Pop Culture Princess

Pop Culture Princess
especially welcome to extensive readers

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Summer reading for the fall

Even tho I wasn't able to attend BEA this year(maybe next time,since it's supposed to be back in NYC),I still was able to gather a few samples of the upcoming autumn titles handed out to eager book folk who gleefully filled their goodie bags. Along with The Expected One,I have two other juicy looking novels and-hold on to your hats-a non fiction title! I will be reviewing these books for your blogging pleasure so this is just a sneak peak to whet your appetites:




The Interpretation Of Murder by Jeb Rubenfeld(Henry Holt,September)is inspired by Sigmund Freud's one and only trip to America which caused him to everafter call
Americans "savages". This first novel has Freud arriving in New York with then protege Carl Jung and being asked to assist in finding a killer who is targeting young society ladies. Quite an intriging premise-there's already a blurb from Matthew Pearl who wrote The Dante Club(and has a new book out now,The Poe Shadow). I was a big fan of the Alienist and this looks to be just as good and engrossing of a read.




The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield(Simon & Schuster,Sept)is another first novel with a great idea behind it(not to mention a gorgeous cover,so rich and enticing); Author Vida Winter, who protects her privacy in ways that rivel Greta Garbo for style, hires biographer Margaret Lea to write the real story of her past. The book promises a gothic flair and I find it hard not to jump into it right away(determined to finish TEO first). Also,Margaret is a bookseller which is catnip to a gal like me,not to mention that cover!



Big Box Swindle by Stacy Mitchell(Beacon,Sept) is subtitled "The true cost of mega retailers and the fight for America's independant business" which gives you a pretty complete idea of what it's about. I saw Beacon's Tom Hallock on BookTV,talking BBS up and it caught my eye. I've worked at quite a few small businesses and have seen the struggle to compete in a wider marketplace,especially with online shopping that offers easy access and discounts to boot. I'm all for free enterprise but I'm also wary of being overreliant on big companies for goods and services. BBS has already been compared to Nickel and Dimed and I hope it will fit the bill nicely.




There's another book I hope to get and Random House is offering to give away a hundred copies of: The Glass Books Of The Dream Eaters by Gordon Dahlquist. If that title sounds like a siren's call to you as it does to me,just click the title link for a chance to sign up and win a free copy of your very own. The plot feels very Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell like and it's page count is over 700 which makes it even more tempting to me. If I do win a copy(and maybe even if I don't),it'll get reviewed here,tout sweet,baby! Talk about a banquet of books-if nothing else,I'm sure to be entertained quite well and intend to pass on the good word.

No comments: