Author Thu Oct 22 2015
Popular young adult authors Ally Condie, Jandy Nelson, and Meg Wolitzer bring their nationwide book tour to the Skokie Public Library (5215 Oakton Street) on Thursday, November 5 at 7:00pm. The Penguin Random House authors are on tour together promoting the releases of their new paperbacks: Atlantia by Ally Condie, I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, and Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer. 
The moderated panel discussion will take place in the Petty Auditorium of the Skokie Public Library, and books will be available for purchase courtesy of The Book Stall. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is available online to those with a current library card from the Skokie or other suburban public libraries. If you do not have a library card or if you live in Chicago, call (847) 673-7774 to sign up by phone.
— Jeremy Owens
Events Fri Sep 12 2014
Set in 1920's London, The Paying Guests examines the social shift that followed the First World War: the extraordinary moment of transformation for women's role in society. Sarah Waters' much-anticipated novel has been hailed as absorbing, compelling, and eloquent; and now copies are coming to you!
Unabridged Books has just heard word that they will be receiving limited signed copies of The Paying Guests and the only proper vessel for their vast enthusiasm is, of course, a party! Featuring complimentary brew from neighboring DryHop Brewers, snacks, jams, and what promise to be "adorable lit-themed photo ops," this Monday's festivities are not to be missed. In addition to Waters' autographed arrivals, Unabridged will be celebrating Margaret Atwood's new collection, Stone Mattress, and Ian McEwan's new novel, The Children Act. In honor of all three authors, for Monday night only 100% of their works in the store will be available at a 20% discount.
Once you've sunk your teeth into old favorites and new releases, get a sneak peek at what Unabridged has in store for their stock; you might just win advanced copies of upcoming releases.
The festivities are this Monday at 10:30 pm. Come on out for your chance at winning a signed copy, and for the plethora of party perks!
— Miden Wood
iStockPhotoThe arrival of summer generates a lot more than heat: it's also the time to churn out oh so many lists. You need to know where the best sidewalk cafés, the best margarita bars, or best urban hideaways are. In short, you need advice on the best way to spend your time outdoors. And at first glance, a rundown of the best books to pick up seems counterintuitive, but the people have spoken: summer reading lists are no longer just for bridging the gap between school years.
The summer must-read list has gained the kind of attention we used to only see directed at "best of" or "year-end" lists. Of course, Oprah Winfrey has her say; the Huffington Post's Books editors have weighed in on the matter; and the online bookworms at Goodreads have also compiled a list. And now, discerning book lovers can also rely on The Chicago Public Library for recommendations.
Continue reading this entry »
— Danette Chavez
Author Tue Sep 24 2013
If you’re anything like me, you’ll pounce on any chance to set foot in the awesomely elegant Music Box Theatre. But, seeing as you’re here perusing Book Club, you may think that you’d rather cozy up with your latest tome than sit in the dark and watch a movie.
Well it’s time these worlds collided! This Thursday, September 26, at 7:30pm The Book Cellar will be hosting National Book Award recipient Alice McDermott at none other than the Music Box Theatre. McDermott will be discussing her latest book, Someone, a chronicle of protagonist Marie Commeford’s lifelong search for, well, someone. The book has been hailed as masterful in its account of human life as at once ordinary and miraculously intimate; to quote The New York Times, “Almost pointedly unremarkable”. Devoid of bells and whistles, the narrative is a refreshing diversion from novels overwrought with twists, turns, and the occasional vampire.
Sound like a good read? Grab a copy of Someone at the event, available for purchase courtesy of The Book Cellar. Tickets are a well-spent $5.
— Miden Wood
Author Thu May 30 2013
Ever been in the middle of your latest read and wondered, “What was the author thinking when they wrote that?” Well, now ShelfPleasure.com provides you with the rare opportunity to ask the author yourself! Shelf Pleasure invites you to join them in reading this month’s book club selection, The Year of the Gadfly, where they will be joined by the author, Jennifer Miller.
Miller will be popping into the book club forum to discuss her debut novel through July 10th, when she will conclude the book club with a live chat at 6 pm E.T. (RSVP to the chat here.)
It is Miller’s personal goal to set the world record for most book clubs visited by an author in one month. Help her reach that record by visiting the Shelf Pleasure forum and following the “Summer 2013 Book Club” conversation thread.
