Boswell bestsellers, week ending February 1, 2025
Hardcover Fiction:
1. Onyx Storm V3, by Rebecca Yarros (both editions)
2. James, by Percival Everett
3. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
4. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
5. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix
6. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
7. Iron Flame V2, by Rebecca Yarros
8. Beast of the North Woods V3, by Annelise Ryan (Boswell Feb 21 event)
9. The Women, by Kristin Hannah
10. All Fours, by Miranda July
As is usual this time of year. most of our bestsellers are leftover from 2024. I remember when more publishers had high-profile January releases, but I don't see as much of that nowadays. One January 14 release that's been a regular here since then is Grady Hendrix's latest, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. Set in 1970s Florida, it's the story of a group of teenage girls who are sent to a home for unwed mothers and get a copy of How to Be a Groovy Witch. From Booklist: "Another stellar novel from Hendrix, a perfectly constructed story that has a strong emotional core, compelling plot, unforgettable characters, and 360 degrees of terror."
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Free Birds Revolution, by Miles Emerson
2. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. The Harder I Fight The More I Love You, by Neko Case
4. Plundered, by Bernadette Atuahene (Boswell Feb 20 event)
5. The Sirens' Call, by Chris Hayes
6. The Let Them Theory, by Mel Robbins
7. How We Learn to Be Brave, by Mariann Edgar Budde
8. The Little Frog's Guide to Self Care, by Maybell Eequay
9. Why I Cook, by Tom Colicchio
10. Open Socrates, by Agnes Callard
We have a strong first week for alt country singer Neko Case's The Harder I Fight the More I Love You. From Kirkus: "The alt-rock and country singer recalls childhood abuse, misogyny, and a wayward path to success. Case's memoir is informed by injustice, betrayal, and the serial mistreatment of women...Case chronicles her various career achievements as a singer-songwriter (including three Grammy nominations), but those feel almost secondary to her study of her emotional growth, which she discusses with a rare candor."
Paperback Fiction:
1. The Girls of the Glimmer Factory, by Jennifer Coburn
2. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
3. The Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler
4. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
5. Fourth Wing V1, by Rebecca Yarros
6. 1984, by George Orwell
7. The House in the Cerulean Sea, by TJ Klune (UWM Feb 10 event - new slots available)
8. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
9. The Vegetarian, by Han Kang
10. Cradles of the Reich, by Jennifer Coburn
Milwaukee Reads put together a successful launch for Jennifer Coburn's The Girls of the Glimmer Factory. We're not used to being the pub date launch for an author who is neither local nor widely known, but the promotion for this event also increased advance sales for her previous novel, Cradles of the Reich. From Pam Jenoff, a previous Milwaukee Reads featured author: "Jennifer Coburn illuminates a tale of once-friends caught on opposite sides of the war against the backdrop of the Theresienstadt concentration camp. Vividly researched and memorably written, this book offers an original and unflinching look at loyalty, choices, consequences and redemption."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
2. Struggle for the City, by Derek G Handley (MPL Feb 11 event)
3. The Rediscovery of America, by Ned Blackhawk
4. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
5. The Hundred Years War on Palestine, by Rashid Khalidi
6. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
7. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
8. King: A Life, by Jonathan Eig
9. Doppelganger, by Naomi Klein
10. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
Nothing new this week. Further down the list is another Robin Wall Kimmerer book I haven't previously noted, though it's been a steady seller for us and probably most bookstores. Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses is out of stock at three of the four Ingram warehouses, and there are about 500 copies on order. Also, there's a Spanish language edition coming from HarperCollins later this spring.
Books for Kids:
1. Last Night at the Telegraph Club, by Malinda Lo
2. Jayden's Impossible Garden, by Malina Mangal
3. Valiant Vel, by Jerrianne Hayslett, with illustrations by Aaron Boyd (MPL Feb 15 event)
4. Girls on the Rise, by Amanda Gorman, illustrations by Loveis Wise
5. Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey
6. Peekaboo Farm, by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P Arrhenius
7. The Wild Robot Escapes, by Peter Brown
8. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by Leuyen Pham
9. The Yellow Bus, by Loren Long
10. Old School, by Gordon Korman
Gordon Korman returns! Old School is about a boy who is homeschooled in his grandmother's retirement community until he's sent to public school - the classic fish-out-of-water scenario that works so well in middle grade books. From Booklist: "The narrative is written in first person from the points of view of individual characters, from Dexter to his fellow students to his guidance counselor, whose different reactions to situations help readers decide whom to trust. This quick-paced, absorbing narrative encourages readers to consider different varied perspectives on people and events."
Sunday, February 2, 2025
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Boswell bestsellers, week ending January 25, 2025
Boswell bestsellers, week ending January 25, 2025
Hardcover Fiction:
1. Onyx Storm V3, by Rebecca Yarros (two editions)
2. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix
3. James, by Percival Everett
4. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
5. Tell Me Everything, by Elizabeth Strout
6. The Grey Wolf, by Louise Penny
7. Death of the Author, by Nnedi Okorafor
8. Iron Flame V3, by Rebecca Yarros
9. Somewhere Beyond the Sea, by TJ Klune (Feb 10 event at capacity)
10. The Time of the Child, by Niall Williams
Nnedi Okorafor has won every major prize in speculative fiction, per the publisher. The latest is Death of the Author, about a writer whose move towards genre fiction changes the trajectory of the world itself. From Kirkus: "While Zelu's novel imagines a future without human beings on Earth, the near-future world she lives in feels distinctly and promisingly within reach: It's a place where self-driving electric cars make cities more accessible, people with movement disabilities are supported by robotic engineering, and families with deeply held patriarchal customs are brought closer together rather than torn apart when confronting these dynamics. All-out Okorafor - her best yet."
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. How We Learn to Be Brave, by Mariann Edgar Budde
2. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt
4. The False White Gospel, by Jim Wallis
5. The Let Them Theory, by Mel Robbins
6. Cabin, by Patrick Hutchison
7. Women and the Reformations, by Merry Wiesner-Hanks
8. John Lewis, by David Greenberg
9. Beyond Anxiety, by Martha Beck
10. What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking, by Caroline Chambers
Bishop and leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC has gotten attention for her sermon on mercy and that has led to a sales pop for How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. The book is out of stock at all Ingram warehouses and about 5,000 are on reorder. From Jon Meacham: "With clarity, conviction, and a sure sense of the perils and the possibilities of the human condition, Bishop Mariann Budde has given us a great gift: A book that explores how God's children can stand up for the principles of His kingdom in a frail and fallen world."
Paperback Fiction:
1. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
2. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
3. Big Lake Troubles, by Jeffrey Boldt (signed copies)
4. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
5. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
6. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray
7. Blue Lake, by Jeffrey Boldt
8. North Woods, by Daniel Mason
9. A Death in Door County, by Annelise Ryan (Boswell Feb 21 event)
10. Shady Hollow, by Juneau Black
If only I could go back in time and tell customers to go see Ariel Lawhon in 2019 because you'd all be crazy for The Frozen River in a few years. I did notice that our buyer Jason brought I Was Anastasia, the novel she was promoting at the time, back in stock. If only all GMA Book Club picks would take off like this.
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. River of Books, by Donna Seaman (signed copies)
2. Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold
3. Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here, by Jonathan Blitzer
4. The Money Kings, by Daniel Schulman
5. Murdle V1, by GT Karber
6. Dopamine Nation, by Ann Lembke
7. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
8. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
9. Sapiens: A Graphic History V1, by Yuval Noah Harari
10. The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron
In Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis, New Yorker writer Jonathan Blitzer argues that policies from the United States have led to the surge of migrants. BookMarks lists seven raves and a positive review. From Manuel Roig-Franzia in The Washington Post: "Writing with clarity and grace, while avoiding the mawkish tone sometimes associated with tales of the border, Blitzer makes a compelling case that the United States and Central America are knit as one. The poorer nations to the south are dominated and often undermined by the richer nation to the north, which in turn is being shaped in many ways by the migrants who quit those troubled lands and cross into the United States."
Books for Kids:
1. Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, by Barbara Joosse, illustrations by Renée Graef
2. Valiant Vel, by Jerrianne Hayslett, illustrations by Aaron Boyd (MPL Feb 15 event)
3. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
4. Dog Man V13: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey
5. The Children's Book of Wildlife Watching, by Dan Rouse
6. Heavenly Tyrant, by Xiran Jay Zhao
7. Girls on the Rise, by Amanda Gorman, illustrations by Loveis Wise
8. The Squish, by Breanna Carzoo
9. Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue, by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrations by AG Ford
10. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
I don't include bulk school orders on our lists if the books are more than a year old, but one that made the cut is May 2024's The Children's Book of Wildlife Watching, by Welsh ornithologiest Dan Rouse. Backstory from the publisher: "adapted from the popular book for adults, How to Attract Wildlife to Your Garden, and follows on from The Children's Book of Birdwatching."
