The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians (Google Books ⧉, Amazon ⧉, Bookshop ⧉)
Contributed by NobleBibliophile506
Places Map
References To Other Books
Direct References
Washington Black
I chose Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles and Washington Black by Esi Edugyan for my book club based on her recommendation.
Harlequin romance
Gloria, who comes in monthly for her Harlequin romance fix, probably ties with Maya for the title of Best Customer.
Mad Honey
She loved Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and enjoyed David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon.
Twilight
I may have a master’s degree, but one of my favorite books is Twilight. It’s just escapist fiction at its absolute best.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
“Oh my God,” my dad said. “You’re reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas?”
Alice in Wonderland
“It’s like Alice in Wonderland for boys, right?”
The Voice of the Clown
I’ve been totally absorbed in my book, The Voice of the Clown by Brenda Brown Canary, a pulp horror paperback novel with a lurid cover.
Forever
I read everything Judy Blume wrote—even Forever, though that one was in the adult section, so I had to get my parents’ permission.
Jaws
Once I outgrew children’s books, though, I pretty much just transitioned right into books like Jaws, The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror.
The Exorcist
Once I outgrew children’s books, though, I pretty much just transitioned right into books like Jaws, The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror.
The Amityville Horror
Once I outgrew children’s books, though, I pretty much just transitioned right into books like Jaws, The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror.
Hollywood Husbands
I remember being with my mother, in line at the grocery store, and picking up Jackie Collins’s latest romance, Hollywood Husbands, a lusty story of high-powered fame and fortune.
Hollywood Wives
Oh, Mom, I already read the first one, Hollywood Wives,' I scoffed.
All American Boys
I’d handed her All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely.
Killers of the Flower Moon
She loved Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and enjoyed David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon.
Betsy-Tacy series
My mother went to Bamberger’s, a store in Newark, to order three books that she’d seen advertised in the newspaper—the start of Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series about childhood best friends.
Oz series
I had, by then, read all fourteen books in L. Frank Baum’s Oz series. I don’t remember where those books came from.
Nancy Drew
I would get a Nancy Drew book, a new one every week. I guess Nancy Drew books were inexpensive then, or perhaps I saved up, because my allowance was maybe a quarter.
The Paper Palace
A book I really fell for was a debut novel, The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller. We learned from our sister store in Miami that people really do respond to staff recommendations.
Everything Is Illuminated
When I figure out what the patron is really asking for, I have kind of a duh moment. The one I’ll never forget is a customer calling in, looking for Everything Is Eliminated. I can’t find a book by that title anywhere. Finally, she turns away from the phone and asks someone else in her household, who tells her that she wants Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer, F-O-E-R. What makes me laugh is that, for that book, which eventually became a movie, either title would’ve worked.
Golden Girl
I felt like we made it when she gave us a little name-drop in her book Golden Girl—her main character, an author, mentions starting her book tour at Browseabout Books.
I Really Needed This Today
Every time I see the First Lady, I think back to July 2018 and a book signing we had for Hoda Kotb, coanchor of NBC News’s Today show and author of the inspirational book I Really Needed This Today.
Killing Mr. Griffin
The book is Killing Mr. Griffin, a young adult novel by Lois Duncan about some teens who, as a prank, kidnap a teacher, who then has a medical emergency and dies. The book is really about their remorse and a reflection on what they did and how wrong it was and how even though his death was not their intent, it happened anyway.
Grapefruit
Once, I spot Yoko Ono’s book of conceptual art, Grapefruit, on my friend’s brother’s shelf, and I remember my own copy from back in, like, 1970.
The Joy of Cheesecake
On the other end, when news of a customer’s divorce made it into the local paper and then a week or two later she comes in buying The Joy of Cheesecake and The Joy of Sex, I think, Good for you, getting back out there again!
