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Check out these new releases for the fall!

New Local Interest Books

1 Dead in Attic: After Katrina by Times-Picayune columnist Chris Rose. This new release from Simon & Schuster include both the original book and new columns. We have lots of signed copies in stock!

Eye of the Storm: Inside City Hall during Katrina by Sally Forman. Before resigning from her position, Sally Forman was Communications Director for the City of New Orleans. She resigned in 2006 to assist her husband, Ron Forman, with his campaign for mayor. We have both hardcover & paperback in stock.

Down in New Orleans: Reflections from a Drowned City by Billy Sothern. Mr. Sothern will be here Saturday, September 22 from 1:00 until 3:00 p.m. to sign copies of his book. "A deeply soulful and eloquent tribute - part paean and part eulogy - to a place Sothern loves almost despite himself." - Dave Eggars

New in Hardcover

The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith. This is the newest release in the Isabel Dalhousie Series. "Witty, ruminative, and wise." - Times-Picayune

The Pursuit of Glory: Europe 1648-1815 by Tim Blanning. This work by the Cambridge historian focuses on how five of the world's greatest revolutions propelled Europe into the powerhouse of the nineteenth century.

The Secret Lives of the Kudzu Debutantes by Cathy Holton, author of Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes. "Irresistibly entertaining, hilarious, a cunning, rollicking addition to the popular Southern 'steel magnolias' genre...Not since the Ya-Ya Sisterhood has there been a group of good ol' gals to rival Holton's trio of scorned Southern women." - Booklist

Now in Paperback

Pegasus Descending by James Lee Burke. The latest Dave Robicheaux novel to be released in paperback.

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. The remarkable true account of Michael Oher - from his heartbreaking early childhood to his remarkable career in football.

Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. "Outstanding...a wide-ranging invitation to think through the moral ramifications of our eating habits." - The New Yorker.

We have alot of new and interesting books to enjoy during the summer!

New Local Interest Books

No Ordinary Heroes by Demaree Inglese, M.D. with Diana G. Gallagher. A captivating memoir of Dr. Inglese, former medical director of New Orleans city jail, written during Katrina and its immediate aftermath.

Mixing New Orleans: Cocktails and Legends by Phillip Collier. A pictoral history of New Orleans cocktails and the people and places that made them famous. It also includes drink recipes!

The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke. The latest novel featuring Dave Robicheaux.

The Post-Katrina Portraits written and narrarated by hundreds and drwan by Francesco di Santis. An impressive collection of thoughts, observations, recollections, and prayers on post-Katrina New Orleans by those working with the Common Ground Collective.

New in Hardcover

Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Pulitzer Prize winning author Tim Weiner. "... A fascinating, deeply scarry book." - Walter Isaccson, author of Einstein: His Life and Universe.

Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott. " A beautifully written book, mixing a compelling contemporary love story and a fascinating historical investigation, with Isaac Newton and alchemy playing a crucial role." - Iain Pears, author of An Instance of the Fingerpost.

New in Paperback

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. At last, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times bestseller is now in paperback!

The Right Attitude to Rain by Alexander McCall Smith. The newest Isabel Dalhousie novel to be released in paperback.

The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Friedman, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Lexus and the Olive Tree.

Get an early start on your Christmas shopping! Here are some great gift ideas! We also have lots of new holiday greeting cards!

Angler's Guide to Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico by Horst Lane Raver. This is a wonderful gift for anyone who likes to fish. It contains over 400 pages of illustrations, identifications, and food value of fish found in the Gulf. $35.00

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. The newest release by this native New Orleanian. This is a touching story of an at risk, disadvantaged boy from the streets who is now likely to become one of the highest paid stars of the NFL. $24.95

Canal Street: New Orleans' Great Wide Way by Peggy Scott Laborde and John Magill. Based on a public television documentary, this work chronicles the history of Canal Street from 1807 up to Hurricane Katrina and documents its contributions to New Orleans culture and landscape. $39.95

Creole Thrift: Premium Southern Living without Spending a Mint by Angele Parlange. A great gift for college students, newlyweds, or anyone needing to decorate their home! This new release is full of ideas by popular New Orleans designer, Angele Parlange. $29.95.

