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Weekly Words about BooksNovember 2, 2014
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Three Fun Reads In Paperback Now In Indie Bookstores
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The Martian by Andy Weir. "Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there."
This is not a great literary tome, but I dare you to read the first couple of  chapters and then put it down. Author Weir clearly knows his stuff (or has a terrific imagination) as he takes an as-yet-untested premise and makes it believable - at least to unscientific novices like me. And whether it's actually plausible to think an astronaut could get stranded on Mars and create a plan to survive for several years (until the next scheduled Mars mission) doesn't really matter. The way Weir lays out his hero's plans is compelling and hopeful; you really are rooting for this guy - with his scientific expertise and McGyver-like skills - to make it.
Through the Evil Days: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery
by Julia Spencer-Fleming. This is the 8th installment of the mystery series  featuring Episcopal priest Fergusson and Police Chief Van Alstynin. The first book, In the Bleak Midwinter, won several awards, and more than a decade later, the main characters remain complex and interesting. Both are ex-Army, tough, and unorthodox, and their growing attraction to each other over the years has not gone unnoticed in the small Adirondack town of Millers Kill, New York. Now they're married, expecting a child that was conceived well before the nuptials, and in disagreement over a long-delayed honeymoon. Then a big fire reveals a possible double homicide that is the last thing they want to deal with right now, and a life-threatening blizzard sweeps into the area to further complicate their investigation and relationship. Provence, 1970: M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste by Luke Barr. This is an amazing chronicle of a singular historic moment in December, 1970. While not planned, it turned o  ut that iconic culinary figures James Beard, M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, Richard Olney, Simone Beck, and Judith Jones found themselves together in the South of France. They cooked and ate, talked and argued, about the future of food in America, the meaning of taste, and the limits of snobbery. Without quite realizing it, they were shaping today's tastes and culture, the way we eat now. The conversations among this group were chronicled by M.F.K. Fisher in journals and letters - some of which were later discovered by Luke Barr, her great-nephew and himself a writer/editor at Travel + Leisure magazine. He uses Fisher's writings, and other research material, to re-create an amazing convergence that influenced food and cooking from that time forward. | |
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Indie Booksellers Love These New Children's Books
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Here's a small sampling of new books recommended for the 4-8 age group from the most recent Kids' Indie Next list - all worth noting! The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee "Frazee has outdone herself! It is a rare feat to create a wordless book that also works perfectly as a read-aloud. The sequential illustrations  make this wonderful for the classroom, and it can be used to fill all sorts of Common Core requirements. It can be read from beginning to end, or each picture can be used to create a stand-alone story all its own. This is more than just a picture book; this is a lovely adventure to be read again and again. Don't miss this treasure!" -Jessilyn Norcross, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, MI
Bad Dog Flash by Ruth Paul "Flash is just trying to learn his place in th  e world but it seems like everything he tries gets him into trouble. Thankfully, there's one little girl who loves him just as he is! This is both a wonderful read-aloud and a great beginning-reader book."
- Keri Rojas, Cornerstone Cottage Kids, Hampton, IA
Hermelin the Detective Mouse by Mini Grey .
"After making his home in the attic of an apartment building, Hermelin, a small, mystery-solving mouse, notices the building bulletin board covered with notices of missing items. Hermelin sets out to help recover a missing  bracelet, a purse, a teddy bear, and more. When the tenants throw a party in the mysterious Hermelin's honor, he's touched, until the attendees scatter in a panic at the sight of a mouse. When Hermelin discovers that mice are considered pests, he sadly decides to leave his home behind, until a young tenant befriends him and reminds him to be proud of who - and what - he is!"
- Sara Grochowski, Brilliant Books, Traverse City, MI
Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
"Sam and Dave decide to dig a hole with their dog right alongside them. They won't stop  digging until they find 'something spectacular.' Needless to say, they tire themselves out and run out of food before they find anything, but their trusty dog doesn't stop digging and therein lies the adventure. Barnett and Caldecott-winner Klassen have created a deceptively simple book filled with clever clues that children will enjoy discovering as they read this unique adventure story."
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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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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.
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COMMENTS, FEEDBACK I always love hearing from folks, so please feel free to let me know what you're reading, make a comment, or ask a question. Email me anytime.
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