Erin&#039;s Reviews

Poetry from the 2012 Winter Newsletter

W. W. Norton & Company

“I am a man: little do I last / and the night is enormous” begins my favorite Paz poem. I think his work has lasted far longer than he could have envisioned. He has the ability to move seamlessly from the political to the personal, the familiar to the fantastical; and here is the full of span of his career as a poet, from his first published poem to his last. A must have!

Reviewed by:

Erin

A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver

Poetry

New & Recommended Fiction

Penguin

According to Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Mary Oliver, it is every poet’s duty to “cultivate their sense of wonder in life.” That is, after all, what her work always does. From a blade of grass to the wide cycle of life, her keen eye on the world ever leaves a reader uplifted, curious, and gazing with wider eyes.

Reviewed by:

Erin

A Thousand Mornings (Hardcover)

By Mary Oliver

$26.00

ISBN: 9781594204777

Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days

Published: Penguin Press - October 11th, 2012

The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelmann

Harper Collins

This book has everything: intrigue, adventure, romance, and enough twists and turns to keep even the most restless mind occupied. Emil Larson stands on the cusp of history, and he’ll either get everything he’s ever wanted, or he’ll lose his wits, his fortune, and even his life, as the city itself stands on the brink of ruin or revolution, depending on how you read the cards. A delicious and satisfying read.

Reviewed by:

Erin

The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier

Staff Fiction Favorites

I fell in love with this book once I got over my green envy of its author. I would like to have come up with the notion: what if pain glowed with its light? In a series of wonderfully diverse stories, Brockmeier explores just that in a manner that's much like the light described: painful, but impossible to look away from till it's done.

Reviewed by:

Erin

The Illumination (Vintage Contemporaries) (Paperback)

By Kevin Brockmeier

$16.95

ISBN: 9780307387776

Availability: Hard to Find - Contact Store for Availability

Published: Vintage - February 21st, 2012

The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Shaffer

Staff Fiction Favorites

This book has all the best ingredients for a good read: history, characters you wish were your friends, romance, and a built-in love of other literature. It had me ready to pack up and move to the island of Guernsey (now that the war is long over of course.) One of my favorite comfort novels.

Reviewed by:

Erin

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: A Novel (Paperback)

By Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

$17.00

ISBN: 9780385341004

Availability: On Our Shelves Now

Published: Dial Press Trade Paperback - May 5th, 2009

The Lady Matador's Hotel by Cristina Garcia

Staff Fiction Favorites

Mystery & SF/F Instore Newsletter, 2012

Simon&Schuster

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It never drags, and its pages are populated by endlessly engaging characters, both villainous and sympathetic. From despots to parrots that spout leftist poetry the Hotel Matador is a melting pot of intrigues and assignations, ambitions, revenge, and heartbreak. The only thing certain about this story's ending is that you will not want it to happen.

Reviewed by:

Erin

The Lady Matador's Hotel: A Novel (Paperback)

By Cristina Garcia

$15.99

ISBN: 9781439181751

Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days

Published: Scribner - January 3rd, 2012

Nerd Do Well by Simon Peg

Yes of course this book is funny, but it's also bursting with tales of a whole generation of comics and artists, not to mention Peg's own charming, raucous, and occasionally ridiculous history.

Reviewed by:

Erin

Nerd Do Well: A Small Boy's Journey to Becoming a Big Kid (Paperback)

By Simon Pegg

$18.00

ISBN: 9781592407194

Availability: Hard to Find - Contact Store for Availability

Published: Avery - June 5th, 2012

Bangkok 8 by John Burdett

Mystery and True Crime

Science Fiction & Fantasy from the 2012 Summer Newsletter

Corrupt officials, prostitutes, crime and ghosts are all part of a normal day for Detective Jitpleecheep. When his partner is killed by a cobra on speed, that's when things get interesting. Burdett manages to sink his mystery deep into the layers of Thailand's culture and makes another world seem as close as next door. The only time I could put this book down was to go satisfy my craving for the cuisine.

Reviewed by:

Erin

Bangkok 8: A Royal Thai Detective Novel (1) (Royal Thai Detective Novels #1) (Paperback)

By John Burdett

$16.95

ISBN: 9781400032907

Availability: Hard to Find - Contact Store for Availability

Published: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard - July 13th, 2004

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Science Fiction/Fantasy