Boswell bestsellers for the week ending May 17, 2025

Boswell bestsellers for the week ending May 17, 2025

Hardcover Fiction:
1. People of Means, by Nancy Johnson
2. The Emperor of Gladness, by Ocean Vuong
3. My Friends, by Fredrik Backman
4. Fever Beach, by Carl Hiaasen
5. The Devil Three Times, by Rickey Fayne (Boswell May 20 event)
6. Marble Hall Murders, by Anthony Horowitz
7. The Names, by Florence Knapp
8. Great Big Beautiful Life, by Emily Henry
9. The Devils, by Joe Abercrombie
10. James, by Percival Everett

The Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong's second novel, is the latest selection of the Oprah Book Club and had a strong first week. It's got 10 raves plus a positive and mixed on BookMarks. It's nice to see a review from the Christian Science Monitor. Here's Heller McAlpin's take: "In 2019, Ocean Vuong, an award-winning Vietnamese American poet, stunned readers with his first novel. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous was a brutal and tender coming-of-age story about surviving the aftermath of political and domestic trauma, written in the form of a son’s letter to his illiterate mother. In his unremittingly gorgeous second novel, The Emperor of Gladness, Vuong again deftly walks a tightrope between despair and hope, heartache and love."

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Mark Twain, by Ron Chernow (Turner Hall Ballroom June 4 event)
2. Everything Is Tuberculosis, by John Green
3. Artic Passages, by Kirean Mulvaney
4. The Six, by Steven Schwankert (Boswell May 29 event)
5. The Fate of the Day, by Rick Atkinson
6. Capitalism and Its Critics by John Cassidy
7. Ginseng Roots, by Craig Thompson (Boswell May 27 event)
8. Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
9. The Book of Alchemy, by Suleika Jaouad
10. Proto, by Laura Spinney

It's a lively top 10 with three upcoming events and three additional May 13 releases popping. I wouldn't expect a pop from Island Press, but Arctic Passages: Ice, Exploration, and the Battle for Power at the Top of the World is summer reading for a local school. Hasn't sold much at other stores yet, but it's got a strong buy from Ingram. From Foreword Reviews: "The Arctic's precipitous warming is studied not only for its devastating ecological implications but for global superpowers' maneuvers to capitalize on possible new trade opportunities."

Paperback Fiction:
1. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
2. Late to the Search Party, by Steven Espada Dawson (signed copies)
3. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey (Boswell upcoming book clubs)
4. North Woods, by Daniel Mason
5. The Third Rule of Time Travel, by Philip Fracassi
6. The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese
7. The Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson
8. Table for Two, by Amor Towles
9. Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett
10. Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro

Three upcoming book club book selections in the top ten, being that two of our four groups met this week. The Third Rule of Time Travel is the next selection of the Science Fiction Book Club. It's a paperback original that released in March. From Publishers Weekly: "Corporate politics and experimental physics clash in this exciting sci-fi outing from Fracassi...Underlying the brisk time-caper plot is Colson's ominous warning that scientists should not play God. Sci-fi fans with a taste for noir will savor this one."

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Reading for Our Lives, by Maya Payne Smart
2. Wisconsin Idols, by Dean Robbins
3. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
4. At the Edge of Empire, by Eric Hinderaker
5. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
6. Maus boxed set, by Art Spiegelman
7. The Flavor of Wisconsin, by Harva Hachten and Terese Allen
8. 111 Places in Wisconsin That You Must Not Miss, by Michelle Madden
9. When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, by Julie Satow
10. Poverty by America, by Matthew Desmond

Maya Payne Smart's Reading for Our Lives: The Urgency of Early Literacy and the Action Plan to Help Your Child has been completely updated and revised in paperback. From Michael Eric Dyson: "This is a book that every parent must read to make sure their children reach their full potential as readers and citizens of our nation."

Books for Kids: 

1. Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name, by Luvvie Ajayi Jones, illustrations by Joe Spiotto
2. Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins
3. A Place for Pluto, by Stef Wade, illustrations by Melanie Demmer
4. The Very Last Leaf, by Stef Wade, illustrations by Jennifer Davison
5. Malcolm Lives, by Ibram X Kendi
6. Every Day's a Holiday, by Stef Wade, illustrations by Husna Aghniya
7 Dry, by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
8. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
9. Will the Pigeon Graduate?, by Mo Willems
10. Dog Man V13: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey

Dr Ibram X Kendi visited America's Black Holocaust Museum for Malcolm Lives!: The Official Biography of Malcolm X for Young Readers where he was in conversation with Maya Payne Smart (see above). From Kirkus: "Scholar and award-winning author Kendi offers a thoroughly researched biography that examines the life of the activist, intellectual, and Muslim minister." There should be some signed copies at ABHM.

