You Are Here: a Novel by David Nicholls

27 Wednesday Nov 2024

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A witty, touching love story. The writing is magnificent: taut and vivid. I was so happy while I was reading it and now I’m bereft. Gorgeous.” — Marian Keyes, internationally bestselling author of Rachel’s Holiday

“Captivating [and] flawless. . . . Sharp-tongued and irresistible.” — New York Times Book Review

“I finished this novel in two breathless sittings, as invested in its outcome as I would be in the happiness of a friend. This is the magic of You Are Here: warm, generous and funny, it invites readers into the world of Marnie and Michael with the promise that everyone is welcome, and that choosing happiness and being courageous in any small way we can is always possible. I loved this book.” — Kaliane Bradley, author of The Ministry of Time

Oh this book! What’s better than rooting for two shy, once-burned characters to recognize that love is within reach? I stopped often to reread and savor its sparkling, wry sentences. You Are Here is both up-to-the-minute and old-fashioned in the best way: sharp, yet so very kind, funny, and bittersweet.” — Elinor Lipman, bestselling author of Ms. Demeanor

“A stunning, funny, frank and beautiful look at loneliness, friendship, and the risks taken to love and be loved. In a career of standout books, You Are Here takes its place at the top. David Nicholls is my favorite writer.” — Chris Whitaker, New York Times bestselling author of We Begin At The End

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The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjam Kamali (local author, Lexington, Mass.)

22 Friday Nov 2024

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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There are some friendships in novels one can never forget – Ellie and Homa superbly qualify. Told with the tumultuous back drop of Iran in the 1960’s and its drastic impact on women especially. I loved this book!

“In The Lion Women of Tehran, Marjan Kamali brings to life the beauty and tragedy of Iran in the 1960s. From the delicious scent of spices simmering, to the colors of the bazaar, to the snowflakes landing on a certain character’s hair, this story came brilliantly alive to me from the very first page. Courage, friendship, loyalty, hardship, love—this novel has everything.” —Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes

“Riveting…Reminiscent of The Kite Runner and My Brilliant Friend, The Lion Women of Tehran is a mesmerizing tale featuring endearing characters who will linger in readers’ hearts.” —BookPage

“Kamali tells a moving story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and how a country’s transformation, in turn, transforms the lives of two unforgettable women. Simultaneously heartbreaking and life affirming, it’s a book that you won’t be able to put down until you’ve read every word.” —Adrienne Brodeur, New York Times bestselling author of Little Monsters

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The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow  

12 Tuesday Nov 2024

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This book, the first in a trilogy about the drug war in Mexico, can be pretty violent and disturbing, but also difficult to put down. It follows an American DEA agent and the head of a Mexican drug cartel, along with many other interesting characters, and lots of twists and turns. I recommend the audiobook!

“With an epic’s scope and a freight train’s rush, The Power of the Dog is an absolute page-turner. I couldn’t put it down and I was sorry when it ended. As always, Don Winslow delivers!”–S.J. Rozan, author of Absent Friends

“The war on drugs is powerfully dramatized in Winslow’s ambitious, dense and gritty latest . . . Winslow’s depth of research and unflagging attention to detail give the story both heft and immediacy, and his staccato, present-tense prose shifts easily among wildly disparate settings and multiple points of view. A complex plot, well-drawn characters and plenty of double-crossing make this a thinking person’s narco-thriller.”–Publishers Weekly

“This book comes at you like a champion boxer, deft and probing, and bristling with menace. Aiming for both the head and the gut, it connects solidly with every punch.”–Dan Fesperman, author of The Warlord’s Son

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The Bookseller at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw

06 Wednesday Nov 2024

Posted by in adventure, anecdotes, Biography, memoir, Non-fiction, Travel

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Ruth Shaw runs two wee bookshops in remote Manapouri in the far south of New Zealand.  In her memoir, she weaves together remarkable sailing adventures, a yearning to be independent, characters who she meets on the sea and in her book shops, and the books you’ll want to read that she collects and sells.  Never a dull moment in Ruth Shaw’s full life.

