Shelf Awareness for Thursday, July 25, 2024


Workman Publishing:  Atlas Obscura: Wild Life: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Living Wonders by Cara Giaimo and Joshua Foer

Berkley Books: The Seven O'Clock Club by Amelia Ireland

Simon & Schuster: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers: Nightweaver by RM Gray

News

Parkside Bookshop Coming Soon to Boston's South End

Manager Clarissa Murphy (l.) and owner Barbara Clarke at Parkside Bookshop.

Roughly three years after buying Provincetown Bookshop in Provincetown, Mass., investor and entrepreneur Barbara Clarke is opening Parkside Bookshop in Boston's South End neighborhood. Clarke has hired veteran bookseller Clarissa Murphy to manage the store, and the pair hope to have the doors open at 260 Shawmut Ave. in late summer or early fall.

The general-interest bookstore will have 950 square feet of retail space along with a basement storage area totaling about 400 square feet. The inventory will consist of mainly new titles with a selection of remainders and span a wide range of genres and age groups.

There will be a healthy children's section, with Murphy pointing out that there are plenty of children and young families in the area, as well as a deep nonfiction section, due to the number of universities and academics nearby. Clarke mentioned that mystery readers are common in the neighborhood, and the plan is to make sure that regardless of taste, "people feel comfortable coming in here no matter what they want to buy."

Murphy remarked that the selection of remainders is another part of their plan to make the store accessible to everybody: "Whoever wants to come through the door, we should have something for them."

"We want to make our community happy," said Clarke, noting that the South End "could really use" a traditional bookstore. "Everything we talk about is rooted in community," added Murphy.

The pair has also committed to being open seven days per week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. They envision customers coming in to browse the bookstore while waiting for a table at one of the many restaurants in the area, and with many people in the neighborhood working from home, they hope they'll stop in during lunch breaks or while getting coffee in the morning.

Among its nonbook offerings, Parkside Bookshop will carry vinyl records, greeting cards, and store-branded tote bags. Given that the neighborhood recently lost an art supply store, there will be an ample selection of art supplies, and for children, there will be items like stuffed animals and plushies.

Elaborating on the store's name, Clarke said it refers to the large number of parks dotted around the South End and is meant to evoke the feeling of sitting in a park with a book: "What could be more relaxing and enjoyable?"

Asked about events, Clarke said they have a lot of ideas in the works, including but not limited to traditional author events. The South End is a multilingual community, and they plan to host children's story hours in "as many languages as we can do." The neighborhood is well known for its food scene, and partnerships with restaurants and eateries are in the works. In fact, one of the shop's first events will be all about food.

On the topic of an eventual grand opening, Clarke figures that because the store has "so many constituencies," there will likely be a series of opening events, such as a friends-and-family night, an industry night, and a celebration with members of the South End Business Alliance, before celebrating with the wider community.

Parkside Bookshop will have a close relationship with its counterpart on Cape Cod. As Clarke and Murphy add booksellers to their team, staff will go to Provincetown Bookshop to train, and Provincetown staff will help out with Parkside's launch. Staff picks from Provincetown will be featured at Parkside, and Clarke observed that there is a lot of overlap between the two stores' customer bases.

Clarke noted that Provincetown Bookshop is a highly seasonal business, with things slowing down quite a bit in the off-season and the store usually closing for about four weeks every winter. Clarke thought it would be a great idea "to bring something to Boston which doesn't have the seasonality," and allows for collaboration "with all the talented people we have in Provincetown."

Parkside's newly installed conveyor belt.

While discussing the store's location, Clarke recalled that the space appeared on her radar more than a year ago, but the sales process was a "long, protracted" one. Once it changed hands, the space needed some significant work, and because the shop is in an historic district, things slowed a bit further. Renovations included the installation of an HVAC system as well as a conveyor belt located behind the counter that will allow staff to easily send books down to the basement storage area. That addition, Clarke noted, was inspired in part by McNally Jackson Books in New York City.

The South End community, Clarke and Murphy reported, has been extremely enthusiastic. Particularly when construction was going on and the doors were open more often, people were "always poking their heads in" to say hi and ask about the store.

"It couldn't be a more supportive and excited community," said Murphy. "That goes for the other businesses on the street as well."

"They are ecstatic," said Clarke. "Everyone is really excited about it." --Alex Mutter


Disruption Books: Our Differences Make Us Stronger: How We Heal Together by La June Montgomery Tabron, illustrated by Temika Grooms


The Last Bookstore Opening New Location in Los Angeles, Calif.

This fall, the Last Bookstore, Los Angeles, Calif., will open a new location in L.A.'s Studio City neighborhood, TimeOut reported.

