SPECIAL EVENT THIS FRIDAY - RESERVE SEATS NOW! | | |
A NOTE FROM OUR STAFF -
DO YOU HAVE A BOOK ON HOLD WITH US?
"We remain grateful as always for the orders you continue to place online and in the store. However, our limited space for special holds is overflowing; we'd love you to come in and pick up your books! Thank you for all your support of the store."
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The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley (now in paperback). In this follow-up to his big-hearted, Thurber Prize-winning novel The Guncle, Gay Uncle Patrick (or GUP, for short) is enlisted to help his niece and nephew navigate their emotions as they grapple with their father’s upcoming wedding in Italy - an event which has triggered the grief they’re all still feeling about the death of Sara, the kids' mom and Patrick’s best friend. GUP, Maisie and Grant set off on a journey through Europe on their way to Lake Como, with Patrick teaching the children his personal “love languages” in the hopes they’ll open their hearts and accept their dad’s fiancée; all while rediscovering what he wants and needs in his own life. A rich cast of characters, tenderhearted humor, beautiful locales, snappy dialogue and a heartwarming story made this a book I never wanted to end. - Carolyn
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Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (now in paperback). We follow the Fletchers, a wealthy Jewish family in 1980’s Long Island. Carl Fletcher, the patriarch, is kidnapped, and although he is returned after a hefty ransom is paid, the whole family is forever altered. At breakneck speed, we meet the rest of the Fletcher family in all their reckless, heart wrenching, hilarious glory, trials and tribulations. The novel is very Jewish, very funny, very sharp, very mean, and a total page turner. Taffy Brodesser-Akner writes shrewd, cutting descriptions of inherited wealth and family traditions, and soul-searching passages on inherited trauma, and how it affects each of the Fletcher children, and each of us. I was amazed at how her story-telling exposes you to the very worst a person can be while still making you ache for them, and root for them! - Heida
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Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. When an elderly woman “saves” a young man from himself, an unlikely, co-dependent friendship begins. Ocean Vuong is a genius at delivering a fringe experience – with quirky characters living on the edge of society in a scrappy, forgotten town. Even with their own personal issues, they give each other purpose and the space to be who they are. It’s a sad yet tenderly endearing story of loss, trauma, and second chances. Totally worth the commitment! - Jessica
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Circular Motion by Alex Foster. Always a fan of time-travel variations, I was drawn into Circular Motion from the very beginning. Set in the near future, the Earth is starting to spin faster as a result of the spaceward trains that have come to fuel the planet’s economy and society as a whole. The narrative follows Tanner and Winnie, two very different characters living very different lives, both caught up in the ever-increasing chaos caused by the accelerating rotation speed of Earth. Along the way, Foster skewers corporate bureaucracy and greed, social media, technology and more in this wild ride you won’t soon forget. - Eric
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Fever Beach by Carl Hiaasen. The Florida-based Hiaasen is at his scathing best in a novel that takes well-aimed potshots at deceitful politicians, right-wing extremists, and good old Southern corruption in a crime story that is both hilarious and - at times - uncomfortably close to reality. Hiaasen has long poked fun at Florida politics and environmental mishaps, but he's writing with a sharper edge these days. Hapless characters are a staple of his, and he outdoes himself here - one central misfit is a MAGA dolt who's been kicked out of the Proud Boys for being too stupid. The good news is that the good guys prevail and Hiaasen is as entertaining and satirical as ever. - Hut
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Don't Swipe Right by L.M. Chilton (now in paperback, published in hardcover as Swiped). Gwen is not having an easy time of it. A bad breakup, a best friend who's getting married and moving on, and a coffee truck business that is less than successful all have her in a rut. Swiping left and right on a dating app seems like fun but the dates that result are NOT; especially when the men start to turn up dead, and she's the connecting thread. I was tremendously entertained by Gwen's breathless search around town to find a killer, the surrounding characters add dimension and the descriptions of her dates are hilarious. - Carolyn
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We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (now in paperback). This new mystery series from the jovial creator of The Thursday Murder Club features an unlikely but engaging detecting duo. Steve Wheeler is a retired cop living a quiet life in a small English village while his daughter-in-law Amy Wheeler is an adrenaline-fueled bodyguard to high-end clients. Amy is on the job protecting a world-famous author when a series of murdered online influencers unexpectedly make her a target as well. She enlists the help of a reluctant Steve, and with the additional aid of her eager and well-connected client, the trio set out on a jet setting search for a well-hidden murderer. The plot is outlandish at times but zany characters make for great fun. Osman also finds a humorous use for AI; he has the murderer conceal his identity by asking ChatGPT to write his emails in the style of a friendly English gentleman. - Hut
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CELEBRATING MRS. DALLOWAY AT 100!
