2007 Book Sense Picks Highlights

THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER: A Novel, by Tom Perrotta (St. Martin's, $24.95, 9780312358334 / 0312358334) "A sex-ed teacher and a Christian soccer coach, the teacher's daughter's soccer coach no less, find themselves on opposite sides of the hot-button issues of abstinence education and school prayer. What could be cheap for another writer turns to grace in Perrotta's hands." --Daniel Goldin, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, Milwaukee, WI

AN ARSONIST'S GUIDE TO WRITERS' HOMES IN NEW ENGLAND: A Novel, by Brock Clarke (Algonquin, $23.95, 9781565125513 / 1565125517) "My copy of An Arsonist's Guide is full of dog-eared pages, there are so many sentences and paragraphs I can't wait to read aloud to friends. The hapless arsonist has a great off-kilter voice and deadpan way of looking at life that sticks with you. It's funny yet poignant -- an amazing debut." --Karen Corvello, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, CT

AWAY: A Novel, by Amy Bloom (Random House, $23.95, 9781400063567 / 1400063566) "This novel is aptly titled because it transports the reader into the soul of a woman who has every reason to despair, but who forges forward through rocky terrain to reclaim her own heart. The details of time and place and the eccentric characters make for fascinating reading. An elegant and passionate novel. Bloom has blossomed into one of our best storytellers." --Randy Kraft, Laguna Beach Books, Laguna, CA

BREAKFAST WITH BUDDHA: A Novel, by Roland Merullo (Algonquin, $23.95, 9781565125520 / 1565125525) "Merullo takes the reader on a life-changing trip halfway across the U.S. with a straight-arrow publishing exec who showcases his country to a Mongolian monk who enigmatically reveals the secrets of inner peace, and the meaning of life and death. This laugh-out-loud funny, deeply moving book has it all." --Sarah Pease, Buttonwood Books & Toys, Cohasset, MA

DOWN RIVER, by John Hart (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95, 9780312359317 / 0312359314) "Hart's King of Lies was our second-bestselling book of 2006 and one of my favorite reads of the year -- Down River is even better! An intriguing storyline and vivid characters make this a must-read. Take a trip downriver to North Carolina's Piedmont region and visit awhile as the family drama unfolds." --Sally Brewster, Park Road Books, Charlotte, NC

A FREE LIFE: A Novel, by Ha Jin (Pantheon, $26, 9780375424656 / 0375424652) "This is another excellent story by Ha Jin, who immediately draws you into the lives of the Wu family -- father Nan, mother Pingping, and son Taotao -- immigrants from China now in the U.S. The experiences that Nan goes through make him re-evaluate his life, which, in turn, open readers to a wonderful, introspective read." --Bobbi Brewer, Maine Coast Book Shop, Damariscotta, ME

GRUB: A Novel, by Elise Blackwell (Toby Press, $24.95, 9781592641994 / 1592641997) "This hilarious, biting update of George Gissing's classic New Grub Street tells the story of a group of young novelists struggling to make it in New York City. Blackwell is a funny writer, and a compassionate one as well." --Marie Gauthier, The Jeffery Amherst Bookshop, Amherst, MA

THE INDIAN CLERK: A Novel, by David Leavitt (Bloomsbury, $24.95, 9781596910409 / 1596910402) "Paul Erdos once asked G.H. Hardy, the noted 20th century British mathematician, to name his greatest contribution to their field. Hardy unhesitatingly replied that it was the 'discovery' of Srinivasa Ramanujan, one of the great mathematical geniuses in recent centuries. Across the chasm created by color, nationality, education, language, and colonialism, they spoke to each other in the language of pure numbers. Their collaboration plays out in this novel of intellectual history against the clubby atmosphere of British academics, homosexuality, food, and, finally, WWI." --Chris Stier, Shaman Drum Bookshop, Ann Arbor, MI

MATRIMONY: A Novel, by Joshua Henkin (Pantheon, $24.95, 9780375424359 / 0375424350) "Henkin has written a beautiful book about 20 years in the life of a married couple. He explores conflict, ambition, and love in its purest form. Julian and Mia meet at college, and Michigan and Iowa are backdrops to their love story. Henkin tests the strength of family ties amid turmoil, and, at the end, leaves us with hope for Mia and Julian." --Roberta Rubin, The Book Stall At Chestnut Court, Winnetka, IL

