This week we've got new books by Isabel Allende, Jo Nesbo, and Macalester faculty Emma Törzs, choice footage of the Weiner Dog Races, a daiquiri recipe, an upcoming event with William Kent Krueger, and some sad news...

DAVID RECOMMENDS

Belle Nash and the Bath Circus — William Keeling

Here's the gay Bridgerton-era murder mystery you've been looking for! -David

The Line of Beauty — Alan Hollinghurst

EMILY RECOMMENDS

Per Publisher's Weekly, "The apex of queer speculative fiction publishing." Adventurous, unusual, and atmospheric. The novella, is, IMO, an ideal length for more experimental writing, and Neon Hemlock authors use this to their advantage -- these books are more content to indulge, to move between genres, to idle and wonder in language. -Emily

At Grand Old Day this past weekend, we briefly closed the store at 2:00 to spectate the Weiner Dog Races at the Mac campus across the street. Wellington won after outracing three other long, short dogs.

Our sedentary bookstore cat Honya is hiding somewhere in the store, and if you can find her (and you're 12 years old or younger) we'll give you a FREE chocolate from local chocolatier BT McElrath.

Father's Day is in less than two weeks -- maybe this year we won't put off gift-buying till the last minute. Come on in for a specialized recommendation and a card!

𝕴𝖙'𝖘 𝕲𝖊𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖎 𝕾𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖔𝖓 ⋆｡°✩ ˗ˏˋ ♊ ˎˊ˗

Come check out the selection of Gemini authors in our rotating Zodiac display, including Bob Dylan, Salman Rushdie, Louise Erdrich, and more!

Thank you, everyone, for turning out for Luis Alberto Urrea last week! If you couldn't make it, come by for a signed copy of his novel of WWII women's heroism, Good Night, Irene, while supplies last.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe — Emma Törzs

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of books of magic, which half-sisters Joanna and Esther were raised to revere and protect. All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. But after their father dies while reading a book they've never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they’ll uncover a world far bigger and more dangerous than they knew, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden. This suspenseful, atmospheric novel draws readers into a world of mystery, romance, and intrigue, marking the debut of an extraordinary new voice in fantasy.

The Wind Knows My Name — Isabel Allende

In a Nazi-occupied Austria, Samuel's mother secures a spot for him on a train to England -- alone. Eight decades later, Anita and her mother board another train, fleeing El Salvador for the US. But under the new family separation policy, seven-year-old Anita finds herself alone at a camp in Nogales. She escapes reality through her trips an imagined world. Social worker Selena, enlists the help of a lawyer in hopes of tracking down Anita’s mother. Intertwining past and present, Allende tells the tale of two unforgettable characters in search of family and home, a testament to the sacrifices that parents make and a love letter to the children who survive the most unfathomable dangers—and never stop dreaming.

The Late Americans — Brandon Taylor

Two young women are missing, their only connection a party they both attended. When one is found murdered, the police suspect the killer will strike again. And exposing him calls for a detective like no other. But the legendary Harry Hole is gone—fired from the force, drinking himself to oblivion in L.A. At least, until the woman who saved Harry's life is put in grave danger, and he has no choice but to return. He'll need to bring together a misfit team of former operatives to accomplish what he can't do alone: stop an unstoppable killer. But as the evidence mounts, it becomes clear that there is more to this case than meets the eye...

My Murder — Katie Williams

Lou is a happily married mother of an adorable toddler. She’s also the victim of a local serial killer. Recently brought back to life and returned to her grieving family by a government project, she is grateful for this second chance. But as the new Lou re-adapts to her old routines, and as she bonds with other female victims, she realizes that disturbing questions remain about what preceded her death and how much she can really trust those around her. Now it’s not enough to care for her child, love her husband, and work the job she’s always enjoyed—she must also figure out the circumstances of her death. Darkly comic, tautly paced, and full of surprises, My Murder is a clever twist on the classic thriller.

What An Owl Knows — Jennifer Ackerman

For millennia, owls have captivated us as symbols of wisdom and foresight. But what does an owl really know? What do we really know about owls? Ackerman illuminates the biology and history of these birds and reveals remarkable new discoveries about their brains and behavior. She joins scientists in the field to learn how owls communicate, hunt, court, and mate, and brings this research alive with her own personal field observations. What an Owl Knows is an awe-inspiring exploration of owls across the globe and through human history, pulling back the curtain on the nature of the world’s most enigmatic group of birds.

As always, our newsletter can't fit everything, so check out the other new arrivals and recent bestsellers on our website!