Katrina: The Ruin and Recovery of New Orleans by the Times-Picayune. The photographic journal of America's costliest disaster in history by the 2006 Pulitzer Prize winning New Orleans Times-Picayune. $39.95

Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe by Thomas Cahill. The fifth book in Cahill's "Hinges of History" series. Not only is this a beautifully written book on Medieval Europe but it is also visually beautiful - a must see and a must read! $32.50

Vanished Mississippi Gulf Coast by Jim Fraiser. A newly released book containing photographs of the beauty that was the Mississippi Gulf Coast before Katrina and the devastation thereafter. $22.95

September 2006

Our New Orleans/Louisiana/Katrina section continues to grow daily. One of our newest Katrina books is

Katrina Exposed: A Photographic Reckoning by New Orleans Museum of Art ($24.95)

We also have some new non-Katrina New Orleans books. Some of these include a wonderful photography book by local photographer Kerri McCaffety entitled Napoleon House ($39.95) and Richard Campanella's newest book, Geographies of New Orleans: Urban Fabrics before the Storm ($49.50). While there is a small section on Katrina, the majority of the book dels with historical, physical, urban, and ethnic geographis of the city. Additionally, we also have some new regional cookbooks including Amy Cyrex Sins' Ruby Slippers Cookbook: Life, Culture, Family, and Food after Katrina ($35.00)

July 2006

Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make A Roux? by Marcelle Bienvenu (Acadian House; $22.95) Now back in print! Lots of signed copies in stock of this Classic Louisiana Cookbook.

June 2006

New in Hardback:

Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival by Anderson Cooper (Harper Collins; $24.95) CNNs Anderson Cooper which spans from his childhood as the son of the famed Gloria Vanderbilt, and how personal tragedies in his youth led him to become a reporter.

Recounting the tragedies of others became a welcome distraction from his own troubled life, but with recent events such as the tsunami in Shri Lanka, the Iraq war, stavation in Niger, and the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina, Cooper was overcome by the misery of the last year and felt inspired to write this account of one reporter's tale through recent history--a behind the scenes look at reporting today, and why Cooper is drawn to the danger.

Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press; $26.95) The next in Evanovich's series is out for your consumption! A great read for your next vacation!

One Mississippi by Mark Childress (Little, Brown and Co.; $24.99) As if high school isn't hard enough already, Danel Musgrove has recently transfered to a school in Mississippi and is afraid of being ostracized as a Yankee. Thankfully, he meets a new best friend and all is well until an unusual chain of events involving a small crime that gets carried away leads them all into turmoil.

New in Paperback:

Pardonable Lies: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear (Picador; $14.00) This is the third novel of the Maisie Dobbs Crime Series and takes place inbetween the two World Wars.

"For readers yearning for the calm and insightful intelligence of a main character like P.D. James's Cordelia Gray, Maisie Dobbs is spot-on."
--THE BOSTON GLOBE-- (from the back cover of the book)

Until I Find You by John Irving (Ballentine Books.; $15.95) A novel about the loss of innocence which centers around some very bizarre Irving-esque characters such as a church organist /tattoo addict.

The Unfinished Novel and Other Stories by Valerie Martin (Vinatage Books; $13.00)
Valerie Martin is a local author well known for her book Mary Reilly. Martin also won the Orange Prize for Property.

This collection of stories revolves around artists in various states of productivity and despair, liked and unliked--writers, painters, poets, printmakers.

May 2006

New in Hardback:

Aftermath of Dreaming by Delane Michel (Harper Collins; $23.95) New in Hardback, a passionate, psychological first novel by native Louisianian Delane Michel. Michel is from a very literary family including Andre Dubos, Elizabeth Nell Dubos and James Lee Burke. To learn more, check out her website http://www.delaunemichel.com/.

