ebarnum@northshire.com's blog

Our Souls at Night

Staff Pick Badge
Our Souls at Night (Vintage Contemporaries) By Kent Haruf, Alan Kent Haruf Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9781101911921
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Vintage - June 28th, 2016

This is a poignant story of two elderly people in a small town who, out of loneliness, decide to just sleep together, just talk and sleep in the same bed every night. Haruf's novel is understated, almost whispered, as he tells of the town's reaction and the pressure from her family to end the relationship. This bittersweet novel took me by surprise, I was unaware how invested I was with the characters until it was over, and I realized that this novel and it's people were going to linger with me for a good long while. ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum


Church of Marvels

Staff Pick Badge
Church of Marvels: A Novel By Leslie Parry Cover Image
$15.99
ISBN: 9780062367563
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Ecco - May 17th, 2016

Two sisters are separated after their mother is killed when the Church of Marvels, a Coney Island sideshow, burned to the ground. Setting her novel in the seamier areas of unruly 1895 Manhattan, Parry choreographs her colorful characters into a dance that is impossible to resist despite the depressing setting. Mysteries and miracles abound, this wondrous debut novel is a plethora of bittersweet literary strands that weave together into one of the best books I've read so far this year. The prose here is vibrant and insightful, the characters flamboyant yet resonant, and the story told by a writer I can't wait to hear more from. Highly recommended ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum


Pirate Hunters

Staff Pick Badge
Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship By Robert Kurson Cover Image
$19.00
ISBN: 9780812973693
Availability: Click Title for IN STORE Location
Published: Random House Trade Paperbacks - March 1st, 2016

Kurson's narrative is straightforward and exciting, as he tells of the search for the Golden Fleece, lost ship of the remarkable pirate, Joseph Bannister. Bannister quite suddenly and inexplicably gave up his life as a well-respected ship's captain to turn pirate. Although he could rightfully have taken a place alongside Blackbeard, his name has been lost to history. The search for Bannister's ship is fascinating, as are the characters conducting it. If you are an armchair adventurer, this is the book for you. Out in June. ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum


Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are

Staff Pick Badge
Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? By Frans de Waal Cover Image
$27.95
ISBN: 9780393246186
Availability: Special Order
Published: W. W. Norton & Company - April 25th, 2016

The answer? "Yes, but you'd never have guessed"
This overview of the latest revelations in cognitive ability of animals, with both anecdotal evidence and clinical results, will turn your head around about the emotional and intellectual lives of animals. This thought provoking book asks that we overcome our internal proclivity to downplay animal intelligence and find the tools to accurately assess their capabilities. Frans De Waal has delivered a important work that everyone who is interested in the field will extol as an instant classic.
Highly recommended


Epitaph

Staff Pick Badge
Epitaph: A Novel of the O.K. Corral By Mary Doria Russell Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780062198778
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Ecco - February 16th, 2016

This continuation of Russell's equally enjoyable Doc about Doc Holliday chronicles the gunfight at the OK Corral and the events that led up to it. The author's ability to create a fully realized sense of place is extraordinary and she fills her landscapes with finely etched characters. Even the most casual reader will find themselves absorbed within just a few pages. ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum


Thunder & Lightning

Staff Pick Badge
Thunder & Lightning: Weather Past, Present, Future By Lauren Redniss Cover Image
$35.00
ISBN: 9780812993172
Availability: Backordered
Published: Random House - October 27th, 2015

Profusely and wonderfully illustrated, this is the book for the meteorologist in your life, but you might just fall in love with it too. Entertaining anecdotes and legends abound, as well as some factual essays all about the weather. This book is totally unique - an illuminated and illuminating book that succeeds both as a stunning work of art and and a fascinating treatise on the climate. ~ Reviewed by Erik Barnum


Pages

Subscribe to RSS - ebarnum@northshire.com's blog