From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
The Coffins of Little Hope by Timothy Schaffert (Unbridled Books, $24.95, 9781609530402). "At the heart of this story is narrator Essie Myles, an 83-year-old great-grandmother who has been writing obituaries for her father's small-town newspaper since she was a teenager. Far from morbid, Essie is a born storyteller, and she takes the reader on a wonderful journey into the nuances of a small town and its reaction when a little girl goes missing. Essie recounts the disappearance of the girl and in the process interweaves the stories of her own family and those of the town. Filled with rich characters and written with both charm and wonder, this should be the next book on your nightstand!"--Julia MacDonald, the Yankee Bookshop, Woodstock, Vt.
A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by Willliam Deresiewicz (Penguin Press, $25.95, 9781594202889). "Austen lovers, rejoice! This intelligent, lively look at the beloved author's novels and what they offered in life lessons to one graduate student will resonate with all Austen fans--and others as well. Like many of us, Deresiewicz, an Austen scholar, found deep lessons on life, love, friendship, and marriage in the pages and parlors of dear Jane's books. A delightful read!"--Christine Grabish, MacDonald Book Shop, Estes Park, Colo.
Paperback
The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine by Alina Bronsky (Europa Editions, $15, 9781609450069). "Once you find yourself in the grip of Rosa's saga, there is no escaping. Brutal, self-absorbed, perceptive, and hilarious, Rosa is as unreliable as she is unforgettable. Set both behind the Iron Curtain and in the reunified Germany, The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine is refreshing as well as disturbing. The strengths of the three generations--unsinkable Rosa, her passive but loving daughter Sulfia, and her unpredictable and mysterious granddaughter Aminat--link these women together and simultaneously pull them apart. Their story will fascinate, repel, and bring you to tears."--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books, Tampa, Fla.
For Ages 4 to 8
Clink by Kelly DePucchio, illustrated by Matthew Myers (Balzer & Bray, $16.99, 9780061929281). "Poor Clink is an old robot who just can't compete with all the other new-fangled, fancy robots in the shop. But one day a little boy finds a special beauty in Clink and takes him home. A very sweet story complemented by wonderful illustrations!"--Meaghan Beasley, Island Bookstore, Corolla, N.C.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]