| The August Staff Picks can also be viewed or printed as a PDF Staff Picks August 2014 (600KB) |
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AUGUST FEATURE
 A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Mcintryre. Philby
was the KGB spy who threw the Cold War into
deep freeze and inspired a dozen John Le Carre
novels. How did he get away with it? Macintyre's
provocative non-fiction thriller points the finger
at an English old boy network that unwittingly
plotted its own destruction. ~ Charles BottomleyHighly entertaining portrait of British intelligence during the Cold War. Great characters with lots of intrigue, betrayal and social class elitism. Best of all, it's true. No wonder they lost their empire. ~ Sarah Knight Even James Jesus Angleton, head of CIA counterintelligence, was fooled. A great read for fans of fact and fiction! ~ Louise Jones |
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NEW HARDCOVER
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 Cowboys and Indies:
The Epic History of
the Record Industry by Gareth Murphy. The business
of pop as told by the
mavericks, hustlers
and swindlers who
turned hits onto untold riches (and
ruined a few careers on the way).
With plenty of inside dope, this is a
delicious trip into making and faking
it in the music biz. ~ Charles Bottomley |
 Haatchi & Little B:
The Inspiring True
Story of One Boy and
His Dog by Wendy
Holden. An
initially heartbreaking
but completely
uplifting story of how
a young boy with a rare genetic disorder
and a dog who nearly lost his life
when he was tied to active railroad
tracks rally together and overcome
the odds against them. ~ Jess Hanlon |
 Elephant Company:
The Inspiring Story
of an Unlikely Hero
and the Animals Who
Helped Him Save Lives
in World War II by
Vicki Constantine Croke. James "Billy"
Williams worked in the teak forests
of Burma after WWI, learning more
than anyone else about elephants, as
their friend, communicator, counselor,
doctor. A truly amazing story of the
relationship between a man and these
intelligent animals. ~ Louise Jones |
 The People's Republic of
Amnesia: Tiananmen
Revisited by Louisa Lim. This superb
investigative history
portrays a China still
suffering the effects of
Tiananmen 25 years
on. Despite the passage of time, the
details of that day in 1989 remain
obscure and often (intentionally)
forgotten. An in-depth look at the human
cost of history. ~ Cheryl Cornwall |
 Defending the City
of God: A Medieval
Queen, the First Crusades,
and the Quest
for Peace in Jerusalem by Sharan Newman. Melisande (1105-
1161), daughter, wife
and mother of crusader
knights, was the second ruler of the
Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem for
over 30 years, a woman honored and
respected in her own time, then subsequently
forgotten. This amazing book
reads like a novel. ~ Maeve Noonan |
NEW PAPERBACK
 Knocking On Heaven's
Door: The Path to a
Better Way of Death by Kathy Butler.
The author's father
suffered a debilitating
stroke after having a
pacemaker installed - a
relatively minor surgery. This heartrending,
infuriating trek through the
labyrinth of contemporary health care
is primarily a cautionary tale addressing
the dangers - and the cost - of extending
life for its own sake. ~ Alden Graves |
 The End of Absence:
Reclaiming What
We've Lost in a World
of Constant Connection by Michael Harris. My children
won't remember
what the world was
like without the Internet, nor what
has been lost. Harris simply calls it
absence. A combination of brain science,
cultural history and personal
reflection, this is fascinating reading
for those concerned about a world of
constant connectedness. ~ Stan Hynds |
 Sous Chef: 24 Hours
on the Line by Michael
Gibney. A frantic,
sweaty-palms look at
a day in the life of a
Sous Chef told with a
keen understanding of
the restaurant industry
in tantalizing language. The food is
described so lovingly, and the pace is so
frenetic, you'll be equal parts exhausted
and hungry by the end! ~ Chris Linendoll |
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OLD FAVORITE
 Dancers Among Us: A Celebration of Joy in the Everyday by
Jordan Matter. Amazing photos of ballet dancers
around the country. These images tell stories of everyday life
through incredible displays of talent. Inspiring for any dancer
or photographer. ~ Leah Moore |
USED BOOK NOOK
COOKBOOKS
is the featured category in the
Used Book Collection for August.
Short & tall, big & small … all
fresh acquisitions are on display.
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Do you like to talk books?
For book group schedules, check our website: www.northshire.com/event-list
To join Saratoga Springs groups contact Jess at jhanlon@northshire.com To join Manchester groups contact Erik at ebarnum@northshire.com |
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NEW HARDCOVER
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NEW PAPERBACK
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 The Book of Life by
Deborah Harkness. Finally - the
conclusion of the All
Soul's Trilogy. Matthew
and Diana return
to the future, loose
ends are tied up, but
there's room for the
complex characters to return. History,
genetics and morality play out in this
escapist fantasy for the educated
woman. ~ Marika McCoola |
 Summer House with
Swimming Pool
by Herman Koch. A narcissistic,
sociopathic, miserable
doctor takes on
a celebrity patient.
