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Sandra's Picks

Sandra

Sandra has been at QRB for a few years and truly believes she's in the ideal job. Not only has she always loved to spend her free time reading, now she can talk to others about books and authors she can't forget. As a former long time educator, this comes naturally!

Zelda, The Queen of Paris: The True Story of the Luckiest Dog in the World (Hardcover)

By Paul Chutkow
$22.95
ISBN-13: 9780762771479
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Lyons Press, 10/2011
How could I not love this book? It's the story of a dog AND it takes place in Paris, two of my favorite topics. Journalist Paul Chutkow tells the tale of his dog, saved from the streets of India, who becomes a beloved family pet. Interspersed are stories of Indira Gandhi's political fall, Mother Teresa's missions, Parisian culture, Sardinian coastal living, and fabulous drawings by J. C. Suares.

The Buddha in the Attic (Hardcover)

By Julie Otsuka
$22.00
ISBN-13: 9780307700001
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Knopf, 8/2011
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This intimate yet expansive sequence of linked narratives is a true gem. Told in the collective voice of the Japanese women who arrived in California after WWI, with a photo of a man they agreed to marry, the stories of their lives read as if they are poetry. You'll feel the powerful emotion through the words.

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris (Hardcover)

By David McCullough
$37.50
ISBN-13: 9781416571766
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Simon & Schuster, 10/2011
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Once again, David McCullough brings history alive with his stories of the travels and adventures of many historically important  individuals from the early to late 1880s. These mostly white and wealthy men sought the kind of broadening experiences that were not available to them at home, so they traveled to Paris, and The Greater Journey tells the stories of their intellectual and cultural enlightenment while visitng “the old world”.

The Art of Fielding (Hardcover)

By Chad Harbach
$25.99
ISBN-13: 9780316126694
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Little, Brown and Company, 9/2011
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Though this novel begins and ends with the topic of baseball, it isn't a baseball novel, not really. It's actually a story of errors--the baseball as well as the human kind, with characters who you will quickly grow to love as face problems of life. There are lots of literary references, which are seldom seen in a sports' novel, making it appealing to those who don't even like baseball. I do, but I like reading more, and I enjoyed reading this book, even during the playoff season.

The Night Train (Hardcover)

By Clyde Edgerton
$23.99
ISBN-13: 9780316117593
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Little, Brown and Company, 7/2011
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I remember fighting with my dad about the musical choices I made in the sixties, so I knew I'd enjoy a look back at that time with this book that takes you to the emergence of rock and roll in rural North Carolina. I found myself laughing out loud as I read the adventures of young Dwayne and his forbidden friend, Larry, and the band, The Amazing Rumblers. You too will laugh, and possibly cry, at their escapades as they try to leave their lives of exclusion and change attitudes of townspeople through music.

The Watery Part of the World (Hardcover)

By Michael Parker
$23.95
ISBN-13: 9781565126824
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 4/2011
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UNC-G Writing Professor, Michael Parker, has created a fictional tale of the survival of Theodosia Burr, Aaron's daughter, after the terror of a pirate attack off the coast of North Carolina. In alternating chapters is an even more compelling story of the last three inhabitants of the island where Theodosia lived 160 years earlier. Parker's intertwining of these two stories of people living in a small desolate place is a mix that is jarring and beautiful. A great read!

Georgia Bottoms (Hardcover)

By Mark Childress
$24.99
ISBN-13: 9780316033046
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Little, Brown and Company, 2/2011
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Politics, race, religion, and sex: Georgia Bottoms' life involves all the forbidden conversational topics. For a light summer read, try this hilarious tale of small town Alabama living. Be warned though, this is not a book for readers who are easily offended by any of these subjects, but if you want something to lighten your spirit, give it a try.

You Know When the Men Are Gone (Hardcover)

By Siobhan Fallon
$23.95
ISBN-13: 9780399157202
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam, 1/2011
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The nightly news gives brief glimpses of the horrors of war that American soldiers are facing, but what sacrifices are we as average citizens making? In this collection of related stories, the author, who was once a wife left behind at Fort Hood when her husband left for deployment, gives us a non-nonsense picture of life on base for soldiers and their families in that very situation. This gripping collection will begin to help you understand the effects that the departures and homecomings have upon the soldiers and their families.

