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September 12, 2008

Bookreporter.com Newsletter

September 12, 2008

This Week on Bookreporter.com

The Things You Learn....

Bookreporter.com Talks to Tess Gerritsen, Author of THE KEEPSAKE

Now in Stores: DEVIL BONES by Kathy Reichs

Now in Stores: BEING ELIZABETH by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Now in Stores: HURRY DOWN SUNSHINE by Michael Greenberg

Author Talk: Judith Marks-White, Author of BACHELOR DEGREE

Author Talk: Helene Cooper, Author of THE HOUSE AT SUGAR BEACH

New Featured Southern Writers Author: James Villas, Author of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Alex Kava, Author of EXPOSED

Feartured Romantic Suspense Author: Beverly Barton, Author of COLD HEARTED
This Week's Graphic Novel Reviews
What's New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com

This Week's Reviews

Poll and Question of the Week: Library Card Sign-up Month

Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- TWO Prizes

Quick Links to Features On The Book Report Network
 
Bookreporter.com
Past Reviews
Can't See the Graphics? Read This Newsletter Online
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Promotion
Debut Suspense/Thriller One to Watch Promotion
Mystery Mayhem Promotion

Historical Fiction Promotion

One to Watch Promotion
Books Into Movies
Bestseller Lists
Coming Soon
New in Paperback
ReadingGroupGuides.com

The Things You Learn....

When your older child leaves home, you discover all kinds of things about your younger one. This week I learned two things: Cory has been hiding a talent for cooking. Okay, okay, we are not talking beef bourguignon here, but rather frozen ravioli, macaroni and cheese, and hot dogs. My husband is traveling this week, so Greg went home a couple of nights to hang out with his brother so I could stay in the office and not do the mad dash home. (Okay, he also brought home his laundry for the housekeeper to do, but he swears that was not his sole intention.) Both nights that he was in charge I called home to find out that Cory was cooking!

I also discovered that the messiest person in the house is Cory --- and he does not leave a room unscathed by his presence. Seriously. Without my husband and Greg in the house, the math equation on who is messy came out pretty simple and the answer all pointed to Cory. Today, getting out of his bedroom was like traversing an obstacle course. There was the Lego train setup, the new school textbooks, the parking garage and cars that had made its way up from the basement, and the piles and piles of books that I dare not move since they are in the read, to be read, to be loaned and to be shelved piles that I will misinterpret. In my morning stupor --- I am sooooo not a morning person --- I flew over the locomotive and landed with my instep right on the train tracks. Lovely. Then I was awake!

I went to Back to School Night for his 8th grade class the other night, and I have decided that I want to go back to 8th grade with these teachers. His social studies teacher, who he was lucky enough to have last year as well, is amazing and shares my philosophy on group projects, which is why they will not happen in her classroom: "One kid does all the work and the others all go to soccer." The Language Arts teacher had a terrific lineup of titles for in-class and extracurricular reading. The science teachers spent a lot of time talking about safety, which was good since I have zip science aptitude. If there was a quiz I would still be there. Luckily there also were no questions in algebra and the Spanish teacher spoke English. It's shocking how much one forgets from 8th grade! And the gym Powerpoint presentation was riveting --- so many sports, so little time!

I am not sure that Cory is as invigorated about his days as I was about Back to School Night. Keeping boys engaged is tough business. And many teachers are just missing the boat on this. So when an advance reading copy of Peg Tyre's book, THE TROUBLE WITH BOYS, came across my desk in June, I immediately read it. Shortly afterwards, when I was at Greg's graduation, I noted that the Valedictorian, Salutatorian, All Schools and Senior Class President were all girls. Hmmmm...what is going on with boys? Want a taste of what Peg talks about? Then watch this video from her appearance on the "Today Show" on Thursday. Or the Newsweek piece here. When you finish, you will want to read more. And you'll want to get this book into some influential people's hands.

This week we're featuring an interview with Tess Gerritsen, whose new suspense/thriller, THE KEEPSAKE, is now in stores. Her publisher is offering a FREE eBook giveaway for THE SURGEON, Tess's first title published with them. For a free Amazon Kindle eBook, click here. For a free Sony Reader eBook, click here. The offer expires at midnight on Thursday, September 25th!

