January 2011

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Here’s to a great year of reading for your book group in 2011.

I am writing this newsletter from San Diego, where I am in town for the American Library Association’s Midwinter Conference. Here I have had a chance to meet many new authors and catch up with ones I already know, as well as chat with librarians from around the country. The enthusiasm of this group always energizes me. Last night, I was at dinner with five librarians, and we bantered about books and authors all evening. By the time you read this, the Youth Media Awards will have been announced, which are the equivalent of the Oscars of children’s book publishing. I have a number of friends on various selection committees, and the excitement building about these awards all week has made this conference even more fun!

Just before this trip, we were on the Outer Banks for the holiday, where we had six inches of snow, which made me look out the window more than once and wonder if we were in Colorado or at the beach. Snow there is a rare occurrence, and it gave us some nice photo ops as well as a chance to drive in the snow on the 4x4 beach. I also had the opportunity to drop by Duck’s Cottage in the town of Duck. There, Jamie Layton has created a wall in the back of the store where she announces what book groups in the area are reading. You can see a photo above.

Seeing these lists reminds me that I have to remind YOU about our Share Your 2010 Picks contest, where your group could win a set of "book club perfect" titles in exchange for sharing what books you read in 2010. Read the full details and the 33 titles up for grabs here, or go straight to the entry form here. It’s sooooo easy to enter. You just need to tell us what your group read all year! The contest will end on January 31st; the winners and the prize they receive will be selected at random.

If you were wondering what I read over the holidays, then check out my “What I Read on My Christmas Vacation” blog here.

In December, a colleague gave me an iPad as a present, which was a really lovely surprise. I liked the concept of a device that was more than a reader since I like the idea of portable multimedia, given the way I travel. And since I love color, I of course loved the idea of four-color. My younger son got me set up with the “necessary and essential” apps and acted as my tutor. Cory would give me homework each day, such as “move these apps” and “download something new.” It was pretty amusing; I “flunked” more than once since I had a lot going on in my life in December, and tech concentration was not high on that list. Now I have a much better handle on this. I watched a movie for a project that I am working on. I logged onto Epicurious’s app to make a number of recipes for holiday dinners. I listened to music. And yes, I even read a book on it! And here was the best part about that: I like to knit and read at the same time. It was nice to find it was easier to click to the next page than it was to turn a page in a physical book.

Now before I get tons of email about how I have gone to "the dark side” reading eBooks, let me assure you that I also read a number of physical books, and I enjoyed them just as well. This was a nice choice. There was a moment when I finished the first book that I thought Let me just download another, and then I saw the bookshelf that I had stocked in the small office at the house and I abandoned that idea. I read on the Kindle app for iPad, and I confess that it made me insane that I never knew what page I was on and how much was left in a chapter. Instead, I was at 37% or 42% through the book. It’s quite odd to adopt a philosophy that I will read X percent more instead of X more pages before going to sleep. I read some samples on the iPad reader, and I liked that experience much better, but can see there will be a lot experimentation going on.

We’re curious as to how many members of your group are reading on eReaders these days. Weigh in and let us know by answering our poll here. Also, you can keep up with our ReadingGroupGuides.com blog here.

We’re starting 2011 with five great contests to win new books or advance reading copies of upcoming titles. Our first contest is for Kristin Hannah’s Winter Garden, which is out now in paperback. I’ve been reading Kristin for a long, long time, and Winter Garden is a very special book as she wrote a wonderful back story that took place in Leningrad during World War II. We have 50 paperbacks of Winter Garden to give away, so enter here by Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET for your chance to win. Kristin’s writing gets stronger with each book, and I hope all of you will be on the lookout for her next book, Night Road, which will be out on March 22nd.

Erica Bauermeister’s The School of Essential Ingredients was a huge hit when it released two years ago, and she will be back this summer with Joy for Beginners, which is about a group of friends who vow to challenge themselves to do one thing they’ve always been afraid of. The book won’t be in stores until June 9th, but we 100 advance reading editions to give away to those who enter here by Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET. Erica is also part of the Seattle7Writers project, a collection of Seattle-based authors who do some creative fundraising events to benefit literacy programs. Check out their The Novel: Live! project from the fall that featured more than 30 authors contributing a chapter to a group novel. Very cool!

