Announcing the December 2004 Book Sense Picks

Here is a preview of the December "Book Sense Picks." Independent booksellers in the Book Sense program will receive their Picks fliers in the November Red Box.

The flier is designed for store use during the month of December, and it is one component of a monthly program that also includes a downloadable PDF flier of 20 additional titles and online listings of bibliographic information for more titles that have been nominated for this time period by independent booksellers with Book Sense, but that have not been chosen for either of the other two lists. The PDF flier -- titled "We Also Recommend…" -- features booksellers' quotes and is designed so that it can be distributed in the store. In addition, an electronic file of shelf-talkers of these titles will also be made available in a downloadable PDF format.

Looking ahead, the deadline for nominations for the January Book Sense Picks list is Friday, November 5. To nominate, just e-mail a few sentences about the title to Book Sense Picks Editor-in-Chief Dan Cullen at [email protected], or use the convenient Web form at www.bookweb.org/read/6305.

And many thanks for all your contributions to Book Sense!

NIGHT FALL: A Novel, by Nelson DeMille (Warner, $26.95, 0446576638) "Nelson DeMille proves his superiority in the thriller ranks with a story that is taut, exciting, and entirely appropriate for the modern world. This is a powerful work and raises moral questions, like all great fiction." --Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

THE VIRGIN'S LOVER, by Philippa Gregory (Touchstone, $24.95, 0743256158) "Philippa Gregory has done it again! This riveting, fictionalized account of Elizabeth I's first few years as Queen of England focuses on her intense relationship with Robert Dudley and the impact it had on his marriage, her reputation, and the safety of the realm. A real page turner!" --Lori Underwood, HearthFire Books of Evergreen, Evergreen, CO

THE CORONER'S LUNCH, by Colin Cotterill (Soho, $23, 1569473765) "Colin Cotterill's unlikely and charming detective -- Dr. Siri Paiboun -- must cope with the bureaucracy and politics of the Pathet Lao in 1970s Laos. Siri is a coroner, 'not a very good one at that,' but he still manages to uncover the truth. Once you start reading, you'll hope that the next book in the series follows quickly." --Ann Carlson, Harborwalk Books, Georgetown, SC

THE YEAR IS '42: A Novel, by Nella Bielski (Pantheon, $18.95, 0375422862) "To read The Year Is '42 is to read a voice so assured it can carry the cataclysmic happenings of World War II -- German officers in occupied Paris and then the Eastern Front -- with a calm, clear narrative voice. It's a voice that's water-still, clear enough that you can see the bottom. And the bottom it is: Men who wage war, even as they imagine some other life." --Rick Simonson, The Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA

THE COMPLETE CARTOONS OF THE NEW YORKER, Edited by Robert Mankoff, foreword by David Remnick (Black Dog & Leventhal, $60, 1579123228) "This comic chronicle (with two CDs containing all the cartoons and profiles and mini-portfolios of key contributors) is the perfect gift for at least one person on everyone's list -- if you can finish browsing it by the time you have to wrap it in December." --Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GUILTY PLEASURES: 1,001 Things You Hate to Love, by Sam Stall, Lou Harry, and Julia Spalding (Quirk Books/Chronicle Books, $14.95 paper, 1931686548) "With 314 alphabetized pages overflowing with 1,001 things that people hate to admit they like, this little book is must-have conversation piece. Just open it up to any page and you are bound to find at least one thing that you would rather die than admit liking. So, go ahead, indulge!" --Stacey DeAngelo, The Tudor Book Shop and Cafe, Kingston, PA

SNOW IN JULY: A Novel, by Heather Barbieri (Soho, $24, 1569473846) "Eighteen-year-old Erin has had a lot to deal with: the death of her father and the loss of her older sister to narcotics. She and her mother mirror the rugged Montana landscape in which they live as they deal with the fallout of addiction. Barbieri's first novel is at once humorous, tender, and honest.." --Katrina Denza, The Country Bookshop, Southern Pines, NC

WELCOMING WILDLIFE TO THE GARDEN: Creating Backyard & Balcony Habitats for Wildlife, by Catherine J. Johnson, Susan McDiarmid, and Edward R. Turner (Hartley & Marks Publishers, $21.95 paper, 0881792012) "A superb idea book for the backyard naturalist in all of us. The authors have not only packed it with information, plans, designs, and gorgeous illustrations, but they also speak clearly to the compelling reasons for creating lovely backyard habitats." --Eric Robbins, Apple Valley Books, Winthrop, ME

EAST SIDE STORY: A Novel, by Louis Auchincloss (Houghton, $24, 0618452443) "In this, his 60th book, Louis Auchincloss -- a modern master -- takes us inside the world of wealthy WASPs and well-connected Gothamites. He lays bare the rituals of this tribe through four generations of the Carnochan clan, Scottish immigrants who arrive in New York in 1825 and proceed to achieve, in addition to ever-increasing financial success, much emotional devastation." --Jeff Smull, The Toadstool Bookshop, Keene, NH