‘Compelling. Shaw tells her own story free of oversentimentality or self-pity; she’s straightforward, frequently humorous, but, understandably, sometimes guarded and reluctant to overshare. Her resilience, optimism and willingness to always help others is to be admired; her remarkable story is to be read and reflected upon as it adds another vital perspective to a New Zealand life.’ Dionne Christian, Sunday Star Times – –

‘Utterly charming and filled with equal measures of heartbreak and humour, Ruth Shaw’s memoir will have you booking the first flight to New Zealand to share a cup of tea at her Wee Bookshops. Shaw has been a cook, a nurse, sailor and world traveller, and endured
immeasurable loss. But with Lance, the love of her life, Shaw has found her place bookselling in Fiordland.’ Booksellers’ Choice Australia

‘Shaw can write about these peaks and troughs [of her life] without a skerrick of maudlin introspection or mawkishness. Battered and emotionally bruised, she marches on. In a word, dauntless, and it’s exactly this quality that makes this memoir so readable.’ Chris Moore, NZ Listener

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I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

Posted by in Biography, Non-fiction

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The cover of this book displays the title, the back cover displays the words, “men are afraid of me.” I thought Shraya’s observations, experiences, and insights from her perspective as a trans woman are profound and moving. 

“Shraya crafts each of her memories in prose made poetic with touches of metaphor. She writes with honesty and vulnerability, all the while asking challenging and personal questions that inspire deeper reflection. This crucial addition to shelves offers the vital and often ignored perspective of a trans woman of color. A book to carry with you.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Vivek Shraya’s writing is always empathetic but challenging, kind but sharp, and I’m Afraid of Men forces you to confront what you think you know about masculinity, privilege, and fear. Reading Shraya’s writing will make you a better person, through and through.”—Scaachi Koul, author of One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter

“Emotional and painful but also layered with humour, I’m Afraid of Men will widen your lens on gender and challenge you to do better. This challenge is a necessary one—one we must all take up. It is a gift to dive into Vivek’s heart and mind.”—Rupi Kaur, bestselling author of The Sun and Her Flowers and Milk and Honey

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Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines by Joy Buolamwini

22 Tuesday Oct 2024

Posted by in case studies, Non-fiction

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What does it mean to millions of people when the newest of the newest technology, facial recognition software can’t see your face? The author describes her work at MIT to raise awareness about this important failing. 

“This is as much a memoir as it is a clarion call for change. Unmasking AI belongs alongside Cathy O’Neil’s Weapons of Math Destruction and Safiya Umoja Noble’s Algorithms of Oppression as essential warnings for our time. It’s an important corrective to our unquestioning embrace of technology.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Unmasking AI shows Dr. Joy Buolamwini’s unmatched ability to break down complex topics for a wide audience. While taking us through her journey from a curious scientist excited by the possibilities of AI to one who uncovers its harms, Buolamwini breaks down the past, present, and future of AI harms in a manner that allows everyone to understand and participate in resisting them. This book is yet another artifact of her excellence.”—Timnit Gebru, founder of Distributed AI Research Institute and co-founder of Black in AI

“This revelatory book exposes the myriad, deeply ingrained biases encoded into facial recognition and other ‘trusted’ AI systems, pushing us to confront our blind trust in the machines that are taking over our lives. In describing how she conquered her own demons along her path towards justice for all, Dr. Joy Buolamwini offers a deeply felt, stirring call to action for ethical AI—a must-read for those who want a world in which technology serves humanity.”—Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize winner, CEO and president of Rappler

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Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate

15 Tuesday Oct 2024

Posted by in adventure, detective, Fiction, Historical Fiction, mystery, nature, United States

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“I barely put Shelterwood down as my new favorite heroine, Ranger Valerie, uncovered the chilling story of children displaced by land barons. This book has it all—two fabulous heroines, a little-known true story, and a setting to die for.”—Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lilac Girls and The Golden Doves

“Wingate is at her best writing in her sweet spot of writing for children’s rights while introducing us to a moment in Oklahoma history that would otherwise be forgotten”. —Sadeqa Johnson, author of The House of Eve

“Wingate’s stellar latest explores a centuries-long legacy of missing child cases. . . . Wingate’s insightful depiction of her young characters’ vulnerability and resourcefulness enriches the intricate plotting, and her portrayal of the region’s history, culture, and landscape enthralls. Wingate is at the top of her game.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A complex and fascinating tapestry woven with threads of history, mystery, and menace that proves yet again that there is no finer storyteller at work today than Lisa Wingate.”—William Kent Krueger, author of The River We Remember

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By Any Other Name: a Novel by Jodi Picoult

02 Wednesday Oct 2024

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Outstanding across the board!