Shelf Pleasure co-founder Kristen Weber says of Miller’s involvement with the site, “We are so excited to introduce our audience to Jennifer, and we know they will love The Year of the Gadfly as much as we did. This unique format will allow our site visitors to connect with Jennifer so that in addition to sharing insights and opinions with other readers, they can actually obtain insight directly from the author. We are honored that she agreed to participate and give our audience this special experience.”
— Miden Wood /
Author Fri May 17 2013
Every few mornings, my mom will e-mail me my horoscope.
It's not that we take serious stock in the just-vague-enough-to-be-accurate predictions. We know it's silly. It's just a nice tradition; our kooky way of keeping in touch. I don't believe in what the horoscopes say, and that is the truth.
The truth, nine tenths of the truth, almost entirely true, so help me Libra.
Okay, I don't open those e-mails expecting to learn exactly what my day holds. It's only that, after reading them, they tend to sit in the back of my mind. If my horoscope tells me my "patience will be tested," and later that day I have to wait twenty minutes for the bus, a small part of me will think, "Oh! Thanks for the heads up, Mom/Universe!"
The reason my subconscious clings to the horoscope isn't that I actually believe it, nor is it a predictive measure comparable to data-based statistical forecasting (no offense, Cosmos). Rather, this behavior, and the popularity of astrology in general, is a prime example of the way in which we as a species tend to despise uncertainty.
In his book The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail - But Some Don't, statistician Nate Silver pinpoints this very aversion to uncertainty as a major cause of faulty predictions. We are wired to detect patterns. We are predisposed to lean towards our subjective bias. We tend to see in the data what we want to see. And considering the ever-amassing amount of information available, it is not difficult to lose the signal (true, relevant data) amidst the noise (everything else).
Horoscopes may be a hoax, but when it comes to predictions, Mr. Silver is the next best thing. He has gained notoriety throughout his career for the astoundingly accurate predictions of the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, various senatorial elections, as well as the performance of many Major League Baseball players. He was named one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People" by Time magazine, and his blog, FiveThirtyEight.com, was licensed for publication by the New York Times.
Continue reading this entry »
— Miden Wood
Author Mon Apr 15 2013
“Paul,
Greetings from sunny Seattle, where women are “gals,” people are “folks,” a little bit is a “skosh,” if you’re tired you’re “logy,” if something is slightly off it’s “hinky,” you can’t sit Indian-style but you can sit “crisscross applesauce,” when the sun comes out it’s never called “sun,” but always “sunshine,” boyfriends and girlfriends are “partners,” nobody swears but someone might occasionally “drop the f-bomb,” you’re allowed to cough but only into your elbow, and any request, reasonable or unreasonable, is met with “no worries.”
Have I mentioned how much I hate it here?”
This excerpt, the first paragraph in a 15-page tirade against Seattle, is just a sample of the scathing witticisms Maria Semple has to offer in her recent novel Where’d You Go, Bernadette? The book is the latest in a long list of Semple’s accomplishments, including her first book, This One is Mine, as well as her work as a writer on a number of television series, including “Arrested Development,” “Mad About You,” and “Ellen.” Bernadette is also slated to be made into a motion picture, written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ((500) Days of Summer) and produced by Nina Jacobson (The Hunger Games film series) and Brad Simpson.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Semple just before her reading and talk-back, “Printers Row: Maria Semple,” hosted at the Tribune Tower by Trib Nation. There we discussed Maria’s relationship with Seattle, her writing process, and her perspective on the success of her book.
As the bus pulls up to the curb outside Tribune Tower, I am nervous for two reasons. The first is, knowing I am about to meet face to face with a writer for “Arrested Development,” it will take every professional fiber of my being to not let this interview devolve into an episode of The Chris Farley Show. (“Remember Gob…? Yeah. He’s awesome.”)
The second reason I’m nervous I already acknowledge as ridiculous. But, having read Semple’s commentary on Seattle, I can’t help but wonder if her bite is as bad as her bark. I saw what she did to that city. Would she chew up Chicago with the same contemptuous mockery? I half expect Bernadette herself, enormous sunglasses atop her nose, to come marching in decrying our unpredictable weather and monochromatic wardrobes.
Continue reading this entry »
— Miden Wood
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
4. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
5. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
2. Drive by Daniel Pink
3. Open by Andre Agassi
4. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
5. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
Paperback Fiction
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
2. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
3. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
4. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
5. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Food Rules by Michael Pollan
2. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
3. Flat Belly Diet by Liz Vaccariello
4. Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin
5. How to Take Over Teh Wurld by Professor Happycat
Children's
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid #4: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
2. Alex Rider Series #8: Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz
3. Hunger Games #2: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
5. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
As gathered from Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First by Carl Lennertz.