Located at 4437 Lankershim Blvd., the new store will occupy a space that currently houses a furniture and sculpture store called Designers View. Following a liquidation sale, Designers View will close and the Last Bookstore will move in. 

The bookstore wrote in an Instagram post: "Imagine a reading garden filled with endless bookshelves and half a million books tucked away in a peaceful, serene escape in the heart of Studio City/North Hollywood."

In another post, the Last Bookstore explained that its lease on a warehouse in Northridge was nearly up, and it was time "to move on to a new location that supports our warehouse operations with an exciting retail component for you to shop."

The Last Bookstore previously expanded in 2021 with the creation of Lost Books, a "little sister store" focusing on books, plants, and vinyl, in Montrose, Calif.

No opening date has been announced, but the Last Bookstore expects the Studio City store to be open in the fall.


NYU Advanced Publishing Institute: Early bird pricing through Oct. 13


ABFE Launches Banned Books Week 2024 Campaign

American Booksellers for Free Expression has launched a campaign for Banned Books Week 2024 centered on the theme Liberate Banned Books (#SetBooksFree). 

"Resisting book bans is about liberation," ABFE noted. "It's about liberation for schools and libraries from the rash of book challenges that has exploded since 2021. It means liberating the more than 4,240 titles that have been challenged since 2021. It entails liberation for literary institutions who carry books that represent marginalized groups, especially books by people of color and LGBTQ+ people that have been disproportionately censored by book bans. And of course, it's about liberation for independent bookstores, who offer their communities access to diverse literature and for that have been targeted in book ban legislation. Literature and liberation are inseparable."

Banned Books Week 2024 will take place September 22-28. A member of the Banned Books Week Coalition, ABFE has offered education, programming, and resources for booksellers and their customers since 1990, when it began as the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. (ABFFE was folded into the ABA and renamed 10 years ago.)


BINC: Your donation can help rebuild lives and businesses in Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and beyond. Donate Today!


Penguin Hops into PRH Global Corporate Logo

The Penguin Random House global corporate logo, which was introduced in 2014 and has featured the company's name between two vertical orange lines, is adding the familiar Penguin logo. The new logo will also be the basis for PRH business services logos such as Library Marketing or Speakers Bureau and will be used in consumer-facing areas like social media. Otherwise, imprint and division logos remain the same, with the Penguin Random House wordmark on the right and the particular imprint or division name and logo on the left. The company noted that the penguin is already used by many PRH companies around the world.

PRH CEO Nihar Malaviya explained, "Brands matter today more than ever, and while our authors and imprints will always be at the heart of our business, the Penguin Random House brand and our mission to create books for everyone are what inspire and unite us. The stronger our brand, the more deeply we can connect with our readers."


Notes

Image of the Day: Summer Celebration with Renée Watson

Author Renée Watson read her picture book Summer Is Here (Bloomsbury) to children and families at a New York City Open Streets block party in Harlem. The kids brought Bea Jackson's illustrations to life, blowing bubbles, drawing with chalk, jumping rope and enjoying ice pops--a true celebration of summer!


Bookstore Moment: Renovations at Parnassus Books

Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn., closed for two days earlier this week for renovations. The store shared photos and this note yesterday:

"aaaaaand we’re back!! Our booksellers have worked extremely hard over the last three days to make our store even better for all of you. Bear with us as we re-learn where everything is and put the finishing touches on our improvements.
 
One thing we’d like to highlight is that a huge focus of this redesign was creating a fully wheelchair accessible space. Narrow aisles have been made much wider, and you’ll find that the space feels much more open while still providing all the sections and titles you know and love.
 
A few changes to note:
1. The New Releases table has a fresh new look
2. Our register station is sleek, wheelchair accessible, and fully reorganized
3. Ann's books have their own table
4. We have a horror section now!
5. The entrance to the board book room has lots of nooks to be explored
 
Come in and check out the changes for yourself! We’re here until 6pm today."

Chronicle to Sell, Distribute Post Wave Publishing; Krestyna Lypen New Editorial Director

Chronicle Books will sell and distribute in North America books by Post Wave Publishing, the U.K. children's book publisher, starting with the spring 2025 list.

Post Wave Publishing UK was founded in 2023 as a U.K. subsidiary of Post Wave Publishing China, a general publishing company in China that was founded in 2006 and publishes some 600 titles a year covering the humanities and social sciences, art and literature, lifestyles, business & economics, and children's books.

Emma Hopkin, managing director of Post Wave Publishing UK, called Chronicle "our dream partner. They have an excellent sales track and a brilliant list--and we are very pleased to be working with their highly talented and impressive team."

