The 2003 November/December Book Sense 76

1. SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME: A Year of Passionate Reading, by Sara Nelson (Putnam, $22.95, 0399150838) "As I read this book, I found myself wondering if Sara Nelson and I were twins, separated at birth. Funny and warm, So Many Books will definitely spark interest with any bibliophiles who feel a bit 'strange' about their own reading addictions. My own 'piles' of books will never be looked at the same way again." --Suzanne Wargo, Booklovers' Gourmet, Webster, MA

2. TRAIN, by Pete Dexter (Doubleday, $24.95, 0385505914) "Train is a gifted young caddy at a posh Los Angeles golf club, Packard is the risk-taking cop whom he doesn't quite trust, and Norah is the terrified woman Packard loves. Dexter has created characters so thoroughly captivating that each pitiful act, corrupt choice, or foolish mistake they make feels like our own. Amid themes of race, trust, loyalty, and forgiveness, the award-winning Dexter has crafted a superb novel that is fierce, bleak, and mesmerizing." --Kelly Medici, New York University Bookstores, New York, NY Also a Recorded Books Audio (1402563604, Unabridged Cassette)

3. SLOW WAY HOME, by Michael Morris (HarperSanFrancisco, $22.95, 0060568984) "This is a thought-provoking story of a young boy who has suffered abuse, neglect, and abandonment. Morris' eloquent writing style lends invaluable insight into the thoughts, perceptions, and coping mechanisms of abused children everywhere. Slow Way Home will leave the reader with a profound sensitivity to the perils of abused children and with hope for a positive outcome from their travails." --Maryalice Hurst, That Bookstore at Mountebanq Place, Conway, AR

4. QUICKSILVER: Volume One of the Baroque Cycle, by Neal Stephenson (Morrow, $27.95, 0380977427) "I was immediately mesmerized by this sprawling, comprehensive, mind-boggling novel. Firmly grounded in the muddy, bloody, very corporal world of the 17th century, this is an eye-popping (literally, thanks to Isaac Newton's self-experimentation) examination of the painful, messy birth of modern science, and, with it, the modern world." --Joe Chevalier, Kepler's Books & Magazines, Menlo Park, CA

5. THE WAY THE CROW FLIES, by Ann-Marie MacDonald (HarperCollins, $26.95, 0060578955) "A gripping story of a troubled Air Force family in the '60s when both East and West were racing to be the first to the moon. In spite of their love and their best intentions, family members become involved in landslides of international intrigue, conflicting loyalties, sexual abuse, and murder. Scrappy, funny eight-year-old Madeleine anchors the book as she struggles with her love and pain and, eventually, finds answers." --June Applen, The Book Mark, Atlantic Beach, FL Also a HarperAudio (0060578963, Unabridged Cassette)

6. PURPLE HIBISCUS, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Algonquin, $23.95, 1565123875) "This amazing debut novel is sure to be a book group favorite. Kambili, a 15-year-old Nigerian girl, attends a private school and attains top grades, all while keeping the ugly secrets of her wealthy family. Freedom beckons in the form of a visit to her Aunty Ifeoma, a university lecturer who supports two children on her meager salary. The resulting clash between tyranny and independence (mirrored in the Nigerian political situation) is both horrifying and liberating." --Susan M. Taylor, Wellesley Booksmith, Wellesley, MA

7. POPULAR MUSIC FROM VITTULA, by Mikael Niemi, Laurie Thompson (Trans.) (Seven Stories Press, $21.95, 1583225234) "Popular Music From Vittula is bound to become a classic of cold-weather literature. Jack London with the imagination of a Borges might have produced a work so wise and witty in weather so unpleasant, but, probably, only Mikael Niemi, with his intrepid translator, Laurie Thompson, could have made so much art out of so much ice. It's like the invention of ice cream." --Paul Ingram, Prairie Lights Books, Iowa City, IA

