From last week's Book Sense bestseller lists, available at booksense.com, here are the recommended titles, which are also Book Sense Picks:
Paperback
In a Paris Moment by Meredith Mullins (M. Publishing, $29.50, 0977358402). "If you can't spend April in Paris, this book may provide your next best option. The dramatic black-and-white photographs capture the essence and soul of Paris, and the beautifully written short essays are both personal and universal. But, be warned, you may quickly find yourself phoning your travel agent."--Chuck Robinson, Village Books, Bellingham, Wash.
Hardcover
Fantasyland: A Season on Baseball's Lunatic Fringe by Sam Walker (Viking, $25.95, 0670034282). "Sam Walker spends a season in fantasy baseball and takes the reader on a wild ride through this realm of obsession. The visceral reactions he experiences will be familiar to many, but, in the end, the book mirrors the game itself: It is filled with pathos, humor, sorrow, tragedy, and triumph."--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, Mich.
L'America by Martha McPhee (Harcourt, $25, 0151011710). "This story of an American and an Italian who meet on a small Aegean island is a novel rich for the senses. The love at the center of the book is so powerful that you feel as if it was your own great love."--Jeni Harris, Carpe Librum Booksellers, Knoxville, Tenn.
For Teen Readers
A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass (Little, Brown, $6.99, 0316058254). "I was completely enthralled by this story and the condition it introduces readers to. Combining an engaging main character, a medical mystery, and a special pet make this novel a must-read for all who are sure their life is stranger than anyone else's."--Faith Dickerson, The Corner Shelf, Omak, Wash.
Marie, Dancing by Carolyn Meyer (Gulliver, $17, 0152051163). "This is a fictionalized recounting of the life of the 14-year-old girl who was the model for Edgar Degas' sculpture Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. The book explores the life of Marie van Goethem and her poor Parisian family. This is a touching and beautifully written story that all dancers will treasure."--Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove, Hanover, Mass.
[Many thanks to Book Sense and the ABA!]
Paperback
In a Paris Moment by Meredith Mullins (M. Publishing, $29.50, 0977358402). "If you can't spend April in Paris, this book may provide your next best option. The dramatic black-and-white photographs capture the essence and soul of Paris, and the beautifully written short essays are both personal and universal. But, be warned, you may quickly find yourself phoning your travel agent."--Chuck Robinson, Village Books, Bellingham, Wash.
Hardcover
Fantasyland: A Season on Baseball's Lunatic Fringe by Sam Walker (Viking, $25.95, 0670034282). "Sam Walker spends a season in fantasy baseball and takes the reader on a wild ride through this realm of obsession. The visceral reactions he experiences will be familiar to many, but, in the end, the book mirrors the game itself: It is filled with pathos, humor, sorrow, tragedy, and triumph."--Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, Mich.
L'America by Martha McPhee (Harcourt, $25, 0151011710). "This story of an American and an Italian who meet on a small Aegean island is a novel rich for the senses. The love at the center of the book is so powerful that you feel as if it was your own great love."--Jeni Harris, Carpe Librum Booksellers, Knoxville, Tenn.
For Teen Readers
A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass (Little, Brown, $6.99, 0316058254). "I was completely enthralled by this story and the condition it introduces readers to. Combining an engaging main character, a medical mystery, and a special pet make this novel a must-read for all who are sure their life is stranger than anyone else's."--Faith Dickerson, The Corner Shelf, Omak, Wash.
Marie, Dancing by Carolyn Meyer (Gulliver, $17, 0152051163). "This is a fictionalized recounting of the life of the 14-year-old girl who was the model for Edgar Degas' sculpture Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. The book explores the life of Marie van Goethem and her poor Parisian family. This is a touching and beautifully written story that all dancers will treasure."--Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove, Hanover, Mass.
[Many thanks to Book Sense and the ABA!]