Union Atlantic: A Novel
Adam Haslett (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday)
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“Adam Haslett's debut novel is the story of four diverse characters -- a banker, a retired teacher and her brother, and a high school student -- who are thrown together in unexpected ways. Through this powerful and prescient novel, Haslett is asking what it means to be American today.”
— Susan Fox, Red Fox Books, Glens Falls, NY
February 2010 Indie Next List
Inspired Recommendations from Indie Booksellers
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“When Adam Kindred returns to London after years in the U.S. to interview for a research position at Imperial College, a chance encounter at a restaurant sets off his dizzying descent from academic to vagabond murder suspect in the matter of days. Sleeping rough and trolling the underworld of London just to survive, Adam attempts to collect evidence to prove his innocence, avoid capture by the police, and escape assassination by a crazed hired killer. William Boyd is a great storyteller.”
— Darwin Ellis, Books on the Common, Ridgefield, CT
By Noah Boyd
William Morrow
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“Steve Vail, now a bricklayer, was once an FBI agent, until his attitude got him fired. But the FBI has come calling again because they need someone who can work outside the box, and get results. Noah Boyd has written a smart, sexy, thrill-ride of a read.”
— Laura Lucy, White Birch Books, North Conway, NH
By Jane Borodale
Viking Adult
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“Unwed and pregnant in 1752, but with a fertile imagination and a bit of luck, Agnes Trussel flees from Sussex to London, where she finds work as an assistant to a fireworks maker. In this unusual trade, Agnes blossoms, becoming adept and indispensable to her master. The Book of Fires is a vividly told story that animates the 18th century.”
— Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH
By Heidi W. Durrow
Algonquin
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“The child of a black G.I. father and Danish mother, Rachel never felt that she had to choose between her parents until a tragic event leads her to live with her black grandmother. In this new setting, she discovers that she doesn't measure up to others' standards of 'blackness,' but she's not 'white' either. Durrow's deft portrait of Rachel's struggles to figure out who she is and where she belongs are a resonant reminder of the stereotypes that are perpetuated, often despite the best intentions.”
— Sandy Scott, The Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, VT
By Chris Cleave
Simon & Schuster
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“This stunning and compassionate novel brings faraway places near and makes incredible experiences real. From London to Nigeria, you'll grip the book tightly in your hands and hold its characters close to your heart: a young girl, a tormented idealistic journalist, and a fearless mother whose pierce love is a wonder.”
— Mark David Bradshaw, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS
By Beth Hoffman
Pamela Dorman Books/Viking
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“Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is a story quilted with the patterns of vibrant characters whose lives become intricately connected to the emotional healing of 12-year- old CeeCee. Beth Hoffman's first novel is a tribute to the strength of women who have survived tragedy and loss to become beacons for others who suffer from emotional scars. I couldn’t put it down, and I am richer for having read CeeCee’s story.”
— Nancy Baker, The Blue Marble, Fort Thomas, KY
By Matthew Flaming
Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam
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“Peter Force is in New York City in the early 1900s, working underground to dig subway tunnels. When he meets a beautiful woman with a fantastic story -- and through her meets J.P. Morgan, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla -- he begins a quest to discover if travel to another world is possible. Get ready to be transported through time yourself as you read this book.”
— Beth Carpenter, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, NC
By Kristin Hannah
St. Martin's Press
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“Heartbreaking and Brilliant, Kristin Hannah has created her best novel to date, a story of a complex bound between a mother and her daughters. Hannah's characters will capture your heart and enter your soul. Amazing!”
— Summer Moser, Summer's Stories, Kendallville, IN
By Sarah Blake
Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam
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“This compelling story is the perfect answer to that request, 'I want a really good book I can get lost in!' This WWII story of three memorable women has a strong sense of place -- from the shores of Cape Cod to war-torn London. The reader will relish every word and then want to pass it along to a friend.”
— Elizabeth Merritt, Titcomb's Bookshop, East Sandwich, MA
By Aleksandar Hemon (ed.)
Dalkey Archive Press
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“Dalkey Archive, one of the top publishers of books in translation, has published a new collection with the best short stories from 30 countries throughout Europe. The main aspect of this collection is that you want more! More books to be translated by authors who are extremely talented and known throughout Europe. This is one of the best general collections of short stories out there right now.”
