Favorite Books of the Year 2013

Rounding out the year, I took a leading from one of my favorite bloggers, Kathy of Bermudaonion , and thought I would let you know what my favorite books in several categories were.  I'm just going to give a quick list with a couple of pictures to jog your memories.  You can search for the full reviews if you take a notion, by checking out the "search" tool to the left of the page.  :]

MOST UNUSUAL
The Returned by Jason Mott
The Sleeping Dictionary by Sujata Massey
The Offering by Angela Hunt

FAVORITES IN FICTION
Cartwheel by Jennifer du Bois
Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Guests on Earth by Lee Smith
The Passage by Justin Cronin
Call Me Zelda by Erika Robuck
The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates
Funeral Dress by Susan Gregg

HISTORICAL FICTION
The Orphanmaster by Jean Zimmerman
Cascade by Maryanne O'Hara
Blood Between Queens by Barbara Kyle
Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd

THRILLER/SUSPENSE
Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie
Jeffrey Deaver's new story collection!

YA FICTION
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Beta by Rachel Cohn

NON-FICTION
Survival Lessons by Alice Hoffman !!!
Saturday Night Widows by Becky Aikman
Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage...The Titanic's First Class Passengers...by Hugh Brewster

AUDIOBOOKS
Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Good House by Ann Leary
The Mothers by Jennifer Gilmore

WEIRD, WISE AND RECOMMENDED, TOO
The Uninvited by Liz Jensen
Tampa by Alissa Nutting


Hope you find some good ones here!  It was a great year for books, and obviously I couldn't name all the ones I loved reading.  Let me know if there are any  you particularly thought were great this year or that I left out...     Deborah

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"Castles, Customs, and Kings..." ~ Historical Fiction True Tales

SUMMARY :


A compilation of essays/"True Tales by the English Historical Fiction Authors" blog, this book provides a wealth of historical information from Roman Britain to early twentieth century England. Over fifty different authors share hundreds of real life stories and tantalizing tidbits discovered while doing research for their own historical novels.

From Queen Boadicea's revolt to Tudor ladies-in-waiting, from Regency dining and dress to Victorian crime and technology, immerse yourself in the lore of Great Britain. Read the history behind the fiction and discover the true tales surrounding England's castles, customs, and kings.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

Published by:  Madison Street Publishing
Pages:  514
Genre:  Non-Fiction/ Historical England
Authors:  Historical Fiction Authors
Blog may be found here:  http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com
Purchase the book:  Barnes & Noble  or Amazon    5 star rating


BOOK SPOTLIGHT and About Author Barbara Kyle:

Barbara Kyle is one of the contributing authors of "Castles, Customs, and Kings..."  Here's a bit more about her and her latest book.

 

THE QUEEN'S EXILES

by Barbara Kyle

Publication Date: 27 May 2014

 

Synopsis 

1572. Europe is in turmoil. A vengeful faction of exiled English Catholics is plotting to overthrow Queen Elizabeth and install her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots on the throne. And in the Netherlands the streets are red with the blood of those who dare to oppose the brutal Spanish occupation. But amid the unrest, one resourceful young woman has made a lucrative enterprise. Scottish-born Fenella Doorn salvages crippled vessels. It is on one of these ships that she meets wealthy Baron Adam Thornleigh. Secretly drawn to him, Fenella can’t refuse when Adam enlists her to join him in war-torn Brussels to help find his traitorous wife, Frances—and the children she’s taken from him. But Adam and Fenella will put their lives in peril as they attempt to rescue his young ones, defend the Crown, and restore a peace that few can remember.  

With eloquent and enthralling finesse, Barbara Kyle illuminates one of history's grimmest chapters. The Queen's Exiles breathes new life into an extraordinary age when love and freedom could only be won with unmitigated courage.

 

Advance Praise for The Queen's Exiles

 

"This moving adventure pulses with Shakespearean passions: love and heartbreak, risk and valour, and loyalties challenged in a savage time. Fenella Doorn, savvy and brave, is an unforgettable heroine." - Antoni Cimolino, Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival

  

About the Author

 

Barbara Kyle is the author of the acclaimed, internationally-published Thornleigh Saga novels which follow a middle-class English family's rise through three tumultuous Tudor reigns:

 

The Queen's Exiles

Blood Between Queens

The Queen’s Gamble

The Queen’s Captive

The King’s Daughter

The Queen’s Lady

 

Barbara was a speaker in 2013 at the world-renowned Stratford Festival with her talk Elizabeth and Mary, Rival Queens and is known for her dynamic workshops for many writers'organizations and conferences. Before becoming an author Barbara enjoyed a twenty-year acting career in television, film, and stage productions in Canada and the U.S. Visit www.barbarakyle.com.

