Hello!
It was wonderful to see so many friends on Independent Bookstore Day! It snuck up on us, just like the end of April has! But one thing that never takes us by surprise is just how fortunate we are to be in this community, to be the place you come to for book conversation, suggestions for gifts, and your next favorite book.
We have three exciting events coming up! Katherine Heiny is our next Readings from Oconomowowaukee author. Our last Oconomowwaukee event with Amy Reichert was a hoot! I suspect this one with Katherine Heiny will be too. Early Morning Riser is perfect for readers of Richard Russo and Elinor Lipman.
Kathleen Ernst's newest Chloe Ellefson mystery will be out mid-May. We are expecting more copies of the earlier Chloe Ellefson mysteries to arrive in the next few days. With the switch in publishers, there was a short lag in availability. Kathleen will be joining us virtually on May 27. Her talks are always fun and informative.
Katrina has put together an awesome assortment of new titles for our newsletter. Enjoy!
Cheers and Happy Reading!
Lisa with Katrina, Ken, Chloe, Genavieve, Kristen, Elisabeth, Beth, Joseph, Maureen, Jewell, Toni, Lynn, and Judy
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Current Store Hours
Monday - Friday 9:00 - 6:00 Saturday- Sunday 9:00 - 5:00
Masks required. Limit of 10 customers
Curbside pick up and shipping available.
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KATHERINE HEINY
in conversation with
Daniel Goldin & Lisa Baudoin
Thursday, May 6th
7:00 p.m.
via Zoom
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Join us for the May Readings From Oconomowaukee featuring Boswell Books' Daniel Goldin and Books & Company's Lisa Baudoin in conversation with Katherine Heiny for her new novel Early Morning Riser- A wise, bighearted, boundlessly joyful novel of love, disaster, and unconventional family.
(on sale 4/13/21)
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Virtual Author Event
KATHLEEN ERNST
Thursday, May 27th
7:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
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We are very excited to announce our virtual event with author Kathleen Ernst, for the eleventh book in the Chloe Ellefson mystery series, The Weaver's Revenger!
When offered a rare opportunity to help develop a fledgling historic site dedicated to Finnish American history and heritage, curator Chloe Ellefson journeys to the remote Northwoods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But a killer weaves a deadly blend of betrayal and revenge that threatens Chloe’s work and her life...
Signed bookplates will be available!
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MAGGIE SHIPSTEAD
in Conversation with
Daniel Goldin & Lisa Baudoin
Tuesday, June 8th
2:00 p.m.
Via ZOOM
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Join us for the June Readings From Oconomowaukee featuring Boswell Books' Daniel Goldin and Books & Company's Lisa Baudoin in conversation with Maggie Shipstead for her new novel Great Circle, an unforgettable story of a daredevil female aviator determined to chart her own course in life, at any cost--Great Circle spans Prohibition-era Montana, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, New Zealand, wartime London, and modern-day Los Angeles.
on sale 5/4/21
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MIKE GAYLE
in conversation with
Daniel Goldin & Lisa Baudoin
Thursday, July 22nd
2:00 p.m.
via Zoom
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Please join us for our July Readings From Oconomowaukee event, featuring author Mike Gayle in conversation with Boswell Book Store's Daniel Goldin and Books & Company's Lisa Baudoin for Gayle's new novel. All The Lonely People is a warm and funny novel about a widower in Australia who makes it seem as though his retirement is the time of his life, but in reality it is far from it. When his daughter makes plans to come to visit, he has to make his real life resemble his fake life before the truth comes out.
(on sale 7/13/21)
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Wednesday, May 25th
1:00 p.m.
ZOOM MEETING
by Rachel Joyce
Wednesday, June 23rd
1:00 p.m.
ZOOM MEETING
by Ann Napolitano
Registration coming soon.
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Wednesday, May 19
6:30 p.m.
ZOOM MEETING
by Adam Silvera
Wednesday, June 16
6:30 p.m.
ZOOM MEETING
by Katharine McGee
Registration coming soon.
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Tuesday, May 24th
6:00 p.m.
ZOOM MEETING
by S.A. Lelchuk
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Sunday May, 30th
3:00 p.m.
ZOOM MEETING
by Miles Harvey
Sunday May, 30th
3:00 p.m.
ZOOM MEETING
by Casey Cep
Registration coming soon
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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS - hardcover |
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FICTION
New in Hardcover!
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by Heather Walter
Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who, in an act of vengeance, cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss. You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? The handsome prince. The happily ever after. Utter nonsense. Let me tell you, no one in Briar actually cares about what happens to its princesses. Not the way they care about their jewels and elaborate parties and charm-granting elixirs. I thought I didn’t care, either. Until I met her. Princess Aurora. The last heir to Briar’s throne. Kind. Gracious. The future queen her realm needs. One who isn’t bothered that I am Alyce, the Dark Grace, abhorred and feared for the mysterious dark magic that runs in my veins. Humiliated and shamed by the same nobles who pay me to bottle hexes and then brand me a monster. Aurora says I should be proud of my gifts. That she . . . cares for me. Even though a power like mine was responsible for her curse.