The Joy of Sex
On the other end, when news of a customer’s divorce made it into the local paper and then a week or two later she comes in buying The Joy of Cheesecake and The Joy of Sex, I think, Good for you, getting back out there again!
Dr. Seuss
What’s interesting is, when it comes to kids’ books, the books they end up taking home, the books they are coming back to, are the ones parents remember from when they were kids, like Dr. Seuss and Junie B. Jones and Magic Tree House.
Junie B. Jones
What’s interesting is, when it comes to kids’ books, the books they end up taking home, the books they are coming back to, are the ones parents remember from when they were kids, like Dr. Seuss and Junie B. Jones and Magic Tree House.
Magic Tree House
What’s interesting is, when it comes to kids’ books, the books they end up taking home, the books they are coming back to, are the ones parents remember from when they were kids, like Dr. Seuss and Junie B. Jones and Magic Tree House.
Alex Cross
I’m excited about James Patterson’s new Alex Cross book. I love those books, but the biggest James Patterson fan was my mother. Oh my God. She was rabid. It was hysterical.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Right before Christmas this year, I take my nephew and a friend of his to the movies. Afterward, I give them a choice between going to a restaurant with video games or to the bookstore. Both of them say, “Let’s go to Books-A-Million.” So we go walking in, and there’s a cart in the front of the store filled with Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dog Man and Cat Kid books.
Dog Man
Right before Christmas this year, I take my nephew and a friend of his to the movies. Afterward, I give them a choice between going to a restaurant with video games or to the bookstore. Both of them say, “Let’s go to Books-A-Million.” So we go walking in, and there’s a cart in the front of the store filled with Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dog Man and Cat Kid books.
Cat Kid
Right before Christmas this year, I take my nephew and a friend of his to the movies. Afterward, I give them a choice between going to a restaurant with video games or to the bookstore. Both of them say, “Let’s go to Books-A-Million.” So we go walking in, and there’s a cart in the front of the store filled with Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dog Man and Cat Kid books.
The Girl on the Train
I read Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train six months before it comes out and just keep nagging the publicist, “This book is amazing. We want to order hundreds of copies. You have to bring her over for a tour.”
Lonesome Dove
I was a big horse girl, so I read Lonesome Dove in eighth grade. That book not only opened up a world of adult literature to me, it gave me and my grandfather something to talk about over the phone.
The Great Gatsby
People look under classics when they’re purchasing summer reading titles for their kids’ school assignments, which raises even more questions, like, “How could we leave out The Great Gatsby?”
Harry Potter
The boy loves Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books, so he’s looking for more in that vein.
Percy Jackson
The boy loves Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books, so he’s looking for more in that vein.
Dr. Seuss
When we’re little, we read picture books, and little board books, and Dr. Seuss.
Kiss the Girls
A mother comes in. Her teenage son has an assignment where he has to read a nonfiction or a fiction book. I recommend an adult title, James Patterson’s Kiss the Girls, but with a warning. “Now,” I say, “there’s a little bit of sex in it. I’m telling you because you’re the mom and you’re buying this book.” “I’m okay with it,” she says. She later makes sure to tell me that her son enjoyed the book, and he did well on his report.
Simon the Fiddler
I chose Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles and Washington Black by Esi Edugyan for my book club based on her recommendation.
Roses Are Red
As the Alex Cross series progresses, I get an advance copy of Roses Are Red packaged with a silk rose. Awhile later, after the book comes out, a guy comes in and wants to buy it as a Valentine’s Day gift for his girlfriend. “Go buy a red silk rose, wrap the book, and put the flower on top of the package,” I recommend. “Oh, that’s a cool idea.”
I Am series
So we hang out with his dad and his kids, and I have Brad autograph my grandson’s thirteen books from the I Am series, along with my new hardcover.
Alex Cross series
As the Alex Cross series progresses, I get an advance copy of Roses Are Red packaged with a silk rose. Awhile later, after the book comes out, a guy comes in and wants to buy it as a Valentine’s Day gift for his girlfriend. “Go buy a red silk rose, wrap the book, and put the flower on top of the package,” I recommend. “Oh, that’s a cool idea.”
