One of the best parts of BEA is getting advance reader copies of books due to hit the shelves in fall or winter.  While Dan Brown’s bestseller in waiting was not among the crop of titles I ran off with, there were some gems in there…

First, one of the books from the Editor’s Buzz panel – this is where editors from different trade houses get up and pitch their book of the season.  Some did this better than others, granted, but it was nice to hear people who are so close to their books getting a chance to tell everyone why they are worth the read.

The book that I ended up starting on the train ride home from BEA, based on the editor’s presentation, was Jonathan Tropper’s This is Where I Leave You.  I’m about halfway through this one, so I can’t give you the full scoop, but I can say it is well worth the read.   The main character’s marriage is falling apart (his wife has been sleeping with his boss for the past year) while he is dealing with the death of his father and having to reconnect with his dysfunctional family.  Doesn’t sound like a hoot and a half, but Tropper, author of several other titles including “The Book of Joe”, makes it a funny and great read.

Next, also from the Buzz panel, David Small’s Stitches.  Not really sure how to do this description justice, so I’ll take it from the author’s site…

One day David Small awoke from a supposedly harmless operation to discover that he had been transformed into a virtual mute. A vocal cord removed, his throat slashed and stitched together like a bloody boot, the fourteen-year-old boy had not been told that he had cancer and was expected to die.

In Stitches, Small, the award-winning children’s illustrator and author, recreates this terrifying event in a life story that might have been imagined by Kafka. As the images painfully tumble out, one by one, we gain a ringside seat at a gothic family drama, where David — a highly anxious yet supremely talented child—all too often became the unwitting object of his parents’ buried frustration and rage.

That’s enough to give you an idea of the plot.  Whatever you may think, it’s an amazing work.  It’s the first graphic novel-cum-memoir I’ve seen, so I can’t just it based on the genre.  It gives you a window into the world of this man that words couldn’t.  Once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down.  You may think, hey graphic novel, I can whip through this….don’t.  Take it a frame at a time.  Look, think, savor.  I’m glad the editor picked this book to talk about – he gave a touching tribute to the author and really made a lot of people excited about it.  When I left the room to find a copy of the book it wasn’t there, causing me to storm the booth the next day to get a galley, which ended up being autographed by the author during his signing.  Mega cool. 

Elizabeth Kostova’s new book “The Swan Thief” was supposed to be there, but wasn’t.  Big bummer as I loved “The Historian” and was hoping to pick this one up. 

The show floor wasn’t as busy as in years past.  This worked to my advantage when I browsed the children’s book publishers as a book fair mom rather than publishing babe.  Most reps took time to show me some new books and let me know what was going to be hot for fall. 

At Penguin, I got a copy of Mike Lupica’s new book Million Dollar Throw.  Having grown up reading Mike’s column in the NY Daily News, I can vouch for his talent as a writer.  As a book fair volunteer, I heartily recommend his books to any sports minded child.  His new one looks like it will follow in that tradition. 

Also from Penguin, Z-Rex, billed as “a video game in a book, and perfect for kids who think they don’t want to read.”  I gave the book to a young man who loved it and got REALLY upset when he realized that the sequels won’t be out for many many months.  Author Steve Cole better get to work on fleshing out the series judging by that fan’s reaction.

Adriana Trigiani is out with the first book in a new series for teens, Viola in Real Life.  It’s listed as 12 and up, so I’m going to wait for Girl’s review, as it will be in her bag heading for camp.

Finally, while waiting for David Small’s book signing, I picked up an autographed blad of Mary Jo Eustace’s Divorce Sucks.  Who is Mary Jo Eustace, you may ask?  Why she’s the first wife of Dean McDermott, of Tori and Dean fame!   I can’t say I’m a Tori fan or hater, but I have always wondered what her and her husband’s exes had to say about them and their relationship.  Now we will know.  Not sure what Mary Jo was like as a wife to Dean, but in person she was very pleasant, and, quoting the words of the guy in line with me, “effing hot”, making me wonder why someone would leave her for an unstable Hollywood child like Tori.  Ah, seriously, not really.  Who has time to wonder that.  There are too many good books out there to read!

For the first time in a LONG time, it felt like summer this weekend.  If you don’t live in the Northeast, you probably have had drier weather than we have.  June was one of the wettest on record, with rain or thunderstorms coming most every day. Not exactly the kind of weather that has you dreaming of time outdoors.

