From Sarah:
Very few days go by when I don't get a stack of advance reading copies on my desk, each book containing a persuasive letter from the editor or publisher, sometimes followed by emails or phone calls, asking me to read it and love it as much as they do. I know what you're thinking: What a great problem to have, right? Yes, it is, and I'm not really whining. But it says a lot about an author when I ignore that growing pile and indulge in a book that nobody is begging me to read. When Vintage recently reissued Anne Tyler's novels in celebration of her new one, Clock Dance, out of her 22 books, I counted 15 that I've read (and loved). Celestial Navigation (1974) is still my favorite and I can hear it calling to me now: "Read me again...." Gotta go- * * *
OUR TAKE TEN STAFFER FOR AUGUST: SUSAN ALFF
From Mamie: Susan has been a bookseller for more years than she cares to admit, first at Wellington's Books in Cary where she became the children's manager, and then at Quail Ridge Books in the ordering department for twenty-some years. She is part of a monthly poetry writing group and enjoys collecting vintage housewares. In October, she'll get a new title: Grandmother. She can't wait!
I start with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (Harper Perennial $16.99) as my favorite. Francie Nolan rises above poverty and loneliness in the tenements of New York City as a reader of books. Mine is a yellowed copy, scented with cat and cigar and city, from my grandmother.
Anne Tyler's books are populated by characters living lives of gentle bewilderment in a slightly shabby contemporary Baltimore. It's hard to pick a favorite, especially with Clock Dance just out, but I love A Spool of Blue Thread (Ballantine $16).
Another chronicler of manners, this time in 1950s London, is Barbara Pym. In her illustrious Excellent Women (Penguin $16), Mildred Lathbury is a wry observer of the intrigues around the tea urn and the pitched battles for the vicar's attentions.
Pym's modern-day counterpart is novelist Joanna Trollope. I like The Other Family (2010) and Friday Nights (2008), but my Take Ten choice is An Unsuitable Match (Pan MacMillan $27.95).
Jon Hassler's first novel, Staggerford (Ballantine $7.99), presents an increasingly eventful week in the life of 35-year old Miles Pruitt. A bachelor and high-school English teacher in a small Minnesota town, he hopes to live his life without risks. Consider Staggerford a treasure that needs a new audience.
I woke up into poetry one morning hearing Betty Adcock reading her poem of original loss, "Rent House." It is included in Intervale: New and Selected Poems (LSU Press $24.95), with poems from her first four books and a new collection. Betty is writer, teacher, and encourager to a host of North Carolina poets; her latest, and last, book of poetry is Rough Fugue.
Dutifully, I always meant to read John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (Eerdman's $17.50). I found my way with a children's version from Eerdman, in which Gary Schmidt gives a contemporary retelling of one man's spiritual path through the Slough of Despond and other dangers. Barry Moser's watercolors make the journey's steep cliffs impossibly high.
For a lasting children's book, I choose Elizabeth Enright's The Saturdays (Square Fish $7.99), first in a quartet about the Melendys. The four children pool their allowance each week to give one a special Saturday in 1940s New York City. Saturdays has the excitement and risk of adventure and the comfort of Cuffy, their housekeeper, and Father.
Bootlegger's Daughter: A Deborah Knott Mystery (Oconee Spirit $14.95), the first of twenty mysteries featuring Judge Deborah Knott and her corner of North Carolina, is author Margaret Maron's love song to her homeplace. The youngest and only daughter of Kezzie Knott's twelve children, Deborah is spirited and nosy and a good literary friend. The earlier books are thankfully back in print courtesy of Oconee Spirit Press.
In 1982, A Is for Alibi (St. Martins $8.99) by Sue Grafton introduced Kinsey Millhone, an investigator, later a private eye, as devoid of family as possible. With her index cards and industrial-strength black dress (it makes it unscathed through the alphabet), Kinsey sets things right through twenty-five mysteries. Grafton died after Y Is for Yesterday (2017), leaving no clue about Z, the ending, so Kinsey lives on, unchanged, with the family she's come to create in Santa Teresa, California. * * *
NEW IN PAPERBACK
American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate Blakeslee (Broadway $16). The enthralling story of the rise and reign of O-Six, the celebrated Yellowstone wolf, and the people who loved or feared her.
An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic by Daniel Mendelsohn (Vintage $16). A deeply moving tale of a father and son's transformative journey in reading--and reliving--Homer's epic masterpiece. Named a Best Book of 2017 by multiple outlets.
