Boswell bestsellers, week ending October 3, 2026

Boswell bestsellers, week endong October 3, 2026

Hardcover Fiction:
1. The Radiance, by Ayad Akhtar (signed copies)
2. Threshing Day, by Rebecca Yarros
3. Hollywood Ending, by John Green
4. American Hagwon, by Min Jin Lee
5. The Disappearers, by Marlon James
6. The Pirate Queen, by Ariel Lawhon
7. The Phoebe Variations, by Jane Hamilton
8. The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
9. The Calamity Club, by Kathryn Stockett
10. The French Illusion, by John Grisham
11. Hollow Bones, by Jodi Picoult (Pabst Theater October 8 event)
12. Under Story, by Chloe Benjamin
13. Dead Beat, by Leigh Bardugo
14. Mad Mabel, by Sally Hepworth
15. Things We Never Say, by Elizabeth Strout

Though backlist sales have cooled for us on Rebecca Yarros, first week sales on Threshing Day blew away the competition. We also had a nice opening week on American Hagwon, the long-awaited third novel from Min Jin Lee. Threshing Day is not being tracked by BookMarks, but American Hagwon has six raves, two positives, and two mixeds. From Maureen Corrigan on NPR: "A simultaneously sweeping-but-intimate novel about the complexities of immigration, the fragile promise of America and the purpose of education, American Hagwon is also a classic page-turner populated by characters who are hard to leave behind at the end of 600-plus pages. It's an overwhelming reading experience, one that appeals to the head as well as the heart."

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Dog's Day, by Matthew J Prigge (Oriental Theater November 3 event)
2. Teaching Towards Slow Hope, by Douglas Hayes
3. Plantyou Quickies, by Carleigh Bodrug
4. An Unexpected Life, by Gloria Steinem
5. Fictional Selves, by Kyle MacLachlan
6. The Cauldron, by Simon Sebag Montefiore
7. I Want to Be Famous, by Bobby Finger and Lindsey Weber
8. Rock*, by Chuck Klosterman
9. Dogs Boys and Other Things I've Cried About, by Isabel Klee
10. Swan Song, by Charles Spencer

Our buyer Jason said that this week and next week were probably the busiest release dates of the year, so I guess it isn't a surprise that the Crown division of PRH would have three high-profile books out on September 29. But I'm not used to seeing two Crown books in our top 10, Fictional Selves and I Want to Be Famous, let alone three in our top 11 - the bubbling under title is This Cursed Beautiful Land, by Evan Gershkovich. I should also note that we have a celebrity memoir, a journalist-turned-celebrity memoir (after Gershkovich was sentenced to Russian prison, released in a prisoner swap) and a book about contemporary celebrity that is based on a podcast, one way that "who"s become "them"s. From Kirkus: "Armed with wit and astute perception, the authors present their case for the pursuit of fandom and the highs and lows of ascending the Hollywood hierarchy. A clever, erudite assessment of fame."

Paperback Fiction:
1. Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi
2. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
3. Fruit Fly, by Josh Silver
4. Homeland Elegies, by Ayad Akhtar
5. The Road to Tender Hearts, by Annie Hartnett
6. Disgraced, by Ayad Akhtar
7. The Bookshop of Secrets, by Kerry Barrett
8. Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry
9. The Secret of Secrets, by Dan Brown
10. The Women, by Kristin Hannah

It is saying something that three of our top 10 paperbacks have broken the $20 price point, something that until recently, was pretty rare. Do I dare remind folks how much the original paperback price was of Lonesome Dove? $4.95, though to be fair, that was a mass market paperback and we're talking 40 years ago. Lonesome Dove has been battling East of Eden for epic American epic. There are Reddits and Facebook pages discussing the relative merits, though East of Eden is likely pulling ahead because of a new acclaimed Netflix series. Guess what? Lonesome Dove is also getting a new treatment. We're discussing the latter in book club on Monday - I'm not quite finished! I don't think the texture is actualliy fuzzy, but we sold out, so I just don't know.

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Lambeau Ladies, by Laura Kostelnik Biskupic and Katherine Biskupic
2. Bread of Angels, by Patti Smith
3. Fuzzy Hygge Coloring Book, by Vivi Tinta
4. How to Kill a Witch, by Zoe Venitozzi
5. Home Body, by Rupi Kaur
6. Stone Age Astronaut, by Liam Callanan
7. Everything Must Go, by Dorian Lynskey
8. Cutting Edge, by Daniel Gawthrop
9. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
10. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer

So we really probably only sold enough paperback nonfiction to have a top 6, but if I only included five titles, I would have to leave out Stone Age Astronaut. And while I've made it clear that our nonfiction list includes what the NYT would refer to as "advice, how to, and miscellaneous," the truth is that coloring books get coded as book or nonbook depending on the vendor and therefore the buyer. Same for sticker books and the like. But Fuzzy Hygge, a coloring book, is selling off our autumn table,

Books for Kids: 

