The August 2005 Book Sense Picks and Notables Preview

Here is the full listing of the August Book Sense Picks, with booksellers' comments, as well as a preview of August Book Sense Notables. Independent booksellers in the Book Sense program will be receiving their Picks fliers in the July Red Box.

1. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, by Cormac McCarthy (Knopf, $24.95, 0375406778) "McCarthy has dropped a hurricane in our laps. A drug deal gone wrong in the Texas desert leaves more than $2 million in bloodstained hundreds to be found by wise innocent Llewelyn Moss. This utterly engaging novel blends thrilling action and suspense with stunning philosophical insight and fully realized characters." --Dave Chachere, Cody's Books, Berkeley, CA Also a Recorded Books Audio (Unabridged CD, 1419326945)

SKY BURIAL: An Epic Love Story of Tibet, by Xinran (Talese/Doubleday, $18.95, 0385515480) "Shu Wen's husband, a doctor, travels with the Chinese Army into Tibet and, very soon, she receives news of his death. Not willing to believe her beloved is dead, Shu Wen journeys to Tibet to try to find him. This powerful, but delicate, novel depicts a quest of mythic proportions, encompassing nothing less than the vastness of the path to spiritual peace through enlightenment." --Susan Avery, Ariel Booksellers, New Paltz, NY

A LONG WAY DOWN: A Novel, by Nick Hornby (Riverhead, $24.95, 1573223026) "Nick Hornby quadruples our pleasure with the distinct voices of four very different characters, who all find themselves at the same place for the same singular purpose: to jump from the top of a building on New Year's Eve. The quartet forms a non-suicide pact and an unlikely gang, all helping each other cope along their funny and often touching journey." --Michael Keefe, Annie Bloom's Books, Portland, OR Also available from Penguin Audiobooks (Unabridged CD, 014305760X)

MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS, by Kelly Link (interior illustrations by Shelley Jackson) (Small Beer Press, $24, 1931520151) "Kelly Link is my favorite new fantasy writer. She mixes up fairy-tale monsters and our modern world to create unique, humane stories that illuminate the joy and pain of everyday stuff. These stories are magic." --Michael Wells, Bailey-Coy Books, Seattle, WA

THE WITCH OF COLOGNE, by Tobsha Learner (Forge, $14.95 paper, 0765314304) "The Witch of Cologne tells the story of Ruth, a woman of intellect and curiosity, who is considered a witch in this time of ignorance, treachery, mysticism, and complex politics. This story of 17th-century life during the Inquisition is the way to get history, entertaining while enlightening." --Judy Mathys, Family Book Shop, Deland, FL

EVENING FERRY: A Novel, by Katherine Towler (MacAdam/Cage, $25, 1596921242) "Continuing the story of a small and isolated New England island, Evening Ferry transports us back and forth between two eras and two generations, as Rachel Shattuck returns home to care for her father. Towler has created characters the reader will want to know and a story that is both simple and complex." --Beverly Bauer, Redbery Books, Cable, WI

IN PERFECT LIGHT: A Novel, by Benjamin Alire Saenz (Rayo, $24.95, 0060779209) "In this story of a troubled young man and a widowed psychologist, Saenz's lyrical prose describes characters I cared about more deeply than any I have encountered for some time. Grace, Andres, and their loved ones bravely face psychological trauma and cultural dislocation to find light and hope in the most devastating circumstances." --Mary Landrum, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Lexington, KY

LITTLE CHAPEL ON THE RIVER: A Pub, a Town, and the Search for What Matters Most, by Gwendolyn Bounds (Morrow, $23.95, 0060564067) "This is a page-turning saga of Guinan's, a tiny Irish pub nestled by the Hudson River in Garrison, New York, the family of owners, and the habitues, all poetically intertwined with the author's personal vignettes. Bounds makes you want to hop the next Metro North train and never look back!" --Margot Liddell, Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers, New York, NY

