Boswell Book Company, week ending November 9, 2024

Boswell Book Company, week ending November 9, 2024

Hardcover Fiction:
1. The Grey Wolf, by Louise Penny
2. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich
3. Playground, by Richard Powers
4. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
5. Somewhere Beyond the Sea, by TJ Klune
6. Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
7. Familiaris, by David Wroblewski
8. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
9. The Wood at Midwinter, by Susanna Clarke
10. Under the Oak Tree, by Suji Kim

Under the Oak Tree is an English-language novelization of a Korean web novel about a young woman of means who is married off to a stranger who goes off to fight dragons for several years. The online catalog doesn't really talk plot - I learned it from the Kirkus review. We get the tropes instead: Arranged marriage, strangers-to-lovers, misunderstandings, cold love interest, unlikely heroine, plus 4/5 on the pepper scale. The first edition comes with sprayed page edges, full-color patterned endpapers, silver foil stamping on the cover, and a ribbon bookmark. plus there was a preorder campaign with pins.

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Unhappy Achiever, by Ashley Jordan
2. The Message, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3. Patriot, by Alexei Navalni
4. The Demon of Unrest, by Erik Larson
5. Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, by Matty Matteson
6. Revenge of the Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell
7. Sage Warrior, by Valarie Kaur
8. On Freedom, by Timothy Snyder
9. Kingdom of the Poor, by Charles Strobel and Katie Seigenthaler (Seigenthaler Boswell event November 18)
10. Big Book of Bread, by King Arthur Baking Company

Soups, Salads, Sandwiches may be Matty Matheson's first bestselling cookbook at Boswell, but he already has multiple claims to fame, including his role on The Bear, his popular videos, and his brands Matheson Cookware, Matheson Food Company, and a workwear line called Rosa Rugosa. From Library Journal: "Decadent photos remind readers that eating these dishes will be worth the cooking and are combined with a glimpse into Matheson's family, home, and kitchen."

Paperback Fiction:
1. The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters (Boswell-run book club schedule here)
2. Sleeping with the Frenemy, by Natalie Caña
3. The Vegetarian, by Han Kang
4. Sorcery and Small Magics, by Maiga Doocy
5. A Dish Best Served Hot, by Natalie Caña
6. The Wren, the Wren, by Anne Enright
7. Shady Hollow, by Juneau Black
8. Rebecca, by Daphne Du Maurier
9. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
10. The House of Doors, by Tan Twan Eng

We had a particularly strong week of book club books, with The Berry Pickers showing nice uptick in sales in its second week. Our next selection is The Wren, The Wren, which was the best reviewed book on BookMarks for 2023 with 18 raves and two positive reviews. From Maureen Corrigan in her Fresh Air review: "Not all literary men have been cads in real life, but misbehavior makes for a more dramatic tale. That's certainly the case with The Wren, The Wren, which, despite its precious title, is a tough, mordant story about the mess one particular Great Man of Letters leaves behind when he walks out the door."

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Struggle for the City, by Derek G Handley (Boswell November 19 event)
2. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder 
3. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
4. Democracy Awakening, by Heather Cox Richardson
5. Typhoid Mary, by Anthony Bourdain
6. Doppelganger, by Naomi Klein
6 The Dictionary People, by Sarah Ogilvie
7. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
8. We Had Fun and Nobody Died, by Amy T Waldman and Peter Jest
9. White Women Get Ready, by Amanda Gross (Boswell November 13 event)
10. Say Nothing, by Patrick Radden Keefe

There appears to be a post-election surge for Timothy Snyder's books. Snyder's On Freedom is still on our hardcover bestseller list, while On Tyranny, in both traditional type and graphic editions, combined for a strong showing on our paperback nonfiction list.

Books for Kids:
1. Hot Mess V19, by Jeff Kinney
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid V1, by Jeff Kinney
3. No Brainer V18, by Jeff Kinney
4. Rowley Jefferson's Super Awesome Friendly Spooky Stories, by Jeff Kinney
5. Garbage Crew to the Rescue, by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrations by AG Ford
6. The Bletchley Riddle, by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
7. The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown
8. The Heir, by Sabaa Tahir
9. Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell
10. What Feelings Do When No One's Looking, by Tina Oziewicz, illustrations by Aleksandra Zajac

Guess what we did last Sunday?  There are signed copies of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess in the bookstore. Mr Kinney signs on a conveyer belt with blue Bic ballpoints! Here's the official video of Kinney signing on his new conveyer belt.

Boswell bestsellers, week ending November 2, 2024

Boswell bestsellers, week ending November 2, 2024

Hardcover Fiction:
1. The Mighty Red, by Louise Erdrich (a few signed copies left)
2. The Grey Wolf V19, by Louise Penny
3. Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney
4. Tell Me Everything, by Elizabeth Strout
5. The Blue Hour, by Paula Hawkins
6. The God of the Woods, by Liz Moore
7. Playground, by Richard Powers
8. Like Mother, Like Mother, by Susan Rieger (OFS lunch event November 12)
9. Fear the Flame, by Olivia Rose Darling
10. The Ministry of Time, by Kaliane Bradley

I'm not sure I would have released The Blue Hour on the same day as The Grey Wolf, but I can't argue that it doesn't make a nice color palette. Sales for the latest Louise Penny are down for us from the 2022 release - I don't know how that bodes and whether that is national. Lesa Holstine says in Library Journal: "It's a frightening novel of duality, of good versus evil, with an allegorical tale for today's world, as only Penny can write." And be prepared, as the story ends on a cliffhanger.