1. Camp Half Blood: The Wild Zone, by Rick Riordan and Annabelle Oh 

2. Yarn Is Everything, by Aaron Reynolds, with illustrations by Peter Brown 

3. Troubling Tonsils, by Aaron Reynolds 

4. Unsettling Salad, by Aaron Reynolds 

5. The Lightning Thief V1, by Rick Riordan (three editions) 

6. Maggie and the Story Shadows, by Annabelle Oh 

7. The Senior Year Adventures: Chalice of the Gods v1, by Rick Riordan

8. Murdle Jr: Wild Good Case, by GT Karber  (Wauwatosa Library October 5 event)

9. The Very Eager Evergreen, by Stef Wade and Erin Taylor 

10. The Senior Year Adventures: Wrath of the Triple Goddess V2, by Rick Riordan 

 I have my own fond memories of driving around to do schools with Aaron Reynolds, so I know how much the students enjoyed his recent visits for Yarn Is Everything, the latest in his Jasper Rabbit's Creepy Tales series. From Booklist: "Reynolds and Brown craft another eerie story for their Jasper Rabbit's Creepy Tales! series, guaranteed to hook readers. Winona Mole has a passion for crocheting, but her talent isn't yet at the level seen on her favorite TV show, Yarn Is Everything!...The cautionary ending expertly raises the story's ridiculousness to new heights while still retaining a strand of moral fiber."

Boswell bestsellers, week ending September 26, 2026

Boswell bestsellers, week ending September 26, 2026

Hardcover Fiction:
1. Hollywood, Ending, by John Green
2. The Disappearers, by Marlon James
3. The Calamity Club, by Kathryn Stockett
4. Exit Party, by Emily St John Mandel
5. Between Two Fires, by Christopher Buehlman
6. Etna, by Paul Yoon
7. Our Noble Selves, by Kate Atkinson
8. Whistler, by Ann Patchett
9. Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel: The New Miss Marple Mystery, by Lucy Foley
10. Dead Beat V3, by Leigh Bardugo

The great migration of YA authors to the adult cases continues with John Green's Hollywood, Ending, who heretofore only published nonfiction in that realm. It's fitting that the top 10 is bookended by Leigh Bardugo. From the publisher: "John Green artfully blends a behind-the-scenes Hollywood love story with an unflinching examination of the insatiable attention economy. Told through dual points of view, the novel brilliantly juxtaposes the on-screen study of Warhol’s life at the dawn of celebrity culture with the intimate struggles of two young people figuring out who they are, both together and alone." Did I ever mention that Andy Warhol was the only celebrity I could ever seem to spot when I lived to New York. Like me, he liked to go to free film screenings, not that we ever talked about this amazing thing we had in common.

Hardcover Nonfiction:

1. Pay Attention, by David Pakman
2. Rock*, by Chuck Klosterman (signed copies)
3. The Catalyst CEO, by Constantine G Alexandrakis
4. Just Kids (2 hardcover editions), by Patti Smith
5. This Is the Plan, by Ben Wikler
6. End Times Fascism, by Naomi Klein and Astra Tayor
7. Happy Snacking, Don't Die!, by Alexis Nikole Nelson
8. Milwaukee Flavor, by Visit Milwaukee/Ann Christenson
9. An Unexpected Life, by Gloria Steinem
10. Swan Song: Diana, by Charles Spencer

I have just started watching the new season of Great British Baking Show. Among the contestants is a vegan (at least sometimes) forager, so my attention turned to Happy Snacking, Don't Die!: Foraging and Vegan Recipes with Black Forager, by Alexis Nikole Nelson. Looks like Ingram has already done a big reorder on the book. From Judy Poyer at Library Journal: "Nelson's delightful personality and extensive knowledge give this foraging guide and its recipes appeal for both existing foragers and newcomers to the realm." Here's a story about her in the Cincinnati Enquirer that doesn't seem to be paywalled at the moment, or maybe I can read it because I have a Journal Sentinel subscription and Cincinnati was one of the five other papers I chose to follow. I'm not really sure!

Paperback Fiction:
1. Dungeon Crawler Carl V1, by Matt Dinniman
2. Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi
3. The Road to Tender Hearts, by Annie Hartnett
4. Fruit Fly, by Josh Siler
5. Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
6. I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman
7. A Short Stay in Hell, by Steven Peck
8. Carl's Doomsday Scenario V2, by Matt Dinniman
9. Klara and the Sun, by Kazuo Ishiguro
10. The Wedding People, by Alison Espach

For all the indie-published breakout novels that wind up being short discount and nonreturnable, meaning it's hard for bookstores to join in on the fun (I'm looking at you, Emma M Lion, though we're excited that Penguin will be publishing starting November 24), we are grateful that A Short Stay in Hell is full trade and returnable from Ingram. It's about an LDS geologist who wakes after dying to find out that everything he thought about in life was wrong, and not in a good way. Here's a paywalled Salt Lake City Tribune profile. Well that's not helpful! Here's a review on Medium then.

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. The Bread of Angels, by Patti Smith
2. Classroom Mindscapes, by Sarah E Silverman
3. The Book of Days, by Patti Smith
4. Just Kids, by Patti Smith
5. Stone Age Astronaut, by Liam Callanan
6. Lambeau Ladies, by Lauara Kostelnik Biskupic and Katherine Biskupic (event today!)
7. Poems, by William Blake
8. Best of the Wurst, by Jesse Brookstein
9. Between Two Kingdoms, by Sulika Jaouad
10. Healing After Loss, by Martha Hickman

A lot of judgment calls here. I eliminated bulk orders that were more than a year old. As part of our event for Bread of Angels, we sold a lot of other Patti Smith Books. I included only the top sellers in each category (that's called UK chart rules), but I made an exception for Poems of William Blake, as she didn't write it. May I repeat? Attendees bought out our pile of William Blake poetry that Patti Smith selected at the event. And I should note I recently made the decision to move poetry that is not a novel in verse (like the Odyssey) to nonfiction. We need the titles!

