I’ve said it here many times: I love our local indie bookstore, King’s English. Last night, they hosted a bookclub night and brought in Random House booksellers to talk about their upcoming releases.
Tasters, readers, there is not enough time left to read ALL of the books.
It was good fun to hear these reps, booklovers themselves, talk about the releases, and to be among fellow readers. (Especially because I was in a crowd where I was among the younger readers in the group. That hasn’t happened since I lived in Boca.)
They talked about a wide variety of books, including a number of mysteries, which are not my usual choice, but my interest is piqued, my friends. Who wouldn’t want to read a series of stories set in different arrondissements within Paris, following a geeky woman who wears Chanel and always seems to have runs in her stockings? (The Aimee Leduc investigations series by Cara Black). I’m game, even with that time factor issue I mentioned above.
Others newly out in paperback? “Hedy’s Folly,” the book about Heddy Lamar. She lived an interesting life - invented spread-spectrum radio in WWII, and was a successful Hollywood actress. And “Sleeping with the Enemy,” the book about Coco Chanel, who may or may not have been a Nazi spy. None of these would be my typical reads, but I’m going to make time.
I won a raffle and was able to select a book from the list – I chose quickly: “A Constellation of Vital Phenomena,” by Anthony Marra, because of the title and the book’s attractive cover, and fortuitously, it was mentioned as being the best book in the batch of giveaways. Can’t wait to have time to read that.
I purchased up a couple of the selections – “The Orphan Master’s Son” by Adam Johnson about a solder in North Korea, and “Quiet,” by Susan Cain, the book about introverts, and “Torch,” by Cheryl Strayed, because I so loved “Wild,” and think you should read that book, right now.
Another thing about tonight? The distinct feeling I was receiving just one more of the so many signs these days pointing me to: sit in the chair and write, dammit. I want more and more and more days of endless writing, baking, and reading, and sharing it all with you, dear Tasters.
Even though I’m still unconvinced that tea is a snack.