Hardcover Fiction:
1. Onyx Storm V3, by Rebecca Yarros (two editions)
2. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix
3. James, by Percival Everett
4. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
5. Tell Me Everything, by Elizabeth Strout
6. The Grey Wolf, by Louise Penny
7. Death of the Author, by Nnedi Okorafor
8. Iron Flame V3, by Rebecca Yarros
9. Somewhere Beyond the Sea, by TJ Klune (Feb 10 event at capacity)
10. The Time of the Child, by Niall Williams
Nnedi Okorafor has won every major prize in speculative fiction, per the publisher. The latest is Death of the Author, about a writer whose move towards genre fiction changes the trajectory of the world itself. From Kirkus: "While Zelu's novel imagines a future without human beings on Earth, the near-future world she lives in feels distinctly and promisingly within reach: It's a place where self-driving electric cars make cities more accessible, people with movement disabilities are supported by robotic engineering, and families with deeply held patriarchal customs are brought closer together rather than torn apart when confronting these dynamics. All-out Okorafor - her best yet."
Hardcover Nonfiction
1. How We Learn to Be Brave, by Mariann Edgar Budde
2. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt
4. The False White Gospel, by Jim Wallis
5. The Let Them Theory, by Mel Robbins
6. Cabin, by Patrick Hutchison
7. Women and the Reformations, by Merry Wiesner-Hanks
8. John Lewis, by David Greenberg
9. Beyond Anxiety, by Martha Beck
10. What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking, by Caroline Chambers
Bishop and leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC has gotten attention for her sermon on mercy and that has led to a sales pop for How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. The book is out of stock at all Ingram warehouses and about 5,000 are on reorder. From Jon Meacham: "With clarity, conviction, and a sure sense of the perils and the possibilities of the human condition, Bishop Mariann Budde has given us a great gift: A book that explores how God's children can stand up for the principles of His kingdom in a frail and fallen world."
Paperback Fiction:
1. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
2. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
3. Big Lake Troubles, by Jeffrey Boldt (signed copies)
4. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
5. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
6. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray
7. Blue Lake, by Jeffrey Boldt
8. North Woods, by Daniel Mason
9. A Death in Door County, by Annelise Ryan (Boswell Feb 21 event)
10. Shady Hollow, by Juneau Black
If only I could go back in time and tell customers to go see Ariel Lawhon in 2019 because you'd all be crazy for The Frozen River in a few years. I did notice that our buyer Jason brought I Was Anastasia, the novel she was promoting at the time, back in stock. If only all GMA Book Club picks would take off like this.
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. River of Books, by Donna Seaman (signed copies)
2. Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold
3. Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here, by Jonathan Blitzer
4. The Money Kings, by Daniel Schulman
5. Murdle V1, by GT Karber
6. Dopamine Nation, by Ann Lembke
7. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
8. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
9. Sapiens: A Graphic History V1, by Yuval Noah Harari
10. The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron
In Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis, New Yorker writer Jonathan Blitzer argues that policies from the United States have led to the surge of migrants. BookMarks lists seven raves and a positive review. From Manuel Roig-Franzia in The Washington Post: "Writing with clarity and grace, while avoiding the mawkish tone sometimes associated with tales of the border, Blitzer makes a compelling case that the United States and Central America are knit as one. The poorer nations to the south are dominated and often undermined by the richer nation to the north, which in turn is being shaped in many ways by the migrants who quit those troubled lands and cross into the United States."
Books for Kids:
1. Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, by Barbara Joosse, illustrations by Renée Graef
2. Valiant Vel, by Jerrianne Hayslett, illustrations by Aaron Boyd (MPL Feb 15 event)
3. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
4. Dog Man V13: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey
5. The Children's Book of Wildlife Watching, by Dan Rouse
6. Heavenly Tyrant, by Xiran Jay Zhao
7. Girls on the Rise, by Amanda Gorman, illustrations by Loveis Wise
8. The Squish, by Breanna Carzoo
9. Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue, by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrations by AG Ford
10. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
I don't include bulk school orders on our lists if the books are more than a year old, but one that made the cut is May 2024's The Children's Book of Wildlife Watching, by Welsh ornithologiest Dan Rouse. Backstory from the publisher: "adapted from the popular book for adults, How to Attract Wildlife to Your Garden, and follows on from The Children's Book of Birdwatching."
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Boswell bestsellers, week ending January 18, 2025
Boswell bestsellers, week ending January 18, 2025
Hardcover Fiction:
1. The Business Trip, by Jessie Garcia (signed copies available)
2. James, by Percival Everett
3. All Fours, by Miranda July
4. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
5. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix
6. Water Moon, by Samantha Sotto Yambao
7. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
8. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
9. Playground, by Richard Powers
10. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
Water Moon is the fifth novel from Samantha Sotto Yambao, but the first to hit our top 10. It's got a rec from Jen, plus this from the starred Booklist review: "Our two protagonists race through a lush world of pure wonder and romance - kites made of wishes that become stars, origami that holds time in its folds, and a night market in the clouds - in this lovely, cozy fantasy reminiscent of Erin Morgenstern's The Starless Sea. This book is charming, fresh, and difficult to put down." Here's an interview with the author in Nerd Daily.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Women and the Reformations, by Merry E Wiesner-Hanks (signed copies)
2. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. The Let Them Theory, by Mel Robbins
4. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
5. The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt
6. Soups Salads Sandwiches, by Matty Matheson
7. Aflame, by Pico Ayer
8. Atomic Habits, by James Clear
9. Meditations for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman
10. Entangled Life: Illustrated Edition, by Merlin Sheldrake
I find it odd that The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking about has a subtitle that sounds like a teaser on a YouTube ad. The book blew up after a recommendation from Oprah, but it took a while for us to get stock. It's #1 on the NYT advice list. And from Kirkus: "A truly helpful treatise on seeing others as they are, and letting that be."
Paperback Fiction:
1. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
2. Big Lake Troubles, by Jeffrey Boldt (Boswell Jan 24 event)
3. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
4. Jumpnauts, by Hang Jingfang
5. Devotions, by Mary Oliver
6. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
7. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
8. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
9. Death in the Dark Woods, by Annelise Ryan (Boswell Feb 21 event)
10. Cascade Failure, by LM Sagas
Our February Science Fiction Book Club pick is Jumpnauts, by Hugo winner Hang Jingfang, translated by Ken Liu. From the publisher: "A gripping science fiction thriller in which three unlikely allies attempt a desperate mission of first contact with a mysterious alien race before more militaristic minds can take matters into their own hands." Also noted that the book "directly falls into the Chinese literary subgenre 'Danmei' which specifically features romantic relationships between male characters."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. The Anxiety Audit, by Lynn Lyons
2. Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents, by Lynn Lyons
3. Strong On, by Pat Flynn
4. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
5. Your Brain on Art, by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
6. King: A Life, by Jonathan Eig
7. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
8. Trail of the Lost, by Andrea Lankford
9. How to Be Better at Almost Everything, by Pat Flynn
10. The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, by Dan Egan
Out for Dr Martin Luther King, Jr day is the paperback edition of Jonthan Eig's biography King, which received the Pulitzer Prize. The hardcover got 14 raves, three positives, and a mixed on BookMarks. David Garrow in The Spectator wrote: "The first comprehensive biography of the black civil rights hero to appear in more than thirty years, and it will succeed my own Bearing the Cross, published in 1986, as the standard account. There's also a young reader's edition.
Books for Kids:
1. The Distance Between Us, young reader's edition, by Reyna Grande
2. Make Pretty Sound, by Eleanor Davis
3. Giving Good, by Aaron Boyd
4. Little Shrew, by Akiko Miyakoshi
5. Darkly, by Marisha Pessl
6. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalmb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
7. Mystery Royale, by Kaitlyn Cavalancia
8. This Song Is Not for You, by Laura Nowlin
9. If Only I Had Told Her, by Laura Nowlin
10. Spooky Lakes, by Geo Rutherford
It's the second week of sale for Mystery Royale, the "genre splicing YA fantastical mystery" that is also featured on the Jan/Feb 2025 Indie Next List for young readers. From the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books: "The relationship that buds between Mullory and Lyric is slow and sweet, and romance fans who would appreciate following a stuck-up rich boy's heart melting at a ragamuffin, outcast girl's kindness may drool over the brilliantly executed enemies-to-lovers dynamic. This twisty book is sure to have broad appeal for a variety of readers, even those who may not usually turn to fantasy, mystery, or romance genres."