MISTER PIP: A Novel, by Lloyd Jones (Dial, $20, 9780385341066 / 0385341067) "A teacher introduces a group of island children to the world of Charles Dickens through Great Expectations and offers them a world set apart from their own war-torn universe. First internally, then externally, lives are transformed magically through imagination inspired by both 18th-century London and their humble teacher." --Elizabeth G. Plante, Water Street Books, Exeter, NH

MR. SEBASTIAN AND THE NEGRO MAGICIAN: A Novel, by Daniel Wallace (Doubleday, $21.95, 9780385521093 / 038552109X) "Daniel Wallace tells the story of Henry Walker, a magician who disappears as a child and spends the rest of his life trying to make himself reappear. A haunting, beautifully written story where nothing, including the truth, is what it seems." --Stephen Grutzmacher, Passtimes Books, Sister Bay, WI

A PIGEON AND A BOY: A Novel, by Meir Shalev (Schocken, $25, 9780805242515 / 0805242511) "Meir Shalev has written a romantic and lush story of Israel on the eve of independence juxtaposed against the present. More than anything I have read, in the rhythm of the stories, the romantic longing, and the intense love, this beautiful book reminds me of Love in the Time of Cholera." --Carla Cohen, Politics & Prose Books & Coffee, Washington, DC

THE PIRATE'S DAUGHTER, by Margaret Cezair-Thompson (Unbridled, $24.95, 9781932961409 / 1932961402) "Jamaica will never feel so close as when you're reading this fictionalized tale of Errol Flynn's accidental arrival onto the island and into the hearts of many of its residents -- especially young Ida, who bears his illegitimate daughter, May. A delightful, original treasure that I heartily recommend!" --Dee Robinson, Village Books, Bellingham, WA

THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST, by Mohsin Hamid (Harcourt, $22, 9780151013043 / 0151013047) "Elegantly written as a monologue in the voice of Changez, a Pakistani man in conversation over a meal in Lahore. We learn of the charmed life he led in the U.S., and how perceptions of one's identity can radically fluctuate due to circumstance. An engrossing tale." --Caitlin Doggart, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Chatham, MA

THE REST OF HER LIFE: A Novel, by Laura Moriarty (Hyperion, $24.95, 9781401302719 / 1401302718) "Laura Moriarty has captured the fears and reality of how a single, innocent action can send our lives into a tailspin. Written with grace and honesty, the story does not shy away from exposing the reader to very difficult questions. This will be an excellent book group selection." --Amy Gillard, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, MI

THE SPANISH BOW, by Andromeda Romano-Lax (Harcourt, $25, 9780151015429 / 0151015422) "A beautifully written debut novel about a boy's love of music, and a mother who will do anything to fulfill the dreams of her child because she wasn't able to fulfill her own." --Carley Cianciolo, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead, $25.95, 9781594489501 / 1594489505) "While offering a historical perspective on Afghanistan, Hosseini's new novel renders an incredible story, beautifully told. Readers will fully experience the humanity of this struggling country, right through the entirely satisfying ending." --Missie Olm, The Reader's Loft, Green Bay, WI

THE VISIBLE WORLD: A Novel, by Mark Slouka (Houghton, $24, 9780618756438 / 0618756434) "In The Visible World, Mark Slouka invites us to think about memory, imagination, history, and the interplay of each. What is more real -- what really happened, or what we remember? This is a haunting and beautifully written novel, and it prompts the reader to reflect long after the last page is read." --Linda Ramsdell, The Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, VT

ASTRID & VERONIKA: A Novel, by Linda Olsson (Penguin, $14 paper, 9780143038078 / 0143038079) "Gravlax and lingonberries, dark winter nights, you can almost smell Sweden as you read through the pages of this compelling story about a friendship between two very different women, who, nonetheless, are able to strip away their differences as they share stories and secrets over the course of one year." --Daniel Goldin, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop, Milwaukee, WI

THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS: A Novel, by Anita Amirrezvani (Little, Brown, $23.99, 978-0316065764 / 0316065765) "It is a feat to bring off a serious, historically-set novel where the history doesn't overwhelm the human story, nor does the human tale simply use the history as furniture. This most impressive, captivating debut -- a novel of a young woman finding her way into life in 17th century Iran -- is one that does justice to both story and history." --Rick Simonson, The Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA

