Book Recommendations, Blog and Podcast: Books on the Nightstand: July 2008

July 30, 2008

Podcast, Episode 10: Books with Buzz

Books on the Nightstand, Episode 10 (21:58)

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In Episode 10 of the Books on the Nightstand Podcast:

Do you judge a book by its cover? We ask: what makes you decide to buy a book? Leave a comment on our blog, or join our Books on the Nightstand group at Good Reads and let us know what propels you to pick up a book.
We talk about the fascinating back-stories behind two new books that people are talking about: The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. If we've piqued your interest:
- watch a compelling video trailer for The Gargoyle. Author Andrew Davidson talks about the inspiration behind the book, his writing style, and gives you a peek into the book. If you're quick, head over to Readerville and enter her contest to win an advanced reading copy of the book -- she loved The Gargoyle so much that she bought a copy to keep, so she's giving away her ARC! The contest ends at 11:59 pm on Friday, August 1st EDT.
- Read an excerpt of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society at the NPR website. You can also read more about the book's backstory in this Contra Costa Times aritcle.
And lastly, two new books that we can't wait for you to read!

photo credit:Jay Heaviside

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The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, Doubleday hardcover, $25.95, ISBN 9780385524940
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary An Shaffer and Annie Barrows, Dial Press hardcover, $22.00, ISBN 9780385340991
Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt, Knopf hardcover, $24.95, ISBN 9780307264787
Traffic (audio) by Tom Vanderbilt, Random House Audio CD, $29.95, ISBN 9780739370322
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff, Random House hardcover, $26.00, ISBN 9781400063970

(all information is the U.S. editions)

July 26, 2008

Read the Book, See the Movie -- unless the kids are gone

We have a rule in our house: You must read the book before you see the movie

carrie I think it started with the movie Carrie, based on the novel by Stephen King. I read the book when I was around 12 or 13. It must have been when the movie first came out, because i remember that the paperback had an insert of black and white photos from the film. It was the first Stephen King book I had read, and I loved it. So when my much older friends wanted to see the movie, I was all for it. After all, I knew exactly what happened since I had read the book. There was no way that I was going to be scared by the film.

Well, if you've seen the movie Carrie, with Sissy Spacek and John Travolta, you know that the ending is a shocker. And that particular scene was not in the book. I screamed. Loudly.

I realized then that if I had seen the movie and then gone back to the book, the novel would have lost all power. So from then on, I made it a rule: read the book first, or don't read it all. This rule does not go over well with my children, especially my oldest daughter, who is trying to finish all 7 volumes of Harry Potter so that she can watch the movies. Yes, that's right, all seven books before she can watch Harry Potter movie #1. I'm mean that way.

Why I'm culturally illiterate when it comes to film

I find it hard to watch movies on DVD. We have a great home theater sound system, and the TV is large enough (though ancient and not flat screen). But I can't seem to sit still and concentrate for the entire length of the film -- I want to pick up a book or check my email or do something other than just watch the film. And our kids are small enough to need babysitters, so going out to the movies is a very rare thing. If we do have a babysitter, we usually choose to go hear live music. As a result, I don't see many movies. I can't remember the last film I saw that wasn't animated.

The conflict of the moment

The kids are spending this next week with their grandmother. My husband and I can go out every night if we want. Brideshead Revisited just opened in theaters, and I want to see it. But ... I haven't read the book. I've heard that it's a wonderful novel, and I have not read Evelyn Waugh before. I need to read this book. But I also have a lot of other reading to do to for work, and still have to read my book group book for Thursday. Something's got to give.

Here's the trailer for the film: what do you think?

Brideshead Revisited trailer

This calls for the deluxe edition

Fortunately, I have a lovely hardcover edition of Brideshead Revisited waiting on my bookshelf.

It's not expensive, but it's gorgeous and will add to the reading experience. It's the Everyman's Library edition, so it has a ribbon marker, an introduction that puts the novel in perspective to the time that it was written, and enough information about the author to help me better understand the background of the film. So tomorrow, I'm going to just read. All day long, and into the night. I'm going to put on a pot of tea, and try to find some appropriate music. I will make it an "experience".

I'm not sure if I will get through the whole book, but I'm going to try. Otherwise, I might just have to break my rule and see the movie and then read the book. But shhh, don't tell my kids...

Do you have a similar rule? Have you ever seen a movie that you liked better than the book? Let us know where you stand on books vs. movies in the comments.