However, this past Saturday and Sunday were blissfully dry and sunny.  Not too hot, not too humid.  Just perfect.  And what better way to spend a day like that than finding a good book and curling up in a comfy chair out of doors.  I didn’t get much time for that, having 2 young children and all, but I was curious about those who were planning on spending time reading – what were they reading?  I asked my Twitter followers and Facebook friends and here are the responses I got:

The Seekers

The Secret Mitzvah of Lucio Burke

Things I Want My Daughters to Know by Elizabeth Noble (noted as “not great”)

Into the Beautiful North

Infinite Jest

Olive Kitteridge

The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato

Sunnyside

Rich Like Them by Ryan D’Agostino

For me, I’m finishing up This Lovely Life, and a review will follow here.  Mr IT, as we know, is a great guy, but doesn’t read.  IT Boy is still a fan of Dora the Explorer’s All Dressed Up book, but had it taken away from him this weekend because he keeps ripping the flaps.  Soccer Girl was in the pool most of the weekend, but when she wasn’t, her nose was firmly ensconced in two books – Kingdom Keepers and Kingdom Keepers II.  Oh boy, is she in love with this series.  Almost cried when I told her the release date for Book #3 is almost a year away.   Interesting to see her reading preferences develop.

What are YOU reading these days?

Hey there.  Checking in from a surprisingly blog-free vacation to direct your attention to an article from the Times…it makes the argument that the book industry is being slammed by people who are buying books super-cheaply on the Internet.  That is…

What’s undermining the book industry is not the absence of casual readers but the changing habits of devoted readers.

Meaning, someone like me who wanted a book would in the past go into a store, or to Amazon and buy it at close to full price.  Now, backlist and many frontlist titles are available on resale sites like Amazon Marketplace, eBay and Half.com.  These are  all places I have not only shopped on, but sold on, rather successfully on both counts.

At first, reading the article, my first reaction was, seriously?  This is what you want to blame this on?  What about used bookstores, which have been around forever?  Why aren’t they to blame.

But then the idea of finding a book for one penny, plus shipping came up.  I never sold for that little, nor would I buy a book for that little, but I guess people are. 

What about you?  Do you think people reselling books online super cheaply is as much of a problem as the Times thinks it is?

Contrary to my previous posts, I do actually get a chance to read books every once in a while.  Of course, I suffer from the horrific problem of not finishing most of what I read.  Especially with non-fiction, I often start books, get into the middle, and then drop off.  The following are 3 books that I am reading and am damn close to making it all the way to the end of.  In order of pages read…

Moose: A Memoir of Fat Camp by Stephanie Klein.  So I’m a little late to the party on this one.  I read her first book, Straight Up and Dirty, and am a reader of her blog.  This one seemed to hit a bit too close to home to pick up.  I had to weight wait until I was down 2 stone (figure it out for yourself, non-Anglophiles) to pick it up.  I’m glad I did.  It’s funny in parts, and terribly touching in others, without making the reader feel like it’s needlessly playing with your emotions.  Yes, I can totally relate with some of the things that she relays in the book, but thankfully I am far enough from them that I can look back without too much angst.  I’m 2 chapters from the end, so this one is totally in the bag for me. 

I’m also reading The Mind of Boysby Michael Gurian.  It’s published by Wiley, so I’ve known about this book for a while.  It wasn’t until I walked into Boy’s preschool and saw that the place was full of boys that I reached for it.  What, I wondered, is going on in the world that a school for kids with speech and developmental delays is populated almost solely with boys?  While what they talk about in the book isn’t necessarily for his age group, it is a great way to prepare for elementary school and beyond.  It makes the point that boys learn differently from girls, and that our educational systems are most often geared toward the learning styles of girls.  I’m about half-way through, and it really is enlightening.  If you are the parent of a boy, you owe it to your child to read this book. 

Finally, the book that I really need to sit down and take the time to read properly, not in between bites of frozen pizza.  The 3 Big Questions For A Frantic Family is the latest from our powerhouse business author Pat Lencioni.  His other books have been for the business shelf.  This is his first book that takes a look at business principles to family life.  In a way, this is something that the IT family needs desperately.  When I started reading bits of “Theresa’s” story, I saw a lot of myself in it.  Too much even.  From the little I have read, it’s already caused me to think of things in a new way.  I’m still in the process of digesting the first question, that is defining what makes your family unique.  As I get through this one, and questions 2 & 3, I will be continuing the discussion here.  Once I find the time, that is, to learn about why I never seem to have any time.  Ah paradoxes.