 

 

Praise for Barbara Kyle

“Real-life events merging with fiction vibrantly bring history to life in an exciting, accessible way. Kyle knows what historical fiction readers crave.” RT Book Reviews on Blood Between Queens

“An intimate look into the minds and hearts of the royal and great of Elizabeth’s England. A beautifully written and compelling novel. Again, Barbara Kyle reigns!” New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper on Blood Between Queens

“Gaspworthy treachery and the poignant sweetness of steadfast love make this a book of quickly and eagerly turned pages.” Best-selling author Sandra Byrd on Blood Between Queens

“An all-action thriller, bringing to life the passion and perils of the Tudor period.” Lancashire Evening Post on The King’s Daughter

“Riveting…adventurous…superb!” The Historical Novels Review on The Queen’s Gamble

“A complex and fast-paced plot mixing history with vibrant characters” Publishers Weekly on The King’s Daughter

“An exciting tale of the intrigue and political manoeuvring in the Tudor court.” Booklist on The Queen’s Captive

“Boldly strides into Philippa Gregory territory…sweeping, gritty and realistic.” The Historical Novels Review on The Queen’s Lady


INTERVIEW W/ MS. KYLE:

Happily Barbara has consented to an interview!!  Here it is:

1)      Tell us something about yourself, please.  How do most people describe you?

My readers would describe me as the author of five historical novels set in Tudor England. But my family might describe me as the lady who spends her days behind a closed door communing with imaginary people.

2)      Briefly, from where did the idea for your novel germinate?

The Queen's Exiles sprang from a character I'd previously created, Scottish-born Fenella Doorn. In The Queen's Gamble she played a small but crucial role as the young mistress of a garrison commander. I always liked Fenella, and it's been a pleasure making her the "star" of The Queen's Exiles. It takes place eleven years later and Fenella has become an entrepreneur who salvages crippled vessels. It's on one of these ships that she meets wealthy Baron Adam Thornleigh. Drawn to him, Fenella can’t refuse when Adam enlists her to join him in war-torn Brussels to help find his traitorous wife, Frances—and the children she’s taken from him.

3)      Who first told you you could write well, and how did it affect you?

I began as most writers do: with short stories. My first efforts were awful, full of high-flown language and no drama. But I learn fast, and I eventually wrote a story that won a contest. It was nothing grand, just a competition held by my county's library association, but winning it meant everything to me. Bless all libraries and librarians!

4)      Which contemporary authors do you most admire?

Fiction: Ian McEwan, Kate Atkinson, William Boyd, Robin Maxwell, Herman Wouk, James Clavell, Robert Harris. Non-fiction: Adam Hochschild, Charles Nicholl, Stephen Greenblatt, Caroline Alexander, Dava Sobel.

5)      Who are your favorite classical authors?

E.M. Forster. Dickens. Austen. Fielding. Shakespeare (on the stage; can't say I sit and read him).

6)      What was your first book as a child?  What’s your all time favorite book?

The first book I remember reading as a child was an Enid Blyton story, though I can't recall the title. It was one of her marvelous Adventure series and I went on to read them all. My all-time favorite novel is James Clavell's Shogun. (Proves my love of adventure tales, then and now.)

7)      Read any good books in the past 6 months?

I was knocked out by Jim Crace's superb Harvest, a hypnotically poetic tale. And I've just finished Robert Harris's brilliant An Officer And A Spy, which was so nail-bitingly exciting I could hardly put it down. Seriously, I would rush through making dinner just so I could dash back to the couch and read it.

8)      What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

A terribly boring play I did back in the 1980s. Before writing full-time I made my living as an actor on TV and on stage, and this particular play (it was about four women whining about their lives) was so tedious that many nights after the show my husband would have a martini ready to revive me!  

9)      What’s your earliest memory?

