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The Capitol Book Newsletter
A whole
slew of
Better than
candy or flowers for Valentine's Day!
Also a nice
treat for your own self!
Here's what we got:
All Aunt Hagar's Children: Stories
By Edward P. Jones
In fourteen sweeping and sublime stories, five of which have
been published in "The New Yorker," the bestselling and Pulitzer
Prize-winning author of "The Known World" shows that his grasp of the
human condition is firmer than ever. Hardcover,
was $25.95, now $8.99.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
By Susannah Clarke
The entrancing international bestseller and TIME #1 Book of
the Year. Sophisticated, witty, and ingeniously convincing, Clarke's
magisterial novel--the story of the rise of two very different
magicians--weaves magic into a flawlessly detailed vision of 19th-century
Let Me Finish
By Roger Angell
Intimate, funny, and moving portraits form this book's
centerpiece as Angell remembers his eccentric relatives, his childhood love of
baseball in the time of Ruth and Gehrig and DiMaggio, and his vivid colleagues
during his long career as a "New Yorker" writer and editor.
Angell is one of those people who can write about all the rich, famous,
important people he has known and still sound like a regular guy. Wonderful book. Hardcover,
was $25, now $7.99.
La Belle Saison: Living Off the Land in Rural
By Patricia Atkinson
You may not want to move to
The Spellman Files
By Lisa Lutz
Critics loved this one, first of a series. Meet Izzy
Spellman, a 28-year-old private eye working for her family’s
investigative business--a family that puts the fun in dysfunctional--in this
irresistible, laugh-out-loud debut novel. Hardcover,
was $25, now $7.99.
The Splendid Table
By Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Just when you thought you knew the best
The King of Lies
By John Hart
A literary thriller that is as suspenseful as it is
poignant, a riveting murder mystery layered beneath the southern drawl of a
humble
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
By C.S.Lewis
What begins as a simple game of hide-and-seek quickly turns
into the adventure of a lifetime when Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy walk
through the wardrobe and into the
Abundance, a Novel of Marie Antoinette
By Sena Jeter Naslund
Once again,
The Trojan War: A New History
By Barry Strauss
Based on the latest archeological research and written by a
leading expert on ancient military history, the true story of the most famous
battle in history is every bit as compelling as Homer's epic account, and
confirms many of its details. Hardcover, was
$26, now $7.99.
Have Mercy on Us All
By Fred Vargas
This was the first of the best selling French writer’s
Chief Inspector Adamsberg Mysteries to be translated into English, and now we
are hooked. More! More! Paper, was $14, now $6.99.
S'Mores: Gourmet Treats for Every Occasion
By Lisa Adams
Thinks there’s only one way to make the classic
campfire treat? Wrong! How about with raspberries and figs?
Why not substitute chocolate chip cookies for the graham cracker? Fruit for the chocolate? Pound cake?
Croissants? All easy, yummy
confections. Hardcover, was $16.95, now
$7.99.
Great Books: My Adventures with Homer, Rousseau,
Woolf, and Other Indestructible Writers of the Western World by David
Denby
At the age of forty-eight, writer and film critic David
Denby returned to
Still Life
By Louise Penny
Here’s what a few of her peers said about Louise
Penny;’s first book:
"Louise Penny's "Still Life" is a gem of a
debut novel---clever, charming, with perceptively realized characters, a
setting to die for, and the enormously appealing Chief Inspector Armand
Gamache. I can't wait for the next installment."---Deborah Crombie,
"An excellent, subtle plot full of understanding of the deeper places in
human nature, and many wise observations that will enrich the reader long after
the pages are closed."---Anne Perry
"A cast of fascinating and beautifully sketched characters, deep insight into
human motives and relationships . . . Georges Simenon kept Maigret going for
over a hundred books. It will be a delight for all of us who love detective
fiction if Louise Penny can stay around long enough to do the same for
Gamache."---Reginald Hill
""Still Life" is a masterpiece of a
traditional drawing room mystery.... Louise Penny is a storytelling
artist." ---Julia Spencer-Fleming
"What a joy it is to discover a detective like Armand
Gamache, strong, calm and charismatic and at work on a good mystery in a
believable setting."---Peter Lovesey,
…Oh, and we thought it was great! Hardcover, was $22.95, now $7.99.
The City of Falling Angels
By John Berendt
Berendt captures
Creole Thrift: Premium Southern Living Without
Spending a Mint
By Angele Parlange
Southern tradition blends with modern whimsy in this first
offering from famed
Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind
By Ann B. Ross
This was the very first book in the now long-running series
of books about a woman whose life is abruptly turned upside down. Very Southern, very funny, very charming. Paper, was
$13.95, now $6.99.
Death Comes for the Fat Man
By Reginald Hill
This is number 22 in the best mystery series ever written,
featuring his popular
Soup of the Day: 150 Sustaining Recipes for Soup and
Accompaniments to Make a Meal by Lydie
Who doesn't love a fragrant, steaming bowl of soup when cold
winds howl outside?