I heard nothing but rave reviews of the show. Did I mention that I showed everyone the 1979 promotional single of Frederick that I got while working at our now-gone college radio station? I guess I was holding onto it for 47 years, hoping I would be able to show-and-tell before the event. On to the next.*

Books for Kids:
1. Very Far from Home, by Hope Larson
2. Very Bad at Math, by Hope Larson
3. War, by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano (2 editions)
4. Global, by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano (2 editions)
5. Illegal, by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano (2 editions)
6. Murdle Jr: Wild Goose Chase, by GT Karber (Wauwatosa Library October 5 event)
7. Our Strange Duet, by Erin A Craig
8. Peekaboo Pumpkin, by Camila Reid and Ingela P Arrhenius
9. Anger Is Only a Shadow, by Elizabeth Acevedo
10. There's a Ghost in This House, by Oliver Jeffers

Some new books, some Halloween books, some Battle of the Books, and some event books crowd the top 10. I am intrigued by Our Strange Duet, a YA retelling of Phantom of the Opera from the perspective of Christine Daaé, released on the 40th anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Weber's musical. Writer Erin A Craig is the author of House of Salt and Sorrows, which just got a coveted deluxe hardcover release. From Booklist: "A captivating choice for fans of gothic fantasy, romantic retellings, and The Phantom of the Opera, as well as readers looking for an elegant blend of history, mystery, and romance.

*Ayad Akhtar is appearing at the Milwaukee Rep for The Radiance. David Brooks called it "a masterpiece" on his podcast interview. Limited tickets available.

Boswell bestsellers, week ending September 19, 2026

Boswell bestsellers, week ending September 19, 2026

Hardcover Fiction:
1. The Pirate Queen, by Ariel Lawhon (signed copies)
2. Hollow Bones, by Jodi Picoult (Pabst October 8 event)
3. Exit Party, by Emily St John Mandel (UWM November 7 event)
4. Dead Beat V3, by Leigh Bardugo
5. The Disappearers, by Marlon James
6. Our Noble Selves, by Kate Atkinson
7. The Rouse, by Chia Mieville
8. Taipei Story, by RF Kuang
9. We Chase Shadows V2, by Richard Osman
10. The Buter's Masquerade V5, by Matt Dinniman

So many new books! I have read a lot of Kate Atkinson over the years, but I'm afraid I haven't yet gotten to Our Noble Selves, which got six raves and two positives on BookMarks. From the starred Booklist: " Atkinson deftly blends the tragicomic spirit of Evelyn Waugh's post-WWII novels with the cringe comedy of The Office in her latest history-mystery...Excellent characterization and telling historical details in a wonderfully invigorating read."

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Great Bakes, by Martin Sorge (signed copies)
2. End Times Fascism, by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor
3. The Green and Gold Standard, by Thomas M Nelson
4. How to Eat an Elephant, by Sarah Longwell
5. Wisconsin Supper Clubs: One for the Road, by Ron Faiola
6. Redwood, by Ben MacIntyre
7. Protocols, by Andrew D Huberman
8. This Is the Plan, by Ben Wikler
9. One Day Everyone Will Always Hav Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad
10. Everything Is Tuberculosis, by John Green

Top debut on this list is End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World, by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor, which some have called a follow-up to Klein's The Shock Doctrine. The book has three raves and three mixeds on BookMarks, and I should note that that's with clearly conservative review organs do not seem to be covered on BookMarks - correct me if I'm wrong. But I read at least one of the mixeds and I would have categorized it as positive. From the raves, Kirkus called it "An astute, original-minded analysis of the apocalyptic thinking that links tech, politics, and religion." And from Damon Linker's mixed NYT review: "I’m even more skeptical of Klein and Taylor’s decision to accept the premise, affirmed by so many players in our politics, that we are living through a time of unprecedented crisis. I can’t help wondering how much of this widespread conviction follows from a dispassionate, historically informed analysis of the state of the world and how much is a product of the way we get and share information today."

Paperback Fiction:
1. Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi
2. Fruit Fly, by Josh Silver
3. Dungeon Crawler Carl V1, by Matt Dinniman
4. Your Behavior Will Be Monitored, by Justin Feinstein
5. The Odyssey, by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
6. May We Feed the King, by Rebecca Perry
7. The Wayfinder, by Adam Johnson
8. The Lion Women of Tehran, by Marjan Kamali
9. A Resistance of Witches, by Morgan Ryan
10. Buffalo Hunter Hunter, by Stephen Graham Jones

If I had combined hardcover sales with paper, Fruit Fly would have edged out Theo of Golden for the top spot. With all the deluxe hardcovers out there, separating out cloth and paperback sales is more complicated, especially because many "hardcovers" are really paper-over-board format. Fruit Fly just came back into stock after surging demand - it's got blurbs from Caro Claire Burke and Ocean Vuong too (and they put them on the book jacket). From Publishers Weekly: "A struggling author co-opts the life of a young gay drug addict for her new manuscript in YA novelist Silver's jaw-dropping adult debut (after Traumaland)...By turns suspenseful, provocative, and touching, this bold thriller burrows under the skin."