It was a grand day at the bookstore on May 14 when we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the publication of Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. The highlight was the day-long reading of the book, which featured the participation of customers, bookstore staff, former Mrs. Dalloway's owners ANN LEYHE and MARION ABBOTT, and others. The reading was anchored by our own rockstar actor, orator, and reader extraordinaire THOMAS LYNCH (below left). We also held a period costume contest with a $50 gift certificate prize, which was won by MARIA BRANDT (below right). Discounted Mrs. Dalloway merchandise and refreshments were also offered during the festivities.
| | REBECCA SOLNIT sold out Berkeley's David Brower Center at a Mrs. Dalloway's-produced appearance for her compelling and thought-provoking new essay collection, No Straight Road Takes You There: Essays for Uneven Terrain. Rebecca read from the book and chatted with DANIEL ALDANA COHEN, Founding Co-Director of the Climate and Community Institute, a climate and economy think tank. | | Weightlifter and fitness expert CASEY JOHNSTON (left) shared her deeply personal memoir A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting in conversation with author and KQED Forum co-host ALEXIS MADRIGAL. In the book, Casey recounts how she left behind years of restrictive eating and endless cardio and entered the brave new world of weightlifting. Woven through the trajectory of how she rebuilt her strength and confidence is her exposé of the damaging doctrine spread by diet and fitness culture. | | MARIAH BLAKE is an investigative journalist whose writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Mother Jones, The New Republic, and other publications. Her new book, They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals is a chilling investigation of the chemical industry’s decades-long campaign to hide the dangers of forever chemicals, told through the story of a small town on the frontlines of an epic public health crisis. Mariah read from and discussed her book with award-winning reporter SUSANNE RUST, who specializes in environmental issues for the Los Angeles Times. | | A big thanks to Berkeley's own MICHAEL LEWIS for coming by and signing dozens of copies of his timely new book, Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service, featuring essays about exemplary federal employees written by authors Casey Cep, Dave Eggers, John Lanchester, Geraldine Brooks, Sarah Vowell, and W. Kamau Bell. | | SIMON VAN BOOY came to our celebration of the Mrs. Dalloway centenary, taking part in our day-long reading of the book and signing copies of his novel Sipsworth, which our co-owner Jessica called, "a lovely, heartwarming story about the power of companionship, especially at the end of one's life." | | MAY IS ASIAN AMERICAN NATIVE HAWAIIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH! | | Here are just some of the wonderful children's books by AANHPI authors and illustrators at Mrs. Dalloway's. Click on this link for a more extensive collection for brand new readers to young adults. The list features books that have come out in the last 12 months and will be updated throughout the year. Check back often to find books perfect for reading every month of the year, not just in May! | |
Help start a library for a young reader in your life with Mrs. Dalloway’s Little Library subscription service! Every month for the length of your subscription, we'll gift wrap and send your recipient a book that fits their age and interests. Our experienced staff selects titles from our ever-changing inventory of new titles and rediscovered hidden gems. To find out more and sign up, click here.
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LISTEN UP!
Audiobooks from Libro.fm
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We're delighted to be offering our customers an independent source for audiobooks, offered through our partnership with Libro.fm. Here's a little about the company, in its own words:
"By choosing Libro.fm over other audiobook services, you support your local bookstore and invest in your local community. We offer over 125,000 audiobooks via our premium platform (which we built with love from scratch) and give you bookseller recommendations for great audiobooks. And when you contact us, you'll hear directly from one of our team members who will ensure your listening experience is unmatched."
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