“You’ll fall in love with Emilia Bassano, the unforgettable heroine based on a real woman that Jodi Picoult brings vividly to life in her brilliantly researched new novel.”—Kristin Hannah, author of The Women

“Picoult’s fictional take on the real life of [Emilia Bassano]. She quite likely would have known Shakespeare, because they moved in the same circles. Did she write things attributed to the Bard? Who knows. But her own life is interesting enough.”—Los Angeles Times

“[A] timely and affecting tale . . . Picoult’s many, many fans will pounce on her latest incisive, pot-stirring tale.”—Booklist, starred review

“Masterful . . . Breathtaking . . . Picoult’s own writing reminds us that to be a truly magnificent author, one also must be a poet, a creator of imagery and metaphor.”—Bookreporter

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Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips

25 Wednesday Sep 2024

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PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION • A NEW YORKER BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • From one of our most accomplished novelists, a mesmerizing story about a mother and daughter seeking refuge in the chaotic aftermath of the Civil War—and a brilliant portrait of family endurance against all odds

“A searing portrait of the cruelties of race, the insanity of war, and the tragedy of its aftermath.”
—Drew Gilpin Faust, author of This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War

“There is a luminous beauty in Phillips’s prose. Whether it is the dark interiors of war—which have become her forte—or the equally complex and fraught lives of so-called ‘ordinary’ people, Phillips brings these theaters of peace and loss, death and transcendence together with a remarkable alchemy.”—Ken Burns, filmmaker

“Gorgeous prose, attention to detail, and masterful characters . . . Set in West Virginia during and after the Civil War, Phillips’ book takes as given that slavery was evil and the war a necessity, focusing instead on lives torn apart by the conflict and on the period’s surprisingly enlightened approach toward care of the mentally ill . . . Pitch-perfect voice . . . Haunting storytelling and a refreshing look at history.”—Kirkus, starred

“Exquisite attention to detail propels a superb meditation on broken families in post–Civil War West Virginia . . . A profound sense of loss haunts the novel, and Phillips conveys a strong sense of place . . . The bruised and turbulent postbellum era comes alive in Phillips’s page-turning affair.”—Publishers Weekly, starred

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The Devotion of Suspect X: A Detective Galileo Novel (Detective Galileo Series, 1) by Keigo Higashino

18 Wednesday Sep 2024

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We know who committed the crime at the very beginning of this Japanese mystery, yet there are still many twists and turns to come in the story of a man who helps his neighbor cover up a murder.

“Winner of Japan’s prestigious Naoki Prize and a bestseller there with more than two million copies sold, this literary psychological thriller is a subtle and shifting murder mystery. It will make readers redefine devotion and trust in an otherwise complete stranger.” ―Library Journal (starred review)

Veteran police detective matches wits with a brilliant rookie criminal. This character-driven mystery by the prolific Higashino has much to recommend, including a droll Columbo-like sleuth and a great surprise ending.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“In The Devotion of Suspect X, Keigo Higashino weaves a web of intellectual gamesmanship in which the truth is a weapon that leads both police and readers astray. The ingenius conclusion is so unexpected that it’s difficult to imagine anyone seeing it coming. Smart, smart characters.” ―Jaqueline Winspear

“Irresistible! A mind-twisting story that will have readers plunging in to try to solve the crime before the math genius, the physics professor, or the cop get there first.” ―Nancy Pickard, New York Times bestselling author of The Scent of Rain and Lightning and The Virgin of Small Plains

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