Now the beloved cooking teacher in
The Grave Tattoo
By Val McDermid
Suspense master McDermid spins a psychological thriller in
which a present-day murder has its roots in the eighteenth century and the
mutiny on the "H.M.S. Bounty". After torrential summer rains uncover
a bizarrely tattooed body on a
Golden Treasures of
By Herve Duchene
A German businessman-turned-archaeologist, Heinrich
Schliemann (1822-1890) had a lifelong dream: to find the world of Homer--the
mythical cities of
The Modern Townhouse: The Latest in Urban and
Suburban Designs
By James Grayson Trulove
A townhouse is a residence that many find combines the best
amenities of a single-family home and a condominium. By definition, a townhouse
is a home that is attached to adjacent houses, which sits upon land that you
own. THE MODERN TOWNHOUSE will look at three types of town house projects
that are increasingly popular in urban areas and close-in suburbia: 1) Renovation
of existing town houses. 2) Vacant lots, primarily in the inner cities, but
also in close-in suburban neighborhoods. This activity is in response to the
increasing demand for urban housing where high land prices mandate multifamily
housing solutions. 3) New, one-off townhouses that are found primarily in
wealthier neighborhoods where the high land cost can be recovered with a
single, luxury town home. Includes floor plans,
exteriors and interiors. Hardcover, was
$35, now $11.99.
Fossils: Evidence of vanished Worlds
By Yvette Gayrard-Valy
A historical look at how the discoveries of fossils
throughout time have impacted the world. Complete with color photos and
interesting details of various discoveries, fossils, and extinct species with
original historical documents. Paper, was $12.95, now $5.99.
A Fountain Filled With Blood
To Darkness and to Death
Out of the Deep I Cry
All Mortal Flesh
All four by Julia Spencer-Fleming
You could say that Julia Spencer Fleming is one of out
favorite writers; you could say that she is one of our best-selling writers, you could say we can’t recommend her highly
enough, and you could say we can’t wait until the next one comes out in
June. You would be correct in every case. All in hardcover,
were $23.95, $22.95, now $7.99.
The Tenderness of Wolves
By Stef Penney
The year is 1867. Winter has just tightened its grip on
Four Seasons in
By Anthiny Doerr
Anthony Doerr won the Rome Prize, a
prestigious awards from the
Words in a French Life: Lessons in Love and Language
from the South of
By Kristin Espinasse
This one is based on the popular blog
(french-word-a-day.com) and newsletter with thousands of subscribers -- a
heart-winning collection from an American woman raising two very French
children with her French husband in
The Rainaldi Quartet
By Paul Adam
"From the first stirring theme to the last fading
chord, mystery fans and music lovers alike will be captivated by British author
Adam' s excellent contemporary thriller. ... Adam has
constructed this tale with all the care and craftsmanship that Stradivari put
into his instruments, filling it to the brim with deliciously caustic
commentary on Italian city life and fascinating historical detail." - Publishers
Weekly (starred review) Hardcover, was
$23.95, now $7.99.
Southern Crossword
Complied by Al Dixon
52b challenging crossword puzzles, 1500 clues and
answers. “The North isn’t a place,
it’s just a direction out of the South.”—Roy Blount,
Jr. Paper, was $12, now $4.99.
How Did I Get to Be 40 & Other Atrocities
Forever Fifty and Other Negotiations
I'm Too Young to Be Seventy and Other Delusions
All three by Judith Viorst
The beloved bestselling author has tackled the ins and outs
of each decade of a woman’s life with her usual wry good humor.
Though Viorst acknowledges she is definitely not a good sport about the fact
that she is mortal, her poems are full of the pleasures of life right now,
helping us come to terms with the passage of time, encouraging us to keep
trying to fix the world, and inviting us to consider "drinking wine,
making love, laughing hard, caring hard, and learning a new trick or two as
part of our job description." Hardcover, were $16 and $17, now
$4.99.
The Book of Air and Shadows
By Michael Gruber
“In this ingenious literary thriller
, the lives of two men are changed forever by William Shakespeare and
the letters of Richard Bracegirdle, a 16th-century English spy and soldier.
Jake Mishkin, a
By Jennifer Haigh
First Drop
By Zoe Sharp
Dubbed today’s best action heroine by Lee Child,
British Army veteran Charlie Fox, now a bodyguard-for-hire, only has to
baby-sit the gawky 15-year-old son of a rich computer programmer. The last
thing she or anyone expects is that the kid’s father and entourage will
disappear. We took Lee Child’s advice, read it, and now we
recommend you do the same. Hardcover, was
$23.95, now $6.99.
The Sins of the Brother
By Mike Stewart
It's been six months since Tom McInnes opted out of the
billable-hours marathon at a tony
Art: A New History
By Paul Johnson
The suthor turns his great gifts as a world historian to a
subject that has enthralled him all his life: the history of art. This
narrative account, from the earliest cave paintings up to the present day, has
new things to say about almost every period of art. He is a passionate lover of
beauty who finds creativity in many places. With 300 colour illustrations, this
book is vivid, evocative and immensely readable. Hardcover,
was $39.95, now $14.99.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
The Capitol Book Newsletter
Your Favorite Reads!
First of all - yes, a few of you received this huge report, or at least a link to it, in your inbox yesterday. That's because you have asked to receive an email copy of our bi-weekly newspaper column in addition to this regular newsletter. Sorry for the duplication. On the other hand, if you had no idea you could get the newspaper column by email, and wish to, now you know, and all you need do to subscribe to the newspaper column is CLICK HERE, and let us know.
