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Khalil Gibran

Generosity is not giving me that which I need more than you do, but it is giving me that which you need more than I do.

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Khalil Gibran

May 5, 2020

In this newsletter, you will find books releasing the weeks of May 4th and May 11th that we think will be of interest to Bookreporter.com readers, along with Bonus News, where we call out a contest, feature or review that we want to let you know about so you have it on your radar.

This week, we are calling attention to our Sounding Off on Audio contest for May. This month's prizes are the audio versions of Michael Connelly's FAIR WARNING, read by Peter Giles and Zach Villa, and Scott Turow's THE LAST TRIAL, read by John Bedford Lloyd. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you've listened to by Monday, June 1st at noon ET, and you'll be in the running to win both these audio titles.

Also, we have updated our Books on Screen feature. As we continue to self-isolate amidst the coronavirus pandemic, there is no shortage of book-to-screen adaptations releasing in May to enjoy at home. This month's roundup includes the series premieres of HBO's "I Know This Much Is True" and NatGeo's "Barkskins"; the conclusion of "Defending Jacob" on Apple TV+; and the season finales of "Outlander" on Starz, "My Brilliant Friend" on HBO and "Killing Eve" on BBC America. Among May's DVD releases are Emma, The Informer and The Invisible Man.

Francesca Serritella has written nine humorous essay collections with her mother, bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, about their relationship, which are based on their Sunday column in The Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Chick Wit.” She’s a graduate of Harvard University, so it’s only fitting that her newly released debut novel, GHOSTS OF HARVARD, revolves around a Harvard freshman who becomes obsessed with her schizophrenic brother’s suicide. Then she starts hearing voices. In this hilarious blog post, Francesca reflects on her childhood obsession with the Berenstain Bears and the not-so-conventional way that Lisa dealt with it.

Winston Churchill

We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.

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Winston Churchill

Week of May 11, 2020

Paperback releases for the week of May 11th include James Patterson's CRISS CROSS, in which a mysterious serial killer known as "M" launches a deranged "investigation," forcing Alex Cross and his partner, John Sampson, to unearth long-forgotten secrets to survive --- or risk getting buried themselves; THE TURN OF THE KEY, a thrilling novel from Ruth Ware that explores the dark side of technology; SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena, a domestic work of suspense that has two intriguing taglines: Maybe you don't know your neighbors as well as you thought you did and You never really know what people are capable of; THE FRIENDS WE KEEP, a heartwarming novel from Jane Green that traces a long friendship among three individuals who grow apart and then surprisingly find one another again; and DAD'S MAYBE BOOK, in which Tim O’Brien shares wisdom from a life in letters, lessons learned in wartime, and the challenges, humor and rewards of raising two sons.

Week of May 4, 2020

Paperback releases for the week of May 4th include THE GUEST BOOK, in which Sarah Blake deftly examines the life and legacy of one unforgettable family as they navigate the evolving social and political landscape from Crockett’s Island, their family retreat off the coast of Maine; ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane, a gorgeous and generous portrait of the daily intimacies of marriage and the power of forgiveness, as two families try to stay afloat amid a resounding tragedy; Karen Abbott's THE GHOSTS OF EDEN PARK, the epic true crime story of the most successful bootlegger in American history and the murder that shocked the nation; SAVE ME THE PLUMS, trailblazing food writer and beloved restaurant critic Ruth Reichl's memoir about her groundbreaking tenure as editor in chief of Gourmet; and THE PIONEERS, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough's chronicle of the settling of the Northwest Territory by dauntless pioneers who overcame incredible hardships to build a community based on ideals that would come to define our country.

A Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that released in paperback earlier this year, Marjan Kamali’s novel, THE STATIONERY SHOP, is a powerful love story set against the political upheaval of 1953 Tehran. Marjan has wonderful childhood memories of her mother reading to her and her sister. It was a nightly ritual that allowed the two girls to better understand the English language, which they didn’t know quite as well as their mother did. At the age of six, Marjan received her first library card, a privilege that made her feel like an adult and connected to the people who had borrowed the same books before her. Eventually reading turned into a solitary act for Marjan, but she will always treasure the gift that her mother gave her --- magic and belonging through books.

George Herbert

None knows the weight of another's burden.

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George Herbert

Frankie Valli

Becoming successful is a relentless pursuit. It's good that it's that way: When it does come, you learn to know how to appreciate it, and know how lucky you are to be doing something that you love so much.

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Frankie Valli

Leroy Brownlow

There are times when silence has the loudest voice.

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Leroy Brownlow