Hardcover Fiction:
1. The Business Trip, by Jessie Garcia (signed copies available)
2. James, by Percival Everett
3. All Fours, by Miranda July
4. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
5. Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix
6. Water Moon, by Samantha Sotto Yambao
7. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
8. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
9. Playground, by Richard Powers
10. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
Water Moon is the fifth novel from Samantha Sotto Yambao, but the first to hit our top 10. It's got a rec from Jen, plus this from the starred Booklist review: "Our two protagonists race through a lush world of pure wonder and romance - kites made of wishes that become stars, origami that holds time in its folds, and a night market in the clouds - in this lovely, cozy fantasy reminiscent of Erin Morgenstern's The Starless Sea. This book is charming, fresh, and difficult to put down." Here's an interview with the author in Nerd Daily.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Women and the Reformations, by Merry E Wiesner-Hanks (signed copies)
2. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. The Let Them Theory, by Mel Robbins
4. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
5. The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt
6. Soups Salads Sandwiches, by Matty Matheson
7. Aflame, by Pico Ayer
8. Atomic Habits, by James Clear
9. Meditations for Mortals, by Oliver Burkeman
10. Entangled Life: Illustrated Edition, by Merlin Sheldrake
I find it odd that The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking about has a subtitle that sounds like a teaser on a YouTube ad. The book blew up after a recommendation from Oprah, but it took a while for us to get stock. It's #1 on the NYT advice list. And from Kirkus: "A truly helpful treatise on seeing others as they are, and letting that be."
Paperback Fiction:
1. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
2. Big Lake Troubles, by Jeffrey Boldt (Boswell Jan 24 event)
3. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
4. Jumpnauts, by Hang Jingfang
5. Devotions, by Mary Oliver
6. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
7. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
8. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
9. Death in the Dark Woods, by Annelise Ryan (Boswell Feb 21 event)
10. Cascade Failure, by LM Sagas
Our February Science Fiction Book Club pick is Jumpnauts, by Hugo winner Hang Jingfang, translated by Ken Liu. From the publisher: "A gripping science fiction thriller in which three unlikely allies attempt a desperate mission of first contact with a mysterious alien race before more militaristic minds can take matters into their own hands." Also noted that the book "directly falls into the Chinese literary subgenre 'Danmei' which specifically features romantic relationships between male characters."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. The Anxiety Audit, by Lynn Lyons
2. Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents, by Lynn Lyons
3. Strong On, by Pat Flynn
4. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
5. Your Brain on Art, by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
6. King: A Life, by Jonathan Eig
7. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
8. Trail of the Lost, by Andrea Lankford
9. How to Be Better at Almost Everything, by Pat Flynn
10. The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, by Dan Egan
Out for Dr Martin Luther King, Jr day is the paperback edition of Jonthan Eig's biography King, which received the Pulitzer Prize. The hardcover got 14 raves, three positives, and a mixed on BookMarks. David Garrow in The Spectator wrote: "The first comprehensive biography of the black civil rights hero to appear in more than thirty years, and it will succeed my own Bearing the Cross, published in 1986, as the standard account. There's also a young reader's edition.
Books for Kids:
1. The Distance Between Us, young reader's edition, by Reyna Grande
2. Make Pretty Sound, by Eleanor Davis
3. Giving Good, by Aaron Boyd
4. Little Shrew, by Akiko Miyakoshi
5. Darkly, by Marisha Pessl
6. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalmb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
7. Mystery Royale, by Kaitlyn Cavalancia
8. This Song Is Not for You, by Laura Nowlin
9. If Only I Had Told Her, by Laura Nowlin
10. Spooky Lakes, by Geo Rutherford
It's the second week of sale for Mystery Royale, the "genre splicing YA fantastical mystery" that is also featured on the Jan/Feb 2025 Indie Next List for young readers. From the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books: "The relationship that buds between Mullory and Lyric is slow and sweet, and romance fans who would appreciate following a stuck-up rich boy's heart melting at a ragamuffin, outcast girl's kindness may drool over the brilliantly executed enemies-to-lovers dynamic. This twisty book is sure to have broad appeal for a variety of readers, even those who may not usually turn to fantasy, mystery, or romance genres."
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Boswell bestsellers, week ending January 11, 2025
Boswell bestsellers, week ending January 11, 2025
Hardcover Fiction:
1. James, by Percival Everett
2. Tell Me Everything, by Elizabeth Strout
3. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
4. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
5. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
6. The Grey Wolf, by Louise Penny
7. Playground, by Richard Powers
8. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
9. Wind and Truth, by Brandon Sanderson
10. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
11. Iron Flame, by Rebecca Yarros
12. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger
13. Playworld, by Adam Ross
14. The Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali
15. The Wedding People, by Alison Espach
Still no new titles breaking into our top 10 this week, and I have nothing interesting to say about the repeat players. So I'll dig further to #13. Adam Ross (a familiar name to me, but not because I've read him) returns with Playworld, which Publishers Weekly called "Family dysfunction and the challenges of adolescence lie at the heart of this compulsively readable outing from Ross." And Booklist writes that "Ross offers surprising narrative flights, stunning passages, and a nostalgia-soaked setting in so-real-you're-there, bygone New York City." Altogether, he has two raves, three positives, and two mixeds from BookMarks.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
3. The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan (sometimes paperback!)
4. Ira Gershwin, by Michael Owen
5. Cher, by Cher
6. Justine Cooks, by Justine Doiron
7. The Wide, Wide Sea, by Hampton Sides
8. Revenge of the Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell
9. The Small and the Mighty, by Sharon McMahon
10. On Freedom, by Timothy Snyder
No 2025 release, but I will highlight Justine Cooks: A Cookbook: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen because we had strong sales over the holiday. There were weeks of sales in December that would put this book at #2 for this week, but it just goes to show that you can't determine success by ranking when you're looking at December vs January. From T Susan Chang at NPR: "These are wide-awake concoctions, adorned with crispy sage, apple cider vinegar, brown butter and anything blistered, frizzled, sizzled or smashed. A simple plate of Rosemary-Vinegared Oyster Mushrooms was one of the best things I ate this year, proving that less really is more if your ingredients aren't afraid to shout."
Paperback Fiction:
1. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
2. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, by VE Schwab
3. The Hunter, by Tana Frenchy
4. Big Lake Troubles, by Jeffrey Boldt (Boswell Jan 24 event)
5. The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters
6. A Death in Door County, by Annelise Ryan (Boswell Feb 21 event)
7. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
8. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray
9. Under the Whispering Door, by TJ Klune (UWM Feb 10 event)
10. None of This Is True, by Lisa Jewell
January 7 was the release date (finally, something new I can highlight!) of Lisa Jewell's latest paperback release, None of This Is True. At least one of her books had multiple #1 weeks on the New York Times list. I forget which one! This one was listed on a curated list called "unapologetic psychopaths" that I saw linked on Ipage. I love the idea that somewhere there's a list called "sorry I'm a psychopath." From Library Journal: " Jewell's many fans will be clamoring for her latest thriller. The twists and turns in this one will not disappoint," but Publisher Weekly's recommendation comes with a caveat: "Readers with a lower tolerance for nastiness should turn elsewhere."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Walking Milwaukee, by Royal Brevvaxling and Molly Snyder
2. The Rediscovery of America, by Ned Blackhawk
3. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
4. All the Beauty in the World, by Patrick Bringley
5. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
6. Ultra Processed People, by Chris Van Tullekin
7. Extra Extra Eat All About It, by Randi Julia Ramsden and Jan Conway
8. Struggle for the City, by Derek Handley (MPL Feb 11 event)
9. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
10. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, by George Saunders
Another January 7 reprint is spotlighted on this list - Ultra-Processed People: Why We Can't Stop Eating Food That Isn't Food. This one has two raves and seven positives on BookMarks. From Adam Gopnik in The New Yorker: "Van Tulleken slowly sickens from his food, and the reader sickens with him. It’s true that his warnings about insidious mind control are dubiously reminiscent of earlier warnings about the smartphone, the boob tube, the horror comic, and the dime novel. Still, his account of what happens to our food during its trip to our gut, and the connection that bad food has to the epidemics of obesity and diabetes - 'underlying comorbidities' of the type that turned COVID from a cold to a killer - is persuasive and scary."