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Stone Age Astronaut, by Liam Callanan (signed copies)
2. Finding Freedom, by Ruby West Jackson
3. Lambeau Ladies, by Laura Kostelnik Biskupic and Katherine Biskupic (Boswell September 27 event)
4. The Best of the Wurst, by Jesse Brookstein (signed copies)
5. Mother Mary Comes to Me, by Arundhati Roy
6. When Driving Is Not an Option, by Anna Zivarts
7. Crossing the Wine Dark Sea, by Emily Wilson
8. Enshittification, by Cory Doctorow
9. Trees of Wisconsin Field Guide, by Stan Tekiela
10. Wisconsin Idols, by Dean Robbins

I'm guessing this is a first for us - Wisconsin Historical Society Press has our top four books in this list and five in the top ten! It helps that they have such a strong regional list this fall, with two recent and one forthcoming event books. I'm told that Lambeau Ladies is selling particularly well throughout the state - it's a unique take on the subject. From the publisher: "Lambeau Ladies, mother and daughter Laura Kostelnik Biskupic and Katherine Biskupic tell the remarkable, largely untold story of the women who helped to keep the Lombardi-era Packers performing at a championship level. From preparing game-day sandwiches, nursing injuries, and reviewing game film to managing households, hosting social gatherings, and providing emotional strength to their spouses, these women were a driving force behind one of the greatest teams in football history."

Books for Kids:
1. That You Are Here Is No Small Thing, by Traci N Todd and Vashti Harrison
2. War, by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano
3. Peekaboo Pumpkin, by Camilla Reid and Ingela P Arrhenius
4. Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
5. Big, by Vashti Harrison
6. Neverfear V3 Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
7. One Mad Cat and the Missing Book, by Vicky Fang
8. The Leaf Thief, by Alice Hemming
9. Rite of Passage, by Richard Wright
10. Peekaboo Dog, by Camilla Reid and Ingela P Arrhenius

 
Meteorological fall started September 1 and astronomical fall begins on Tuesday, but bestseller fall has already begun, with three autumnal titles in our top ten and one more (It's fall) at #11. There are many format variations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's Room on the Broom, but the one we are selling best is the push-pull-slide board book, which translated into Camilla Reid speak, would be Peekaboo Witch's Broom. This #1 bestseller was named one of the best children's books of the century by Book Riot.

This blog is not proofread by anyone but me. Let me know if you spot any typos.

Boswell bestsellers, week ending September 12, 2026

Boswell bestsellers, week ending September 12, 2026

Hardcover Fiction:
1. Under Story, by Chloe Benjamin
2. The Disappearers, by Marlon James
3. Taipei Story, by RF Kuang
4. Pirate Queen, by Ariel Lawhon (Wilson Center September 14 event)
5. Big Little Truths, by Liane Moriarty
6. Switzy, by Emma Cline
7. Whistler, by Ann Patchett
8. Lost Lambs, by Madeline Cash
9. Tempest, by Victoria Aveyard
10. The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans

Like many books nowadays that flirt with genre, both Taipei Story and Tempest have deluxe limited editions in their initial print runs. Sometimes the initial edition costs more money, but rarely more than $3 (The Correspondent is an outlier) but in these two cases, the limited and regular editions are the same price. In a way, this is similar to they way paper quality might decrease on a future printing of a title, only this is a more publicized. Taipei Story has four raves, three positives, a mixed, and a pan on BookMarks. From Kirkus: (a positive) " As ever, Kuang raises uncomfortable questions about history, ethnicity, and identity and leaves it for readers to determine whether Lily has come to the right conclusions and how much growing up she still has left to do. A visceral exploration of language as a bridge and a barrier."

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Lorafied Cookbook, by Lora McLaughlin Peterson
2. Wisconsin Supper Clubs: One for the Road, by Ron Faiola (signed copies)
3. The Art of Fighting, by Priya Parker
4. How to Eat an Elephant, by Sarah Longwell
5. The Wisconsin Supper Clubs Story, by Ron Faiola
6. All the President's Wars, by Peter Bergen
7. The Gales of November, by John U Bacon
8. American Scoundrel, by Kai Bird
9. The Castle, by Jon Ronson
10. I Eat the Stars, by Sarah Wilson

Look at all the new books on the list! The Art of Fighting: The Transformative Power of Conflict is from conflict facilitator Priya Parker, whose The Art of Gathering was also a hit. It comes from a long heritage of books about interpersonal disagreements, and who doesn't need some advice in this area? From Publishers Weekly: "Parker's advice is friendly and candid, and her central insight - that fighting done right can help heal and reinvigorate relationships rather than end them - is persuasive. The result is a wise manual for clashing with care."

Paperback Fiction:
1. Breathing Under Water, by Jacqueline Friedland
2. Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi
3. Dungeon Crawler Carl, by Matt Dinniman
4. Angel Down, by Daniel Kraus
5. James, by Percival Everett
6. The Road to Tender Hearts, by Annie Hartnett
7. Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke
8. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
9. Bunny, by Mona Awad
10. I See You've Called in Dead, by John Kenney

Publishers have been trying to break out New Yorker contributor John Kenney's fiction for years, and it doesn't help that he only writes a novel every six years. The I See You've Called in Dead paperback from Zibby is now his bestselling book at Boswell, including novels published in hardcover and paperback, and also his poetry, which has done well too. It's about an obituary writer who accidently posts his own death notice. It happens! From the starred Booklist: "Kenney's vivid prose transforms the mundane - chats with neighbors, bad dates, office rivalries - into unexpected hilarity. I See You've Called in Dead is a witty and heartwarming reminder of the bottomless despair, limitless absurdity, and undeniable joy of the human experience."