The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by (Amistad $16.99). In this illuminating memoir, Michael W. Twitty traces his ancestry--both black and white--through food, from Africa to America and slavery to freedom.
Y is for Yesterday: A Novel by Sue Grafton (G.P. Putnam's Sons $16). The darkest and most disturbing case report from the files of Private Investigator Kinsey Millhone.
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WOULD YOUR GROUP ENJOY A TOUR AND BOOK TALK AT QUAIL RIDGE BOOKS?
We are currently conducting special tours of the bookstore for groups of five or more visitors. Included is a sit-down book talk by one of our knowledgeable booksellers featuring current books we're recommending, plus a behind-the-scenes tour of our facilities and offices. And as a thank you for visiting, each attendee will receive a coupon, or a free 3-month Readers' Club membership. All types of organizations are welcome, such as book clubs, civic groups, churches, retirement communities, and children's groups. If you would like to schedule a visit, or if you would like more information, contact René Martin at [email protected].
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PRE-ORDER SPECIALS ON UPCOMING RELEASES
Some of our favorite authors--and probably yours too--like Louise Penny, Barbara Kingsolver, Michael Lewis, and Haruki Murakami, have new books coming out this fall. When you pre-order the book from QRB, we'll include an extra gift item related to the book, or the book may be signed by the author. Click here to check out these new books. Quantities are limited, so pre-order soon!
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NOW READ THIS
NowReadThis is a book club from The New York Times and PBS NewsHour. Join along every month as they choose a book, discuss it online, and take your questions for the author. The August selection is What it Means When a Man Falls From the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah, an award-winning story collection that ranges from realism to folk tale to science fiction, telling tales of family and home.
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WILEY CASH FORMS OPEN CANON BOOK CLUB
Here's an announcement from our good friend and author Wiley Cash: "I'm thrilled to announce the formation of the Open Canon Book Club, an online book club whose goal is to introduce readers to voices and portrayals of the American experience they may not have otherwise encountered in their day-to-day lives, their education, or their book club meetings. Literary diversity plays a vital role in making us understood to one another, and this hope of understanding is the hinge upon which our democracy swings."
QRB will extend our 21% in-store-book club discount to Open Canon's selections. The inaugural selection for September is The Birds of Opulence by Crystal Wilkinson. Learn more and join the club at WileyCash.com/OpenCanon.
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AWARDS
The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded each year for the best original novel written in the English language and published in the UK and Ireland. The longlist just announced includes books recomended by our staff: Warlight by Michael Ondaatje and The Overstory by Richard Powers (Mamie), and The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner (Tony). The shortlist will be announced September 20 and the winner on October 16. Read more at TheManBookerPrize.com.
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NC BOOKWATCH
NC Bookwatch with host D.G. Martin airs on UNC-TV on Thursdays at 5:00 p.m and Sundays at 11:00 a.m. Coming up, D.G.'s guests are James Dodson with his golfing memoir, The Range Bucket List, and John Hart with The Hush, a mystery that returns to the world of The Last Child. Find the full cable schedule and a link to watch online here.
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QRB EVENTS
SATURDAY, AUG. 4, 2:00 p.m. Together in conversation, two authors of Young Adult speculative fiction discuss their novels for ages 13+, each featuring characters fighting for freedom. In Tracy Banghart's Grace and Fury, sisters Serina and Nomi face very different fates in a world where women have no rights. One is trapped as a perfect Grace in a beautiful palace, and the other must fight to the death in a volcanic island prison. Kaitlyn Sage Patterson's The Diminished is set in the Alskad Empire, where nearly all are born with a twin, two halves to form one whole...yet some face the world alone. Intrigue and romance abound in these new teen fantasies!
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8, 7:00 p.m. Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Think Again: How to Reason and Argue. What makes a good argument and why is that important? The Duke University Professor of Practical Ethics makes the case for the importance of reasonable arguments that increase understanding, respect, and compromise, which are needed today more than ever. Sinnott-Armstrong will be introduced by John Hood, president of the John William Pope Foundation and author of Catalyst: Jim Martin and the Rise of North Carolina Republicans. Our Bridging the Divide Book Club is not meeting in August, but we suggest attending this event as an alternative.
TUESDAY, AUG. 14, 7:00 p.m. Our Stories, Our Voices: 21 YA Authors Get Real About Injustice, Empowerment, and Growing Up Female in America. Four contributors join us from this important new anthology by young women writers. Tracy Deonn Walker, Amber Smith, Alexandra Duncan, and Jaye Robin Brown will discuss these essays that touch on race, religion, and ethnicity. A volume jam-packed with hope and inspiration to tackle the challenges ahead through art and creative spirit!
