Bookseller Summer Reading: Part 4

It was brought to my attention that I missed posting Marisa's summer reading list, so on this Indian Summer day, here's a bit of summertime (or, really, anytime) reading for you:


1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
An otherworldly circus, open only at night, is the setting for a duel between two young magicians. The imagery is amazing and the story compelling. It's a hard book to put down!

2. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks

Budo is the imaginary friend of a boy named Max. He gives us the inside scoop on what it's like to be an imaginary friend and a close look at the trials and tribulations he goes through to save Max's life, at the risk of his own.

3. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
I got so attached to the characters in this novel that when I was through, I seriously considered starting over again. A novel about baseball, family, friends and love.

4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
In this futuristic dystopian novel, 24 children ages 12-18 are pitted against each other in a televised fight to the death. It's now a movie but as is often the case, the book is better.  It's worth a read, even if you've already seen it.

A few other books I liked: The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai, Cutting for
Stone by Abraham Verghese and The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving
by Jonathan Evison.

I also read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Half the time I loved it and the other half I felt like "accidentally" losing it so I wouldn't have to read it anymore. Some classics make me feel that way. I know I'm supposed to like them, but sometimes it's hard.

Bookseller Summer Reading: Part 2

Diane Grenkow is the second bookseller to ring in with an answer to our "back to school" question: What did you read this summer? 

Here are some of the books I've read this summer.  I really did read The Pickled Pantry even though it is about pickling and doesn't really tell a story exactly.  Except maybe the story of summer.  I read it cover to cover anyway and stuck slips of paper in where there are recipes I want to try.  It turns out, it would have been easier to mark the ones that I DON'T want to try.  I have been reading Anne of Green Gables books to my daughter and wishing we could run off to Prince Edward Island.  My son suggested I read the Ranger's Apprentice series and I'll admit I picked up the first one just to be nice because he asked me to.  Then I couldn't put them down and neglected the things that should have been pickled because I was too busy reading the whole series.  Whoops!  The Man Who Quit Money provided food for thought about how to live one's life and how to relate to money and what we do to get it and keep it that might not be in our best interest.  I love Archer Mayor and Toni Morrison, whatever they write.  Birds of a Lesser Paradise, a collection of stories, and Wild took me places the way you want a good summer read to take you.  Right now I am reading Louise Erdrich's forthcoming novel, The Round House.  It tells a brutal story but I'm completely taken with it so far.

Elementary reading

The Onion's AV Club is one of my favorite pop culture blogs, for it's well-balanced mix of high- and low-brow pursuits and snark and sincerity. One of their many entertaining columns is "Gateways to Geekery," which presents a subject with high geek cult status that may seem intimidating to outsiders (for example, noir films), then offers suggestions on the best way for a beginner to test the waters. This week's Gateway to Geekery introduces Sherlock Holmes, an old favorite of mine. Not having read much beyond the original stories, I enjoyed the discussion of Holmesian "fan-fic" and was reminded that I still have to read A Study in Emerald, by another favorite author, Neil Gaiman.

As with any mention of Sherlock Holmes,  this column made me think of my grandmother. I owe a lot of my literary tastes to her--it was her gift of a collection of O. Henry's short stories and another of Oscar Wilde's that introduced me to both of those wonderful writers. We shared a love of the Bronte sisters' writing; she even gave me a copy of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by the oft-forgotten Anne. And one Christmas, I received a thick hardcover copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. While I'll never share her fondness for whodunits, I am so very glad that Grandma shared Sir Conan Doyle with me. I devoured the stories, from "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League" to "The Hound of the Baskervilles." I was astounded and thrilled and terrified and amazed along with Dr. Watson as Sherlock Holmes investigated and cracked each case.

Unlike some unworn sweaters and outgrown toys that are long gone, I have kept every one of the books my grandmother gave me over the years. I treasure them for the stories written inside and for the memories they hold for me of my Grandma.

Are there books that you associate with people or events in your life? If you have a story you'd like to share, please do in the comments.

The Books of Summer: Part 2

Last week, we posted links to other peoples' recommended reading lists. This week, we'd like to offer our own suggestions.

First up, the books we've read and highly recommend:

Border Songs by Jim Lynch - Set along the Washington-Canada border, this novel tells the story of a two small communities, separated by a ditch and not much else, that are shaken up by increased pressure by Homeland Security to patrol the comings and goings across that ditch. The loveable and misunderstood Brandon Vanderkool falls right in the center of the turmoil by accidentally becoming the border patrol's most successful agent. It's a great story by a great author, and we're looking forward to welcoming Jim Lynch to the bookstore on July 10!

The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen - A fascinating, unusual story packaged in a gorgeous book. T.S. Spivet is a cartographic genius who has won a prestigious award at the young age of 12. During his cross-country train trip to the award ceremony, he ruminates on his life and fractured family, interspersing the story with numerous maps and notes in the margins.

Outcasts United by Warren St. John - A compelling journalistic style of writing makes this story about a refugee youth soccer team a must-read. St. John weaves historical and cultural background in with the stories of various children and their families who are trying to make a new home in a town that is unsure of how to handle the sudden influx of  foreigners into their community.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley - This little mystery is quick to read and has a wicked sense of humor, thanks to its protagonist. Flavia de Luce is an 11 year old girl with a passion for chemistry (especially poisons) who takes on the task of clearing her father's name in a murder that took place on the family estate.

John Adams by David McCullough - A very accessible account of this fascinating early American leader. Don't let the size of this book intimidate you--it is an absorbing read.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - This middle grade/young adult novel is a gripping story about a girl who is forced to fight for her life in a government-sponsored reality show that pits teenagers against one another for the honor of their district and the entertainment of the Capitol. Read (or re-read) it before the sequel, Catching Fire, comes out in September!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie -  This novel in journal format is about a reservation kid who defies tradition and his best friend to go to school  with white kids, 22 miles and a whole world away. Funny and poignant and discussion-provoking, this is a fantastic book for teenaged boys (or girls) and adults.

Bayou by Jeremy Love - Bayou collects the first four chapters in a webcomics series about a menacing world in which the small but brave daughter of a black sharecropper fights racism, in the form of men and monsters, and is joined by one particular monster named Bayou in her search for justice.

And now, the books that we're looking forward to reading this summer:

My Dearest Friend - The letters of John and Abigail Adams offer a personal look at a pivotal point in our history.

The Family Man - Elinor Lipman's latest promises to be a light, funny, and heartwarming read.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey - The first book was delightful, and the adventures and mysteries just keep coming.

Southern Vampire series (Living Dead in Dallas, #2) - You can't open a magazine these days without seeing those gorgeously gothic photos advertising the t.v. series True Blood. For those of us that don't have cable, original books, by Charlaine Harris, are entertaining servings of romance, mystery, and the supernatural.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog - This translated novel about lives in an apartment building in France sounds like a good, character-driven story with the added charm of a Parisian setting.

Whiskey Rebels - Treason, deception, redemption, and a host of real-life characters make this sound like the perfect thrilling historical novel to get lost in on a lazy summer day.

Of course, this is by no means a complete list. What are your recommendations, or the books that are on your planned summer reading list? Let us know in the comments (or stop by the store--one thing we never get tired of is talking about books!)