THE END OF THE ALPHABET: A Novel, by C.S. Richardson (Doubleday, $16.95, 9780385522557 / 038552255X) "What would you do if you only had 30 days to live? Ambrose Zephyr takes his wife, Zipper, on a beautifully written alphabetical journey, at the same time taking us on a loving adventure that is both humorous and intense. This is one of the best books I have ever read. I can't get it out of my head." --Mary McHale, Fox Tale Books, New Durham, NH

FINN: A Novel, by Jon Clinch (Random House, $23.95, 9781400065912 / 1400065917) "A decidedly dark and especially compelling read, Jon Clinch easily ensnares the reader with this tale of Huckleberry Finn's father. With a keen eye for character detail and a uncanny gift for storytelling, the author has invented an outstanding tale that stands up and walks around on its own -- out of the shadow of Mark Twain's masterpiece." --Erik C. Barnum, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester
Center, VT

FREE FOOD FOR MILLIONAIRES: A Novel, by Min Jin Lee (Grand Central, $24.99, 9780446581080 / 0446581089) "Casey Han is well aware of the expectations of her parents, first-generation Korean immigrants. She has the Princeton degree, the smarts, and the connections to secure the law degree they hope for. But Casey is set on finding her own answers. There are many story lines and remarkably limned characters in this engrossing and satisfying novel." --Betsey Detwiler, Buttonwood Books & Toys, Cohasset, MA

THE GOD OF ANIMALS: A Novel, by Aryn Kyle (Scribner, $25, 9781416533245 / 1416533249) "One by one, the sentences in this debut novel create a story of unflinching honesty and biting humanity: the story of young Alice Winston, whose world is unraveling around her. The relationships between the adult characters are delicately depicted amid the illuminating, brutal truths of life on a horse ranch." --Darcy L. Himes, Liberty Bay Books, Poulsbo, WA

LANDSMAN: A Novel, by Peter Charles Melman (Counterpoint, $24.95, 9781582433677 / 1582433674) "After being manipulated into committing a robbery that becomes a murder, Elias Abrams avoids retribution by enlisting in the Confederate Army. Elias' basic goodness and moral sense are resurrected through a newfound understanding of kinship. Landsman is both earthy and mythic, with themes of patricide, betrayal, and hope brought to satisfying and human resolution." --Julia Cowlishaw, Shaman Drum Bookshop, Ann Arbor, MI (Unabridged Audio, $39.95 CD, 9781602832923 / 1602832927)

LOVING FRANK: A Novel, by Nancy Horan (Ballantine, $23.95, 9780345494993 / 0345494997) "Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress faced insurmountable obstacles in creating a life together. Seeing their love through the eyes of this talented, educated, and strong 'other woman' is a revelation when set against the simmering suffragette movement of the era, and it raises questions still being argued today." --Candy Purdom, Anderson's Bookshop, Naperville, IL

NO ONE BELONGS HERE MORE THAN YOU: Stories, by Miranda July (Scribner, $23, 9780743299398 / 0743299396) "Fans of July's films will be thrilled that her painfully sweet vision beautifully translates to the page in this new story collection. Although her characters can be jaw-droppingly outrageous, they are true to themselves and have an innocence that leaves the door open for their -- and our -- redemption." --Joe Lisberg, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, Milwaukee, WI

THE RAW SHARK TEXTS, by Steven Hall (Canongate, $24, 9781841959115 / 1841959111) "Imagine Jaws as a literary mash-up eating its way through the contemporary information explosion. Now, imagine this creature has developed a taste for you...and only you. Hall pushes the boundaries of fiction and design in this unique first novel." --Colin Rea, University of Oregon Bookstore, Eugene, OR

THE SEPTEMBERS OF SHIRAZ: A Novel, by Dalia Sofer (Ecco, $24.95, 9780061130403 / 0061130400) "This gripping and heartfelt novel set in Tehran in the early 1980s, shortly after the Islamic Revolution, follows the fates and dreams of a family of affluent, secular Jews struggling to adapt to their rapidly changing, and unforgiving, world. An unforgettable debut." --Tova Beiser, Brown University Bookstore, Providence, RI

DOG YEARS: A Memoir, by Mark Doty (HarperCollins, $23.95, 9780061171000 / 006117100X) "This beautiful memoir rings with truth, and great writing. From the very first page, Doty's careful observations -- and his intricate confrontation of loss, love, and the nearly unsayable bonds between dogs and humans -- catch you up in a world
illuminated by his elegant language and steady gaze." --Lilla Weinberger, Readers' Books, Sonoma, CA

