From Tony:
I read the stories in Jamel Brinkley's collection A Lucky Man (Graywolf $26) a few months ago when it was published and haven't been able to get them out of my mind. I've been re-reading them, and this extraordinary collection defies easy description. The stories take me places I cannot go, places I would never have dreamt of going. And not just because I'm white, and grew up in the suburbs. Jamel Brinkley writes fearlessly and without sentiment about boys growing into men, about men looking at women, about women surviving and thriving. He writes about race and class and gender and sex, but also about dancing and laughter and tenderness and regret. I urge you to read these astonishing stories; they will transport you. (A Lucky Man was just longlisted for the National Book Award.)
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STAFF PICKS
Two from Samantha: The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain (St. Martin's $27.99). It's 1970. A pregnant Carly grieves for her husband, killed in Vietnam. Now she learns that her unborn daughter has a heart condition that will be fatal upon birth. If only it were a few decades later, fetal surgery might be a reality that could save her baby. Upon that premise, Diane Chamberlain will take you on the ride of your life! She weaves a complex, believable plot made spellbinding by her ability to create vivid characters and to communicate the depths of human emotion. I began reading Dream Daughter late one night. I finished it at 5 a.m. the next morning. I literally could not put it down. (Chamberlain presents the book at QRB this Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 7:00 p.m. in a reserved-seating event.) 
French Exit: A Novel by Patrick deWitt (Ecco $25.99). In these nerve racking times, I was searching for a book that is, simply, fun. This is it! It is subtly satirical, irreverent, not particularly deep (my apologies to Mr. DeWitt if it was meant to be). Let me put it this way: As Hurricane Florence blew through and the power went out, this was my stalwart companion. I loved it!
From Matt: Resisting Illegitimate Authority: A Thinking Person's Guide to Being an Anti-Authoritarian―Strategies, Tools, and Models by Bruce E. Levine (AK Press $18). This very accessible book would be the basis of a top-notch college course. Within are brief biographies of rebels who resisted authority privately and publicly, laying out their triumphs (some) and tragedies (so very many): Paine, Nader, Tubman, Chomsky, Malcolm X, Emma Goldman, Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, plenty more. It delves into tools for resistance, psychologies of oppression, recognition of legitimate authority, and religious rebellion, all while remaining quite enjoyably readable excellent!
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AUTOGRAPHED COPIES
In Pieces by Sally Field (Grand Central $29). An American icon tells her story for the first time in this intimate, haunting literary memoir.
Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead $15). An illustrated book on the refugee crisis that will break your heart in under 48 pages, from the bestselling author of The Kite Runner.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green (Dutton $26). A debut novel from the Youtuber, musician and educator. "...an adventurous romp that combines science fiction and interpersonal drama to explore identity, relationships, a polarized world and the influence of media and popular opinion."—Bookpage
Vengeful by V. E. Schwab (Tor $25.99). This thrilling follow-up to Vicious is a super-powered collision of extraordinary minds and vengeful intention.
Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness (Viking $29). From the bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches, a novel about what it takes to become a vampire.
Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds (Tor $27.99) is Brandon Sanderson's novella collection of science fiction thrillers that will make you question reality--including a never-before-published story.
Signed books make great gifts; find more of our selection here. Limited quantities are on hand.
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NEW IN PAPERBACK
Grant by Ron Chernow (Penguin $22). A portrait of one of our most compelling generals and presidents, Ulysses S. Grant. "Brilliant, captivating history!"—Helen
Five-Carat Soul: Stories by James McBride (Riverhead $16). "Quirky and poignant and hilarious characters... humanity at its most human presented in beautiful writing."—Mamie
Dinner at the Center of the Earth by Nathan Englander (Vintage $16.95). A political thriller that unfolds in the highly charged territory of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "Superb: a work of psychological precision and moral force."—Colson Whitehead
The Ninth Hour: A Novel by Alice McDermott (Picador$17). "Stunning... McDermott has created a haunting and vivid portrait of an Irish Catholic clan in early 20th century America."—Associated Press
Everyday People: The Color of Life--a Short Story Anthology edited by Jennifer Baker (Atria $17). Includes new and renowned work by established and emerging writers of color. "A delight and highly recommended."—Booklist
The First Major: The Inside Story of the 2016 Ryder Cup by John Feinstein (Anchor $16.95). The golfing rivalry between the U.S. and European teams was at an all-time high even before the first swing.
Best American Poetry 2018 edited by David Lehman and Dana Gioia (Scribner $18.99). "...a 'best' anthology that really lives up to its title."—Chicago Tribune
What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton (Simon & Schuster $18.99). Clinton's most personal memoir yet, about the 2016 presidential election.
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AWARDS
The Man Booker Prize shortlist for 2018 has been announced; the award is given each year for the best original novel written in the English language and published in the UK. Two of the six novels on the shortlist were recommended by our staffers Mamie and Tony; of The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner, Tony said, "I was fortunate enough to hear the author read from the book recently, and was reminded just how funny it is, even amidst the violence and the sorrow. Like life." And Mamie said of The Overstory by Richard Powers, "Our natural world is more threatened than ever, and knowledge and inspiration are crucial to our survival. This novel provides both." The winner will be announced on October 16; see all of the shortlisted novels here.
The National Book Foundation has announced the longlists for its 2018 awards in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People's Literature. And our staff members (again, Mamie and Tony!), have previously recommended five of the ten Fiction candidates.