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by Jhumpa Lahiri
Exuberance and dread, attachment and estrangement: in this novel, Jhumpa Lahiri stretches her themes to the limit. In the arc of one year, an unnamed narrator in an unnamed city, in the middle of her life's journey, realizes that she's lost her way. The city she calls home acts as a companion and interlocutor: traversing the streets around her house, and in parks, piazzas, museums, stores, and coffee bars, she feels less alone. We follow her to the pool she frequents, and to the train station that leads to her mother, who is mired in her own solitude after her husband's untimely death. Among those who appear on this woman's path are colleagues with whom she feels ill at ease, casual acquaintances, and "him," a shadow who both consoles and unsettles her. Until one day at the sea, both overwhelmed and replenished by the sun's vital heat, her perspective will abruptly change.This is the first novel Lahiri has written in Italian and translated into English.
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by Eileen Garvin
Forty-four-year-old Alice Holtzman is stuck in a dead-end job, bereft of family, and now reeling from the unexpected death of her husband. Alice has begun having panic attacks whenever she thinks about how her life hasn't turned out the way she dreamed.
In the grip of a panic attack, she nearly collides with Jake--a depressed, paraplegic teenager with the tallest mohawk in Hood River County--while carrying 120,000 honeybees in the back of her pickup truck.
And then there's Harry, a twenty-four-year-old with debilitating social anxiety who is desperate for work and extremely surprised when Alice hires him to help with the honeybees. The unlikely trio must unite for the sake of the bees--and in the process, they just might forge a new future for themselves. Bookseller Katrina says "I really loved this novel. It's full of heart, hope, and honey. It really shows how the family you choose as your own can accept you and support you in doing what you believe is right."
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NONFICTION
New in Hardcover!
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by Audrey Clare Farley
For readers of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and The Phantom of Fifth Avenue, a page-turning drama of fortunes, eugenics and women's reproductive rights framed by the sordid court battle between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her socialite mother. At the turn of the twentieth century, American women began to reject Victorian propriety in favor of passion and livelihood outside the home. This alarmed authorities, who feared certain "over-sexed" women could destroy civilization if allowed to reproduce and pass on their defects. Set against this backdrop, The Unfit Heiress chronicles the fight for inheritance, both genetic and monetary, between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her mother Maryon.
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by Michelle Zauner
In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humor and heart, she tells of growing up one of the few Asian American kids at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother's particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother's tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the East Coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, and performing gigs with her fledgling band--and meeting the man who would become her husband--her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live.
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by Malcolm Gladwell
The Bomber Mafia is a riveting tale of persistence, innovation, and the incalculable wages of war. Malcolm Gladwell weaves together the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in central Alabama, a British psychopath, and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard to examine one of the greatest moral challenges in modern American history.
Most military thinkers in the years leading up to World War II saw the airplane as an afterthought. But a small band of idealistic strategists, the “Bomber Mafia,” asked: What if precision bombing could cripple the enemy and make war far less lethal?
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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS - paperback |
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FICTION
Now in Paperback!
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by Kiley Reid
This striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice is now in paperback! Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both. With empathy and piercing social commentary, Such a Fun Age explores the stickiness of transactional relationships, what it means to make someone "family," and the complicated reality of being a grown up. It is a searing debut for our times. Booksellers Chloe and Toni read and highly recommend this novel!
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by Steven Galloway
Bookseller Lynn says "Apparently I wasn't paying attention to the news in the 80's and was unaware on the siege of Sarajevo. This book educated and enlightened me Parts that I was sure were creative additions to the events were, in fact, true. A superb historical/realistic fiction." A novel of great intensity and power, and inspired by a true story,The Cellist of Sarajevo poignantly explores how war can change one’s definition of humanity, the effect of music on our emotional endurance, and how a romance with the rituals of daily life can itself be a form of resistance. This may not be a new novel, but it's definitely one to read!
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by Meg Goldin
Welcome to the escape room. Your goal is simple. Get out alive. In the lucrative world of finance, Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam are at the top of their game. They've mastered the art of the deal and celebrate their success in style but a life of extreme luxury always comes at a cost. Bookseller Judy says this is "what to read if you are looking for a fun, fast reading thriller. Four coworkers stuck in an elevator. Is this a competency test of management skills or a prank gone wrong?" An absolute page turner that you won't be able to put down!
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NONFICTION
Now in Paperback!