Chronicle president Tyrrell Mahoney said, "We are thrilled to be partnering with Post Wave to launch its innovative and dynamic children's list in North America. Chronicle's longstanding success and far-reaching customer base for children's books, toys and gifts shall be greatly enhanced by the inclusion of Post Wave's publishing program."

In related news, Krestyna Lypen has been named editorial director of Post Wave Children's Books. She will be based in New York and create a list of preschool, picture book, and illustrated nonfiction books for children. She was formerly senior editor for the Algonquin Young Readers imprint at Hachette Book Group and earlier worked at Workman Publishing, Penguin Group, and St. Martin's Press.

Post Wave publisher Emma Blackburn commented: "I am delighted that Krestyna has joined the Post Wave Team and that she will be leading the development of our list in the U.S. Her skills, experience and market knowledge will bring a strategic insight to our publishing as she grows her list of authors and illustrators."


Phoenix Books in Burlington, Vt., Enlisting 'Book-et Brigade' for Move 

Phoenix Books, Burlington, Vt., is hosting a "Book-et Brigade" on Monday, July 29, beginning at 5 p.m. to help with the bookshop's previously announced relocation. Joined by Vermont authors and members of the community, booksellers from Phoenix Books will form a line to pass books 150 feet between the current location at 191 Bank Street and the new space at 89 Church Street. The "ceremonial book brigade" celebrates the planned move later this summer, when the bulk of the move will be done by professionals.

Authors expected to attend include Stephen Kiernan, Chris Bohjalian, James Kochalka, Tanya Lee Stone, Margot Harrison, Stephen Russell Payne, Kate Messner, Garret M. Graff, Jessica Lahey, and Trish O'Kane. Door prizes will also be part of the festivities.

Founded in 2007, Phoenix Books operates locations in Essex, Burlington, and Rutland. 


Media and Movies

Media Heat: Emma Straub, Jasmine Guillory on the Today Show

Tomorrow:
Today Show: author and bookseller Emma Straub and author Jasmine Guillory discuss summer beach reads.


This Weekend on Book TV: Peter S. Goodman on How the World Ran Out of Everything

Book TV airs on C-Span 2 this weekend from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday and focuses on political and historical books as well as the book industry. The following are highlights for this coming weekend. For more information, go to Book TV's website.

Saturday, July 27
2 p.m. Jack Dempsey, editor of When Slavery and Rebellion Are Destroyed: A Michigan Woman's Civil War Journal (University of Georgia Press, $24.95, 9780820365602).

5:15 p.m. Richard Brookhiser, author of Glorious Lessons: John Trumbull, Painter of the American Revolution (Yale University Press, $30, 9780300259704).

Sunday, July 28
8 a.m. Stuart Eizenstat, author of The Art of Diplomacy: How American Negotiators Reached Historic Agreements that Changed the World (Rowman & Littlefield, $35, 9781538167991). (Re-airs Sunday 8 p.m.)

9 a.m. Kenneth McKenzie, author of The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century (Naval Institute Press, $34.95, 9781682474495). (Re-airs Sunday at 9 p.m.)

10 a.m. Peter S. Goodman, author of How the World Ran Out of Everything: Inside the Global Supply Chain (‎Mariner, $30, 9780063257924). (Re-airs Sunday at 10 p.m.)

2 p.m. Dan Barry, editor of Jimmy Breslin: Essential Writings (Library of America, $40, 9781598537680).

3 p.m. Damon Tweedy, author of Facing the Unseen: The Struggle to Center Mental Health in Medicine (St. Martin's Press, $30, 9781250284891).

4 p.m. Ismar Volić, author of Making Democracy Count: How Mathematics Improves Voting, Electoral Maps, and Representation (‎Princeton University Press, $32, 9780691248806), at Harvard Book Store in Cambridge, Mass.

5:05 p.m. Martin Dugard, author of Taking London: Winston Churchill and the Fight to Save Civilization (Dutton, $32, 9780593473214).



Books & Authors

Awards: New England Book Finalists; Theakston Old Peculier Crime Winners

Finalists have been named for the 2024 New England Book Awards, honoring books "either about New England, set in New England, or written by an author residing in New England." Members of the New England Independent Booksellers Association will now vote for the winners in each category.

