Prepub Alert, June 1, 2011
June 1, 2011| PREPUB ALERT ONLINE: blog.libraryjournal.com/prepubalert SIGN UP: bit.ly/g2UqaT |
TOP COMMERCIALFICTION
Baldacci, David. Zero Day. Grand Central. Nov. 2011. 416p. ISBN 9780446573016. $28.99. lrg. prnt. CD: Hachette Audio. THRILLER
Bradley, Alan. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows: A Flavia de Luce Novel. Delacorte. Nov. 2011. 384p. ISBN 9780385344012. $23; CD: Random Audio. MYSTERY
Coulter, Catherine. The Prince of Ravenscar. Putnam. Nov. 2011. 368p. ISBN 9780399158070. $19.95. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Cussler, Clive & Graham Brown. Devil’s Gate: A Novel from the NUMA Files. Putnam. Nov. 2011. NAp. ISBN 9780399157820. $27.95. CD: Penguin Audio. THRILLER
Evans, Richard Paul. Lost December. S. & S. Oct. 2011. 272p. ISBN 9781451628005. $19.99. POP FICTION
Flynn, Vince. Untitled. Atria: S. & S. Oct. 2011. 448p. ISBN 9781416595205. $27.99. THRILLER
Grafton, Sue. V Is for Vengeance. Putnam. Nov. 2011. 400p. ISBN 9780399157868. $27.95. THRILLER
Johansen, Iris. Bonnie. St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. 416p. ISBN 9780312651220. $27.99. THRILLER
McCall Smith, Alexander. The Forgotten Affairs of Youth: An Isabel Dalhousie Novel. Pantheon. Oct. 2011. 272p. ISBN 9780307379184. $24.95; eISBN 9780307906793. MYSTERY
Patterson, James & Richard DiLallo. The Christmas Wedding. Little, Brown. Oct. 2011. 304p. ISBN 9780316097390. $25.99. CD: Hachette Audio. POP FICTION
Steel, Danielle. Hotel Vendome. Delacorte. Nov. 2011. 336p. ISBN 9780385343176. $28. POP FICTION
VanLiere, Donna. The Christmas Note. St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. 224p. ISBN 9780312658960. $14.99. POP FICTION
FICTION
Coes, Ben. Coup d’Etat. St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. 464p. ISBN 9780312580766. $25.99. THRILLER
A former speechwriter for George H.W. Bush, Coes snared thriller readers with his tough and bloody Power Down. Here, Power protagonist Dewey Andreas is asked to stage a coup that will unseat the new Pakistani president, an extremist cleric. So what else is new? For all slam-bang lovers.
Connolly, John. The Infernals. Atria: S. & S. Oct. 2011. 320p.ISBN 9781451643084. $22. THRILLER
The demon Mrs. Abernathy is ready to kill a lad named Samuel Johnson because he helped scotch the invasion of Earth by evil forces. So Sam’s on the run with Boswell, his devoted dachshund, but they get yanked through a portal to a dark and dangerous place. The popular Connolly always did have a taste for wicked whimsy.
Ha Jin. Nanjing Requiem. Pantheon. Oct. 2011. 320p. ISBN 9780307379764. $25.95; eISBN 9780307381019. LITERARY
In 1937, as the Japanese were preparing to invade Nanjing, American missionary Minnie Vautrin stuck to her post as dean of Jinling Women’s College. Now the college is a refugee camp swarming with 10,000 people, which Minnie tries to manage while mourning those she cannot save. Since Ha Jin won the National Book Award for Waiting, his writing keeps opening up like a big, beautiful fan. A bold look into last century’s heart of darkness; essential where good literature is read.
Hoffman, Alice. The Dovekeepers. Scribner. Oct. 2011. 512p. ISBN 9781451617474. $27.99. CD: S. & S. Audio. HISTORICAL
Hoffman departs from offbeat fantasy to retell the story of the Romans’ siege of Masada in 70 CE, during which all but a handful of the 900 Jewish defenders were slaughtered. The story unfolds through the voices of four women: Yael, daughter of an assassin; Revka, determined to protect her grandsons; the warrior Aziza; and her mother, a woman of mysterious powers. Hoffman spent five years researching the book, and the publisher is pushing it as her Beloved.