The Fallen by T. Jefferson Parker (Harper Collins; $24.95) Parker is the author of 12 other novels, 2 of which have won the Edgar Award: Silent Joe and California Girl. The Fallen is his newest in hardback.

Everyman by Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin; $24.00) Philip Roth is most recently known for his book, The Plot Against America, which is now availiable in paperback. Everyman--new out in hardback--is a novel about life's dance with death, centering around one man and his family's relationship with the concept of human mortality.

Night of the Jaguar by Michael Gruber (Harper Collins; $24.95) This title centers around mysterious murders in Miami, which the secrets of, alliteration aside, are sure to entertain.

New in Paperback:

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden (Penguin; $14.00) Another great war epic to inspire, now out in affordable paperback format!

April 2006

New in Hardback:

Coroner's Journal: Stalking Death in Louisiana by Louis Cataldie, M.D. (G. P. Putnam's Sons; $25.95) Cataldie was recently reviewed on NPR about this new book. To read a brief summary on him and see an excerpt from the book, click HERE. You can also listen to his interview with Terry Gross from NPR's website.

Cataldie is a state medical examiner for East Baton Rouge, and Coroner's Journal covers many of his experiences from working in Baton Rouge in 1993 through his role in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

"The journal is about how the lives--and untimely deaths--of the people I investigated crossed my path, and how I tried to bring order and integrity to the aftermath."
--from Coroner's Journal--

The Old Wine Shades by Martha Grimes (Viking; $25.95) Any Martha Grimes fan should check out this latest installment in the Richard Jury series!

New in Paperback:

Utterly Monkey by Nick Laird (Harper Perennial; $13.95) Laird is the husband of novelist Zadie Smith. Maple Street Book Shop employee Jan Asch recommends Laird's first novel as a fun, satisfying read. How could it not be with a title like "Utterly Monkey?"

February 2006

Missing New Orleans by J. Richard Guber, Jim Rapier and Mary Beth Romig, photography by David Rae Morris (Ogden Museum; $39.95) Back in stock!! Missing New Orleans has finally been reprinted, and it's now readily availiable to us through our local supplier, Forest Sales, so we have them in stock once again. Scroll back to December for a brief summary of this title.

The Dogs Who Found Me by Ken Foster (The Lyons Press; $12.95) Disaster after distaster, from 9/11 through Hurricane Katrina, what one dog-rescuer learned from the pets left behind. From inspiring stories to practical knowledge, this book is a must for dog-lovers.

Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? by Toni McGeeCausey, Colleen Mondor, Jason Barry and more (Chin Music Press; $18.50) Reminiscent of McSweeny's publications, this classy volume is jam-packed with stories and essays about New Orleans and includes quotes, diagrams, maps and beautiful engravings of the city. It even has a tiny red ribbon to keep your place!

From he title page: "An Arousing assortment of tales filled to the brim with blood and spit. Follow our heroes and heroines as they escape from a sinking city. Featuring: a woman on a flying trapeze, a down-and-out jazz pianist, a teenage float grunt, acclaimed writers, drunken professors and radical southern intellectuals."

New Books About George Rodrigue's Art In Stock!!
We now have several of George Rodrigue's books in, several autographed and a couple which are no longer in print, but supplies are limited, so please call to reserve one!

Titles Include:

The Art of George Rodrigue (Autographed; Hardback; $50.00)

Blue Dog Love (Autographed; Hardback; on sale! $17.98)

Blue Dog (Hardback; $50.00)

The Cajuns of George Rodrigue (Out of Print; Hardback; $75.00)

George Rodrigue: A Cajun Artist (Out of Print; Hardback; $75.00)

January 2006

Very New Orleans by Diana Hollingsworth Gessler (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill; $16.95) A very adorable book! A small hardback filled with colorful illustrations, descriptions of various sites around the city, and facts galore. Very New Orleans feels like you're inside someone's sketchbook, and it even includes a section on us, the Maple Street Book Shops!

