- Daniel – In the 1870s, Hans Bengler arrives in Cape Town from Sweden, driven by a singular desire: to discover an insect no one has seen before and name it after himself. But then he impulsively adopts a young orphan and brings with him back to Sweden–a quite different specimen than he first contemplated.
- Foreign Bodies – “I can’t recall reading The Ambassadors in college, but familiarity with that novel is not necessary to enjoy this ‘retelling’ of the tale in contemporary form. The protagonist, Bea Nightingale, is an intriguing character, and the story is an engaging one, with emotional family entanglements handled brilliantly by a masterful storyteller.” — Betsey Detwiler, Buttonwood Books & Toys, Cohasset, MA
- The Instructions – “The Instructions is a brilliant virtuoso literary performance that is wildly entertaining from beginning to end — from page one to page 1,024! It is ambitious, provocative, touching, hilarious and sad, which leads to an exhilarating and extremely powerful reading experience.” — Ed Conklin, Chaucer’s Books, Santa Barbara, CA
- The Love Goddess’ Cooking School – “I actually live on two different islands and really enjoyed the fictional life depicted on Blue Crab Island, Maine. Melissa Senate has captured the voices and unique community of ‘Camilla’s Cucinotta’ with all of the quirks of family, love and friendship. I wish Holly Maguire was available to come on over with her grandmother’s wisdom, her joy of cooking, and her recipes, which are included in this delightful book!” — Kathleen Dixon, Islandtime Books & More, Washington Island, WI
- Visitation – “A spare, exquisite gem of a novel, Jenny Erpenbeck’s Visitation stopped me cold. The story follows the life of one house on the banks of a Bradenburg lake, outside of Berlin, and the inhabitants who reside there over the course of one hundred years. A fierce and wildly intelligent look at how we live our lives, both in respite and in duress, which things have meaning, and what we need to call a place a home. Visitation is a biography of a place, a story of displacement and irreparable loss, and an intimate and deeply personal exploration of the private places we cultivate to house our souls. This book will change you.” — Rachel Meier, The Booksmith, San Francisco, CA
- You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know – “This is an astonishing memoir by Sellers, who has prosopagnosia, commonly known as face blindness. Some may dismiss it as another memoir about a bad childhood, but it is much more than that. Even though both of Sellers’ parents battled mental illness, the love they have for their daughter is strong, and shines through the pages of this book. A triumphant story!” — Rhoda Wolff, Schuler Books & Music, Grand Rapids, MI
- Travels in Siberia – “This may be my favorite travel book. Period. Ian Frazier is a magnificently gifted writer who makes every single word interesting and takes the reader with him across the landscape, through history, and into the present. He keeps the reader close by his side through all manner of experiences, and the reader’s heart soars and stomach turns along with his own. Frazier has traveled to the end of the earth, and I am happy to feel that I have gone with him.” — Linda Ramsdell, The Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, VT
- Must You Go? – “They met after a dinner party and carried on an affair even though they were both married to others. Madly in love for over three decades until the day Pinter died of cancer, theirs was a life focused on the theater, their respective children, and each other. They travelled the world, lived cushioned by luxury, and met and entertained everyone from royals to radicals. Charming, funny, sad, fascinating, and beautifully written, this tale will find you wishing for just such a relationship.” — Betsy Burton, The King’s English, Salt Lake City, UT
- The Killing of Crazy Horse – “Thomas Powers has poured his heart and soul into this book, and the reader will do the same. It is a sad tale masterfully told as Powers weaves exhaustive research into the spellbinding story of Crazy Horse, the great Sioux warrior and leader, a little-discussed and often misunderstood player in American History. This book possesses the kind of immediacy only seen in the very best narrative nonfiction, and will become an important source for years to come.” — Sheryl Cotleur, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA
- Half Empty – “This newest collection of essays by the acerbic Rakoff is both canny and thought provoking. He challenges assumptions and is withering in his criticisms, but he also reveals his own foibles, personal sorrows, and afflictions. Enlightening, unforgettable, and heart wrenching.” — Tova Beiser, Brown University Bookstore, Providence, RI
- Frank – “True cultural icons are extremely rare, but Frank Sinatra was certainly one for the 20th century and his voice will be attached to memories for decades to come. As mythical as the voice, so was the man, but James Kaplan strips away the facade to reveal a conflicted, contentious soul whose genius always battled his worse elements. This is a fascinating biography, written in a jaunty, swinging style that evokes the image Sinatra came to personify.” — Bill Cusumano, Nicola’s Books, Ann Arbor, MI
- Dealings – “Rohatyn knows what readers are most interested in, and in Dealings he sticks to the deal-making, keeping the story both entertaining and sprinkled with life lessons. There are more than a few moments in his life when he was the subject of bad press, but there’s very little in the way of revenge. Concerning the most recent financial collapse, Rohatyn posits that the government needs to return to the regulation safeguards that have been dismantled since the Reagan years. A fun and informative read.” — Daniel Goldin, Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, WI
- Bloody Crimes – “Bloody Crimes relates the gripping stories of President Lincoln’s funeral and the hunt for Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Since the grief-stricken nation largely believed that Davis had masterminded Lincoln’s murder, the two events are closely linked. Swanson, an acknowledged expert on Lincoln’s assassination, writes with passion and authority, offering a powerful story enriched with vivid details that sweeps readers back to the dark, uncertain days of late April 1865. A triumph!” — Christopher Rose, Andover Bookstore, Andover, MA
- And the Pursuit of Happiness – “Maria Kalman loves America and so do I. It’s hard not to be warmed from the inside out when reading her latest poetic installment of art and prose, the story of democracy and our Founding Fathers. This book is beautiful, optimistic, and inspiring. Benjamin Franklin would be proud.” — Rachel Haisley, The King’s English, Salt Lake City, UT
- Our Kind of Traitor – “Adapting to the changing times, John le Carre long ago abandoned the Cold War for more relevant milieus. This time the subject is the frightening world of the Russian Mob and high stakes, global-reaching, money laundering. Inspired by a newspaper clipping, it is a story of loyalties, altruism, defections, and collapsing ethics, where high ranking spymasters enrich themselves by leaving the service to rub shoulders with the element upon which they formerly spied.” — Darwin Ellis, Books on the Common, Ridgefield, CT
Indie Next List – Notables
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