Gabriel Allon series
I quickly come up with a recommendation—Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series, about a master art restorer who’s also an Israeli intelligence operative. The series runs to more than twenty books, and the woman proceeds to devour every single one.
Hop on Pop
I curl up next to my mom as she reads me Hop on Pop and all the Dr. Seuss books.
Penguin Classics
I run my fingers across old Penguin Classics with their distinctive orange-and-blue covers. I start at the beginning of the alphabet and read through to the end.
The Bean Trees
until one day on vacation in Colorado, I pick up The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver. The story is filled with wonderful, memorable characters. I can’t put it down. It’s such an incredible feeling, discovering a book as great as this. The Bean Trees makes me fall in love with reading again.
Shining City
The older gentleman who approaches the counter isn’t a regular patron. His name is Robert—a navy veteran in his seventies and an avid reader of political fiction. I recommend a book by Tom Rosenstiel: Shining City, the first in a series about a Washington fixer hired to vet a Supreme Court nominee. “What if I don’t like it?” he asks. “Use Nancy Pearl’s formula,” I say, explaining the blueprint that the famed librarian came up with over a decade ago.
Rena and Brooks series
Publishers often send librarians “advance reading copies,” or ARCs—early, unfinalized prepublication editions. When the ARC for the newest book in Tom Rosenstiel’s Rena and Brooks series comes in, I immediately think of Robert. I give him the advance copy.
Charlotte’s Web
“Do you have a favorite?” I think about it for a moment. “I’d have to say Charlotte’s Web. To this day, I still have this vivid memory of reading it with my dad when I was about seven or eight. You know, the book deals with some sad, heavy topics, but I really bonded with my dad over it. That was when I realized, Wow, I really love reading.”
Jedi Search
Among a selection of adult paperbacks, I see a book called Jedi Search by Kevin J. Anderson. I’m nine years old. I love Star Wars. I grab the book.
Pawn of Prophecy
He hands me a paperback, a science fiction novel called Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings. “It’s my favorite,” he says. I love it.
Murderbot Diaries
I’ve got the perfect books for your son—the Murderbot Diaries, a series by Martha Wells. It’s won all sorts of prestigious awards. He’ll love it.
The Passage
I show her The Passage by Justin Cronin. “Yes!” the woman practically screams. “I can’t believe you found it!”
The Big Sleep
I’m always on the lookout for collectible first editions or signed copies, especially any book by early pioneers of the genre, guys like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, who wrote hard-boiled detective classics like The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon.
The Maltese Falcon
I’m always on the lookout for collectible first editions or signed copies, especially any book by early pioneers of the genre, guys like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, who wrote hard-boiled detective classics like The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon.
Out of Sight
Elmore Leonard, an icon best known for crime thrillers like Out of Sight and Get Shorty, began his career in the 1950s and 1960s writing Westerns.
Get Shorty
Elmore Leonard, an icon best known for crime thrillers like Out of Sight and Get Shorty, began his career in the 1950s and 1960s writing Westerns.
The Terminal List
At the Albuquerque Library sale, I luck upon a mint first edition of The Terminal List, bestselling thriller writer Jack Carr’s first novel.
A Is for Alibi
I find a lot of gems, such as the first mystery in Sue Grafton’s Alphabet series, “A” Is for Alibi, which can be worth as much as $1,500.
When I Was the Greatest
Way before Jason Reynolds blows up and everybody’s trying to get him, I invite him to our event after reading his amazing coming-of-age novel, When I Was the Greatest, which speaks to young urban teens and the heart of their daily struggles.
All American Boys
When Reynolds comes, he speaks about his next book, All American Boys, with such genuine honesty that I can tell he connects on a real, deep level with the inner-city youth in the audience, especially the boys.
