Hello!
A huge THANK YOU for your tremendous support of our Mitten Tree in partnership with the Oconomowoc Food Pantry. We had another success full year providing books for kids! You've made our reading community stronger!

We are working with Trinity Woods, an inter generational housing community at Mt Mary in Milwaukee, to gather book donations for their Book Nook for children 11 and under. You can purchase a book at 20% off at Books & Company. We will donate it to Trinity Woods Book Nook. Curious? Read more about Trinity Woods HERE. There is also a wish list of titles HERE. You can purchase them at Books & Company or through our website. If you purchase from our website, let us know it is for Book Nook in the comments box. We will add the discount and donate it on your behalf.

Next week we are co-hosting with Boswell Books, a virtual event with Jacquelyn Mitchard for her new novel The Good Son. She will be in conversation with the delightful Karen Dionne, author of The Marsh Kings Daughter. You can't beat this quote from Kristin Hannah --"Rich and complex, The Good Son is a compelling novel about the aftermath of a crime in a small, close-knit community."

We wrap up the month with two back to back events. The first is our January virtual Readings from Oconomowaukee with Jonathan Evison for his new novel Small World, which is a January Indie Next Pick. Small World is an epic historical journey between two time periods (mid-late 1800's and the 1990's) in America transversed by the railroad and the crossing paths of time. It's a good one!

The second is with Waukesha author and director of All Writers Workshop Kathie Giorgio for her new novel All Told. She will be in conversation with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's book guru Jim Higgins. This is a partnership with the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books.

Cheers and Happy Reading!
Lisa with Katrina, Ken, Chloe, Genavieve, Toni, Kristen, Elisabeth, Beth, Lynn, Judy, Emma, Lizzy, Connie, and Grace
Do you remember the supply chain issues of 2021? It sure feels like ancient history, doesn't it! For me, buying inventory for the holidays was a bit like being in Vegas for a very long stay. I ordered up on titles, but it was a gamble. I have no regrets. It was an great season and we were able to keep nearly every hot book in stock, except for THAT one title - The Midwest Survival Guide.... (we are taking pre-orders of the mammoth 2nd printing).
But I digress... Back to Vegas - we have several wonderful titles with a decent quantity on hand. Instead of sending them back to the publisher, we are marking them down 40% for one week only! I would rather you have the discount! 40% off is a steal! You can buy on for yourself and your best friend! Thank you for an amazing year! We could not have done it without your support, laughter, and kindness. -Lisa

The selection includes cookbooks, pictures books, teen and middle grade, history, fiction, mysteries, and so much more!
40% off SELECT TITLES FOR ONE WEEK ONLY JANUARY 13-20
Current Store Hours
Monday - Friday 9:00 - 7:00 Saturday- Sunday 9:00 - 5:00
Masks are optional if you are vaccinated,
required if you are not.
Curbside pick up and shipping still available.
SHOP OUR HOLIDAY CATALOG ONLINE!
EVENTS

JACQUELYN MITCHARD
in conversation with Karen Dionne 
Wednesday, January 19th
7:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Boswell Book Company of Milwaukee and Books & Company of Oconomowoc present a virtual evening with Jacquelyn Mitchard, the beloved author of The Deep End of the Ocean and Cage of Stars, and former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist. For this event, Mitchard will be in conversation with Karen Dionne, author of The Marsh King's Daughter.

Readings from Oconomowaukee

JONATHAN EVISON
Thursday, January 26 
7:00 p.m.
Via Zoom 
Books & Company and Boswell present the January edition of Readings from Oconomowaukee, featuring Jonathan Evison, author of Small World. For this event, Evison will be in conversation with Lisa Baudoin and Daniel Goldin.



KATHIE GIORGIO
in conversation with Jim Higgins
Thursday, January 27th
7:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Join Books & Company and the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books for a virtual event with Kathie Giorgio for her latest novel, All Told. This virtual event is the wrap up to the Festival's 2021 season.

Readings from Oconomowaukee

TESSA HADLEY
in conversation with
Daniel Goldin & Lisa Baudoin
Thursday, February 10th
2:00 p.m.
Via ZOOM 
Join us for the February Readings from Oconomowaukee installment, featuring author Tessa Hadley, author of Free Love- a compulsive new novel about one woman’s sexual and intellectual awakening in 1960s London. 