Tracing numbers with crayon in kindergarten. I can still see those vivid-colored crayons. And sunshine streaming through the window onto my big red-yellow-blue 8.

10)   What’s your most treasured possession?

A scarab necklace, the first gift my husband ever gave me, back when we were paupers. I wear it often. I also cherish a small pine cone that a reader sent me from the grounds of Hever Castle, the home of Anne Boleyn. The pine cone has pride of place on my desk.

11)   Are you working on a new novel?

Yes, I have a deadline to deliver the new manuscript to my publisher in a few months. It's an Elizabethan spy thriller. The heroine, code-breaker Kate Lyon, represents the third generation of the Thornleigh family in my Thornleigh Saga. And she's doing a fine job!

GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR ROSEANNE LORTZ:

We are so happy to have you visit us today with a guest post, Ms Lortz.  I've been wondering what specifically draws certain authors to write historical fiction.  I think you've given us a good grasp of what you and your fellow authors love about it.  Thank you for writing for A Bookish Libraria today!


By Rosanne Lortz:

"Most historical novelists are drawn to their craft not only from a love of history but also from a burning desire to share that love of history with others. There are stories that speak to us from the pages of creased letters, old chronicles, and dusty research books—we want to bring those stories before other readers in a new and more accessible way, to give the breath of life to things long dead so that they can speak once more and be heard.

We read and research and reconcile sources, creating a skeleton from the bones of the past on which to hang the flesh of fiction. That skeleton, if we do our job well, remains hidden beneath the story that animates it. But sometimes, we want to show everyone how the humerus connects to the ulna, and what exactly it is that makes the spine stand so straight. Sometimes, the bones are so lovely we want to let them show through.

The English Historical Fiction Authors blog, started by Debbie Brown in 2011, is the perfect venue for authors of British-related historical fiction to share interesting tidbits and little known facts gleaned from the research they have done for their novels. It is the perfect place to highlight the lovely bones that form the framework of our fiction. Every day one of our fifty-or-so member authors posts an essay on some piece of British history, ranging anywhere from Roman Britain and Boadicea’s revolt to the twentieth century and the history behind Downton Abbey.

My own period of interest is medieval. I love being able to share history that has formed the background for, but not been front and center in, my own historical novels—the power struggle between the popes and the kings of England, the role that dead saints like Thomas Becket played in medieval culture, and the possible Anglo-Saxon subtext stitched into the borders of the Bayeux Tapestry. I even get to delve into fun trivia like how the system of “B.C.” and “A.D.” dating started.

One of my greatest delights is reconciling conflicting primary sources, and in several pieces like my “Alternate Histories of the Norman Conquest,” I get to talk about what the different chroniclers say happened. This is the sort of thing that gets hidden behind the story of a novel. We novelists do our research, determine which account of things seems most plausible (or best suits the story!), and then present one viewpoint. We don’t clutter up the story with unnecessary exposition simply because it is interesting. But on the English Historical Fiction Authors blog, we get to let the research—the lovely bones—show through.

After a year of daily postings, one of the member authors suggested that perhaps these essays deserved to be not just background for novels, but a book in their own right. And so the idea was conceived for Castles, Customs, and Kings: True Tales by English Historical Fiction Authors. A selection of the best essays from the first year of the blog, it is a fascinating compendium of all aspects of British history. Elizabeth Chadwick, one of the most respected historical novelists in the field, describes it as “thoroughly enjoyable and diverse…leisure reading for any history fan.”

Coming in at over five hundred pages, this hefty tome is a little longer than your average novel. But just like with historical novels, the goal of the book is the same—a passion for the past that is meant to be shared—history brought to life by the people who love it."