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. As a Jew, by Sarah Hurwitz
2. Stone Age Astronaut, by Liam Callanan (Boswell September 17 event)
3. Crossing the Wine Dark Sea, by Emily Wilson
4. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
5. Replaceable You, by Mary Roach
6. A Marriage at Sea, by Sophie Elmhirst
7. Poetry Unbound, by Pádraig Ó Tuama
8. Recipes for the Melting Pot, by Nora L Rubel (Boswell October 7 event)
9. The Book of Lives, by Margaret Atwood
10. 111 Places in Milwaukee That You Must Not Miss, by Michelle Madden

Riding the Odyssey wave is the paperback (original, I think) edition the essay collection of Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea: Journeys Through Ancient Literature from Emily Wilson, which is already out of stock at all of Ingram's warehouses and has six raves on BookMarks and is marked as Instant New York Times bestseller. From Jennifer Szalai in The New York Times (keeper of the bestseller lists): "Wilson elegantly braids together close, line-by-line readings with larger arguments about how much is often at stake. A chapter on ancient Stoicism and its latter-day interpreters shows why it has become so popular in Silicon Valley: Stoic tips on how to find equanimity in a troubled world appeal to powerful, privileged people who have an interest in maintaining the status quo."

Books for Kids:
1. Art Attack: The Sherlock Society V3, by James Ponti
2. That You Are Here Is No Small Thing, by Traci Todd and Vashti Harrison
3. Let's Find Yaya and Boo at the Park!, by Andrew Knapp
4. Who Says Moo, by Axel Scheffler
5. Rite of Passage, by Richard Wright
6. Where's the Leaf Thief, by Alice Hemming and Nicole Slater
7. A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation, by Pablo Cartaya
8. The Sherlock Society V1, by James Ponti
9. Neverfear V3: Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
10. Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

Selling off the autumn display is Where's the Leaf Thief?, in which squirrel and bird try to solve the titular mystery. This board book is adapted from the picture book The Leaf Thief, which as spawned many sequels - The Pumpkin Thief, The Sun Thief, The Snow Thief, and so on. The Egg Thief drops next January. Kirkus called the original "A hilarious autumnal comedy of errors."

Boswell bestsellers, week ending September 5, 2026

Boswell bestsellers, week ending September 5, 2026

Hardcover Fiction:
1. Under Story, by Chloe Benjamin (Boswell September 8 event)
2. The Disappearers, by Marlon James
3. The Three Graces of Pearl Street, by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins
4. The Knave and the Moon V2, by Rachel Gilling
5. Whistler, by Ann Patchett
6. The Calamity Club, by Kathryn Stockett
7. Land, by Maggie O'Farrell
8. The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
9. Big Little Truths, by Liane Moriarty
10. A Trade of Blood, by Robert Jackson Bennett

Our two biggest debuts this week come from the Penguin division of Pengun Random House with Chloe Benjamin's Under Story coming from Putnam (8 years after The Immortalists) and Marlon James's The Disappearers from Riverhead. Both authors used to live in the Midwest (Benjamin in Madison and James in the Twin Cities) but now are on the coasts, one on each. And I'd be remiss if I didn't shout out the Dwight Garner spectacular review of The Disappearers in The New York Times: "Why not just say it? With this novel about gay experience and murderous homophobia in Jamaica and elsewhere during the 1980s and ’90s, James has written a masterpiece, the novel of the decade and possibly of the century thus far.

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Origin of a Leader, by Curtis Manfredo
2. The Green and Gold Standard, by Thomas M Nelson
3. Holding It Together, by Jessica Calarco
4. Everyday Eats, by Alex Snodgrass
5. Regime Change, by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
6. Biological War, by Annie Jacobsen
7. American Scoundrel, by Kai Bird
8. Hiroshima 815, by Kiyoshi Tanimoto
9. This Is the Plan, by Ben Wikler
10. Milwaukee Flavor, by Visit Milwaukee/Ann Christenson

New this week is American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn's Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump, the latest biography from Kai Bird, the coauthor of American Prometheus, the inspiration for the film Oppenheimer. The book got seven raves and two mixed revies, with one of them from the Wall Street Journal, which would makes sense, except their book reviews tend to be pretty independent of the editorial page. Jennifer Szalai in the New York Times is one of the ravers, noting: "Bird calls him (Cohn) 'the ghoul of our nightmares, a man whose personal immorality planted the seeds of America’s descent into the political folly of the 21st century.' A Prometheus steals fire for humanity; a scoundrel takes everyone for a ride."

Paperback Fiction:
1. Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi
2. Angel Down, by Daniel Kraus (Boswell-run book clubs)
3. James, by Percival Everett
4. Dungeon Crawler Carl V1, by Matt Dinniman
5. Dear Committee Members, by Julie Schumacher
6. Lonesome Dove V1, by Larry McMurtry
7. The Wedding People, by Alison Espach
8. The Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy
9. I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman
10. The Road to Tender Hearts, by Annie Hartnett

Nothing new on this list, so I will shout out the Lit Group that met this past weekend for Audition. Opinions were all over the place, which made for a great discussion. I may have to pick some less popular books to get the attendance down, but I don't think Lonesome Dove (October) or Angel Down (December) will do the trick.