Kelby, N.M. White Truffles in Winter. Norton. Nov. 2011. 352p. ISBN 9780393079999. $24.95. LITERARY
French chef Auguste Escoffier loved food and two famous women: his wife, stubbornly independent poet Delphine Daffis, and Sarah Bernhardt. Here, Escoffier returns to Delphine, who wants him to create a signature dish for her, as he has done for Bernhardt and other notable women. The challenge for Escoffier: find the flavors that capture his love for Delphine. The challenge for Kelby: find the language to capture the delicacy of Escoffier’s efforts. From the author of In the Company of Angels; definitely take a chance.
Lindqvist, John Ajvide. Harbor. St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. 512p. ISBN 9780312680275. $25.99. THRILLER
Lindqvist’s Let the Right One In has been made into two films, one Swedish and one American (called Let Me Be), with the Swedish version winning awards at 16 film festivals worldwide. The backlist paperback is one of the publisher’s biggest sellers. Here, a six-year-old girl crosses the ice with her parents to visit a lighthouse and promptly vanishes. Her father later returns to the area and finds a surprising secretiveness about what happened. Watch this one; Lindqvist has fans.
Matheson, Richard. Steel. Tor. Oct. 2011. 320p. ISBN 9780765329424. $14.99; mass market media tie-in. 304p. ISBN 9780765367617. $7.99. CD: Blackstone. SF
This fall’s Real Steel, a film directed by Shawn Levy and starring Hugh Jackman, is based on Matheson’s classic “Steel”—one of several cool stories in this collection, none published in book form before. Given the movie, consider even if you don’t have big sf readers.
Melton, Patrick & Marcus Dunstan with Stephen Romano. Black Light. Mulholland Bks: Little, Brown. Oct. 2011. 288p. ISBN 9780316196710. $25.99. THRILLER
Having psychic abilities sure helps PI Buck Carlsbad, though they haven’t yet led him to the spirits of his murdered parents. Then one of those out-of-the-spotlight billionaires often found in thrillers shows up with a dangerous request. Melton and Dunstan are the guys who gave us the blockbuster Saw films (author/screenwriter Romano lends a helping hand), so expect to be scared.
Nádas, Péter. Parallel Stories. Farrar. Nov. 2011. 1152p. ISBN 9780374229764. $40. LITERARY
There are indeed parallel stories here: those of Hans von Wolkenstein, whose mother guards secrets about collaboration during the war; Ágost Lippay Lehr, son of an influential Hungarian politician; and Andras Rott, who’s been engaged in suspect activities abroad. We first encounter them in 1961 Budapest, but the novel flashes back to 1939 and forward to the watershed year of 1989. Nádas is a giant of contemporary literature—Susan Sontag called A Book of Memories “the greatest novel written in our time”—so get for all serious readers.
Oates, Joyce Carol. The Corn Maiden and Other Nightmares: Novellas and Stories of Unspeakable Dread. Mysterious: Grove Atlantic. Nov. 2011. 224p. ISBN 9780802126023. $24. SUSPENSE
In the title novella, a somewhat slow 11-year-old girl with corn-silk hair goes missing; three older girls have enticed her into a basement, there to enact a ghastly ritual. Oates can really creep us out in literate fashion; for all chill seekers.
Sierra, Javier. The Lost Angel. Atria: S. & S. Oct. 2011. 448p. ISBN 9781416595205. $25.99. THRILLER
Middle Eastern terrorists who think they’re angels plan to blow the entire world sky-high, and their plan hinges on kidnapping an American scientist who possesses a pair of ancient stones that reputedly allow one to talk with God. Only the scientist’s wife can save him; she has psychic power over the stones. If you loved the author’s The Secret Supper, you’ll probably love this, too.