As for The Blue Hour, Kirkus writes: "Hawkins keeps her cast tight, her wild setting ominous, and her plot moving fast. This propulsive thriller twists into the dark and bloody underbelly of the world of fine art." It's also got a staff rec from Kim.

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Classic German Cooking, by Luisa Weiss (signed copies)
2. Moments of Happiness, by Mike Leckrone and Doug Moe (signed copies)
3. Kingdom of the Poor, by Charles Strobel with Katie Seigenthaler (Boswell November 18 event)
4. An Unfinished Love Story, by Doris Kearns Goodwin (signed copies)
5. Unlocking the Heart, by James Crews (signed copies)
6. Classic German Baking, by Luisa Weiss
7. 50 Years of Happy Days, by Bryan Levant and Fred Fox (signed copies)
8. Be Ready When Luck Happens, by Ina Garten
9. John Lewis, by David Greenberg
10. On Freedom, by Timothy Snyder

Needless to say, with all these signed copies offered, we had a busy week with hardcover nonfiction events. There were lots of highlights from this week's programs, but I particularly enjoyed selling books at the German dinner for Luisa Weiss. Several attendees already had her Classic German Baking, and for those who did not, we sold copies of this backlist title quickly, as they make a nice set together. That means the bestselling non-event book in the category is David Greenberg's John Lewis. 

Paperback Fiction:
1. The Waters, by Bonnie Jo Campbell (signed paperbacks)
2. The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig
3. Ancient Light, by Kimberly Blaeser
4. Signs of the Imminent Apocalypse, by Heidi Bell (signed copies)
5. Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin
6. Future Home of the Living God, by Louise Erdrich
7. Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver
8. The Night Watchman, by Louise Erdrich
9. Mistborn V1, by Brandon Sanderson
10. The Berry Pickers, by Amanda Peters

The Berry Pickers, just out in paperback this week, is the Boswell Lit Group selection for February 2025. It is also the winner of the Carnegie Medal (awarded by the American Library Association) and the Barnes and Nobel Discovery Prize. The book had four raves, two positives, and mixed in BookMarks. From Marion Winik in The Washington Post: "The Berry Pickers is not meant to be a mystery. The strength of Amanda Peters’s novel lies in its understanding of how trauma spreads through a life and a family, and its depiction of the challenges facing Indigenous people."

Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Paris Lost and Found, by Scott Dominic Carpenter (signed copies)
2. Mechanic Shop Femme's Guide to Car Ownership, by Chaya M Milchtein (also signed copies)
3. Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
4. My Berlin Kitchen, by Luisa Weiss
5. No Ordinary Time, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
6. A Philosophy of Walking, by Frédéric Gros
7. Assyria, by Eckart Frahm
8. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
9. The Hundred Years War on Palestine, by Rashid Khalidi
10. Pig Years, by Ellyn Gaydos

Hey, it's a new book that's not event related! Pig Years has only been out for two weeks in paperback. It had four raves and three positives in BookMarks. From Library Journal: "An ode to pig farming that waxes poetic in its simple majesty; readers will revel in the beautiful imagery and lyricism of this tribute to farm life in Vermont and upstate New York. Husbandry is portrayed with the rhythmic storytelling of Gaydos's masterful, rapturously refreshing, and immersive writing: a delicate balance between the graceful beauty and cruel reality of farm life, loss and abundance, longing and belonging."

Books for Kids

1. We Are Big Time, by Hena Khan, illustrations by Safiya Zerrougui
2. Let It Glow, by Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy
3. Big, by Vashti Harrison
4. How Many Squirrels Are in the World, by Ben "Mister G" Gundersheimer, illustrations by Marcos Almada Rivero
5. Señorita Mariposa, by Ben "Mister G" Gundersheimer, illustrations by Marcos Almada Rivero
6. Lilah Tov Good Night, by Ben "Mister G" Gundersheimer, illustrations by Noar Lee Naggan
7. The Leadership Journey, by Doris Kearns Goodwin
8. Cece Loves Science and Adventure, by Kimberly Derting, illustrations by Vashti Harrison
9. Hot Mess, by Jeff Kinney (Riverside Theater event today)
10. Hello Star, by Stephanie Licanovic, illustrations by Vashti Harrison

Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy were in Milwaukee to visit three area schools. Let It Glow is about two girls who swap homes for the holidays. From Booklist: " Aviva and Holly, two 12-year-old girls, discover that they are identical twins. Each was adopted; their parents weren't ever told that their daughter had a twin. When both girls volunteer to help with a December holiday pageant, they meet by chance - leading to many questions and an immediate bond...Meyer, who usually writes for teens, and Levy, who writes middle-grade fiction, offer a lively, engaging narrative. 

Speaking of schools, Mister G (Ben Gundersheimer) visited an area school this week. his How Many Squirrels Are in the World? released in 2023. Like many of his books, they are based on songs from his albums. This book is a counting primer. Per Kirkus: "A modest neighborhood adventure offers some upbeat one-to-20 counting practice. (squirrel facts)." I have never really seen this parenthetical end to a Kirkus review. Perhaps they are mimicking a 1970s song title.