I was particularly bummed to see the articles about Borders mulling a possible sale.  It’s never a good thing to lose any bookstore, whether it’s the small corner store rapidly going the way of the do-do bird, or #2 chain in the US.  It’s a losing proposition for authors, publishers, and readers. 

There’s a school of thought that says that it’s ok, more customers will buy books online.  But if you think about it, that doesn’t always work that way.  Think about it.  Any time the retail locations diminish, so does the customers ability to buy the product.  OK, I can’t find a book at my local bookstore, or my local bookstore has gone under, so I have to buy online.  I have a choice – find another bookstore, buy it online, or just go without.  Unfortunately, reducing the amount of retail locations that sell books has been leading to people to make the last decision. 

It’s especially unfortunate because Borders seems to be making a move into social media.  Facebook has a Borders fan page online for big Borders and Books ETC.  Borders NY also has an event page that’s really handy.  I had no idea Alton Brown would be signing books this week until I saw that – thought you should know in case anyone wonders why I am taking Thursday off . 

I was depressed enough when the Borders near my house closed.  To think about the chain going away in any way, shape or form is something too horrible to even conceptualize. 

This is comical:

You’re Love in the Time of Cholera!
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Like Odysseus in a work of Homer, you demonstrate undying loyalty by
sleeping with as many people as you possibly can. But in your heart you never give
consent! This creates a strange quandary of what love really means to you. On the
one hand, you’ve loved the same person your whole life, but on the other, your actions
barely speak to this fact. Whatever you do, stick to bottled water. The other stuff
could get you killed.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Thanks to Eva for this.  As I have previously mentioned, it is my favorite book of all time but I don’t agree with the description!  I thought for sure she and I would have the same book personality, but we didn’t.  Not sure where I went astray.  

Here’s a great article (by way of Shelf Awareness) with quick tips for book shopping for children. 

Let me add one point to the “bring a kid to the bookstore” tip.  If you have an independent store near you, especially one that specializes in kids books, let that be your destination.  You’ll get a more varied and informed selection that you’ll find at your average chain or mega store.

There is nothing as rewarding as finding the right book for a child.  It can inspire, amaze and live longer in their hearts than any toy can. 

Yes, only two more days before I leave for the big Vegas blowout weekend.  And you’d be surprised what the main topic of debate is.  No, it’s not who will be lugging the big suitcase with them to the office (I’m certainly hoping that Mr. IT, who is taking a bus from the office to the airport will volunteer – I have to take many subways and luggage and NYC subways do not mix).

Rather, the big debate is what books I should bring.  I know right now you’re thinking a weekend in Vegas doesn’t exactly spell big literary extravaganza.  But hear me out.  I don’t have as much spare reading time as I used to when I took a train to work.  I drive, and that’s not really conducive to reading (don’t even try to tell me audio books count, because they don’t.  I’m a visual learner and those don’t work for me.)  

I’m going to have a 5 hour flight, plus airport waiting time, plus leisurely minutes while Mr. IT fetches breakfast for me every morning (if I’m dreaming, don’t wake me).  I’m thinking 3 books will be needed.  One, a fun read, maybe chick lit, maybe not.  Another, a more procedural mystery type of book.  The third, something in the sci-fi genre.  Just because.  I’ll probably get to books in the reverse order from what is listed, but that’s ok too.

Heard an ad for this book tonight (who says radio ads don’t work!).  I might check that out.  Or Steve Martin’s new memoir – love his writing and his story sounds interesting.

If anyone has other suggestions, don’t hesisate to let loose and “throw a book at me.”

I just got done reading The Mommy Wars by Leslie Morgan Steiner.  Normally, these books are like brussels sprouts to me – don’t like them, don’t want them, keep them as far away from me as possible.  This is surprising to many of my friends and co-workers, but I have my reasons.  I happen to live in a community where I rarely feel like there are any conflicts between stay-at-home-moms and “working” moms.  In our town, we have women who used to have careers outside of the house and now don’t.  We have women returning to the workforce after taking time to stay home with their kids.   It’s a little of everything, and I rarely feel any judgements.  OK, that’s not to say when a parent shows up 30 minutes late to pick up their kid from a birthday party that there isn’t a bit of buzz.  But that’s about it. 