Tillyard, Stella. Tides of War. Holt. Nov. 2011. 304p. ISBN 9780805094572. $26. HISTORICAL
The Peninsular War (1812–15) sends newly married James to battle in Spain with the Duke of Wellington’s troops even as his spirited wife, Harriet, finds both friendship and a sense of self at home. Noted historian Tillyard is also the author of the popular novel Aristocrats (remember the BBC miniseries?). Pretty substantive historical fiction.
TOP COMMERCIAL NONFICTION
Belafonte, Harry with Michael Shnayerson. My Song: A Memoir. Knopf. Nov. 2011. 448p. ISBN 9780307272263. $30; eISBN 9780307700483. lrg. prnt. CD: Random Audio. MEMOIR/PERFORMING ARTS
Brokaw, Tom. The Time of Our Lives: Past, Present, Promise. Random. Nov. 2011. 288p. ISBN 9781400064588. $27; eISBN 9780679643920. lrg. prnt. CD: Random Audio. HISTORY
Brower, Sam. Prophet’s Prey: My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. Oct. 2011. 304p. ISBN 9781608192755. $26. LAW
Chast, Roz. What I Hate: From A to Z. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. Oct. 2011. 64p. ISBN 9781608196890. $15. CARTOONS
Collins, Judy. Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: My Life in Music. Crown Archetype. Oct. 2011. 320p. ISBN 9780307717344. $26; eISBN 9780307717368. CD: Random Audio. MEMOIR/PERFORMING ARTS
Covey, Stephen R. The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life’s Most Difficult Problems. Free Pr: S. & S. Oct. 2011. 352p. ISBN 9781451626261. $28. CD: S. & S. Audio. SELF-HELP
Cussler, Clive. Built for Adventure: The Classic Automobiles of Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt. Putnam. Nov. 2011. 288p. ISBN 9780399158100. $50. AUTOMOBILES
The Dalai Lama. A Profound Mind: Cultivating Wisdom in Everyday Life. Harmony, dist. by Crown. Oct. 2011. 208p. ISBN 9780385514675. $24; eISBN 9780307952448. RELIGION
Deen, Paula. Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible: The New Classic Guide to Delicious Dishes with More Than 300 Recipes. S. & S. Oct. 2011. 400p. ISBN 9781416564072. $26.99. COOKING
Fenoli, Randy. It’s All About the Dress: Savvy Secrets, Priceless Advice, and Inspiring Stories To Help You Find “The One.” Grand Central. Nov. 2011. 240p. ISBN 9780446585071. $26.99. FASHION
Graedon, Joe & Teresa Graedon. Top Screwups Doctors Make and How To Avoid Them: Don’t Be a Statistic. Crown Archetype. Oct. 2011. 272p. ISBN 9780307460912. $25; eISBN 9780307460936. HEALTH/MEDICINE
Jarvis, Jeff. Public Parts: How Sharing in the Digital Age Is Revolutionizing Life, Business, and Society. S. & S. Oct. 2011. 256p. ISBN 9781451636000. $26.99. TECHNOLOGY
Kaling, Mindy. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). Crown Archetype. Nov. 2011. 224p. ISBN 9780307886262. $25; eISBN 9780307886286. $25. CD: Random Audio. MEMOIR/TELEVISION
Keaton, Diane. Then Again. Random. Nov. 2011. 240p. ISBN 9781400068784. $26; eISBN 9781588369420. CD: Random Audio. MEMOIR/FILM
Leibovitz, Annie. Pilgrimage. Random. Nov. 2011. 248p. ISBN 9780375505089. $50. PHOTOGRAPHY
Markoe, Merrill. Cool, Calm, and Contentious. Villard. Nov. 2011. 288p. ISBN 9780345518910. $24; eISBN 9780345518934. HUMOR
Marley, Bob. Plain and Simple Wisdom from 56 Hope Road. Harmony, dist. by Crown. Nov. 2011. 176p. ISBN 9780385518833. $16: eISBN 9780307952455. MEMOIR/MUSIC
Neely, Patrick & Gina Neely. The Neelys’ Celebration Cookbook: Down Home Meals for Every Occasion. Knopf. Nov. 2011. 288p. ISBN 9780307592941. $28.95; eISBN 9780307700629. COOKING
