44. ...More
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The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War
By Halberstam, David 2008/09 - Hyperion 9780786888627 - Trade Paper List Price $17.95 - Your Price: $14.36
Halberstram's last major work is important not only for that fact, but because The Korean War has been so relatively neglected in terms of popular history. ...More
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A Giant Problem
By Black, Holly DiTerlizzi, Tony DiTerlizzi, Tony 2008/09 - Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 9780689871320 - Hardcover List Price $10.99 - Your Price: $8.79
Book two of the Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles is out today. This marvelous series, pairing author Holly Black, and artist Tony Diterlizzi has gotten so many reluctant readers to take the plunge that it is always a pleasure to unpack a new Spiderwick book....More
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Larry and the Meaning of Life
By Tashjian, Janet 2008/09 - Henry Holt & Company 9780805077353 - Hardcover List Price $16.95 - Your Price: $13.56
Since the Weekly Top Two is as much about hard news as it is about opinion, before discussing Larry and the Meaning of Life we should report the release of this year's Jan Brett book, Gingerbread Friends, which is pictured below. The annual Jan Brett book has become something of a ritual, and though Gingerbread Friends is little more than a reprise of standard Brett themes, her many fans willnot be disappointed.
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If one has a taste for something a bit more original try Larry and the Meaning of Life Tashjian's third book featuring Larry. These are highly intelligent, funny, and sharply satirical young adult novels which are well worth reading. In the the current book Larry reprises Walden, to great effect.