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by Conor Knighton
When Conor Knighton set off to explore America's best idea, he worried the whole thing could end up being his worst idea. A broken engagement and a broken heart had left him longing for a change of scenery, but the plan he'd cooked up in response had gone a bit overboard in that department: Over the course of a single year, Knighton would visit every national park in the country, from Acadia to Zion. Bookseller Kristen says it's "a fun and fascinating romp through all of the national forests. I enjoyed the writing, the honesty, and the quirky facts the author leaves us with."
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by Jason B. Rosenthal
On March 3, 2017, Amy Krouse Rosenthal penned an op-ed piece for the New York Times’ “Modern Love” column —”You May Want to Marry My Husband.” It appeared ten days before her death from ovarian cancer. A heartbreaking, wry, brutally honest, and creative play on a personal ad—in which a dying wife encouraged her husband to go on and find happiness after her demise—the column quickly went viral, reaching more than five million people worldwide. In this memoir Jason describes what came next: his commitment to respecting Amy’s wish, even as he struggled with her loss.
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by Merlin Sheldrake
When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree. Most fungi live out of sight, yet make up a massively diverse kingdom of organisms that supports and sustains nearly all living systems. Fungi provide a key to understanding the planet on which we live, and the ways we think, feel, and behave. In Entangled Life, the brilliant young biologist Merlin Sheldrake shows us the world from a fungal point of view, providing an exhilarating change of perspective.
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BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS - kids/teen |
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by Kyo Maclear
A picture book celebrating all the reasons to love the rain! Flowers bloom in the garden. Umbrellas bloom on the streets. There are puddles for jumping and, later, a cozy home for hot chocolate and books.
The air is full of waiting. The sky is full of breeze. The trees gust and billow. All before it rains.
Rumble, rumble. Distant thunder. Rain is coming, rain is coming.
This really is the perfect read for a rainy spring day!
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by Dave Eggers
When Grandma comes to visit and a young boy's parents leave, the rules of the house—and the world—change: grandson and grandmother transform into jaguars! Readers follow their journey into the undiscovered world of nature, experience true freedom, and lose themselves in an exhilarating adventure. After a day of playing, running, and climbing through sumptuous landscapes, the ending will leave you wondering what's real and what's imagined.
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by Beatrice Blue
How did dragons get their fire? It all began once upon a magical kingdom, where a fearsome dragon stalked the land. The dragon was mean and scary and evil, or so the stories said. One day, two brave children set out to stop him for good. But when they finally met the monster, he wasn't quite what they expected. Find out how two kids' determination to save their village led to a friendship that will warm the hearts of dragon lovers everywhere in this gorgeously illustrated celebration of the magic of kindness.
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by Linda Sue Park
When a teacher asks her class what one thing they would save in an emergency, some students know the answer right away. Others come to their decisions more slowly. And some change their minds when they hear their classmates’ responses. A lively dialog ignites as the students discover unexpected facets of one another—and themselves. With her ear for authentic dialog and knowledge of tweens’ priorities and emotions, Linda Sue Park brings the varied voices of an inclusive classroom to life through carefully honed, engaging, and instantly accessible verse. Find this one on bookseller Chloe's staff favorites shelf!
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by Bruce Coville
For Hurricane, a global disaster strikes at his core. He got his name because he was born during a hurricane, and he has always felt a strangely intense connection to the wind. And now his mother is one of the sick people in the hospital. But what can he do? He's just a kid.
When all this turns out to be TRUE, Hurricane embarks on the adventure of his life: a journey to different worlds, where he will make friends unlike any people he has ever known. He will discover courage, strength, humor, and an ability to bring people together.
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by Derek Jeter
As Derek and his team tackle playoffs, everyone deals with the pressure in different ways. And practice gets intense! One of Derek’s teammates, Avery, starts being especially hard on herself. She isn’t even enjoying the game anymore. Can Derek and the rest of the team pull her out of her funk? Inspired by Derek Jeter’s childhood, this is the eighth book in Jeter Publishing’s New York Times bestselling middle grade baseball series that focuses on key life lessons from Derek Jeter’s Turn 2 Foundation.
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by Angeline Boulley
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team. Bookseller Kristen says "This book does such a good job of showing authentic teen lives in the 90s. There is mystery, a touch of romance, undercover agents, and some hockey. It is set in the UP of Michigan near a Native American reservation; such a beautiful but also heartbreaking book."
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by Julie Berry
Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. A classical pianist from London, a British would-be architect turned soldier, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S. Army, and a Belgian orphan with a gorgeous voice and a devastating past. Their story, as told by the goddess Aphrodite is filled with hope and heartbreak, prejudice and passion, and reveals that, though War is a formidable force, it's no match for the transcendent power of Love. Bookseller Katrina says "This is an epic love story if there ever was one. Master storytelling and characters with depth make this an unforgettable read."
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by Becky Albertalli
Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway. But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off-script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.
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