Books for Kids:
1. Giving Good, by Aaron Boyd (MPL event Feb 15)
2. Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey
3. Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue, by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrations by AG Ford
4. Spooky Lakes, by Geo Rutherford
5. The Bard and the Book, by Ann Bausum, with illustrations by Marta Sevilla
6. Girls on the Rise, by Amanda Gorman, illustrations by Loveis Wise
7. Little Shrew, by Akiko Miyakoshi
8. I Worked Hard on That, by Robyn Wall, illustrations by AN Kang
9. I Would Love You Still, by Adrea Theodore, illustrations by Ken Wilson-Max
10. The Bletchley Riddle, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
And one more January 7 release - Girls on the Rise is the lastest picture book by Amanda Gorman, with illustrations this time by Loveis Wise. From Booklist: " In word and art, each page celebrates both the uniqueness and the unity of girlhood experiences across cultures, appearances, and personal journeys. An excellent read-aloud, this commanding offering speaks to a future marked by strength and endless possibilities."
Hardcover Fiction:
1. James, by Percival Everett
2. Tell Me Everything, by Elizabeth Strout
3. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
4. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
5. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
6. The Grey Wolf, by Louise Penny
7. Playground, by Richard Powers
8. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
9. Wind and Truth, by Brandon Sanderson
10. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
11. Iron Flame, by Rebecca Yarros
12. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger
13. Playworld, by Adam Ross
14. The Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali
15. The Wedding People, by Alison Espach
Still no new titles breaking into our top 10 this week, and I have nothing interesting to say about the repeat players. So I'll dig further to #13. Adam Ross (a familiar name to me, but not because I've read him) returns with Playworld, which Publishers Weekly called "Family dysfunction and the challenges of adolescence lie at the heart of this compulsively readable outing from Ross." And Booklist writes that "Ross offers surprising narrative flights, stunning passages, and a nostalgia-soaked setting in so-real-you're-there, bygone New York City." Altogether, he has two raves, three positives, and two mixeds from BookMarks.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
3. The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan (sometimes paperback!)
4. Ira Gershwin, by Michael Owen
5. Cher, by Cher
6. Justine Cooks, by Justine Doiron
7. The Wide, Wide Sea, by Hampton Sides
8. Revenge of the Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell
9. The Small and the Mighty, by Sharon McMahon
10. On Freedom, by Timothy Snyder
No 2025 release, but I will highlight Justine Cooks: A Cookbook: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen because we had strong sales over the holiday. There were weeks of sales in December that would put this book at #2 for this week, but it just goes to show that you can't determine success by ranking when you're looking at December vs January. From T Susan Chang at NPR: "These are wide-awake concoctions, adorned with crispy sage, apple cider vinegar, brown butter and anything blistered, frizzled, sizzled or smashed. A simple plate of Rosemary-Vinegared Oyster Mushrooms was one of the best things I ate this year, proving that less really is more if your ingredients aren't afraid to shout."
Paperback Fiction:
1. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
2. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, by VE Schwab
3. The Hunter, by Tana Frenchy
4. Big Lake Troubles, by Jeffrey Boldt (Boswell Jan 24 event)
5. The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters
6. A Death in Door County, by Annelise Ryan (Boswell Feb 21 event)
7. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
8. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray
9. Under the Whispering Door, by TJ Klune (UWM Feb 10 event)
10. None of This Is True, by Lisa Jewell
January 7 was the release date (finally, something new I can highlight!) of Lisa Jewell's latest paperback release, None of This Is True. At least one of her books had multiple #1 weeks on the New York Times list. I forget which one! This one was listed on a curated list called "unapologetic psychopaths" that I saw linked on Ipage. I love the idea that somewhere there's a list called "sorry I'm a psychopath." From Library Journal: " Jewell's many fans will be clamoring for her latest thriller. The twists and turns in this one will not disappoint," but Publisher Weekly's recommendation comes with a caveat: "Readers with a lower tolerance for nastiness should turn elsewhere."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Walking Milwaukee, by Royal Brevvaxling and Molly Snyder
2. The Rediscovery of America, by Ned Blackhawk
3. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
4. All the Beauty in the World, by Patrick Bringley
5. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
6. Ultra Processed People, by Chris Van Tullekin
7. Extra Extra Eat All About It, by Randi Julia Ramsden and Jan Conway
8. Struggle for the City, by Derek Handley (MPL Feb 11 event)
9. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
10. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, by George Saunders
Another January 7 reprint is spotlighted on this list - Ultra-Processed People: Why We Can't Stop Eating Food That Isn't Food. This one has two raves and seven positives on BookMarks. From Adam Gopnik in The New Yorker: "Van Tulleken slowly sickens from his food, and the reader sickens with him. It’s true that his warnings about insidious mind control are dubiously reminiscent of earlier warnings about the smartphone, the boob tube, the horror comic, and the dime novel. Still, his account of what happens to our food during its trip to our gut, and the connection that bad food has to the epidemics of obesity and diabetes - 'underlying comorbidities' of the type that turned COVID from a cold to a killer - is persuasive and scary."
Books for Kids:
1. Giving Good, by Aaron Boyd (MPL event Feb 15)
2. Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey
3. Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue, by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrations by AG Ford
4. Spooky Lakes, by Geo Rutherford
5. The Bard and the Book, by Ann Bausum, with illustrations by Marta Sevilla
6. Girls on the Rise, by Amanda Gorman, illustrations by Loveis Wise
7. Little Shrew, by Akiko Miyakoshi
8. I Worked Hard on That, by Robyn Wall, illustrations by AN Kang
9. I Would Love You Still, by Adrea Theodore, illustrations by Ken Wilson-Max
10. The Bletchley Riddle, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
And one more January 7 release - Girls on the Rise is the lastest picture book by Amanda Gorman, with illustrations this time by Loveis Wise. From Booklist: " In word and art, each page celebrates both the uniqueness and the unity of girlhood experiences across cultures, appearances, and personal journeys. An excellent read-aloud, this commanding offering speaks to a future marked by strength and endless possibilities."
Sunday, January 5, 2025
Boswell bestsellers, week ending January 4, 2025
Boswell bestsellers, week ending January 4, 2025
Hardcover Fiction:
1. The City and Its Uncertain Walls, by Haruki Murakami
2. All Fours, by Miranda July
3. Sipsworth, by Simon Van Booy
4. The Women, by Kristin Hannah
5. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
6. Sandwich, by Catherine Newman
7. The Grey Wolf, by Louise Penny
8. Playground, by Richard Powers
9. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
10. Real Americans, by Rachel Khong
I'm not sure why we saw a post-Christmas bump on Real Americans, being that we've been promoting it all season in our holiday newsletter and display, except I noticed that one of our local book clubs chose it for when it comes out in paperback, and some members might have been getting a head start. I think Sipsworth is also showing up on spring book club lists. No surprises - still selling 2024 favorites. Khong also appears on the Harvard Crimson top 10 of 2024 and the top books we love list on NPR - and I read six of their top ten, which made me happy.
I'm not going to say much about the special Barnes & Noble edition except that it's interesting that publishers think sprayed edges are only economically feasible on specific genre titles (fantasy and romance) but our chain competitor continues to push for them on more literary titles. I noticed this was not raised in the recent New York Times piece.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3. Ottolenghi Comfort, by Yotam Ottolenghi
4. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
5. Women and the Reformations, by Merry E Wiesner Hanks (January 17 2 pm St Marks event)
6. The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin
7. Basketball 100, by The Athletic
8. The Small and the Mighty, by Sharon McMahon
9. The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt
10. Didion and Babitz, by Lili Anolik
The Small and the Mighty, profiles of little known Americans who made a difference, was a bit under the radar for us this holiday, but an appearance on Oprah's Favorite Things let to a post-holiday pop. Sharon McMahon posts the Here's Where It Gets Interesting podcast, and yes, podcasts seem to be the marketing hook that publishers are looking for. You probably can't do better than these blurbs from David Grann, Isabel Wilkerson, and Adam Grant to market a book. Thesis, a Penguin imprint launched in 2023, appears to be part of Portfolio
Paperback Fiction:
1. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
2. Cascade Failure and Gravity Lost, by LM Sagas
3. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
4. The Vegetarian, by Han Kang
5. The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters
6. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray
7. Weyward, by Emilia Hart
8. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
9. The Divine Comedy, by Dante, translated by John Ciardi
10. North Woods, by Daniel Mason
Oli had the idea to package together the two volumes of the Ambit's Run series (Cascade Failure and Gravity Lost) this holiday and it was a big success. We created a special code that it turns out would not show up in our bestseller reporting., so we split the books this week. From Publishers Weekly: "Sagas debuts with a fun romp through a faraway galaxy where three political powers' jittery coexistence is threatened when a mysterious disaster strikes a terraformed planet...Add in a charming found family--and even a space-faring cat--and this spirited space opera is a resounding success."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
2. Strong On, by Pat Flynn (Boswell January 17 event)
3. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
4. Your Brain on Art, by Susan Magsamen
5. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
6. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
7. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
8. Dylan Goes Electric, by Elijah Wald
9. Random Acts of Medicine, by Anupam B Jena and Christopher Worsham
10. Wisconsin State Parks, Forests, and Recreation Areas, by James Bucholz
We had a paperback pop for Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, after steady sales for the hardcover. This New York Times bestseller was a finalist for the Bloomberg and Porchlight book awards. From Kirkus: "This fascinating account of the science behind this phenomenon will inspire readers to establish their own concrete plans to incorporate as much art into their lives as possible. Regularly engaging with the arts can make you live longer, and this absorbing book explains how."
