September 2004 Book Sense Picks

1. WAITING FOR TEDDY WILLIAMS: A Novel, by Howard Frank Mosher (Houghton Mifflin, $24, 0618197222) "Fans of Mosher will be delighted with this return to Kingdom Common, Vermont, where a boy’s most intense desires are to find his father and for the Red Sox to win the World Series. Mosher’s characters are so well drawn you see them clearly, with all their faults and idiosyncrasies, as if they were standing right next to you."—Elaine Sopchak, The Book Rack and Children's Pages, Essex Junction, VT

AN UNFINISHED LIFE: A Novel, by Mark Spragg (Knopf, $23, 1400042011) "At times poignant, funny, painful, and redemptive, this novel tells a profoundly human story of forgiveness. Spragg creates a sense of place that is both timeless and brooding, artfully echoing the journeys of his characters."—Lu Walters, The Boulder Book Store, Boulder, CO Also a Highbridge Audio (Unabridged CD, 1565119002)

HISSY FIT: A Novel, by Mary Kay Andrews (HarperCollins, $24.95, 0060564644) "Finding her groom-to-be with her maid of honor at her rehearsal dinner, Keeley Murdock pitches an old-fashioned hissy fit. However, having jilted the richest guy in town, she finds herself in a precarious position and begins to learn that her hissy fit is the least of her worries."—Charity McMaster, Schuler Books & Music, Grand Rapids, MI Also a HarperAudio (Abridged CD, 0060738367)

SWEET AND VICIOUS, by David Schickler (Dial, $23, 0385335687) "Henry and Grace are on the run, with a suitcase full of diamonds and a savage gangster on their trail. In this follow-up to his marvelous debut, Kissing in Manhattan, David Schickler creates another modern fairy tale filled with magic, savagery, and fantastic characters in love with love."—Michael Wells, Bailey-Coy Books, Seattle, WA Also a Recorded Books Audio (Unabridged CD, 1419306103)

THE DIVINE HUSBAND: A Novel, by Francisco Goldman (Atlantic, $24, 0871139154) "Francisco Goldman has dipped his pen into the well of imagination and produced the most finely formed novel in recent memory—a tale of 19th century Central America with lots of juicy characters flowing through geographical, racial, political, and spiritual borders. The magic of this book took my breath away."—Susan Avery, Ariel Booksellers, New Paltz, NY

BROKEN FOR YOU, by Stephanie Kallos (Grove, $23, 0802117791) "Set in contemporary Seattle, this debut novel features a septuagenarian recluse and a young woman with a broken heart. How these two women come together, open up to each other, themselves, and those around them makes a fascinating and compelling book."—Akankha Perkins, The Sun of the Heart Bookstore, Bridgewater, VT

HEIR TO THE GLIMMERING WORLD: A Novel, by Cynthia Ozick (Houghton Mifflin, $24, 0618470492) "Cynthia Ozick’s new novel brings to life the ferment that was New York in the 1930s, with its traumatized German-Jewish refugees and its homegrown idealists itching to fight Fascists in Spain. Ozick weaves a dark fairy tale into the realism of the Depression, creating a moving novel of dreams, faith, and fortune."—Laurie Greer, Politics & Prose Books & Coffee, Washington, DC

JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL: A Novel, by Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury, $27.95, 1582344167) "Susanna Clarke astonishes with a tale full of wonders! The vivid characters, richly defined world of 1806 England, and mystical elements keep the pages turning in this story of how magicians helped the English defeat Napoleon."—Emery Pinter, Chapter 11, Atlanta, GA

OUTSIDE VALENTINE: A Novel, by Liza Ward (Holt, $23, 0805075984) "Novelist Liza Ward uses the 1959 Charles Starkweather killings as a historical framework on which to hang a beautiful tale of cause, effect, and survival. The author, a granddaughter of two of the victims of this notorious crime spree, has penned a deeply rewarding novel, an ideal selection for book clubs."—Linda Hillegass, Lee Booksellers, Lincoln, NE

BLOODSWORTH: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA, by Tim Junkin (Algonquin, $23.95, 1565124197) "Kirk Bloodsworth lived everyone’s nightmare after he was convicted of a crime he did not commit and was sentenced to death. With the help of dedicated lawyers and advocates, and his own internal strength, he became the first death row inmate freed, thanks to DNA testing. His story is gripping and cautionary."—Russ Harvey, Cody’s Books, Berkeley, CA