8. MY LIFE AS A FAKE, by Peter Carey (Knopf, $25, 0375414983) "Two-time Booker Prize-winner Peter Carey spins another magnificent story filled with characters that you can neither love nor hate but can't stop reading about! Most of the book is set in Malaysia and features an editor's journey to discover the truth about her past and the mysterious work that will influence her future. At turns brutal and astonishing, but also poignant -- a classic Carey work!" --Stephanie Good, Canterbury Booksellers, Madison, WI Also a Recorded Books Audio (1402556004, Unabridged Cassette)

9. ME AND ORSON WELLES, by Robert Kaplow (MacAdam/Cage, $18.50, 1931561494) "A fictional behind-the-scenes account of a chance of a lifetime escapade that goes from good to bad to good to…. Well, you get the idea. Humor to the nth degree abounds in this satirical tale of the making of Orson Welles' production of the play Julius Caesar and how one young man survives it all. Two thumbs up!" --Cheryl A. Townsend, Cat's Impetuous Books, Kent, OH

10. THE KEEPER'S SON, by Homer Hickam (Thomas Dunne, $24.95, 0312301898) "Masterful storytelling, heart-pounding suspense, the complexities of war, characters so real they'll leap off the pages and into your living room, and a mystery not so easily solved are just a few of the things you have to look forward to in The Keeper's Son. Inspired by actual U-boat attacks on the U.S. coastline in WWII, Hickam weaves enough history for the nonfiction lover with imaginative storylines for the fiction lover, too. So get two, one to keep and one to give!" --Deborah Woolsey, Dragonwings Bookstore, Waupaca, WI Also a Random House Audio (0739307622, Abridged Cassette)

DEAD I WELL MAY BE, by Adrian McKinty (Scribner, $24, 0743246993) "An illegal immigrant escaping the Troubles in Belfast, Michael Forsythe finds work as muscle for a crime boss who is battling the rising Dominican powers in Harlem and the Bronx. McKinty's assured debut is far and away the best of its kind that I've read in years." --Patrick Millikin, The Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale, AZ

EVERYTHING WILL BE ALL RIGHT, by Tessa Hadley (Holt, $24, 0805070656) "In her previous work, Tessa Hadley has distinguished herself with elegant prose and enduring characters, and here she writes brilliantly about women's lives and the ineffable intricacies of love and family." --Trish Keady, Christopher's Books, San Francisco, CA

GARBO LAUGHS, by Elizabeth Hay (Counterpoint, $25, 1582432910) "A moving novel, with memorable characters, amazing voices, wonderful movie trivia, and literary allusions. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It was like no other book I remember." --Andy Lillich, University of Oregon Bookstore, Eugene, OR

A GOOD DIVORCE, by John E. Keegan (Permanent Pr., $26, 1579620922) "How can any divorce be 'good'? Check out Keegan's novel, and you will see how a zany and somewhat depressing experience creates a final space where all parties involved benefit." --Carolyn Valtos, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM

THE LADY, THE CHEF, AND THE COURTESAN, by Marisol (RAYO/HarperCollins, $21.95, 0060530421) "An intriguing story of life, love, and duty given to a young woman as advice by her deceased grandmother, in the form of diaries. This is a well-written book." --Alec Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA

LORD JOHN AND THE PRIVATE MATTER, by Diana Gabaldon (Delacorte, $23.95, 0385337477) "Skillfully linking to her Outlander novels, yet branching out in new directions, Diana Gabaldon fleshes out the character of Lord John Grey, placing him in a delicate situation, both personally and politically, enmeshing him in a tangle of intrigue and treachery." --Nicola Rooney, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

LOVE, by Toni Morrison (Knopf, $23.95, 0375409440) "As the wealthy, powerful owner of a resort hotel, Bill Cosey excited admiration and/or fear in nearly everyone. When the novel opens, he's been dead for years, but retains his central position in the hearts and minds of people in his community. Morrison's novel is a masterpiece of narrative skill, empathy, and just plain wonderful prose." --Laurie Greer, Politics and Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC Also a Random House Audio (0739307495, Abridged Cassette)