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Stone Age Astronaut, by Liam Callanan (Boswell September 17 event)
2. How the States Got Their Shapes, by Mark Stein
3. Kitchen Confidential, annotated edition, by Anthony Bourdain
4. A Flower Traveled in My Blood, by Haley Cohen Gilliland
5. Friends with Words, by Martha Barnette
6. Poetry Unbound, by Pádraig Ó Tuama (poetry is dealer's choice for categorization)
7. Lambeau Ladies, by Laura Kostelnik Biskupic and Katherine Biskupic (Boswell September 27 event)
8. Fall of Civilizations, by Paul Cooper
9. What If We Get It Right, by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson
10. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer

I miss listening to A Way with Words on WHAD on air. I know I could still access the podcast, but I am still a "I will listen to it if it happens to be on" kind of person. Glad to see we are selling Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland off our new paperback table. I might be the next customer for it. From Publishers Weekly: "With a conversational tone and an infectious sense of curiosity, Barnette makes a strong case for the mundane magic of words. It's a joyful account that will delight fans of Lynne Truss." Remember that one?

Books for Kids
1. That You Are Here Is No Small Thing, Traci Todd and Vashti Harrison
2. The Neverfear V3, by Katherine Rundell
3. The Unlikely Tale of Chase and Finnegan, by Jasmine Warga
4. City Spies V1, by James Ponti
5. A Rover's Story, by Jasmine Warga
6. A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall, by Jasmine Warga
7. Penguin Picnic, by Liam Frances Walsh
8. Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, by Barbara Joosse and Renée Graef
9. The Amazing Generation, by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price
10. Elf Dog and Owl Head, by MT Anderson

Katherine Rundell's The Neverfear, the latest in The Impossible Creatures series, is our top non-event debut, and has been the case in the last few years, one book is not enough for her. Her nonfiction book for adults, Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise, is also getting a lot of attention. Kirkus called her latest kids book "brilliant," as well as describing the book as "perfectly paced, mythology laced tale of action, adventure, and heart."

Boswell bestsellers, week ending August 29, 2026

Boswell bestsellers, week ending August 29, 2026

Hardcover Fiction:
1. The Calamities V1, by Chuck Wendig (signed copies available)
2. Etna, by Paul Yoon
3. Land, by Maggie O'Farrell
4. Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke
5. The Calamity Club, by Kathryn Stockett
6. Big Little Truths, by Liane Moriarty
7. Cool Machine V3, by Colson Whitehead
8. This Inevitable Ruin V7, by Matt Dinniman
9. Daggerbound V2, by T Kingfisher
10. Contrapposto, by Dave Eggers

Etna is the #1 Indie Next book for August and has great rec here from Kim. It's also got eight raves, a positive, and a mixed on BookMarks. From Rachel Vorona Cote in The Atlantic: "For all its compactness, Etna has the shape of an epic." Side note: we've already sold more copies of Etna than we have of his five previous books (one novel, four collections).

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. The Comic Book History of the Cocktail, by David Wondrich
2. The Tribe and I Have Spoken, by Rob Cesternino
3. A Proper Drink, by Robert Simonson
4. The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State, by Jill Lepore
5. The Nerd Reich, by Gil Guran
6. The Land and Its People, by David Sedaris
7. Regime Change, by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
8. Biological War, by Annie Jacobson
9. Famesick, by Lena Dunham
10. When Memory Fades, by Nathaniel Chin

Between The Nerd Reich, Regime Change, Biological War, and The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State, the nonfiction list is not looking too optimistic of late. From Jill Lepore's publisher: "Building on an essay in The New Yorker in 2024, Lepore's clarion call traces our increasing dependence on and strangulation by data." BookMarks rates it four raves, two positives, and a mixed. Jason is a big fan. He also liked Artificial War.

Paperback Fiction:
1. Candide, by Voltaire
2. Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi
3. James, by Percival Everett
4. Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
5. Dear Committee Members, by Julie Schumacher
6. Dungeon Crawler Carl V1, by Matt Dinniman
7. Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry
8. The Wedding People, by Alison Espach
9. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
10. Carl's Doomsday Scenario V2, by Matt Dinniman

Lots of back-to-school sales from local courses this week, but for the most part, these are individual sales, not bulk orders. Lonesome Dove is a constant social media presence driven further up because we're doing it for Lit Group in October. East of Eden is similarly popping, plus it's got a Netflix series. The only question? Which of the three jackets that we're selling should I feature? I'm going with the tie-in cover, but not because I like it.

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Behind the Mirror, by Taran Armstrong
2. Muslims in Milwaukee, by Anna Mansson McGinty, Caroline Seymour-Jorn, Kristin M Sziarto
3. Liberal Fascisms, by Slavoj Zizek
4. Baldwin: A Love Story, by Nicholas Boggs
5. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
6. Devotions, by Mary Oliver
7. Women, Walking, by Zahra Ibrahim
8. The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk
9. Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain
10. The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI, by Cory Doctorow

From indie Coach House Press comes Women, Walking: Notes on Lives in Motion, edited by Zahra Ebrahim and Jane Farrow. This collection features "thirty vignettes, essays, graphic art, poems, and interviews." Booklist called it "a ray of literary light." It's selling off our new paperback table.