I’ve faced the whole “you work?” battle much more at work than anywhere else, and surprise, more from men than from women.  Here’s a great example – some time ago, a memo went around that a woman was leaving her job to be a “full-time mom.”  I was taken aback by that.  Was the implication that those of us who worked were “part-time moms”?  Because I have a c-section scar that brands me as a mom 24/7.  Was this person, a male person I might add, implying that I was less of a mom because I was pursuing a career? I whipped the note back at him with these comments and more sprinkled around it. He replied that he didn’t write the note, his boss did, and he couldn’t care less about what choices women were making these days. Fair enough. So I sent it to his boss and asked him what was behind his choice of words. In truth, I should have let it go there, but no, I persisted. The boss never responded, and when I asked him in person, I was told to give him a break, and that’s exactly what she was doing. He stopped short of suggesting that my bare feet retreat back into the kitchen, but that’s what it felt like.

Anyhow, why did I read this book? It was a gift from a friend who thought it was “right up my alley,” so I felt obligated to at least crack the binding. This friend reads this blog sporadically, so I don’t want to come out and say, “Wrong way alley, babe.”  But I’m a lot more interested in double teaming on Eric Clapton and Pattie Boyd’s dueling tomes than I am reading a “I’m right because I stay home with my kids” vs. “I’m right because I am a good career role model for my kids.”  Let’s face it, the majority of our kids are doing all right, and by our I mean both SAHM and working moms’ kids.  This book did have a little of I’m right, no I’m right, so that bothered me.  At the same time, it did present almost every viewpoint that was out there, so in the end I felt that it made me more sympathetic to ALL moms.  Something happens when you become a parent that changes you forever.  We know that the decisions we make will impact our children for better or for worse, so we struggle with them.  We have only to look at our kids and find a single fault to be ready to place the blame on a decision that we made.  Worse, at times others find those faults in our kids and blame us and our decisions.  But the truth is stuff happens, and it’s not always something that can be blamed on the fact that mom had a job and wasn’t home to make cookies.  Or vice versa.  By calling this book “Wars”, the author implies that there are sides to be taken.  When in reality there is one side, and that’s for our kids and what’s best for them. 

Overall though, I was disappointed that a woman had to dredge up the whole “mommy wars” angle. The book was an OK read, but do we need yet another book in the media drawing a divide where there really shouldn’t be one? In the end, we are a lot more supportive of each other than the media gives us credit for. And that’s what the story should be.

When I am asked what my favorite book is, I usually hesitate.  Let’s be honest – for a bookworm, it’s like asking a parent who their favorite child is, or what my favorite chocolate is.  How do you choose?  When pressed, and I often am, I sometimes volunteer “Dracula” because it was the first book that caused me to truly understand what the written word was capable of.  Sometimes I say “Possession” because it combines historical geekiness with great literature and makes even poetry (which I normally loathe) lyrical.  However most of the time, I offer up “Love in the Time of Cholera”. It’s a truly magical read that takes you to another place and time and makes you believe in the power of love.  I read it for the first time many years ago.  I had read “One Hundred Years of Solitude” in college, and really liked it, despite having to constantly refer to the “Jose Arcadio” family tree, because characters all seemed to have that name, and be able to talk to dead relatives.  But that’s another post.  Anyhow, I recall savoring, no, devouring every word on every page.  When I was close to the end of the book, I was on a train heading into Grand Central Station.  Tears were streaming madly down my face as I attempted to finish it before my train reached it’s final destination.  I will never be more angry at myself for rushing what has to be one of the most amazing endings to a book ever.  I’ve since reread it, pausing ever-so-cautiously at the ending to take more care with my reading, but let’s face it, we only have 1 first time, right?

This post comes because Oprah has selected it as her latest book club selection, certainly due in part to it’s worthiness, but also in part to a movie version coming out next month.  Even if you’re an Oprah snob, and you really have no reason to be, read this book.  You can surely find a version without the “O” book club logo. Feel the magic.  You’ll fall it love with it.  If you’re planning on waiting for the movie, don’t. You’re going to miss out on the experience of reading this remarkable work without any preconceived notions. I probably will see it, because Mike Newell is directing it, but I will be quite anxious about having my magic tampered with.

In closing, for those about to read this book, I envy you.  You’re going to have a first time you’ll never forget.