VIRTUAL BOOK GROUPS
Wednesday, January 26th
1:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
by Kim Michele Richardson


Wednesday, February 23rd
1:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
by Paulette Jiles
Wednesday, January 19th
6:30 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
by Hannah Capin


Wednesday, February 16th
6:30 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
by Darcie Little Badger
Wednesday, January 25th
6:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
by Samantha Downing
Sunday, January 30th
3:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
by Hallie Rubenhold


Sunday, March 27th
3:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting
Registration coming soon
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS - hardcover
FICTION
New and Favorites in Hardcover!
by Louise Erdrich

If you haven't read Erdrich's newest novel yet, Bookseller Katrina urges you to try it! She says "I loved this novel so much and did not want it to end! Great characters, a great bookstore, lots of book recommendations, and a ghost! What more could you need? Don't miss it! " The Sentence begins on All Souls' Day 2019 and ends on All Souls' Day 2020. Its mystery and proliferating ghost stories during this one year propel a narrative as rich, emotional, and profound as anything Louise Erdrich has written. 
by Fabian Nicieza

This hilarious mystery comes highly recommended by bookseller Beth! Andie Stern thought she'd solved her final homicide. Once a budding FBI profiler, she gave up her career to raise her four (soon to be five) children in West Windsor, New Jersey. But one day, a very pregnant Andie pulls into a gas station--and stumbles across a murder scene. An attendant has been killed, and the bumbling local cops are in way over their heads. Suddenly, Andie is obsessed with the case, and back on the trail of a killer, this time with kids in tow.
by Thrity Umrigar

Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena—a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man—Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita’s own past.
NONFICTION
New and Favorites in Hardcover!
by Ed Douglas

Spanning millennia, from the earliest inhabitants to the present conflicts over Tibet and Everest, Himalaya explores history, culture, climate, geography, and politics. Himalaya is history written on the grandest yet also the most human scale—encompassing geology and genetics, botany and art, and bursting with stories of courage and resourcefulness
by Kimberly Ridley

Art and science beautifully intertwine in this fascinating exploration of structures and shapes found in nature, told through lively essays and masterful vintage illustrations. Wild Design reminds us that remarkable phenomena occur all around us—we just have to know how to find them.
by Kathryn Schulz

Eighteen months before Kathryn Schulz’s beloved father died, she met the woman she would marry. In Lost & Found, she weaves the stories of those relationships into a brilliant exploration of how all our lives are shaped by loss and discovery—from the maddening disappearance of everyday objects to the sweeping devastations of war, pandemic, and natural disaster; from finding new planets to falling in love.
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS - paperback
FICTION
New and Favorites in Paperback!
by Alison Cochrun

Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. Bookseller Lizzy says it's "A hilarious and heartfelt romcom that tackles big topics like neurodiversity and mental health."
by Martha Hall Kelly

Martha Hall Kelly’s bestseller Lilac Girls introduced readers to Caroline Ferriday. Now, in Sunflower Sisters, Kelly tells the story of Ferriday’s ancestor Georgeanna Woolsey, a Union nurse during the Civil War whose calling leads her to cross paths with Jemma, a young enslaved girl who is sold off and conscripted into the army, and Anne-May Wilson, a Southern plantation mistress whose husband enlists.
by Julie Tieu

Jasmine Tran has landed herself behind bars—maple bars that is. With no boyfriend or job prospects, Jasmine returns home to work at her parents’ donut shop. When a hike in rent threatens the survival of their shop, her parents rely on her more than ever.
Help comes in the form of an old college crush, Alex Lai. Bookseller Genavieve listened to this book on Libro.fm and says it has "complex characters, a love story that's sweet without being easy, a perfect light read with substance!"
NONFICTION
New and Favorites in Paperback!
by Emily Levesque

From the lonely quiet of midnight stargazing to tall tales of wild bears loose in the observatory, The Last Stargazers is a love letter to astronomy and an affirmation of the crucial role that humans can and must play in the future of scientific discovery. In this sweeping work of narrative science, Levesque shows how astronomers in this scrappy and evolving field are going beyond the machines to infuse creativity and passion into the stars and space and inspires us all to peer skyward in pursuit of the universe's secrets.
by Janice P. Nimura

Elizabeth Blackwell believed from an early age that she was destined for a mission beyond the scope of "ordinary" womanhood. Though the world at first recoiled at the notion of a woman studying medicine, her intelligence and intensity ultimately won her the acceptance of the male medical establishment. In 1849, she became the first woman in America to receive an M.D. She was soon joined in her iconic achievement by her younger sister, Emily, who was actually the more brilliant physician.
by Harold Bloom

In this valedictory volume, Yale professor Harold Bloom—who for more than half a century was regarded as America's most daringly original and controversial literary critic—gives us his only book devoted entirely to the art of the novel. Whether you have already read these books, plan to, or simply care about the importance and power of fiction, Harold Bloom is your unparalleled guide to understanding literature with new intimacy
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS - kids/teen
PICTURE BOOKS
by Matt Mitter