And second of all, this is a huge report. If you print it out, it'll take about 30 pages. If you want to refer to it in the future, it will be on our website. Just CLICK HERE to find it.
And third of all, THANK YOU to everybody who took the time, and spent the effort, to report. This whole thing started out back in 2000 as a way for us to get out of writing one newspaper column a year. This year, for the first time, we received enough reports to fill every one of our 2008 columns! Amazing.
So, here it is...........
Do they have to be from
this year? If not, here goes:
I read McCarthy’s “The Road” and enjoyed its nihilistic sparseness.
Still, I believe “All the Pretty Horses” and “Blood
Meridian” are both better.
David Mitchell’s “Cloud Atlas” has been out for a few years,
but I finally got around to reading it. It is like nothing I’ve ever
read, and though loose ends might not be tied up at the end, it’s an
enthralling read, part sci-fi, part thriller, all weird in a good way.
I also enjoyed Logan Ward’s “See You in a Hundred Years.”
Nice little tale about how living the simple life ain’t that simple.
-Monte Burke
How entertaining could it
be to read about someone's angst-ridden divorce? That's what I thought
"Eat, Pray, Love" was going to be about, and I didn't believe my
friend Melissa when she said she couldn't wait for every hour of sit-down with this
book.
Melissa was right, though.
"Eat, Pray, Love" is so much more than a chronicle of author Liz
Gilbert's relationship woes. It's a rare glimpse into the emotional and
spiritual growth of a brilliant, quirky, funny 30-something women. Following her
messy divorce, Liz blocks out a year to learn how to really eat, pray and love. She
eats her way through Italy, prays and meditates endlessly in an Indian ashram,
and falls in love with the most unexpected of men in the most unexpected of
places. Through it all, she ruminates on the history and culture of her
surroundings, as well as the strange and wonderful people she meets. Her
writing is deceptively easy to read, considering the breadth of information and
wisdom it conveys.
P.S. For those of us who
love to write, Gilbert's website includes some interesting thoughts on writing.
You can read these, and more about "Eat, Pray, Love" at
http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/writing.htm.
- Melanie LeMay
I am particularly
interested in historical literature or novels whose settings incorporate exotic
cultures. For this reason my favorite reads of 2007 are The
Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, A Thousand Splendid Suns by
Khalid Hosseni, The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirezvani, Mozart’s
Sister by Rita Charbonnier, The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa
Gregory, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Other favorites of
this year include Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Hard Boiled
Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami, Water for
Elephants by Sara Gruen, Dreaming Water by Gail Tsukiyama, The
Ha-Ha by Dave King, The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff, Sister
Mine by Tawni O’Dell, A Garden of Earthly Delights by Joyce
Carol Oates, The End of the Alphabet by C. S. Richardson, and Bridge
of Sighs by Richard Russo.
The Inheritance of
Loss describes a life away from
modernity. An orphaned girl lives with her retired grandfather and his
cook in the Himalayas, and they experience conflict with the insurgents.
I like how instead of perceiving political upheavals only through viewing the
news, readers get a first hand view of how an average person’s every day
life is affected. Another good book juxtaposing undeveloped areas with
our technological society and revolutionaries with the uninvolved is Saving
Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan. The kidnapping of a tour group in
Myanmar is narrated by the tour guide who, strangely enough, died before the
tour even began. I read this in December of last year, or I would have
included it in my list.
A Thousand Splendid
Suns gives readers a glimpse of
two women’s lives, married to the same abusive man, in Afghanistan.
Again, the struggles take on a more personal meaning when perceived from an individual’s
point of view instead of hearing about it through documentaries.
In The Blood of
Flowers, we get a beautiful portrait of the daily life of Ancient
Persia. A strong female narrator, although she remains nameless,
personifies the unjust treatment of women in this time and place, and gives us
background information on the making of Persian rugs.
Mozart’s Sister tells the story of Nan, the equally talented
sister of Mozart whose skill was used by her father to fund Mozart’s
music tours. Instead of being allowed to tour alongside Mozart, she was
forbidden by her father to compose or play any instrument except the piano, and
that only for teaching, which brought in the necessary funds for Mozart’s
travel. The Other Boleyn Girl brings us the point of view of Anne
Boleyn’s sister, who was ordered by her family to seduce the king and who
even bore the king children, until her sister Anne took over to persuade the
king to marry her in order to further their family’s status. It is
so interesting to read about these remote time periods and historical
characters.
The Book Thief is about a girl who finds a way to bring books to
her family and neighbors and manages to distract them by reading to them while
they often gathered in basements during bomb raids during World War II.
The girl and her adopted parents illustrate their humanity when they attempt to
hide a Jewish man to save him from the Nazis. The point of view of poorer
Germans during the Holocaust is unique because during this time of war they
were victims, too, but that is rarely considered. Another unique element
is that the narrator is Death. A strange concept, but very well
done.
I just realized that all
the favorites I portrayed here have females as main characters who were persecuted
in some way. I guess that is because I am inspired by reading about the
strength and goodness of women who are capable of overcoming any
adversity.
Thank you for giving me
an opportunity to write about some of my favorite books. When I read this
report last year, I started a list of every book I’ve read this
year. It has been very helpful. I’ve read 55 books so far
this year! If this is published and someone who knows me is reading this
and wondering what to get me for Christmas, you can’t go wrong with a
gift certificate to Capitol Book!
