JULY Booking Events: New York

Seeing as how we're based in the Big Apple, the capital of the publishing world and a hot-stop for many author tours, I've decided to start posting a monthly list of author or book events at local bookstores, libraries, or parks.  I'll try to keep it well updated throughout the month and will announce anything new on Twitter.

Be sure to send me any exciting events you hear about, since I know I'll never be able to catch everything by myself!

Sun 7/12, 12:00 pm: "Basketball, Brunch, and Books" w/ Dave Reidy, WORD Brooklyn

Mon 7/13, 7:00 pm: "The Art of Racing in the Rain" w/ Gareth Stein, McNally Jackson Books

Tues 7/14, 7:30 pm: "Irreverent Curiosity" w/ David Farley, B&N Greenwich Village

Tues 7/14, 7:30 pm: "Best Friends Forever" w/ Jennifer Weiner, B&N Lincoln Triangle

Wed 7/15, 7:30 pm: "Heirloom: Notes From an Accidental Tomato Farmer" w/ Tim Stark, B&N Greenwich Village

Thurs 7/16, 6:30 pm: "Mystery Night: Jack Reacher Comes to New York!" w/ Lee Childs, Madison Sq. Park

Thurs 7/16, 7:00 pm: "The Winter Vault" w/ Anne Michaels, Strand

Thurs 7/16, 7:00 pm: "The Double Life is Twice as Good" w/ Jonathan Ames, BookCourt

Sun 7/19, 6:30 pm: "The Show That Smells and Blue Boy" w/ Derek McCormack & Rakesh Satyal, WORD Brooklyn

Mon 7/20, 7:00 pm: "Glover's Mistake" w/ Nick Laird, McNally Jackson Books

Tues 7/21, 7:30 pm: "The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream" w/ Patrick Radden Keefe, B&N Greenwich Village

Tues 7/21, 7:30 pm: "Hot and Wicked Botanical Book Night" w/ Margot Berwin, Amy Stewart, and Andra Miller, WORD Brooklyn

Tues 7/21, 7:30 pm: "Defector" w/ Daniel Silva, B&N Lincoln Triangle

Wed 7/22, 12:30 pm: "Word for Word" w/ Frank Delaney, Bryant Park Reading Room

Thurs 7/23, 6:30 pm: "Food as Fuel and Memory" w/ Moira Hodgson & Tim Stark, Madison Sq. Park

Mon 7/27, 7:00 pm: "American Nerd: The Story of My People" w/ Benjamin Nugent, McNally Jackson Books

Wed 7/29, 7:00 pm: "Old Girlfriends" w/ David Updike, McNally Jackson Books

Thurs 7/30, 6:30 pm: "Cheever: A Life" w/ Blake Bailey, Susan Cheever, Bret Anthony Johnston, & Max Rudin, Madison Sq. Park

Thurs 7/30, 7:00 pm: "Once You Go Back" w/ Douglas Martin, McNally Jackson Books

Thurs 7/30, 7:30 pm: "YA Not?" w/ Sheba Karim & Abeer Hoque, WORD Brooklyn

Does anyone know of anything else?

A History Lesson (and Contest!) for Booknerds

The National Book Foundation has impressed me with a very cool concept! To celebrate the 60th year of the National Book Awards, the NBF has started a book-a-day blog that will chronicle the previous 59 Fiction winners. The blog will run until September 21st, at which point you'll have the opportunity to vote for the BEST of past years and win two tickets to the 2009 National Book Awards.  

What a great way to learn about some of history's best books!

I just started Walker Percy's The Moviegoer this morning! Have you read any National Book Award winners?

Review: The Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds

When someone recommended E. Lockhart's The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks to me, it was described as "Harriet the Spy meets Prep." I still hold onto my childhood obsession with Harriet the Spy, so I said, "Count me in for this one!"

Meet Frankie – a sharp-witted, buxomly 15-year-old who would have been classified as a mildly geeky "Bunny Rabbit" just one year ago. Sophomore year at Alabaster prep school is determinedly different than Frankie's freshman year. She is no longer "Zada's little sister" and she's landed a senior boyfriend – Matthew Livingston, the most popular guy in school. But Frankie is determined to be viewed as more than just arm candy to the senior crowd. She wants their respect as an equal, and gosh darn it, she is going to get it!