— Alice Maggio
Hardcover Fiction
1. Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
2. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
4. Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson
2. True Compass by Edward Kennedy
3. Too Big to Fail by Andrew Sorkin
4. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
5. Open by Andre Agassi
Paperback Fiction
1. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
2. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
and Annie Barrows
5. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Food Rules by Michael Pollan
2. Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman
3. I Am America (And So Can You) by Stephen Colbert
4. How to Take Over teh Wurld [sic] by Professor Happycat
5. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
Children's
1. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
2. Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid #1 by Jeff Kinney
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid #4: Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
5. Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
As gathered from Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First by Carl Lennertz.
— Alice Maggio
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
3. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
4. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
5. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. What Would Susie Say by Susie Essman
2. Superfreakonomics by Steven Leavitt and Stephen Dubner
3. What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell
4. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
5. The Case for God by Karen Armstrong
Paperback Fiction
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
and Annie Barrows
2. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4. Push by Sapphire
5. Olive Kitteredge by Elizabeth Strout
Paperback Nonfiction
1. My Life in France by Julia Child
2. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
3. Supercapitalism by Robert Reich
4. My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor
5. More Information Than You Require by John Hodgman
Children's
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid #4: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
2. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
3. January's Sparrow by Patricia Polacco
4. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid #1 by Jeff Kinney
As gathered from Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First by Carl Lennertz.
— Alice Maggio
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
3. That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo
4. Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon
5. The Amateurs by Marcus Sakey
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers
3. Fergie by Ferguson Jenkins
4. Dancing to the Precipice by Caroline Moorhead
5. Catastrophe by Dick Morris
Paperback Fiction
1. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
2. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
3. Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
4. Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
5. Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
2. My Life in France by Julia Child
3. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
4. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
5. Ask Me about My Divorce by Candace Walsh
Children's
1. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
2. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
4. Princess Prissypants Wishes the World Pink by Ashley Evans
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Do-It-Yourself by Jeff Kinney
As gathered from Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First by Carl Lennertz.
— Alice Maggio
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2. Short History of Women by Kate Walbert
3. Embers by Hyatt Bass
4. The Women by T.C. Boyle
5. Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Breadline USA by Sasha Abramsky
3. Catastrophe by Dick Morris
4. Evolution of God by Robert Wright
5. Fergie by Ferguson Jenkins
Paperback Fiction
1. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
2. Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
3. Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
4. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
5. Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
2. Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
3. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
4. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
5. Glenn Beck's Common Sense by Glenn Beck
Children's
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do It Yourself by Jeff Kinney
2. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
3. Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
4. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
5. Goldilicious by Victoria Kann
As gathered from Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First by Carl Lennertz.
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Help by Katherine Stockett
2. Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
3. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
4. B is for Beer by Tom Robbins
5. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton
2. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
3. Pleasures and Sorrows of Work by Alain de Botton
4. Hometown Architect by Patrick Cannon
5. Art of Happiness by Dalai Lama
Paperback Fiction
1. Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
2. Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
3. Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
4. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
5. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Paperback Nonfiction
1. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
3. My Sroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor
4. Forgotten Man by Amity Shlaes
5. Public Enemies by Bryan Burrough
Children's
1. Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
2. Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-it-Yourself Book by Jeff Kinney
4. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
5. Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafron
2. Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
4. First Family by David Baldacci
5. The Women by T.C. Boyle
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton
3. Renegade by Richard Wolffe
4. Home Game by Michael Lewis
5. Driving Like Crazy by PJ O'Rourke
Paperback Fiction
1. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
2. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
3. Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
4. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
5. Pride & Prejudice & Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
Paperback Nonfiction
1. The Naked Roommate by Harlan Cohen
2. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
3. City of Sin and Splendour by Bapsi Sidhwa
4. Armageddon in Retrospect by Kurt Vonnegut
5. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Children's
1. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen
2. Goldilicious by Victoria Kann
3. Don't Judge a Girl by her Cover by Ally Carter
4. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
5. LA Candy by Lauren Conrad
— Alice Maggio
The Chicagoland Indie Bestseller List returns next week, but this week I'm posting the Heartland Bestseller List, the top-selling books at indie bookstores from the Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association.
Three Cups of Tea, The Last Lecture and the Twilight books are still going strong. And, you know it is graduation season because Oh, The Places You'll Go! by Dr. Suess is high on the children's list.