MIRROR MIRROR, by Gregory Maguire (Regan Books, $24.95, 006039384X) "Gregory Maguire is a marvelous writer and a genius when it comes to breathing new life into familiar tales. Here, we are treated to a Tuscan reinterpretation of the Snow White story. To top it all off, Maguire has brilliantly cast Lucrezia Borgia in a pivotal role, and his version of the dwarves is a masterstroke." --Vincent Desjardins, The Snow Goose Bookstore, Stanwood, WA Also a HarperAudio (0060567678, Unabridged Cassette)

MR. TIMOTHY, by Louis Bayard (HarperCollins, $24.95, 0060534214) "Louis Bayard doesn't squander his great premise. He manages to write a thriller using Dickens' characters without going against Dickens' spirit. Mr. Timothy is lots of fun." --Caleb Wilson, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Jackson, TN

MONSTROUS REGIMENT, by Terry Pratchett (HarperCollins, $24.95, 006001315X) "Readers emerging from the end of Monstrous Regiment with their cheeks hurting from constant grinning and chuckling will be happy to discover that there is a whole array of other Discworld stories to enjoy." --Scott Werbin, Tudor Book Shop and Café, Clarks Summit, PA Also a HarperAudio (0060569964, Unabridged Cassette)

NEVER MIND THE POLLACKS: A Rock and Roll Novel, by Neal Pollack (HarperCollins, $23.95, 0060527900) "In Never Mind the Pollacks, we see rock as god and its guardian angel is Neal Pollack. This is powerful stuff! Pollack -- America's only true rock critic -- is a teller of true tales and what weird tales they are!" --Virginia Hobson Hicks, Books on the Bluff, Townsend, GA

NO ANGEL, by Penny Vincenzi (Overlook Press, $26.95, 1585674818) "Are you looking for a good, old-fashioned read? Your search is over -- dive into this fabulous family saga (the first of a trilogy) that gives you both substance and style." --Tara O'Donnell, Paperbacks Plus, Bronx, NY Also a New Millennium Audio (1590075102, Unabridged Cassette)

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PROMISE TO COOK OR PAY THE RENT YOU BLEW IT CAUZE BILL BAILEY AIN'T NEVER COMING HOME AGAIN: A Symphonic Novel, by Edgardo Vega Yunque (Farrar, $25, 0374223114) "Vega Yunque has reached back one hundred years to orchestrate several narratives into one grand, symphonic novel. This is a beautiful, daring account of how music, family, and communities intertwine over generations." --Francisco Cardona, Modern Times Bookstore, San Francisco, CA

ONE VACANT CHAIR, by Joe Coomer (Graywolf Pr., $23, 155597385X) "A hilarious and gripping novel, written by a man, and all about women. This book takes quite a few unexpected leaps and turns, and keeps you guessing the whole time. A wonderful novel." --Barbara MacDonald, Great Northern Bookstore, Oscoda, MI

OUR LADY OF THE FOREST, by David Guterson (Knopf, $25.95, 0375412115) "No one evokes the feeling of the Pacific Northwest as well as Guterson. In his latest book, he tells the tale of Ann Holmes, a bedraggled 16-year-old runaway who claims to see a vision of the Virgin Mary. Guterson tells a satisfying tale through vivid characters and takes a compassionate look at the moral quandaries of our modern life." --Jan Sloan, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT Also a Random House Audio (0739306375, Unabridged Cassette)

THE RED HAT CLUB, by Haywood Smith (St. Martin's, $24.95, 0312316933) "Haywood Smith is a superb author. Not only did I laugh hysterically as I read this story of the 30-year friendship of five Southern women, but I cried when it all came together at the end." --Lee Musgjerd, Lee's Book Emporium, Glasgow, MT Also an Audio Renaissance Audio (1559279672, Abridged Cassette)

SERIOUS GIRLS, by Maxine Swann (Picador, $23, 0312288026) "Mesmerizing. An absolutely compelling account of one year in two girls' lives when 'experience' matters more than anything. This is a portrait of girls raised without mothers, who parent themselves into adulthood before they could possibly be ready." --Ann Christophersen, Women & Children First, Chicago, IL