Now, Matthew turns out to be one of the Kings of the all-male Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, a secret organization that has been around Alabaster since the 1950s and one of which Frankie knows bits and pieces (thanks to her Basset Hound-member father). Unfortunately for the present day Basset Hounds, Frankie knows more about the organization than its members, and she immediately determines this as her opportunity to get "in." Determined to not be underestimated, Frankie begins anonymously plotting a series of practical jokes that will return the Basset Hounds to their former pranking glory.

Frankie is such an enjoyable character to read.  She's clever, intelligent, and strong-willed, yet she still possesses those girly qualities that worry about fitting in and having a boyfriend. She has her quirks, like using "imaginary neglected positives" - words that have a negative prefix (like un- or dis-) and a root that is not really a word, such as (im)petuous, (dis)turbed, and (in)ept. And one of my favorite conversations in the novel is a discussion on why tomato is the best fruit because it has versatility. At times, Frankie may seem like an overbearing girlfriend, but on the whole, the novel ends painting Frankie as a YA heroine (albeit, the message is blatantly stated on the last page). I think these contradictions just makes her a multi-dimensional character.

I generally find prep school novels enjoyable, because they place raging teenage emotions in an adult, college-like world. Thus, drama will always ensue. This book is most definitely a light and entertaining read that will have you hooked for the couple of hours it takes you to finish.

Review: Life Isn't This Bad

I have to say, I opened Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth with quite a bit of excitement. Interpreter of Maladies, her first short story collection is perhaps my favorite short story collection of all time (bold, I know). With her second novel, the Namesake, I was frustrated because it seemed like a collection of short stories that was just trying to be a novel. Thus, when I heard she’d produced more stories, albeit longer in length, I was eager to plunge in (though I had to wait for it to hit paperback, as I shun hardcover novels, for better or worse).

First thought – her style of writing hasn’t changed, and it’s a good thing. She has an incredible way of giving every object in her stories some kind of history – a person doesn’t lay their bag on the floor or fill a glass of water without it somehow conveying intimate details of their past – I’ve always admired this about her writing.

The problem? Well, effective as this is, she doesn’t mix it up at all! The entire book, unfolds in almost the exact same patient style, to the point where I was almost longing for short, meaningless spurt of dialogue. Perhaps it’s the Digital Native in me.

Lastly, the thing I really had trouble getting over, is that…well I can’t imagine how terribly her life or the lives of people she loves must have been in order for her to produce this collection of depressing stories. I understand that things don’t always go well, the world doesn’t always turn, but gosh – they don’t always go awfully either! It feels like an odd complaint somehow, but there you are.

A more reasonable complaint perhaps is that…well the flaws in the characters that cause the conflicts appear to always be the same – someone is too traditional and can’t get past it, another character is too unforgiving and unforgetting, a third keeps secrets against all good judgment - then rinse and repeat. I felt like she told the same sad story in six different ways, and by the end, I was happy to get back to sweet, sweet reality.

Review: A World of Contradictions

Colson Whitehead's Sag Harbor has a premise that just seems too entertaining to pass up. 

It's 1985, and fifteen-year-old Benji Cooper spends most of his year as one of the few black students at an Upper East Side prep school, attending bar mitzvahs and the roller-disco. But during the summer months, he and his brother Reggie spend three glorious months of freedom in Sag Harbor, a nook of Long Island where affluential African-Americans have built their own beach community.

Contrasts define the foundation of this novel, summed up in an early statement by Benji:

"According to the world, we were the definition of paradox: black boys with beach houses." 

Benji's life seems to be full of contradicting elements. Sag Harbor versus Manhattan; white versus black; childhood versus adulthood; social acceptance versus...well, the guilty pleasures that Benji can't seem to let go. Benji is a conflicted character but has decided that this summer is going to be different, because everything will fall into place and go according to plan.

Colson Whitehead is one of those authors that reviewers can't wait to read, because his style of language fosters such a unique brand of novel. He is incredibly descriptive, often using pop culture references to liken a certain mood or tone (ie: "We were a Cosby family, good on paper"). His writing is dappled with declarative statements that explain a much bigger phenomenon, like, "Binoculars: a device that facilitates looking down on people." His vantage point covers past, present, and future, as he gives the reader just a bit more of the picture by adding retrospective comments about how things ended up after the summer of '85. 

Each chapter of Sag Harbor is almost like its own, self-contained story that chronicles one aspect of Benji's summer lifestyle -- a feature that gives the reader an intimate portrait of Benji and the people around him. For me, the lack of a distinct plot caused the novel to drag at parts to where my only motivation to keep reading was curiosity at what Whitehead would say next, but it is definitely worth it to keep going. 