New Orleans, Mon Amour: Twenty Years of Writings From the City by Andrei Codrescu (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill; $14.00) This is for the Codrescu fans. All of Codrescu's writings about New Orleans are contained in this paperback volume, from when he first came to this city to his current "near native" status. The book even includes several post-Katrina chapters which serve to help renew hope and love of this magnificent city.

December 2005

UPDATE: Unfortunately, we have sold out of Missing New Orleans. It is uncertain whether we'll be able to get any more, as they are supplied by the Ogden Museum which is considering doing a reprint. In the meantime, please contact them to inquire about copies of this title.
Missing New Orleans by J. Richard Guber, Jim Rapier and Mary Beth Romig, photography by David Rae Morris (Ogden Museum; $39.95) One of the most requested books about New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina has finally arrived at Maple Street Book Shop. Missing New Orleans is jam-packed with images and history of the city including architecture, resturants, business, entertainment, music, tradional New Orleans commodities and more. It also contains an epilogue about Hurricane Katrina. All together the book is packaged beautifully and contains a plethora of information and warm feelings for our beloved crescent.

November 2005

Teacher Man by Frank McCourt (Scribner; $26.00) Another beautiful autobiographical book is out by this skilled writer. Also the author of Angela's Ashes and 'Tis, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt's latest book chronicles his years teaching public high school in New York.

Spoiled by Tom Varisco (self-published; $12.00) A beautifully-designed volume of all that lovely refrigerator graffiti we've been seeing on the side of the road--in our own front yards, perhaps! Tom Varisco is the publisher of Desire Magazine, a monthly publication full of excellent photographs, writing, and feats of design.

Why New Orleans Matters by Tom Piazza (Harper Collins; $14.95) Someone sure was busy during their stay away from hurricane-torn New Orleans to put out such a volume so quickly! A book about the spirit of New Orleans, and all those who long to keep it alive. Tom Piazza is also the author of My Cold War and many other works of both fiction and nonfiction.
UPDATE: It seems that everytime we get a case of Piazza's book in, they sell out before the end of the day! So please give us a call and reserve a copy.

Now in Paperback:

His Excellency by Joseph J. Ellis (Vintage; $15.00) New out in paperback, this biography of George Washington by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Founding Brothers was well-reviewed by The Boston Globe as well as The New York Times and is said to be an "accessible" history underlining the true merit of Washington's presidency.

October 2005

Check back later for more post-Katrina updates!

August 2005

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (Little Brown; $25.95) This creepy and colorful epic about historians on the trail of Vlad the Impaler spans many time periods, several different voices, and diverse locations. Everyone we've heard from who's read it agrees--this first novel is a page-turner.

Eudora Welty by Suzanne Marrs (Harcourt; $28.00) This engaging and affectionate biography from the writer of One Writer's Imagination: The Fiction of Eudora Welty, debunks many myths about the life and work of one of America's best short fiction writers.

The Disappointment Artist: Essays by Jonathan Lethem (Doubleday; $22.95) Jonathan LethemÕs limitless imagination and language dexterity are well known to fans of his novels (most recently Motherless Brooklyn and Fortress of Solitude; this funny and heartbreaking, loopy and sad book of essays deserves to reach an even wider audience.

Now in Paperback:

Bangkok 8 by John Burdett (Vintage; $13.95) Even though the setting and situation are "sick" (to quote one of our customers), the protagonist is healthy and weirdly very moral. The author does an amazing job of shocking, but for good reasons, and with a fresh style that is sheer pleasure to read.

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom (Penguin; $14.00) A good bit of the action in this Reformation Period mystery takes place in a threatened monastery. The hunchback protagonist is quite powerful and a pleasure to be around.

Faded Coat of Blue by Owen Parry (Avon; $7.99) This is the first installment in a mystery series set during the Civil War. Readers are loving it so much they're recommending it to us!

Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith (Anchor Books; $9.95) The author of No. 1 LadiesÕ Detective Agency, has written this droll short novel that is not only fun but somehow inspiring.