Growing Up X
I host Malcom X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz for a discussion of her memoir, Growing Up X. My goodness, it’s like being in the presence of a queen.
The Hate U Give
I book Angie Thomas, author of the award-winning novel The Hate U Give, about a sixteen-year-old girl who witnesses a fatal shooting.
American Street
During the signing for Ibi Zoboi, the award-winning Haitian American author of American Street, a young lady approaches me and says, “Listening to this author speak about who she is and where she came from—she was so honest. I could really relate to her.”
Beasts of Prey
As I’m looking over publisher catalogs featuring new and upcoming titles, I stumble upon a debut young adult novel called Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray. What grabs me is the cover—a snake curling around palm-like leaves set against a black background.
Santa in the City
I invite an author named Tiffany D. Jackson, whose first holiday picture book, Santa in the City, is coming out, to do a live reading in the outdoor Eastman Reading Garden on opening night.
The Handmaid’s Tale
I see Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale in manuscript form. It absolutely blows me away, both as an incredible literary novel and one with incredible bestseller potential.
Harry Potter
It would be anachronistic to say that it’s like something out of Harry Potter, because Harry Potter didn’t exist yet, but it looks like a store you would find in Diagon Alley.
The Time Traveler’s Wife
there’s even a scene set in Bookman’s Alley in the bestselling novel The Time Traveler’s Wife, because the author, Audrey Niffenegger, loved it so much as a student.
InvestiGators
An eight-year-old boy runs into the store. He’s really into the InvestiGators, a graphic novel series about alligators who investigate crimes. To hear him talking to one of our children’s book experts, you’d think they were discussing the most recent Booker Prize winner.
Bird by Bird
Those five years lead to Anne writing Bird by Bird, one of the greatest books on the craft of writing.
Save the Cat!
a screenwriter talks to the kids about Save the Cat!, a popular screenwriting book that breaks down the art of storytelling.
The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini, author of the international bestseller The Kite Runner
The Red Lion
One that really impacted me, by a Hungarian author named Mária Szepes, is a novel from the 1940s called The Red Lion, about a man searching for the elixir of immortality.
Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria
After I drop my daughter off at school, I turn on an audiobook called Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria by George Jreije.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
I tell them about an event we did during the pandemic with Jeff Kinney, the author of the popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.
Harry Potter
I haven’t encountered anything this good since Harry Potter.
Joe Pickett
Box is the author of the Joe Pickett and Dewell & Hoyt novels, both adapted into successful TV shows.
Dewell & Hoyt
Box is the author of the Joe Pickett and Dewell & Hoyt novels, both adapted into successful TV shows.
Longmire mysteries
Johnson wrote the Longmire mysteries, the basis for the Netflix original series Longmire.
Little Golden Books
my immigrant parents and I learn English together, all of us reading phonetically from the Little Golden Books series, or my father and I sounding out articles from the New York Post.
Dick and Jane
The only books I’ve read up until this point are the Little Golden Books or Dick and Jane–type books in school.
Charlotte’s Web
Although books like Charlotte’s Web seem to be the next logical step, I’m hungry for all the books in the library.
Exodus
My attention lands on this huge hardcover book called Exodus, written by Leon Uris.
The Poky Little Puppy
I discover early to get lost in the magic of the words, loving these stories with small creatures, like The Poky Little Puppy, or my favorite, The Goat That Went to School.
The Goat That Went to School
I discover early to get lost in the magic of the words, loving these stories with small creatures, like The Poky Little Puppy, or my favorite, The Goat That Went to School.
The Monster at the End of This Book
To this day, one of my warmest memories is of my grandfather reading aloud to five-year-old me, turning the pages of The Monster at the End of This Book, a story narrated by Grover, the bright blue “cute, furry little monster” from Sesame Street.