The winners of the Dayton Literary Peace Prize are Hala Alyan for Salt Houses (Fiction), and Ta-Nehisi Coates for We Were Eight Years In Power (Nonfiction). The prize has been awarded annually since 2006, and recognizes "the power of the written word to promote peace."
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NC BOOKWATCH
During October, UNC-TV's NC Bookwatch with host D.G. Martin will have special primetime shows, Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m., featuring North Carolina authors whose books have been chosen for PBS's The Great American Read. Regular programming this week will feature author Philip Gerard with The Dark of the Island, set on Hatteras Island. Find the full Bookwatch schedule and a link to watch online here.
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QRB EVENTS
THURSDAY, SEPT. 27, 7:00 p.m. Pam Kelley, Money Rock: A Family's Story of Cocaine, Race, and Ambition in the New South. With Pastor Belton Platt, formerly known as Money Rock, in conversation with John Drescher of the News and Observer. Kelley's compelling social history tells how mass incarceration and segregation shaped one family and the city of Charlotte. Kelley is an award-winning former reporter for the Charlotte Observer.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 29, 10:30 a.m. Matthew Cordell, King Alice. A special Under the Tree Storytime with the release of a new picture book for ages 3+. Bored from being stuck at home on a cold day, Alice is nudged by her dad to create her own book, and she leads her pajama-clad family on a fun-filled, wildly imaginative adventure. For his book Wolf in the Snow, Cordell received the the 2018 Caldecott Medal, the most distinguished award for American picture books for children. After the storytime, at 11:00 a.m., he will present "Wolf in the Snow: The Making of and the Road to Caldecott". This is not a reserved seating event, but you'll receive a signing-line ticket with QRB purchase of King Alice.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 30, 2:00 p.m. Georgann Eubanks, The Month of Their Ripening: North Carolina Heritage Foods through the Year. Eubanks has talked with farmers, fishmongers, cooks, historians, and scientists, learning how these twelve foods are deeply tied to the culture of the Old North State.
MONDAY, OCT. 1, 7:00 p.m. Lucie Greene, Silicon States: The Power and Politics of Big Tech and What It Means for Our Future. A respected futurist and think-tank leader looks at the power players of Silicon Valley like Google, Apple, and Facebook, and says that before we hand over our future to Big Tech, we should examine the benefits and the potential problems of the world they might build.
TUESDAY, OCT. 2, 7:00 p.m. Diane Chamberlain, The Dream Daughter. This is a Reserved Seating event. Chamberlain is one of our favorite local bestselling authors, and she's back with this genre-spanning new novel that pushes the boundaries of faith and science, exploring a mother's quest to save her unborn child and reunite her family. Local author Elaine Neil Orr (Swimming Between Worlds) will introduce Diane. Click here for information about attending this event.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 3, 7:00 p.m. Bridging the Divide Book Club discusses former New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu's book, In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History. Leading the discussion will be Rupert Nacoste, NCSU Professor of Psychology and author of Taking On Diversity: How We Can Move From Anxiety to Respect. The club's goal is to foster dialog and better understanding between people with different political viewpoints and to provide a space for civil discourse on controversial or divisive topics. As with all of our in-store book clubs, participants receive a 21% discount on the discussion book; just let us know at the counter when you purchase it.
THURSDAY, OCT. 4, 7:00 p.m. at Meredith College, Jones Auditorium, Jodi Picoult, A Spark of Light. Picoult will be in conversation with John Grisham discussing her provocative new novel which follows one day in the lives of those who are involved when a gunman enters a women's reproductive health clinic and begins shooting, taking everyone inside hostage. Tickets are required to attend this event. Visit our website for full details. Co-sponsored by Meredith Friends of the Library.
Find our full calendar of events here.
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BOOK CLUBS & MEETINGS (Everyone welcome)
THURSDAY, SEPT. 27, 7:00 p.m. SCI-FI/FANTASY, Borderline by Mishell Baker. The club's selections include a focus on strong female protagonists and diverse themes such as gender.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 30, 4:30 p.m. THE QRB BOOK CLUB, Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance.
MONDAY, OCT. 1, 7:00 p.m. MYSTERY, discussing mysteries set in Scotland
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 3, 7:00 p.m. BRIDGING THE DIVIDE, In the Shadow of Statues: A White Southerner Confronts History by Mitch Landrieu. The goal of this book club is to foster dialog and better understanding between people with different viewpoints. Rupert Nacoste, NCSU Professor of Psychology will lead the discussion.
SATURDAY, OCT. 6, 10:30 a.m. CAROLINAKINDER GERMAN STORYTIME. Introduce children ages 4–7 to German language and culture with stories, songs, games and crafts.
MONDAY, OCT. 8, 7:00 p.m. NOT FOR MEN ONLY, Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.
TUESDAY, OCT. 9, 2:30 p.m. OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute), When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
THE FREAKIN' AWESOME BOOK CLUB, for young adults with developmental disabilities, meets Sundays at 4:45 p.m. at QRB or in members' homes. Currently reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. Contact facilitator Marlyn Wells at [email protected] for more information.
QRB TEEN WRITERS COLLECTIVE. Always meets virtually and usually meets physically at the NC State University Club on the first, third and fifth Wednesdays of the month at 7:00 p.m.; email [email protected] for more information.
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Quail Ridge Books
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