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Jane Dystel recommends:
For years I have wanted to read Khaled Hosseini’s THE KITE RUNNER but for one reason or another just didn’t get around to it. Then, it was assigned as summer reading for my fifteen-year-old son and when he raved about it, I knew I had to see for myself. It is an incredibly powerful story about modern Afghanistan, about friendship, about fathers and sons, about cruelty, and, above all else, love. I was simply riveted from the first page and had trouble putting this book down when I had to. The characters are perfectly drawn; the story moves quickly and unpredictably and the emotional ups and down are pitch perfect. I can well understand the success of THE KITE RUNNER and would highly recommend it to readers of all ages. It is a literary triumph.
Miriam Goderich recommends:
I was e-chatting with a friend the other day and we were discussing historical fiction. That got me thinking about how much I’ve always enjoyed being transported back in time with a book as my vessel. When it is flawlessly researched and well written, with fascinating characters whose voices ring true to their eras, a historical novel is a true delight. Caleb Carr’s THE ALIENIST is a suspenseful thriller in which turn-of-the century New York City, with all its glorious energy and brash self-importance, is a character in its own right. It is a smart, literary page turner. Check it out.
Michael Bourret recommends:
I recently read and loved THIS IS WHAT I DID by Ann Dee Ellis. I'd been reading about the book for a while when my client, Sara Zarr, insisted I read it. I'm glad she did. Logan, a sensitive eighth-grader, is still troubled by an event that transpired before he moved to his new school. In fact, his parents moved because of what happened. As the book progresses, we get closer and closer to the secret in Logan's past, something darker than we might have imagined. The book is powerful from beginning to end, and Logan's pitch perfect narration will draw in anyone who picks it up. Ms. Ellis is a writer to keep an eye on.
Stacey Glick recommends:
Alan Weisman’s THE WORLD WITHOUT US is a great example of high concept, speculative nonfiction that looks at a really unique subject and explores it from almost every conceivable angle. Judging from robust sales, the public is eager to embrace a book like this that doesn’t offer anything strictly historical (although historical elements factor in to his thesis), or practical, or even entertaining, necessarily, but rather interesting and thought provoking. It’s refreshing to see such a unique subject handled in such a dynamic way, and it’s the kind of nonfiction I’d like to see more of.
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Jim McCarthy recommends:
Deeply disturbed individual returns to deeply creepy family home. Pathos ensues. We’ve been there before, but Entertainment Weekly television critic Blake Flynn brings numerous new twists to an old concept in her debut thriller SHARP OBJECTS. This is an uncomfortable book that gets under your skin and stays there. Reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Flynn’s book is a brief, exciting trip into dark hearts and minds.
Lauren Abramo recommends:
For me voice is the make-or-break feature of fiction writing. I’m as fond of slow, thoughtful and quiet plots as I am of fast-paced, heart-stopping tension. I don’t have to love a protagonist to find him or her fascinating. But the voice has to be there, and if it’s not, I’m not either. That’s what I loved so much about Joshua Ferris’s THEN WE CAME TO THE END. From the first paragraph, Ferris nails his narrative voice and he (almost) never breaks from it, even as you think he can’t possibly sustain it or your interest for another page. And yet somehow he does—keep it going and keep you hooked—and the one shift in voice and POV is intentional and serves its purpose in the narrative. Like a literary version of The Office minus the crazy boss, THEN WE CAME TO THE END is a delight that I’d recommend to anyone—and I’m eagerly waiting to see what Ferris comes up with next.
Adina Kahn recommends:
It seems like everyone is a self-proclaimed foodie these days, but in order to fully comprehend the American food revolution one must put down their Zagat guide and pick up David Kamp’s THE UNITED STATES OF ARUGULA. In this entertaining and informative book, Kamp examines the careers of culinary giants such as Alice Waters, Thomas Keller and Wolfgang Puck, shares juicy tidbits about well known restaurants and food critics, and offers a behind the scenes look into the launching of the Food Network and the rise of the celebrity chef.
Chasya Milgrom recommends:
Min Jin Lee’s FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES is a slice-of-life novel that gives us a peek into the world of Casey Han, a Korea-born, America-bred, Princeton graduate who is stuck between two worlds; that of her poor immigrant parents and the glamorous life of her wealthy co-workers and friends. Casey doesn’t quite know what to do with herself now that she has an expensive degree, loads of debt, and a demanding, hard-to-please father. She is suffering from her very own quarter-life crisis. Trying to figure out where she belongs is no easy matter, but in this accomplished and compelling debut novel, Lee leads us through Casey’s journey as an Ivy League post-graduate and first generation American with honesty and style. This is just an honest-to-goodness absorbing read.
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