O’Neal, Shaquille with Jackie MacMullan. Shaq Uncut: Tall Tales and Untold Stories. Grand Central. Nov. 2011. 304p. ISBN 9781455504411. $27.95. lrg. prnt. CD: Hachette Audio. MEMOIR/SPORTS
O’Rourke, P.J. Holidays in Heck: A Former War Correspondent Experiences Frightening Vacation Fun. Atlantic Monthly. Nov. 2011. 288p. ISBN 9780802119858. $23. HUMOR
Rice, Condoleezza. Untitled White House Memoir. Crown. Nov. 2011. 448p. ISBN 9780307587862. $30; eISBN 9780307952479. MEMOIR/POLITICS
Roberts, Jon & Evan Wright. American Desperado: My Life; From Mafia Soldier to Cocaine Cowboy to Secret Government Asset. Crown. Nov. 2011. 304p. ISBN 9780307450425. $26; eISBN 9780307450449. CD: Random Audio. MEMOIR/TRUE CRIME
Rogak, Lisa. And Nothing but the Truthiness: The Rise (and Further Rise) of Stephen Colbert. St. Martin’s. Oct. 2011. 304p. ISBN 9780312616106. $25.99. BIOG/PERFORMING ARTS
NONFICTION
Bonin, Richard. Arrows of the Night: Ahmad Chalabi’s Long Journey to Triumph in Iraq. Doubleday. Nov. 2011. 272p. ISBN 9780385524735. $26.95; eISBN 978038553503. CD: Random Audio. CURRENT EVENTS
When his wealthy Shiite fam ily was forced into exile during the 1958 revolution that put Saddam Hussein in power, Ahmad Chalabi vowed revenge. After several failed attempts at igniting a coup, he sought support of the U.S. gov- ernment, first securing funding for Iraqi opposition groups and then delivering defectors whose testimony about Saddam Hussein’s possession of WMD proved to be untrue. An important book from 60 Minutes producer Bonin.
Clark, Lloyd. The Battle of the Tanks: Kursk, 1943. Atlantic Monthly. Nov. 2011. 496p. ISBN 9780802119087. $25. HISTORY
In July 1943, two million men met outside of Kursk, 280 miles south of Moscow, as the Germans launched Operation Citadel in an effort to patch up their hold on vital Soviet territory after the retreat from Stalingrad. The Red Army victory was a turning point for the war. Senior academic in the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst’s war studies department, Clark used new material from the Russian archives to bring us what will doubtless be a significant book.
Dawkins, Richard (text) & Dave McKean (illus.). The Magic of Reality. Free Pr: S. & S. Oct. 2011. 288p. ISBN 9781439192818. $29.99. CD: Random Audio. SCIENCE
Author of The Selfish Gene, much-decorated evolutionary biologist Dawkins has taught at both Berkeley and Oxford; illustrator McKean spooked up Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, designed the Broadway musical Lestat, brought many of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter creatures to the screen, and in general is responsible for hundreds of book and CD covers and advertising illustrations. What a team to highlight the world’s wondrous natural phenomena.
Ferguson, Niall. Civilization: The West and the Rest. Penguin Pr: Penguin Group (USA). Nov. 2011. 400p. ISBN 9781594203053. $35. HISTORY
China and Ottoman Turkey had advanced empires at a time when Europeans were living in mud huts, but things have since changed. Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University, Ferguson explains the rise of the West by saying that it developed six key concepts, or “killer applications” (love that technospeak): competition, science, the rule of law, consumerism, modern medicine, and the work ethic. Now the “rest” of the world has latched onto those apps. Thought-provoking and possibly controversial; I’m dying to see.
