QuailMail #996 - Tonight at 7 PM: Louise Penny at NCSU, and Sarah Dessen at QRB

Open Monday–Saturday 9 am–9 pm • Sundays 10 am–6 pm

Open 9am-6pm on Thursday, July 4th

From Kent:

It has been my weekly preoccupation and pleasure to bring you the QuailMail these past six years. I'm returning to school and passing the editing baton to QRB Social Media Coordinator, Kaley Lowman, so expect a fresh look in the coming weeks. You'll still find me bookselling part time on our sales floor. Keep on reading (and let us know what you're reading), and we'll keep bringing you our best recommendations, literary news, and upcoming event information.

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Staff Picks

Two from Anne: The novel Rules for Visiting by Jessica Francis Kane (Penguin $26) gently explores friendship and personal identity with humor and insight. As May approaches 40 she ponders the value others place on friendship, and she embarks on a personal odyssey to visit four friends from her past. She rekindles old closeness and learns that even people who seem to have everything struggle, but often friendship and love are the rewards. May is not an epic hero, but we can all learn to keep in touch.

The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World by Simon Winchester (Harper $17.99). So who would expect a book about precision measurement and engineering would be interesting? It is! The early attention to precision, accuracy, and degrees of tolerance ushered in the Industrial Revolution, Scientific Revolution, and the Technological Revolution. From steam engines to the Hubble telescope, Simon Winchester tells good stories. I learned a lot and so will you.

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Reader Review

From Martha: Fredrik Backman writes beautiful love stories to sports, and in his novel, Us Against You (Washington Square $17), I felt the emotional gamut from laughter to fear to anxiety to anger to tears as the residents of Beartown continue their crooked paths towards redemption. I’ll read everything he writes.

"Pete the Cat" illustrator/author James Dean visits Wednesday, Sept. 4th

Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party

In this hardcover picture book full of fun alliteration and tasty foods, Pete and the gang learn that the best kind of pizza is one you share with your friends. Come meet the author, eat pizza, and celebrate Pete the Cat! A signing line ticket is included with the pre-order of Pete the Cat and the Perfect Pizza Party . Seats will be general admission. This event is confirmed for Wednesday, Sept. 4th at 6:30 p.m.

These great titles are coming soon — preorder now to reserve your copy.

Find more upcoming selections here .

July 2

New fiction from Matterhorn author Karl Marlantes;

QRB event Aug. 21

July 2

Haunting, insightful new poems from the Pulitzer Prize winner

July 9

Book four in this Biltmore-set series for kids ages 8+

July 9

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad .

August 4

From Mary Doria Russell, new American historical fiction. QRB event Sept. 5.

Randy Boyagoda joins host Jason Jefferies this week on Bookin' to discuss his new novel Original Prin , which Salman Rushdie calls "an examination of a whole spectrum of religious faith from shaky to fanatical.... An unputdownable book." Read more on the QRB Blog .

Bookin' is sponsored by indie supporter Libro.fm Audiobooks --tune in for a special offer for Bookin' listeners. The podcast can be found at at QuailRidgeBooks.com/Podcast and on other platforms like iTunes , Stitcher , and Spotify .

D.G. Martin hosts North Carolina Bookwatch on UNC-TV, airing Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and Tuesdays at 5:00 p.m. This coming week D.G.'s guest is Malinda Maynor Lowery with The Lumbee Indians: An American Struggle . Find the full Bookwatch schedule and watch episodes online at UNC-TV.org/Bookwatch .

Read D.G.'s latest One-on-One column discussing Lowery's book and tensions among Carolina Indians here .

Upcoming Events

Tonight, June 26, 7:00 PM

at NCSU McKimmon Center

Mystery author LOUISE PENNY:

Three Pines Mysteries

Eventbrite ticketing is closed, but you can still purchase tickets for this event at the door at NCSU's McKimmon Center . Penny will discuss her Three Pines mysteries, set in Quebec and featuring Inspector Armand Gamache. The latest book in the series is Kingdom of the Blind (just out in paperback), and coming in August is A Better Man . Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Tonight, June 26, 7:00 PM at QRB

SARAH DESSEN

The Rest of the Story

Seats may be reserved

Bestselling author of Young Adult fiction Sarah Dessen joins us with a big-hearted, sweeping novel about a girl who reconnects with a part of her family she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl, and falls in love, all over the course of a magical summer. Receive a ticket for a reserved seat and the signing line with QRB purchase of The Rest of the Story . A ticket is needed to join the signing line. General seating will be available with no purchase required.

Coming in July...

July 9

NATHAN BALLINGRUD

Haunting Short Stories

July 10

Literary Trivia Night