 

Rosanne E. Lortzis a historical novelist, a copy editor, a former high school teacher, a mom to four boys, and a native of Portland, Oregon. She has two published novels, I Serve: A Novel of the Black Princeand Road from the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred, and loves working with young authors to help develop their writing skills. You can find out more about her at her Author Website where she blogs about writing, mothering, and things historical.

http://rosannelortz.blogspot.com

*Note:  Both Barbara Kyle and Rosanne Lortz's novels are as follows:

By Ms. Kyle:

TUDOR PERIOD (1485-1603)

"The Queen's Lady"
"The King's Daughter"
"The Queen's Captive"
"The Queen's Gamble"
"Blood Between Queens"


By Ms. Lortz:

LATE MEDIEVAL PERIOD (1001-1485)

"I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince"
"Road from the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred"



THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS "CASTLES, CUSTOMS, AND KINGS:  TRUE TALES BY ENGLISH HISTORICAL FICTION AUTHORS:

When I very happily received this beautifully bound book in the mail, I was first completely boggled by the size of it and the gorgeous cover.  This is a weighty one and quite worthy of keeping on your bookshelf for reference and rereading over the years.  I read it through on a Sunday afternoon.  Actually, was mesmerized by it and took it in because it's written in small vignettes.  My husband couldn't believe I'd read the whole thing in one afternoon!  We were sitting at one of his real estate Open Houses.  It made the time fly by. 

I found the tales of queens and kings from the historical fiction I've loved and learned to treasure just absorbing in the small bites these authors provide.  I read about: Boadicea, the Warrior Queen of early Medieval times who led the Britons to war against the Romans; the strong and brilliant Eleanor of Aquitaine who nearly toppled kingdoms for her own ambitions; the beginnings of the Knights Templar; the Plague that really isn't an example of our "Ring Around the Rosies!"   I read about prophets, pirates, superstitions, medieval bathtubs/hotubs, the selling of orphans, Halloween in Tudor England, washing clothing in ancient times, mirrors, cross-dressing women, The Blue-Stocking Circle we've read about before, metrosexuals in Georgian England, interesting Regency Era Classified Ads, ladies' slippers and half-boots, Mr. Darcy stripping off his clothing!  I read about the joys of flirting with fans, and what The Rebecca Riots were all about...

This is a book just full of information on English history, and it's all wonderfully compiled and edited.  There's not one single dull entry!  I loved reading about all the above...  The historical chapters are 2 and 3 pages long; just snippets, just long enough to give you the information in short-hand but enough to inform in the most enjoyable way. They are light-hearted while the information is serious.

I highly recommend this book to all fans of historical fiction.  I've left out the obvious entries of queens and kings you know well...the Henry's, the Williams and the Tudor queens of old.  You'll find true stories about them and their times galore.  You need to buy your copy as a companion with your historical fiction asap!

5 stars                    Deborah/TheBookishDame

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"January First" by Michael Schofield~Childhood Schizophrenia Relived

 

SUMMARY:

 

At age six, January ("Jani") Schofield was diagnosed with one of the most severe cases of child-onset schizophrenia on record. Hallucinating constantly, she is at the mercy of her imaginary friends—some of whom are friendly, while others tell her to scream at strangers, jump out of buildings, and attack her baby brother. Jani is torn between two places: "Calalini," the illusory home of her imaginary friends, and our world. When potent psychiatric drugs that would level most adults barely faze her, the line dividing delirium from reality grows dangerously blurry. 

    Amid Jani's struggle are her parents, who face seemingly insurmountable obstacles daily just to keep both of their children alive and safe. Their battle has included a two-year search for answers, countless medications and hospitalizations, allegations of abuse, despair that almost broke the family apart and, finally, victories against the illness and a new faith that they can create a happy life for Jani.

    A passionate and inspirational account, January First is a father's soul-bearing memoir of the daily challenges and unwavering commitment to save his daughter from the edge of insanity while doing everything he can to keep his family together.

 

 

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :

 

Published by:  Broadway/Crown Publishing

Pages:  288

Then:  Extra Libris w/ A Reader's Guide, A Conversation with Michael Schofield, An Essay from Michael Schofield, and "Behind the Jani Foundation"

 

Genre:  Non-Fiction

Author:  Michael Schofield

 

Purchase a copy:  Barnes & Noble

 

 

Some videos of Jani and her family: (This may be disturbing content for some...beware!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

I had a visceral reaction to this book.  My heart began to race, I felt sick to my stomach and I felt my eyes widen as I read it...raced through it.  The story of Jani and her family is literally one of the most complex and disconcerting I can remember reading in non-fiction in the last couple of years.  Despite all of that, I wasn't able to stop reading until 3AM.  There's no way you can start reading this book and not go the long-haul.  It's provocative on so many levels.