2 oz. light rum

1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 oz. blueberry-lemon syrup

Fresh blueberries, for garnish

Lemon peel, for garnish

To make the blueberry-lemon syrup, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium until sugar dissolves. Add 1 cup fresh blueberries and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until blueberries have burst, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in zest of 1 lemon, and let cool 10 minutes. Strain into a bottle and let cool. Yields enough for 4 drinks.

Mixologist's Notes:

Did you know the word "daiquiri" has Taino roots, and is also the name of a small village east of Santiago de Cuba? Learn more about daiquiris in The Book of Cocktail Ratios by Ruhlman and Kriebel -- they get a whole chapter!

Mary Logue — The Big Sugar

TOMORROW (Tuesday, June 6) at 6:00pm

Shortly after arriving in Cheyenne, Wyoming, young Irish immigrant Brigid Reardon discovers a neighbor’s body on the plains near their homes. Was Ella murdered, and are either of the two men in her life responsible? It falls to Brigid to investigate what really happened, putting her in the crosshairs of one of Cheyenne’s "big sugars" -- cattle barons. Loosely based on the true story of Ellen Watson in 1889, The Big Sugar continues the adventure begun in The Streel. With a faultless sense of history, a keen eye for suspense, and a poet’s way with prose, Logue guarantees that readers, like Brigid, will find the mystery at the heart of The Big Sugar downright irresistible. Mary Logue has published more than thirty books, including mystery novels, poetry, nonfiction, and children's books. Her awards include a Minnesota Book Award, a Wisconsin Outstanding Achievement Award, and an Edgar nomination.

Who Will Make the Pancakes collects five stories created over fifteen year, all orbiting motherhood: its private and deeply individual forms, and its broader social and political connections. It also includes “Watergate Sue,” Kelso's landmark NYT serial comic. Through her unmistakable art and unique literary voice, Kelso gives readers who are new to her work a seamless entry point; for those familiar, Who Will Make the Pancakes is a welcome addition to an impressive body of work. Megan Kelso has been drawing comics for over 30 years. Her books include The Squirrel Mother, Artichoke Tales, and Queen of the Black Black. She lives in Seattle with her husband and daughter.

Manga Club: Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand

Saturday, June 10 at 5:00pm (RSVP)

Come to NCB at 5pm on the second Saturday of every month to talk manga with other weebs! Hosted by our resident manga experts Emily and Graham (yours truly), the Manga Club provides free Japanese snacks, a 10% discount on ALL manga in the store, and most importantly, a forum to discuss a new title every month. For our June meeting, we'll be discussing Yoko Komori's English-language debut, Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand. When Tokiko's parents break up, she and her father move to a sleepy coastal town. Starting sixth grade in a new school where everyone already knows each other isn't easy. But things start to look up when Tokiko befriends a local boy. He, like everyone else, denies the existence of merpeople, even though the town holds a secret festival to honor them... And Tokiko is pretty sure she remembers being saved by one. Tokiko searches for the truth about the town and her memories in this beautiful coming-of-age story.

Matt Goldman — A Good Family

Katie has a perfect job, healthy children, and a beautiful new house in a prestigious neighborhood of Edina -- it's almost enough to ignore the way her husband Jack has been acting. Tension in her house only gets worse when Adam, a mutual friend from college, happens to be in the neighborhood and in need of a place to stay. Jack is quick to welcome him into their home. His strange behavior only gets worse, and Katie fears their new guest is harboring a dark secret of his own. As she begins to uncover the truth, she realizes that something is terribly wrong--and she must race to protect her family as danger closes in. Matt Goldman is a playwright and Emmy Award-winning television writer for Seinfeld, Ellen, and other shows. He brings his signature storytelling abilities and light touch to his Nils Shapiro series, which begins with Gone to Dust. He lives in Minnesota with his wife, two dogs, two cats, and whichever children happen to be around.

Nancy Crochiere — Graceland

Hope's mother, soap star Olivia Grant, is convinced she’s dying. She loves Elvis more than God and insists on a final visit to Graceland, but Hope fled Memphis years ago and vowed never to return. Olivia persuades Hope’s daughter Dylan to drive her instead, promising to reveal the mystery of her long-lost father. Hope must stop them before Olivia exposes the truth. As they race from Boston to Memphis, encountering jealous actors, free-range ferrets, and Elvis-impersonating frat boys, secrets begin to unravel, and Hope, Olivia, and Dylan must face hard truths on the bumpy road to acceptance, forgiveness, and grace. Nancy Crochiere wrote a humor column about family life for Massachusetts newspapers for thirteen years, collected in The Mother Load. A graduate of Middlebury College, she earned a master’s degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Minnesota. Her essays have appeared in The Boston Globe, Writer’s Digest, and WBUR’s Cognoscenti blog. She lives north of Boston with her husband, a lawyer and marathoner, and a few houseplants that could use more attention. Graceland is her first novel.