Planting Dandelions: Field Notes from a Semi-Domesticated Life by Kyran Pittman is another book that won’t be in stores for a few months, but you can win one of our 100 advance copies. Enter here by Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET. Planting Dandelions is an honest and hilarious account of the trials and tribulations of raising a family. Some of you may recognize Kyran’s name from Good Housekeeping magazine, where she’s a regular contributor. Planting Dandelions will be in stores April 28th.

Sean Manning’s tender The Things That Need Doing is another memoir we’re featuring this month. Here, Sean recounts the time spent at his ailing mother’s bedside, as well as his childhood in the Akron and Cleveland areas. The Things That Need Doing is in stores now, but we have 25 copies to give away to readers who enter here by Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET.

We also have 25 copies of The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean for readers to win. This historical novel follows a teenaged Prince Edward through his ascent to England’s thrones, and the superficial and hostile folks he encounters along the way. The one person he comes to trust, however, is a commoner, whose presence around the prince is strictly forbidden. Enter here by Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET for your chance to win a copy.

We have a special opportunity for our registered groups this month. Ten groups will have the chance to chat with author James J. Kaufman about his novel, The Collectibles, a story about two very different men challenging each other to change for the better in the face of the country’s recent financial crisis. Don’t know if your group is registered yet? Then fill out the form here.

This month, readers who are subscribed to our newsletter can also win 20 copies of Helen Simonson’s excellent debut, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand. The paperback version was just released, and we’ll be randomly selecting one lucky subscriber early next month. Please pass along our subscription link to anyone you think might be interested to help your chances of winning! Click here for more details.

There are also two contests of interest happening over on Bookreporter.com.

We named Stieg Larsson’s The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest as our Book of the Year and his Millennium trilogy as our Series of the Decade. There was just no denying the worldwide impact these books had on popular culture, and will continue to have for years to come. To celebrate, we created this special Millennium website that we hope serves as a one-stop resource for all things Millennium-related, including reading guides, reviews, movie trailers and articles relating to the author. Three lucky winners will win the special Millennium boxed set that includes hardcover editions of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, as well as On Stieg Larsson, a collection of essays and correspondence by and about the author. To be entered in the drawing, you must complete our Millennium survey and share your thoughts on the series.

One very lucky winner will win a complete collection of my Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2010 as our Grand Prize from our annual Holiday Cheer feature. There are 13 titles included, and the set is valued at over $300. These were my absolute favorite books from the past year, and I’m thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity. Although some of the books are available in paperback now, 11 of the 13 titles are in hardcover. Enter here by Tuesday, January 18th at noon ET for your chance to win. In the meantime, clear some shelf space! You’re going to need it!

I’m also returning with my first Bets On pick for 2011, Lisa Genova's Left Neglected. Lisa proves lightning can strike twice as her debut, Still Alice, was one of my very first Bets On picks. I loved Jacquelyn Mitchard's quote about Left Neglected, where she calls Genova "the Michael Crichton of brain science" after reading both of her books. In Left Neglected, Sarah Nickerson, a young mother with small children, is in a horrible car accident that leaves her without feeling on the left side of her body. From here, she has to learn to live her life again and at the same time looks at many things in her life that have been left neglected all these years as she worked long hours and lost her focus. You can read more of my thoughts on Left Neglected below and here. Reviewer Carole Turner says, “It is hard to put down and practically begs to be read in one sitting, as it lingers with the reader long after the last page is turned.”

This afternoon I will be at a tea where two authors will be presenting: Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife, which I am wild about and is coming in February; and Luanne Rice, author of The Silver Boat, which is coming in April. It should be a lovely afternoon, which I will report on in an upcoming newsletter.

Here’s to a great month of reading and discussing books!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

 

We are interested in gathering a collective list of what groups read in 2010, so we want to know what books your book group discussed in 2010. Click here and give us a list of what your group read month by month. If you did not meet in a particular month, just write “Did Not Meet” in that slot. Also, you do not need to have attended the group discussion --- or read the book --- to add it. After all, we know many people’s schedules are hectic, and they may miss a month or two. Just include on the list what your group read each month.