Gaddis, John Lewis. George F. Kennan: An American Life. Penguin Pr: Penguin Group (USA). Nov. 2011. 800p. ISBN 9781594203121. $39.95. BIOGRAPHY
One of our most significant diplomats, George F. Kennan was responsible for this country’s four-decades-long policy of containment regarding the Soviet Union. Gaddis, the Robert A. Lovett Professor of History at Yale University, began interviewing Kennan almost 30 years ago, also plunging into his personal papers with plans to write a definitive biography. But since these papers covered not only politics but deeply personal matters, including Kennan’s struggle with depression, the two men agreed that the work would not appear until after Kennan’s death. Should be an eye-opener,
Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. Looking at African American History, 1500–2008. Knopf. Nov. 2011. 880p. ISBN 9780307593429. $50. HISTORY
Of course you trust Gates, Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard, to deliver an indelible (near-definitive?) history of African Americans ranging from the conquistadores to President Barack Obama. Fresh scholarship and more than 800 images, plus a 60,000-copy first printing; important for most collections.
Hughes, Robert. Rome: A Cultural, Visual, and Personal History. Knopf. Nov. 2011. 528p. ISBN 9780307268440. $35. HISTORY
Longtime art critic for Time, Hughes is the right man to tell us about the glory that remains Rome. He doesn’t stop with painting, sculpture, and architecture but covers Rome’s entire history, using as a framework his discovery of the city starting in 1958, when he arrived as a young student. I’m betting on this one. With a 50,000-copy first printing.
Lethem, Jonathan. The Ecstasy of Influence: Nonfictions, etc. Doubleday. Nov. 2011. 592p. ISBN 9780385534956. $32.50; eISBN 9780385534963. LITERATURE
In pieces from his entire career, which encompasses essay, memoir, and fiction, renowned novelist Lethem touches on everything from cyberculture to Marlon Brando to the borough of Brooklyn. His aim? To consider the role of the novelist in contemporary culture. Absorbing reading for the smart set.
Massie, Robert K. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman. Random. Nov. 2011. 544p. ISBN 9780679456728. $35; eISBN 9781588360441. HISTORY
No one does Russian history like Massie, who hooked readers with Nicholas and Alexandra and went on to win a Pulitzer for Peter the Great. Iron-hard ruler of Russia in the 1700s, Catherine expanded the borders of her empire while bringing it into Europe’s cultural orbit and juggling lovers along the way. For all upscale readers.
Orlean, Susan. Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend. S. & S. Oct. 2011. 320p. ISBN 9781439190135. $26.99. CD: S. & S. Audio. PETS/PERFORMING ARTS
In September 1918, Cpl. Lee Duncan rescued a five-day-old German Shepherd pup from a bombed-out war-dog kennel in France and named him Rin Tin Tin after the French puppets given to American soldiers for good luck. Back in America, the dog demonstrated some uncanny talents and became a major movie star. Thus began the story of a canine family stretching over 11 generations that has captured the imagination of the American public. Good news: the Rin Tin Tin saga is voiced by Orlean, an author drawn to unexpected stories just begging to be told. So many dog lovers, and everyone knows Rinty.
Rhodes, Richard. Hedy’s Folly. Doubleday. Nov. 2011. 336p. ISBN 9780385534383. $26.95; eISBN 9780385534390. BIOGRAPHY/SCIENCE
Thank your Hollywood stars that Hedy Lamarr, who trained as an engineer, invented spread-spectrum radio with avant-garde composer George Antheil. Allowing the rapid switch of communications signals through a range of frequencies, spread-spectrum radio makes cell phones, GPS, and radio-guided torpedoes possible. I’ve heard this story but suspect that multiaward winner Rhodes will make it even better.
Sheets, Lawrence Scott. 8 Pieces of Empire. Crown. Nov. 2011. 320p. ISBN 9780307395825. $28; eISBN 9780307888853. HISTORY
Currently a senior analyst of the South Caucasus region for the International Crisis Group and formerly Caucasus bureau chief for Reuters as well as Moscow bureau chief for NPR, Sheets has the wherewithal to portray the aftermath of the Soviet collapse. That the publisher beat out eight others in bidding for this book suggests an assumption of strong reader interest. Also check out Conor O’Clery’s Moscow December 25, 1991: The Last Day of the Soviet Union (PublicAffairs. Aug. 2011. ISBN 9781586487966. $26.99).