Books for Kids:
Hardcover Fiction:
1. The City and Its Uncertain Walls, by Haruki Murakami
2. All Fours, by Miranda July
3. Sipsworth, by Simon Van Booy
4. The Women, by Kristin Hannah
5. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
6. Sandwich, by Catherine Newman
7. The Grey Wolf, by Louise Penny
8. Playground, by Richard Powers
9. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
10. Real Americans, by Rachel Khong
I'm not sure why we saw a post-Christmas bump on Real Americans, being that we've been promoting it all season in our holiday newsletter and display, except I noticed that one of our local book clubs chose it for when it comes out in paperback, and some members might have been getting a head start. I think Sipsworth is also showing up on spring book club lists. No surprises - still selling 2024 favorites. Khong also appears on the Harvard Crimson top 10 of 2024 and the top books we love list on NPR - and I read six of their top ten, which made me happy.
I'm not going to say much about the special Barnes & Noble edition except that it's interesting that publishers think sprayed edges are only economically feasible on specific genre titles (fantasy and romance) but our chain competitor continues to push for them on more literary titles. I noticed this was not raised in the recent New York Times piece.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3. Ottolenghi Comfort, by Yotam Ottolenghi
4. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
5. Women and the Reformations, by Merry E Wiesner Hanks (January 17 2 pm St Marks event)
6. The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin
7. Basketball 100, by The Athletic
8. The Small and the Mighty, by Sharon McMahon
9. The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt
10. Didion and Babitz, by Lili Anolik
The Small and the Mighty, profiles of little known Americans who made a difference, was a bit under the radar for us this holiday, but an appearance on Oprah's Favorite Things let to a post-holiday pop. Sharon McMahon posts the Here's Where It Gets Interesting podcast, and yes, podcasts seem to be the marketing hook that publishers are looking for. You probably can't do better than these blurbs from David Grann, Isabel Wilkerson, and Adam Grant to market a book. Thesis, a Penguin imprint launched in 2023, appears to be part of Portfolio
Paperback Fiction:
1. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
2. Cascade Failure and Gravity Lost, by LM Sagas
3. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
4. The Vegetarian, by Han Kang
5. The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters
6. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray
7. Weyward, by Emilia Hart
8. The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
9. The Divine Comedy, by Dante, translated by John Ciardi
10. North Woods, by Daniel Mason
Oli had the idea to package together the two volumes of the Ambit's Run series (Cascade Failure and Gravity Lost) this holiday and it was a big success. We created a special code that it turns out would not show up in our bestseller reporting., so we split the books this week. From Publishers Weekly: "Sagas debuts with a fun romp through a faraway galaxy where three political powers' jittery coexistence is threatened when a mysterious disaster strikes a terraformed planet...Add in a charming found family--and even a space-faring cat--and this spirited space opera is a resounding success."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
2. Strong On, by Pat Flynn (Boswell January 17 event)
3. Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond
4. Your Brain on Art, by Susan Magsamen
5. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
6. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
7. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
8. Dylan Goes Electric, by Elijah Wald
9. Random Acts of Medicine, by Anupam B Jena and Christopher Worsham
10. Wisconsin State Parks, Forests, and Recreation Areas, by James Bucholz
We had a paperback pop for Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, after steady sales for the hardcover. This New York Times bestseller was a finalist for the Bloomberg and Porchlight book awards. From Kirkus: "This fascinating account of the science behind this phenomenon will inspire readers to establish their own concrete plans to incorporate as much art into their lives as possible. Regularly engaging with the arts can make you live longer, and this absorbing book explains how."
Books for Kids:
1. Dog Man V19: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey
2. Fifty True Tales from Our Great National Parks, by Stephanie Pearson
3. Murdle Jr: Curious Crimes for Curious Minds, by GT Karber
4. Peekaboo Sun, by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P Arrhenius
5. Iron Widow V2: Heavenly Tyrant, by Xiran Jay Zhao
6. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by LeUyen Pham
7. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
8. Little Shrew, by Akiko Miyakoshi
9. Darkly, by Marisha Pessl
10. The First Cat in Space and the Wrath of the Paperclip, by Mac Barnett, illustrations by Shawn Harris
Heavenly Tyrant is the second book in the Iron Widow series. School Library Journal wrote that "Returning fans will find many things to love in this cathartic power fantasy," but noted there's more political discourse than you might get in a YA novel. I am more taken by the 12/24 on-sale date, which is very rare for a high-profile release.
Heavenly Tyrant is the second book in the Iron Widow series. School Library Journal wrote that "Returning fans will find many things to love in this cathartic power fantasy," but noted there's more political discourse than you might get in a YA novel. I am more taken by the 12/24 on-sale date, which is very rare for a high-profile release.
Sunday, December 29, 2024
Boswell bestsellers, week ending December 28, 2024
Boswell bestsellers, week ending December 28, 2024
To be clear, we're out of a bunch of things, so maybe this list would have looked a bit different if we had the stock. But where's the fun in that?
Hardcover Fiction:
1. James, by Percival Everett
2. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
3. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
4. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
5. The City and Its Uncertain Walls, by Haruki Murakami
6. I Cheerfully Refuse, by Leif Enger
7. The Life Impossible, by Matt Haig
8. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
9. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger
10. Wind and Truth, by Brandon Sanderson
I am fascinated this time of year by how books perform against their previous works. There are a number of blowouts - James (Dr No was a paperback original and did pretty well, but sales are still just a fraction), The Mighty Red (our first event with Erdrich helped*), Intermezzo (30% increase in hardcover sales over Beautiful World, Where Are You, which had double the sales of Normal People in hardcover).
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
2. Strong On, by Pat Flynn (Boswell January 17 event)
3. We Had Fun and Nobody Died, by Amy T Waldman and Peter Jest
4. Cream City Chronicles, by John Gurda
5. American Bulk, by Emily Meister
To be clear, we're out of a bunch of things, so maybe this list would have looked a bit different if we had the stock. But where's the fun in that?
Hardcover Fiction:
1. James, by Percival Everett
2. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
3. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
4. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
5. The City and Its Uncertain Walls, by Haruki Murakami
6. I Cheerfully Refuse, by Leif Enger
7. The Life Impossible, by Matt Haig
8. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
9. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger
10. Wind and Truth, by Brandon Sanderson
I am fascinated this time of year by how books perform against their previous works. There are a number of blowouts - James (Dr No was a paperback original and did pretty well, but sales are still just a fraction), The Mighty Red (our first event with Erdrich helped*), Intermezzo (30% increase in hardcover sales over Beautiful World, Where Are You, which had double the sales of Normal People in hardcover).
Sometimes I'm surprised by how much better a new book did than the last. I didn't really realize until checking that our numbers on Liz Moore's previous novel, Long Bright River, were a fraction of what we've sold for The God of the Woods. If I were Norton, I would repackage the novel before Long Bright River, The Unseen World, to look more like her latest. It sounds like it would appeal to Moore fans.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3. The Atlas of Endangered Alphabets, by Tim Brookes
4. Patriot, by Alexei Navalny
5. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
6. When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, by Julie Satow
7. Be Ready When Luck Happens, by Ina Garten
8. Half Baked Harvest Quick and Cozy, by Tieghan Gerard
9. Didion and Babitz, by Lili Anolik
10. What I Ate in One Year, by Stanley Tucci
For the most part, this list is a combination of national and indie bestsellers. But here's a sleeper. The Atlas of Endangered Alphabets, a book that Jason pulled from the back of the very large Hachette catalog (the imprint is Moebius, which used to be Quercus) and featured successfully in our holiday gift guide. The marketing said "perfect for fans of language and type." But at least some of the core Boswell customer said, "Did somebody say atlas?" I also love this marketing pitch in the catalog: "TikTok partnership campaign with accounts who are historians that specialize in script loss." And now you know that's a thing!