Besides getting an opportunity to see the Most Discussed Titles in 2010, which we will release in late February or early March, we will be awarding prizes. Thirty-three participating groups will be eligible to win 12 copies of a recently published or soon-to-be published book that is “book group perfect.” You can see the entire list of books here. Note that prizes will be selected at random. This opportunity will be available until January 31st at 11:59PM ET, but may we suggest you click here now to list your titles? Please note that only U.S. and Canada residents are eligible to enter.
 

We are celebrating the paperback release of Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah --- a powerful, heartbreaking novel that illuminates the intricate mother-daughter bond --- with a special contest. 50 readers will have the opportunity to each win one paperback copy of the book, which is in stores now, for their group. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET.

More about Winter Garden:
Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard; the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother’s life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

We are previewing the forthcoming release of Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister --- a lyrical novel about friends who celebrate life by facing their biggest fears --- with a special contest. 100 readers will have the opportunity to each win one advance copy of the book, which will be in stores June 9, 2011, for their group. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET.

More about Joy for Beginners:
On a rare gloriously sunny day in Seattle, six women gather to celebrate their friend Kate’s recovery from cancer. Wine glass in hand, Kate strikes a bargain with them: to celebrate her new lease on life, she’ll do the one thing that’s always terrified her --- white water rafting. But if she goes, each of them will also do one thing they always swore they’d never do --- and Kate is going to choose their adventure, from getting a tattoo to learning to bake bread to reconciling with a former friend.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

We are previewing the spring release of Planting Dandelions: Field Notes from a Semi-Domesticated Life by Kyran Pittman --- an entertaining tribute to choosing the white picket fence over all the other options available --- with a special contest. 100 readers will have the opportunity to each win one advance copy of the book, which will be in stores April 28, 2011, for their group. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET.

More about Planting Dandelions:
A regular contributor to Good Housekeeping, Kyran Pittman is well loved because she is funny and honest and self-deprecating, because her own household is in chaos (“semi-domesticated”) and because she inspires readers in their own domestic lives. In these 18 linked, chronological essays, Pittman covers the first 12 years of becoming a family, writing candidly and hilariously about things like learning to maintain a marriage over time; dealing with the challenges of sex after childbirth; saying goodbye to her younger self and embracing the still attractive, 40-year-old version; and trying to “recession-proof” her family.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

We are celebrating the release of The Things That Need Doing by Sean Manning --- the tender, emotional memoir of a son’s indestructible love for his hospitalized mother --- with a special contest. 25 readers will have the opportunity to each win one copy of the book, which is in stores now, for their group. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET.

More about The Things That Need Doing:
5:38 p.m. It was the precise moment Sean Manning was born and the time each year that his mother wished him happy birthday. But just before he turned 27, their tradition collapsed. A heart attack landed his mom in the hospital and uprooted Manning from his life in New York. What followed was a testament to a family’s indestructible bond --- a life-changing odyssey that broke a boy and made a man --- captured here in Manning’s indelible memoir.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

We are celebrating the release of The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean --- a rich historical novel about a prince torn between his first love and his obligations to the throne --- with a special contest. 25 readers will have the opportunity to each win one copy of the book, which is in stores now, for their group. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, February 2nd at noon ET.

More about The Golden Prince:
It’s 1912, and 17-year-old Prince Edward, England’s Golden Prince of Wales, is feeling the burden of his position. As heir to the greatest throne in the world, he hates the constrictions and superficial demands of his royal life. His father, King George, is a harsh disciplinarian, and his mother, Queen Mary, is reserved and cold. Other than his siblings, he has no friends and despairs at his isolation and loneliness. However, when unexpected circumstances bring him to Snowberry Manor, home of the four Houghton sisters, his life suddenly seems more interesting.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

In the small village of Edgecombe St. Mary in the English countryside lives Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson’s wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, the Major leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations. But then his brother’s death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and regarding her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?
 

PRAYERS AND LIES by Sherri Wood Emmons

When seven-year-old Bethany meets her six-year-old cousin Reana Mae, it's the beginning of a kinship of misfits that saves both from a bone-deep loneliness. Every summer, Bethany and her family leave Indianapolis for West Virginia's Coal River Valley. For Bethany's mother, the trips are a reminder of the coalmines and grinding poverty of her childhood, of a place she'd hoped to escape. But her loving relatives, and Bethany's friendship with Reana Mae, keep them coming back.
 