Go Set a Watchman
Earlier that year, HarperCollins announced they’d be releasing Go Set a Watchman by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Harper Lee on July 14.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Lee’s first and only other book, To Kill a Mockingbird, had come out in 1960 to more than fifty years of acclaim.
Don Quixote
Her tastes gravitate toward classics like Don Quixote—widely regarded as the first modern novel—and brand-new bestsellers like the ones endorsed by Oprah, Jenna Bush, or Reese Witherspoon in their own clubs.
House of Leaves
One night, I suggest that one of Sue’s clubs read a book called House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski.
Danny and the Dinosaur
At home, I pick up my yellowed copy of Danny and the Dinosaur, open it, and smile when I see my own childlike handwriting in the middle of the book jacket.
The Snowy Day
I also have a copy of The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Still one of my favorites. Every time I read that book to my nuggets it transports me back to my kid self.
The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them Now
I pluck off the shelf the latest edition of a book called The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter—And How to Make the Most of Them Now by Meg Jay and bring it over to them.
Healing After Loss
I hand the woman a copy of Healing After Loss. “I think this will help you,” I say. “It really helped me.”
Dragons Love Tacos
Without a word, she solemnly lays on the counter a copy of Dragons Love Tacos. “This is what you’ve picked out?” I ask, swallowing a smile at the idea that such a serious girl has chosen such a fun, goofy book.
Captain Underpants: The Attack of the Talking Toilets
‘Captain Underpants!’ the boy says. I ignore him and address the excited seven-year-old. “Do you happen to know the rest of the title?” I ask. “The Attack of the Talking Toilets.” “Okay, I’m pretty sure we’ve got that one in stock,” I say.
Biscuit and the Big Parade!
I’ll be reading a picture book from a series featuring the adventures of an adorable yellow puppy named Biscuit. I pull back the small curtain. The kids are packed near the stage and I announce, “Look, everyone! It’s Biscuit and the Big Parade!”
Harlequin novels
A little while ago, our monthly shipment of Harlequin novels was delivered to the wrong store. We were inundated with calls from irate fans checking in daily until the situation was resolved.
Fifty Shades of Grey
I do some research and discover that Fifty Shades of Grey originally started out as online fan fiction based on the enormously popular Twilight series. The author, E. L. James, rewrote her fanfic into what became Fifty Shades of Grey—and it seems to have a growing following online.
Twilight series
I do some research and discover that Fifty Shades of Grey originally started out as online fan fiction based on the enormously popular Twilight series.
Tempt Me at Twilight
The book in my hands is Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas. The cover features a woman in a wedding dress with a flowing skirt. A trashy romance novel, clearly.
This Is Why You’re Fat
No!" she nearly screams. "It’s called This Is Why You’re Fat. That’s the book I ordered. I can’t believe you didn’t put it on hold!
Amazing Spider-Man stories
A young comic book fan recently approached me, wearing a T‑shirt from the latest Spidey Universe film. “I loved the movie,” he tells me. “Do you guys carry any Spider‑Man stories?” “Oh buddy, you asked the right guy,” I say as I lead him over to a compendium of the original Amazing Spider‑Man stories created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in the 1960s. I tap the book cover. “Have you heard of Stan Lee, the guy behind most of the Marvel characters in the movies?” The guy nods. “I met him in person—three times!” I say. He’s delighted by both the book and my story.
A Song of Ice and Fire series
When I’ve got my white beard grown out and I’m heavier, I’m frequently mistaken for fantasy author George R. R. Martin, whose A Song of Ice and Fire series is the basis for HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones. One year during the expo, the expo showrunner actually sends a staffer to ask my boss, “Do you have George R. R. Martin at your table?” Apparently, after spotting me at our bookselling table, dozens of expo patrons were quizzing the showrunner and his staff about why “George” wasn’t on the program. For years now, I’ll raise his author photo up to my face and joke with customers, “Thank you for buying a copy of my book.”