Paperback Fiction:
1. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
2. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
3. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
4. Weyward, by Emilia Hart
5. The Vaster Wilds, by Lauren Groff
6. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray
7. Butter, by Asako Yuzuki
8. The Hunter, by Tana French
9. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
10. Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano
What the heck is the deal with Weyward, and what does this say for The Sirens, which is publishing next April? We're #11 for the paperback, despite no staff recs (to my knowledge - they aren't coded as such in our inventory system) I'm sure it's partly word of mouth - the book has some sort of reader's choice attached to it - but it's also just selling off the new paperback table. It can't be the mushroom on the jacket, or can it?
Ann Napolitano is another author (see Liz Moore, above) with early books to rediscover. She did get a repackaging for Within Arm's Reach. I thought Dear Edward was a hit for us, but it was nothing compared to Hello Beautiful, which apparently sold over a million copies in hardcover. I tried reading it, but quickly let it go, but we had very strong sales, nonetheless. Recently I noticed Ann Napolitano kept blurbing books I liked, and then when I realized that the Like Mother, Like Mother jacket was clearly trying to reference Hello Beautiful, I thought, how could I not read this book? I bought a paperback, started again, and I'm now on page 200.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3. The Atlas of Endangered Alphabets, by Tim Brookes
4. Patriot, by Alexei Navalny
5. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
6. When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, by Julie Satow
7. Be Ready When Luck Happens, by Ina Garten
8. Half Baked Harvest Quick and Cozy, by Tieghan Gerard
9. Didion and Babitz, by Lili Anolik
10. What I Ate in One Year, by Stanley Tucci
For the most part, this list is a combination of national and indie bestsellers. But here's a sleeper. The Atlas of Endangered Alphabets, a book that Jason pulled from the back of the very large Hachette catalog (the imprint is Moebius, which used to be Quercus) and featured successfully in our holiday gift guide. The marketing said "perfect for fans of language and type." But at least some of the core Boswell customer said, "Did somebody say atlas?" I also love this marketing pitch in the catalog: "TikTok partnership campaign with accounts who are historians that specialize in script loss." And now you know that's a thing!
Paperback Fiction:
1. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
2. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
3. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
4. Weyward, by Emilia Hart
5. The Vaster Wilds, by Lauren Groff
6. The Bee Sting, by Paul Murray
7. Butter, by Asako Yuzuki
8. The Hunter, by Tana French
9. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
10. Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano
What the heck is the deal with Weyward, and what does this say for The Sirens, which is publishing next April? We're #11 for the paperback, despite no staff recs (to my knowledge - they aren't coded as such in our inventory system) I'm sure it's partly word of mouth - the book has some sort of reader's choice attached to it - but it's also just selling off the new paperback table. It can't be the mushroom on the jacket, or can it?
Ann Napolitano is another author (see Liz Moore, above) with early books to rediscover. She did get a repackaging for Within Arm's Reach. I thought Dear Edward was a hit for us, but it was nothing compared to Hello Beautiful, which apparently sold over a million copies in hardcover. I tried reading it, but quickly let it go, but we had very strong sales, nonetheless. Recently I noticed Ann Napolitano kept blurbing books I liked, and then when I realized that the Like Mother, Like Mother jacket was clearly trying to reference Hello Beautiful, I thought, how could I not read this book? I bought a paperback, started again, and I'm now on page 200.
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
2. Strong On, by Pat Flynn (Boswell January 17 event)
3. We Had Fun and Nobody Died, by Amy T Waldman and Peter Jest
4. Cream City Chronicles, by John Gurda
5. American Bulk, by Emily Meister
6. Extra Extra Eat All About It, by Randi Julia Ramsden and Jan Conway
7. Doppelganger, by Naomi Klein
8. The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel, by Douglas Brunt
9. A Livable Future Is Possible, by Noam Chomsky
10. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
Just what you need to read after a gift-giving holiday, American Bulk: Essays on Excess. This collection of linked essays, a paperback original, looks at the cost of guilty pleasures and her family history of hoarding. From Kirkus: "In her debut collection, New York transplant Mester, her Midwestern roots firmly intact, dissects America's complex relationship with excess through nine loosely connected personal essays. Drawing from her own experiences and those of her family, specifically her father and grandmother, she examines the nation's extreme consumerist psyche, revealing how Middle America's habits mirror broader national trends in overindulgence."
Books for Kids:
1. Dog Man V13: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey
2. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
3. Little Shrew, by Aikio Mityakoshi
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid V19: Hot Mess, by Jeff Kinney
5. Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue, by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrations by AG Ford
6. Giving Good, by Aaron Boyd
7. The Bletchley Riddle, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
8. The Snowy Day board book, by Ezra Jack Keats
9. The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown
10. The Man Who Didn't like Animals, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by Leuyen Pham
Second week on for The Man Who Didn't Like Animals, which is selling off The New York Times Best Illustrated Books display and a late staff rec from Tim. Deborah Underwood's picture book is a prequel to Old MacDonald Had a Farm. From Booklist: "Once there was a man who loved his tidy home, but he did not like animals at all. When a cat moved in with him, the man ordered it to leave, but the cat stayed, and the man discovered that they both enjoyed naps and dinnertime. He still didn't like cats, but he liked this cat (and its friends, who joined them)...Underwood offers a quietly beguiling tale of a grumpy old fellow who finds happiness where he least expects it. The understated, heartening narrative leaves room for the illustrations to work their magic, amusing kids with large absurdities and small details. Great fun for sharing at story time."
*Excluding the book sales from the event, The Mighty Red outsold several books that were released in the Boswell years, including Future Home of the Living God and LaRose and over the life of the hardcover, will probably outsell The Night Watchman. Only The Round House and The Sentence will exceed its non-event totals.
8. The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel, by Douglas Brunt
9. A Livable Future Is Possible, by Noam Chomsky
10. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
Just what you need to read after a gift-giving holiday, American Bulk: Essays on Excess. This collection of linked essays, a paperback original, looks at the cost of guilty pleasures and her family history of hoarding. From Kirkus: "In her debut collection, New York transplant Mester, her Midwestern roots firmly intact, dissects America's complex relationship with excess through nine loosely connected personal essays. Drawing from her own experiences and those of her family, specifically her father and grandmother, she examines the nation's extreme consumerist psyche, revealing how Middle America's habits mirror broader national trends in overindulgence."
Books for Kids:
1. Dog Man V13: Big Jim Begins, by Dav Pilkey
2. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
3. Little Shrew, by Aikio Mityakoshi
4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid V19: Hot Mess, by Jeff Kinney
5. Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue, by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrations by AG Ford
6. Giving Good, by Aaron Boyd
7. The Bletchley Riddle, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
8. The Snowy Day board book, by Ezra Jack Keats
9. The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown
10. The Man Who Didn't like Animals, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by Leuyen Pham
Second week on for The Man Who Didn't Like Animals, which is selling off The New York Times Best Illustrated Books display and a late staff rec from Tim. Deborah Underwood's picture book is a prequel to Old MacDonald Had a Farm. From Booklist: "Once there was a man who loved his tidy home, but he did not like animals at all. When a cat moved in with him, the man ordered it to leave, but the cat stayed, and the man discovered that they both enjoyed naps and dinnertime. He still didn't like cats, but he liked this cat (and its friends, who joined them)...Underwood offers a quietly beguiling tale of a grumpy old fellow who finds happiness where he least expects it. The understated, heartening narrative leaves room for the illustrations to work their magic, amusing kids with large absurdities and small details. Great fun for sharing at story time."
*Excluding the book sales from the event, The Mighty Red outsold several books that were released in the Boswell years, including Future Home of the Living God and LaRose and over the life of the hardcover, will probably outsell The Night Watchman. Only The Round House and The Sentence will exceed its non-event totals.