New York Times bestselling author Teresa Medeiros absolutely dazzles in this quick-witted, laugh-out-loud funny, and highly moving love story that will set readers' hearts atwitter. Abigail Donovan has a lot of stuff she should be doing. Namely writing her next novel. A bestselling author who is still recovering from a near Pulitzer Prize win and the heady success that follows Oprah's stamp of approval, she is stuck at Chapter Five and losing confidence daily. But when her publicist signs her up for a Twitter account, she's intrigued. What's all the fuss?
 

For January we have a very special opportunity for Registered Book Groups. Our featured title this month is The Collectibles by James J. Kaufman. Groups who have registered with us by Tuesday, January 18th have the chance to win an author chat and/or free books. If your group is not registered, click here to register.

The Collectibles by James J. Kaufman --- Author Chat and Book Giveaway: Ten groups will have the opportunity to chat with James J. Kaufman and receive up to 10 copies of the book.

More about The Collectibles:
"Do what the other fella can’t. Be what the other fella ain’t, and then help the other fella.” Joe Hart has never let go of his uncle’s words. An orphan from the unspoiled Adirondack mountains, Joe leaves his humble beginnings and goes on to distinguish himself, first as a Navy submarine commander, then as an attorney unequaled in his field. But Joe's world crashes with an unexpected tragedy.

A child of wealth and privilege from New York’s Upper East Side, Preston Wilson harbors a fear of financial failure. When that fear threatens to become reality, Preston tracks down the one attorney who might be able to save him. Joe reluctantly decides to help --- but only after extracting a promise that Preston will fulfill an unspecified condition when called upon. Preston, desperate, agrees.

Too soon, Joe calls in his unconventional IOU. The self-absorbed Preston balks when Joe tells him he must meet, earn the trust of and care for several people. Each of Joe’s "collectibles" --- none of whom Preston would ever want to know --- has a serious personal challenge. Can Preston find the integrity to make good on his promise to Joe? Does he have a choice?
 

As we ring in the new year, we take a look back at some of the standout books of 2010 with our special End-of-the-Year Celebration. We’re giving away all 13 of our Bookreporter.com Bets On titles, Carol Fitzgerald’s very favorite books from last year. One lucky winner will be chosen to win the full collection, which is valued at over $300! The contest is open until noon ET on Tuesday, January 18th.

Bookreporter.com's 2010 Bets On titles are:

-Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
-The Brave by Nicholas Evans
-Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
-Healer by Carol Cassella
-One Amazing Thing by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
-The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
-Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
-Rich Boy by Sharon Pomerantz
-Room by Emma Donoghue
-Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman (paperback edition)
-Stiltsville by Susanna Daniel
-Up From the Blue by Susan Henderson
-The Wave: In Search of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey

-Click here to see all the Bookreporter.com Bets On titles from 2010.
 

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, the third volume in Stieg Larsson’s international bestselling Millennium series, is Bookreporter.com’s Book of the Year. This is just as much a celebration of the book as it is Larsson’s trilogy, which includes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. There was no denying the series’ global impact upon the release of The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. A copy of one of Larsson’s books seemed to be everywhere you turned --- in cafés, trains, buses, airports, pools, parks, and so on.

We hope you enjoy this special Bookreporter.com feature and tribute to the crusading journalist and his cyberhacking sidekick who have captivated readers and book lovers all over the globe. Here you will find information about all three novels, as well as the special deluxe boxed set, including reviews, reading guides, the official film trailers, and links to articles and information of interest to fans of the series.

In honor of this feature, we are giving away three boxed sets of The Millennium Trilogy. All you have to do is take our Millennium Series Survey, answering a few questions to share your thoughts on the series, and you are automatically entered in the random drawing to win one of three boxed sets. The survey will be open through Monday, January 31st at 11:59PM ET.

-Click here to take the survey and enter the contest.
 