Books for Kids:
1. New Kid, by Jerry Craft
2. The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze, by Derrick Barnes
3. Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry
4. Freewater, by Amina Luqman-Dawson
5. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
6. Mexikid, by Pedro Martín
7. Who Would Win: Underwater Battles, by Jerry Palotta
8. Richard Scarry's Busiest People Ever 50th anniversary edition, by Richard Scarry
9. Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, by Barbara Joosse and Renée Graef
10. Wonderful Halloween, by Emily Winfield Martin

Where does Summerween end and traditional Halloween promotions begin? I'm not sure. In any case, squeaking onto this week's top ten is Wonderful Halloween, the new board book from Emily Winfield Martin, whose The Wonderful Things You Will Be was on the bestseller lists for years (and for all I know, still is). We also sell a good number of her cards. From the publisher on the new book: "With her signature warmth and charm, Emily Winfield Martin captures the spirit of this beloved holiday: from dancing leaves and starlit skies to trick-or-treating with friends."

Boswell bestsellers, week ending August 22, 2026

Boswell bestsellers, week ending August 22, 2026

 

Hardcover Fiction: 

1. The Calamities V1, by Chuck Wendig (Boswell August 29 event)
2. The Things We Never Say, by Elizabeth Strout
3. Whistler, by Chuck Wendig
4. Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke
5. God's Country V22, by William Kent Krueger
6. The Calamity Club, by Kathryn Stockett
7. Land, by Maggie O'Farrell
8. The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
9. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
10. The Breakup, by Kurt Andersen

Kurt Andersen, author of numerous novels and works of nonfiction, as well as publisher of the legendary Spy Magazine, offers The Breakup, a dystopian satire set in post-civil-war 2045 about a divorced couple taking their son on a pre-college road trip. From Kirkus: "The AI part of the story is a little undercooked and the political commentary none too subtle, but overall it's an effective exercise in dystopian fiction with some nicely developed thriller elements in the mix. A politically charged vision of what our civil strife might look like just a bit down the road."

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Legacy Redefined, by Richard Watts
2. The Veiled Prophet, by Devin Thomas O'Shea
3. What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast, by Caroline Chambers
4. The Land and Its People, by David Sedaris
5. This Is the Plan, by Ben Wikler
6. Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About, by Isabel Klee
7. Regime Change, by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan
8. This Is Me, by Hayden Panettiere
9. The Serviceberry, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
10. Milwaukee Flavor, by Visit Milwaukee and Ann Christenson

It's the second week in the top 10 for What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast, following up Caroline Chambers's 2024 release, which still sells very well at Boswell, but, by implication, does not need to be made fast. I think this is the first time I've used the term "Substack star." Dear Chronicle Books, Why don't you consider repackaging the 2018 release Just Married, Chambers's 2018 cookbook. And maybe zhuzh up the title.

Paperback Fiction:
1. Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi
2. Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett
3. Atmosphere, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
4. God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
5. The Wedding People, by Alison Espach
6. Lonesome Doves, by Larry McMurtry
7. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, by VE Schwab
8. A Resistance of Witches, by Morgan Ryan
9. Dungeon Crawler Carl V1, by Matt Dinniman
10. Audition, by Katie Kitamura (Boswell-run book clubs)

After two years, the paperback is released of VE Schwab's Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, and in my continuing analysis of hardcover vs paperback pricing, the difference between the two is about $7. Caveat - there is extra value in a new short story included. Interestingly, I've seen other recent fiction releases where there was an attempt to keep the paperback price at $20 (often $19.99), even when the hardcover was over $30. To summarize, pricing is all over the place. This fall, I saw two high profile novels (in both cases, long-awaited follow ups) from the same corporation that had the same page count, but one was $32 and the other was $36. But enough about that! Six raves and a positive from BookMarks. Publishers Weekly called it "a haunting and worthwhile story about cruelty, grace, love, and what it means to live forever."

Paperback Nonfiction
1. How the Other Half Eats, by Priya Fielding-Singh
2. A Resistance History of the United States, by Tad Stoermer
3. Say Nothing, by Patrick Radden Keefe
4. Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
5. Lambeau Ladies, by Laura Kostelnik Biskupic and Katherine Biskupic

While I'm not reducing our nonfiction paperback list to monthly like The New York Times, I do sometimes have to list fewer titles. As an aside, I think the better solution would have been to undo the separation they made many years ago of pulling advice and how-to books out of nonfiction, which I think is not always a fair split. Back when the nonfiction list was more high profile, it would sometimes appear that the decision on where to place the book sometimes was subject to publisher influence. I also felt there was some prejudice built into the decisions, but I won't go into that here. 

This week's higlighted title is Tad Stoermer's A Resistance History of the United States (Steerforth Press, now an imprint of Pushkin Press). From Booklist: "Readers interested in U.S. history, particularly political and social histories, will find Stoermer's work to be an insightful approach in understanding a pattern of organized resistance movements and how they confronted violence and authority, and attempted to reform structural changes for a better future in America."

Books for Kids:
1. The Makers, by Christa Yelich-Koth
2. The Ginghams, by TC Kemper
3. The Big One, by Dashka Slater, illustrations by Myo Yim
4. Jia Has a Dog Problem, Stephenie Ellen Sy, illustrations by Isabella Kung
5. The Story Rug, by Sophie Blackall, illustrations by Phoebe Wahl
6. The Sneaks, by Amy Tern
7. Offside, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and Mari Costa
8. Kindergarten Gests Ready, by Naomi Danis
9. The Invisibles, by Polly Kowitt
10. Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, by Barbara Joosse with illustrations by Renée Graef

There's nothing more rewarding than a successful book presentation and that was definitely the case this week when two Boswellians spoke to school librarians. One pick from McKenna is The Big One, from Dashka Slater and Myo Yim. From Jessica Calaway in School Library Journal: "A determined young girl and her grandmother set out together to catch The Big One in this wondrous picture book. Grandmother is the oldest resident of their seaside town while granddaughter Marina is the smallest, but neither age nor size stand in the way of their goal...Together, this whale of a tale and its outstanding illustrations create a rich, sensory journey that celebrates curiosity, resilience, and wonder."