Michael Schofield is an English Professor who teaches writing courses, so there's little we can say about his exemplary writing style.  It's concise and stellar.  It's the content that is so "in your face" and disturbing.  How can it not be when it's about a baby...5-6 year old with early onset schizophrenia?

I have to say that I went through several sets of emotions about the family members, including Jani.
Michael Schofield isn't one of my favorite people, even now.  I disliked his anger towards his wife, Susan, a great deal.  It really bothered me. Though he did seem to keep it to a minimum with Jani, I don't see how she couldn't have felt his angry outbursts.  But, I have to applaud his honesty in the face of all he's suffered/suffers and has given/gives to the welfare of his child.  His immaturity and his helplessness bled through his account, as well as his ineptness as an ordinary parent.  I felt Susan also was a weak parental figure, though I was more sympathetic to her since she was caught up in a marriage with a raging husband, another pregnancy and a baby to protect, as well as her concerns and caring for Jani.  A lot on both of their plates with finances, work schedules and Jani's complete acting out, whether with childhood tantrums and/or eventual full-blown schizophrenia.

While I had these feelings above, I also had the mixed feelings of compassion for them.  Jani, herself, is a child who engenders a warring response, as far as I'm concerned.  It's difficult to sense the line between "entitled brat" and illness...and Michael brings us into that arena on purpose, I think, just to give us the same confounding feelings he, Susan and the doctors were having.  Jani is nothing if not a complex child.

There is no doubt this is as true an account as Michael Schofield can relay about Jani and her illness.  It's so bare and raw.  It's extreme, but necessary to get the word out for the others who are out there dealing with childhood mental illness. I understand this.  He's done a great service to the community to do this writing.  He's done a great service to humanity to be so open about himself and his weaknesses, as well as his strengths (which are many).

"January First" is a frank and distressing account with light at the end of the proverbial tunnel "for the time being."  It's told in the easiest of reading formats.  It's absolutely impossible to put down once you start reading.

It's the story of "A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her."

For those of you who will...it's an amazing read.


5 stars                                  Deborah/TheBookishDame

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Knitting!! "More Last Minute Knitted Gifts" by Joelle Hoverson

SUMMARY :

When STC Craft published Joelle Hoverson’s Last-Minute Knitted Gifts in 2004, the response was over­whelming and today there are nearly 100,000 copies of this classic in print. Six years later, Hoverson is full of fresh, new ideas for beautiful gifts. So STC proudly presents More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts: an elegant collection of 30 projects organized according to the time it takes to complete them, from less than two hours to more than eight. Among the projects featured are sachets, bracelets, ornaments, mittens, gloves, hats, sweaters, baby blankets, and throws.

Understanding that knitters today love to personalize their projects but also need guidance along the way, Hoverson showcases many of the projects in several colors and yarn weights, and with optional embellishments and creative ideas for gift-wrapping.

PARTICULARS OF THIS BOOK:

Published by:  Abrams, Harry N., Inc.
Pages:  144
Genre:  Crafts/Home & Garden
Author:  Joelle Hoverson
Other books by author:  "Last Minute Knitted Gifts"
Purchase this book:  Amazon


THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

This is a fabulous book for first time or experienced knitters.  The pictures, color choices and instructions are wonderful.  I loved the clear and concise directions to these beautiful designs.  Darling items for quick knits, for gifts and fun things.  This is a great book for your stitching and knitting collection/library!   Go check it out at your local book store.  

5 stars     Deborah/TheBookishDame
 

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"Saturday Night Widows" by Becky Aikman~A New Perspective on Life!

 

SUMMARY :

 

Six marriages, six heartbreaks, one shared beginning.

In her forties – a widow, too young, too modern to accept the role – Becky Aikman struggled to make sense of her place in an altered world. In this transcendent and infectiously wise memoir, she explores surprising new discoveries about how people experience grief and transcend loss and, following her own remarriage, forms a group with five other young widows to test these unconventional ideas. Together, these friends summon the humor, resilience, and striving spirit essential for anyone overcoming adversity.

Meet the Saturday Night Widows: ringleader Becky, an unsentimental journalist who lost her husband to cancer; Tara, a polished mother of two, whose husband died in the throes of alcoholism after she filed for divorce; Denise, a widow of just five months, now struggling to get by; Marcia, a hard-driving corporate lawyer; Dawn, an alluring self-made entrepreneur whose husband was killed in a sporting accident, leaving two small children behind; and Lesley, a housewife who returned home one day to find that her husband had committed suicide.