Flowers in the Attic
When I was a preteen, my mom was reading V. C. Andrews’s Flowers in the Attic. It was a bestseller and had a lot of buzz—there’s an incestuous relationship in it, not graphic or anything, but very salacious—and I wanted to read it so badly.
The Four Winds
We just finished The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, a novel set during the Great Depression.
The Personal Librarian
Next, we’re reading The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, historical fiction set in Gilded Age New York about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene.
Harry Potter
It’s only a few hours until the fourth Harry Potter book will be released. They’re just as excited as the youngsters to get their hands on the newest Harry Potter.
Twilight series
We’ve had midnight release parties for other new books—the latest novels in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, featuring the adventures of a boy and his dragon.
Inheritance Cycle
We’ve had midnight release parties for other new books—the latest novels in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, featuring the adventures of a boy and his dragon.
East of Eden
Even as a kid, I read a lot of adult books, like John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, or Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment.
Crime and Punishment
Even as a kid, I read a lot of adult books, like John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, or Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment.
Mama
I read a book called Mama by Terry McMillan. It’s her first novel, a story about a fierce, strong, and funny Black woman who throws her drunk husband out of the house and sets about raising her five children on her own.
Don’t Look Behind You
Lois Duncan, a master of teen suspense, wrote over a dozen popular YA books like Don’t Look Behind You and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Lois Duncan, a master of teen suspense, wrote over a dozen popular YA books like Don’t Look Behind You and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Harry Potter
I’ve seen little kids who insist on carrying around a Harry Potter book or a Paul Auster novel. Maybe they just like the colors on the cover.
The Lincoln Highway
He sees my confusion and gestures toward a stack of The Lincoln Highway and A Gentleman in Moscow. “Oh, I’m the author. I’m Amor Towles.”
A Gentleman in Moscow
He sees my confusion and gestures toward a stack of The Lincoln Highway and A Gentleman in Moscow. “Oh, I’m the author. I’m Amor Towles.”
Lord of the Rings
When I turned eight or ten, my father read us one of his favorite trilogies, J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, out loud from start to finish.
The Outsiders
Then, a few years later, I stumbled upon a novel from the 1960s called The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. For the entire day, I sat curled up in our living room chair, losing track of time as I read about the whirlwind experiences of Johnny and Ponyboy.
Cemetery Boys
Then I picked up a copy of Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas. It’s a YA book about a young trans boy trying to find his way in the world, and it had been sitting in my to-be-read pile for months.
The Little Red Hen
I grew up in Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America, and loved reading books like The Little Red Hen and The Three Little Pigs before graduating to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.
The Three Little Pigs
I grew up in Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America, and loved reading books like The Little Red Hen and The Three Little Pigs before graduating to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.
Hardy Boys
I grew up in Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America, and loved reading books like The Little Red Hen and The Three Little Pigs before graduating to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.
Nancy Drew
I grew up in Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America, and loved reading books like The Little Red Hen and The Three Little Pigs before graduating to the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.
I’m New Here
I get a phone call from a preschool teacher who recently bought a lot of books for her classroom. “I want to share a story with you about a book you recommended.” “Which one?” “I’m New Here by Anne Sibley O’Brien.” This children’s book tells the story of three immigrant children—from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia—who struggle to adapt to their new American schools.
Parable of the Sower
My freshman year of college, I decide to step outside of my comfort zone and take a class called Women and Science Fiction. We’re assigned Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. Something just clicks. That’s when I fall in love with books.
The Guinness Book of World Records
If she wants to read a magazine, let her read a magazine. If she wants to read The Guinness Book of World Records, then let her read that. Don’t squash her love of reading. There’s so much pressure. Eventually, she’ll find books she’ll connect with. Just keep reading fun.
Charlotte’s Web
We even name our dog Fern after the main character in Charlotte’s Web.
Sweet Valley High series
Growing up, I read everything in my grade school library except the Sweet Valley High series, which I wasn’t allowed to read—and, truth be told, I didn’t have much in common with the Sweet Valley High twins.