Caveat Emptor: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie: The newest novel in the bestselling Medicus series, featuring death, taxes and angry barbarians.
The Collectibles by James J. Kaufman: An attorney makes an unusual compensation request of a wealthy client in hopes of changing his narcissist ways.
Dina’s Lost Tribe by Brigitte Goldstein: An American historian's search for her mythical birthplace leads her to a mountaintop utopia and the passionate world of a medieval Jewess.
Falling Sideways by Thomas E. Kennedy: By the author of the acclaimed In the Company of Angels, a rollicking, cross-generational satire of work, love and family, grounded in the rubble of a downsizing company.
The Golden Prince by Rebecca Dean: The Golden Prince, set in 1912, is a wildly entertaining novel rich in historical detail that will mesmerize readers and leave them begging for more.
Goodnight Tweetheart by Teresa Medeiros: A quick-witted, laugh-out-loud funny, and highly moving love story that will set readers’ hearts atwitter.
Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister: Shimmering with warmth, wit and insight, Joy for Beginners is a celebration of life; unexpected, lyrical and deeply satisfying.
Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson: A retired military officer finds an unlikely friend --- and maybe more --- in a young Pakistani store clerk.
The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig: A governess trades the quiet life for adventure and danger --- and romance --- in this latest installment to Lauren Willig’s beloved and bestselling Pink Carnation series.
Planting Dandelions: Field Notes from a Semi-Domesticated Life by Kyran Pittman: From a fresh new talent, celebrating the joys and trials of a new generation of parents, Planting Dandelions is an entertaining tribute to choosing the white picket fence over all the other options available.
Poser: My Life in Twenty-three Yoga Poses by Claire Dederer: For anyone who has ever tried to stand on their head while keeping both feet on the ground, Poser is an irreverent and essential memoir about yoga, motherhood, daughterhood, and the joys of an imperfect life.
Prayers and Lies by Sherri Wood Emmons: Spanning four decades, this debut is a haunting, captivating novel about a young woman crossing into adulthood and confronting her small town’s troubled past.
Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag: The second thriller in the Deeper than the Dead microseries explores the early days of forensic investigation, the characteristics of innocence --- and the nature of evil.
Tales from the Yoga Studio by Rain Mitchell: A sparkling new series introducing five unforgettable women who flock to yoga at turning points in their lives and find the gift of lasting friendship.
Terra Incognita: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie: In this highly anticipated sequel to Ruth Downie's New York Times bestselling debut, beloved army doctor Gaius Petrius Ruso strikes out for the uncivilized borders of Roman Britain, where he runs into murder and the ghosts of his vexingly beautiful slave Tilla's past.
Then Came the Evening by Brian Hart: An unflinchingly, gorgeously written literary debut from a writer earning comparisons to Cormac McCarthy.
The Things That Need Doing: A Memoir by Sean Manning: Sean Manning’s indelible memoir, The Things That Need Doing, is a testament to one family’s indestructible bond --- at once a tragic and uplifting life-changing odyssey.
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah: Two sisters reunite to care for their ailing father and learn about their cantankerous mother’s past.

Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

In the Company of Angels by Thomas E. Kennedy: Set amid Copenhagen’s summer lakes and dark bedrooms, In the Company of Angels reveals our human desire to connect, and the possibility to heal, by helping others.
The Lost Books of the Odyssey by Zachary Mason: This critically-acclaimed ambitious debut adds a fresh take on the classic, legendary tale of Odysseus.
So Cold the River by Michael Koryta: A documentary filmmaker uncovers a lonely town's secrets through a series of terrifying visions brought on by the unusual mineral spring it harbors.

The following guides are now available for Christian book groups:

Angel Sister by Ann H. Gabhart: A middle child struggles to keep her family together in the face of the Great Depression, alcoholism, and her oblivious sisters.
Fatal Judgment: Guardians of Justice, Book 1 by Irene Hannon: A U.S. Marshal must put his personal feelings for a prominent judge aside when he’s charged with protecting her.
Lady in the Mist: The Midwives, Book 1 by Laurie Alice Eakes: A midwife and a nobleman become entangled in a murderous plot and must begin to trust each other, despite their long-held secrets.
The Search: Lancaster Country Secrets, Book 3 by Suzanne Woods Fisher: Two women fall for the same man on an Amish farm where work --- not love --- is the top priority.
Stars Collide: Backstage Pass, Book 1 by Janice Thompson: Two Hollywood co-stars desperately try to keep their real-life romance off camera, evading nosy parents and paparazzi along the way.