THE STORIES OF RICHARD BAUSCH, by Richard Bausch (HarperCollins, $29.95, 0060196491) "I was completely engrossed in the complexities of the characters Bausch presented. This is a remarkable introduction to a complex and entertaining writer." --Beth Henkes, University Book Store, Bellevue, WA

A SUNDAY AT THE POOL IN KIGALI, by Gil Courtemanche, Patricia Claxton (Trans.) (Knopf, $23, 1400041074) "Set in Rwanda in the days leading up to the genocide, A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali gives us characters so rich, and settings so real, we are able to imagine the unimaginable. As the characters struggle to maintain normal lives in the face of absolute madness, we re-examine our place in the world, and are left richer for the experience." --Robby Bick, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, Vineyard Haven, MA

THE THACKERY T. LAMBSHEAD GUIDE TO ECCENTRIC AND DISCREDITED DISEASES, by Jeff VanderMeer and Mark Roberts (Eds.) (Night Shade Books, $24, 1892389541) "Purporting to be the latest edition of a long-standing medical guide, Lambshead is, in reality, an anthology featuring several of today's best fantasists working at the top of their game. There's a sense of fun to this book that's quite, well… infectious." --Peggy Hailey, BookPeople, Austin, TX

TRUE CROSS, by T.R. Pearson (Viking, $24.95, 0670032387) "Pearson's distinctive voice is clearly heard in this darkly comic novel. A rural accountant enlists his reclusive neighbor -- who looks like Carpaccio's St. George -- to rescue a damsel in distress, with tragic results." --Susan and Terry Whittaker, Viewpoint of Columbus, Columbus, IN

THE UNPROFESSIONALS, by Julie Hecht (Random House, $23.95, 1400061741) "Reading the story of a friendship between two anti-socialites, one a thoughtfully neurotic photographer in her late forties, the other a disenfranchised youth called the Boy, left me feeling a little smarter, a little more observant, and a little less a victim of this crazy society." --Wendy M. Hudson, Nantucket Bookworks, Nantucket, MA

THE VOICES, by Susan Elderkin (Grove, $24, 0802117570) "The Voices is a fascinating and complex novel set in the desolate beauty of northwest Australia, but the story, which centers around a 13-year-old boy who begins to hear the voices of the ageless Aboriginal spirits, reveals themes that resonate far beyond its specific setting." --Curt Witteveen, Annie Bloom's Books, Portland, OR

WAKING SAMUEL, by Daniel Coyle (Bloomsbury, $23.95, 1582342814) "Having suffered the loss of her son in a tragic car accident, Sara comes to terms with her grief by caring for a coma patient. His reawakening marks the beginning of her own, and the Pacific Northwest setting creates a mood of rain, tears, and gray that gradually gives way to cloud breaks of bright sun." --Libby Manthey, Riverwalk Books Limited, Chelan, WA

WAXWINGS, by Jonathan Raban (Pantheon, $24, 0375410082) "Tom, a Hungarian-English college professor, tells wonderful stories about wickedness to his son Finn, and other stories on public radio; Chick, an illegal Chinese immigrant, builds a life for himself as he builds houses for others; Tom's wife, Beth, who works for an up-and-coming dot.com company, is vaguely dissatisfied with her new job, her new car, her old husband, and life in general. These three circle around and through each other's lives, occasionally converging, as each tries to move forward in his or her own way in the brave new world of the 21st century. Raban's work is a tour de force." --Barbara Hoagland, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

WHEN THE FINCH RISES, by Jack Riggs (Ballantine, $23.95, 0345467949) "This first novel is the South's answer to Angela's Ashes! The story of two young boys in North Carolina is an enriching read, with characters who are so palpable and a story line so believable that I had to remind myself again and again that I was reading fiction." --Susan Stinson, Rolleighdon, Farmville, VA

ALFRED E. SMITH: The Happy Warrior, by Christopher M. Finan (Hill & Wang, $16 paper, 080901632X) "A rare biography in that the personal and historical are woven together like a fine tapestry -- and each contributes to a greater understanding of the other. A delightful read!" --Zachary Marcus, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT

THE BATTLE THAT STOPPED ROME: Emperor Augustus, Arminius, and the Slaughter of the Legions in the Teutoburg Forest, by Peter S. Wells (Norton, $24.95, 0393020282) "This was truly one of the historical turning points in the Western world, if not in world civilization. Peter Wells does an excellent job with his research -- his archaeological findings are as thorough as his written research." --Kyle Rogers, Lemuria Bookstore, Jackson, MS

CHASING THE SEA: Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia, by Tom Bissell (Pantheon, $24.95, 0375421300) "Tom Bissell is a knowledgeable, intrepid traveler who doesn't let his preconceptions color the reality that he meets in this poor, maddening, wonderful, terrible country of Uzbekistan." --Tom Campbell, The Regulator Bookshop, Durham, NC

CHUCK CLOSE PRINTS: Process and Collaboration, by Terrie Sultan (Princeton Univ. Pr., $35, 069111577X) "Combining interviews, essays, and prints, Sultan provides an unprecedented look at Close and the creative process behind his extraordinary art." --Ann Ellenbecker, Powell's Bookstore, Beaverton, OR

COOKING BY HAND, by Paul Bertolli (Clarkson Potter, $40, 0609608932) "This is not a cookbook to flip through lightly but, rather, one to sit down and ingest in small doses. After reading each section, I come away with more than knowledge about a certain food or technique -- I come away with its essence." --Britton Trice, Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans, LA

EVOLUTION'S CAPTAIN: The Dark Fate of the Man Who Sailed Charles Darwin Around the World, by Peter Nichols (HarperCollins, $24.95, 006008877X) "The story of Robert FitzRoy -- the man who took 'Charles Darwin around the world, provided him with the vehicle for his ideas, but in whose shadow he would always remain a footnote.' A beguilingly fascinating read." --Jeanne Morris, Bethany Beach Books, Bethany Beach, DE

FLYBOYS: A True Story of Courage, by James Bradley (Little, Brown, $25.95, 0316105848) "Flyboys documents a forgotten part of WWII, a history filled with tales of everyday heroism, unspeakable horrors, and, quite sadly, hypocrisy. Bradley has become the preeminent voice concerning war in the Pacific Theater." --Joe Drabyak, Chester County Book & Music Company, West Chester, PA Also a Time Warner Audio (1586215671, Abridged Cassette)

FOR LOVE OF INSECTS, by Thomas Eisner (Harvard Univ. Pr., $29.95, 0674011813) "Eisner, a Cornell professor, has spent his career researching the lives of insects. His totally fascinating book recounts his discoveries in a world most of us have remained oblivious to, but we will never again be oblivious after reading this book." --Willard Williams, The Toadstool Bookshop, Peterborough, NH

GELLHORN: A Twentieth Century Life, by Caroline Moorehead (Holt, $27.50, 0805065539) "Gellhorn was one of the most fascinating journalists of the 20th century, and her biography was long overdue. She was on the front of many conflicts beginning with the Spanish Civil War on, and her stormy marriage to Ernest Hemingway is the stuff of legend." --Joe Murphy, Olsson's Books & Records, Washington, DC

A HUNDRED LITTLE HITLERS: The Death of a Black Man, the Trial of a White Racist, and the Rise of the Neo-Nazi Movement in America, by Elinor Langer (Metropolitan, $26, 0805050981) "Investigating the 1988 murder of an Ethiopian man in Portland, Elinor Langer treats the movement spawned by its skinhead perpetrators as an authentic grassroots phenomenon. She sets a new standard for journalism that will infuriate, galvanize, and endure." --Jenn Ramage, Capitola Book Cafe, Capitola, CA

THE LOS ANGELES DIARIES: A Memoir, by James Brown (Morrow, $21.95, 0060521511) "As heartbreaking a life as novelist James Brown has lived -- his mother was sent to prison for arson, both of his siblings committed suicide -- he doesn't solicit sympathy, and this uncompromising memoir is never maudlin. He has the skills to step outside of his life and write clean, driving sentences about characters and situations as rich as the finest fiction." --Jamie Kornegay, Square Books, Oxford, MS