All aboard for a brand-new Little Engine story! Little Engine agreed to deliver the mail when the Postman went off on vacation. Now, readers can come along for the ride as she travels from friend to friend delivering mail. With delightful rhymes on every page, plus real, folded letters and envelopes inside, Little Engine fans will find a surprise on every page, including stamps from around the world, recipes sent with love, long-awaited packages, and so much more.
by Mac Barnett &
Carson Ellis

"What is love?" a young boy asks. "I can't answer that," his grandmother says, and so the boy goes out into the world to find out. But while each person he meets—the fisherman, the actor, and others—has an answer to his question, not one seems quite right. Could love really be a fish, or applause, or the night? Or could it actually be something much closer to home? This tender, funny tale is an original take on the "I love you" story, a picture book treasure for all ages to read and cherish.
by Mary Lundquist

Ash and Pudd take care of everyone in the woods, from their furry and feathered friends to the shivering trees. But then one day, a strange new creature appears in the forest. Could it be a new friend? This story about kindness and generosity is as cozy and sweet as a mug of hot chocolate on a chilly day.
MIDDLE READERS 8-12
by Tui T Sutherland

The graphic novel adaptations of the #1 New York Times bestselling Wings of Fire series continue to set the world on fire! One will have the power of wings of fire...
Buried secrets, deadly surprises, and an unexpected side to scavengers are all waiting for her in the shifting sands of the desert, where Sunny must decide once and for all: Is her destiny already written? Or can five dragonets change their fate and save the world... the way they choose?
by Kate DiCamillo

 The Beatryce Prophecy is a heartwarming medieval fairy tale about a young girl who can read and write and so she will change the world. Along with her are a finicky but wise goat, a talented boy, a kindhearted monk, and a man who used to be king. The journey that they go on is filled with heart and humor; right and wrong; and the power and importance that stories have, for everyone. Bookseller Katrina says "It has beautiful illustrations throughout and is such a lovely story- I absolutely adored this book!"
by Christine Day

It’s been a hard year for Maisie Cannon, ever since she hurt her leg and could not keep up with her ballet training and auditions. Her blended family is loving and supportive, but Maisie knows that they just can’t understand how hopeless she feels. With everything she’s dealing with, Maisie is not excited for their family midwinter road trip along the coast, near the Makah community where her mother grew up. But soon, Maisie’s anxieties and dark moods start to hurt as much as the pain in her knee. 
TEENS 12+
by Shaun David Hutchinson

Jack Nevin’s clever trickery and moral flexibility make him the perfect assistant to the Enchantress, one of the most well-known stage magicians in turn-of-the-nineteenth-century Europe. Without Jack’s steady supply of stolen tricks, the Enchantress’s fame would have burned out long ago.
But when Jack’s thievery catches up to them, they’re forced to flee to America to find their fortune. Bookseller Ken says "I really enjoyed this teen novel about two battling magicians and their teenage assistants during the 1909 Seattle World's Fair. What a special treat!"
by Becky Albertalli &
Adam Silvera

Here's to Us is sure to be welcomed by fans old and new of these authors and their previous collaboration, What If It's Us. Critically acclaimed and bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera combine their talents in these smart, funny, heartfelt novels about two very different boys who can’t decide if the universe is pushing them together—or pulling them apart.

**Signed copies available, while supplies last!**
by Akshaya Raman

In this epic YA fantasy debut, magic, a prized resource, is the only thing between peace and war. When magic runs out, four estranged royal siblings must find a new source before their country is swallowed by invading forces. The first in an Indian-inspired duology. Four siblings torn apart by the different paths their lives have taken, only one thing can bring them back together: the search for the Ivory Key, a thing of legend that will lead the way to a new source of magic.
Upcoming events from our friends at Boswell Book Company!
A Virtual Event
Juneau Black
Tuesday, January 25
6:30 pm

Boswell presents an evening with Juneau Black, the pen name of writing duo Sharon Nagel and Jocelyn Cole, the creators of Shady Hollow, a woodland mystery series conceived at Boswell and now published by the Anchor imprint of Penguin Random House.

Books & Company bookseller Katrina loved Shady Hollow and says "Murder has never been more charming than in this story of the animals of Shady Hollow banding together to solve a crime. Truly delightful!"

This event is now a virtual only event over Zoom. Click here to register for this free virtual event!
A Ticketed Virtual Event
Isabel Allende
Saturday, January 29
6:00 pm

Isabel Allende, author of many bestselling favorite novels, from The House of the Spirits to A Long Petal of the Sea, celebrates the release of her latest with a special virtual ticket event coordinated by Books & Books and cosponsored by 14 other independent bookstores from across the United States - including us! Allende's new novel is a sweeping novel that tells the epic story of Violeta del Valle, a woman whose life spans one hundred years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century.

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Take a look at our previous newsletters, now conveniently archived on our website!