We're launching a new Southern Writers feature this week for James Villas, the award-winning author of more than a dozen cookbooks. In his debut novel, DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY, Villas tells a story of passion, friendship and family set against the lush, mellow backdrop of the South Carolina Lowcountry. We have 10 copies of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, September 19th.

We have also received some great responses from our advance readers on THE BLACK TOWER by Louis Bayard, which you can read here.

Two books to note from our lineup this week... I read HURRY DOWN SUNSHINE by Michael Greenberg a few months ago after I had the pleasure of meeting him at lunch. This memoir about his daughter's mental illness and breakdown is so moving. As our reviewer, Sarah Rachel Egelman, says, "This is the story of a father taking an emotional journey as he watches his daughter suffer and try to make peace with something hard to understand and beyond her control." On a lighter note, we bring you BACHELOR DEGREE from Judith Marks-White. I loved her last book, SEDUCING HARRY, and looking at Jana Siciliano's review, I can tell I will feel the same way about this one. Here's what she had to say: "BACHELOR DEGREE will keep you turning pages even while you are wondering how you would handle such smothering mothering, and alternately gasping and laughing at the ridiculous exploits of Samantha and her bumbling mom."

I am thrilled to announce that our blog on ReadingGroupGuides.com has been nominated for a Book Blogger Appreciation Week (BBAW is September 15th-19th) Award on My Friend Amy's blog (Amy is a very avid reader). Voting only lasts until midnight tonight, so if you like the ReadingGroupGuides.com Blog and are getting to this on Friday, please vote for us here in the Best Book Club category. We'll know if we won next week! Just being nominated was one cool thrill, especially since our blog is relatively new.

Tonight I am planning to go out to the Clinton Book Shop in Clinton here in New Jersey to see Robin Gaby Fisher, who wrote AFTER THE FIRE, a book about two of the victims of the Seton Hall University fire, Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos. It's a story of their friendship and survival. I had read Robin's Pulitzer Prize-nominated coverage of these events in The Star Ledger, and I am looking forward to meeting her. Her writing was both sensitive and informative, and my first question for her is going to be about how she came to write this story. She is going to be joined by Simons and Llanos in what promises to be a moving evening.
A couple of other pieces of news about books we like: CONFESSIONS OF A PREP SCHOOL MOMMY HANDLER by Wade Rouse, which is one of the funniest books I have read, is a lead title at Target for September. Nelson DeMille's THE GOLD COAST, which is the prequel to his upcoming book THE GATE HOUSE (coming out October 28th), is Penny's Pick at Costco.

It is supposed to rain ALL weekend, so I am planning to get back on track with my Labor Day resolutions. I always start off with lofty goals --- keeping office paperwork under control at home and in New York, reading the newspaper within hours of it hitting the driveway and swimming daily. I attain these goals for about the first five days and from there tread back into my old ways. This will be my weekend to renew the goals I made 11 days ago! I am reading THE EIGHT by Katherine Neville that was published 20(!) years ago in anticipation of the release of her sequel, THE FIRE, which will be in stores on October 14th.

And for the record, life here still is finding its way with Greg being gone. Cory moseys up the driveway a lot more quietly than Greg did. I sit down at my computer at 7:30 every morning thinking I did not do something. Working from home for the second Friday in a row since school started, it is really weird when the bus stops once at the driveway  ---- but it does not stop a second time --- or no one drives a Land Rover down the driveway honking and waving. New routines all around. Have a great week --- and if you are in Ike's path, our thoughts are with you. Read on....

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])



 

Bookreporter.com Talks to Tess Gerritsen, Author of THE KEEPSAKE

Tess Gerritsen/A>'s latest novel, THE KEEPSAKE, marks the return of Dr. Maura Isles and Detective Jane Rizzoli, who investigate a series of present-day murders in which the victims are subjected to ancient methods of burial and preservation. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, Gerritsen explains how she first became fascinated with archaeology and discusses the real-life inspiration behind her eccentric characters and chaotic settings. She also offers words of advice for first-time writers and speculates on the future of her protagonists in upcoming series installments.