June 2005

Mr. Muo's Travelling Couch by Sai Sijie (Knopf, $22.00) A novel of love, political persecution, psychoanalysis and "quixotic idealism," by the best-selling author of Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress.

Specimen Days by Michael Cunningham (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $25.00) Cunningham, who won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel The Hours, weaves a haunting tale spanning several centuries. Set in New York City during the industrial revolution, early twenty-first century, and 150 years from today, it details the adventures of the same three characters, who encounter everything from ghosts to terrorists to alien invaders. Walt Whitman also plays a pivotal role in this "genre-bending" and bold new work of fiction.

The Closers by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown & Co., $26.95) The latest thriller featuring L.A. detective Harry Bosch involves the unsolved murder of a teenaged girl back in 1988.

Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up by James Hollis, Ph.D. (Gotham Books, $25.00) Case studies and insights on "midlife" issues, by an acclaimed Jungian analyst.

The Emancipator's Wife: A Novel of Mary Todd Lincoln by Barbara Hambly (Bantam Books, $25.00) Hambly's mysteries, set in 19th-century New Orleans, have earned both critical acclaim and a wide readership. Now, Hambly brings us a rich, complex work of historial fiction, about the woman who loved one of our country's most influential leaders--for better or for worse.

Now in Paperback:

Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson (Random House, $14.95 paperback, $7.50 mass market) In the fall of 1991, two scuba divers accidentally discovered a sunken World War II German U-boat, which records reveal could not possibly have ended up in that location. What follows is a gripping tale of obsession, adventure, mystery, and an unlikely friendship between two former rivals.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris (Little, Brown & Co., $14.95) Hilarious and sometimes heart-breaking essays from the best-selling author of Barrel Fever and Me Talk Pretty One Day.

One Matchless Time: A Life of William Faulkner by Jay Parini (Harper, $15.95)

The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips (Random House, $13.95) A novel by the author of Prague about an egyptologist on a mission to find a missing tomb. Elaborate and suspenseful.

May 2005

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith (Pantheon Books, $19.95) The latest installment in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. Wonderfully charming, as always.

Being Dead Is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays (Miramax, $19.95) This book is both hilarious and useful. Filled with recipes for everything from cheese grits to 'Aunt Hebe's Coconut Cake' ("We're already thinking about this coconut cake before the last 'amen' "), you'll find all you need to host--or at least survive--the quintessential Southern funeral.

Dancing with My Father by Leif Anderson (University Press of Mississippi, $25.00)
The author's moving account of life with her father, the artist Walter Anderson.

The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana by Umberto Eco (Harcourt, $27.00)
When a middle-aged book dealer in Milan loses his memory of everything except books and poetry, he embarks on a mission to retrieve his past. The result is this graphic novel, suspenseful, rich, and emotionally generous--Eco at his finest.

Now in Paperback:

Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena by Julia Reed (Random House, $12.95) Amusing and often enlightening essays on the finer points of life in the South.

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler (Plume, $14.00) The New York Times best-selling novel about reading, relationships, and the incomparable Miss Austen.

Saul and Patsy by Charles Baxter (Vintage, $13.95) This elegant, beautifully understated novel follows the lives of the title characters as they struggle to mark their place in the world.

Logic by Olympia Vernon (Grove Press, $12.00) Vernon, a renowned New Orleans author, wows fans with her second novel, the story of a young girl with a terrible secret.

April 2005

Saturday by Ian McEwan (Nan A. Talese, $26.00)
Henry Perowne is a neurosurgeon who takes pride in the ordered life he has created--his practice is thriving, his family is healthy, and he still has time on Saturdays to play squash and browse the local markets. But on this particular Saturday, Henry wakes before dawn to glimpse, from his bedroom window, a burning plane streaking across the London skyline. Later, as he makes his way through an anti-war rally to his weekly squash game, Henry is accosted by a thug with an obvious neurological disorder; having been confronted with the reality of his illness, the attacker backs off in a blaze of humiliation. The events of this extraordinary day, culminating in the return of Henry's attacker during a family reunion, are rendered with graceful, exquisite prose, as Henry strives to make sense of the madness that surrounds him.