The women meet once a month, and over the course of a year, they strike out on ever more far-flung adventures, learning to live past the worst thing they thought could happen. They share emotional peaks and valleys – dating, parenting, moving, finding meaningful work, and reinventing themselves – while turning traditional thinking about loss and recovery upside down. Through it all runs the story of Aikman's own journey through grief and her love affair with a man who tempts her to marry again. In a transporting story of what friends can achieve when they hold each other up, Saturday Night Widows is a rare book that will make you laugh, think, and remind yourself that despite the utter unpredictability and occasional tragedy of life, it is also precious, fragile, and often more joyous than we recognize.

PARTICULARS OF THE BOOK :
Published by:  Crown Publishing Group
Pages:  352
Genre:  Non-Fiction, Women's
Author:  Becky Aikman
Author's Website:  Becky Aikman


ABOUT THE GROUP :

Meet the Saturday Night Widows: ringleader Becky, an unsentimental
journalist who lost her husband to cancer; Tara, a polished mother of
two, whose husband died in the throes of alcoholism after she filed
for divorce; Denise, a widow of just five months, now struggling to
get by; Marcia, a hard-driving corporate lawyer; Dawn, an alluring
self-made entrepreneur whose; husband was killed in a sporting
accident, leaving two small children behind; and Lesley, a housewife
who returned home one day to find that her husband had committed
suicide.
*NOTE:  I was delighted to find this picture of the group on Becky's website! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

A graduate of the School of Journalism
at Columbia University, former reporter
for Newsday and writer and editor at
Buisness Week. She formed the Saturday
Night Widows with five other women who
lost their husbands at a young age. They
set out to reinvent themselves through
friendship, laughter and shared adventure.
Becky currently lives in New York City.

BOOK TRAILER :

THE DAME REVIEWS :

In 1983 I was widowed.  A mother with three small children under the age of 9, I was completely devastated.  I had been married at 19, and my husband was the center of my life.  In those days, there were no other 32 year old widows that could be found.  The only other widows our local hospice knew of or could help me connect with were 55 and older. I couldn't relate to them. I felt alone and desolate.  There were literally no other young women around my age I came across or could find who could relate to my situation in years.  And, believe me, no one around my age wanted to discuss being widowed with me!  Friends and family soon wanted me to move on and "adjust."

When I heard of Becky's book , I was stunned.  How could someone have found so many young widows in such a short distance?!  I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book.  After all these years, I still was longing to hear from other widows about their experiences. 

"Saturday Night Widows" was such a comfort to me in many ways.  While it read like an adventure story, it also brought up profound questions and answers.  For me, it touched on feelings I had experienced and still have shadowings of  30 years after my young husband died of cancer.  In many cases, I felt the sadness rise up again as I was reminded of things through the widows in the group, but this time there was affirmation and emotional release.  I had moments of insight as well as laughter reading along with them.

I can testify to the validity of this small group and their work.  What a beautiful friendship of women.  What a spectacular support they gave to each other!  Being widowed in isolation makes the process so much more painful, it seems.  I commend Ms Aikman for the courage and the conviction it took to seek others out and to work on putting together and keeping her group moving in a positive direction.

This is a book so profound it will touch every woman's heart.  Not just for the widowed; it reflects the central themes of courage and rejuvenation in all women's lives.  It also tells of the kindness and nurturing qualities of those who reach out to others even in the midst of their own pain. 

Being widowed is by far the most excruciating thing that's ever happened to me, both physically and emotionally.  If Ms Aikman's book can shed light and encourage others to form such groups as hers, I believe it will soothe new widows in revolutionary ways.  I wish I'd had such a support system of friends and widows in my day.

This is an exceptional book which I highly recommend to all women.  You'll love the joy, the tears, and the strength you'll gain from the reading.  I did.

5 stars         Deborah/TheBookishDame

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"My Bookstore:Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read and Shop" ~ Charming Book!!

 

 

SUMMARY :

 

In this enthusiastic, heartfelt, and sometimes humorous ode to bookshops and booksellers, 84 known authors pay tribute to the brick-and-mortar stores they love and often call their second homes.

