October 19, 1999 The November/December Book Sense 76 There are a wonderful number of novels set regionally in this 76, a new 'Body and Mind' section, and more children's and gift books than usual, of course. Due to the number of new nominations and the two month duration for this 76, only 11 titles from the Oct. 76 carry over. (For the Jan./Feb. 76, there will be many more trade paperbacks than this time; we know it's our major growth area as independents, but so many hardcover and gifty nominations came in this time. In fact, a theme of the Jan./Feb. group may be backlist rediscoveries and recent reissues in paperback�..and nominations are, as always, encouraged as soon as possible.) 250,000 4-page flyers are on press now! These will be distributed to stores by early November. Note: We have put a big star by the top 10, instead of shading them, and have added a 'Please Take One' burst to the front. We heard a number of other great suggestions at the regional shows, which we will incorporate next year. Another great group of books; thank you for all the thoughtful nominations! The Book Sense 76 Booksellers from independent bookstores have cast their votes for the best new books, recent favorites and some rediscoveries. The Book Sense 76 for November and December is a unique and provocative selection of quality fiction, history, health, gift, and children's books --and much more-- all from a great diversity of voices. All personally recommended to you, with passion and integrity, by the independent booksellers of America. November and December 1999 African-American Interest 1. BUD, NOT BUDDY, by Christopher Paul Curtis (Delacorte, $15.95, 0385323069) For ages 8-12. "Times are hard, and 10-year-old Bud Caldwell is a motherless boy on the run. This book is full of humor and wonderful characters, especially Bud, who carries his mother's love and memory with him as he searches for the father he knows is somewhere waiting for him."--Judy Nelson, Mrs. Nelson's Toy and Book Shop, LaVerne CA 2. NIGHT GOLF, by William Miller (Lee & Low Books, $15.95, 1880000792) For ages 4-8. "One day, James finds a golf club that has been thrown away and after one swing, he's hooked�but he soon finds he won't be allowed on the golf courses. It is the '50s and James is black, but an older black caddy teaches him the game by moonlight after the course closes. This is an inspiring story of a young man with a dream who will not be denied."--Marilyn Smith, Hawley-Cooke Booksellers, Louisville KY A CHORUS OF ENTHUSIASM The books in this group of 76 books were nominated by many, many independent booksellers--and the top votegetters are highlighted � though all the books here have a special place in booksellers' hearts. By email, fax, postcard and handwritten letter, bookseller enthusiasm poured in. The Book Sense staff chose the letter that best captured the essence of all the nominations for each book to be printed here. So, while just one 'voice' for each book appears here, there is a chorus behind it, especially the top ten vote-getters, noted with a star. (And many of our choices in the past months have been validated with prestigious award nominations and appearances on regional and national bestseller lists.) Body and Mind 3. THE ATHLETIC WOMAN'S SOURCEBOOK, by Janis Graham (Avon, $12.50 paperback, 0380796678) "Whether you're a serious competitor or a weekend athlete, this book answers every question a female athlete could have."--Kathy Magruder, Lee Booksellers, Lincoln NE 4. HIDDEN WISDOM: A Guide to the Western Inner Traditions, by Richard Smoley & Jay Kinney (Penguin, $15.95 paperback, 0140195823) "Finally, an intelligent, thorough & accessible presentation of Western spiritual paths. The authors offer a clear, thoughtful & balanced overview of a wide range of disciplines along with a fantastic bibliography."-- John Evans, DIESEL: A Bookstore, Oakland CA 5. THE POWER OF NOW, by Eckhart Tolle (New World Library, $19.95, 1577311523) "The most important book in a spiritual life written in the last decade."--Ginna Bragg, Thunderbird Bookshop, Carmel CA 6. A SOOTHING BROTH: Tonics, Custards, Soups and Other Cure-Alls for Colds, Coughs, Upset Tummies and Out-of-Sort Days, by Pat Willard (Broadway, $18, 0767901487) "Well-researched, full of historical vignettes, and engagingly written, this is full of recipes and home remedies. There is much comfort and sage advice in this book."--Joyce Meskis, Tattered Cover, Denver CO Celebrating Our Regional Diversity As part of celebrating your individuality and ours, we believe that the rich and diverse cultures of our country's different regions are worth preserving. The independent bookstores across America do great work in supporting local writers, many of whom write with a regional flavor, from cookbooks to fiction to travel guides. And many of the now nationally famous authors can trace their early success to the support of the independent bookstores in their region of the country. This month, we feature a number of works of fiction and nonfiction set regionally, and will continue to highlight the great American tradition of regional writing throughout 2000, including the news of some rediscovered classics. Books about the Joy of Reading 7. BOOK, by George Ella Lyon; illus. by Peter Catalanotto (DK Books, $16.95, 0789425602) For ages 4-8. "A beautifully illustrated book and a poem to reading for the family...and a great gift for your favorite teacher!"