-Stephanie Chance
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak:
Such marvelous writing and different way of telling a sad, yet wondrous,
tale.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen: It has depth and substance and is
informative and entertaining.
Without Fail by Lee Child:
My favorite suspense author. So far, in my opinion, Lee Child has
yet to deliver anything less than a riveting book.
War By Other Means by David Crouse:
I picked this book because the author is from Auburn and I could hardly
put it down. Fast-paced
thriller.
My Cat Spit McGee by Willie Morris: Just a fast, enjoyable read for
anyone who has known and loved a cat (and maybe even for those that
haven’t).
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert: A smooth story about the early
1900’s in
The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates: This book has a magnetic
effect from page one.
Saints at the River by Ron Rash: Environment vs. emotion and, for me, as I read this story I kept asking
myself whose side I would be on, and just when I thought my mind was made up,
the other side made a very good point.
-Joyce Franz
I
should have taken your warning to heart. You know, the one about never
reading a book with the picture of a dog on its cover. Well, the photo of
the golden retriever on the cover of the book was so appealing that I read Merle's
Door by Ted Kerasote, anyway. Of course, it does have a sad ending,
but the journey there is joyous most of the way. It's a lovely
book. To offset the sadness, I read Sonny Brewer's Cormac: The Tale of
a Dog Gone Missing. I heartily recommend both.
-June
Zimmerman
Hi, Cheryl, Thomas or
Eleanor....don’t know who does this
The hard part is always
remembering what I read.
Clearly, the best read of the year for me for A Thousand Splendid Suns. I
really enjoyed The Tipping Point. I’m glad I read American
Prometheus and Animals in Translation.
-Phyllis Kennedy
My favorite read n 2007
was Eat, Pray, Love.
You don’t have to
have your life completely fall apart like the authors did to appreciate and
greatly benefit from this book. There are so many wise, sage and
helpful nuggets in it which stick with the reader long after they’ve
finished it. The world we live in today is difficult and chaotic in certain
ways, and her wisdom cuts right through a lot of it and can truly
be beneficial to all who read it. Plus it’s highly
entertaining and humorous at the same time.
And it is NOT a self-help
book which I run from.
-Amy Nachman
Fiction-- The Cunning Man, by Robertson Davies; Magic Time,
by Doug Marlette,
Non-fiction -- The King's English: Adventures of an
Independent Bookseller, by Betsy Burton
-
The yearly challenge is
to narrow down to my favorite book in the past
twelve months. There were so many good reads this year that it was hard to
choose, but I would have to say that the book with the most lasting impact
was The Yiddish Policemen’s
social commentary, and love story in one thought-provoking package. A
classic "what if" tale that turns history on its head, it
nevertheless is
rooted in current political realities and is a damning look at all
religious fundamentalism. I can't stop thinking about it! Other favorites
this year include Eat, Pray, Love; Run by Ann Patchett; Bridge of Sighs by
Richard Russo; Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver; Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Ines of My Soul by Isabelle Allende
(wonderful); and The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
-Alice Hart Wertheim
Whoops, I almost forgot
...
Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician by
Daniel Wallace. Is the magic real or not? You'll never know until the
breathtaking final page. Henry's giddy journey through a life lived on the
confusing border of what is either delusion or illusion reads like a cross
between James Thurber and Ray Bradbury--wicked fun.
The Night Country by Stewart O'Nan.
The ghosts of three teenagers killed in a car wreck haunt their survivors on
the one-year anniversary of their deaths (Halloween, naturally). O'Nan reveals
the truth behind the accident with painstaking perfection; the final moments
are stunning--one of the best endings I've read in years.
Happy holidays, guys!
-Jim Gilbert
Thanks for asking about
my favorite (and least favorite) books this year. Since mid-May I've read
61 books I've read and listened to 19 audiobooks. Of those 80, here's my
response:
Favorite books of 2007
(in no particular order):
Speak (Laurie Halse Anderson) - young adult
Talk Talk (T.C. Boyle) - fiction
Everyman (Philip Roth) - fiction
Then We Came to the
End (Joshua Ferris) - fiction
Five Roundabouts to
Heaven (John Bingham) - fiction
Imperial Life in the
The Worst Hard Time (Timothy Egan) - non-fiction
Favorite audiobooks of
2007:
Beowulf (Seamus Heaney) - he read his translation
magnificently
Restless (William
Boyd) - interesting story, well read
His Dark Materials:
The Golden Compass (Philip
Pullman) - he was exactly the right reader for his work
Least Favorite (I didn't
even finish them):
The Piano Turner (Daniel Mason)
The Sunday Philosophy
Club (Alexander McCall Smith)
An Innocent Man (John Grisham)
The Testament (John Grisham)(audio book)
-Jean Tucker
My favorite book of '07
was Wrapped in Rain. Everyone I recommended it to loved it!!! -Julie
Shashy
I
sent you about a billion for last year’s book roundup and certainly read
some good books in 2007. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns last
week- good, but not the surprise that The Kite Runner was.
However, the one I JUST finished has
to go on the list. Run, by Ann Patchett, takes place over the
course of two days and tells the story of families broken and remade.