HERE IF YOU NEED ME: A True Story, by Kate Braestrup (Little, Brown, $23.99, 9780316066303 / 0316066303) "God may have a sense of humor, but calling Kate Braestrup into service was no joke. While traversing her own wilderness of loss and faith, a newly single mother of four takes on the spiritually treacherous work of chaplain to Maine's toughest rescuers. Giving of herself with great humor and heart, Kate's story emanates hope and inspires a belief in miracles." --Stacie Williams, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop, Milwaukee, WI

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT: Scenes from a Life, by Robert Goolrick (Algonquin, $22.95, 9781565124813 / 1565124812) "A powerful memoir from an extraordinary craftsman. Wielding chapters like wood chisels, paragraphs like a carpenter's plane, and words like a fine-grained sandpaper, the author lays bare a history of family secrets concealed under a well-polished veneer. Goolrick's writing evokes the elegance of Truman Capote and the earthiness of Rick Bragg." --Joe Drabyak, Chester County Book & Music Company, West Chester, PA

BRIDGE OF SIGHS, by Richard Russo (Knopf, $26.95, 9780375414954 / 0375414959) "Russo continues to slice out his own piece of Americana with this story of love, family, friendship, and identity. He is comfortably ensconced in small-town upstate New York, but the horizon expands to exotic Venice as the lives of two old friends inexorably merge after many years. This powerful, evocative novel expands Russo's range and talent, and solidifies his position as a master." --Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

DIVISADERO, by Michael Ondaatje (Delacorte, $25, 9780307266354 / 0307266354) "Ondaatje's spellbinding new novel revolves around three adopted siblings whose lives break apart and eventually reconnect years later. Their story parallels another unusual family unit, a reclusive writer and his gypsy neighbors searching for a peaceful life in post-war France. As usual, Ondaatje's storytelling is highly individual and utterly hypnotizing, as story leads into story, and the reader arrives at the end with a longing to turn to page one and begin again." --Rich Rennicks, Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe, Asheville, NC

EXIT GHOST, by Philip Roth (Houghton, $26, 9780618915477 / 0618915478) "Roth closes the book on Nathan Zuckerman in this masterpiece, in which the novelist-protagonist emerges from his Berkshires hideaway to stumble back into the world of the living. Lust and literature, youth and age, reality and perception are all part of a gripping story." --Stan Hynds, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT

FALLING MAN: A Novel, by Don DeLillo (Scribner, $26, 9781416546023 / 1416546022) "Through the testimony of a 9/11 survivor and the deep impact of his return in the lives of his estranged wife and son, DeLillo succeeds in giving the reader a chance to revisit that tragedy from an emotionally renewed standpoint. This remarkable novel is a revelatory approach to the one seminal event that shaped this new century and is a stunning achievement." --Marie du Vaure, Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena, CA

THE MAYTREES: A Novel, by Annie Dillard (HarperCollins, $24.95, 9780061239533 / 0061239534) "Set in Provincetown and Maine, Dillard's superb new novel traces the lives of Toby, his wife Lou, their son Pete, and Toby's second wife, Deary. She records with consummate skill the changes that occur within the sphere of love, the unexplainable beauty of a compassionate heart, and the inevitable tide of old age. Images of the sea and sky deftly describe the ebb and flow of life. The Maytrees is a triumph." --Jan Owens, Millrace Bookshop, Farmington, CT

RUN: A Novel, by Ann Patchett (HarperCollins, $25.95, 9780061340635 / 0061340634) "Bernard Doyle and his children lead a full but flawed life. His oldest son has disappointed him and ruined his political career. His two younger, adopted, sons are his hope for the future. Then, an accident changes their lives, and they must deal with their faults and weaknesses. This is a terrific and compelling book!" --Lisa Zupke, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, Shorewood, WI

THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN'S UNION: A Novel, by Michael Chabon (HarperCollins, $26.95, 9780007149827 / 0007149824) "Michael Chabon's best yet! In a Yiddish-speaking Jewish homeland of Sitka, Alaska, detective Meyer Landsman risks his life and races the clock to investigate the death of a heroin addict. He uncovers a plot with global implications -- and, like all of Chabon's heroes, also uncovers the basic human goodness in the unlikeliest of people, including himself." --Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI

HOW TO TALK ABOUT BOOKS YOU HAVEN'T READ, by Pierre Bayard (Bloomsbury, $19.95, 9781596914698 / 1596914696) "Since we all occasionally need to sound just a bit more literate than we might actually be (or at least in order to pretend to have read the book everyone is raving about), Bayard has decided to write a primer for us -- and it's a real hoot. This is for the smart person who loves books but just doesn't have enough hours in the day to actually read them all." --Elisabeth Grant-Gibson, Windows a bookshop, Monroe, LA

THE CAMEL BOOKMOBILE, by Masha Hamilton (HarperCollins, $24.95, 9780061173486 / 0061173487) "This poignant novel of a traveling bookmobile in the desert of Africa highlights the joy and -- yes, let's admit it -- tumult that reading literature can bring to the human race. Hamilton's writing takes us right into a small village and the lives of its inhabitants. An excellent book club selection." --Valerie Koehler, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX

THE CASE OF THE MISSING BOOKS: A Mobile Library Mystery, by Ian Sansom (Harper Paperbacks, $12.95 paper, 9780060822507 / 0060822503) "A charming, often hilarious novel of book-loving librarian who goes to a small Northern Ireland town to run its library, only to find the real library's been closed and he's forced to run a mobile library. For fans of everything along the lines of Alexander McCall Smith and Maisie Dobbs."  --David Thompson, Murder By The Book, Houston, TX

ALONE IN THE KITCHEN WITH AN EGGPLANT: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone, edited by Jenni Ferrari-Adler (Riverhead, $22.95, 9781594489471 / 1594489475) "Twenty-six different contributors (some well-known food writers, others better know for their fiction) talk about their experiences of cooking and dining alone, each exploring the guilty pleasure of not having to explain one's sometimes bizarre choice of foods. Interlaced with recipes, this is great fun to read." --Jan Sloan, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver, (HarperCollins, $26.95, 9780060852559 / 0060852550) "This account of Kingsolver's and her family's attempt to eat only locally grown food is incredibly thought-provoking, asking you to examine where your food really comes from and what it really costs in terms of environmental effects, transportation, and people's livelihoods. There are lots of suggested actions people can take, and the whole thing is hysterically funny." --Kate Reynolds, Colgate Bookstore, Hamilton, NY

LIVING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Love in Italy, by Michael Tucker (Atlantic, $24, 9780871139627 / 0871139626) "When actor/writer Tucker and his wife, actress Jill Eikenberry, bought a cottage in Umbria, they fell in love with the house, the place, the food, the wine, and each other -- all over again. This charming memoir will make you want to hop on the next plane to Italy with the love of your life (or find the love of your life)." --Elisabeth Grant-Gibson, Windows a bookshop, Monroe, LA

SERVICE INCLUDED: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter, by Phoebe Damrosch (Morrow, $24.95, 9780061228148 / 0061228141) "If you love food, if you lust after a meal in a four-star restaurant, if you've wondered how the staff flawlessly serves you in fancy restaurants, read this book. Damrosch is funny, intelligent, and a great writer, and she will have you appreciating waiters, fine dining, and the whole aura of the restaurant business." --Gayle Shanks, Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, AZ

THE COLDEST WINTER: America and the Korean War, by David Halberstam (Hyperion, $35, 9781401300524 / 1401300529) "This eagerly awaited work by the late journalist/historian examines the causes, course, and effects of the Korean War. Halberstam focuses on the bravery of the soldiers on both sides, shows the consequences of poor strategic thinking, and weaves a dense historical context for a better understanding of the war. This will become the definitive work on that conflict." --John Pollock, The Hickory Stick Bookshop, Washington Depot, CT

DEEP ECONOMY: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, by Bill McKibben (Times Books, $25, 9780805076264 / 0805076263) "Deep Economy challenges the reader to imagine a future of thriving local economies where people act in community, instead of according to their own isolated best interests. McKibben shows how people have envisioned and are living in contrast to the relentlessly pursued ideal that more is better. He gives readers inspiration, tools, hopes, and a good, strong call to action." --Linda Ramsdell, The Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, VT

THE END OF AMERICA: A Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot, by Naomi Wolf (Chelsea Green, $13.95 paper, 9781933392790 / 1933392797) "In this brief pamphlet in the tradition of Common Sense, Naomi Wolf warns us of the methods used by modern tyrants and implores patriotic Americans to hold fast to the strongest tool the founders gave us for our defense: the Constitution." --Harry Payne, Constellation Books, Reisterstown, MD