THE KEEPSAKE by Tess Gerritsen (Thriller)
For untold years, the perfectly preserved mummy had lain forgotten in the dusty basement of Boston’s Crispin Museum. Now its sudden rediscovery by museum staff is both a major coup and an attention-grabbing mystery. Dubbed “Madam X,” the mummy --- to all appearances, an ancient Egyptian artifact --- seems a ghoulish godsend for the financially struggling institution. But medical examiner Maura Isles soon discovers a macabre message hidden within the corpse --- horrifying proof that this “centuries-old” relic is instead a modern-day murder victim. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.


-Click here to read a review of THE KEEPSAKE.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE KEEPSAKE.

-Click here to download your FREE copy of Tess Gerritsen's THE SURGEON for your Amazon Kindle.
-Click here to download your FREE copy of Tess Gerritsen's THE SURGEON for your Sony Reader.
 
Click here to read our interview with Tess Gerritsen.

 

Now in Stores: DEVIL BONES by Kathy Reichs

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DEVIL BONES by Kathy Reichs (Thriller)
Following 2007’s BONES TO ASHES, Kathy Reichs --- international bestselling author, forensic anthropologist and producer of the Fox television hit “Bones” --- returns to Charlotte, North Carolina, where Temperance Brennan encounters a deadly mix of voodoo, Santería and devil worship in her quest to identify two young victims. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

-Click here to read an excerpt from DEVIL BONES.

 

Click here to read a review of DEVIL BONES.


 
Now in Stores: BEING ELIZABETH by Barbara Taylor Bradford

BEING ELIZABETH by Barbara Taylor Bradford (Fiction)
As Elizabeth Deravenel Turner takes charge of the worldwide business empire Deravenels, family secrets, scandals and intrigue abound in a modern-day tale from Barbara Taylor Bradford that parallels the events of Tudor England and the life of Queen Elizabeth I. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

-Click here to read an excerpt from BEING ELIZABETH.

 

Click here to read a review of BEING ELIZABETH.

 
Now in Stores: HURRY DOWN SUNSHINE by Michael Greenberg
HURRY DOWN SUNSHINE: A Memoir by Michael Greenberg (Memoir)
Aristotle said that "no excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness.” And it seems that many of the great and creative minds of history have been, to put it poetically, excellent souls. Still, to see a loved one wrestle with mental illness is usually more frustrating and heartbreaking than inspiring. Inspiration is there, however, waiting to be uncovered by the patient and the gifted. Michael Greenberg's honest new memoir demonstrates such patience and skill as he retells his teenage daughter’s first psychotic break and its immediate aftermath. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

 

Click here to read a review of HURRY DOWN SUNSHINE.


 

Author Talk: Judith Marks-White, Author of BACHELOR DEGREE

Judith Marks-White is the author of last year's critically acclaimed SEDUCING HARRY, as well as the newly published BACHELOR DEGREE. In this interview, Marks-White explains why her books --- though written primarily for women --- appeal to members of both sexes and describes what helped ease the difficulties of the writing process this second time around. She also discusses the differences between penning novels and newspaper columns, and shares her thoughts on the common image of the "suffering writer."

BACHELOR DEGREE by Judith Marks-White (Fiction)
Judith Marks-White's second novel chronicles the strange and fascinating world of the Upper (Crusty) East Side of New York City and the equally odd relationship between an independent and successful young woman and the matchmaking-crazed mother who thinks she can reel in a big fish for her pride and joy with a quirky combination of flirting and monied talk. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano


-Click here to read a review of BACHELOR DEGREE.
-Click here to read an excerpt from BACHELOR DEGREE.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.JudithMarks-White.com.

 

Click here to read an interview with Judith Marks-White.


 
Author Talk: Helene Cooper, Author of THE HOUSE AT SUGAR BEACH
Helene Cooper, a correspondent for such publications as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, recently published a memoir titled THE HOUSE AT SUGAR BEACH (the new Starbucks book selection), which chronicles her youth and coming of age in 1980s Liberia during a period of political unrest. In this interview, Cooper explains how her journalistic experience served as a challenge while writing this account and describes the strong female role models who have helped shape who she is today. She also reminisces about life in her home country, recalls the books that sparked her interest in a career in journalism and shares updates about the family members discussed in her book.