The Paris Wife (Hardcover)

By Paula Mclain
$25.00
ISBN-13: 9780345521309
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Ballantine Books, 3/2011
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You read about  Hadley Richardson Hemingway in THE MOVEABLE FEAST, but she didn't appear  in THE SUN ALSO RISES. In this  evocative novel of ambition and betrayal, you will  feel like you're eavesdropping in  on the intense love affair and tumultuous marriage  between Ernest and Hadley during the time before he became the legend that readers know today.

Eight White Nights (Paperback)

By André Aciman
$15.00
ISBN-13: 9780312680565
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Picador, 2/2011
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Two young and wealthy contemporary New Yorkers meet at a party on Christmas Eve and then begin their courtship games, of adventure, intrigue, surprise, and either real or pretended indifference. You will have a hard time deciding if you love or hate their eccentricities as you question who is the more clever of the two, and if there is is or isn’t a promise of future happiness.. This highly original book kept me reading on, as if I were a part of the dance.

Red Hook Road (Hardcover)

By Ayelet Waldman
$25.95
ISBN-13: 9780385517867
Availability: Special Order - Subject to Availability
Published: Doubleday, 7/2010
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Though this book begins with the horrific death of a newly wed couple, most of the story explores the stages of grief among various family members over a span of four years.  Ayelet Waldman skillfully and elegantly  studies the  aftermath of  the tragedy while weaving in topics of life’s finer pleasures — music, food, flowers, and literature.  The plot gives many surprises as a harmony of life is restored.  

I Thought You Were Dead: A Love Story (Hardcover)

By Pete Nelson, Pete Nelson
$23.95
ISBN-13: 9781565125971
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 4/2010
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I laughed, I cried, and I was envious of the conversations Paul has with his dog, Stella. (Can you imagine explaining stress to a dog?) This is the first book with a dog as a central character that I've read, and I was hooked after the following sentence, as I've always wondered what my dog thought when my sons left for school: “Stella had no sense of permanence and therefore assumed Paul was dead whenever he was out of sight, hearing, or smell.” You'll enjoy this book.

When the Killing's Done (Hardcover)

By T.C. Boyle
$26.95
ISBN-13: 9780670022328
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Viking Adult, 2/2011
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Set in the Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara, this powerful novel combines adventure with a socially conscious tale of two groups who want to control, or not control, the natural world of the animals of these islands. The author will get you to think about who has the right of possession of the land while describing the escalating confrontations between these groups. No answers are given, but you will most likely have an opinion when you have finished this novel which is based on the actual events surrounding the eradication of feral pigs on Santa Cruz island.

The Cookbook Collector (Hardcover)

By Allegra Goodman
$26.00
ISBN-13: 9780385340854
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: The Dial Press, 7/2010
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There was dot com wealth, and then there were dot com losses. There are many different characters in this book, and most all of them experienced the ups and the downs.  I wanted happiness for some, worried about others, and didn't like a few, but I did enjoy this book with its evolving plot.

The Sun Also Rises (Paperback)

By Ernest Hemingway
$15.00
ISBN-13: 9780743297332
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Scribner, 10/2006
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Re-acquaint yourself with Ernest Hemingway with this his first, and possibly, best novel, THE SUN ALSO RISES.  Set in Europe in the 1920s, you will get a taste of the cafe' society life in Paris, and the decadence of the hard-drinking life style of friends living a care-free existence while visiting Pamploma, Spain, where Hemingway's words will have you believing you're witnessing the actual running of the bulls.

The Slap (Paperback)

By Christos Tsiolkas
$15.00
ISBN-13: 9780143117148
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Penguin (Non-Classics), 4/2010
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Though the story line of this book begins with a child being slapped at a barbecue by an adult who is not the parent, it is actually a walk through modern Australian suburbia  with a diverse cast of characters.  As is the case everywhere, lives that appear to be ordinary are actually full of complex realities.  There is a liberalism brought out that suggests  no one or anything is evil, no one deserves to be hit, and no one should be judged negatively.