F5: Devastation, Survival, and the Most Violent Tornado Outbreak of the 20th Century, by Mark Levine (Miramax, $25.95, 9781401352202 / 1401352200) "Levine brings a colossal act of nature, a storm that spun nearly 150 tornadoes through the heartland, down to human scale by following the lives of the people most affected. He gives us corner stores and broken bones, AM rock and Gerald Ford: It's a big story made up of small pieces of temporary defeat and long-lived resilience." --Mark David Bradshaw, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS

FROM THE PALMER RAIDS TO THE PATRIOT ACT: A History of the Fight for Free Speech in America, by Christoper M. Finan (Beacon, $25.95, 9780807044285 / 0807044288) "This is one of the most important -- and readable -- books written about the price of freedom in a democracy. Do we want to pay for our freedom and security with our free speech? Timely and urgent, this is an essential book for citizens, politicians, and government officials to read and embrace." --Alicia Greene, Olsson's Books & Records, Washington, DC

THUMBS, TOES, AND TEARS: And Other Traits That Make Us Human, by Chip Walter (Walker & Company, $25.95, 0802715273) "Countless behaviors separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom, but all of them can be traced one way or another to six traits that are unique to the human race -- our big toe, our opposable thumb, our oddly shaped pharynx, and our ability to laugh, kiss, and cry." --Anne Leners, Left Bank Books, Saint Louis, MO

THE WORLD WITHOUT US, by Alan Weisman (Thomas Dunne, $24.95, 9780312347291 / 0312347294) "This examination of an earth without us is a fascinating blend of the sciences, history, and quite plausible speculation. This engrossing book will enable readers to see humans' place in the planet's natural order in an entirely new light. An engrossing read." --Tom Williams, Mendham Books, Mendham, NJ

THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible, by A.J. Jacobs (Simon & Schuster, $25, 9780743291477 / 0743291476) "The most compulsive spiritual seeker ever tries to live by biblical law for an entire year. Jacobs' funny, thoughtful book gets its heft from his sincere attempts to practice what others preach, and readers will find themselves rethinking these laws, and the cultures that live by them." --Karen Maeda Allman, The Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA

20TH CENTURY GHOSTS, by Joe Hill (Morrow, $24.95, 9780061147975 / 0061147974) "Reading this collection from the author of Heart-Shaped Box is like driving on hairpin curves: You never know what to expect. Joe Hill seamlessly alternates between making my skin crawl with 'Best New Horror' and my eyes
tear up from 'Pop Art.' What a talent!" --Katie Glasgow, Mitchell Books, Fort Wayne, IN

HEART-SHAPED BOX: A Novel, by Joe Hill (Morrow, $24.95, 9780061147937 / 0061147931) "When musician Judas Coyne buys a haunted suit in an online auction, a malevolent spirit begins to threaten his sanity. Coyne's life spirals into a nightmarish terror as the ghost becomes more powerful, forcing him to flee his home and embark on a journey to confront demons both fantastic and psychological. Joe Hill has crafted a deliciously creepy, modern ghost story with a rock 'n' roll sensibility." --Lou A. Swartz, The Turning Page, Old Lyme, CT

INTERRED WITH THEIR BONES, by Jennifer Lee Carrell (Dutton, $25.95, 9780525949701 / 0525949704) "Kate Stanley is on the trail of a lost Shakespearean manuscript (and perhaps the bard's identity) and is jetting from England to America and back again. This book had better twists and turns than The Da Vinci Code." --Mary Ann Giasson, Breakwater Bookland, Rockland, ME

THE RACE, by Richard North Patterson (Holt, $26, 9780805079487 / 0805079483) "This book asks 'Can an honest man become president?' The time period is today, beginning with early primaries and ending up at the Republican convention. The politics are dirty -- full of lies, double-crosses, and manipulations -- and the candidates lining up vary from a shrewd businessman who has his own Christian TV show and theme parks to Corey Grace, a war hero who is brilliant, honest, and forthright. An electrifying page-turner!" --Susan Wasson, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM

THE REINCARNATIONIST: A Novel of Suspense, by M.J. Rose (Mira, $24.95, 9780778324201 / 0778324206) "We already know what it's like not to have enough time. In her deftly composed novel, Rose shows us what it would be like to have too much time, to be inextricably caught in a fourth-dimension web of love, greed, and murder that spans centuries. This epic novel marks a new level of accomplishment for the author, melding her well-honed talent for suspense and irresistible characters with a compelling historical context. Rose makes time travel believable, romantic, and terrifying. Forget CSI -- in The Reincarnationist, time is the only evidence that matters." --Robert Gray, Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT

STALIN'S GHOST: An Arkady Renko Novel, by Martin Cruz Smith (Simon & Schuster, $26.95, 9780743276726 / 0743276728) "Senior Investigator Arkady Renko is back; this time, he delves into Stalin sightings in Russia. However, Renko's main efforts focus on a murder-for-hire ring that leads him to suspect two fellow detectives, one of whom is running for public office. Another great read about the quagmire that is modern-day Russia, and a man who pursues justice at any cost." --Linda Dewberry, Whodunit? Books, Olympia, WA

The following titles, chosen as Book Sense Picks in hardcover in 2007, will be reissued in paperback in early 2008.  Watch for them at your local independent bookstore with Book Sense!

RED RIVER: A Novel, by Lalita Tademy (Grand Central, $13.99 paper, 9789446696999 / 0446696994, January) "Lalita Tademy does a great job of telling the true story of the massacre of black men in Colfax, Louisiana, in 1873 and brings to life the story of three generations of African Americans who were affected by this horrific event." --Tiffany Dow, A Shade of Gray Bookstore, Indianapolis, IN

THE MATHEMATICS OF LOVE: A Novel, by Emma Darwin (Harper Perennial, $14.95 paper, 9780061140273 / 0061140279, January) "Take some artists, an imperfect liaison, historical letters, an undependable mother, a meek uncle, a wild child, and a Nikon camera.  Add them together and they reveal The Mathematics of Love to a teenager of the 1960s and a young girl of the 1820s. These two share the ties of place, and maybe of something more." --Keri Holmes, The Kaleidoscope: Our Focus Is You, Hampton, IA

MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH: A Novel, by Ariana Franklin (Berkley Trade, $15 paper, 9780425219256 / 0425219259, January) "Coming from Salerno, where she is a respected physician and medieval pathologist, the 'Mistress of the Art of Death' is on a secret mission to discover the method of death, and murderer, of the children of Cambridge, England. Ariana Franklin's passion for the 12th century fills this wonderful mystery with the authentic flavor of village life, tales of the Crusaders, and the struggles of the royalty versus the Church." --Becky Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA

SKYLIGHT CONFESSIONS: A Novel, by Alice Hoffman (Back Bay Books, $14.99 paper, 9780316017879 / 0316017876, February)"Was it fate or chance that brought John Moody to Arlyn Singer's door? The consequences of that meeting will change the course their lives, and will bring love and grief, loss and forgiveness through three
generations. Skylight Confessions is a brilliant, heartbreaking, and mystical tale." --Vicky Uminowicz, Titcomb's Bookshop, East Sandwich, MA

DEVOTION: A Novel, by Howard Norman (Mariner, $13.95 paper, 9780618919741 / 0618919740, February) "A sweet, engaging book about love and family with maddeningly wonderful characters." --Mary Gleysteen, Eagle Harbor Book Company, Bainbridge Island, WA

THE DOUBLE BIND: A Novel, by Chris Bohjalian (Vintage, $14.95 paper, 9781400031665 / 1400031664, February) "In his latest novel, Chris Bohjalian again displays his considerable skills, this time focusing on the realm of mental illness. The Double Bind features a complex literary allusion that lends yet another layer of interest to an already compelling story of a traumatized young woman's desperate search for connection." --Becky Dayton, The Vermont Book Shop, Middlebury, VT

FINAL EXAM: A Surgeon's Reflections on Mortality, by Pauline W. Chen (Vintage, $13.95 paper, 9780307275370 / 030727537X, January) "Final Exam is a vitally important book that everyone should read. It addresses the issues surrounding end-of-life care from an insider's perspective and focuses on issues rarely discussed: doctors' own fears of mortality and how emotions about death interfere with frank discussions about appropriate care." --Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI

AMERICAN SHAOLIN: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in the New China, by Matthew Polly (Gotham, $15 paper, 9781592403370 / 1592403379, January) "Just when I thought I'd learned everything I could about Kung Fu from movie nights with my boyfriend, I was proven wrong. This book describes the Shaolin Temple, where it all started, from the perspective of an American college drop-out. At times, laugh-out-loud funny as well as thought-provoking, this book is great for anyone interested in history, martial arts, culture, travel, or the human condition." --Mara Lynn Luther, Chapter One Book Store, Hamilton, MT