HARDCOVER FICTION
1. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
2. Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child
3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett and Amy Einhorn
4. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith
5. Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
1. Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton
2. Coop by Michael Perry
3. The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow
4. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
5. The End of Overeating by David A. Kessler
TRADE PAPERBACK FICTION
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. The Shack by William P. Young
3. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
4. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
5. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen
TRADE PAPERBACK NONFICTION
1. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
2. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
3. My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor
4. Cook Yourself Thin by Lifetime Television (Eds.)
5. American Lion by Jon Meacham
CHILDREN'S
1. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
2. Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss
3. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
4. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan
5. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
You can download and view the complete Heartland Bestseller List here.
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
and Annie Barrows
3. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith
4. Don't Cry by Mary Gaitskill
5. Winner Stands Alone by Paulo Coelho
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin
2. Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox
3. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
4. Dewey by Vicki Myron
5. Gringo by Chesa Boudin
Paperback Fiction
1. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
2. The Commoner by John B. Schwartz
3. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
4. The Shack by William P. Young
5. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Nudge by Richard Thaler
2. Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
3. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
4. Price of Privilege by Madeline Levine
Children's
1. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
2. Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
3. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
4. Nutshell Library by Maurice Sendak
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz at HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
2. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
and Annie Barrows
3. The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez
4. The Women by T.C. Boyle
5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin
2. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
3. Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox
4. The Carrot Principle by Adrian Gostick
Paperback Fiction
1. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
2. Windy City by Scott Simon
3. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
4. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Paperback Nonfiction
1. The Billionaire's Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace
2. Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
4. Nudge by Richard Thaler
Children's
1. Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior by Chris Bradford
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
3. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
4. My Hippo Has the Hiccups by Ken Nesbitt
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz at HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. Laura Rider's Masterpiece by Jane Hamilton
2. The Women by T.C. Boyle
3. 2666 by Roberto Bolano
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
and Annie Barrows
5. The Help by Katherine Stockett
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
3. Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin
4. The Other Side of Paradise by Staceyann Chin
5. My Bookie Wook by Russell Brand
Paperback Fiction
1. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
2. The Commoner by John B. Schwartz
3. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
4. The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
5. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Infidel by Ali Ayaan Hirsi
2. Bonk by Mary Roach
3. Climbing the Mango Tree by Madhur Jaffrey
4. Nudge by Richard Thaler
5. Several (Tie)
Children's
1. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
2. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
3. The Dot by Peter Reynolds
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
5. Several (Tie)
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz of HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
3. The Believers by Zoe Heller
4. Laura Rider's Masterpiece by Jane Hamilton
5. The Help by Katherine Stockett
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Act Like a Lady Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
2. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
3. Always Looking Up by Michael J. Fox
4. Bold Endeavors by Felix Rohatyn
5. Several (Tie)
Paperback Fiction
1. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
2. The Shack by William P. Young
3. The Commoner by John B. Schwartz
4. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
5. Several (Tie)
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Bonk by Mary Roach
2. People Are Unappealing by Sara Barron
3. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
4. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
5. Several (Tie)
Children's
1. New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
2. Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
3. Country Bunny and the Little Golden Shoes by Dubose Heyward
4. Punk Farm on Tour by Jarrett Krosoczka
5. Several (Tie)
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz of HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
3. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
4. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
5. Several (Tie)
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levind
3. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
4. Food Matters by Mark Bittman
5. Several (Tie)
Paperback Fiction
1. Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
2. The Commoner by John B. Schwartz
3. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
4. The Shack by William P. Young
5. Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Three Cups of Tea by Gary Mortenson
2. People Are Unappealing by Sara Barron
3. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
4. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
5. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner
Children's
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
2. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
3. Maximum Ride: MAX by James Patterson
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Do It Yourself by Jeff Kinney
5. Several (Tie)
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz of HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
2. The Women by T.C. Boyle
3. Sleepwalking in Daylight by Elizabeth Flock
4. The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell
5. Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
2. House of Cards by William D. Cohan
3. The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
4. A Lion Called Christian by John Rendall
5. The Lost City of Z by David Grann
Paperback Fiction
1. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
2. Watchmen by Alan Moore
3. The Commoner by Jonathan Burnham Schwartz
4. Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley
5. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin
2. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
3. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
4. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
5. [No consensus]
Children's
1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
2. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
3. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
4. Lincoln and His Boys by Rosemary Wells
5. Listen to the Wind by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz of HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. Galway Bay by Mary Pat Kelly
2. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
3. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
5. The Piano Teacher by Janice Lee
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
2. House of Cards by William D. Cohan
3. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
4. The Lost City of Z by David Grann
5. Food Matters by Mark Bittman
Paperback Fiction
1. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
2. The Commoner by Jonathan Burnham Schwartz
3. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
4. The Ten-Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer
5. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
2. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
3. The Will to Whatevs by Eugene Mirman
4. Soil Not Oil by Vendana Shiva
5. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Children's TItles
1. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Do-It-Yourself by Jeff Kinney
3. Scat by Carl Hiaasen
4. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz of HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; Unabridged Books; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Women by T.C. Boyle
2. Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani
3. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
4. The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell
5. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
2. A Jury of Her Peers by Elaine Showalter
3. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
4. Inaugural Address 2009 by Barack Obama
5. Dewey by Vicki Myron
Paperback Fiction
1. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
2. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
3. Stern Men by Elizabeth Gilbert
4. Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
5. The Way Through Doors by Jesse Ball
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
2. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
3. Animal, Vegatable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
4. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
5. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Children's
1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
2. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
3. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
5. The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz of HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; The Book Table; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; Unabridged Books; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Women by T.C. Boyle
2. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
3. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
4. Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
5. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin
3. The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson
4. The Inaugural Address 2009 by Barack Obama
5. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey
Paperback Fiction
1. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
2. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
3. The Reader by Bernard Schlink
4. The Shack by William P. Young
5. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
2. Sin in the Second City by Karen Abbott
3. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
4. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
5. The Will to Whatevs by Eugene Mirman
Children's
1. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
2. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
3. Mama Voted for Obama by Jeremy Zilber
4. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems
5. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz of HarperCollins.]
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; Unabridged Books; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Women by T.C. Boyle
2. Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips
3. The Lazarus Project by Aleksander Hemon
4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
5. The Associate by John Grisham
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. The Inaugural Address 2009 by Barack Obama
2. The Mighty Queens of Freeville by Amy Dickinson
3. Angels and Ages by Adam Gopnik
4. Things I've Been Silent About: Memories by Azar Nafisi
5. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Paperback Fiction
1. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
2. The Shack by William P. Young
3. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
4. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
2. Gang Leader for a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh
3. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
4. Praise Song for the Day by Elizabeth Alexander
5. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
Children's
1. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
2. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems
3. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
4. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
5. Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Data gathered by Carl Lennertz at HarperCollins.
— Alice Maggio
Stores reporting this week: Anderson's Bookshop; Read Between the Lynes; The Book Cellar; Lake Forest Books; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court; the Seminary Co-op Bookstores; Unabridged Books; and Women and Children First.
Hardcover Fiction
1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun
3. Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
4. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
5. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
3. The Breakthrough by Gwen Ifill
4. American Lion by Jon Meacham
5. Angels and Ages by Adam Gopnik
Paperback Fiction
1. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
2. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
3. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
4. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
5. The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz
Paperback Nonfiction
1. Eat This Not That by David Zinczenko
2. Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Not for Tourists Guide to Chicago from Not for Tourists
4. Charlatan by Pope Brock
5. Sin in the Second City by Karen Abbott
Children's
1. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
3. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer
4. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems
5. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz at Harper.]
— Alice Maggio
I am pleased to be able to post the first of what I hope will be a regular feature on the book club blog: a weekly list featuring the bestselling books at Chicago area, independent bookstores. This week's list was compiled from Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville and Downer's Grove; Read Between the Lynes in Woodstock; The Book Cellar in Chicago; Lake Forest Books in Lake Forest; The Bookstall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka; and the Seminary Co-op Bookstores in Chicago's Hyde Park.
Hardcover Fiction
1. Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows
2. The Associate by John Grisham
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4. The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee
5. In Hovering Flight by Joyce Hinnefeld
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Animals Make Us Human by Tempel Grandin
3. Why Evolution is True by Jerry A. Coyne
4. Nothing to Fear: FDR's Inner Circle and the Hundred Days That Created Modern America by Adam Cohen
5. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron
Paperback Fiction
1. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
2. The Slide by Kyle Beachy
3. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
4. 2666 by Roberto Bolano
5. Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
Paperback Nonfiction
1. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
2. Eat This Not That by David Zinczenko
3. Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
4. The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
5. The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan
Children's Books
1. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Last Straw by Jeff Kinney
2. The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
3. The Night Before Valentine's Day by Natasha Wing
4. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems
5. Listen to the Wind by Greg Mortenson
[Data gathered by Carl Lennertz.]
— Alice Maggio