CLOUD ATLAS: A Novel, by David Mitchell (Random House Trade Paperbacks, $14.95, 0375507256) "The author of the amazing first novel Ghostwritten comes back with another mind-bending, time-bending treat. Made up of six sections that span millennia and the globe, this novel is part science fiction, part suspense, part historical novel, and altogether a wonderful book by a daring young author."—Curt Witteveen, Annie Bloom’s Books, Portland, OR

DEFINING THE WIND: The Beaufort Scale, and How a 19th-Century Admiral Turned Science Into Poetry, by Scott Huler (Crown, $23, 1400048842) "What Dava Sobel did for the chronometer in Longitude, Scott Huler does for the Beaufort Scale, a scale in which the force of the wind is indicated by numbers from zero to 12. In a fascinating history, Huler gives us an amazing account of the measurement of wind."—Bill Cusumano, Nicola’s Books, Ann Arbor, MI

HOME TO ITALY, by Peter Pezzelli (Kensington, $14 paper, 0758207689) "After a lifetime of living in America, Peppi Pappino returns to his childhood home in Italy after the death of his wife, Anna. His love of gardening, bicycle adventures, and meeting with old friends—as well as finding a new, unexpected, love—endears him to my heart."—Lillian Kinsey, Bohannons’ Books With a Past, Georgetown, KY

MILLARD FILLMORE, MON AMOUR: A Novel, by John Blumenthal (Griffin, $12.95 paper, 0312323689) "A witty, laugh-out-loud funny take on our collective neuroses. Plato G. Fussell—the author of the definitive 10-volume biography of Millard Fillmore—is a character you won’t soon forget."—Sarah Carr, McIntyre’s Fine Books, Pittsboro, NC

NINE HILLS TO NAMBONKAHA: Two Years in the Heart of an African Village, by Sarah Erdman (Picador, $14 paper, 0312423128) "The most beautifully written travel tale I have ever read. Erdman writes about her experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Ivory Coast without resorting to stereotypes or condescension. Instead, she relays her observations with respect, authenticity, and humility."—Julia Pollard, University Book Store, Seattle, WA

PRINCE OF THIEVES: A Novel, by Chuck Hogan (Scribner, $25, 074326455X) "This is the story of four childhood friends from Charlestown, Massachusetts—home of more bank robberies than any square mile in the world—who rob banks for their livelihood and for the camaraderie. This is a gritty novel featuring an intricately woven plot about friends trying to maintain the old town spirit while watching their way of life disappear."—Sue Richardson, Maine Coast Book Shop, Damariscotta, ME Also an Audioworks Audio (Abridged CD, 0743538390)

THE PROGRAM: A Novel, by Gregg Hurwitz (Morrow, $24.95, 0060530405) "U.S. Marshal Tim Rackley descends into the dark, calculated machinery of a mind control cult to rescue a young woman. Even with all of Tim’s skills, he’s in very real danger of not just failing to rescue his client, but also of losing himself."—Maryelizabeth Hart, Mysterious Galaxy Books, San Diego, CA Also a HarperAudio (Abridged CD, 0060757760)

WHIRLWIND: A Novel, by Joseph Garber (HarperCollins, $24.95, 0060596503) "Disgraced CIA operative Charlie McKenzie is unapologetic, opportunistic, and, best of all, bitter over the way he was forced out. Now that his former superiors desperately need his help, he is determined to make the experience as uncomfortable for them as possible. Readers are in for a satisfying thrill."—Kat Kinzer, Warwick’s, La Jolla, CA Also a Brilliance Audio (Unabridged CD, 1593555253)

THE JAPANESE ART OF SEX: How to Tease, Seduce, and Pleasure the Samurai in Your Bedroom, by Jina Bacarr (Stone Bridge Press, $16.95 paper, 1880656841) "Not since The Joy of Sex has there been such a charming and innovative how-to book on the pleasures of the bedroom. Add a little wasabi to your love life with this delightful and informative book."—Kathy Ashton, The King’s English, Salt Lake City, UT

ANOTHER BULLSHIT NIGHT IN SUCK CITY: A Memoir, by Nick Flynn (Norton, $23.95, 0393051390) "A fascinating, brutally honest memoir of a sometimes social worker and his homeless father. Written as a series of short vignettes, this is a memoir like no other you’ve read."—Colin Rea, University of Oregon Bookstore, Eugene, OR