Then he sleeps with
his wife. And then kills
him. Was it an accident? An incredibly
strong narrative voice makes this book
a must-read for fans of Bret Easton Ellis
or Chuck Palahniuk. ~ Chris Linendoll |
 This is the Water by
Yannick Murphy. While swim
team mom Annie
chafes over the latest
hi-tech bathing suits
for her daughters, considers
her drifting marriage
and mourns the
loss of a brother to suicide, a
serial killer strikes in this cleverly
constructed, suspenseful
novel - a perfect summertime
read. ~ Amy Palmer |
 Lucky Us by Amy
Bloom. What
a joy! A group of
occasionally unfortunate
but ultimately
lucky characters
remake their lives
and redefine "family"
as they move across
the country during the 1940s and 50s.
Written with wit and style – surprising
you each time the plot swerves
in a new direction. ~ Louise Jones |
 Herbie's Game by
Timothy Hallinan. Junior Bender,
LA burglar since he
was 14, has never
been caught and always
obeys his moral
code. However, other
LA criminals insist he help them with
their problems. Laugh aloud funny,
witty dialogue, great characters. Also in
the series in paperback: Crashed, Little
Elvises, The Fame Thief. ~ Sarah Knight |
 The Truth About the
Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker.
A customer recommended
I read this
and I'm glad I did.
When the body of a
young girl is discovered
in a famous writer's New Hampshire
yard, his protégé investigates. An unputdownable
mystery whose surprises
don't end until the very last page.
Thanks, customer! ~ Charles Bottomley |
 Lost for Words by
Edward St. Aubyn. A refreshing,
satirical romp through
the literary world,
following the hilariously
drawn cast of
characters as they
await the result of
the prestigious Elysian Prize. Corruption,
liaisons and a murder plot
ensue. A laugh-out-loud must-read
if you follow any of the hoopla surrounding
literary prizes. ~ Lily Ringler |
 The Kills: Sutler,
The Massive, The
Kill, and The Hit by Richard House. A bomb goes
off in the beginning of
this massive tome. Its
ripples are felt across
Iraq, across Europe,
across time and across four fascinating,
interlocking stories that feel ripped from
today's headlines, but the memory of
this ingenious thriller will last through
many tomorrows. ~ Charles Bottomley |
 The Bookman's Tale:
A Novel of Obsession by Charlie Lovett.
A rich, beautifully written
novel of love, loss and
redemption through
the passion for books
in general, Shakespeare
in particular, that spans centuries, including
real and imaginary Oxfordians
and Stratfordians. ~ Maeve Noonan |
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OLD FAVORITE
 The Lost Weekend by Charles Jackson. The unheralded Jackson
saw most of his life through the bottom of a shot glass, and his prose
reads like F. Scott Fitzgerald dictating from the floor of McSorley's
Old Ale House. His 1944 masterpiece is an unflinching account
of alcoholism as both disease and the ultimate form of rebellion. A
hardboiled depiction of the Great American Loser, the missing link
between The Great Gatsby and On the Road. ~ Charles Bottomley |
 The Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle. The complexity
of politics and marriage
in Henry the Eighth's
terrifying final years, in
the voice of Katherine
Parr, his last wife. Well
constructed, well researched, convincing
in tone, with deftly drawn characters.
An excellent companion read to Hilary
Mantel's Wolf Hall series. ~ Maeve Noonan |
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GRAPHIC NOVEL
 Seconds: A Graphic
Novel by Bryan
Lee O'Malley.
After the amazing
Scott Pilgrim series,
O'Malley has done
it again - a triumph
in every single way.
Small characters, moments, charismatic
artwork, relatable dialogue nail it all.
I loved every single second of reading
it; in fact, I wish I could go back for
"Seconds!" Sorry. ~ Chris Linendoll
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FAVORITE THINGS
 The Bookstore Sells Clothing??Yes we do! And they are either fair trade or from women's cooperative businesses as well. Come in and see the great variety offered by both stores. Sizes, styles and prices will vary. ~ Monique Proulx |
 Doctor Sleep by
Stephen King.
Danny Torrence never
lost his ability to shine
and now he must use
it to save the life of a
child who becomes the
prey of a murderous
band of nomads called
The True Knot. King's sequel to his
1977 horror classic The Shining will
not disappoint fans. ~ Alden Graves |