WOLVES EAT DOGS: An Arkady Renko Novel, by Martin Cruz Smith (Simon & Schuster, $25.95, 0684872544) "Arkady Renko is back. The intrepid detective of Gorky Park and Havana Bay investigates the suicide of one of Russia's new millionaires. The case leads him to the environmental crime of the century: Chernobyl. Smith gives the reader an unrelenting paladin searching for truth, social commentary about a corrupt system, and a look inside the human soul. The writing is a joy to read." --Jack Gillard, Shaman Drum Bookshop, Ann Arbor, MI

NABOKOV'S BUTTERFLY: And Other Stories of Great Authors & Rare Books, by Rick Gekoski (Carroll & Graf, $23, 0786714522) "Attention bibliophiles: Gekoski will titillate veteran and fledgling book collectors alike with gossip about great authors and insider tidbits on the publishing world and the rare book market. You'll find yourself chuckling as he reflects on his life as a book dealer." --Melissa Olm, The Reader's Loft, De Pere, WI

HELLO KITTY EVERYWHERE!: by Kate T. Williamson with Jennifer Butefish and Maria Fernanda Soares (Abrams, $14.95, 0810949385) "This is the gift book for the twenty-something retro crowd. On each page, a haiku is matched to a Hello Kitty photo vignette. Kitty in the jungle; Kitty landing a plane; Kitty racing a car. From gardener to bride, astronaut to superhero, Kitty is everywhere in this delightful book." --Jodi Schneider, Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA

HELOISE & ABELARD: A New Biography, by James Burge (HarperSanFrancisco, $24.95, 0060736631) "Even though I was familiar with the story of these famous lovers, I found this examination of their lives fascinating. The rich historical detail brought the period alive, not only the details of their lives, but also their thoughts and beliefs." --Donna Cressman, Maxwell Books, De Soto, TX

TELLING TALES, Edited by Nadine Gordimer (Picador, $14 paper, 0312424043) "A glimpse into the brilliance, the unfettered imaginations, the razor-sharp insight of some of the world's most beloved writers. Entertaining in the enormous variety of voices, perspectives, and styles -- no two tales in this collection are alike! All proceeds from this anthology will go to the Treatment Action Campaign, a nonprofit organization whose funds are used entirely for the treatment and support of people suffering from HIV and AIDS." --Dana Parker, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA

RUMPOLE AND THE PENGE BUNGALOW MURDERS, by John Mortimer (Viking, $24.95, 0670033561) "Rumpole's first case, told from the vantage point of old age. Young Horace Rumpole tricks the Head of Chambers, sasses the Lord Chief Justice, and questions the heroics of some RAF pilots in his quest to prove the son of one of them innocent of murder. Rumpole, it would seem, was as iconoclastic, witty, and irreverent in his first case as in his last!" --Betsy Burton, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

THE BONES OF THE EARTH, by Howard Mansfield (Shoemaker & Hoard, $25, 159376040X) "Mansfield's brilliant and moving writing focuses on the loss and restoration of cultural memory as we are asked to meditate on some of the worlds oldest landmarks -- quite literally sticks and stones. This book should be read and treasured by all who thirst for a greater sense of belonging in our increasingly rootless age." --Dan Chartrand, Water Street Books, Exeter, NH

MR. TIMOTHY: A Novel, by Louis Bayard (Perennial, $13.95 paper, 0060534222) "A new world began for Mr. Timothy Cratchit on that certain Christmas morning. He's not so Tiny now, our Tim, and doesn't use a cane. He does see ghosts on the streets of London, mostly his father, Bob. These ghosts don't disturb him; the bodies of terrified young girls that he sees on the streets do. A truly gripping read, suspenseful and rich, steeped in the dense atmosphere of Victorian London." --Russ Harvey, Cody's Books, Berkeley, CA

THERE ARE JEWS IN MY HOUSE: Stories, by Lara Vapnyar (Anchor, $12 paper, 1400033896) "This is a very memorable collection of short stories by a young Russian author who writes in precise, spare, and unself-conscious prose. These small, surprising gems deal with novelty, anti-Semitism, the line between innocence and knowledge, and, above all, the truthful underbelly of human emotions." --Joan Barberich, Food for Thought Books, Amherst, MA

THE BIRTH OF VENUS: A Novel, by Sarah Dunant (Random House Trade Paperbacks, $13.95 paper, 0812968972) "The Birth of Venus is devilishly seductive. You will quickly get caught up in the life of Alessandra Cecchi and the mystery, romance, sensuality, and politics of 1492 Florence. Precision plotting, well-defined characters, and sharp dialogue make this a standout novel for 2004!" --Emery Pinter, Chapter 11, Lawrenceville, GA