THE MEANING OF EVERYTHING: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary, by Simon Winchester (Oxford Univ. Pr., $25, 0198607024) "If you enjoyed Winchester's earlier book The Professor and the Madman, you will like this follow-up, which tells the whole story of the making of the Oxford English Dictionary. The story reads at times with the melodrama one would expect from daytime TV, and it even produces some belly laughs." --Brad Smith, Paulina Springs Book Company, Sisters, OR Also a HarperAudio (0060592354, Unabridged Cassette)

THE MIND TREE: A Miraculous Child Breaks the Silence of Autism, by Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay (Arcade, $21.95, 1559706996) "This is an incredible book written by an amazing, young autistic boy. Through his mother's tireless efforts, Tito learned to write and to tell the world about his trapped inner self. This book will change the study of autism." --Clyde Holloway, So Many Books..., Vancouver, WA

MYTHOLOGY: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross, art direction, design, text by Chip Kidd, photographed by Geoff Spear (Pantheon, $35, 0375422404) "Magnificent! Sublime! Transcendent! Mythology is the one book that anyone who has ever been a comic book fan will have to own. Alex Ross captures the soaring soul that glows beneath the sticky surface of all us 'nerds.' Guaranteed to get you high." --Linda Marotta, Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers, New York, NY

NINE HILLS TO NAMBONKAHA: Two Years in the Heart of an African Village, by Sarah Erdman (Holt, $23, 0805073817) "A patient and kind young woman lives in a rural village of Cote d'Ivoire and truly captures the beautiful spirit of the people whom she grows to love. I feel that I had an inside glimpse of West Africa." --Susan Richmond, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA

OPAL: A Life of Enchantment, Mystery, and Madness, by Katherine Beck (Viking, $24.95, 0670031453) "This is the story of Opal Whiteley, a self-created Northwest mystic who claimed her childhood diaries of life in a Cottage Grove, Oregon, logging camp were written at age six. She then used the publication to climb the social circles, becoming a sort of Kato Kaelin houseguest of the 1920s. A fascinating biography." --Tammy Domike, Seattle Mystery Bookshop, Seattle, WA

AN OPEN BOOK: Coming of Age in the Heartland, by Michael Dirda (Norton, $24.95, 0393057569) "This homage to books and their power to affect change is part coming-of-age, part literary criticism and provides a wonderful, snapshot of growing up in America's heartland during the tumultuous '60s. A thoroughly enjoyable read!" --Adrian Newell, Warwick's, La Jolla, CA

THE OPPOSITE OF FATE: A Book of Musings, by Amy Tan (Putnam, $24.95, 0399150749) "Amy Tan reveals her soul in essays both autobiographical and observational. Her topics range from humorous to thought provoking, and she'll leave you with a deep sense of thankfulness that she has shared her musings." --Jenn Fontaine, The Book Rack & Children's Pages, Essex Junction, VT Also a Brilliance Audio (1593550758, Abridged Cassette)

OVER THE EDGE OF THE WORLD: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe, by Laurence Bergreen (Morrow, $27.95, 0066211735) "Filled with tales of heroism and ambition, ruthlessness and treachery, murder and torture, this fascinating lesson in history delivers a gripping story of adventure destined to become a classic tale of the sea." --Michal Drannen, Powell's Books, Portland, OR Also a HarperAudio (0060577266, Abridged Cassette)

PARADISE OF CITIES: Venice in the 19th Century, by John Julius Norwich (Doubleday, $32.50, 0385509049) "John Julius Norwich may know more about the most beautiful and romantic of cities than just about anybody. Here, of course, are Browning and Wagner, Henry James and Whistler, but also many less famous but equally fascinating and creative people. Norwich transports you to another time and place."-- Susan Avery, Ariel Booksellers, New Paltz, NY

POPULATION: 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time, by Michael Perry (Perennial, $13.95 paper, 0060958073) "A memoir ostensibly about an EMT's life in small-town America, Population 485 captures the eccentric personalities and frailties of everyday life. The sirens of America will never sound the same after this read." --Andy Nettell, Arches Book Company, Moab, UT