In My Bookstore our greatest authors write about the pleasure, guidance, and support that their favorite bookstores and booksellers have given them over the years. The relationship between a writer and his or her local store and staff can last for years or even decades. Often it's the author's local store that supported him during the early days of his career, that continues to introduce and hand-sell her work to new readers, and that serves as the anchor for the community in which he lives and works.

My Bookstore collects the essays, stories, odes and words of gratitude and praise for stores across the country in 81 pieces written by our most beloved authors. It's a joyful, industry-wide celebration of our bricks-and-mortar stores and a clarion call to readers everywhere at a time when the value and importance of these stores should be shouted from the rooftops.

Perfectly charming line drawings by Leif Parsons illustrate each storefront and other distinguishing features of the shops.

Contributing Authors and Bookstores Include:
Fannie Flagg—Page & Palette, Fairhope, AL Rick Bragg—Alabama Booksmith, Homewood, AL John Grisham—That Bookstore in Blytheville, Blytheville, AR Ron Carlson—Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, AZ Ann Packer—Capitola Book Café, Capitola, CA Isabel Allende—Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA Mahbod Seraji—Kepler’s Books, Menlo Park, CA Lisa See—Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, CA Meg Waite Clayton—Books Inc., San Francisco, CA Daniel Handler and Lisa Brown—The Booksmith, San Francisco, CA Dave Eggers—Green Apple Books, San Francisco, CA Pico Iyer—Chaucer’s Books, Santa Barbara, CA Laurie R. King—Bookshop, Santa Cruz, CA Scott Lasser—Explore Booksellers, Aspen, CO Stephen White—Tattered Cover Book Store, Devner, CO Kate Niles—Maria’s Bookshop, Durango, CO Ann Haywood Leal—Bank Square Books, Mystic, CT Florence and Wendell Minor—The Hickory Stick Bookshop, Washington Depot, CT Rick Atkinson—Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC Les Standiford—Books & Books, Coral Gables, FL Robert Macomber—The Muse Book Shop, Deland, FL David Fulmer—Eagle Eye Book Shop, Decatur, GA Abraham Verghese—Prairie Lights, Iowa City, IA Charlie Brandt—Chapter One Bookstore, Ketchum, ID Luis Alberto Urrea—Anderson’s Bookshops, Naperville, IL Mike Leonard—The Book Stall Chestnut Court, Winnetka, IL Albert Goldbarth—Watermark Books, Wichita, KS Wendell Berry—Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY Edith Pearlman—Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA Mameve Medwed—Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA Henry Louis Gates, Jr.—Harvard Book Store, Cambridge, MA Simon Winchester—The Bookloft, Great Barrington, MA Nancy Thayer—Mitchell’s Book Corner, Nantucket, MA Elin Hilderbrand—Nantucket Bookworks, Nantucket, MA Jeanne Birdsall—Broadside Bookshop, Northampton, MA Martha Ackmann—Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA Ward Just—Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, Vineyard Haven, MA Ron Currie, Jr.—Longfellow Books, Portland, ME Nancy Shaw—Nicola’s Books, Ann Arbor, MI Katrina Kittle—Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord, MI Ann Patchett—Mclean & Eakin Booksellers, Petotskey, MI Kathleen Finneran—Left Bank Books, St.Louis, MO Barry Moser—Lemuria Books, Jackson, MS Jill McCorkle—Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, NC Carrie Ryan—Park Road Books, Charlotte NC Laurent Dubois—The Regulator Bookshop, Durham, NC Lee Smith—Purple Crow Books, Hillsborough, NC Angela Davis-Gardner—Quail Ridge Books & Music, Raleigh, NC Ron Rash—City Lights Bookstore, Sylva, NC Ian Frazier—Watchung Booksellers, Montclair, NJ Joan Wickersham—The Toadstool Bookshop, Peterborough, NH Carmela Ciuraru—Community Bookstore, Brooklyn NY Matt Weiland—Greenlight Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY Kate Christensen—Word, Brooklyn, NY Mick Cochrane—Talking Leaves Books, Buffalo, NY Caroline Leavitt—McNally Jackson Books, New York, NY Arthur Nersesian—St. Mark’s Bookshop, New York, NY Francine Prose & Pete Hamill—Strand Bookstore, New York, NY Chuck Palahniuk—Powell’s Books, Portland, OR Larry Kane—Chester County Book & Music Company, West Chester, PA Ann Hood—Island Books, Middletown, RI Mindy Friddle—Fiction Addiction, Greenville, SC Adam Ross—Parnassus Books, Nashville, TN Douglas Brinkley—Book People, Austin, TX Terry Tempest Williams—The King’s English Book Shop, Salt Lake City, UT Howard Frank Mosher—Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, VT Jon Clinch—Northshire Bookstore, Manchester, VT Jonathan Evison—Eagle Harbor Book Co., Bainbridge Island, WA Tom Robbins—Village Books, Bellingham, WA Ivan Doig—University Book Store, Seattle, WA Lesley Kagen—Next Chapter Bookshop, Mequon, WI Liam Callanan—Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI

AND MORE!!

PARTICULARS OF THIS BOOK :
Publisher:  Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
Pages:  384
Genre:  Non-fiction
Available:  Barnes & Noble and Amazon and at your favorite bookstore!


This book was edited by Ronald Rice and Booksellers Across America...


THE DAME'S REVIEW :

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read!  I started by browsing through looking up my favorite authors, of course.  I've highlighted some of them above, and tried to also highlight some from different genre for you, as well.  But, once I got into the book, I found myself reading the vignettes from authors I was less familiar with.  These are wonderful stories and notes reminiscing about times spent in favorite bookstores and more.  Personal and poignant, this is a book I will cherish in my heart because I could relate to it so well...there have been several beloved small bookstores in my life.

Let me tell you who wrote my favorite passages:

Martha Ackmann:  She tells about the bookshop "Odyssey" in South Hadley, MA, which grew up around the college town from an apothecary's dream to a neighborhood and community fixture.  This is the story of one of those shops that burned down, twice (!), and rose from the ashes it was so cherished.

Rick Bragg :  Tells about a rough-around-the-edges store, "Booksmith" in AL.  It's owner is a hoot, and so is Rick.  I loved his piece very much.   This is a store without frills and gadgets, but with everything a man could want in books and adventure.

John Grisham :  Gives a wonderful perspective on the writer and the importance of the individual bookseller and his/her shop.  I loved his sense of loyalty and his way of describing how vital these bookstores are to reading and to discovering new writers.  He gives credit to his favorite shop for his own success.

Mameve Medwed :  Shares about "Porter Square Books" in Cambridge, MA, and how it's become a necessity in her life.  Vital to her social and networking life, it's also where she recoups and re-energizes herself.  It's her touchstone place.  God, she made me so jealous!!

There are so many more examples but here are the things the authors and their bookstores had in common: 

#1 Factor the loved:  It's Personal   They all talked about their bookstore as a place where they felt they were "coming home" or "feeling at home."

*  Their bookstores "know their books"...have great recommendations for customers and individuals whom they know

*  They are gathering places for friends, students, fellow writers, and true readers

*  You can have open accounts!!!

*  Personal attention...Example:  The buyer selects books/novels, audiobooks and reader copies with them in mind

*  Knowledgeable staff...this meant a lot to the writers

*  Community participation center

*  They know the value of coffee and books!!!   And most know that cats and books don't mix in a shop,

*  Booksellers live for books so they are enthusiastic about the writers and all books

*  They credit individual booksellers and shops with kick starting their writing careers by holding book-signings and events that promoted them when they were unknowns

*  They all felt it wasn't just about being a business since most don't make a lot of money, but it was about a shared passion for the same things.


The book ends with a short commentary about the pros and cons of Amazon vrs the independent booksellers.  Of course, there is the notion that Amazon is creating the downfall of many of the "real" bookstores because of undercutting prices.  And there is some concern that reading itself may be jeopardized in this bookish world should the atmosphere and the benefits of diversity be lost as our precious small shops continue to fail and fade.  The book finally ends with an ominous charge to us that we may want to consider spending our money more "wisely" rather than more cheaply in light of this.

I think we bibliophiles are of the same  mind in wanting to keep our local and individual bookstores open.  These authors have done what they could to help in that direction.  I hope we can all do our part.

A delicious book.   Hope you go to your local, favorite shop and buy one soon!

5 stars              Deborah/TheBookishDame

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