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Carrie by Stephen King, Pocket Books mass market paperback, $7.99, ISBN 978-067103972-1
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, Everyman's Library hardcover, $18.00, ISBN 978-0-307-26996-6

(all information is the U.S. editions)

July 22, 2008

Be a Hero: Read for a Cause

We all know that reading is good for one's body and soul, but in the last week I've come across a few ways books and reading can help others.

First Book is an organization that gives "children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books." A worthy cause indeed and now there's a way for you to help, beyond simply donating money (though you should do that too!). What Book Got You Hooked? is a contest First Book is running. Simply tell them what book started your love of reading and why, then pick which state you'd like to see win the prize of 50,000 new books for children in need!

File this next bit of info under "Extreme Reading." Think you can read for 24 hours straight? Think you could get your friends and family to sponsor you in this quest? Then Great Expectations: A Reading Marathon is for you! The idea originated at RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, NH and will take place in October. The King's English in Salt Lake City, UT has signed on to do an event at their store as well. Money raised from pledges will be donated to a local non-profit of the stores' choosing. If you don't live near one of these great stores, encourage your local bookstore to hold a reading marathon as well! Stores interested should contact Michele Filgate at RiverRun.

Bravo to all the stores and organizations involved in these endeavors. They're making reading an even more worthwhile pursuit!

July 16, 2008

Podcast, Episode 9: We stir it up!

Books on the Nightstand, Episode 9 (25:18)

(You can listen by using the player above (or at the bottom of this message if you are getting this via email). If you're using Internet Explorer, click twice to listen. If your browser does not support javascript, you won't see the player; click the link with the episode title below the player to listen, or right-click to download the episode.)

In Episode 9 of the Books on the Nightstand Podcast:

We battle the bumping microphone -- sorry, folks, those thumps are the microphone cord bouncing around. We tend to talk with our hands when we get excited, which makes the cord swing. I know the sound quality on this episode could be better. We're working on it. We do this podcast because we love books, but that doesn't make us audio experts. I hope the content of the show makes up for the less than professional audio.

As for the show itself:

We confess to a "book collecting sickness" -- but we need a better term for it. If you are linguistically gifted, help us out please. If not, send more bookshelves!

We talk about our favorite cookbooks -- those books that never seem to get put away because they are used so often. Several of these cookbooks have related links that you can check out until you can get to the bookstore:

Here's an interview with Bobby Flay from the Hartford Courant. It includes 2 recipes from the book (and annoying pop-up ads -- just a warning).
Mark Bittman's blog, Bitten, at The New York Times website. Bookmark this one, it's a winner.
The recipe for the turkey burgers are at the Everyday Food website
Wine Library TV, home of Gary Vaynerchuk, whose book 101 Wines Ann reviews in this episode. Warning, Gary's wine reviews can be addicting. He has thousands of followers that call themselves "Vayniacs" -- will you become one of them?

And at the end of the episode, as usual, 2 new books we can't wait for you to read!

Information on all titles discussed in this episode is listed below. Please share your thoughts with us about this episode. Do you have a similar affliction? What are your favorite cookbooks? Let us know in the comments, or come chat with us at the Books on the Nightstand group at Good Reads.

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Typography 28 by The Type Directors Club, Collins Design hardcover, $60.00, 9780061173424
Bobby Flay's Grill It! by Bobby Flay, Clarkson Potter hardcover, $35.00, 9780307351425
How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, Wiley hardcover, $35.00, 002861010-5
The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman, Broadway Hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 9780767906722
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman, Wiley Hardcover, $35.00,
Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home With a Four-Star Chef by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman, Broadway hardcover, $45.00,
Simple to Spectacular by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman, Broadway hardcover, $45.00,
978-0764524837
Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Everyday Food Magazine, Clarkson Potter trade paperback, $24.95, 9780307354167
The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbooks by The Editors at America's Test Kitchen, hardcover, $34.95, 978193361501
What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, Bullfinch hardcover, $35.00, ISBN 978-0821257180
Gary Vaynerchuk’s 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World by Gary Vaynerchuk, Rodale Press trade paperback, $19.95, ISBN 9781594868825
All We Ever Wanted Was Everything by Janelle Brown, Spiegel & Grau hardcover, $24.95, ISBN 9780385524018
(Not That You Asked) by Steve Almond, Random House trade paperback, $14.00, 9780812977592
(all information is for the U.S. editions).