Quite wonderful.
BTW
– the Beatles book I bought from you for my daughter was a huge
hit! Apparently she’d been wanting that exact book (I had no idea)
and this particular one had Ringo (her favorite) on the cover. Thanks for
helping me (unwittingly) give a nearly perfect gift.
-Diane
L. Christy
Dear Tom, Cheryl and
Eleanor,
My favorite read in 2007 was The Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny
Brewer. This novel is based on the life of Henry Stuart, a retired,
rather eccentric professor, who in the 1920s was diagnosed with
tuberculosis. He was told by his doctor that his condition was
terminal, but that his quality of life during what remained of his
life would be enhanced if he moved to warmer climates.
As a result, Stuart decided -- sight unseen -- to move to Fairhope.
Through the mail, he contracted with a business agent in Fairhope to
purchase 10-acres of land in Montrose. And, then, he begins his journey.
I hate to reveal much more than this because the book is so rich and
full of surprises. It is a beautifully written account about a man's
journey, his philosophy of death, his love of literature --
especially anything written by Tolstoy -- and what he thinks will
become his final project before he dies.
This book is well worth the read, and if will most likely inspire
readers to dust off one of their old Tolstoy novels, or -- better yet
-- purchase the new translation of War and Peace.
-Cathy Gassenheimer
My favorite was ATONEMENT
by Ian McEwan. I've also read SATURDAY and ON CHESIL BEACH by McEwan and
enjoyed both of them, but ATONEMENT, in my opinion, is really a
masterpiece--gorgeous writing, captivating characters, and an intriguing
plot.
-Betty Burgess
My favorite book was WOLF
OF THE DEEP by Stephen Fox. The personal story of Raphael Semmes, a
transplanted
It was a stay-awake all
night book!
-Dot
These were my favorite
reads for 2007:
Illuminated by Matt Bronleewe. This book is a cross between "The
DaVinci Code" and "National Treasure." In it, the hero is
an archeobibliologist who is forced to help a criminal discover clues to an
ancient secret hidden in illuminations in the Gutenberg bible (hence the
name). The secret the hero of the story finds threatens the very
foundation of Christianity. This book is both thrilling (I couldn't put
it down!) and interesting. The secret societies and other historical
events in the book actually happened. This book was published by Nelson and
is Christian fiction but I do warn that it is a thriller and not for the timid.
The Oath by Frank Peretti. I had been intending to read this book
for a long time and just recently got around to it during the Christmas
holidays. This story is another Christian thriller like Illuminated.
However, unlike Illuminated, Peretti's experience as a story-teller
shines through. I felt Peretti did a better job of character development
than Bronleewe. As the story developed, I felt like I knew the characters
and I was anxious to see how they faired. In The Oath, a town is
ruled with an iron fist by the descendant of one of its founding fathers.
Anyone who crosses him or breaks "the oath" mysteriously
disappears. The title refers to an oath taken by the founding fathers not
to reveal a shocking secret having to do with the founding of the
town. It also refers to an oath not to reveal the reason by the
mysterious disappearances. This was another book I couldn't put
down. In my opinion, Peretti is just as good a storyteller as Stephen
King.
I read another novel by Peretti in 2007, Monster. Peretti's novels
typically deal with good vs. evil in more of a spiritual sense. Monster
was more of a cross between "King Kong" and "Frankenstein" in
the sense that the monster was a result of man's tinkering around where he
shouldn't be. Another book that was hard to put down and, like the other
two, I highly recommend it.
-Susan Tudor
Montgomery,
Cheryl and Thomas -
Here is my list:
The Places in Between by Rory Stewart - Just a
tremendous book, combining travel, adventure, and
sociology. Very informative. I have given copies to
all my friends who are deploying to
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in
Thomas Ricks - Good book that captured the initial
stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom, both the
failures (not enough ground forces) and the great
heroism of our soldiers. I went back and read it
again this year after the surge and it was interesting
to compare
The Foreigner's Gift: The Americans, the Arabs, and
the Iraqis in
all year! Great story and insight from a leading Arab
scholar. For anyone who wants to understand the
religious (and therefore political) landscape in
this is an absolute must.
The Creek War of 1813 and 1814 by H. S. Halbert, T. H.
Ball, and Frank L. Owsley - I actually took this book
on our trip to
ended up reading it completely. Halbert and Ball
actually wrote this book in 1895, but Owsley has done
a tremendous job in adding later notes. I was
astounded by Halbert and Ball's insight into the
origins of this war, especially considering it was
written in 1895.
Pickett's History of Alabama: And Incidentally of
Albert J. Pickett - I have read this book once a year
since college graduation in 1991. Written in 1852, it
is a great companion book to
they are an informative and entertaining compendium of
Manhunt: The 12 Day Search for
James L. Swanson - For those who are interested in
history, conspiracies, or just want to get an idea
what our country was like in the immediate post-mortem
period of the Confederacy. Also, if you're familiar
with
on how much the Capitol Region has changed in the 143
years since the assassination.
America Alone by Mark Steyn - Steyn writes about how
population and immigration patterns in the
will change
Hope this helps. I tried to keep it a 'best' list.
-David
Dear Tom and Cheryl,
This is such a great
thing that you do. I only wish there was the time to read all of the books that
are on the list you put together.