Fiction:
North Woods by Daniel Mason (Random House)
Rainbow Black by Maggie Thrash (Harper Perennial)
Fire Exit by Morgan Talty (Tin House)
Sandwich by Catherine Newman (HarperCollins)
Swift River by Essie Chambers (Simon & Schuster)

Nonfiction:
Of Time and Turtles by Sy Montgomery (Mariner Books)
Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson (Penguin)
A House Restored by Lee McColgan (Countryman Press)
Wild Girls by Tiya Miles (W.W. Norton)
God Save Benedict Arnold by Jack Kelly (St. Martin's Press)

Poetry:
The Wonder of Small Things by James Crews (Storey Publishing)
In the Cathedral of My Undoing by Kellam Ayres (Gunpowder Press)
Have You Been Long Enough at Table by Leslie Sainz (Tin House)
Auguries and Divinations by Heather Treseler (Bauhan Publishing)
Glitter Road by January Gill O'Neil (CavanKerry Press)

Picture Book:
Small Things Mended by Casey W Robinson, illustrated by Nancy Whitesides (Rocky Pond Books)
An Encyclopedia of Gardening for Colored Children by Jamaica Kincaid, illustrated by Kara Walker (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Cranky by Phuc Tran, illustrated by Pete Oswald (HarperCollins)
Life After Whale by Lynn Brunelle, illustrated by Jason Chin (Neal Porter Books)
Night Song by Mk Smith Despres, illustrated by Hyewon Yum (Enchanted Lion)

Middle Grade:
Chinese Menu by Grace Lin (Little, Brown)
Colonization and the Wampanoag Story by Linda Coombs (Crown Books)
How It All Ends by Emma Hunsinger (Greenwillow Books)
Timid by Jonathan Todd (Graphix)
The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon (Candlewick)

Young Adult:
The Fall of Whit Rivera by Crystal Maldonado (Holiday House)
Gather by Kenneth Cadow (Candlewick)
Practical Rules for Cursed Witches by Kayla Cottingham (Delacorte Press)
Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Adiba Jaigirdar (Feiwel & Friends)
Mysterious Ways: A Novel by Wendy Wunder (Wednesday Books)

---

The winners of the 2024 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Awards, presented at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, England, are:

In the Blink of an Eye by Jo Callaghan has won the 2024 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. Organizers said the book "introduces an intriguing detective double act as bereaved DCS Kat Frank is chosen to lead a pilot programme that sees her paired with AI colleague Lock, as human experience combines with logic to solve a complex missing persons case."

Deadly Animals by Marie Tierney has won the inaugural McDermid Debut Award, named for crime writer Val McDermid. The book "features road-kill obsessed teenager Ava Bonney, who discovers the mauled body of a schoolmate and embarks on a daring quest to unravel the truth behind the string of chilling deaths plaguing her Birmingham community."

And Martina Cole won the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of her "impressive writing career," which includes the publication of 27 novels, many of which have been made into TV series.


Attainment: New Titles Out Next Week

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, July 30:

The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982 by Chris Nashawaty (Flatiron, $29.99, 9781250827050) chronicles a summer during which eight iconic science fiction films were released.

All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way by Fred C. Trump (Gallery, $30, 9781668072172) is by Donald Trump's nephew.

Lobbying for Zionism on Both Sides of the Atlantic by Ilan Pappe (Oneworld, $40, 9780861544028) shows the influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups.

The Widow's Guide to Dead Bastards by Jessica Waite (Atria, $29.99, 9781668044858) is a memoir by a widow who uncovered her late husband's grim secrets.

Like Mother, Like Daughter: A Novel by Kimberly McCreight (Knopf, $28, 9780593536421) is a thriller about a daughter searching for her missing mother.

Slow Dance: A Novel by Rainbow Rowell (Morrow, $28, 9780063380196) follows childhood friends reconnecting as adults.

What Have You Done?: A Novel by Shari Lapena (Pamela Dorman Books, $30, 9780593489963) is a murder mystery set in a small Vermont town.

The Wedding People: A Novel by Alison Espach (Holt, $28.99, 9781250899576) follows an uninvited guest at a Rhode Island wedding.

The Mirror of Beasts by Alexandra Bracken (Knopf, $20.99, 9780593481691) is the second book in the YA Silver in the Bone series.

Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus (Delacorte, $20.99, 9780593485057) features a mother-daughter grifter team working what they hope is their final job.

Paperbacks:
Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran (Dell, $18.99, 9780593499481).

Finger Exercises for Poets by Dorianne Laux (W.W. Norton, $17.99, 9781324050667).

Preserving with a Purpose: Next-Generation Canning Recipes and Kitchen Wisdom by Sarah Thrush (Harvard Common Press, $27.99, 9780760387078).

Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas (Berkley, $19, 9780593816578).

The Fiance Dilemma: A Novel by Elena Armas (Atria, $19.99, 9781668011348).