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Boswell bestsellers, week ending December 21, 2024
Boswell bestsellers, week ending December 21, 2024
Hardcover Fiction:
1. James, by Percival Everett
2. All Fours, by Miranda July
3. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
4. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
5. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
6. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
7. Wind and Truth V5, by Brandon Sanderson
8. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
9. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger
10. Tell Me Everything, by Elizabeth Strout
11. The Women, by Kristin Hannah
12. Somewhere Beyond the Sea V2, by TJ Klune
13. The Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali
14. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
10. You Dreamed of Empires, by Alvaro Enrique
When it gets close to Christmas, it's The New York Times best 10 books of the year that can be the slipperiest chase. All Fours got 13 raves, 8 positives, 1 mixed and 1 pan. How does that add up to positive? Seems like a rave to me. I do take issue about a headline in the Los Angeles Times that said "At last, a midlife crisis novel that's not about a man." I don't think that's a fair assessment, as my reading list seems crammed with such titles.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan
3. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
4. Be Ready When Luck Happens, by Ina Garten
Books for Kids:
1. The Bletchley Riddle, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
2. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
3. Peekaboo Santa, by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P Arrhenius
4. Dog Man: Big Jim Begins V13, by Dav Pilkey
5. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess V19, by Jeff Kinney
7. The Snowy Day board book, by Ezra Jack Keats
8. Little Shrew, by Akiko Miyakoshi
9. The Leadership Journey, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
10. Knight Owl and Early Bird, by Christopher Denise
11. How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney, by Mac Barnett, illustrations by Jon Klassen
12. Santa's First Christmas, by Mac Barnett, illustrations by Sydney Smith
13. Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, by Barbara Joosse, illustrations by Renée Graef
14. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by Leuyen Pham
15. Where Wolves Don't Die, by Anton Treuer
In the best-laid plans department, it would have been nice for Doris Kearns Goodwin to sign a ton of The Leadership Journey: How Four Kids Became President when she appeared in Brookfield this past fall, but with the last-minute outreach to sell books and the communication that the focus would be on An Unfinished Love Story, I was thrown off. My bad! So glad to see that with a holiday newsletter placement, a strong rec from Tim, this title was uniquely positioned for a nice run, signature or not.
Hardcover Fiction:
1. James, by Percival Everett
2. All Fours, by Miranda July
3. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
4. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
5. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
6. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
7. Wind and Truth V5, by Brandon Sanderson
8. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
9. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger
10. Tell Me Everything, by Elizabeth Strout
11. The Women, by Kristin Hannah
12. Somewhere Beyond the Sea V2, by TJ Klune
13. The Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali
14. Martyr, by Kaveh Akbar
10. You Dreamed of Empires, by Alvaro Enrique
When it gets close to Christmas, it's The New York Times best 10 books of the year that can be the slipperiest chase. All Fours got 13 raves, 8 positives, 1 mixed and 1 pan. How does that add up to positive? Seems like a rave to me. I do take issue about a headline in the Los Angeles Times that said "At last, a midlife crisis novel that's not about a man." I don't think that's a fair assessment, as my reading list seems crammed with such titles.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan
3. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
4. Be Ready When Luck Happens, by Ina Garten
5. Vanishing Treasures, by Katherine Rundell
6. Catland, by Kathryn Hughes
7. The Hidden Life of Trees graphic adaptation, by Peter Wohlleben with illustrations by Fred Bernard
8. The Wide, Wide Sea, by Hampton Sides
9. Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman
10. The Universe in Verse, by Maria Popova
11. Women and the Reformations, by Merry E Wiesner Hanks (St Marks event January 17, 2 pm)
12. There's Always This Year, by Hanif Abdurraqib
13. Challenger, by Adam Higginbotham
14. Nexus, by Yuval Noah Harari
15. Revenge of the Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell
Like an under-the-wire Christmas gift, The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World reprint landed this week to the sound of cheers. Four raves and three positives on BookMarks. But of course this is the week when we run out of books with no hope for arrival before Christmas (including, once again, The Serviceberry). That said, there are plenty of other options in any bookstore - just ask a bookseller!
Paperback Fiction:
1. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
2. The Gravity of Us V4, by Brittainy Cherry
3. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
4. The Overstory, by Richard Powers
5. Sorcery and Small Magics, by Maiga Doocy
6. Best American Short Stories 2024, edited by Lauren Groff
7. Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
8. Weyward, by Emilia Hart
9. The Door-to-Door Bookstore, by Carsten Henn, translated by Melody Shaw
10. The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides
11. The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters
12. Hampton Heights, by Dan Kois
13. The Marlow Murder Club V1, by Robert Thorogood
14. The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss
15. The Hunter, by Tana French
Paperback fiction just doesn't take off in the big numbers the way us old timers remember. Also of interest is that fully one third of the titles this week are more than a year old in their format. It's nice to see The Door-to-Door Bookstore selling well off the new paperback table, after being Jason's buyer pick in our 2023 holiday newsletter. His pick for 2024 is William, by Mason Coile, a psychological AI horror novel.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
2. Typhoid Mary, by Anthony Bourdain
3. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
4. Trail of the Lost, by Andrea Lankford
5. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
6. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
7. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
8. Into the Great Emptiness, by David Roberts
9. Inciting Joy, by Ross Gay
10. Murdle V1, by GT Karber
11. Secret Milwaukee, by Jim Nelsen
12. The Rediscovery of America, by Ned Blackhawk
13. Say Nothing, by Patrick Radden Keefe
14. The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024, edited by Jane McManus
15. The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk
It's always great to see a book take off in paperback that didn't really work in hardcover for us (though it was a New York Times bestseller, per the copy). That's the case for Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail, which had one rave and three positives on BookMarks. From Kirkus: "In a book that is part true crime, part wilderness cautionary tale, Lankford follows the lost hikers with intensity and compassion."
6. Catland, by Kathryn Hughes
7. The Hidden Life of Trees graphic adaptation, by Peter Wohlleben with illustrations by Fred Bernard
8. The Wide, Wide Sea, by Hampton Sides
9. Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman
10. The Universe in Verse, by Maria Popova
11. Women and the Reformations, by Merry E Wiesner Hanks (St Marks event January 17, 2 pm)
12. There's Always This Year, by Hanif Abdurraqib
13. Challenger, by Adam Higginbotham
14. Nexus, by Yuval Noah Harari
15. Revenge of the Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell
Like an under-the-wire Christmas gift, The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World reprint landed this week to the sound of cheers. Four raves and three positives on BookMarks. But of course this is the week when we run out of books with no hope for arrival before Christmas (including, once again, The Serviceberry). That said, there are plenty of other options in any bookstore - just ask a bookseller!
Paperback Fiction:
1. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
2. The Gravity of Us V4, by Brittainy Cherry
3. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
4. The Overstory, by Richard Powers
5. Sorcery and Small Magics, by Maiga Doocy
6. Best American Short Stories 2024, edited by Lauren Groff
7. Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
8. Weyward, by Emilia Hart
9. The Door-to-Door Bookstore, by Carsten Henn, translated by Melody Shaw
10. The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides
11. The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters
12. Hampton Heights, by Dan Kois
13. The Marlow Murder Club V1, by Robert Thorogood
14. The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss
15. The Hunter, by Tana French
Paperback fiction just doesn't take off in the big numbers the way us old timers remember. Also of interest is that fully one third of the titles this week are more than a year old in their format. It's nice to see The Door-to-Door Bookstore selling well off the new paperback table, after being Jason's buyer pick in our 2023 holiday newsletter. His pick for 2024 is William, by Mason Coile, a psychological AI horror novel.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
2. Typhoid Mary, by Anthony Bourdain
3. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
4. Trail of the Lost, by Andrea Lankford
5. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
6. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
7. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
8. Into the Great Emptiness, by David Roberts
9. Inciting Joy, by Ross Gay
10. Murdle V1, by GT Karber
11. Secret Milwaukee, by Jim Nelsen
12. The Rediscovery of America, by Ned Blackhawk
13. Say Nothing, by Patrick Radden Keefe
14. The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024, edited by Jane McManus
15. The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk
It's always great to see a book take off in paperback that didn't really work in hardcover for us (though it was a New York Times bestseller, per the copy). That's the case for Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail, which had one rave and three positives on BookMarks. From Kirkus: "In a book that is part true crime, part wilderness cautionary tale, Lankford follows the lost hikers with intensity and compassion."
Books for Kids:
1. The Bletchley Riddle, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
2. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
3. Peekaboo Santa, by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P Arrhenius
4. Dog Man: Big Jim Begins V13, by Dav Pilkey
5. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess V19, by Jeff Kinney
7. The Snowy Day board book, by Ezra Jack Keats
8. Little Shrew, by Akiko Miyakoshi
9. The Leadership Journey, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
10. Knight Owl and Early Bird, by Christopher Denise
11. How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney, by Mac Barnett, illustrations by Jon Klassen
12. Santa's First Christmas, by Mac Barnett, illustrations by Sydney Smith
13. Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, by Barbara Joosse, illustrations by Renée Graef
14. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by Leuyen Pham
15. Where Wolves Don't Die, by Anton Treuer
In the best-laid plans department, it would have been nice for Doris Kearns Goodwin to sign a ton of The Leadership Journey: How Four Kids Became President when she appeared in Brookfield this past fall, but with the last-minute outreach to sell books and the communication that the focus would be on An Unfinished Love Story, I was thrown off. My bad! So glad to see that with a holiday newsletter placement, a strong rec from Tim, this title was uniquely positioned for a nice run, signature or not.