THE HOUSE AT SUGAR BEACH: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper (Memoir)
Liberia is a country on the western African coast that in recent times has garnered headlines for the brutality of two horror-dealing regimes holding sway over 25 years. It is a country founded by American-born Africans, and as such, its history is partly our own, yet it has been easy to turn away from the headlines and leave Liberia out of our thoughts. Liberian-American journalist Helene Cooper will change that with this book. Subtitled "In Search of a Lost African Childhood," this chronicle is a saga of personal victory over terror, sorrow and separation. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

-Click here to read a review of THE HOUSE AT SUGAR BEACH.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE HOUSE AT SUGAR BEACH.

 

Click here to read an interview with Helene Cooper.


 

New Featured Southern Writers Author: James Villas, Author of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY

James Villas is the award-winning author of more than a dozen cookbooks and books on food, including MY MOTHER’S SOUTHERN KITCHEN and THE GLORY OF SOUTHERN COOKING. In DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY, his fiction debut releasing on September 30th, Villas tells a story about the places and people that stay with us, the courage it takes to live in the present and the endless ways life can surprise us, over and over again.

We have 10 copies of DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, September 19th.

-Click here to read James Villas’s bio.
-Click here to find out how you can enter James Villas’ Country Cookin’ Contest, sponsored by KensingtonBooks.com.

More about DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY:
DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY by Beard Award-winning author, journalist and quintessential southerner James Villas is a beguiling first novel featuring an unforgettable heroine, Ella Dubose --- the kind of Southern lady Tennessee Williams peppered plays with. This rich novel is a warm, witty and poignant story of passion, friendship and family set against the lush, mellow backdrop of the South Carolina Lowcountry. It's as refreshing as a mint julep on a wrap-around porch!

 

Click here to read more about James Villas and DANCING IN THE LOWCOUNTRY.

 

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Alex Kava, Author of EXPOSED

Alex Kava, the New York Times bestselling author of A PERFECT EVIL and WHITEWASH, has been published in over 20 countries and is celebrated worldwide for her craft. In EXPOSED, her new thriller releasing on September 30th, Kava reintroduces FBI Agent Maggie O’Dell as she tracks down a killer with a deadly weapon.

-Click here to read an excerpt from EXPOSED.
-Click here to read Alex Kava’s bio.
-Click here to see Alex Kava's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for EXPOSED.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.AlexKava.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about EXPOSED:
Agent Maggie O'Dell and Assistant Director Cunningham believe they're responding to a threat made at Quantico. Instead they walk into a trap. Before they realize it, they’ve both been exposed to a killer who can strike at anyone, anytime and no one can predict who might be next…until it’s too late. His weapon is a deadly virus, virtually invisible and totally unexpected. His victims appear to be random, but in fact, they are chosen with a revengeful precision. The vaccine is limited and untested.

 
Click here to read more about Alex Kava and EXPOSED.

 
Feartured Romantic Suspense Author: Beverly Barton, Author of COLD HEARTED
New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton has written over 50 contemporary romance novels. In COLD HEARTED, her new romantic suspense title now available in stores, private investigator Rick Carson must uncover the truth behind an elegant widow with a disturbing --- and deadly --- track record.

-Click here to read an excerpt from COLD HEARTED.
-Click here to read Beverly Barton’s bio.
-Click here to see Beverly Barton's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for COLD HEARTED.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.BeverlyBarton.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about COLD HEARTED:
Hired by the Powell Agency to investigate Senator Dan Price’s death, Rick Carson can see at once why people would believe Jordan Price incapable of cold-blooded murder. But the deeper he delves into the sting of deaths from which Jordan has profited handsomely, the more convinced Rich becomes that he is dealing with a callous, cunning, unstoppable killer.

 
Click here to read more about Beverly Barton and COLD HEARTED.

 
This Week's Graphic Novel Reviews

AMERICAN WIDOW written by Alissa Torres and art by Sungyoon Choi
It’s been seven years since the terrible events of September 11th. In a bold new graphic novel, AMERICAN WIDOW, author Alissa Torres manages to bear witness not only to her wonderful love story but also to the epic frustration and pain that followed 9/11. Reviewed by John Hogan.