IndieBound: Other Indie Favorites

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover: An Indies Introduce Title
Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi (Forge Books, $27.99, 9781250904294). "I love this historical novel that is full of West African mythology. Epic in feel but self-contained, it runs the full range of emotions. I love the creativity and descriptive writing, and can't wait to see what Sangoyomi writes next." --Jamie Southern, Bookmarks, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Hardcover: An Indies Introduce Title
Midnight Rooms: A Novel by Donyae Coles (Amistad, $28, 9780063228092). "I've never read horror like this before, and I'm excited to see more and more BIPOC authors step boldly into this genre. I can't wait to see what else Donyae Coles comes out with. Whatever it is, it's on my autobuy list!" --Shakeria Green, Lark and Owl Booksellers, Georgetown, Tex.

Paperback
The Same Bright Stars: A Novel by Ethan Joella (Scribner, $17.99, 9781668024591). "With insight, empathy, and humor, Ethan Joella puts you right into the hearts and minds of his complicated, fully-formed characters. In The Same Bright Stars, Joella takes the every-day and turns it into something poignant and extraordinary." --Susan Kehoe, Browseabout Books, Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Ages 4-8
Home in a Lunchbox by Cherry Mo (Penguin Workshop, $18.99, 9780593661345). "This story is brimming with rich and warm illustrations that invite you to discover the unifying power of food: how the simple act of sharing a meal with others can create and invoke belonging and community." --Courtney Roach, The Novel Neighbor, Webster Groves, Mo.

Ages 8-12
Farrah Noorzad and the Ring of Fate by Deeba Zargarpur (Labyrinth Road, $17.99, 9780593564417). "Farrah Noorzad and the Ring of Fate takes Arab mythology to a whole new level: Jinn moms, jinn dads, jinn cities, jinn schools, and a whole mess of problems between jinns and the human world that Farrah has to fix if she ever wants to see her father again." --Chris Abouzeid, Belmont Books, Belmont, Mass.

Teen Readers
Age 16 by Rosena Fung (Annick Press, $24.99, 9781773218335). "This book made me cry several times. Rosena Fung has put together a beautiful and nuanced story about coming of age, accepting yourself, and intergenerational trauma. Absolutely devastating. You have to read this book." --Katherine Nazzaro, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, Mass.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]


Book Review

Review: Playground

Playground by Richard Powers (Norton, $29.99 hardcover, 400p., 9781324086031, September 24, 2024)

Richard Powers (Bewilderment, The Overstory) delivers a novel of spectacular thematic scope and surreal drama, centered on the tiny French Polynesian island of Makatea in the Pacific Ocean and those destined to make it their home. Starring four principal characters and the intriguing manner in which their stories converge and collide, Playground glides across the final decades of the 20th century and spills into the present day, culminating in a dramatic vision for mankind's oceanic and land-based future.

Brilliant French-Canadian marine biologist Evelyne Beaulieu spends a lifetime communing with sea creatures across vast oceanic wonderlands. For Evelyne, speaking the language of dancing cuttlefish and magnificent reef manta rays is far easier than navigating relationships on land. Artist Ina Aroita can make sense of her place in the world only through her art created from deconstructed materials. Cosseted in his San Jose penthouse, Todd Keane is an ocean enthusiast and the billionaire founder of "Playground," a game he describes as "a little experiment in empowering and connecting people" that boasts more than three million users. His friend and nemesis is Rafi Young, a literary genius struggling under filial pressure to succeed as no Black man has succeeded before. Todd and Rafi, both in love with Ina, bonded over marathon sessions of the ancient game of Go, their friendship one long match until the very end.

Play, in all its manifestations, is a means of escape for Powers's talented cast. The book's title resonates with meaning at every turn in the story. And if Todd's latest project succeeds in ushering in an irreversible new age of artificial intelligence, play may indeed be all that they are good for.

In Playground, the author's genius shows in his formidable descriptive talents and the graceful clarity of his densely woven plot. It matters not whether one is familiar with the topography or colonial history of teardrop-shaped Makatea, for Powers meticulously sets the stage with vivid, immersive details to ignite the reader's imagination, while Evelyne's oceanic adventures sparkle with colorful imagery.

Deep in the novel, a Makatea ravaged by capitalism and attempting a fragile recovery is seduced by the shiny promises of foreign investors yet again--this time Americans eager to launch a "seasteading" venture. Against the island's luminous blue backdrop, Playground's leading actors reunite, their destinies yielding to the one true story left to be told. --Shahina Piyarali

Shelf Talker: A tiny French Polynesian island grapples with its oceanic destiny in this spectacular, surreal story of four individuals and the intriguing ways in which their paths converge and collide.


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