Under the Dome: A Novel
Stephen King (Scribner)
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“Imagine a small town in Western Maine that is suddenly cut off from the rest of the world. Now, imagine what would happen next. King's latest is a story of good versus evil; the helpless and the helpful; people facing a terrible, senseless reality. This is Stephen King's best book since The Stand, and is destined to be a classic. Really.”
— Rita Moran, Apple Valley Books, Winthrop, ME
December 2009 Indie Next List
Inspired Recommendations from Indie Booksellers
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“Wally Lamb's Wishin' and Hopin' is a sure winner for laughter and fun this holiday season.”
— Margaret, Osondu Booksellers, Waynesville, NC
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“Every holiday season, people watch It's a Wonderful Life, and now readers will add The Gift by Cecelia Ahern to their seasonal calendar. It is sure to become an annual ritual and a holiday classic with a message -- that time is the greatest gift you can give.”
— Karin Beyer, Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord, MI
By Margaret Jull Costa and Marily Hacker
Center for the Art of Translation
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“On rare occasions, a book can have a visceral impact on a readers, and that's the case with Wherever I Lie Is Your Bed, a beautiful anthology of world literature in translation. Every translation in this volume is a gem, every piece its own little bit of light on a culture and a language.”
— Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover Bookstore, Denver, CO
By Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt
Dutton
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“This sequel, based on Bram Stoker's handwritten notes, will make you rethink all you thought you knew about Dracula.”
— KRISTY CATE, Kristy's Bookshelf, Morganton, NC
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“Ha Jin never fails to amaze. His newest work, a collection of short stories, focuses on individuals who struggle to reconcile their cultural identities with their new and disparate surroundings. A Good Fall is at times tragic, at others humorous, yet persistently enchanting.”
— Bridget Allison, Phoenix Books, Essex, VT
By Michele Clarke and Taylor Plimpton (eds.)
Abrams
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“Those of us who approach the holidays with more trepidation than glee finally have a holiday book to call our own! Humor writers both classic (Robert Benchley, Corey Ford, James Thurber) and contemporary (David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs, Dave Barry, Jonathan Ames) weigh in on the dark side of the holidays.”
— Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI
By Hilary Mantel
Henry Holt & Co.
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“In Wolf Hall, Mantel offers a new view of the reign of Henry VIII: from inside the head of Thomas Cromwell, as he ponders ways to increase the size of Henry's exchequer and aid the king's efforts to get Anne Boleyn into his bed through the sanctity of marriage. Mantel exposes Cromwell's thoughts as he frets over his family, his friends, even his enemies. A brilliant novel that encapsulates the Tudor era in the lushest of evocative prose.”
— Kathy Ashton, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT
By Alexander McCall Smith
Pantheon
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“As WWII begins, Lavender Stone's life in London comes to an abrupt end when she learns that her husband has run off with another woman. Seeking refuge in the countryside, Lavender (La to her friends) moves into her father-in-law's house in Suffolk, where, among other things, she starts an orchestra -- and discovers a friendship that proves to be the most important thing to her in a world turned upside down. You will adore this story.”
— Ann Holman, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT
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“A new work by Alice Munro is always cause for celebration, and this collection of stories is no exception. These stories are like smooth, fast rivers on the surface, hiding a deep turbulence. Each cool and intelligent voice lures me deep into the tale, but never fails to deal a swift jerk and embed a hook deep and permanent.”
— Karen M. Frank, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT
By Michael Mewshaw
Other Press
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“Told alternately from the points of view of three adult children whose emotional scars are worse than the physical ones they received from beatings their mother administered, Lying With the Dead will get to you. Far from being sad, however, it's often funny, and it draws you in, making you fond of the three misfits and wonder if the truth can ever be discerned through the controlling mother's lies.”
— Nancy Fontaine, The Yankee Bookshop, Woodstock, VT
By Barbara Ehrenreich
Metropolitan Books
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“Barbara Ehrenreich strikes a blow against the tyranny of the relentlessly cheerful! From cancer patients to corporations, the lemon-into-lemonade philosophy is being used as a weapon to place the blame for troubles on the victim. Bright-Sided is an erudite examination of the negative side of positive thinking.”
— Lisa Wright, Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck, NY
By Gary Vaynerchuk
HarperStudio
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“Refreshingly free of BS jargon (that would stand for Business School, of course!) Crush It! explains exactly why your business should engage in the world of social media, and it tells you how to do it. Vaynerchuk (better known as @GaryVee -- if you don't know what this means you need to read this book) built a $60 million wine business largely using free Internet tools, and his book will convince you that you can too.”
— Rich Rennicks, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, Asheville, NC
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“The Tyranny of E-mail is a riveting read and a clarion call to pay attention to the downsides of our increasing addiction to e-mail, and the subsequent loss of social connection and empathy. Freeman's fascinating book does not advocate abolishing e-mail, but rather gives insightful new ways to look at it. This is a tipping-point book for sure, as Freeman calls for a slow communication movement.”
— Sheryl Cotleur, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
By Kent Nerburn
New World Library
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“The Wolf at Twilight continues the story begun in Neither Wolf Nor Dog. Nerburn and Indian elder Dan embark on a journey into Dan's past, facing a painful legacy as they search to discover the fate of Dan's sister. If you have read Nerburn's earlier works, you'll want to read this beautifully told book. If you're not familiar with Nerburn's writing, this book will be a good place to start.”
— Sally Wizik Wills, Sister Wolf Books, Park Rapids, MN
By Jim Lahey, with Rick Flaste
W. W. Norton
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“It is easy for me to recommend My Bread because I have been using Jim Lahey's recipe for no-knead bread ever since the flawlessly simple and versatile recipe was published in the New York Times. My Bread includes more than 40 bread variations, recipes for sandwich ingredients, recipes for his classic panini, and suggestions for what to do with left over stale bread. This is the bread book to end all bread books.”
— Janina Larenas, Logos Books & Records, Santa Cruz, CA
By Kevin Michael Connolly
HarperStudio
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“Kevin Connolly was born without legs, but raised to believe he is no different from anyone else. He graduated with a degree in photography and now travels all over the world on a skateboard taking pictures of peoples' reactions to him. Connolly is a great writer, and Double Take is entertaining, funny, and enthusiastic. I can't stress enough how entertaining it is.”
— Mary Jane DiSanti, Country Bookshelf, Bozeman, MT
By Terry Teachout
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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“Terry Teachout has written an amazing biography of New Orleans' native son Louis Armstrong. Drawing on newly available primary sources, he weaves together a biography that is both illuminating and inspirational. Armstrong's contributions to jazz, pop culture, and breaking the color barrier are well told in a crisp, clean prose. Highly recommended!”
— James Wilson, Octavia Books, LLC, New Orleans, LA
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“Jason Pinter's The Darkness is a fast-moving mystery featuring Henry Parker, a young reporter who keeps finding himself in dangerous situations and dark places. Pinter is an exciting young writer, and his Parker character is growing and developing with each book.”
— Terry Lucas, Open Book, West Hampton Beach, NY
By Cassandra Clark
Minotaur
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“It is the year 1383. Hildegard, a widow who has taken holy vows to preserve her independence, is asked by her abbess to undertake a mission to bring the Cross of Constantine to England. When a dead body is found en route and an innocent lad is accused of murder, Hildegard sets out to clear the boy's name and save him from the gallows. Clark does a brilliant job of recreating Medieval Europe with a wealth of historical detail.”
— Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH
Now in Paperback
Indie Next List Selections Come to Paperback