What Llalan's Reading

$14.99
ISBN-13: 9780062088239
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks, 1/2013
This is another book with a great child protaganist. Over the span of a few days, Jess watches his parents become real, mortal, fallible people--one of the hardest childhood lessons to learn. Some adult activities look positively ludicrous when viewed through a child's eyes. Other events and expressed emotions fail to compute. And just as often, adults are terrible at explaing or simply don't. Death, God, marriage, family, religion, and brutal older brothers are among the ideas young Jess has to deal with in this impressive debut novel from Wiley Cash (who also happens to have the best author name, ever). 

Arcadia (Paperback)

$16.00
ISBN-13: 9781401341909
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Hachette Books, 10/2012

I was leery of this book initially because it revolves around a family in a commune in the '60s, and I've always been wary of people who make their own yogurt like that's just natural (this is a joke--perhaps one only my parents and I are in on). Anyway, I wasn't sure they'd be that interesting, but Lauren Groff writes beneath the grimy characature of a dirty hippy to the pride, mistrust, anger, love, depression, and fear of these very real people. 

At the center of the story is Bit, who begins his life as we begin the novel. Bit is the most realistically written child protaganist I've ever read. Something about how Groff captures Bit's constant astonishment as he discovers the world is unlike any other author's depiction of a child. I felt weird flutters of recognition in his fears and moments of surprise, oh yeah, I remember feeling that...

 We get to know Bit in his later years, as well, when the tables are turned and he now cares for his parents. His age is realistic; his character, consistent. And I want to meet the guy. The mother's age is also believable, in a way that at several times brought tears to my eyes. Groff has her finger on the pulse, all right. 


Break the Skin (Paperback)

$14.00
ISBN-13: 9780307716767
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Broadway Books, 8/2012

I picked up this book for a number of reasons. 1) Lee Martin is coming to read here on March 1; 2) he came highly recommended by readers whose opinion I respect; and 3) I've really been enjoying his blog. 

I am unused to some literary aspects he uses in Break the Skin: plot, for example. I often find myself in books or watching movies that have little to no plot outside what is happening in a character's head...which is pretty much how I've spent my life, so, there ya go. Once I got comfortable with that, though, it was an easy, fun read. I am very much looking forward to reading The Bright Forever, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.


The Essay (Hardcover)

$24.95
ISBN-13: 9781611457667
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Arcade Publishing, 10/2012
This is by another author who will be visiting us; Robin Yocum will be reading here on April 5. This novel reads very much like a memoir and is quite autobiographical, if I remember correctly. I'm eager to know why Yocum chose the format he did. This was a quick read for me, which is saying something, especially given the rough life the main character lives. But if it is autobiographical, things must have worked out all right!

How to Be a Woman (Paperback)

$15.99
ISBN-13: 9780062124296
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Harper Perennial, 7/2012
This book was recommend with such vehemence from so many customers that I finally grabbed a copy for myself. Then I proceeded to do exactly what they said I would: snort to myself in every chapter and then laugh too hard to be understood when attempting to read it aloud to others...others who inevitably laugh anyway, since I've clearly said something hysterical about boobs. This book does have a lot of the female body in it: breasts, armpit hair, whatever you call your lady business, etc. So if that makes you uneasy, don't read it. If, however, you have some strong opinions about being a woman--about body image and abortion and all the rest we have to deal with--but find your opinions often unpopular, read this; you just may have made a new friend.

The Art of Fielding (Paperback)

$14.99
ISBN-13: 9780316126670
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Back Bay Books, 5/2012
This book is over 500 pages long and I flew through it. Every moment, storyline, scene, and character is compelling. I'm having trouble deciding what to say about this novel because I don't think I can properly do it justice. Just please read it, even if you aren't a baseball fan. It's not about baseball. It's about people, some of whom happen to play the sport.

Just Kids (Paperback)

$16.00
ISBN-13: 9780060936228
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Ecco, 11/2010

When I finished this book and after our book club met to discuss it, I found I had a lot to think about. I'll send you toward two of my musings:

 Just Ohio Kids 

Through Beet-Colored Glasses 


$25.95
ISBN-13: 9780385535632
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Doubleday, 11/2012

Just finished HEADS. A friend of mine who works in publishing handed me an advance copy of this book and said, "I want you to read this. I want you to carry this in your store." So I did and I will.

If there was ever a book worthy of that overused word "rollicking," it would be this one. We follow author Tomsky from his humble beginnings as a valet with a degree in philosophy to housekeeping manager to front desk dude. I now know whom to tip and how much, how to work the system for the best room, and how to eat those tempting little bags of almonds for free. And not only are you let into the world behind-the-scenes at the hotel, you are also made embarrassed to be grouped with the seemingly endless stream of jerks in line at the check-in desk.

Tomsky's writing sounds like he's saying everything with a smile, either a knowing grin or a customer service grimace, depending on the chapter. But he is so damned likable you just can't wait to get to the next tale of weirdness, the description of the next bizarre customer. One may argue, I suppose, that there's not a lot of substance to the narrative. I would hold that that's just wrong. Reading this is totally worth your time. You will laugh, you will thoroughly enjoy yourself, and you will never condescend to a hotel employee again.