“Nothing links man to man like the frequent passage from hand to hand of a good book." (Walter Sickert)
Novel booksellers understand this truth. As ambassadors between readers and the books they love, Novel experts such as general manager Eddie Burton and booksellers Mark Frederick and Joanne Van Zandt build our local community by keeping these conversations going and giving shape to the unifying and fulfilling pastime of reading. Here are three current favorites they recommend.
The Appalachian Trail: A Biography by Philip D'Anieri
A narrative nonfiction book about the Appalachian Trail and the backstory of dreamers and builders who helped bring it to life over the past century. This selection is one of Eddie’s favorites because it tells a historic tale from a fresh angle in that D'Anieri’s approach is a collection of biographies.
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson
It is 1940. During Winston Churchill’s first year as prime minister, Hitler waged a relentless bombing campaign. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together. Recommended by Mark, this book is an engaging tale of Churchill’s first year in office and, Mark suggests, mirrors the resolve Americans have had throughout the recent pandemic.
The Reading List: A Novel by Sara Nisha Adams
An unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb. Joanne says she knows her customers will enjoy this one because it is a thought-provoking, lighthearted story that challenges the reader to question just what they would do if they found such a list.