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Boswell bestsellers, week ending December 14, 2024
Boswell bestsellers, week ending December 14, 2024
Hardcover Fiction:
1. James, by Percival Everett
2. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
3. Wind and Truth V5, by Brandon Sanderson
4. All Fours, by Miranda July
5. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
6. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
7. The Women, by Kristin Hannah
8. Playground, by Richard Powers
9. I Cheerfully Refuse, by Leif Enger
10. The City and Its Uncertain Walls, by Haruki Murakami
11. The Grey Wolf V19, by Louise Penny
12. Sipsworth, by Simon Van Booy
13. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger
14. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
15. Before the Coffee Gets Cold V1, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
James is outselling our #2 fiction book by three-to-one and the #1 nonfiction book by two-to-one. If we had The Serviceberry in stock, that would not be the case. I went to 15 titles on this list because the #15 book is outselling the #10 book on the other three adult lists. Plus I am hand-selling #12, 13, and 14 and I wanted to list them.
And one last thing to note - Small Things Like These, the current Oprah pick, has been in hardcover only since 2021. But Before the Coffee Gets Cold has had no paperback since its release in 2020. I am happy to say I liked them both, but I hardly expected a multi-year run.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan
2. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
3. Be Ready When Luck Happens, by Ina Garten
4. The Wide Wide Sea, by Hampton Sides
5. The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
6. The History of the Railroad in 100 Maps, by Jeremy Black
7. When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, by Julie Satow
8. The Creative Act, Rick Rubin
9. Little Frog's Guide to Self Care, by Maybell Eequay
10. The Universe in 100 Colors, by Tyler Thrasher
The Universe in 100 Colors is, per the publisher, a "Larger format book celebrating the intersection of science, art and design and featuring 100 colors pulled from the universe itself and organized by where they fall on the spectrum." It's also get a foreword by Hank Green, who appeared at UWM last week. Its publisher, Sasquatch Press, was owned by Penguin Random House from 2017 until this summer, when it was sold to indie Blue Star Press.
Paperback Fiction:
1. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
2. Echo V3, by Tracy Clark
3. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
4. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
5. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
6. Slow Horses V1, by Mick Herron
7. In Ascension, by Martin MacInnes
8. The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig
9. The Amethyst Cross, by Mary Fitt, illustrations by Seth
10. Sorcery and Small Magics, by Maiga Doocy
Martin MacInnes debuts on this list with In Ascension, which is the winner of this year's Arther C Clarke Award. It was also on the Booker longlist. It received 10 raves and three positives on BookMarks, including a Wall Street Journal review from Heller McAlpin, who calls the book "A thrilling, thought-provoking celebration of the marvels and mysteries of the universe."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Lost Literacies, by Alex Beringer
2. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
4. Extra Extra Eat All About It, by Randi Julia Ramsden and Jan Conway
5. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
6. We Had Fun and Nobody Died, by Amy Waldman and Peter Jest
7. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
8. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
9. Typhoid Mary, by Anthony Bourdain
10. Happy Holiday Book of Mini Crosswords, from The New York Times
In hardcover, Democracy Awakening received a rave, a positive, three mixed, and a pan from BookMarks, and the book was named one of the best nonfiction books of the year by Kirkus and The Washington Post. It has been selling well of the new paperback table. The Guardian review from Charles Kaiser wasn't indexed on BookMarks.
Books for Kids:
1. Big Jim Begins V13, by Dav Pilkey
2. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
3. The Snowy Day board book, by Ezra Jack Keats
4. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
5. Peekaboo Santa, by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P Arrhenius
6. The Bletchley Riddle, by Reta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
7. How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney, by Mac Barnett, illustrations by Jon Klassen
8. Hot Mess V19, by Jeff Kinney
9. Giving Good, by Aaron Boyd
10. The Great Lakes, by Barb Rosenstock, illustrations by Jamey Christoph
Second week at #1 for Dog Man #13: Big Jim Begins. We still have some dog tags or pen toppers (your choice) for folks who buy the book. From the publisher: "Discover the origin of our beloved characters from the Dog Man series as they join forces to stop the Space Cuties from destroying the city." Here's the trailer.
Hardcover Fiction:
1. James, by Percival Everett
2. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
3. Wind and Truth V5, by Brandon Sanderson
4. All Fours, by Miranda July
5. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
6. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
7. The Women, by Kristin Hannah
8. Playground, by Richard Powers
9. I Cheerfully Refuse, by Leif Enger
10. The City and Its Uncertain Walls, by Haruki Murakami
11. The Grey Wolf V19, by Louise Penny
12. Sipsworth, by Simon Van Booy
13. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger
14. How to Read a Book, by Monica Wood
15. Before the Coffee Gets Cold V1, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
James is outselling our #2 fiction book by three-to-one and the #1 nonfiction book by two-to-one. If we had The Serviceberry in stock, that would not be the case. I went to 15 titles on this list because the #15 book is outselling the #10 book on the other three adult lists. Plus I am hand-selling #12, 13, and 14 and I wanted to list them.
And one last thing to note - Small Things Like These, the current Oprah pick, has been in hardcover only since 2021. But Before the Coffee Gets Cold has had no paperback since its release in 2020. I am happy to say I liked them both, but I hardly expected a multi-year run.
Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan
2. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
3. Be Ready When Luck Happens, by Ina Garten
4. The Wide Wide Sea, by Hampton Sides
5. The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
6. The History of the Railroad in 100 Maps, by Jeremy Black
7. When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, by Julie Satow
8. The Creative Act, Rick Rubin
9. Little Frog's Guide to Self Care, by Maybell Eequay
10. The Universe in 100 Colors, by Tyler Thrasher
The Universe in 100 Colors is, per the publisher, a "Larger format book celebrating the intersection of science, art and design and featuring 100 colors pulled from the universe itself and organized by where they fall on the spectrum." It's also get a foreword by Hank Green, who appeared at UWM last week. Its publisher, Sasquatch Press, was owned by Penguin Random House from 2017 until this summer, when it was sold to indie Blue Star Press.
Paperback Fiction:
1. Orbital, by Samantha Harvey
2. Echo V3, by Tracy Clark
3. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
4. The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon
5. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
6. Slow Horses V1, by Mick Herron
7. In Ascension, by Martin MacInnes
8. The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig
9. The Amethyst Cross, by Mary Fitt, illustrations by Seth
10. Sorcery and Small Magics, by Maiga Doocy
Martin MacInnes debuts on this list with In Ascension, which is the winner of this year's Arther C Clarke Award. It was also on the Booker longlist. It received 10 raves and three positives on BookMarks, including a Wall Street Journal review from Heller McAlpin, who calls the book "A thrilling, thought-provoking celebration of the marvels and mysteries of the universe."
Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Lost Literacies, by Alex Beringer
2. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. The Art Thief, by Michael Finkel
4. Extra Extra Eat All About It, by Randi Julia Ramsden and Jan Conway
5. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
6. We Had Fun and Nobody Died, by Amy Waldman and Peter Jest
7. While You Were Out, by Meg Kissinger
8. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
9. Typhoid Mary, by Anthony Bourdain
10. Happy Holiday Book of Mini Crosswords, from The New York Times
In hardcover, Democracy Awakening received a rave, a positive, three mixed, and a pan from BookMarks, and the book was named one of the best nonfiction books of the year by Kirkus and The Washington Post. It has been selling well of the new paperback table. The Guardian review from Charles Kaiser wasn't indexed on BookMarks.
Books for Kids:
1. Big Jim Begins V13, by Dav Pilkey
2. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
3. The Snowy Day board book, by Ezra Jack Keats
4. Buffalo Fluffalo, by Bess Kalb, illustrations by Erin Kraan
5. Peekaboo Santa, by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P Arrhenius
6. The Bletchley Riddle, by Reta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
7. How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney, by Mac Barnett, illustrations by Jon Klassen
8. Hot Mess V19, by Jeff Kinney
9. Giving Good, by Aaron Boyd
10. The Great Lakes, by Barb Rosenstock, illustrations by Jamey Christoph
Second week at #1 for Dog Man #13: Big Jim Begins. We still have some dog tags or pen toppers (your choice) for folks who buy the book. From the publisher: "Discover the origin of our beloved characters from the Dog Man series as they join forces to stop the Space Cuties from destroying the city." Here's the trailer.
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