Boswell bestsellers, week ending May 10, 2025

Boswell bestsellers, week ending May 10, 2025

Hardcover Fiction:
1. My Friends, by Fredrik Backman
2. A Pair of Wings, by Carole Hopson
3. The World's Fair Quilt, by Jennifer Chiaverini
4. The Perfect Divorce, by Jeneva Rose
5. The Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy
6. Beartown, by Fredrik Backman
7. The Unlucky Ones, by Hannah Morrissey
8. This Book Will Bury Me, by Ashley Winstead
9. James, by Pecival Everett
10. Shield of Sparrows, by Devney Perry

The thing you need to know about romantasy (and romance in general) is that the genre holds a lot of life lessons, most notably that today's enemy might be tomorrow's lover. Think about this the next time you go into battle. Shield of Sparrows is Entangled's lead for spring and comes complete with decorative sprayed edges (for a limited time). Said an anonymous reviewer on the Ingram order page: "The best read of 2025." The series is in development with Amazon MGM Studios.

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. We Can Do Hard Things, by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle
2. The Book of Alchemy, by Suleika Jaouad
3. Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
4. Ginseng Roots, by Craig Thompson (Boswell May 27 event)
5. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
6. Big Dumb Eyes, by Nate Bargatze
7. On Call, by Anthony Fauci
8. The Next Day, by Melissa French Gates
9. Things My Son Needs to Know About the World, by Fredrik Backman
10. The Fate of the Day, by Rick Atkinson

First week out for We Can Do Hard Things from the Doyle siblings, plus Glennon's spouse Wambach. From Booklist: "The authors, who host the We Can Do Hard Things podcast, mine their audiences and friends to get a wide range of thoughts on 20 tough questions, including, Why am I like this? How do I let go? How do I do the hard thing? and What is the point?... The style is breezy, with blocks of text alternating with line drawings, quotes, and affirmations from a diverse group of thinkers. At 500 pages, it's an easy read that can be sampled depending on the reader's needs."

Paperback Fiction:
1. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
2. Beartown, by Fredrik Backman
3. A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman
4. Us Against You, by Fredrik Backman
5. One Golden Summer, by Carley Fortune
6. Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro
7. Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
8. I Cheerfully Refuse, by Leif Enger
9. North Woods, by Daniel Mason
10. The Vegetarian, by Han Kang (Boswell-run book club info here)

The only new title on this list is One Golden Summer, by Carley Fortune, a paperback original. From Publishers Weekly: "The beachy latest from bestseller Fortunef ollows Alice Everly, an overworked photographer who's lost her creative spark. When her grandmother, Nan, breaks her hip, Alice hopes to cheer her up by bringing her back to her lake cottage where Alice spent one wonderful summer when she was 17...The sparks between Alice and Charlie (a neighbor) fly off the page and endearing Nan adds heart. This is a treat."

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
2. I Live Underwater, by Max Gene Nohl
3. Pocahantas and the Powhatan Dilemma, by Camilla Townsend
4. The Wager, by David Grann
5. Your Brain on Art, by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
6. Dumb Birds Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever, by Matt Kracht
7. The Birding Dictionary, by Rosemary Mosco
8. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
9. At the Edge of Empire, by Eric Hinderaker
10. Rome and Persia, by Adrian Goldsworthy

A nice pre-pub-date pop on a formerly unpublished memoir. I Live Underwater: The Thrilling Adventures of a Record-Breaking Diver, Treasure Hunter, and Deep-Sea Explorer. From his bio: "He was a salvage diver, inventor and scuba innovator, Hollywood consultant, and world record-setting diver before his untimely death at age 47. He is widely considered to be the person who revolutionized deep sea diving." He was also Mary Nohl's brother.

Books for Kids:
1. Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name, by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
2. The Bletchley Riddle, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
3. Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins
4. A Place for Pluto, by Stef Wade, illustrated by Melanie Demmer
5. Moving to Mars, by Stef Wade, illustrations by Erin Taylor
6. Stuck! the Story of La Brea Tar Pits, by Joyce Uglow
7. Q and U Call It Quits, by Stef Wade, illustrated by Jorge Martin
8. If I Coujld Choose a Best Day, by Charles Waters and Irene Latham, illustrated by Olivia Sua
9. Will the Pigeon Graduate?, by Mo Willems

A preorder campaign for Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name drives sales for Luvvie Ajayi Jones's picture book and her troublemaker brand (Professional Troublemaker for adults, Rising Troublemaker for teens, Little Troublemaker Makes a Mess for younger readers) is a first-day-of-school/how-to-deal-with-a-bully primer. Kirkus Reviews called it "Thoughtful guidance for youngsters processing big emotions."