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking, $24.95)
The second novel by the author of The Secret Life of Bees involves mermaids, saints, a woman summoned home to a small island to care for her eccentric mother, and her relationship with a handsome monk soon to take his final vows. Lush, evocative, and highly imaginative.

Ya-Yas in Bloom by Rebecca Wells (Harper Collins, $24.95)
This much-anticipated follow-up to the bestselling Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Little Altars Everywhere traces the history of the Sisterhood, from an unlikely alliance of four young girls in the 1930s, to a present-day crisis that shakes the foundation of their sixty-year friendship. Signed first editions available.

March 2005

The Writing Life by Ellen Gilchrist (University Press of Mississippi, $28.00)
Celebrated author Ellen Gilchrist offers thoughts on literature, writing, and teaching, in the form of fifty short essays. Deeply personal and engaging. Gilchrist is currently Writer-in-Residence and Distinguished Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Tulane University.

Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America by John M. Barry (Simon & Schuster, $16.00)
This phenomenal account of the devasting flood and its aftermath has been chosen as the 2005 One Book, One New Orleans reading selection. Through this project, New Orleans residents can participate in a variety of book-related activities--all centered around the same book--including panel and book group discussions, movie screenings, author appearances, and other stimulating and informative opportunities. For more information, visit www.onebookoneneworleans.org or call 504-585-1500. All events are free.

Desire Street: A True Story of Death and Deliverance in New Orleans by Jed Horne (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $25.00) Times-Picayune city editor Jed Horne provides a mesmerizing account of the 1984 murder of an elderly white woman, and the black man who spent years on death row for a crime he may not have committed.

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond (Penguin, $29.95) The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel takes a look at some ill-fated civilizations, with an emphasis on learning from their mistakes.

Dissolution by C.J. Sansom (Penguin, $14.00)
Hunchbacks, Henry VIII, murder at a snowed-in monastery--what's not to love? In 1537, England was strongly divided between those loyal to the Catholic Church and those faithful to the King and the court-endorsed Church of England. When Matthew Shardlake, a lawyer and avid reformer, is sent to investigate a brutal murder at one of the monasteries targeted for disssolution, he gets more than he bargained for. Gripping, atmospheric, and historically vivid, this novel has quickly become a favorite among our staff.

December 2004/January 2005

The Death Of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions by Sister Helen Prejean (Random House, $25.95)
In this remarkable follow-up to her best-selling 1993 book, Dead Man Walking, Sr. Helen Prejean traces the history of executions in the United States, questions the consitutionality of sentencing and appeals procedures, and attempts to demonstrate how factors such as race, poverty, political ambition, and public perceptions unjustly influence outcomes. Sr. Prejean, who lives in Louisiana, is an avid opponent of capital punishment, and a graceful writer whose stories and arguments have formed the basis of an ongoing public debate.

The Year of Past Things by M.A. Harper (Harcourt, $23.00)
Phil Randazzo doesn't know what he's getting into when he marries Michelle, widow of the popular Cajun musician A.P. Savoie. On the surface, things seem to be going well for Phil. His restaurant, Tasso, is all the rage in New Orleans, he gets along with his stepchildren, and marital life is going great--that is, until the jealous ghost of A.P. Savoie shows up, and Phil's blissful new life takes a haunting detour. Harper is the author of the novel The Worst Day of My Life, So Far, and one of our most beloved local writers. Autographed copies are available.

Seven Types of Ambiguity by Elliot Perlman (Penguin, $27.95)
This novel, published in Australia in 2003, may be described on one level as a psychological thriller, but it is so much more than that. It is also a love story--albeit a dark one--and a dizzying primer on a range of subjects including philosophy, the stock market, the health care system, gambling, poetry, prositution, and the law, among other things. The story is told by seven different narrators with seven decidedly different interpretations of the novel's major events. Perlman writes confidently and with remarkable compassion about the complexity and (yes) ambiguity inherent in all relationships. Beach readers be forewarned: this hefty novel is something of a challenge--but well worth it.