SLOW STORM by Danica Novgorodoff
Soon after the Kentucky Derby, a raging storm brews, threatening a small town. When lighting strikes a barn and starts a fire, two lives inexplicably converge: Ursa, a troubled female firefighter, and Rafi, an illegal immigrant on the run. Their chance encounter creates a new outlook on life for both. Reviewed by John Hogan.

 

Click here to see all our graphic novel reviews and features.


 
What's New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com

With more than 2,300 discussion guides available, ReadingGroupGuides.com continues to be the leading place for book clubs to find all the resources they need on the web.

Our
ReadingGroupGuides.com Blog continues to be a big hit among our readers. Throughout the month we are sharing postings from regular contributors --- including authors, librarians, book club facilitators, booksellers and experts in the publishing industry --- as well as special guests. The latest blog can be found here, and here are quick links to some recent posts:

-Book Clubs in the News
-Charles Martin Rocks the Pulpwood Queens Boat
-Jill Pitkeathley: Jane Austen's Enduring Allure
-Cast Your Votes
-Joyce Hinnefeld: Garnering Book Club Insight
-American Wife
-Misjudging a Book Club Selection
-Invite an Author, Reap the Rewards
-Books You've Read in a Day
-What's So Great About a Book Club?
-Joshua Henkin: Shouting Matches and More
-Garth Stein: The Art of Visiting a Reading Group


The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld
BESIDE A BURNING SEA by John Shors
THE BLACK TOWER by Louis Bayard
BLOODLETTING & MIRACULOUS CURES: Stories by Vincent Lam
BROTHER, I'M DYING by Edwidge Danticat
THE CAREFUL USE OF COMPLIMENTS by Alexander McCall Smith
CLOUD NINE by Luanne Rice
DREAM COUNTRY by Luanne Rice
HERE AT THE END OF THE WORLD WE LEARN TO DANCE by Lloyd Jones
THE HERETIC'S DAUGHTER by Kathleen Kent
HOME by Marilynne Robinson
HOT, FLAT, AND CROWDED: Why We Need a Green Revolution -- and How It Can Renew America by Thomas L. Friedman
INTERRED WITH THEIR BONES by Jennifer Lee Carrell
THE ISRAEL LOBBY AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt
LAND OF A HUNDRED WONDERS by Lesley Kagen
SCOT ON THE ROCKS by Brenda Janowitz
THE SEAMSTRESS by Frances de Pontes Peebles
THE SECRET'S IN THE SAUCE: The Potluck Catering Club, Book 1 by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson
SWIM TO ME by Betsy Carter
TRAIN TO TRIESTE by Dominica Radulescu
THE VARIOUS FLAVORS OF COFFEE by Anthony Capella
WHEN THE SOUL MENDS: Sisters of the Quilt, Book 3 by Cindy Woodsmall

Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:


THE ALMOST MOON by Alice Sebold
THE HOUSE OF LANYON by Valerie Anand
MATRIMONY by Joshua Henkin
THE RABBI'S DAUGHTER by Reva Mann


We have the following new guides for Christian book groups:

HE LOVES ME!: Learning to Live in the Father's Affection by Wayne Jacobsen
HOMETOWN FAVORITE by Bill Barton and Henry O. Arnold
LOOKIN’ BACK, TEXAS by Leanna Ellis
MESSY FAITH: Daring to Live by Grace by A. J. Gregory
A PASSION REDEEMED: The Daughters of Boston, Book 2 by Julie Lessman
THE PURSE-UIT OF HOLINESS: Learning to Imitate the Master Designer by Rhonda Rhea
THE QUEEN OF SLEEPY EYE by Patti Hill
SARAH'S PROMISE: Country Road Chronicles, Book 4 by Leisha Kelly
SHADOW OF COLOSSUS: Seven Wonders Series, Book 1 by T. L. Higley
WOUNDED: A Love Story by Claudia Mair Burney

 

Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.