Boswell bestsellers, week ending August 15, 2026

Boswell bestsellers, week ending August 15, 2026

Hardcover Fiction:
1. Murder at an Irish Session V12, by Carlene O'Connor
2. The Things We Never Say, by Elizabeth Strout
3. Land, by Maggie O'Farrell
4. Yesteryear, by Caro Claire Burke
5. Whistler, by Ann Patchett
6. The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
7. John of John, by Douglas Stuart
8. A Trade of Blood V3, by Robert Jackson Bennett
9. Country People, by Daniel Mason
10. The Butcher Legacy V3, by Alaina Uruquart

We had a couple of nicely attended Irish Fest preview events this week, including one with Malcolm McDowell Woods (see paperback fiction below) and another with Carlene O'Connor, who last visited in 2023. We only lost six attendees by moving the start time of the program from 2 pm to 11 am (by request), which makes me more confident of our holiday book talk for Knopf/Doubleday/Vintage books, which is on October 28 at 11. And back to O'Connor, we actually sold substantially more of Murder at an Irish Session than we did of her 2023 title. Perhaps it's because it's because the music theme of the latest resonates with Irish Fest fans?

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Courage Can Save Us, by Rye Barcott
2. This Is the Plan, by Ben Wikler
3. Wisconsin Supper Clubs: One for the Road, by Ron Faiola (Boswell September 10 event)
4. What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking, by Caroline Chambers
5. The Green and Gold Standard, by Thomas Nelson (Boswell September 2 event)
6. This Vast Enterprise, by Craig Fehrman (Milwaukee Public Library October 20 event)
7. London Falling, by Patrick Radden Keefe
8. The World Appears, by Michael Pollan
9. The Land and Its People, by David Sedaris
10. Everything Is Tuberculosis, by John Green

The Packers books are here. Both Lambeau Ladies in paperback and The Green and Gold Standard: A People's History of the Green Bay Packers have arrived. It's interesting to me that nobody wants to publish books on the Bucks or the Brewers. I don't even remember a Bucks champions book with true bookstore distribution. And why isn't someone writing a Moneyball-type book about how the Brewers compete as a small-market team where the big-market teams can buy their way to championships.? Or at least try to. 

Paperback Fiction:
1. Theo of Golden, by Allen Levi
2. Ice Fishing in Donegal, by Malcolm McDowell Woods
3. Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry
4. Dungeon Crawler Carl V1, by Matt Dinniman
5. Angel Down, by Daniel Kraus
6. Taiwan Travelogue, by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ (Yang is the last name)
7. Circe, by Madeline Miller
8. The Odyssey, by Home, translated by Emily Wilson
9. Project Hail Mary, by Andy Weir
10. Carl's Doomsday Scenario V2, by Matt Dinniman

Taiwan Travelogue is a double award winner - the National Book Award for translated fiction and the International Booker Prize, also for translated fiction. The book has two raves and a positive in BookMarks, including this rave from Shahnaz Habib in The New York Times called the book "a delightfully slippery novel about how power shapes relationships, and what travel reveals and conceals."

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Lambeau ladies, by Laura Kostelnik Biskupic and Catherine Biskupic (Boswell September 27 event)
2. Inventing the Renaissance, by Ada Palmer
3. Raising Hare, by Chloe Dalton
4. A Marriage at Sea, by Sophie Elmhirst
5. How to Stand up to a Dictator, by Maria Ressa
6. Dinner with King Tut, by Sam Kean
7. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
8. The Invention of Nature, by Andrea Wulf
9. Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah
10. In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote

Selling of the new paperback table is Inventing the Renaissance: The Myth of a Golden Age, by University of Chicago Associate Professor Ada Palmer, who visited us ten years ago for a science fiction novel. The book was named a New Yorker best of the year, though unlike other media, they don't limit to 10, 50, or 100. From Choice: "Palmer's book is as much about the utility of the myths to later generations and the value of writing history as it is about the character of the Renaissance itself. Deeply erudite, engagingly personal, and a passionate call to build on what the Renaissance achieved, this work is a tour de force. "

Books for Kids:
1. Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, by Barbara Joosse, illustrations by Renée Graef
2. The Pumpkin Thief, by Alice Hemming
3. Mi Escuela Is My School, by Laruenne Sala, illustrations by Zara González-Hoang
4. You Can Sit with Me, by Rachel Tawil Kenyon, illustrations by Tatiana Kamshilina
5. Tiny T Rex and the First Day Oopsies, by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrations by Jay Fleck
6. Peekaboo Dog, by Camilla Reid, illustrations by Ingela P Arrhenius
7. Indestructibles: Happy and You Know It, by Amy Pixton, illustrations by Vanja Kragulj
8. The Heirs, by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
9. The Future Book, by Mac Barnett, illustrations by Shawn Harris
10. The Odyssey, by Homer, translated by Gareth Hinds

When it comes to picture books, thank goodness for holidays, as they really drive sales. This week we feature The Pumpkin Thief from Alice Hemming and Nicola Slater, who previously collaborated on The Leaf Thief and The Sun Thief. The Egg Thief is already scheduled for 2027. For National Deviled Egg Day? No, silly, Easter.