Prep
A few years later, Curtis publishes her debut novel, Prep, which becomes an acclaimed bestseller.
Closer by Sea
“Can you make out this last one to me?” I ask Perry Chafe, a Canadian TV writer and producer on the hit shows Republic of Doyle and Son of a Critch. Chafe lives here on the island, and he’s stopped by to sign copies of his debut novel, Closer by Sea. I’ve requested an advance reading copy from the publisher but it hasn’t come in. “I promise I’ll buy it on my lunch break!” I tell him. I gather up all the copies of the book we have in stock for him to sign—not nearly enough!—and he’s a true pleasure to deal with, open and friendly. “I’ll sign this book for you, Charlene,” Chafe tells me, “but only if you let me buy it for you.”
Century trilogy
Dale, a regular, comes in looking for a Christmas gift for his wife. “We have a beautiful, autographed box set of Ken Follett’s Century trilogy,” I tell him. “I definitely recommend that you buy it for her before I buy it for myself!” I’m only half-joking—I already own all the Follett books, but the temptation to purchase this signed box set anyway is strong. Dale is convinced, and the gift is a big hit with his wife, Rita.
The Night Circus
One year around Christmastime, Rita comes to the cash register where I’m working. “Have you read this one yet?” she asks as I’m ringing up her purchase, a copy of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. “I haven’t had the chance,” I admit, “but I’ve heard great things about it.” “Perfect,” she says. “This is for you. After all the great books you’ve recommended to us over the years, this one is my recommendation to you.” I’m incredibly touched.
The Handmaid’s Tale
One of my most memorable events is with Margaret Atwood, right after the TV adaptation of her novel The Handmaid’s Tale wins eight Emmy Awards in its first season. I interview her onstage, and she’s so charming and witty.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
My absolute favorite book is The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. In the summer of 1832, thirteen-year-old schoolgirl Charlotte Doyle is the only passenger on a transatlantic journey from Liverpool, England, to Providence, Rhode Island, when the ship’s crew mutinies, and Charlotte must decide whether to side with the captain or the rebellious crew.
Goodnight Moon
I’m hired to dress up as costumed characters for their monthly story times—the bunny from Goodnight Moon or a character from Love You Forever, whatever the store needs.
Love You Forever
I’m hired to dress up as costumed characters for their monthly story times—the bunny from Goodnight Moon or a character from Love You Forever, whatever the store needs.
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
One of the bookstore’s owners is a huge fan of William Butler Yeats and named the bookstore, which opened in 1992, after the Yeats poem “The Lake Isle of Innisfree.”
Jack Reacher
After a quick hello, Joanne makes a beeline to the new releases table and picks up a hardcover copy of Lee Child’s latest Jack Reacher novel, which goes on sale today.
James and the Giant Peach
Listening to Kathy and Joanne talking about Reacher reminded me of my second-grade teacher reading us Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach. I thought it was just the most magical book I’d ever heard.
James Patterson
told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson
Walk in My Combat Boots
His first book with James Patterson was Walk in My Combat Boots.
Remembering Sarah
The Mystery Writers of America nominated Remembering Sarah for an Edgar Award.
Indirect References
F. Scott Fitzgerald novels
My younger son isn’t as much of a reader, but then he falls in love with, of all things, F. Scott Fitzgerald. “It’s amazing,” he says. “I can’t believe how many things that I hear in the world are related back to things in literature.” He’s reading Fitzgerald novels not because he was forced to, but purely for the pleasure of the description and dialogue.
Judy Blume book
I may have been in an unfamiliar place, but I could always go back and read that Judy Blume book or that Beverly Cleary book again and find my friends there.
Beverly Cleary book
I may have been in an unfamiliar place, but I could always go back and read that Judy Blume book or that Beverly Cleary book again and find my friends there.
Referenced By
No books reference this book