Putting Away Childish Things: A Tale of Modern Faith (Hardcover)

By Marcus J. Borg
$25.99
ISBN-13: 9780061888144
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: HarperOne, 5/2010
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For the first time, Marcus Borg uses fiction to illustrate the power of faith and the Bible.  With an engaging  story that teaches, you can begin to understand the issues that divide Christians today.  Getting to know the characters, you will join them in asking the hard questions such as what does the Bible really teach?  Who is Jesus? What is the nature of faith today?

The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to The Sports Guy (Hardcover)

By Bill Simmons, Malcolm Gladwell
$30.00
ISBN-13: 9780345511768
Availability: Special Order - Subject to Availability
Published: ESPN, 10/2009
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Here's the definitive book about NBA basketball from ESPN.com's “Sports Guy”. If you read his column, you know that Bill Simmons is an obsessive fan as well as a knowledgeable writer. His sense of humor is apparent throughout this book of facts that took him over 3 years to write. Both of my twenty-something sons requested this book for a holiday gift. Get it for yours.

Still Alice (Paperback)

By Lisa Genova
$15.00
ISBN-13: 9781439102817
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Gallery Books, 1/2009
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After a customer recommended this book to me I read the first paragraph and knew I had to finish it.  It is a moving story that is so much more than a lecture about Alzheimer's disease.  You will be reminded to lead a life that matters and to thrive in your relationships as you never know when a crisis will arise. 

The Family Man (Hardcover)

By Elinor Lipman
$25.00
ISBN-13: 9780618644667
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 5/2009
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Just in time for summer--a funny book with lovable characters and a New York City setting. With hints of possible headlines from Entertainment Tonight, you will be drawn into the plot while cheering for the Henry and his daughter. Elinor Lipman knows how to write a romantic comedy for the 21st century.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Hardcover)

By Jamie Ford
$24.00
ISBN-13: 9780345505330
Availability: Special Order - Subject to Availability
Published: Ballantine Books, 1/2009
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Pre-WW II Seattle was a happy and peaceful time for the many ethnic groups living in the city. Fear of the enemy brought on by the war with Japan changed that, leading to the internment of the Japanese. This story of young love between a Chinese boy and a Japanese girl helps to bring to life the sadness and pain that was felt by so many, making this a relevant story to help us see ourselves in today's changing face of society.

Gone Tomorrow (Hardcover)

By P. F. Kluge

ISBN-13: 9781590200902
Availability: Out of Print
Published: Overlook Press, 11/2008
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Here's a well written novel about a small town Ohio college professor, whose NY Times obituary prompts all to hope for the finding of THE BEAST — the long-anticipated third book to follow his two critically-acclaimed hits. The story is well-paced, at times funny, and enough of a page-turner to have you engrossed in your reading. Anyone who has taken a college writing course will love the back story of the professor's life from his first day on campus, when he arrived as a rising star, to the years that follow when he became a teacher and not a writer.

I See You Everywhere (Paperback)

By Julia Glass
$15.00
ISBN-13: 9781400075775
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Anchor, 7/2009
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There are different sides to every story, and this book certainly reaffirms that statement. Two sisters recall events that do and don't involve one another. In separate chapters, each sister tells a story from her perspective. You will be intrigued by each, with sibling rivalry being evident throughout. The drama of the ending surprised me.

Home (Hardcover)

By Marilynne Robinson
$25.00
ISBN-13: 9780374299101
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 9/2008
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This is the story of Gilead,Iowa in a different voice: that of the prodigal son of the small-town Iowa preacher, The Reverend Boughton. His son, Jack has returned home, but does he find forgiveness for the transgressions of his youth, and his twenty-year absence? Your opinions of family relationships will determine how you will react to this book. I found myself crying at the end, though not from an aching sadness. Youdo not have to have read GILEAD to enjoy this new book.