Most booksellers agree that this Christmas there is no single "must-have" title a la The Da Vinci Code.
But no matter. As Vivien Jennings of Rainy Day Books, Fairway, Kan.,
which has been "really, really busy" in December, put it, "My staff and I think
this is the best season for inventory. With the exception of a
relatively new thriller, we feel we have the selection and variety so
that when customers tell us what they need, we can make a fit, whether
it's a 15 year old who likes skiing or an 80 year old who likes art and
music."
Thrillers are a tricky gift category, Jennings said, because thriller fans usually keep up with what's available, making it likely they'll have read anything that's been out for very long. In the case of thrillers, the store has been recommending several titles die-hard fans might have missed or whose authors they might not know. Among them: The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez, a legal thriller; The Double Eagle by James Twining, about the coin business; and Blowback by Brad Thor, with a Middle East setting. But above all, in this area the store recommends The Patriot's Club by Christopher Reich, which involves the eponymous club, founded by John Adams and Alexander Hamilton as a kind of shadow government that still functions. The book offers "interesting historical what ifs" concerning such key historical events as the attack at Pearl Harbor and the Gulf of Tonkin incident. "I can talk about a few of these things with customers and right away they say they'll take it," she said. "It's a fun and fast ride, and you learn a lot at the same time. What a deal."
Other handsells at Rainy Day:
Gardenias by Faith Sullivan, a sequel to The Cape Ann, the 1988 title that was "one of the all-time great book club books." Set in the 1940s, when the family introduced in The Cape Ann moves to California, the story is narrated by a young girl, Lark, whose "voice is like that of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird," Jennings said. "It's a great human story, a story of coping, of coming of age, of American history. It's a strong read but nothing that anyone would take exception to so I can recommend it to a young person or an 80 year old."
The River of Doubt by Candice Millard, an account of Theodore Roosevelt's ill-fated trip down a tributary of the Amazon the year after he lost the 1912 presidential election. Jennings said that The River of Doubt is "extremely well written. You're jumping at the spiders, keeping your hands out of the water from pirana, swatting misquitoes. It's a very different perspective on his character, but also a true life thriller. There was a murder and they almost all died." She added that without doubt, the book makes a great gift for teenaged or college-aged boys "if they care at all about adventure and the outdoors. Women like it equally, too."
American Gunfight by Stephen Hunter, about the attempt by Puerto Rican nationalists to assassinate President Harry Truman in 1950. "It's a thriller, and since Truman is from here, it has done well for us," Jennings commented, "but it should be interesting anywhere."
The King of Kings County by Whitney Terrell, which "happens to be a novel about the development of the suburbs of Kansas City but could be about any suburb," Jennings said. "It deals with white flight and racial problems. It's a very strong novel."
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, "a wonderful read that's kind of different," Jennings commented. "It's great for the many people who want both an excellent read and to learn something."
As a stocking stuffer paperback, the store is promoting Minotaur by Benjamin Tammuz, "about an Israeli spy on a mission who sees a woman on a bus and falls in love with her," Jennings commented. "It's Lolita meets Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy."
Rainy Day likes to have fun with children's books, Jennings said. For example, Dog Train by Sandra Boynton has been a major draw since the author appeared at the store for two events at the end of November. Using Workman marketing materials designed for the parties, the store has extended the event. A "huge" conductor dog and 9-ft. dog train is in the window, guiding people inside. Anyone who purchases the book receives conductor hats leftover from the events.
For A Cat's Night Before Christmas, Rainy Day displayed Gund meowing kitties with the books. "That gets people's attention," Jennings said. "We've sold a lot of books and cats."
Thrillers are a tricky gift category, Jennings said, because thriller fans usually keep up with what's available, making it likely they'll have read anything that's been out for very long. In the case of thrillers, the store has been recommending several titles die-hard fans might have missed or whose authors they might not know. Among them: The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez, a legal thriller; The Double Eagle by James Twining, about the coin business; and Blowback by Brad Thor, with a Middle East setting. But above all, in this area the store recommends The Patriot's Club by Christopher Reich, which involves the eponymous club, founded by John Adams and Alexander Hamilton as a kind of shadow government that still functions. The book offers "interesting historical what ifs" concerning such key historical events as the attack at Pearl Harbor and the Gulf of Tonkin incident. "I can talk about a few of these things with customers and right away they say they'll take it," she said. "It's a fun and fast ride, and you learn a lot at the same time. What a deal."
Other handsells at Rainy Day:
Gardenias by Faith Sullivan, a sequel to The Cape Ann, the 1988 title that was "one of the all-time great book club books." Set in the 1940s, when the family introduced in The Cape Ann moves to California, the story is narrated by a young girl, Lark, whose "voice is like that of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird," Jennings said. "It's a great human story, a story of coping, of coming of age, of American history. It's a strong read but nothing that anyone would take exception to so I can recommend it to a young person or an 80 year old."
The River of Doubt by Candice Millard, an account of Theodore Roosevelt's ill-fated trip down a tributary of the Amazon the year after he lost the 1912 presidential election. Jennings said that The River of Doubt is "extremely well written. You're jumping at the spiders, keeping your hands out of the water from pirana, swatting misquitoes. It's a very different perspective on his character, but also a true life thriller. There was a murder and they almost all died." She added that without doubt, the book makes a great gift for teenaged or college-aged boys "if they care at all about adventure and the outdoors. Women like it equally, too."
American Gunfight by Stephen Hunter, about the attempt by Puerto Rican nationalists to assassinate President Harry Truman in 1950. "It's a thriller, and since Truman is from here, it has done well for us," Jennings commented, "but it should be interesting anywhere."
The King of Kings County by Whitney Terrell, which "happens to be a novel about the development of the suburbs of Kansas City but could be about any suburb," Jennings said. "It deals with white flight and racial problems. It's a very strong novel."
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, "a wonderful read that's kind of different," Jennings commented. "It's great for the many people who want both an excellent read and to learn something."
As a stocking stuffer paperback, the store is promoting Minotaur by Benjamin Tammuz, "about an Israeli spy on a mission who sees a woman on a bus and falls in love with her," Jennings commented. "It's Lolita meets Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy."
Rainy Day likes to have fun with children's books, Jennings said. For example, Dog Train by Sandra Boynton has been a major draw since the author appeared at the store for two events at the end of November. Using Workman marketing materials designed for the parties, the store has extended the event. A "huge" conductor dog and 9-ft. dog train is in the window, guiding people inside. Anyone who purchases the book receives conductor hats leftover from the events.
For A Cat's Night Before Christmas, Rainy Day displayed Gund meowing kitties with the books. "That gets people's attention," Jennings said. "We've sold a lot of books and cats."