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I own a tassel bookmark that reads: "A book is a new adventure. Reading is a door to your imagination. Open it, and discover all the places you can go." At the top of the bookmark a boy is silhouetted sitting in a tree, immersed in a book. Although I don't recall if I ever sat in a tree to read, I do remember long summer afternoons when I was younger, sitting in a lawn chair in our backyard lost in a book. Where did I get my passion for reading? Well, my mom was a great reader, even though she skipped over descriptive passages now and then to get to the plot and characters of the book. My dad loved to read Westerns. And when he retired from the railroad he read even more. The more books that were in our house, the better. Maybe that's why the more books that are in my apartment, the better. And maybe that's why I've worked as a bookseller for over forty years. I'm still looking for the adventure and excitement a book can bring. Maybe that book I bought yesterday or the one I checked out from the library the other day will lead me on the best adventure of all.
I've picked four books for you this month. They will definitely lead you on adventures that you won't forget. And they'll make great reading group discussions.
Happy Reading!
Ken
kenbksco@gmail.com
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SIPSWORTH
by Simon Van Booy
Lisa encouraged me to read this novel and I'm so glad she did. I loved it! And I'm hearing that from many of our customers who have read it. Eighty plus Helen Cartwright has moved back to the small British village where she spent her younger years after living abroad for six decades. Her only wish is to die quickly and without fuss. Then, one winter night, a chance encounter with a mouse sets Helen on a surprising journey. In a novel that's just over 200 pages, I marveled at Van Booy's ability to pull at my heartstrings. I was totally drawn to the relationship between Helen and her little mouse. Author Ann Patchett calls the novel "a love story about a woman and a mouse. Reason suggests that such a relationship couldn't possibly work, and yet I found myself pulling for the unlikely duo on every page. Simon Van Booy's characters are loaded with charm, resilience, and the deep desire for connection that all mammals share. I loved it." Simon Van Booy will be interviewed by Daniel Golden and Lisa Baudoin for a virtual conversation. See our website in the coming weeks for more information.
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THE VERY LONG, VERY STRANGE LIFE OF ISAAC DAHL
by Bart Yates
Bart Yates tells the story of Isaac Dahl, a retired reporter who writes his autobiography in a unique way. Each chapter of this imaginative novel represents a significant day in his queer life, and each chapter jumps forward eight years. The first chapter takes place in 1926 when Isaac is eight, ending when he's ninety-six, in 2014. Important events include The Battle of the Java Sea in 1942; the Marshall Islands atomic bomb test in 1958; the raising of the ancient warship Mary Rose in 1982; and the decimating Iowa City tornado of 2006. From the Oklahoma Dust Bowl to a Mississippi school at the apex of the civil rights movement, Isaac tells his story with grace, humor and grit. I loved Isaac and the friends he made along the way. Publishers Weekly says, "in Yates's sure hand Isaac's story becomes a charming and inspiring testament to queer resilience. This will move readers."
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HOW TO READ A BOOK
by Monic Woods
Here's another fine novel that Lisa recommended to me. Monica Wood sets her book in Portland, Maine. When the book begins Violet Powell is being released from prison after serving twenty-two months for a drunk driving crash that killed a beloved teacher. In prison she participated in the women's book club run by retired English teacher Harriet Larson. And Frank Daigle, a retired machinist, hasn't yet come to grips with the complications of his marriage to the woman Violet killed. One morning they encounter each other in a Portland bookstore. The chance meeting drastically changes their lives and the three connect in surprising and transformative ways. This is the story of second chances, unlikely friendships, and the life-changing power of sharing stories. And parrots. We can't forget the African grey parrots who become so special to Violet. Author Margot Livesey says, "What a master of plot and character Monica Wood is. I love the various worlds HOW TO READ A BOOK took me to: a prison, a bookshop, and a laboratory, all in Portland, Maine. And I love how hopefully Wood writes about grief and second changes on behalf of her three protagonists. Surely everyone who reads this novel will want to offer Ollie, a voluble African grey parrot, a home."
Click here to watch a video Readings From Oconomowaukee conversation with Monica Wood and Daniel Goldin and Lisa Baudoin.
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A SEASON OF PERFECT HAPPINESS
by Maribeth Fischer
When I heard that Maribeth Fischer's new novel was set in and around Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot, I knew I had to read it. And I was so glad that I did. Ten years after a tragic event forced her to leave her home in Delaware and settle in Wisconsin, Claire finally feels content. She has a quiet, tidy life. Her simple plan is to keep her social life small and keep the past a secret. Then she meets Erik, a theatre nerd and project manager of Ten Chimneys, the newly restored former home of Broadway veterans Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. As she gets to know Erik she also gets to know his clingy ex-wife Annabelle and his kids Spencer, Hazel and Phoebe. She makes new friends and gets involved in Erik's crowd. But when a person from her past arrives at Ten Chimneys .Claire's worst mistake threatens her new life, and the deep friendships she's made hang in the balance. Author Ethan Joella says, "Maribeth Fischer is a novelist's novelist. A SEASON OF PERFECT HAPPINESS has every element: characters so real you swear they are in your life, a setting that feels like a place you've always known and loved, and a plot so engrossing that it takes over your every thought. I was in awe of her craft on each page, and Fischer shows vulnerability and humanity amid struggle and pain in such life-affirming and hopeful ways. I couldn't return to this book quickly enough each time."
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BOOKS & COMPANY BOOK GROUPS
Open to the Public
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Wednesday, September 25th
1:00 p.m.
in person at Books & Co.
Lady Tan's Circle of Women
by Lisa See
Registration required-
limited seating available
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Wednesday, October 23rd
1:00 p.m.
in person at Books & Co.
Israel
by Noa Tishby
Registration required-
limited seating
link to come
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Wednesday, September 18th
6:30 p.m.
in person at Books & Co.
The Davenports
by Krystal Marquis
No registration required for PRADAS book group meetings.
Wednesday, October 16th
6:30 p.m.
in person at Books & Co.
Stalking Jack the Ripper
by Kerri Mansicalco
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Tuesday, October 15th
6:00 p.m.
in person at Books & Co.
Bone Broth
by Lyndsey Ellis
No registration required for Reading Wisconsin book group meetings.
Meetings are every other month.
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Tuesday, September 24th
4:00 p.m.
in person at Books & Co.
A Beginner's Guide to Murder
by Rosalind Stopps
No registration required for Mystery book group meetings.
Tuesday, October 22nd
4:00 p.m.
in person at Books & Co.
The Sunset Years of Agnes Sharp
by Leonie Swann
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We support over 50 private book groups with their monthly selection available on the Book Group shelf in store. If your book group is registered with us, we offer 15% off of the book group title each month. To register your book group, just let us know what your book group name is and what you're reading, as well as a contact name for the group. As long as we have an updated list of your books, we will have them on the book group shelf in the store and listed on our website. |
Books & Company
1039 Summit Ave Oconomowoc, WI
262-567-0106
HOURS
Mon-Fri 9:00-7:00
Sat-Sun 9:00-5:00
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