--Catherine Mealey, Personally Recommended Books, Laramie WY 8. THE QUOTABLE BOOK LOVER, edited by Ben Jacobs and Helena Hjalmarsson (Lyons Press, $ 20, 1558218823) A brand-new collection of the wisest and wittiest truisms about books and reading, many from contemporary sources, from Rushdie to Welty. A great gift.--A Book Sense staff pick MORE ABOUT REGIONAL BOOKSELLING: HOLIDAY CATALOGS! In addition to a national association, most booksellers belong to regional bookseller associations, groups that actively promote marketing and education programs. One of these efforts for each regional association is a great holiday gift book catalog, representing the best of both national and regional publishing. Please ask your local independent for this catalog, and for the best in regional writing and publishing. Children's Books 9. AMELIA AND ELEANOR GO FOR A RIDE, by Pam Munoz Ryan; illus. by Brian Selznick (Scholastic, $16.95, 059096075X) "When Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart dined together at the White House in 1933, something very exciting happened. Dressed in evening clothes, they went for a plane flight over DC, captured perfectly in Selznick's sparkling illustrations. This is a delightful book for ages 4-9."--Dara LaPorte, Politics and Prose, Washington DC 10. BARK, GEORGE, by Jules Feiffer (HarperCollins, $14.95, 0062051857) "When read aloud, this sweet little story never fails to elicit chortles, guffaws, and belly laughs. 3-6 year olds find this little dog hilarious when asked to bark by his mom but instead�well, you'll see. The surprise ending will amuse adults as well."--Trudy Barash, Canterbury Booksellers, Madison WI 11. BASKET MOON, by Mary Lyn Ray; illus. by Barbara Cooney (Little Brown, $15.95, 0316735213) For ages 4-8. "Harking back to an earlier time in America, this charming book illustrates the love between a father and his son, and the pride to be found in working with one's hands. In her eighth decade, not only is Barbara Cooney still drawing, she is at the top of her craft."--Shirley Massengill, Cover to Cover Booksellers, San Francisco, CA 12. ONE SEAL, by John Stadler (Orchard Books, $15.95, 0531301958) "I love this book! The quirky illustrations and humorous storyline makes this book my top pick for the fall. As I share ONE SEAL with children in storytime, they, too, have fallen for the book's charms. It will spark laughter, creativity, and questions--which to me is a sign of a truly fabulous children's book."--Tiffany Durham, Toad Hall Books, Austin TX 13. THE QUILTMAKER'S GIFT, by Jeff Brumbeau; illus. by Gail de Marcken (Pfeifer-Hamilton, $17.95, 1570251991) For ages 4-8. "This is the most beautiful children's book I've seen in a long time. The story about a greedy king and the true meaning of wealth is wonderful and the illustrations are exquisite. It is incredible how many different things one sees each time a page is turned."--Susan Wasson, Bookworks, Albuquerque NM 14. THE 20TH CENTURY CHILDREN'S POETRY TREASURY, edited by Jack Prelutsky (Random House, $19.95, 0679893148) "A marvelous collection of 217 poems by 137 poets. A great gift book, and a must for every family's library."--Jody Shapiro, Adventures for Kids, Ventura CA 15. SECTOR 7, by David Wiesner (Clarion Books, $16, 0395746566) For ages 4-8. "Another wordless adventure by Wiesner takes us this time to the Cloud Dispatch Center. You will look at clouds from three sides now!"--Barbara Theroux, Fact & Fiction, Missoula MT 16. WESLANDIA, by Paul Fleischman; illus. by Kevin Hawkes (Candlewick, $15.99, 0763600067) For ages 5-8. "If your child is a little left of center, Wesley will be a mentor. If your child sails easily in the modern mainstream, Wesley may well divert the flow."--Amy Cook, Malaprop's, Asheville NC (Book Sense staff comment: Asheville is one of the great places to live, with a vibrant art, music, and folk crafts scene, and Malaprop's Bookstore is a place where any boundaries of age, race, and gender melt away...which is true of all independent bookstores.) The Most Thoughtful Gift-- Gift Certificate Next to a book itself, a book gift certificate is the most thoughtful, meaningful and personal gift you can give. Some gift certificates can seem impersonal, but one redeemable for books is very special. It means you cherish the recipient's desire to choose a great book or two on their own AND to do so at an independent bookstore. Like any book, this gift can change a life, supply a treasure of knowledge or just provide hours of entertainment. This is