Sobel, Dava. A More Perfect Heaven: How Nicolaus Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. Oct. 2011. 272p. ISBN 9780802717931. $24. SCIENCE
Author of such engrossing international best sellers as Longitude, Sobel has the knowledge and writerly grace to explain what Copernicus accomplished—and how youthful German mathematician Georg Joachim Rheticus convinced him to publish On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres and change the world. A book on science and personality that should intrigue us all; with a 14-city tour.
Spiegelman, Art. MetaMaus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus. Pantheon. Oct. 2011. 320p. ISBN 9780375423949. $35 with DVD. HISTORY/GRAPHIC ARTS
Spiegelman reflects on his creation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Maus, ongoing response to readers, and love for his chosen medium; a DVD helps clarify the visual process. Sure to breed excitement; The Complete Maus (ISBN 9780679406419. $35) releases this October to celebrate the 25th anniversary.
Stewart, David O. American Emperor: Aaron Burr’s Challenge to Jefferson’s America. S. & S. Oct. 2011. 352p. ISBN 9781439157183. $28. HISTORY
Burrrr. The very name makes us shudder. But Stewart, a Washington, DC–based lawyer who spent his time defending criminals and challenging government actions as unconstitutional before writing the award-winning best seller The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution, should be able to unfold Burr’s complexities and motivations. A myth buster.
Toll, Ian W. Pacific Crucible: War in the Pacific, 1941–1943. Norton. Nov. 2011. 544p. ISBN 9780393068139. $32.95. HISTORY
Winner of the Samuel Eliot Morison and William E. Colby awards for Six Frigates, Toll has the expertise to discuss the first months of the Pacific War. History readers will want; with a seven-city tour.
MY PICKS
Eco, Umberto. The Prague Cemetery. Houghton Harcourt. Nov. 2011. 560p. ISBN 9780547577531. $28; eISBN 9780547577616. LITERARY FICTION
With the publication of The Name of the Rose, Italian semiotics professor Eco proved himself to be a novelist of stature capable of making ideas not just enticing but positively energizing. His latest takes that longtime thriller darling, the conspiracy theory, and turns it into something grander. It’s 19th-century Europe, and everyone suspects everyone else of something and plots vengeance accordingly; as one character says, “for my grandfather it was the Jews, for the Jesuits the Masons, for my Garibaldian father the Jesuits, for the kings of half Europe the Carbonari, for my Mazzinian companions the king backed by the priests, for the police throughout half the world the Bavarian Illuminati, and so forth.” Folks should be paranoid, though they’re wrong about why; there’s one especially evil man at the center of this web, controlling everything. Sold to 40 countries and said to be controversial; a speed-read with smarts.
Didion, Joan. Blue Nights. Knopf. Nov. 2011. 208p. ISBN 9780307267672. $25; eISBN 9780307700513. lrg. prnt. CD: Random Audio. MEMOIR/GRIEF
In December 2003, Didion’s husband, fellow writer John Gregory Dunne, died of a heart attack while only daughter Quintana Roo lay hospitalized with a bout of pneumonia that had led to septic shock. Quintana recovered to attend the services but died of a hematoma in 2005, even as her mother was promoting The Year of Magical Thinking, a brave and determinedly dry-eyed look at mourning a spouse. Here, Didion focuses on her daughter, recalling Quintana’s life while asking herself the questions parents inevitably ask about what they did wrong and what important clues they missed. The book opens on July 26, 2010, Quintana’s wedding anniversary, during those “blue” summer hours when the sun can’t quite set. Essential reading for anyone who has ever mourned, has fretted as a parent, or simply loves good writing—that is, nearly all of us. With a 200,000-copy first printing and a five-city tour.