Some of these are first
reads and some are re-visits during 2007:
DISGRACE by J.M Coetzee.
A disturbing book in the best sense. Stark and lyrical at the same time.
ON BEAUTY by Zadie Smith.
Terrific and smart. She writes of a literate and honest family.
DISTRICT AND CIRLCE by
Seamus Heaney. The great Irish poet continues to startle and enhance my
life.
INTO THE WILD by Jonathan
Krakauer. A re-visit of a harrowingly true story.
MOY SAND AND GRAVEL by
another great poet, Paul Muldoon.
THE DIVING BELL AND THE
BUTTERFLY by Jean-Dominique Bauby. A memoir by the editor of Elle who had a
massive stroke and suffered a "locked-in syndrome." The fight to keep
communicating.
THE PROFESSOR AND THE
MADMAN by Simon Winchester. How the OED came to be. A great read.
SHAKESPEARE'S ENGLISH
KINGS by Peter Saccio. I have read this a few times but was pleased to re-visit
it while we did THE WARS OF THE ROSES
at ASF this past season.
Thanks and my very best
to you in this New Year.
-Greg Thornton
Cheryl, Tom, a short list
of a few of my favorites for '07:
Masters of the Air by
Donald Miller - A superb WWII account of Eighth Air Force .... extremely well
written and researched ... a real page turner.
Soldier's Heart by
Elizabeth Samet - Very interesting view of teaching literature at
SOG by John Plaster -
Excellent book that details special operations in
Einstein
by Walter Issacson - Terrific bio.
Interesting life! Tough to get the mind around some of the
physics but fun trying.
Lone Survivor by Marcus
Lattrell - Great read about a true American Hero!
The Doolittle Raid by
Carroll Glines - Very enlightening account of the infamous raid on
The Rescue of BAT 21 by Darrel
Whitcomb - First class account of one of the more heroic search and rescue
efforts in
The Rescue of Streetcar
304 by Kenny Fields - Very well told story of the shootdown, escape and
evasion, and rescue of a Navy Fighter Pilot.
Happy New Year - Keep
smiling.
-Joe Panza
I
recently picked up a couple of copies of “Things I Want My Daughters to
Know: A Small Book About the Big Issues in Life” by Alexandra
Stoddard for Christmas gifts for my girls. It’s a very good read
that really makes you stop and think about what’s really important.
I
also re-read “The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral
Stories” by William Bennett. As the grandmother of 10, I need all
the examples and help I can get in working with them.
“Manhunt:
The 12-day Chase for
“Playing
for Pizza” by John Grisham started off a little slow but by the time it
was over, I was involved with the players and cheering for them to win.
-Sandra
Porter
Children (including those
of the 60s) have a real treat in Puff
the Magic Dragon, which includes a terrific CD with a beautifully
illustrated book. My 4 yr. old granddaughter was transfixed by the book &
the CD, & older members of the family joined her in singing along but also
talking above her enthusiasm about the songs, the 60s, & the
“settings” for many Peter, Paul & Mary creations that
characterized our generation and entrance us still.
-Mary Morgan
I spent an afternoon
visiting with old friends of Capitol Book and News in August. We were all
celebrating George Browning’s birthday. George has lived a very
interesting life and it is one of his contemporaries that introduce to you
here. Patrick Leigh Fermor is a little older than George and like George
he is still around to grace us with wonderful stories. Fermor was
knighted by the Queen a couple of years ago at the age of 92. At the age of 18
in 1933 Fermor began a hike across
The Everyman’s
Library edition of History of My Life
by Giacomo Casanova was exceptional. The eleven volumes have been
abridged and serve the modern reader well. What you may think of Casanova
should be placed in a brown bag and put out on the edge of the street with the
trash. Here is a sensational history of the workings of European
society. Casanova was indeed a lover but he was also much more.
Diplomat, priest, flim flam man, politician, gambler, investor, prisoner,
escape artist, tutor, father, and lover, Giacomo was not more scandalous than
most young and talented men in
Lieut.
Henry Timberlake’s Memoirs 1756-1765 by Henry Timberlake is a detailed account of one American-British
officer’s time spent among the Cherokee Indians in
Lost
Son by M. Allen Cunningham is this
novelist second book and one of my favorite novels for 2007. A fictional
memoir of Rainer Maria Rilke, this novel could certainly pass as a memoir save
for the first person narrative. The conversations
between Cunningham’s Rilke and Auguste Rodin is worth the price of
this one, but please don’t try to read this on the Delta flight 58 from
Boone
A Biography by Robert Morgan
breathes new life into the dusty relic of myth we call Daniel Boone. Here
is a satisfying biography that gives us the real man. Boone preferred
words to bullets and his gift for gab saves his and many others scalps.
Morgan’s bio is just the perfect follow up to Richard Rhodes biography of
John James Audubon, John James Audubon
The Making of an American. Two great adventures in a wilderness
lost to us. Read Boone with a Fess Parker Pinot Noir and forget the coon
skinned cap, Boone never wore one.
