Alastair Bonnett
At first glance, Bonnett’s book may look like another interesting guide to off-the-beaten-track places. Unruly Places goes a step further. Divided into eight categories, Bonnett looks at truly unique geographical places and concepts. Lost Spaces include cities that have been …
Joshua Foer
Journalist Joshua Foer had no idea he’d being going down the rabbit hole himself when he first covered the U.S. Memory Championships. The contest, not one to draw large headlines or ecstatic crowds, is still an intense competition. Participants must memorize the order of a random decks of …
Berkeley Breathed
Breathed’s first collection of Bloom County strips in 26 years is a bittersweet and rather odd collection. While fans are delighted he is back, the topic matter that lured Breathed back is unfortunate. Bloom County suddenly burst back into life in the summer of 2015. Almost immediately, Breathed …
Claire Hoffman
As far as cults go, the Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation (TM) community was, and still is, pretty benign. In fact, author Hoffman goes to great pains to avoid calling the group a true cult. There are plenty of the hallmarks though – separating members from the larger community, a …
Jen Lancaster
Lancaster’s switch from snarkily funny autobiography (Bitter is the New Black, I Regret Nothing) to fiction has been highly successful and incredibly satisfying. Admittedly, her inspiration comes from the same well – nasty women in the burbs getting life lessons in a hilarious, if sympathetic, way.
By …
Penn Jillette
Yes, that Penn, of Penn and Teller. One has a first name, one has a last and together they’re magical. *ba-doom-ching*
Jillette, a man prolific in many things – writing, magic, acting, opinions – was also quite prolific in the weight area. After a nasty health scare, he …
Michael Perry
Seed catalogs are responsible for more unfulfilled fantasies than Enron and Penthouse combined.
Perry’s Truck is a love song to his vintage truck, but also to so many other parts of his life – gardening, his neighbors, fellow fire fighters, family, seed catalogs, The Joynt bar, his fledgling …
Marian Keyes
While I have loved all of Keyes’ books, The Woman Who Stole My Life feels closer to her original titles (Watermelon, Last Chance Saloon). Less of a tear-jerker than than previous few (The Mystery of Mercy Close), there is still plenty of Keyes’ …
Graeme Simsion
This sweet, funny story follows professor of genetics Don Tillman as he tries to find the perfect wife. It soon becomes clear that Don has Asperger’s Syndrome. That is, it is clear to everyone but Don. Deciding a large questionnaire is needed to weed out unacceptable applicants, Don …
Thomas Thwaites
Could you build a toaster? “Sure,” you say. “I’d just get a kit on amazon.” No, from scratch? “Well yes, I could get all the parts online, probably Ebay, and cobble one together.” No, from real scratch. Mining the ore and refining it. Forming each delicate piece. Creating …
Michael Perry
On Christmas Eve itself bachelor Harley Jackson stepped into his barn and behold there illuminated in straw a smallish newborn bull calf upon whose flank was born the very image of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
‘Well,” said Harley, “that’s trouble.”
And thus begins The Bard o’ …
Lionel Shriver
Shriver’s oh-so-plausible dystopian novel follows four generations of the Mandible family. From the incredibly wealthy great-grandfather to his granddaughter and great grandson ( barely scraping by), the family fortunes run the gamut of the economic ladder. But all are soon falling, and fast.
What makes this novel both …
Kelley Armstrong
This atmospheric mystery is a gripping read. Homicide Detective Casey Duncan has a nasty secret in her past and a best friend who she is trying to protect from an abusive ex. When things come to a head, the two decide to drop out of society. They are …
Thomas Thwaites
Who hasn’t looked at their pet and thought “Damn pal, you have it good. Food, toys, naps and not a care in the world.” Inspired by similar ruminations while dog-sitting Noggin the dog, eater of horrid things, Thwaites decided to write an arts grant application to give being …
Marie Kondo
This is by far the most useful decluttering book I have ever read. “Decluttering” may not be quite the right term. I think “divesting” would be better. Rather than buying a new set of plastic bins, adding shelves, or finding clever ways to nest one item in another, …
Susan Cox
This book was humming along, being all wonderful and and stuff. And then it ended! The nerve! Worse, it is Cox’s first and was just published (Dec. 2015). Despite these short-comings, I would highly recommend picking up The Man on the Washing Machine. Theo Bogart, looking to escape …