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 7:00 p.m. David Joy, The Line That Held Us. When Darl Moody goes hunting for a monster buck he's chased for years, he never expects to accidentally shoot a man digging ginseng. And the man he's killed is a Brewer, a family notorious for vengeance and violence. Edgar Award-nominated NC author, David Joy, brings us this remarkable novel about the cover-up of an accidental death, and the dark consequences that reverberate through the lives of four people who will never be the same again. In a starred review, Booklist says, "Joy has proved adept with southern noir in his first two novels, and he nails it again here, in the actions of characters who act as they must, for the sake of family and friendship, given their nature. This is fiction as beautiful and compelling as it is searing."
MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 7:00 p.m. Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing. Near a quiet town on the North Carolina coast, a young woman who has survived for years alone in the marshes and sands yearns to open herself to a new life. Owens' debut novel is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. "Owens delivers her mystery wrapped in gorgeous, lyrical prose. It's clear she's from this place—the land of the southern coasts, but also the emotional terrain—you can feel it in the pages."—Alexandra Fuller. Delia Owens is the co-author of three internationally-bestselling nonfiction books about her life as a wildlife scientist in Africa.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 7:00 p.m. David Sedaris, Calypso. Seats are sold out, but signing-line tickets are available. In Calypso, David Sedaris sets his formidable powers of observation toward middle age and mortality. He's never been sharper, and his ability to shock readers into laughter is unparalleled. Seats for David's presentation are sold out, however with QRB purchase of Calypso, you will receive a ticket to the after-program signing-line where you will meet David and he will sign and personalize your copy. No photography or videography is permitted at this event.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 7:00 p.m. Kati Gardner, Brave Enough. It's book release party time! Join us to celebrate this local author's debut novel for young adults ages 14+. Spoiler alert: No one with cancer dies in this story. They do play Uno, shave their head, get stabbed, make new friends, enjoy glitter, attend camp, get kissed (!), and above all else, discover they are brave enough to continue living life. We still have spots available for the pre-event dinner at 5:00 PM with Kati at nearby restaurant Aladdin's in North Hills. The cost is $28 and includes your copy of Brave Enough, plus appetizer, entree, and dessert, and priority seating and signing line placement at the 7:00 p.m. event. Email [email protected] with questions or to reserve your place.
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BOOK CLUBS & MEETINGS (Everyone welcome)
*Our Saturday morning Under the Tree Storytime for kids is on hiatus and resumes September 8 at 10:30 a.m. Mz. Linda's Toddler Time on Monday's at 10:30 a.m., for ages ages 1.5–4, continues without a break.
SATURDAY, AUG. 4, 10:30 a.m. CAROLINA KINDER GERMAN STORYTIME. Introduce children ages 4–7 to German language and culture with stories, songs, games and crafts.
MONDAY, AUG. 6, 7:00 p.m. MYSTERY BOOK CLUB, discussing mysteries set in France.
THURSDAY, AUG. 9, 7:00 p.m. LITERARY HORROR, You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann.
SUNDAY, AUG. 12, 2:00 p.m. WRITERS COFFEEHOUSE. Every writer of any kind at any stage in their writing career is welcome to join this discussion and networking group, and there is no set agenda. Not a peer review/critique group.
MONDAY, AUG. 13, 7:00 p.m. NOT FOR MEN ONLY, A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash.
TUESDAY, AUG. 14, 2:30 p.m. OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute), Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson.
THURSDAY, AUG. 16, 7:00 p.m. FOREVER YOUNG: YA FOR ADULTS, Warcross by Marie Lu.
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.
TEEN WRITERS COLLECTIVE: Meets at Whole Foods Community Room in Ridgewood Shopping Center, usually on the first, third and fifth Wednesdays of the month at 7:00 p.m. Suggested entry level is rising high school freshman+. Contact Cris Crissman at [email protected] for more information.
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Quail Ridge Books
33 Years of Independent Bookselling
919-828-1588
QuailRidgeBooks.com
“I'll carry on writing because that is what I do....When I finish one book I never think, ‘Oh, there's another one.’ It takes a little while to refill. My happiest moment is to be in the middle of a book.”~~Anne Tyler
For inquiries concerning QuailMail contact editor Kent Bryant at [email protected].