the first season that the new Book Sense Gift Certificates are available and redeemable at over 1,000 independent bookstores nationally! Pass along the joy of book browsing at an independent bookstore to your family and friends living anywhere in America! The person receiving your gift certificate has only to call 1-888-BOOKSENSE to get directions to their nearest independent bookstore with Book Sense, to get the books of their choice. Books make great gifts, and now, so do Book Sense gift certificates. Feminist Interest See also Fiction and Memoir 17. BUST GUIDE TO THE NEW GIRL ORDER, by Deborah Stoller and Marcelle Karp (Penguin, $15.95 paperback, 0140277749) "A motley assemblage of pieces first seen in the most perceptive women's mag on the newsstands today. No make-up lessons here, sister."--Karina Cutler, Prairie Lights, Iowa City IA 18. A USEFUL WOMAN: The Early Life of Jane Addams, by Gioia Diliberto (Scribner, $26, 0684853655) "Diliberto is a diligent researcher who has obtained access to many of Addams' early letters and journals. Her book is brilliant biography and finely wrought feminist history. It is also sheer pleasure to read." --Paul Ingram, Prairie Lights, Iowa City IA 19. WOMEN, text by Susan Sontag; photos by Annie Liebovitz (Random House, $75, 0375500200; due out in Nov.) "This book is a huge event. All-new photographs of women by the incomparable Annie Leibovitz coupled with a meaty new essay by Susan Sontag, her first in 10 years. I love the way Leibovitz sees women; through her eyes we see the complexity and depth of the whole person. There's something new even with the most oft-photographed subjects in her book. But don't rely on my interpretation of these groundbreaking photos, check out Sontag's. And don't call this a women's book, unless you mean it as a compliment. It is a milestone in photography and cultural critique. It's also a great gift."--Kris Kliendienst, Left Bank Books, St. Louis MO Fiction 20. AHAB'S WIFE Or, the Star-Gazer, by Sena Jeter Naslund (Morrow, $28, 0688171877) "A rich and complex epic adventure on land and sea that draws on the culture of New England whalers and lighthouse keepers, the impact of slavery, early suffragism, and the transcendentalists. The heroine is both utterly contemporary and convincingly of her time. A read you will not soon forget."-Lilla Weinberger, Readers' Books, Napa CA Also an audiobook. 21. BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES OF THE CENTURY, edited by John Updike (Houghton Mifflin, $28, 0395843685) "This collection of short stories gathers together stories from each volume of the always stellar series, The Best American Short Stories, one for each year since its 1915 inception. An extraordinary collection of a quintessential American literary form." --Muriel Brown, Olsson's--The Lansburgh, Washington, DC 22. BIG FISH, by Daniel Wallace (Penguin, $10.95 paperback, 0140282777; due in Nov.) "Every person on our staff who read this novel last year, when Algonquin published the hardcover, loved it. It's now in paperback, and still as hard to describe. You just have to read it for yourself!"--John B. Gramlich, Chester County Book Co., West Chester PA 23. CHARTERHOUSE OF PARMA, by Stendhal; translated by Richard Howard (Modern Library, $24.95, 0679602453) "My very favorite novel. Part operatic fairy tale, part satire, it's fast-paced and worldly. And a beautiful love story. Translated by one of our best poet-translators, Richard Howard" --Penny Burt, Olsson's at Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C. 24. COMFORT AND JOY, by Jim Grimsley (Algonquin, $21.95, 156512250X) "Two men face life in all its complications of money, class, and family past, all while trying to make a go of it together. Grimsley draws us into the lives of Southern upper-crust Ford and wrong-side-of-the-tracks Danny with superbly written scenes. The impending Christmas season promises only more conflict, and the scenes in the cemetery at Christmas are so touching, so filled with all the mixed feelings we all have about family, that this book speaks to the universal questions of life. This novel is a quiet plea for an honest, dignified, loving life, no matter what the situation.""--�Michael Fraser, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati OH 25. CONFESSIONS OF AN UGLY STEPSISTER by Gregory Maguire (Reganbooks/HarperCollins, $24, 0060392827) "From the author of the surprising WICKED comes another novel that turns on its head a story we think we know. Maguire dashes all preconceptions about the myth of 'Cinderella' and offers insight into the world of art and beauty, family and friends, tulips and turnips--and the commodities of each--set in the Dutch countryside. It gives delightful truth to the 'dusty gossip' of a town, a story overheard, revisited through time and turned into a 'household tale of magic.' A true reader's find."--Alaine Borgias, Village Books, Bellingham WA (Book Sense 76 continued) Topics: News - Books, Book Sense,