Nicole Baart (The Long Way Back)

in conversation with William Kent Krueger

After two years documenting life on the road for their famous social media account, Charlie and her daughter Eva have settled on the North Shore. Eva is happy finishing high school, but Charlie longs for the adventures they left behind. When Eva goes missing, Charlie is suspected of foul play. As the truth about their relationship is questioned, Charlie realizes the rosy façade they portrayed online hid a complicated reality. To clear her name and find out what has happened to her daughter, she'll have to confront her role in Eva's disappearance--and whether she knows her daughter at all.

Nicole Baart is the author of eleven novels, including Everything We Didn’t Say. The cofounder of a nonprofit and mother of five, she lives in Iowa with her family. William Kent Krueger is the NYT bestselling author of This Tender Land and Ordinary Grace, as well as nineteen acclaimed books in the Cork O’Connor mystery series, including Lightning Strike and Fox Creek. He lives in the Twin Cities with his family.

Mary Christine Kane & Sandra Eliason — 

This collection of thirty-three stories edited by Judi Lee Goshen and Anne Beall captures love in its many forms—love of romantic partners, parents, children, friends, animals, and interests. In the name of love, our storytellers suspended their beliefs, quit jobs, explored themselves, found courage, opened themselves up, and surrendered. There are stories where love truly overcame the odds and completely transformed lives.

Contributor Mary Christine Kane works as a marketing consultant and is a volunteer for an animal rescue organization. A Moth-winning storyteller, her essays and poetry have appeared in Plainsongs; Mutabilis Press; Bluestem; Chicken Soup for the Soul; Chicago Story Press; Pure Slush and others. Mary earned an MFA in writing from Hamline University. Sandra Hager Eliason is a retired family physician. In 2016, she won the Minnesota Medicine Magazine Arts Edition writing contest, and her story “Rough Ride” is forthcoming in Best American Essays 2023. Her essays have appeared in Bluestem, The Linden Review, and Brevity Blog. She is a book reviewer for Hippocampus.

Sci-Fi Fantasy Club: Trouble and Her Friends

There's no final frontier for the Sci-Fi Fantasy Club! Join us the last Friday of every month as we uncover and rediscover forgotten classics, titles that blur genres, small press stunners, and all the books you missed because they don't have Brandon Sanderson's marketing budget. To cap off Pride Month, let's read a forgotten classic of queer feminist cyberpunk! let's read One hundred years from now ('now' meaning 1994), legendary hacker Trouble is forced out of retirement to track down the figure who stole her identity, somewhere in the ever-shifting world of virtual reality.

See the calendar on our website for more!

Negrophobia – Darius James

A hallucinatory, Hoodoo-influenced sature of racism, told in screenplay format, Negrophobia was never destined for the best-seller list. But James' only novel is a singular work, a nose-dive intp the netherworld of the white American subconscious with blonde truant Bubbles Brazil as our demented virgil. There won't be a Netflix series anytime soon.

In college, Bobby Zimmerman (later known as Bob Dylan) joined Sigma Alpha Mu. His parents were glad, hoping this would lead him to become a lawyer like his cousin who had also pledged there. It did not. Other frat brothers (most of whom did become lawyers) recall Bobby as wimpy and risible, and prone to practicing his guitar in the middle of the night. Despite their efforts, Bobby did not learn to dress or act like he belonged in the frat house, and began spending more and more time in the folk clubs of Dinkytown. "If anyone tells you they saw a superstar in him then," one anonymous Sigma Alpha Mu brother said, "they're full of shit."

Bob Dylan In Minnesota by K.G. Miles

His head was higher than the helm of kings

with heathen crowns, his heart keener

and his soul clearer than swords of heroes

polished and proven; than plated gold

his worth was greater. From the world has passed

a prince peerless in peace and war,

just in judgement, generous-handed

as the golden lords of long ago.

He has gone to God glory seeking,

Beorhtnoth beloved.

-from The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth by J.R.R. Tolkien

What makes a good 'summer read'?

I definitely fall into this majority camp as well. This summer I'm trying to get through some Ishiguro novels. Those are not beach books, let me tell you.

Now for this week's poll! This is a multiple-choice question, so click the 'Select' button to choose an answer. I'll include the results in the next newsletter. And our question is:

2. Order online or over the phone (at 651-225-8989) for in-store pickup. We'll let you know when your books are ready, then you can swing by and pick them up at your leisure.