MAD GIRLS IN LOVE, by Michael Lee West (HarperCollins, $24.95, 006018406X) "West's story begins with Bitsy Wentworth, 19, a young mother, bludgeoning her husband with a rack of ribs (frozen, no less). Horrified by what she's done, Bitsy takes her daughter and goes on the lamb (pun intended). West is one of the best of the Southern writers; we live with and love her characters -- a great summer read." --Barbara Hoagland, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT Also available from HarperAudio (Abridged CD, 0060789972)

TRACE EVIDENCE: A Novel, by Elizabeth Becka (Hyperion, $22.95, 1401301746) "I sat down and read Trace Evidence in one sitting. This unsentimental mystery gives readers a gripping look inside the world of forensic investigation. (Becka is a forensic specialist as is her main character, Evelyn James.) I can't wait to recommend this one!" --Betsy Goree, The Book Shelf, Tryon, NC

DEADLY SLIPPER: A Novel of Death in the Dordogne, by Michelle Wan (Doubleday, $23.95, 0385514573) "Mara Dunn's twin sister, Bedie, disappeared in the Dordogne region of France 19 years ago. Mara still cannot let go of Bedie's memory, so she moves to France and, with the help of an orchid expert, tries to retrace Bedie's last steps as seen through the last batch of pictures taken with her camera. A delightful summer read." --Mary Jane Weber, The Town Book Store, Westfield, NJ

BOOKING PASSAGE: We Irish and Americans, by Thomas Lynch (Norton, $24.95, 0393042065) "Thomas Lynch, the world's most famous poet/mortician, is back with a thoughtful rumination of what it means to be Irish-American. Part memoir, part cultural study, always exquisitely written, Lynch introduces fascinating insights into the strong pull Ireland has on America." --Len Cowgill, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, MI

THE DEATH COLLECTORS, by Jack Kerley (Dutton, $24.95, 0525948775) "Carson Ryder is back and on the hunt for another villain, someone who is murdering followers of a famous serial killer. With his inside edge into the mind of the psychotic criminal, Carson and his partner, Harry Nautilus, are a short step behind until the shocking conclusion. If you haven't read Jack Kerley, now is the time!" --Holly Frakes, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI Also available from Brilliance Audio (Abridged CD, 1593555873)

THE GREATEST MAN IN CEDAR HOLE: A Novel, by Stephanie Doyon (Simon & Schuster, $24, 0743271335) "I really enjoyed The Greatest Man in Cedar Hole, a unique depiction of small-town life that is as appealing as it is odd. The characters are fascinating (although not always likable), and the plot keeps you guessing as you travel through this wildly entertaining tale. A charming read!" --Dawn C. Donovan, Armchair Bookstore, Dennis, MA Also a Recorded Books Audio (Unabridged CD, 141934384X)

QUEEN EMMA AND THE VIKINGS: Power, Love, and Greed in 11th Century England, by Harriet O'Brien (Bloomsbury, $24.95, 1582345961) "Queen Emma and the Vikings tells the fascinating story of a young Norman girl who was wife to two English kings, mother of two more, and great-aunt of William the Conqueror. O'Brien has brought to life the chaotic, violent times before 1066 (which is often thought of as the beginning of English history) and one woman who left an indelible mark on that history." --Becky Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA

SPECIMEN DAYS: A Novel, by Michael Cunningham (FSG, $24, 0374299625) "Cunningham's latest novel is divided into three sections, each telling a story of a different time period with the same basic set of characters: a young boy, an older gentleman, and a young lady. This beautifully written novel delves deep into the different types of fear that possess people and shows how these fears connect people, places, and time." --Lauren Lanza, Square Books, Oxford, MS Also available from Audio Renaissance (Unabridged CD, 1593976895)

SWEETGRASS, by Mary Alice Monroe (Mira, $19.95, 0778321878) "You can smell the salt air and hear the grass rustle in Monroe's writing. Building up her story of a family's struggle to remain united the way a basket maker builds up a sweetgrass basket, layer by layer, Monroe shows how the culture of the modern South unfolds." --Gee Gee Rosell, Buxton Village Books, Buxton, NC