July 13, 2008

10 Ways to find more time for reading

In his last post, Michael asked if readers of this blog had any tips for finding more time to spend with books. So that started me thinking. And while this is partially in response to his request, it's also something I will be printing out and hanging up somewhere. Maybe everywhere. Because I need to do these things as much as anyone.

photo by Sarah Cates, Cates Imaging

10 Ways to Find More Time for Reading

Unplug. Seriously. Step away from the computer. Turn off the television. It's a no-brainer, but it might be the hardest thing to do all day. A newspaper story about author James Patterson reported that "he also reprimanded adults who say they don't have time to read: 'People read thousands of pages. No content. No stories. It's called your BlackBerry'."
Embrace television, but in an old-fashioned way. Drop the Tivo remote. Use the commercial breaks to squeeze in some reading time. Short stories work great for this, or books that have short chapters. I recently read Seth Godin's MEATBALL SUNDAE this way. The chapters are short, but thought-provoking, making them perfect for commercial breaks. If you're still reading when the commercials are over, you can pick up the remote and pause the TV until you've finished the chapter.
Read aloud to your children, an elderly neighbor or family member, or someone else who would enjoy it. Sometimes we don't really count that as "reading time," but really, it's time spent in an even more fulfilling way. At a recent event, Barack Obama was quoted as saying, ""Over the course of four years I made time to read all of the Harry Potter books out loud to my daughters. If I can do that and run for president, then you can find time to read to your kids. That's some of the most special time you have with your children."
Take long car rides, and let someone else drive. This works great for me, because my husband can't read in the car without getting nauseous. So he drives (and gets to choose the music), and I read.
If you don't have a chauffeur, try audiobooks. Audios are great not only for the car and gym, but for doing chores around the house, knitting, or any other time you need use of your hands. I have been known to listen to audios on my iPod at the grocery store, and they have saved my sanity while waiting for my kids at swimming lessons -- I can still watch what's going on, but can listen to a book at the same time.
Wake up 15 minutes earlier, and go to bed 15 minutes later. Voila, 1/2 hour of found reading time, which shouldn't take too much of a toll on your sleep cycle.
Join a book group, reading circle, or take a literature class. The added pressure of a deadline might allow you to carve out some reading time without feeling too guilty.
Give up housework, yard work, chores, etc. for one non-work day. Consider it a vacation -- a "staycation" if you will. Schedule it on your calendar if you must. If you have small children, trade off being "on duty" with your spouse for 2 hour increments. Your spouse will probably appreciate the freedom as well, and 2 hours is enough time to immerse yourself fully into the plot and characters of a juicy novel.
If you are simply unable to ignore the chores that must be done, take yourself off to a coffee shop, library, or other comfortable place where you can camp out for awhile. You'll be away from the demands of the things you "should" be doing. It's very liberating to read a book without that pile of laundry staring at you accusingly.
OK, I'm going to just say it. You probably do it anyway. Read in the bathroom. For at least a few minutes, people will leave you alone. Choose your reading material carefully. If you are trying to do this at work, be discreet, and avoid tomes like War and Peace.

If you have other tips, please post them in the comments. We can all use them, I'm sure!

July 10, 2008

A Vacation Full of Reading... yeah, right!

I'm on vacation this week (although, with a BlackBerry, it's hard to truly be on vacation), and my plan was to get a few things done around the house and to do a boatload of reading. The best laid plans...

Why does yard work always take ten times as long as you expect it to? "I'll just trim back the trees and bushes so the house painters can actually get to the house." Well, I got all of that done yesterday. Now I have 3 very large piles of brush that I have to cut down to size so they will fit in those annoying paper bags that never stay open. Then I have to mow the lawn. Then I have to finish laundry. Then I have to move a bunch of boxes. Then I blah, blah, blah. When do I read?!

What book am I reading (or trying to read)? I'm glad you asked! The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski has been getting an unbelievable amount of attention, especially for a first author. Several extremely well-read and discerning booksellers I know have been raving about it. Everyone from the Washington Post to Stephen King to many bloggers loves this book.

I'm only 100 pages in (see first 2 paragraphs), but I can easily tell that all of these raves are spot on. I'm normally a slow reader, but in this case I'm slowing down even more, savoring the writing and the truly wonderful character that is Edgar. I'll update you all when I finish the book, but I'm guessing I'll be jumping on the Sawtelle-loving bandwagon!

And now, a few questions for you dear reader? Are you days as full as mine? Do you have trouble carving out reading time? How do you do it and do you have any tips?

