Sunday, June 8, 2025

Boswell bestsellers, week ending June 7, 2025

Boswell bestsellers, week ending June 7, 2025

Hardcover Fiction:
1. The Listeners, by Maggie Stiefvater (signed copies)
2. The Last Ferry Out, by Andrea Bartz (signed copies)
3. Atmosphere, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
4. The Emperor of Gladness, by Ocean Vuong
5. James, by Percival Everett
6. Meet Me at the Crossroads, by Megan Giddings (signed copies)
7. Never Flinch, by Stephen King
8. My Friends, by Fredrik Backman
9. The Marble Hall Murders, by Anthony Horowitz
10. Wild Dark Shore, by Charlotte McConaghy

The Listeners has four raves and two positives on BookMarks. Margot Harrison in The New York Times notes how Stiefvater blends history and fantasy: "This premise is based on real events. Some American hotels really did house enemy diplomats during World War II. But at the fictional Avallon, with its reputation as 'a place where past and future were erased, replaced by an immutable, carefree present,' the repercussions of this unusual arrangement are perilous. The bad vibes that arrive with the new guests threaten the Avallon’s main attraction: the springs that run under the hotel and fill it with scents of 'perfume, blood, fruit, dirt, caves, blossoms.' The sweetwater is, you see, a bit alive. June’s special sensitivity to it is one of the secrets to her success, and she fears the water will react poorly to the hotel’s new occupants, who are essentially pampered prisoners."

Hardcover Nonfiction:
1. Mark Twain, by Ron Chernow
2. Steve Martin Writes the Written Word, by Steve Martin
3. Original Sin, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson
4. Submersed, by Matthew Gavin Frank (Boswell June 16 event)
5. The Number One Dad Book, by James Patterson
6. The Book of Alchemy, by Suleika Jaouad
7. On Tyranny graphic edition, by Timothy Snyder
8. The Fate of the Day, by Rick Atkinson
9. The Insect Epiphany, by Barrett Klein (Boswell June 11 event)
10. We Can Do Hard Things, by Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle

Steve Martin Writes the Written Word: Collected Written Word Works is a collection of Martin essays over the years. We all know how much Martin likes books because we've seen the advertisement with him and Martin Short set in a bookstore. I don't usually flag ads but hey, it's a nice plug for us biblio retailers. There don't seem to be reviews out there, possibly because aside from the introduction, it's all previously published - columns from New Yorker;s Shouts and Murmurs, plus both of his novellas. What a deal!

Paperback Fiction:
1. Problematic Summer Romance, by Ali Hazelwood
2. Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt
3. All Fours, by Miranda July
4. North Woods, by Daniel Mason
5. The Bullet Swallower, by Elizabeth Gonzalez James
6. One Golden Summer, by Carley Fortune
7. Blue Sisters, by Coco Mellors
8. The All of It, by Jeannette Haien
9. The Battle of the Bookstores, by Ali Brady
10. The House of Leaves, by Mark Danielewski

When romance novels and bookstore novels converge, is the bestseller list of an indie bookstore far behind? The Battle of the Bookstores, by Ali Brady (a pen name), about two manager who must compete for a job when their stores merge. From the starred Booklist: "This also serves as a beautifully written paean to the magic of bookstores, the power of romance novels, and the joy of reading. In addition to all the witty banter and sexy chemistry between the protagonists, readers will be struck by thoughtful insights about dyslexia and family relationships as well as spot-on observations about the art and craft of bookselling."


Paperback Nonfiction:
1. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. On Tyranny, by Timothy Snyder
3. How Golf Can Save Your Life, by Drew Millard
4. Crying in H Mart, by Michelle Zauner
5. New York Times Cooking No Recipe Recipes, by Sam Sifton
6. The Shock Doctrine, by Naomi Klein
7. Titan, by Ron Chernow
8. Every Living Thing, by Jason Roberts
9. When the Sea Came Allife, by M Garrett Graff
10. Wordslut, by Amanda Montell

Regarding How Golf Can Save Your Life, I can't remember the last time a golf book was in our top 10. It's got to go back when I tabulated lists for Harry W Schwartz - we could sell a golf book this time of year in Brookfield and Mequon. But I also can't imagine any other golf book has a quote from Shea Serrano, who called the book "smart, insightful, funny, moving." Another tidbit. This is a reprint of a 2023 hardcover, but I spotted it also as an Overlook (bought by Abrams) title from 2021. I don't think that version ever was published.

Books for Kids:
1. The Day the Crayons Made Friends, by Drew Daywalt, with illustrations by Oliver Jeffers
2. The Day the Crayons Quit, by Drew Daywalt, illustrations by Oliver Jeffers
3. Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins
4. A Forgery of Fate, by Elizabeth Lim
5. The Raven Boys, by Maggie Stiefvater
6. Winnie the Pooh, by AA Milne
7. The Man Who Didn't Like Animals, by Deborah Underwood, illustrations by Leuyen Pham
8. Maxine Gets a Job, by Alexandra Garyn and Bryan Reisberg, illustrated by Susan Batori
9. Kill Creatures, by Rory Power
10. Skipshock, by Caroline O'Donoghue

It was a big release week for YA! Our top new entry is A Forgery of Fate, by Elizabeth Lim, with its snappy sprayed edges. From Emmy Neal in School Library Journal: "-This inspired retelling of Beauty and the Beast traps a reluctant con artist in an underwater kingdom with a dragon lord determined to destroy the gods. Hand to readers who like the ache of slow-burn romance and the whimsy of fairy tales. Highly recommended for all collections." Also starred Publishers Weekly and Booklist.

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