And the best novel I have
read in years, Any Human Heart
by William Boyd is lush and timeless this novel smacks of a young Somerset
Maugham. You can drink this one now or let it age and it will still be
full bodied. This is the story of Logan Mountstuart beginning in
Montevideo, Uruguay, then to Oxford in the 1920’s and on into the
world. Mountstuart is everywhere you would want to be with the charm and
accent every woman would want in a man, but not everyone becomes wise and
reserved in their later years. This novel is as good as Of Human Bondage and will leave you
wanting more. The first 5 chapters will read well with a Guinness while
the rest of book is best capped off with scotch. Here’s to 2008.
-Steven Wallace
Here are a few from my list in no
particular order.
Sufficient Grace by Darnell Arnoult--A good Southern story of the
lives of two families and the effect Gracie's illness has on their lives.
Balzac and the Little Chinese
Seamstress by Dai Sijie
On Agate Hill by Lee Smith--Lee Smith is at her best when she
uses the diary of her main character to reveal herself.
The Innocent Man by John Grisham--Shocking nonfiction--reminded me
of In Cold Blood
Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee
--I have loved any tidbit of
information about Miss Lee for about 40 years since I read To Kill a
Mockingbird.
Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani--Enjoyed the series and
catching up with Ave Maria.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter--Heartbreaking about the choices we make and
their consequences. My daughter recommended this after her book club read
it.
Alabama Moon by Watt Key--Loved this little book and Moon
Blake. What a character he is.
The Bean Trees and Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver--Good books and I learned a
lot about nature. Interesting connections between the characters and
their particular love of nature.
Death in Equality by Lucinda Ebersole
Letter from Point Clear by Dennis McFarland
Since I have my first grandchild, Stella
and I have also enjoyed selections from
Read to Me Grandma
Collected Nursery Rhymes
So Big
Merry Christmas, Mouse
Stella and I have found many seasonal
books to enjoy except for Thanksgiving. Someone needs to write some
Thanksgiving books for all ages.
Thanks,
-Lou Fuller
My favorite reads of 2007
included both the Alex Cross and Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson.
All of them were outstanding reads. One of my favorite authors is Homer Hickam
and I loved The Coalwood Way , a continuation of
his brilliant The Rocket Boys. Covering the same
period as Rocket Boys, it covers other humorous and moving stories of
Homer's high school days in the
-John Brown
Because they are the most
recent reads, and I remember them and can put
my hands on them on the bookshelf...
in no particular order:
The Seasons of Rome, by Paul Hofmann
Read this one on the plane to Rome; great way to enjoy the rhythms and
nuances of the Eternal City in preparation for landing.
The Genius in the Design: Bernini, Borromini and the Rivalry That
Transformed Rome, by Jake Morrissey
A terrific way to get a dose of architectural history in context with
the power and politics that have shaped Rome since the beginning, so its
fun even if you're not interested in architecture. A true life
thriller.
A Valley in Italy, The Many Seasons of a Villa in Umbria, by Lisa St
Aubin de Teran
I had read and enjoyed Palladian Days by Sally Gable and this one
really ups the ante on the crazy, wacky lovable characters, and they're
not only the Italians ! This family adventure is a delight, and I would
be jealous if I weren't so spoiled by the comforts of indoor plumbing.
The City of
Another page turner, and a delightful look behind the crumbling, shored
up facades of that fabled city,
characters who are actually real people, it has wonderful descriptions
of life outside the tourist routes that cross the many and venerable
bridges of this city in a lagoon. Go figure.
Are you detecting a theme here?
The Lost Painting, by Jonathan Harr
What can I say? Yet another fantastic book that brings real people and
places to vivid light and life. What passion and intrigue! Let's head
off to track down all the Caravaggio's we can find.
Satyr Square, A Year, A Life in Rome, by Leonard Barkan
A little more complex to follow, but an interesting and honest
exploration of finding oneself in finding a new place. I did seek out the
Square in order to see the stair, and discovered some other gems in the
city that I had heard about before but not yet found.
Michael Graves: Images of a Grand Tour, by Brian M. Ambroziak
A picture book, full of glorious drawings and paintings and sketches by
a noted architect,
Professor of mine in college. This has been a very inspirational tome.
Roman Builders: A Study in Architectural Process, by Rabun Taylor
Fascinating and detailed account, well illustrated, showing the
development of Roman building form and process. OK, OK, so it’s another
book about architecture, and Roman at that. But one cannot discuss the
buildings a culture creates without discussing something about the
culture.
Ditto for
The Pantheon: Design, Meaning and Progeny, by William L. McDonald
Great story of a great building.
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, by Giorgio Bassani
I had always wanted to read this book (and see the film), and a trip to
the Gardens at Ninfa, which inspired the author, finally caused me to
achieve that goal; the movie is next on my list, or somewhere on my
list.
I've started a couple of cheezy prep school-private school novels,
Prep, Academy X, The Upper Class, but they didn't hold my interest long
enough to finish, and summer was coming to a close.
I also started The World Is Flat, by Thomas Friedman, but I haven't yet
gotten into the rhythms of his writing; I will probably start again
sometime soon.
The Big House, by George Howe Colt, allowed me to luxuriate in the
fantasy of a rambling shingled summer house, as I sat in the living room
of my mother's charming wee cottage on
green light of a too brief summer stay.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Rosenbaum House, by Barbara K. Broach, Donald
Lambert and Milton Bagby
Thoughtful and articulate and loving account of the restoration of a
Wright treasure in Florence (there's the connection to the theme, see
!?)
discussion, as well as another really interesting glimpse into the life
and times of the PEOPLE who built the house, nit just the structure.