Sag Harbor is a witty and affectionate coming-of-age novel about a kid that is having a hard time figuring out where he fits in. It is both hilarious and heart-breaking as Whitehead follows the teenage psyche in the unique setting he created. This book is by no means theme-less, as he carefully addresses the topics of family, friendship, race, and adolescence. I suggest reading this book in as large of chunks as possible, so you can really settle into the groove of Whitehead's writing and enjoy it.

Colson Whitehead's other books have been finalists for the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Pulitzer Prize, and have won numerous other awards.  Visit his website.

Review: Youthful Summer

Generally, it seems pretty easy to determine if a book fits into the YA genre, but Silas House's new novel, Eli the Good, threw me for a loop. His writing is carefully crafted to set the tone of any given scene, and the main character, Eli, seems to think in prose. I had no idea that this novel was, in fact, House's YA debut until I did a bit of research about the author.

The year is 1976, and Eli Book is ten years old. With the book told entirely from his perspective, the reader learns first hand why this summer is different than all the others. The story starts at the beginning of the summer, when a ten year old's world is suddenly graced with freedom and responsibility is out the window. Days consist of bike rides, swims in the lake, and not much more.

When we meet the other characters, we discover the conflict present in Eli's seemingly paradisaical world. His beautiful mother seems distant, preoccupied with smoothing ties between his Vietnam traumatized father and his sister, a former Vietnam protester that has taken up residence in the Book house. Eli's older sister Josie is in a spree of rebellion, questioning all she was taught to believe and clashing with her parents who just doesn't understand her way of thinking. Edie is the girl next door and Eli's best friend, but she turns inward when her parents decide to split up.

Eli is stuck in the middle of it all, as he watches the people he loves tear at each other. But he always remains on the perimeter, usually eavesdropping.

This book was much more than I expected at first glance. It is incredibly heartfelt, and Eli is one of the most likeable characters I have encountered in a while. He possesses a deep understanding of what is happening around him, much more than anyone would guess. The narrative is a nice mix of what's going on both inside and outside his head. I was reminded of how much thought goes through a ten-year-old's mind--observing, analyzing, pondering life's events. House gives us the full story by using the adult Eli to recount the summer from his ten-year-old perspective. The situations beyond a child's understanding are explained by this older voice.

Eli the Good had me crying at the end. Not out of sadness; but it just seemed so poetic. I remembered the complexity of being a child--figuring out the world and how it all worked, and holding on to little moments and feelings that you want to last a lifetime. Eli has profound little one-liners that are sprinkled throughout the book, but the most telling of his story is this:

"Whole scenes of your life can slip away forever if you don't put them down in ink."

This instantly became an all-time favorite, and I highly recommend it.

AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
Candlewick Press
304 Pages, Hardcover
ISBN 978-0-7636-4341-6

Review: Starting Over

If you take one thing away from Heather Barbieri’s The Lace Makers of Glenmara, remember this: “You can always start again; all it takes is a new thread.” Kate Robinson grew up hearing this advice from her mother, which was drilled into her head during sewing lessons. Like her mother, Kate possesses a gift with a needle and thread, and their creative passion formed an impenetrable bond between them. But after a series of emotional blows leave Kate gasping for air, she discovers that her mother’s advice serves a much bigger purpose than a simple sewing lesson.

Overwhelmed and exhausted, Kate escapes her heartbreak and struggling fashion career with a trip to her ancestral home of Ireland. She stumbles upon the quaint coastal village of Glenmara and befriends a group of local lace makers. As Kate learns the secrets of their traditional craft, she finds the inspiration that has eluded her for so long—and soon the women are working together to create a line of exquisite lingerie. But not everyone is enamored with these new ideas. Kate’s presence in Glenmara has sparked controversy, and the women must summon the courage to face opposition and confront their own personal troubles. As they work together, the lace makers gain the determination to achieve their own goals and face their long-standing demons. 

Barbieri found inspiration for this, her second novel, on a trip to the Irish coast and a New York Times article about Polish lace makers. Despite a fairly predictable plot, she has created an interesting story using exceptional characters and the dynamic backdrop of Glenmara, a traditional town trying to balance old world values with modern practices. Barbieri weaves together stories on life, love, friendship and family to create a multifaceted novel, where personal histories define her characters and influence their decisions.

In her affinity for literary patchwork, Barbieri has created an entertaining novel by blending a thoughtful story with a light read, perfect for this summer’s vacation.

-As featured in the July issue of BookPage magazine

AVAILABLE JUNE 23, 2009

HarperCollins

288 Pages, Hardcover

ISBN 978-0061721557