November 2004

The Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst (Bloomsbury, $24.95).
This novel, which just won the Booker Prize, has received unanimous and enthusiastic praise; one reviewer went so far as to call it "almost perfectly written." Set in England during the Thatcher era, the story follows twenty-year-old Nick Guest, whose obsession with beauty--and beautiful people--makes him an outsider in a society filled with so much ruthlessness and greed. When Nick moves in with the wealthy, conservative, and politically connected Fedden family, he is forced to reconcile his personal passions with the allure of a lifestyle he once admired. Elegantly written, expertly plotted, this novel is a must for readers of all persuasions.

I am Charlotte Simmons, by Tom Wolfe (Farrar Straus Giroux, $28.95).
The title character of Tom Wolfe's eagerly anticipated new novel is a brainy freshman in the full throes of disillusionment. Born and raised in a town "so high up in the hills of western North Carolina that golfers intrepid enough to go up there to play golf call it mountain golf," Charlotte has traveled a long way to pursue her lofty academic goals. She soon learns, however, that life at Dupont University is less...well...studious then she'd imagined. Will Charlotte succumb to the allure of privilege and abandon? Or will she stay true to her ambitions and the folksy roots that inspired them? Read it and see for yourself!

How We Are Hungry, Stories by Dave Eggers (McSweeney's Books, $22.00).
What's not to love about Dave Eggers? His first book, a memoir with a title so long it necessitates an acronym (A.H.W.O.S.G), inspired a generation of voice-seekers to put their pens to paper (and won some awards, too). He founded McSweeney's and 826 Valencia; his first novel, You Shall Know Our Velocity, solidified his reputation as one of America's finest and most relevant writers. Now, in his first short story collection, Eggers lives up to that reputation, with stories as enjoyable as they are diverse. The titles alone are enough to entice: "Climbing to the Window, Pretending to Dance," "She Waits, Seething, Blooming," "Your Mother and I," "Notes for a Story of a Man Who Will Not Die Alone," "Up the Mountain Coming Down Slowly." The stories themselves are even better. Highly recommended.

River Road Recipes IV: Warm Welcomes
Entertaining Menus From Our Homes To Yours, by the Junior League of Baton Rouge (Favorite Recipes Press, $28.95).
In this fourth installment of their increasingly popular cookbook series, the gals from Baton Rouge have tried something different; instead of grouping the recipes according to course (Bread, Soup, Poultry, etc.), they've designed menus with specific occasions in mind, then grouped those menus in sections, according to broader themes. "From the Kitchen" contains menus for more relaxed occasions, like brunch and after-school snacks; "About the Home" is geared towards more formal get-togethers; "In the Dining Room" has menus for Thanksgiving and a Bridesmaids' Luncheon, among others; "Throughout the Garden" offers spectacular and inventive suggestions for outdoor entertaining; the final section, "Around the Town," is devoted to portable feasts (with the inevitable nod to Mardi Gras parades). The whole thing comes wrapped in a beautiful hardcover book, with photographs by David Humphreys. If there's a more perfect holiday gift this season, we don't know about it.

October 2004

My Cold War by Tom Piazza (Harper Collins, $13.95). Now in paperback, Piazza's debut novel tells the story of John Delano, historian and popular lecturer in "Cold War Studies" at a small New England college. As he struggles to write his much-anticipated book, Delano must face up to a past that is both familiar and strangely, sadly remote. Bob Dylan put it this way: "Tom Piazza's writing pulsates with nervous electric tension--reveals the emotions we can't define," and we agree. If you haven't yet had the pleasure, stop in soon and pick up a signed copy of this terrific novel by one of our favorite local authors.

Bob Dylan: Chronicles, Volume One by Bob Dylan (Simon & Schuster, $24.00). An intimate memoir by the legendary musician.