Boswell bestsellers, week ending May 3, 2025

Boswell bestsellers, week ending May 3, 2025

Hardcover Fiction:
1. Great Big Beautiful Life, by Emily Henry
2. Big Chief, by Jon Hickey (signed copies)
3. Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy
4. 33 Place Brugmann, by Alice Austen
5. This Book Will Bury Me, by Ashley Winstead
6. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
7. James, by Percival Everett
8. The Paris Express, by Emma Donoghue
9. The Mighty Red, by Loiuse Erdrich
10. Dungeon Crawler Carl, by Matt Dinniman

Another self-publishing success story, in this case one that's sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Dungeon Crawler Carl came out last August, with the paperback arriving this July and several other volumes released in the meantime. The Eye of the Bedlam arrives May 13. From the publisher: "You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what."

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Medicine River, by Mary Annette Pember
2. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. Who Is Government?, edited by Michael Lewis
4. Ginseng Roots, by Craig Thompson (Boswell May 27 event) 

5. The Book of Alchemy, by Suleika Jaouad
6. Everything Is Tuberculosis, by John Green
7. Garden to the Max, by Terese Woodard
8. The Let Them Theory, by Mel Robbins
9. The Fate of the Day, by Rick Atkinson
10. Lorne, by Susan Morrison

The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life from Suleika Jaouad, author of Between Two Kingdoms, had a great first week. We were out for a few days. This primer on journaling includes entries from everyone from Kiese Laymon to Lena Dunham and has blurbs from Adam Grant, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Elizabeth Gilbert, who writes: "This book is not only beautiful but exceedingly helpful. I recommend it to every dreamer, with the highest respect and joy."

Paperback Fiction:
1. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt (MPL event May 8)
2. Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett
3. Table for Two, by Amor Towles
4. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
5. Trust, by Hernan Diaz
6. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K Le Guin
7. Strange Pictures, by Uketsu
8 I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman
9. Forth Wing V1, by Rebecca Yarros
10. The Paris Novel, by Ruth Reichl

Uketsu appears on video in a white mask and black body stocking with the voice visually distorted. His novel Strange Pictures is a big hit in Japan and based on the Edelweiss numbers, it's doing well here too. The novel, translated by Jim Rion, is explained thusly: "Structured around these nine childlike drawings, each holding a disturbing clue, Uketsu invites readers to piece together the mystery behind each and the over-arching backstory that connects them all."

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Reading for Our Lives, by Maya Payne Smart
2. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
3. Evicted, by Matthew Desmond
4. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
5. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
6. The Devil's Best Trick, by Randall Sullivan
7. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
8. The Dumb Bird's Field Guide to the Worst Birds Ever, by Matt Kracht
9. Rand McNally Large Scale Road Atlas 2026
10. The Man Who Organized Nature, by Gunnar Broberg (out of stock at all Ingram wholesale warehouses!)

The Devil's Best Trick: How the Face of Evil Disappeared is from Grove, so it's got a May 20 pub date, not an on-sale date. The publisher calls Randall Sullivan's latest "part true crime story, part religious and literary history, an investigation into the nature of evil and the figure of the Devil." BookMarks offers one rave, four positives, and a big old pan from Carl Hoffman at The Washington Post whose byline notes he once lived in Indonesia. The rave is from Clancy Martin in The New York Times, who writes: "The prose has wonderful momentum even when he’s writing about arcane debates in the early Christian church. Each chapter is a turn, a surprise. The writing is never clichéd, nor is the thinking. Sullivan knows a great lede, and he’s just as good with cliffhangers."

Books for Kids:
1. Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins
2. Peekaboo Dog, by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P Arrhenius
3. Wil the Pigeon Graduate?, by Mo Willems
4. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins
5. Valiant Vel, by Jerrianne Hayslett, illustrations by Aaron Boyd
6. Hot Dog, by Doug Salati
7. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by Leuyen Pham
8. Little Bird Laila, by Kelly Yang, illustrations by Xindi Yang
9. When We Ride, by Rex Ogle
10. How to Spot a Mermaid, by Jane Yolen, illustrations by Sally Deng

Will the Pigeon Graduate? is a graduation gift book for all ages. From Kirkus: "An earnest graduation gift: sweet for lifelong fans, cheerfully encouraging for striving, future graduates. And guess who attended? Gerald the Elephant and Piggie! If you didn't hear, Union Square, formerly Sterling, was just sold by Barnes and Noble to Hachette Book Group.

I am playing with not italicizing titles. I think you can figure it out from context. We'll see if I continue with this.