READY FOR ANYTHING: 52 Productivity Principles for Work and Life, by David Allen (Viking, $19.95, 0670032506) "David Allen writes that his principles 'validate much of what you already know and do that works.' However, he then takes the reader to the next step, where intuition and experience are combined with new 'perspectives and behaviors' and are applied to any task or project for an easier and better conclusion. Who needs a new wheel when you can make the one you have spin better!" --Marian Fleischman, Sedalia Book & Toy, Sedalia, MO Also a Simon & Schuster Sound Ideas Audio (0743535294, Abridged Cassette)

SEA OF GLORY: America's Voyage of Discovery: The U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842, by Nathaniel Philbrick (Viking, $27.95, 067003231X) "Philbrick is the master of narrative history, hands down. Sea of Glory follows the captain and crew of the U.S. Exploring Expeditions -- the Lewis and Clark of the world's oceans -- from Antarctica to the Pacific Northwest, through dangerous waters and the threat of mutiny." --Elizabeth Sullivan, BookPeople, Austin, TX Also a Penguin Audio (0142800228, Abridged Cassette)

SEX, DRUGS, AND COCOA PUFFS: A Low Culture Manifesto, by Chuck Klosterman (Scribner, $23, 0743236009) "This is the best book written on popular culture since Tom Wolfe's heyday. Klosterman riffs on the most mundane aspects of contemporary life -- movies, sitcoms, MTV, and, yes, breakfast cereal. You'll find yourself laughing out loud in recognition and surprise." --Michael Lindgren, Coliseum Books, New York, NY

STAN LEE AND THE RISE AND FALL OF THE AMERICAN COMIC BOOK, by Jordan Raphael, Tom Spurgeon (Chicago Review Pr., $24.95, 1556525060) "The story of a poor young kid from New York City named Stanley Lieber who reinvented himself to became the cultural hero of at least two generations. In the '60s, pop art was not only found in museums, it was available, in full color, for a dime each month at your local newsstand." --John Kaufman, Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, MA

TEARS OF THE CHEETAH: And Other Tales From the Genetic Frontier, by Stephen J. O'Brien (Thomas Dunne Books, $25.95, 0312272863) "As enthralling as the best detective movie, Tears of the Cheetah is an intelligent and readily intelligible survey of our world. O'Brien welcomes the reader to the worlds of genetics and medical science with fascinating tales and explorations, opening new worlds." --Becky Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA

POEMS OF THE MASTERS: China's Classic Anthology of T'Ang and Sung Dynasty Verse, by Red Pine (Trans.) (Copper Canyon, $18, 1556591950) "Red Pine, the virtuoso translator of such works as The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain and the Tao Te Ching, brings his erudition to bear on this massive -- and massively beautiful -- collection of Chinese poetry." --Chris Faatz, Powell's City of Books, Portland, OR

THE GERMAN MONEY, by Lev Raphael (Leapfrog, $14.95, 096795200X) "When his mother suddenly dies, Paul is shocked and bewildered to find she has left him the entire amount of 'the German money,' the money paid by the German government as reparations to his mother, a survivor of the Holocaust. Whether or not Paul can come to terms with his mother's legacy depends on whether he can unravel a past that holds him prisoner." --Nicki Leone, Bristol Books, Inc., Wilmington, NC

HOW SOON IS NEVER?, by Marc Spitz (Three Rivers, $13, 0609810405) "An ex-junkie, rock journalist feeling stuck in a stunted adolescence is consumed with his approaching thirtieth birthday and seeks redemption in his quest to reunite The Smiths. This novel is a gem." --Jennifer Gay, BookPeople, Austin, TX

IF NOBODY SPEAKS OF REMARKABLE THINGS, by Jon McGregor (Mariner, $13, 0618344586) "This amazing, beautifully crafted first novel chronicles one day in the life of a British neighborhood, interspersed with segments that flash forward in the life of one of its residents. It wasn't until I finished reading that I realized we never learn most of the inhabitants' names!" --Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI