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The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, Ecco Hardcover, $25.95, 978-0-06-137422-7

(all information is for the U.S. editions).

July 6, 2008

What does your bookstore mean to you?

photo borrowed without permission from history.vineyard.net

Holiday weekend tragedy

Residents and visitors of Martha's Vineyard are devastated at the terrible fire that has damaged the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore.

Because the store does most its business in these short summer months, the fire has happened at the most devastating time of year. I know this bookstore well, as I have worked with them for most of my career. My heart goes out to the owners and staff of this wonderful store. I hope that they will soon be open for business, and I am trying to figure out a way to help.

An important role in the community

When things like this happen, the outcry is great. People realize the importance that businesses like Bunch of Grapes bring to a community. For "the Grapes," as they are fondly called by many, it is more than just providing reading material to islanders and visitors. Many who have vacationed on Martha's Vineyard think of Bunch of Grapes as a crucial part of their visit -- it wouldn't be summer on Martha's Vineyard without a trip to the store to stock up on books for the beach and for the occasional rainy afternoon. Authors have found in the store an enthusiastic and supportive staff, and the store has played an important role in hosting author events and increasing the entertainment options on the island. Locals take comfort in knowing that the store is open year-round -- something that may seem like a small thing to off-islanders, but for people who live on the small island in the harshest days of winter, the warmth and community that the bookstore provides makes life during those days a lot more bearable.

Tell us what your bookstore brings to your community

In honor of Bunch of Grapes, I would ask you to think about your local bookstore, and the role that it plays in your life and in your community. We shouldn't need to wait for tragedy to celebrate those businesses that are near and dear to us. If you'd like to share your thoughts, about Bunch of Grapes or your own local bookstore, I'd love to hear them -- just leave a comment at the end of this post.

July 2, 2008

Podcast, Episode 8: Half-Year Faves

Books on the Nightstand, Episode 8 (19:58)

(You can listen by using the player above (or at the bottom of this message if you are getting this via email). If you're using Internet Explorer, click twice to listen. If your browser does not support javascript, you won't see the player; click the link below the player to listen, or right-click to download the episode.)

In episode 8 of the Books on the Nightstand Podcast:

We usually break our podcasts up into three "segments." For this episode, we deviate from our usual format and forgo segment one (where we usually discuss a general topic relating to books or reading, without getting into specific titles) and segment three (where we look ahead at two books due out soon).

The end of every calendar year sees many newspapers, magazines, radio shows etc. choose their best books of the year. If we waited until December, our list would be way too long. Since we're halfway through the year, we thought we'd pick our faves for the year so far.

Many of Michael's favorites for the year aren't out just yet, so he cheats a bit and chooses some books that came out last year but were released in paperback this year. And Ann narrows down her huge list of favorites and tells you about four, including one that is impossible to describe but is definitely worth your time.

Many of our favorites have been talked about on previous episodes of Books on the Nightstand, so be sure to check the list of books below to see all of our favorites in one place.

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We encourage you to write down or print out the title information and shop at your local bookstore. Titles link to LibraryThing, a social networking site that allows you to catalog your home library. LibraryThing also links to various online purchasing options. Here are the books from this post:

Finn by Jon Clinch, Random House Trade Paperback, $14.00, 9780812977141
Plenty by Alisa Smith & J.B. MacKinnon, Three Rivers Press trade paperback, $13.95, 9780307347336
City of the Sun by David Levien, Doubleday hardcover, $24.95, 9780385523660

The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz, Doubleday hardcover, $24.95, 9780385515719
Gardens of Water by Alan Drew, Random House hardcover, $25.00, 9781400066872
Away by Amy Bloom, Random House trade paperback, $14.00, 9780812977790
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill, Knopf hardcover, $23.95, 9780307377043

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz, Spiegel & Grau hardcover, $24.95, 9780385521727

Our Favorites Featured on previous episodes:

Michael:

Tigerheart by Peter David, Del Rey hardcover, $22.00, 9780345501592
Mudbound by Hilary Jordan, Algonquin hardcover, $22.95, 9781565125698

Ann:

Our Story Begins by Tobias Wolff, Knopf hardcover, $26.95, 9781400044597
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, Knopf hardcover, $25.00, 9780307265739
Peace by Richard Bausch, Knopf hardcover, $19.95, 9780307268334
The Boat by Nam Le, Knopf hardcover, $22.95, 9780307268082
The End of Manners by Francesca Marciano, Knopf hardcover, $23.95, 9780375425103