— Nick Buzanski, Green Apple Books, San Francisco, CA
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“Knowing her unstable husband has been reading her diary, a desperate woman uses it to manipulate him, creating a false tale, obscuring her true motives, and pushing him ever-closer to the edge. Shadow Tag is Erdrich's most compelling novel in years; a gripping portrait of an unstable marriage stumbling towards its inevitable, yet shocking dissolution.”
— Rich Rennicks, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, Asheville, NC
By Chris Bohjalian
Shaye Areheart Books
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“On the same day as her baptism by the Rev. Stephen Drew, Alice Hayward is murdered by her alcoholic husband, who then kills himself. The true facts of this story are subtly and gradually revealed from the perspective of four characters, including the district attorney who suspects George was murdered. The beauty of this novel is in the way the true facts are revealed and in Bohjalian's understanding of the flaws in the human condition. What really happened that night? Read and find out. This will be a fantastic book group read.”
— Carol Katsoulis, Anderson's Bookshop, Naperville, IL
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“Using the disparate elements of a newsroom of a moribund newspaper, a test pilot involved in a mysterious crash, and an anonymous intelligence agent, Lorraine Adams crafts a riveting story of modern society. As the various threads coalesce, a morally bankrupt and totally dystopian world is revealed. This is fiction serving the purpose of reflecting stark reality.”
— Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI
By Kelli Stanley
Minotaur
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“Kelli Stanley makes 1940s San Francisco shine in the first book of her new series, City of Dragons. Miranda Corbie is a noir detective complete with feminine wits and ingenuity. Kinsey, VI, and Aimee Leduc should watch out. There's a new girl in town!”
— Linda Dewberry, Whodunit? Books, Olympia, WA
By Maaza Mengiste
W. W. Norton
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“Beneath the Lion's Gaze is a riveting novel focused on the primacy of family relationships against the violent backdrop of Ethiopia's 1974 Revolution. Hailu, a prominent doctor, and his two grown sons experience their country's tragedy and their own family's grief through very different prisms of understanding, yet they remain connected even through the gruesome terror overtaking their city. Very hard to put down!”
— Caitlin Doggart, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Chatham, MA
By Thomas Lynch
W. W. Norton
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“In Apparition & Late Fictions Thomas Lynch has created a collection of beautifully written and quirky stories about the allure, allusiveness, and redemptive powers of love and the variety and finality of death. These evocative tales, set mostly in the Midwest, are filled with memorable characters who will keep anyone who loves good writing turning the pages.”
— Nancy Fontaine, The Yankee Bookshop, Woodstock, VT
By Susan Hand Shetterly
Algonquin
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“Settled in the Wild is a delightful book about living in the woods, enjoying what's outside your window, and taking pleasure in taking the time to notice the little things right in front of us. For readers who have never experienced these feelings, Shetterly provides a window into a world of wonder like none other.”
— Sue Richardson, Maine Coast Book Shop, Inc., Damariscotta, ME
By Brenda Peterson
Da Capo Press
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“Brenda Peterson's latest book is the story of her unique upbringing, both in nature (her father was with the Forest Service) and in the evangelistic Southern Baptist religion. At once precocious and thoughtful, she weaves her way through the contradictions of growing up to find her own spiritual place in the world. 'Glowing' would not be too strong of adjective for this book!”
— Maurine Barnett, Darvill's Bookstore, Eastsound, WA
By Kevin Sampsell
Harper Perennial
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“Folks in the book world may recognize this author's name--he's Powell's Bookstore's event coordinator. He's written quite a bit in the past (LIT, Hobart, McSweeney's, Night Train just to name a few journals and web sites, as well as two short story collections of his own) and is the editor of Portland Noir. He's also the publisher of Future Tense Books. But this book is different--this is personal, about his family and his life as a young man that he calls a memory experiment. Written in short vignettes primarily, this book is brutally honest and gritty. He glosses over nothing--abuse, drugs, sex, relationships of all sorts. He's not the sort to change much of anything to protect the innocent because frankly, none of them are that innocent. This book is bold and brave and extremely difficult to put down.”
— Jackie Blem, Tattered Cover Bookstore, Denver, CO
Now in Paperback
Indie Next List Selections Come to Paperback
