Next Week in the Bookstore: Gabriel Garcia Marquez and a Lost Capote Novel

COMPELLING
There's excitement on several levels next week, as new Danielle Steel, David Baldacci, and Patricia Cornwell novels vie with a new book by Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and a resurrected novel from the vaults of Truman Capote.

Monday, October 24
Driven From Within by Michael Jordan with Tinker Hatfield pays tribute to the teachers, mentors, and friends who have guided him in the development of his athletic skill, his ethics and his determination to be the best.

Tuesday, October 25
Dr. Kay Scarpetta is back. Predator by Patricia Cornwell follows her on a freelance assignment with the National Forensic Academy in Florida. "The teasing psychological clues lead Scarpetta and her team-Pete Marino, Benton Wesley, and Lucy Farinelli-to suspect that they are hunting someone with a cunning and malevolent mind whose secrets have kept them in the shadows, until now." (Publisher's release notes)

Toxic Bachelors by Danielle Steel relates the intertwined tales of three men, 40-something best friends who face their worst fears. "One by one, they find themselves falling deeply in love with (surprise!) women they wouldn't even have considered dating casually. A breezy read, this contains some of the usual Steel plot mechanisms (Will the handsome, wealthy bachelor successfully woo the beautiful but no-frills social worker?) and happy endings that will keep her fans reading and waiting for more. Librarians may need duplicate copies." —Kathleen Hughes, Booklist

Middle-aged men also feature in The Camel Club by David Baldacci, in a far different scenario: four men investigate the death of Secret Service man. "The Camel Club is conducting their own investigation, and before long they realize they've got a massive conspiracy on their hands, one that could affect the global political arena. Baldacci is a master at building suspense, and the conclusion of his latest novel will leave readers breathless." —Kristine Huntley, Booklist 0446577383

The Truth (with jokes) by Al Franken skewers the Bush Administration and the rest of the Right with satirical barbs. "Because after Lies comes The Truth..." (Publisher's release notes)

It's not too early for Christmas inspiration, apparently. The Christmas Hope by Donna Van Liere is the story of a girl who needs a home, a couple who take her in, and a doctor who fulfills a last Christmas wish. "Emily is a beautiful five-year-old without a place to live (her mother died in a car accident; her foster parents had to leave town suddenly) and, against the rules, Patti brings her home rather than take her to the local orphanage. Emily—who believes in angels and is possibly the gentlest, sweetest child to ever cavort across a novel's pages since Little Nell—quickly insinuates herself into the Addison hearts... Van Liere serves up another heart-tugging holiday tale." —Publishers Weekly

The centerpiece of the Spiderwick Chronicles has finally arrived! Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi is a "gorgeous, must-see guide to the creatures found in their bestselling series—plus 15 more! It comes with lavish, full-color illustrations, deluxe gatefolds, and snippets from Arthur Spiderwick's personal journal—and that's just for starters. Recommended for ages 9-12." (Publisher's release notes)

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin focuses on the "mastery of men" that allowed Lincoln to bring his gifted rivals into his cabinet and conduct a presidency of enduring signficance. "Do we need another Lincoln biography? In Team of Rivals, esteemed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin proves that we do. Though she can't help but cover some familiar territory, her perspective is focused enough to offer fresh insights into Lincoln's leadership style and his deep understanding of human behavior and motivation... Lincoln may have been "the indispensable ingredient of the Civil War," but these three men were invaluable to Lincoln and they played key roles in keeping the nation intact." —Shawn Carkonen, Amazon.com review

More spellbinding historical investigation than a bio of the artist, The Lost Painting: The Search for a Caravaggio Masterpiece by Jonathan Harr is the story of the quest to recover a priceless artwork. The author of A Civil Action uncovers the mysterious, colorful life and staggering genius of Italian Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. "The narrative unfolds at a brisk pace, skipping quickly from the perspective of 91-year-old Caravaggio scholar Sir Denis Mahon to that of young, enterprising Francesca Cappelletti, a graduate student at the University of Rome researching the disappearance of The Taking of Christ... But while adept at coordinating dates and analyzing hairline fractures in aged paint, Harr often seems overly concerned with the step-by-step process of tracking down The Taking of the Christ, as if the specific artist who created it were irrelevant..." —Publishers Weekly

Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Nobel laureate's first work of fiction in 10 years, chronicles a 90-year old man's pursuit of a 14-year old virgin, and the revelations that ensue. "'The year I turned ninety, I wanted to give myself the gift of a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin,' he boldly—and, perhaps, in a delusion of potency—declares. It is soon revealed... that his sexual gratification has always been bought and paid for. What his brazen plan to celebrate this milestone birthday comes to entail is a confrontation with a heretofore unrealized aspect of his 'inner self'—namely, that sex without love is an empty house in which to dwell." —Brad Hooper, Booklist

In the 60 Minutes newsman's second memoir, Between You and Me, Mike Wallace mixes interviews with commentary about former presidents and celebrities, and includes a 90-minute DVD of clips from his long career. "In this tepid memoir, the 60 Minutes grand inquisitor appears rather manipulative, turning on a dime from unctuous insinuation to prosecutorial grilling, always searching for the point of emotional revelation when his subject weeps, rants or flounders in self-incriminating panic... Wallace does offer intriguing, if defensive, accounts of journalistic crises like CBS's censoring of a 60 Minutes interview with tobacco whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand. Otherwise, the book is a dull and not illuminating read." —Publishers Weekly

Summer Crossing by Truman Capote is the lost novel that the author set aside to write Other Voices, Other Rooms, and worked on for at least another decade before abandoning it. "Thought to be lost for over 50 years, here is the first novel by one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century... Set in New York during the summer of 1945, this is the story of a young carefree socialite, Grady, who must make serious decisions about the romance she is dangerously pursuing and the effect it will have on everyone involved." (Publisher's release notes)

The title says it all: Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats by charming, down-to-earth celebrity chef Rachael Ray presents a full year of menus for finicky cooks and their families, providing 365 delightfully different recipes for meals that are quick, easy, and simply delicious. "The organization takes some getting used to. Helpful but occasionally jarring "tidbits" pop up everywhere, and many "recipes" make more than one dish, so cooking just one requires a fair amount of reading... Still, the recipes are great. They vary in technique and ethnicity, and many give instructions on expanding the dish (after making Spicy Shrimp and Penne with Puttanesca Sauce, for example, 'now try' omitting the olives and capers, swapping linguine for the penne, reducing the number of shrimp, and adding lump crab meat and mussels to make Frutti di Mare and Linguine). As Ray would say, 'Yummo.'" —Publishers Weekly


I'm mildly intrigued by the Lincoln book, and the search for The Taking of the Christ—but I know it's a dry week when the most interesting descriptions are for a novel from Danielle Steel and an add-on to the Spiderwick Chronicles!
0684824906,0743284003,0399152830,0385338279,
0525949062,0312334508,0375508015,0689859414,140004460X,
1401300294,1400065224,1400082544


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