OTHER FISH IN THE SEA, by Lisa Kusel (Hyperion, $13, 0786888024) "This is a great original debut. The central character of Elly is uniquely portrayed through interconnected short stories that span time and geography to illuminate her desire to find true love." --Jamie Jacobson, Book World, West Caldwell, NJ

A SHORT HISTORY OF A SMALL PLACE, by T.R. Pearson (Penguin, $14, 014200362X) "In the summer of 1989, this is the book that turned me into a reader. And it remains my favorite novel to this day. It is a glorious and devastatingly funny book." --Stan Hynds, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT

BLACKLIST: A V.I. Warshawski Novel, by Sara Paretsky (Putnam, $24.95, 0399150854) "The ironically named Patriot Act has brought back memories of the communist 'witch hunts' of the 1950s, and in Blacklist Paretsky has stitched together a plot that ties the two together. Warshawski's boiling anger makes this a powerful work full of betrayals and mislaid ideals -- and the slimmest rays of hope." --Russ Lawrence, Chapter One Book Store, Hamilton, MT Also a Brilliance Audio (1587888688, Abridged Cassette)

CONFESSIONS OF A DEATHMAIDEN, by Ruth Francisco (Mysterious, $23.95, 0892967730) "The most original female protagonist since Thomas Perry's Jane Whitfield is Frances Oliver, and she captured my attention immediately and swept me into a most suspenseful and satisfying book." --Sally Brewster, Park Road Books, Charlotte, NC

DEATH'S JEST-BOOK, by Reginald Hill (HarperCollins, $25.95, 0060528052) "Reginald Hill is an addiction, and Death's Jest Book is blessedly long and more than usually complex, full of Hill's humor and intellectual wordplay. Detective Superintendent Dalziel and his colleagues Pascoe and Wieldy are all fascinating characters, and Hill creates heroes who confront choices of duty and conscience." --Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL

FROSTLINE, by Justin Scott (Poisoned Pen, $24.95, 1590580621) "Now a disgraced real estate agent and former Wall Street highflier, Ben Abbott finds himself in the middle of a land dispute between a still powerful ex-diplomat and a surly Vietnam vet. The writing is top-notch, and the story is full of a multitude of well-drawn characters who will make you laugh and cry." --Linda Dewberry, Whodunit? Books, Olympia, WA

HAVANA: An Earl Swagger Novel, by Stephen Hunter (Simon & Schuster, $24.95, 0743238087) "Former Leatherneck Earl Swagger is plucked from his quiet life in rural Arkansas and sent to Cuba, ostensibly to guard Congressman Harry Etheridge. It's high summer, 1953, when Havana is flush with casinos, sex, and drugs. Hunter has written a real humdinger." --Barbara Peters, The Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale, AZ Also a Brilliance Audio (1593551703, Abridged Cassette)

LOWCOUNTRY BOIL, by Carl T. Smith (River City Publishing, $27.95, 1579660436) "Antebellum plantations, marshes and creeks, and gated communities provide the backdrop as a major drug bust unfolds in the fabled South Carolina Lowcountry. A stunning thriller, and Smith brings this, his second novel, in with a bang!" --Anne Roberts, Bay Street Trading Co., Beaufort, SC

MAIGRET'S CHRISTMAS, by Georges Simenon (Harvest, $14, 0156028530) "Simenon's wonderful stories of Inspector Jules Maigret have always been sensitive to weather, so what could be more delicious than a collection set in the holiday season? Here are nine cases, including the classic 'Seven Little Crosses in a Notebook.'" --Lansing Sexton, Olsson's Books & Records, Washington, DC

SEASON'S REVENGE, by Henry Kisor (Forge, $19.95, 0765306662) "I really enjoyed this story set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during the Christmas season. The descriptions of the scenery and wildlife, the people and their lives, painted a great picture of life in the U.P. The main character, Steve Martinez, was so likeable I look forward to more stories featuring him." --Connie Geverink, Chesterfield Books, Chesterfield, MI