 

This Week's Reviews

THE 19th WIFE by David Ebershoff (Fiction)
Ann Eliza Young, one of Brigham Young's many wives, took a public stand against polygamy, the Prophet and the Mormon Church in 1875. In this unforgettable novel, her true story weaves through a fictional modern murder mystery narrated by the son of both the murdered man and the accused killer --- who happens to be the dead man's 19th wife. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?: Memoirs of a Literary Forger by Lee Israel (Memoir)
Before turning to the criminal life, running a one-woman forgery scam out of an Upper West Side studio shared with her tortoiseshell cat and dodging the FBI, Lee Israel enjoyed a celebrated reputation as an author. When her writing career suddenly took a turn for the worse, she conceived of the astonishing literary scheme that fooled even many of the experts. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

THE HERETIC’S DAUGHTER by Kathleen Kent (Fiction)
The story of Sarah Carrier Chapman, the heretic’s daughter, begins in December 1690 when the nine-year-old travels with her family to Andover, Massachusetts, where her mother was born. Sarah’s childhood innocence quickly evaporates in a fog of hardship, plague and superstition, culminating in the infamous Salem Witch Trials, at which Sarah and her brothers are called to testify against their mother. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.

DEATH ANGEL by Linda Howard (Romantic Suspense)
In Linda Howard’s latest bestseller, major drug trafficker Rafael Salinas makes the ultimate mistake when he grants his hired assassin, Simon, an unusual request. Instead of money for his latest hit, Simon wants five hours alone with Rafael’s mistress, Drea Rousseau. Reviewed by Hillary Wagy.

THE WATER’S EDGE by Daniel Judson (Thriller)
When Jake Bechet hears that two men have been murdered a few miles from where he lives in the Hamptons, he knows that trouble is coming --- because it means that someone has betrayed the Castello crime family. He doesn’t know whether it’s someone trying to move in on their drug operation or the cops making their own statement, but he wants to stay far away from it all. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

RUBICON by Lawrence Alexander (Political Thriller)
Bobby Hart, an idealistic young senator from California, thinks that he has escaped the political spotlight when he decides not to run for president. Then, on a secret mission to Germany, he discovers that there is going to be an assassination. He doesn't know who the target is, who is behind the plan, or where it will take place. All he knows is that it will happen before the election. And that it operates under the code name Rubicon. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE CHALLENGE: Hamdan v. Rumsfeld and the Fight Over Presidential Power by Jonathan Mahler (History)
There are a handful of great books covering major cases of the United States Supreme Court. Jonathan Mahler’s THE CHALLENGE is one of those titles. It is the narrative of what many suggest may be one of the most important Supreme Court decisions on presidential power and the rule of law. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

SWAY: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman (Business & Economics)
Why is it so difficult to sell a plummeting stock or end a doomed relationship? Why do we listen to advice just because it came from someone “important”? Why are we more likely to fall in love when there’s danger involved? In SWAY, renowned organizational thinker Ori Brafman and his brother, psychologist Rom Brafman, answer all these questions and more. Reviewed by Marge Fletcher.

 

Read this week's reviews here.

 

Poll and Question of the Week: Library Card Sign-up Month

Poll:

September is Library Card Sign-up Month. Do you have a library card?
Yes
No
No, but I'd like to get one

How often do you use your library card?
About once a week
About once a month
Several times a week
Less than once a month
I don't have a library card.
 
During a typical visit to the library, how many books do you check out?

1-3
4-6
7-10
More than 10
I don't have a library card.


-Click here to answer our poll.


Question:

What is your favorite thing about your local library?

-Click here to answer our question.


 

Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- TWO Prizes

Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.

This week we have two great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of THE OTHER QUEEN by Philippa Gregory and RED KNIFE: A Cork O’Connor Mystery by William Kent Krueger. Tell us what you are reading and rate the titles 1-5 by noon on September 19th to ensure that you are in the running to win these books.

Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on September 19th.
 
Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.

 

As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.

Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the
Write to Us page.  If you would like to reach me, please write [email protected]. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.

Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by September 30, 2008 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld, THE BOOK OF LIES by Brad Meltzer, FIRST DAUGHTER by Eric Van Lustbader, THE GIVEN DAY by Dennis Lehane and THE LUCKY ONE by Nicholas Sparks. Holly from Lawrenceville, GA
was last month's newsletter winner. She won ALFRED & EMILY by Doris Lessing, DEVIL BONES by Kathy Reichs, ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE SANCTION by Eric Van Lustbader, SMOKE SCREEN by Sandra Brown and THE TURNAROUND by George Pelecanos.

Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, FaithfulReader.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.

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