THE WOODSMAN'S DAUGHTER: A Novel, by Gwyn Hyman Rubio (Viking, $24.95, 0670033219) "Rubio -- the author of Icy Sparks -- has created another memorable character and story. The setting -- 1800s southern Georgia -- is different from our own, but the anguish and conflicts of the characters are universal." --Kay Vincent, Bohannons' Books With a Past, Georgetown, KY Also a Recorded Books Audio (Unabridged CD, 1419342886)

SNOW: A Novel, by Orhan Pamuk (Vintage, $14.95 paper, 0375706860) "This is the moving, melancholy recounting of a poet's return to his native Turkey after 12 years of exile in Germany. Pamuk's narrative exposes us to the political tensions between the religious and the secular, and between Eastern and Western mentalities." --Jean Collin, Olsson's Books & Records, Bethesda, MD

TRUE NORTH, by Jim Harrison (Grove, $14 paper, 0802142060) "The novel is about a man's decades-long attempt to come to terms with both his destructive father and robber baron ancestors, who grew wealthy from the timber and ore of northern Michigan. Raw and eloquent, the novel seethes with love, hate, and self-loathing before reaching its brutal conclusion." --Ray Nurmi, Snowbound Books, Marquette, MI Also available from Blackstone Audio (Unabridged CD, 0786186895)

Fiction

BODIES IN MOTION: Stories, by Mary Anne Mohanraj (HarperCollins, $22.95, 0060781181)
THE BOOK OF SPIRITS, by James Reese (Morrow, $24.95, 006056105X)
THE EVERY BOY, by Dana Adam Shapiro (Houghton, $19.95, 0618478000)
THE HILL ROAD, by Patrick O'Keeffe (Viking, $23.95, 0670033987)
IN THE HOPE OF RISING AGAIN, by Helen Scully (Riverhead, $14 paper, 1594481032)
INCENDIARY, by Chris Cleave (Knopf, $22.95, 0307262820)
IT'S ALL RIGHT NOW, by Charles Chadwick (HarperCollins, $25.95, 0060742860
LOVE @ FIRST SITE, by Jane Moore (Broadway, $19.95, 0767916905)
MAGIC STREET, by Orson Scott Card (Del Rey, $24.95, 0345416899)
TART, by Jody Gehrman (Red Dress Ink, $12.95 paper, 0373895267)

Nonfiction

GAG RULE: On the Suppression of Dissent and the Stifling of Democracy, by Lewis H. Lapham (Penguin, $13 paper, 0143035029)
GARBAGE LAND: On the Secret Trail of Trash, by Elizabeth Royte (Little, Brown, $24.95, 0316738263)
THE LAST VOYAGE OF COLUMBUS: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Swordfight, Mutiny, Shipwreck, Gold, War, Hurricane, and Discovery, by Martin Dugard (Little, Brown, $24.95, 0316828831)
NO SAFE HARBOR: The Tragedy of the Dive Ship Wave Dancer, by Joe Burnworth (Emmis, $19.99, 157860219X)
THE TALL BOY, by Jess Gregg (Permanent Press, $18, 1579621198)

Science Fiction/Fantasy

BLOOD AND MEMORY: The Quickening Book Two, by Fiona McIntosh (Eos, $14.95 paper, 0060747587)
THE HIDDEN FAMILY: Book Two of Merchant Princes, by Charles Stross (Tor, $24.95, 0765313472)

Mystery/Suspense

THE DRAGON MAN: A Detective Inspector Challis Murder Mystery, by Garry Disher (Soho Crime, $11 paper, 1569473951)
JUDGMENT OF THE GRAVE: A Sweeney St. George Mystery, by Sarah Stewart Taylor (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95, 0312337396)
TO DARKNESS AND TO DEATH: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery, by Julia Spencer-Fleming (St. Martin's Minotaur, $23.95, 0312334850)