You can never have the architecture without the story of those who
built it, what the times were like, and what legacy they hoped to leave.
I am pleased to say that almost all (but not quite) of these books were
purchased (at some point in time) at CAPITOL BOOK & NEWS COMPANY.
Enough. There were some other texts, too. Stop,
Scott. Leave these
poor people alone.
Grazie mille
-Scott Finn
DISTRICT AND CIRCLE
by Seamus Heaney. The great Irish poet continues to startle and enhance my
life.
-Greg Thornton
My
book club reads a lot of different kinds of books and sometimes I can't
remember when exactly that I read them but here goes my closest guess as to my
favorites for 2007: first I believe One
Thousand White Women: the journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus was
probably the most favorite. It is an historical fiction but we all kept
questioning whether it really happened or not Fergus had just enough facts
mixed in to keep you believing this was actual history plus the story was
wonderful you laughed, you cried, and you were angry all the emotional roller
coaster.
Second not a book club selection but A
Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hoseini another one that was a
ride on the roller coaster. It is set in the present in
The rest are The Saddlemaker's Wife by
Earlene Fowler a love story mystery.
The Space Between Us by Thrity
Umrigar another foreign class system story.
Between
The Chili Queen by Sandra
Dallas a western mystery quite a surprise ending.
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi
Picoult just sad but you didn't want to see either side win.
Downtown : the journal of James Aloysius Holcombe Jr. by
Ferrol Sams interesting history of a
And finally three Clare Ferguson mysteries by Julia Spencer-Fleming All Mortal Flesh, Out of the Deep I Cry, and In the Bleak Midwinter I just love
the characters of Clare and Russ the priest and the local police chief.
-Lois Keel
Hi, I sure spent a lot of
time with my nose in the books last year. But I have to say that my favorites
were Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, Memoirs
of a Geisha which is old and everybody's read but I just
read it and loved it.
Also, read Snow
Flower and the Secret Fan which is somewhat reminiscent of
Memoirs but reads quite quickly (because you cannot put it down once you
get started).
I did discover a new
author Allison Winn Scotch who wrote The Department of Lost and
Found. A very promising novel about a young girl
diagnosed with breast cancer and the effects of chemo in regards to her life,
both personal and professional.
Also, I
read The Historian .....which folks either love or hate. I loved it.
A friend suggested it to me. Along with Good in Bed
which has some personal meaning to me.
I recently finished Skipper's
Revenge, The Five Love Languages, The
Handmaid and The Carpenter,
and The Devil Wears Prada, and The
Eyre Affair.
I was really disappointed
with Shopaholic and Baby but then I never really cared for any
of these but read them because they are so quick.
Hope you all had a great
year reading!!!!
My book pile is getting
taller and taller already. And this year I will brave the Lord
of the Rings trilogy which I have
never read.
Take care....
Sit down with a good
book....
-Rachel Nanzer
I forgot to mention that
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis was
thoroughly engaging, beautiful and sad. It is one that haunted me for
quite a while, and I seemed to see the world in sepia tones for a day or
two, and felt anxious about the state of the world and the fragile
beauty of the things we have created in the world around us.
Also read The Secret Life of Bees.
Delightful, cathartic, funny and happy sad. It was one of those books
that just came at the right time into my hands, and I cried a good long
cleansing cry for the loss of my own mother.
-Scott Finn
Here is my list and thanks for publishing
your list. Each one was my favorite while I was reading it.
Servants of the
Map-Andrea Barrett
The Whole World
Over-Julia Glass
The Road- Cormac McCarthy
The Creation- E. O.
Wilson
Naturalist- E. O. Wilson
The Children of Men- P.
D. James
The Curious Incident of
the Dog in the Night Time-Mark Haddon
The Ruins-Scott Smith
Everyman-Philip Roth
The Emperor’s
Children-Claire Messud
Suite Francaise-Irene
Nemirovsky
The Kite Runner-Khaled
Hosseini
March-Geraldine Brooks
The Girls-Lori Lansens
Hannable Rising-Thomas
Harris
Middlesex-Jeffrey
Eugenides
Big Bad Love-Larry Brown
Good Scent from a Strange
Mountain-Robert Olen Butler
The Bear Bryant Funeral
Train-Brad Vice
Gus Openshaw’s
Whale-Killing Journal-Keith Thomson
Brunelleschi’s
Dome-Ross King
Coming of Age at the Y-
William Cobb
The Sportswriter-Richard
Ford
Underworld-Dan Delillo
-Randy Shoults
I recently finished Mary
Morris' THE RIVER QUEEN that proves once again she is one of the finest
memoirists writing these days. Like her NOTHING TO DECLARE of a few years ago,
QUEEN is a fantastic story, telling about her journey with couple of
interesting midwestern good old boys on a small boat down the
I am currently reading an
outstanding history and autobiography, REVOLUTION OF HOPE, by Vicente Fox, the
former president of
Sena Jeter Naslund's
ABUNDANCE tells the colorful, dramatic, and explosive tragedy of Marie
Antoinette. It's a wonderful historical novel filled vibrant characters
-Wayne Greenhaw
San Miguel de Allende,